Tetris Effect

johnny_ultimate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVL6t8IHE8

Is there anything more satisfying then seeing a major game director / studio make the game they were always destined to make? Because Tetris Effect feels like the perfect culmination of Tetsuya Mizuguchi's career to date. I mean, he and his various teams already secured their place in the gaming canon with Rez, Lumines, Child of Eden... but Tetris Effect is god-tier. It takes perhaps the most familiar game in existence, and transforms it into something thrillingly, lovingly new.

Yes, it's Tetris - the same fundamental gameplay you played back on the Gameboy. But the difference presentation makes - glorious dynamic music, particle heavy visuals and an overall sense of bold, determined direction elevate this to something truly remarkable. I'm only playing on a standard TV, but it's trance-like with a pair of headphones in - a trippy, utterly captivating game that's among the purest, greatest achievements in this still young medium.

I fear I'll immediately double dip if this comes out for the Rift - after all, playing Rez Infinite on that is as far as I'm concerned the quintessential VR experience I've had to date. I envy those with a PSVR headset who get to check this out in its apparent perfect form.

Anyway, Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Enhance are among the best developers in gaming, and this might be their most transcendent experience yet. Again: yes, it's Tetris - but it's also absolute ****ing magic. It's all connected...

murphyebass

I think it looks good.

Can’t see this selling all that well though tbh.

It’ll most likely drop quickly. Around a tenner in a psn sale in a few months I’d say.

Might pick it up then.

Mr E

Switch version, please.

murphyebass

Mr E wrote: »

Switch version, please.

That’s a fair shout. I’d buy it for Vita quicker than PS4. I don’t own a switch but same thing.

Wii U release? Anyone,anyone??

SomeSayKos

Tetsuya Mizuguchi is a legend and I'll be picking this up when I finally get around to buying a VR headset for the playstation

Really yeah? But its just tetris?

Maxpfizer

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVL6t8IHE8

Is there anything more satisfying then seeing a major game director / studio make the game they were always destined to make? Because Tetris Effect feels like the perfect culmination of Tetsuya Mizuguchi's career to date. I mean, he and his various teams already secured their place in the gaming canon with Rez, Lumines, Child of Eden... but Tetris Effect is god-tier. It takes perhaps the most familiar game in existence, and transforms it into something thrillingly, lovingly new.

Yes, it's Tetris - the same fundamental gameplay you played back on the Gameboy. But the difference presentation makes - glorious dynamic music, particle heavy visuals and an overall sense of bold, determined direction elevate this to something truly remarkable. I'm only playing on a standard TV, but it's trance-like with a pair of headphones in - a trippy, utterly captivating game that's among the purest, greatest achievements in this still young medium.

I fear I'll immediately double dip if this comes out for the Rift - after all, playing Rez Infinite on that is as far as I'm concerned the quintessential VR experience I've had to date. I envy those with a PSVR headset who get to check this out in its apparent perfect form.

Anyway, Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Enhance are among the best developers in gaming, and this might be their most transcendent experience yet. Again: yes, it's Tetris - but it's also absolute ****ing magic. It's all connected...

Yup, seconded. Probably the best available VR experience right now.

At least I won't regret my PSVR purchase for a few weeks at least.

The unfortunate thing about VR is that the kind of games that work best in VR are pretty outdated in comparison to the popular range of modern games.

VR Doom, Skyrim and Wipeout have all been massive disappointments for me. Sure, when you put the headset on and look around the world it's an amazing feeling but there's just TOO much going on. Too much movement etc.

With those games the VR is more like a novelty. You put it on for an hour or 2 here and there and then once the "wow" factor has worn off you just forget about it. I've probably played a couple of hundred hours of Skyrim on Switch and PS but in VR I've played less than 10 hours.

Tetris Effect is exactly what a VR game should be. It's a solidly challenging game that is replayable and still gives the "wow" factor of VR without being overly complicated.

ERG89

Maxpfizer wrote: »

Yup, seconded. Probably the best available VR experience right now.

