No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky, since the update that brought PSVR support, offers the ability to explore a practically unlimited, procedurally generated universe directly from a first-person view in the headset, including landing on alien planets, gathering resources, building bases, and piloting spacecraft. VR support isn't limited to a brief demo but covers the entire game — a player can complete the main story campaign in virtual reality, build extensive colonies, and pilot ships and exosuits, with all controls adapted for either the Move motion controllers or the standard DualShock, according to preference. The feeling of standing on the surface of an unknown planet and observing alien flora and fauna at a one-to-one scale is often cited as one of the strongest reasons to try the game in VR, even though it's the same content the game offers outside the headset as well.

Technically, this was an extremely demanding transition, because No Man's Sky was designed as a vast, open game with long play sessions, which for VR brought challenges related to maintaining a smooth frame rate and comfort during extended play. Hello Games offered several movement options, including teleportation as well as smooth walking, so players could choose an approach suited to their own tolerance for motion sickness. Space combat, ship landings, and walking on planetary surfaces in the headset create a sense of scale and depth that, on a regular screen — even though the game looks visually the same — simply cannot be fully replicated.

After VR support was introduced, No Man's Sky was cited as proof that even an extremely vast, previously controversially received game can gain a second wind thanks to later updates and a new platform. Given the procedurally generated, practically endless universe, playtime remains open-ended and depends on how long a player is willing to keep exploring, which has made No Man's Sky VR one of the most expansive and ambitious VR experiences available on PSVR.

Why play it: For players willing to lose themselves in a procedurally generated universe for dozens or even hundreds of hours — VR support gave a once controversially received game a second wind.