Hands-on with CyubeVR: One of the most beautiful PSVR 2 games
Six years after its release for SteamVR, CyubeVR makes its debut on Playstation VR 2. How does CyubeVR play and is the port a success?
When I first heard about CyubeVR, I immediately thought of Minecraft: a world of blocks that you can turn into tools and use to build anything your imagination can dream up.
But CyubeVR isn't just another Minecraft clone. It is a voxel game built from the ground up for virtual reality that aims to impress with its visuals. Does it succeed, and is it fun to play?
Below are my first impressions of CyubeVR on PSVR 2. If you are keen to learn more about the game, read my interview with CyubeVR developer Corvin Engelken.
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CyubeVR on PSVR 2: Enchantingly beautiful
The world of CyubeVR is a mix of voxel graphics and more realistic elements. The ground is made entirely of blocks, while all other elements such as plants, animals, trees, and tools are detailed 3D models.
When I first saw the world through the lenses of my Playstation VR 2, I was amazed. Thanks to the high render resolution, the image is crisp and clear, making it a real pleasure to stroll through the game world and take it in visually. The natural landscape with flowers, trees, and animals is a feast for the eyes.
CyubeVR has sophisticated light and shadow effects and a day and night cycle. As the sun sets, shadows move across the world and as night falls, northern lights appear in the sky. Thanks to the bright OLED displays, it feels like the sun is blinding me, and the landscape looks like it is actually bathed in light. The game world is so beautiful and idyllic that it invites you to wander aimlessly.
It is only later that I begin to explore the mechanics of the game. I can see very far and recognize a mighty structure that towers high into the sky. Will I one day be able to climb up there and see the world from above?
A gentle introduction and intuitive VR controls
CyubeVR is a sandbox game and as such, does not have a story in the traditional sense, unless you write it yourself through your actions.
A long chain of objectives gradually introduces you to the game's mechanics. This is how I learned to mine the first blocks and create simple tools like a pickaxe. Recipes for these and other items are scattered around the world in the form of floating parchments. All I have to do is touch them with my hand to add them to my collection.
The VR implementation is well though out: I can teleport and move smoothly through the world at the same time, bend virtually to chop wood lying on the ground, and telekinetically pull loose objects towards me with a flick of my wrist like in Half-Life: Alyx. I played CyubeVR sitting down and it worked perfectly. Blocks are minded by hand movements, but I can't say yet if this is tiring in the long run.
I was pleasantly surprised by the settings menu, which is very extensive and allows you to customize the graphics and many gameplay elements (movement speed, length of days and nights, etc.). I did not try the mod support.
Conclusion: A strong PSVR 2 debut
CyubeVR makes a good first impression. You can tell that the game has been in development for eight years. The PSVR 2 port is based on the latest PC VR version, which has received 57 updates since its release.
The port itself is exemplary. I haven't played the PC VR version yet, but CyubeVR looks fantastic on PSVR 2 and is certainly one of the most beautiful games for the VR platform.
There are visual compromises here and there. You can see how the detail level of distant objects changes when you focus on them. In the visually unappealing desert, the OLED displays and the PS5 reach their limits, and you can see aliasing effects in the distance due to the voxel graphics. The lighting effects are sometimes exaggerated, but can be reduced or turned off in the graphics settings. I also suspect that CyubeVR uses Sony's controversial reprojection technique and have asked the developer about it.
The developer is far from done with CyubeVR and plans to provide content and features for many years to come, including a multiplayer mode with cross-play between PC and PSVR 2.
You can buy CyubeVR here:
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