At least I won't regret my PSVR purchase for a few weeks at least.

The unfortunate thing about VR is that the kind of games that work best in VR are pretty outdated in comparison to the popular range of modern games.

VR Doom, Skyrim and Wipeout have all been massive disappointments for me. Sure, when you put the headset on and look around the world it's an amazing feeling but there's just TOO much going on. Too much movement etc.

With those games the VR is more like a novelty. You put it on for an hour or 2 here and there and then once the "wow" factor has worn off you just forget about it. I've probably played a couple of hundred hours of Skyrim on Switch and PS but in VR I've played less than 10 hours.

Tetris Effect is exactly what a VR game should be. It's a solidly challenging game that is replayable and still gives the "wow" factor of VR without being overly complicated.

Try Astro Bot and Moss; both are apparently good to very good. Maybe Resident Evil 7 & Superhot VR too.

johnny_ultimate

Moss is superb, have played it on the Rift and it’s a gem. That, Rez Infinite and Superhot are the three VR games I’d recommend without hesitation. I’m sure this is the same, but again I’m only playing on a TV.

Maxpfizer

ERG89 wrote: »

Try Astro Bot and Moss; both are apparently good to very good. Maybe Resident Evil 7 & Superhot VR too.

Already have all of those.

RE7 and Superhot suffer from the same problems as Skyrim etc. Just too much going on. Like, they are impressive experiences and I didn't not enjoy them, just they don't have any longevity.

Rez and Tetris Effect have that replayability factor where I feel like I can look forward to picking them up again and again to just beat high scores. Plus the simplicity helps, in my opinion.

Moss is wonderful but maybe a little too short lived. When I first played it I though this was definitely the future of VR games. It utilizes the VR incredibly well. It's over too quickly for me. Sort of avoids everything bad about Skyrim VR, for example, but then doesn't deliver an extended experience.

Astro Bot is probably the best of the bunch in terms of merging modern gaming design and gameplay with the VR platform. Of course the first thing I think is "what could Nintendo do with this technology". The biggest criticism is just that it's too short again.

They are not charging full 60 euro price for these games at least which is nice.

For me Tetris Effect is the best VR game so far but obviously "it's just Tetris" is not an unreasonable criticism.

The VR platform is better suited to much older "arcade" style games, in my opinion.

Canis Lupus

Maxpfizer wrote: »

Yup, seconded. Probably the best available VR experience right now.

Tetris is the best VR game? Glad I've not bothered to buy into the tech :P

Maxpfizer

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Tetris is the best VR game? Glad I've not bothered to buy into the tech :P

That's fair. I don't think the tech is well suited to modern games to be honest.

If VR was this advanced in the 80s then every game would be a VR game. It just works for those old games. They are clean and simple and the VR platform gives complete immersion.

Gaming as a medium moved to a more cinematic, character driven and story based format with dual sticks, a dpad and 8 buttons. Open worlds. Etc. The VR platform just doesn't work for those games, in my opinion.

It really depends on what you are looking for.

VR is more suited to, arcade syle, short gameplay, sessions and games like Tetris are perfect for those sessions.

If you'd be looking for "RDR2 but it's VR" then I think we will probably never be there.

johnny_ultimate

It’s hard to overstate how well suited Tetsuya Mizuguchi‘s aesthetic interests are suited to VR. The sort of pulsating light show and trancey soundtrack are intense on the senses, but in the way that doesn’t make you feel physically ill. In some ways, it’s the exact sort of abstract dreamscape that a lot of the early fantasies of VR resembled.

So yes, while it’s still Tetris, it’s married to one of the most assured, distinctive visions in gaming. The Tetris gameplay may be basically the same as it ever was (with the few modern tweaks it has picked up over the years), but the synesthesia delivery has come on a lot from the Gameboy day:

Maxpfizer

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

In some ways, it’s the exact sort of abstract dreamscape that a lot of the early fantasies of VR resembled.

