Arizona Sunshine 2 PSVR 2 Review
| Game: | Arizona Sunshine 2 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Vertigo Games |
| Developer: |
Arizona Sunshine was an impressive game for PlayStation VR, but it faced common issues found in other PSVR games, like tracking problems and less-than-crisp visuals. With the sequel on PSVR 2, there were high expectations for significant improvements, and I’m happy to report that it delivers.
In Arizona Sunshine 2, the unnamed main character’s humor and constant chatter might not appeal to everyone, but personally, I didn’t mind. I enjoyed some of the witty lines. This time, a new character is introduced — a dog named Buddy, christened by the main character. They embark on a quest to find patient zero, the person who started the zombie apocalypse. Having a loyal dog as a companion certainly gives a new angle to the story, with the lead character previously only having the zombies for company.
Buddy not only plays a crucial role in the story but also serves as a key gameplay addition in this sequel. The overall experience is more expansive and improved, though it maintains many similarities with its predecessor. Buddy autonomously attacks zombies, and you can also direct him to target specific ones—a valuable strategy for conserving ammo and ensuring survival in tight spots. Furthermore, Buddy assists in reaching items that the main character can’t access, and you can even store guns on him. The delightful animations, coupled with the ability to stroke him and play with him, are sure to bring joy to the dog lovers amongst us.
As for the rest of the game, if you enjoyed Arizona Sunshine, you’ll likely have a similar experience with its sequel. It still centers on the timeless task of dispatching zombies using various weapons—whether by blasting or slicing them into decaying chunks. There are moments when the sheer number of approaching undead can be quite overwhelming, and this is the time to make good use of the more powerful weapons as well as your explosives.
The shooting itself is absolutely superb, easily ranking among the best in any VR game. It’s highly accurate, delightfully gory, and the varied ways of reloading different guns or handling grenades, like removing a pin before tossing it, add an extra layer of immersion. Nevertheless, there were a couple of instances where the game slowed down due to the sheer number of zombies coming my way.
With the PSVR2’s Sense controllers as well as the haptic feedback, playing Arizona Sunshine 2 is a much smoother and even more immersive experience compared to its predecessor. Whether you’re pulling out a gun, reloading, tossing grenades, climbing, or giving commands to Buddy, the tracking is consistently reliable, even in tight situations. In general, it results in a significantly improved experience, though there may still be occasional instances where picking up the intended item feels a bit awkward, leading to picking up something else instead.
The game stumbles a bit in its level design, lacking a bit of variety that could have improved the experience. While I enjoyed navigating through the sunny and detailed Arizona, certain areas can feel somewhat repetitive. However, amidst all the zombie blasting, it’s not something you might necessarily notice. I also experienced a number of crash bugs during my time with the game, forcing me to completely reload from the PS5 dashboard.
Arizona Sunshine 2 supports cooperative play throughout the entire campaign, and what’s welcome is that you don’t need to have the same headset in order to do so. This means a PSVR 2 player could team up with a Quest player seamlessly. The return of the Horde mode offers another enjoyable way to experience the game outside of the main 10 hour campaign.
Arizona Sunshine 2 is undeniably a bigger and better sequel. The addition of Buddy, your loyal attack dog and companion, enhances both gameplay and the narrative, while significantly improved controls make it a much more enjoyable experience compared to the original PlayStation VR version. Despite a few flaws and ongoing crash bugs holding it back from further greatness, the developers have clearly focused on the most entertaining aspects. Indeed, blasting zombies in this sequel has never been more satisfying.
