Compared to the PS4 / PS VR combo, No Man’s Sky on PS VR2 naturally promises a significant leap forward in terms of production. Hello Games talks about increased draw distance, denser foliage, high definition textures and all sorts of additional visual effects. The game supports headset features (vibration motor, 3D sound, motion detection) and Sense controllers (haptic feedback and adaptive triggers). Note that it is possible to freely switch from VR mode to traditional mode and that any pre-existing save can be used to play in VR.
From then on, it’s up to you to manually interact with the ship’s features, from opening the cockpit to using the throttle lever to turning your head for a 360° view. Other VR-specific interactions include manually grabbing plants and other collectibles or hitting objects to damage them. In VR, the player also physically draws the multi-tool strapped to their shoulder, before aiming and shooting at the targets like for real. Another little treat is by pressing a button located directly on the helmet that you activate the analysis visor to learn more about the fauna, flora and minerals.
A new ship and gyroscopic controls
True to form, Hello Games has not limited itself to PS VR2 with this new 4.1 update entitled Fractal. On all platforms, players can now get their hands on the Utopia Speeder, a new ship capable of flying over the surface of a planet at very high speed. “We’re also launching a new expedition, Utopia, which sees players working as a team to rebuild an abandoned solar system for the mysterious Utopia Foundation. Expedition rewards also include an exclusive new helmet (the Fearsome Visor), a robotic companion and more“, explains Sean Murray on the PlayStation Blog.
On PlayStation but also Switch and Steam Deck, this update supports gyroscopic controls, often appreciated by some of the players, which will allow you to explore and analyze new discoveries with comfort and precision. Finally, let’s add that, no, it’s not yet this year that Hello Games intends to stop maintaining its space exploration game. “2023 has even more surprises in store for you: Fractal and PS VR2 support are just the beginning“, can we read.