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. 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

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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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