The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR

 PlayStation 5
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 32
  3. Negative: 4 out of 32
  1. Impulsegamer
    Mar 27, 2023
    92
    Be ready to have a horror filled thrill ride.
  2. PlayStation Universe
    Mar 15, 2023
    90
    Supermassive Games has nailed the thrill of funfair rides and amplified it with a healthy dose of horror. The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR utilizes the PSVR 2 toolset to great and grisly effect. It can be counted among the most consistently entertaining PSVR 2 experiences you can have.
  3. Gaming Nexus
    Mar 17, 2023
    85
    A sequel in everything but name to PS VR’s delightful Rush of Blood, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR takes everything that made that title successful and refines it further. The shooting is great, the thrills are some of the best on the platform, and the overall vibe can be downright terrifying. Ride a coaster, shoot some demons, scream, laugh, and cuss. What’s not to love?
  5. God is a Geek
    Mar 15, 2023
    85
    Switchback VR surprises and delights with its jump scare rollercoaster ride through its greatest hits, offering a great reason to don a headset.
  6. COGconnected
    Mar 16, 2023
    84
    The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR improves on every aspect of Rush of Blood to create an essential horror title for the PSVR 2. The innovative use of the headset adds to the immersion to create memorable moments of terror. While the story takes a back seat, the heart-racing ride through the grotesque is not to be missed.
  7. Dexerto
    Mar 15, 2023
    80
    Given the attention to detail, exceptional level design, near-unending variety, but most importantly, its inventive approach to ‘scare tactics’, The Dark Pictures: Switchback is an absolute must-play for fans of the genre and those looking for a real fright. Go in with open eyes, let the distinct worlds and the many unsettling inhabitants enrapture you, and you may well be left trembling in no time at all.
  8. We Got This Covered
    Mar 15, 2023
    80
    Switchback VR is a fantastically frightening ride that will have you jumping in your seat and reeling from its horrific sights and sounds as you shoot your way through an excellent homage to The Dark Pictures Anthology.
  9. Hobby Consolas
    Mar 15, 2023
    79
    Switchback VR is one of the best demonstrations of what horror can do in PS VR2 taking advantage of its technical innovations. Uncomfortable, intense and with moments that you will remember, it came with its own limitations: it does not stray far from what was seen in Rush of Blood and that it is somewhat expensive for what it lasts.
  10. GAMES.CH
    Mar 15, 2023
    77
    As a more or less classical rail shooter, Dark Pictures Switchback VR is no complexity monster – and it's short concerning a single playthrough. But the simple and good working gameplay mechanics are nothing less than a perfect match for VR. The shooting trip also benefits from its scary atmosphere while particular connoisseurs of the core series will enjoy the similarities.
  11. Destructoid
    Mar 15, 2023
    75
    I expect Switchback VR to be similarly polarizing because it caters to a very specific niche, but if you enjoyed Rush of Blood, you'll likely have a good time here as well.
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  1. UploadVR
    Mar 17, 2023
    The experience itself is good fun and a mostly engaging horror shooter from start to end. It blends together arcade gameplay elements with intense horror action, bringing some fantastic enemy designs and brilliant settings into the fray. While the visuals might not be the most stunning we’ve seen on the platform, it’s nonetheless competent and what lacks in fidelity it makes up for in style. Though probably not a system seller, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is a good PSVR 2 exclusive and an easy recommendation for fans of horror and arcade action. [Recommended]

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2023

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 29
  3. Negative: 8 out of 29
  1. mamalikesmambo
    Mar 20, 2023
    6
    I am a huge fan of Until dawn: Rush of blood. I would say this was my most anticipated PSVR2 game, and sadly I am very disappointed. I waitedI am a huge fan of Until dawn: Rush of blood. I would say this was my most anticipated PSVR2 game, and sadly I am very disappointed. I waited to comment till I finished it.

    The game doesn't really build on what made Rush (ROB) so great. No demented carnival/circus theme, which was brilliant, and was the theme they should have gone with. Instead, we have this cryptic barely passable subway stuff that doesn't come together until the end, and doesn't really thrill you, it's in fact boring. if they didn't have it, the game would be better actually, just the bad guy talking to you directly would be better.. The lead villain isn't scary, not imposing, and more annoying with its attempt at scares. I understand it's based on dark pictures, but could have still used the carnival theme.

    The whole fun of ROB was the coaster and shooting gallery feel, the shooting is kind of boring in comparison, no targets, just yellow pentagrams on generic items. No fancy coaster moments really, a few minor moments but not a lot of it. Shouldn't a coaster game have some amazing coaster moments, like going underwater, getting an unusual weapon during it, etc.

    The ancient temple was easily the best location in the game, really needed more of that! The merry go round part that required saving or killing was very annoying though. Did not care for the puzzles at all. Taking guns away, stopping the coaster, both bad ideas. It should be constant action!

    Whoever thought placing moments in the game where making one wrong move or not doing something right will kill you needs their heads examined. THIS IS A SHOOTING GALLERY game, not a survival horror game. It doesn't feel good to die and watch the slow reload page over and over again until you figure it out. This game loads like a ps4 title, ps5 games should load much quicker.
    The idea should be to keep you engaged constantly, no long track moments with nothing interesting to shoot or cool coaster moments not implemented. It really takes you out of the game and moment seeing that loading screen.

    No real interesting weapons, same ol guns, no mini crossbow, bolt guns, guns that shoot blood or pumpkins, lightning, fire, ice, or body parts, etc. One gun at the end was sort of interesting, again not animated, not that useful except that level. The flare gun, electric gun. ultraviolet/infrared/blacklight guns were annoying. I would rather not have to deal with the blacklight with no battery life gun. Those environment guns made me have just one real gun to shoot with, I didn't care for that. The flare gun should have been utilized to kill things instead of worrying about the environment

    Saving people is great, but the dying and going back till I save them is so annoying and frustrating. never do anything that takes the player out of the experience!

    The graphics are a major disappointment, this looks like a psvr 1 game. The textures seem low resolution and blurry, the shimmering aliasing is all over the place. I also bought Horizon, RE Village, GT7, Synth Riders, Kayak vr, and Pistol whip, and it looks far worse than all those. The videos online made it look beautiful, but in the game it's like 2016 all over again. lots of popup and texture loading.

    I hope they make another, but listen to the fans of ROB and do it better next time, or make this one what it should be.

    They should also take the coaster shooter formula and make a scifi, cyberpunk, fantasy, history based outlandish style, etc. i'd love to see a bioshock style game like this, an assassins creed jumping through history locations style game, a cyberpunk 2077 or bladerunner style game, a 80's inspired arcade, a true non scary demented circus style game, so many possibilities here.

    Such a disappointment, could have been so much more.    … Full Review »
  2. relaxus
    Mar 19, 2023
    8
    Nice little VR experience. Probably a little overpriced for what is it, but enjoyable nonetheless.
  3. hidratos
    Mar 17, 2023
    5
    I found this game disrespectful to the end user: Low resolution, heavy popping, absurd changes of LOD right in front of you, framerate issues,I found this game disrespectful to the end user: Low resolution, heavy popping, absurd changes of LOD right in front of you, framerate issues, PS4 loading times, poor attention to detail (fire as a wall animated texture like a PS1 era), 3D audio completely broken to the point you can’t know when an enemy is hitting you from side…

    The funny thing is that Rush of Blood didn’t had any of this issues and ran in a PS4 base hardware.

    About the game itself, feels way worse than Rush of Blood. The pacing is off, the art direction is poor, the enemies are boring and ¡it’s not scary at all!

    Note: It doesn’t use foveated rendering which might helped.    … Full Review »
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