Graphics upgrade and online co-op on PSVR 2: Puzzling Places gets free update

Graphics upgrade and online co-op on PSVR 2: Puzzling Places gets free update

The popular VR puzzle game Puzzling Places is getting a major free update for Playstation VR 2, adding online multiplayer and higher resolution rendering.

FACTS

Realities.io, the Berlin-based development studio behind the VR puzzle game Puzzling Places, has announced that a major free update for the Playstation VR 2 version of the game will be released on May 2nd.

The update will include a 2-player online multiplayer mode, including cross-play with players using Meta Quest 3, Quest 2, Quest Pro or Pico VR headsets. The multiplayer mode for Puzzling Places was released last summer on the Quest platform. You can enter a room with a friend and work on the puzzles together.

However, in order to play the DLC puzzles together, both players must own the DLC. A guest access system like in Walkabout Mini Golf VR has not been implemented yet, the developers write on Reddit.

Higher resolution, but no foveated rendering yet

In addition to the multiplayer feature, the update increases the render resolution by a factor of 1.45. Foveated rendering is not yet included in this update, but later this year the studio plans to upgrade to Unreal Engine 5, which could enable new features like this.

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While the update is free, the multiplayer mode requires a Playstation Plus Essential membership, as is standard for all PS5 games. Also released today is the new monthly puzzle pack, this time featuring motifs from Berlin. It will include some unique architectural pieces such as the Mäusebunker and the Bierpinsel.

CONTEXT

Puzzling Places: From Sidequest hit to VR perennial favorite

Puzzling Places was developed by Berlin-based startup Realities.io, which specializes in photogrammetry. The idea for the game was born during the pandemic, when travel was severely restricted. In May 2020, Puzzling Places was launched as a beta on Sidequest, followed by a release in the Quest App Lab in early 2021. In September 2021, the game was officially released for Meta Quest and later for Playstation VR.

The release version featured 16 brand new puzzles in five difficulty levels ranging from 25 to 400 pieces. Each puzzle is accompanied by an immersive soundscape that evolves as the puzzle progresses. Since then, many new puzzle packs have been added, including scenes from Armenia, the Hallwyl Museum, and the city of Biarritz.

Sources: Reddit