A grand adventure in VR.
Become a hero and save the world in one of fall 2025’s biggest releases.
nDreams has been pushing the limits of virtual reality (VR) for years now. From Shooty Fruity to Ghost Busters: Rise of the Ghost Lord and even Powerwash Simulator VR; their work has helped set the tone for gaming in VR.
Today (Oct. 16) the developer and its studio nDreams Elevation is once again showing the VR community that high quality games are possible, with the launch of Reach on the PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2), Quest headsets, and PCVR.
This game stands out. Not only because it boasts high quality graphics, a well-crafted mechanics system, and a story that keeps you pulled in right until the end; but for the simple reason that Reach is an enthralling AAA experience for VR.
You are Rosa, a Hollywood stuntwoman who has returned to her hometown for a shoot.
What starts out as a parkour adventure down memory lane, turns quickly into a fight for the survival of humanity.
The game throws you instantly into the fray of a tutorial, breaking down the mechanics of movement, actions, and the rest of the basics that you’ll need as the game picks up.
Things are simple to understand and in no time, you’ll become Rosa as you run, jump and climb your way around. Jump by holding the ‘A’ button and swinging your arm up before letting it go, while crouching is as simple as hitting ‘B.’ You’ll interact with the rest of the world through natural means – grabbing using the grip buttons, shooting with the triggers, as well as a few other actions that you’ll need later in the game.
There’s never a moment of confusion with regards to how to get around. Thanks to a refined system that doesn’t require much button pressing to get things done, you’ll quickly find yourself moving with ease as the controls become second nature.
After your adventure in reminiscence comes to a shocking and destructive end, you find yourself underground; the remnants of the city in which you grew up now rubble you must navigate. While your first instinct would be to find your way up the only path forward takes you further into the depths. Soon, you find yourself in a sprawling and beautiful ancient civilization known as Ferra.
Ferra was a once thriving culture that lived underground, where humans – known as Ferrans – lived in harmony with sentient living statues. However, 3,000 years prior, a war for the safety of the planet and the future of Ferra, was fought to a standstill. Lithos, the game’s big bad, wanted to take over the surface because the coveted the stars. After her entrapment, the remaining Ferrans left for the surface and their once thriving colony became nothing but a ghost town.
Upon making your way into Ferra you come across Atlas, the living statute who fought with humans against Lithos in her quest to take over the surface – he is also Lithos’ brother.
At first a solid and immobile statue, Atlas becomes your confidant and the voice in your ear as your journey unfolds.
Your tasks start small; find the gear you need as you help turn the power back on. Soon, however, you’ll find yourself fighting across numerous parts of Ferra as the story reaches the eventual climax.
As noted earlier, the story is encapsulating. From the moment you arrive in Ferra and start working with Atlas, you’ll find that even the smallest of conversations can help you to understand Rosa better – as well as garner clues that help point to the game’s biggest reveal.
nDreams wants you to feel immersed as you go from defending yourself one moment, to ziplining and grappling across a cavernous expanse the next. By slowly learning about who your character is and watching your own progression and proficiency grow, you’re able to become the hero the world needs as Lithos pushes for revenge.
Graphically this game is beautiful.
Whether you’re navigating the streets of Earth, a nearly demolished and dangerous expanse, or are facing off against a slew of Lithos’ army, you’d be hard-pressed to find a recent title that has graphics which can stand with Reach.
Whether you’re playing on the Quest, PSVR2, or even PCVR, the game boasts high quality graphics – 4K with higher-resolution textures if you’re playing native on the PSVR2. While playing on the Quest 3 did see some intense moments where the game appeared to stutter, the frame rate held consistently overall, and issues were few and far between.
There were also a few times when the game did end up crashing on the Quest 3, however, after booting back into the game the issue did not reoccur and could not be replicated.
Overall Reach is an ambitious title that brings VR gaming to heights it has only ever managed to touch a handful of times before. nDreams has something special here that any gamer, regardless of their skill, can enjoy. This adventure game brings you as close to the action as is currently possible and its launch should be seen as a testament for what can be done in VR.
As the first of the three big titles coming to VR before 2025 ends – Marvel’s Deadpool VR & Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow being the others – Reach is the perfect way for AAA gaming to kick off the fall season.
Reach, was reviewed on the Quest 3 after receiving pre-release access.
