Red Matter 2 brings a visual stunner to PlayStation VR2 this week. Boasting native 120fps support, improved visuals and more, it’s the definitive version of this VR sci-fi adventure. Here are our full impressions.
Almost a year later, I’m still astonished by what Vertical Robot achieved with Red Matter 2, especially on Quest 2 and Pico 4. By taking advantage of each headset’s individual strengths, it delivered both an engaging Red Matter sequel and strong graphical fidelity for standalone hardware. We called it an impressive visual showcase at the time and on PSVR 2, that’s never been more accurate.
Playing the original game beforehand isn’t necessary and as Volgravian agent Sasha Riss, you investigate a distress signal sent by a previously assumed dead friend. A compelling journey soon follows regarding Volgravia’s research into red matter, an unusual substance with supernatural properties. The cast isn’t especially memorable, but it’s nonetheless an entertaining mystery with a satisfying conclusion (despite a few predictable twists).
Not long into the opening, Sasha finds a spacesuit equipped with a multi-tool device that resembles your controllers. It feels like a natural extensions of your hands, which can switch between scanners, grips, flashlight, a gun and a jetpack for the odd platforming segments. It ties in well with puzzle solving and a particular favorite involves noticing how controller vibrations change during safe cracking to find the code.
Like before, combat remains my only real complaint. Shooters lend themselves brilliantly to VR but Red Matter 2’s gunplay doesn’t quite cut it. Alongside stationary turrets, there’s only two enemy drones variants, ranging between humanoid-style drones with small vulnerability points and speedy floating eyes. Fights get somewhat tedious, though combat isn’t frequent and thankfully, shooting feels slightly more precise on PSVR 2. Your mileage may vary though, depending on how steady your aim is.
Ultimately, this is the same game with refreshed visuals, so there isn’t any new content. If you’re after a deeper dive into the gameplay, I’d recommend checking out Harry’s Red Matter 2 review for Quest 2. On PSVR 2, you won’t find a grand overhaul similar to Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded or Cities: VR – Enhanced Edition, but it’s not some bog-standard Quest port, either.
Vertical Robot is taking full advantage of this new hardware and Red Matter 2 remains absolutely stunning. I remember thinking how great this looked on Quest 2, despite the limitations of standalone hardware and on Sony’s latest headset, these retro-futuristic visuals have never looked better.
Environments look considerably sharper thanks to 4K remastered textures, which is immediately evident upon looking around the main menu. From space stations orbiting Saturn to the glow of Neptune’s moon Triton, I was blown away by the game once again. Remarkably, native 120fps support makes exploration feel incredibly smooth; there’s no 120Hz reprojection here like you see in Resident Evil Village and Gran Turismo 7, where 60fps is reprojected up to 120Hz in headset. This is true native 120 frames per second, working alongside eye-tracked foveated rendering for a stunning final result.
I’m enjoying the haptic feedback too, both with the headset and Sense controllers. When the spaceship lifts off in your opening mission, those gentle vibrations kick in, offering a subtle but effective means of increasing immersion. When firing the gun, those adaptive triggers kick in with increased resistance, which becomes particularly noticeable if the gun overheats.
Red Matter 2 remains an impressive visual showcase, perhaps even better the second time around on PSVR 2. My previous combat gripes remain, but Vertical Robot’s sequel still offers an entertaining sci-fi adventure packed with intuitive controls, enjoyable puzzles and an intriguing story. If the game didn’t appeal to you the first time around, this port probably won’t change your mind. But for any newcomers, PSVR 2 feels like the definite way to play Red Matter 2.
Harry Baker
