POOLS is extra of an expertise than a recreation. You may technically see it by way of to completion in about an hour. However amid the brevity of our time with it, there is a palpable sense of ambiance that’ll depart you on edge.
POOLS is an off-kilter horror strolling simulator the place you will need to navigate advanced mazes of tiled hallways, swimming pools, and slides.
There aren’t any enemies. There’s no time restrict. There aren’t any mechanics past strolling or operating round these hallways.
However the recreation faucets into the area of interest liminal horror of the “Backrooms” idea, oscillating between tight darkish corridors and abnormally giant areas, with shiny water slides virtually performing as leap scares.
There’s one thing extremely unnerving in regards to the recreation’s six ranges, which expertly handle to scare the crap out of you with none type of conventional “scary” stuff. It is purely vibes, and so they’ll soak into your pores and skin.
Visually, it is an actual looker on the PS5 and PS5 Professional, emphasised by a superb use of lighting. The sound design, too, although minimal, can actually increase the hairs on the again of your neck.
We scoffed on the recreation’s strategy once we first booted it up, however inside 20 minutes, we have been twitching on the close by sounds of sloshing water, and nervously approaching large inflatable geese as they bobbed round. There is no rating right here, so that you virtually begin to assume you are listening to issues as you wade by way of the water.
It’s a creepy expertise on PS5, nevertheless it’s taken to a brand new stage on PSVR2. Mechanically, there isn’t a lot distinction aside from the power to bodily climb up ladders with using the Sense controllers.
Nevertheless, Sony’s headset actually lends itself to the size of the sport. We peered down seemingly countless pits, and twitched round to the sight of ladders being tucked into vents by unseen beings. And there is subsequent to no visible disparity between PSVR2 and the flat display screen model, making this among the best visible showcases on Sony’s headset.
Much like another PSVR2 titles, like Kayak VR: Mirage, POOLS is a skinny gameplay expertise, however you aren’t there for that. You’re there to be transported someplace else. In Kayak VR, it is stunning vistas. In POOLS, it’s creepy tiled hallways.
So whereas it’s a short-lived expertise, it’s one we couldn’t assist however admire. It definitely caters to a distinct segment viewers, nevertheless it shortly creates a singular and tense ambiance that performs together with your head, much more so when you might have the PSVR2 strapped to it.
