ESGS 2017: Bravo Team Hands On - I Don't Get It

PlayStation had a strong push on VR in this year's ESGS with a variety of VR games available. One game, in particular, Bravo Team by Supermassive Games, was available on the show floor and I've never been so confused after playing the game. 

Let's minus the fact that the controls were hard to grasp with the time available. It's been awhile since I held the PlayStation Move in that manner, attached to another peripheral to replicate you holding a gun. It's cute. The game itself is a weird creation by the Until Dawn developers. A shooter that's hard to be fully immersed despite all the gadgets included to play the game. During the game demo, you control a squad of soldiers engaged in a gun fight between opposing forces on a bridge. No context was given during the demo and it was simply you thrown into the action - going from cover to cover to get a better aim at the enemy and moving forward. I was able to advance a bit further than I should which resulted in my death. That didn't trigger a failed sequence but rather you switching to one of your remaining squad members left on the field. 

It feels like a proof of concept at best. Sure, it would be a good introduction title to use VR in the FPS/shooter genre but there are now a good variety of titles out now such as Resident Evil 7 or Super Hot VR, to name a few. Bravo Team also doesn't fully utilize the PS VR so well since you are trapped from one cover to the next. I was simply staring at one direction (the screen), with no real need to move my head or look around. When I do look around I start to see the insides of my character model or gun. Not a pretty sight. Aiming down on my sights felt like a struggle. There was actually a point where I thought about removing the PS VR because I felt no need for it.

Reveal trailer from PlayStation during E3 2017.

It was weird. The PS VR is a great peripheral for the PS4 but Bravo Team doesn't help support that case. Maybe it wasn't set up properly and the full game has more to offer but what was given didn't paint a pretty picture for a VR shooter coming out in December. 

Bravo Team is an exclusive title for the PlayStation 4 that requires the PS VR. It will be out on December 5.