Ever since Pistol Whip launched on Oculus back in November 2019 I have been waiting for the day I would get to jump in on PSVR. As we all know 2020 has currently been on the go for about three decades, so the wait has been excruciating. Finally last week though, after a last-minute two-day delay it has arrived – and it’s magnificent.
As I had hoped, Pistol Whip is a triumph in pretty much every possible way. Electronic dance music (EDM) from the likes of Black Tiger Sex Machine, Apashe and HVDES isn’t something I would slap on a Spotify playlist when I’m just chilling out in the house, but in the context of the game it fits perfectly.
In terms of a rhythm-action game on PlayStation VR, the direct comparison to make is Beat Saber. It’s one of those games that everyone pulls out when their non-gamer friend or family member pops in to show them what games have transformed into over the last few years. Pistol Whip is the next big game that is going to fill that slot.
Gameplay on the default setting is pretty simple. You get one pistol that you control via the PlayStation Move sticks, which are required. The game is akin to an on-rails first-person shooter, so you are constantly moving forward while enemies spawn from various locations in front of you.
Shooting these enemies is the easy part though. The game has an auto-aim, so as long as you aim pretty close to your target you’ll hit the mark. That’s not to say the game is easy though. Enemies appear quickly and if you don’t take them out immediately they will fire at you. Thankfully these bullets come towards you at a reasonable speed and you can dodge them in SUPERHOT fashion.
Shooting and dodging aren’t all you have to contend with either. Each level has a unique song that plays throughout and your aim (no pun intended) is to both shoot and reload in time with the beat. This was something I struggled with at first, but it’s so well implemented that it clicks very early on. If you do continue to have issues though, you can activate a metronome to help out.
Not only is every level tremendous fun, but it’s also a hell of a workout. I have had a few hour-long sessions and by the end of each one, I have been dripping with sweat. Even if you don’t dance to the beat while shooting (which you absolutely should), you are constantly wriggling out the way of oncoming bullets.
The environments are varied and well-designed for sneak attacks from the faceless goons that look reminiscent of SUPERHOT villains, disappearing just as quickly as they appear. The presentation also adds a lot to the overall package. Menus and level select looks like a collection of movie posters and you have the ability to choose from many different guns and customise them with paint jobs.
Each of the 15 levels available at launch is playable in easy, normal and hard, with free DLC tracks on the horizon as well. Adding even more replayability is the modifiers which include, but are not limited to, dual pistols, infinite ammo and deadeye mode, which disables the auto-aim and provides the ultimate challenge. No matter which way you decide to play, the game is a blast the entire time.
The trophy list features a platinum and a good but challenging list. The biggest obstacles are likely to be finishing a level on hard with deadeye enabled. There are also a few time-consuming trophies like one to pistol-whip 1000 enemies, which is the melee attack. If these two don’t stop you though, you’ll be adding another shiny plat to your collection.
Overall Pistol Whip is up there with Walking Dead Saints & Sinners as the best PSVR game of 2020. Hell, it’s one of the best games the headset has to offer. If you have any interest in rhythm games or even just waving a gun around, you are going to have an absolute blast here. When all is said and done this is likely to be mentioned in our top games of the year discussion.
-Craig ✌️
A review code for this product was kindly provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PSVR.
