I used to love multiplayer shooters like Call of Duty and Destiny’s PvP mode but there came a time when I realised I just wasn’t good at them any more. I eventually came to find that getting 3 kills and 20-odd deaths in a game was just not fun. And I just stopped playing multiplayer games.
Then came along PS VR2 and Pavlov, a first-person VR shooter from Vankrupt Games.
I bought Pavlov on a whim just because I wanted to try out as many PS VR2 games as I could afford during its initial launch period. As Pavlov’s core experience is a multiplayer one I thought I would probably not enjoy it simply because I thought I would be terrible at it. I was kind of wrong.
Pavlov PS VR2 Review – The most fun I have had in a multiplayer shooter in a long time
Pavlov VR is one of the most fun games I have played in a while and although I started out being my usual unskilled self in a multiplayer game and getting killed over and over – I just didn’t care. I was having too much fun and it did not matter if I died only once during a match or 100 times.
I think the fact that Pavlov is a VR game makes it so much more fun to play as a shooter. If Pavlov was a flat game I don’t think it would be anywhere near as enjoyable.
Pavlov is I would say a fairly realistic game the weapons all seem to look and feel realistic and the recoil feels realistic although I have never actually fired a real gun so I could be off on this.
The graphics are pretty decent, for a VR game and this does add to the realism. But it’s the overall gameplay and mechanics, coupled with the Sense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers that make the game feel great.
The maps in the game are pretty well designed and most of them are of medium size which is perfect for this type of game in VR. Running around the maps and popping people’s helmets off with headshots is immensely fun and getting into firefights with other players makes you feel like you are actually in a warzone sometimes.
It’s Just a Fun Game to Play
Unlike other multiplayer shooters and multiplayer games in general, playing Pavlov never feels stressful or frustrating. I have played games like Call of Duty or Destiny and sometimes the stress of trying to stay alive and win gets overwhelming. Or the frustration of getting killed over and over again just makes you want to rage quit.
With Pavlov though, I don’t feel that way at all. If I am having a good game and end up with more kills than deaths that’s great. If I have a bad game and end up with more deaths than kills then that’s also great. Pavlov is just so much fun to play that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose you’ll be happy you just took part. It’s just a fun game to play.
More Than Just Multiplayer
If you really don’t fancy playing against other real people in Pavlov there is still quite a bit of content you can play as a solo experience.
There’s a shooting range where you can try out all the weapons to see which ones you like best. There’s also a kill house where you can try and get around the course with the highest score. You can also play offline in game modes like Search and Destroy and Team Death Match with bots. This is actually pretty good training before taking the plunge into online play.
There’s also a Zombies mode where you have to survive as many rounds as possible, so far I have only managed to survive one round.
Pavlov PS VR2 Review – The Final Verdict
Pavlov is an absolute must-play for all PS VR2 owners, even if you are like me and don’t much care for multiplayer games. It is just so much fun to play and can be quite humourous at times. Even if you are terrible at multiplayer shooters, you honestly won’t care as playing Pavlov in VR is just so much better than playing games like Call of Duty.
Pavlov is a realistic military shooter, and I can’t emphasise this enough, the gameplay is just so fun that it never becomes stressful or frustrating.
Graphically, Pavlov looks pretty good for a VR game and thanks to the PS VR2 the game looks really crisp and clear. The PS VR2 Sense controllers’ haptic feedback and adaptive triggers also add greatly to the sense of realism and immersion.
I bought Pavlov on a whim and I honestly didn’t think I would like it all that much but it’s become one of my most played PS VR2 games. Give it a try.
Pavlov - The PSF Verdict
Pavlov is an absolute must-play for all PS VR2 owners, even if you are like me and don't much care for multiplayer games. It is just so much fun to play and can be quite humourous at times. Even if you are terrible at multiplayer shooters, you honestly won't care as playing Pavlov in VR is just so much better than playing games like Call of Duty. I bought Pavlov on a whim and I honestly didn't think I would like it all that much but it's become one of my most played PS VR2 games. Give it a try.