I had been thinking exactly this since I first played Rez Infinite.

Tetris Effect has only solidified my belief that this is the way VR ought to be.

I think the modern fantasy of VR is more "Ready Player One" or "The Matrix" where the VR world is close to "real". So realistic that it cannot be distinguished from actual reality.

In gaming terms we have achieved the goals of those early fantasies and you can go inside weird and interesting, but still somewhat basic, worlds without feeling like you are going to puke in under 5 minutes.

Living up to the modern fantasy is a long way down the line. Probably getting rid of the controller is necessary for a start with movement controlled by the mind rather than with a control stick. For sure using your left thumb to control movement while your brain is screaming "but we aren't moving" is a pretty big barrier.

murphyebass

The only VR game that really interests me are driving games. I have a nice wheel and pedal set up that use every couple of days for a quick blast with the likes of Gran Turismo but I see you tubers playing with the wheel and VR which must be just seriously immersive.

That said I am not paying the money they are asking for it currently and I love peripherals. As I say have a steering wheel and pedals and a proper fight stick as well but I just don’t think I could justify VR flr the few games I get a wow factor from and then get bored of.

It feels like the idea is just ahead of its time.

Retr0gamer

Not buying it unless it supports at least 4 transvibrators.

SeantheMan

Maxpfizer wrote: »

Yup, seconded. Probably the best available VR experience right now.

At least I won't regret my PSVR purchase for a few weeks at least.

The unfortunate thing about VR is that the kind of games that work best in VR are pretty outdated in comparison to the popular range of modern games.

VR Doom, Skyrim and Wipeout have all been massive disappointments for me. Sure, when you put the headset on and look around the world it's an amazing feeling but there's just TOO much going on. Too much movement etc.

With those games the VR is more like a novelty. You put it on for an hour or 2 here and there and then once the "wow" factor has worn off you just forget about it. I've probably played a couple of hundred hours of Skyrim on Switch and PS but in VR I've played less than 10 hours.

Tetris Effect is exactly what a VR game should be. It's a solidly challenging game that is replayable and still gives the "wow" factor of VR without being overly complicated.

I think the complete opposite is true.
Tetris is a complete novelty in VR

The likes of Astro Boy, Resi 7, Skyrim and Wipeout are the way VR should be. They are immersive and bring you into a VR world , an experience that you can't get without VR.
Tetris VR is pretty much the same with or without VR.

nix

I just watched this now, popped up on my youtube feed, my first real look at the game and may counter the thinking VR is just a novelty for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T7mg6JZZzg

Game looks great, i may get it.... some day

nix

Is this only coming out on PS4? and only via PSN???

SomeSayKos

So i got a PSVR at christmas and I promptly bought tetris effect and i think it is excellent. When i tell my friends that my favourite game on the VR headset is tetris they think I'm taking the piss, until they have a go themselves.

Batesy

This is 25% off on PSN this weekend.

Never thought I'd enjoy it so much. Excellent version!!

Headset a must.

johnny_ultimate

This wee little masterpiece is coming to PC next week (Epic Store), and as per the thread above it’s ****ing marvellous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCdkg569Ozk

SomeSayKos

deadly! The more people that play this game the better! It's incredible.
Finally got to level 100 in it last week. Me and my partner are addicted to it

pasta-solo

This is on Oculus Quest now. Had been excited to play it, and finally got a chance last night. It truly lives up to the hype, so immersive. Great to be able to play in wireless VR, though I'd recommend using a Bluetooth controller if possible. The Quest controllers are great, but don't have a d-pad. I'm using an 8-BitDo SFC 30, and while I'd love a wired controller, this works great.

Chris_Heilong

Can you turn off the distracting background effects? Who wants them when you are trying to concentrate on your blocks.

SomeSayKos

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Can you turn off the distracting background effects? Who wants them when you are trying to concentrate on your blocks.

You can tone down the particle effects but you can't remove them entirely. I think they're integral to this version of tetris imo though. It's a real journey