Synapse

Synapse is a PSVR2-exclusive action shooter built on an unconventional idea — instead of controlling the character's movement in the classic way, the player uses telekinesis to lift enemies, the environment, and projectiles into the air and manipulate them directly with their hands. The character, an agent trapped inside his own mind, fights his way through a surreal, fragmented landscape made of shattered memories, and combat plays out with the player shooting a weapon with one hand while lifting cover, barrels, or the enemies themselves with the other, hurling them at the ground or into each other. This combination of two simultaneous actions — aiming and telekinetic manipulation — creates gameplay that would be difficult to realize outside of VR.

The game makes heavy use of the Sense controllers' adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, letting players feel the difference between a light release of telekinetic force and full concentration needed to lift a heavier object. The visual style combines dark, industrial environments with abstract, dreamlike passages that reflect the protagonist's disintegration, complemented by intense electronic music underscoring the tension of each encounter. The level design is structured as a sequence of compact arenas where the player must quickly switch between taking cover, lifting objects, and shooting, making the game a fast, intense experience rather than a sprawling adventure.

Synapse was among the first exclusive titles built specifically for PSVR2 and was praised for its original use of the motion controllers in a way that goes beyond ordinary aiming and grabbing objects. Reviewers highlighted that controlling shooting with one hand and telekinetic manipulation with the other simultaneously demands an unusual level of focus and coordination, setting the game apart from most classic VR shooters where the player mainly works with a weapon. Studio nDreams, which has a number of VR titles to its name, used it to show how the console's new hardware opens up mechanics impossible on classic flat screens, and the game earned a reputation as one of the technically most interesting showcases of both the headset's capabilities and the Sense controllers' adaptive triggers.

Why play: For players looking for an unusual challenge for both hands at once — simultaneously shooting with one hand and manipulating telekinesis with the other demands a level of coordination classic VR shooters don't offer.