My inner anti-hero has been clawing at my insides ever since our early hands-on preview, and now the wait is finally over. Synapse, the landmark next-generation VR action-shooter from nDreams is out now, exclusively on PS VR2. Before we take a deeper dive and expand upon what I experienced in the preview, which you can find here, a quick recap of what to expect.

Synapse places players in a beautifully abstract world with dual-wielding combat that evolves Fracked’s acclaimed run and gun gameplay, combining expressive 1:1 telekinesis in one hand, and deadly, tactile weaponry in the other. Players learn to harness this lethal combination as they master their own combat style and fight their way through a hostile mindscape.

Designed to take full advantage of PlayStation VR2’s boundary-pushing hardware, Synapse delivers a feature set, including:

• Motion-controlled, 1:1 telekinesis with eye-tracking-enhanced aiming that equips players with the power to launch, levitate and smash enemies through destructible environments.
• Adrenaline-fuelled gunplay engineered for PlayStation VR2’s Sense controllers.
• Feel Every moment through haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
• A stand-out art style designed to make full use of the PlayStation VR2’s stunning 4K HDR display.

Unravelling the story and getting to the ultimate truth behind the campaign consists of three runs with nine zones in each. Each run becomes progressively more difficult, with enemies that can take more of the punishment that you’re dishing out, and more dangerous enemy types appearing more frequently. My time with the preview did not prepare me anywhere near enough for what the full experience has in store.

Facing off against one of the more elite juggernaut-like enemies for the first time was a heart-pounding, terrifying, and challenging experience. The battle was hard fought, though ultimately, I was defeated, resulting in the first of many run restarts in the Safe Zone. Returning to the Safe Zone and purchasing some additional upgrades made for a very different round two, and speaking of upgrades and progression, let’s break them down.

During gameplay, you’ll complete varying challenges such as dispatching X number of enemies or crushing enemies with objects using telekinesis. These are known as Revelations. Completing Revelations will earn you the skill point equivalent known as Insight. Insight is then spent on things like being able to improve your telekinesis by allowing you to grab enemies, add additional health, and even purchase new weapons. Purchased Insight upgrades are permanent improvements for your character and give you the edge in battle, and getting these upgrades to become the ultimate telekinetic warrior feels incredibly rewarding. Worried that this gameplay loop will get a little stale? Fear not, because Mind Hacks have got you covered. Mind Hacks are temporary in-run modifiers that are rewarded for completion of a zone, ranging from causing an explosion upon destroying enemy cover to regaining health from a headshot. I personally love this element as it makes each run feel very unique and adds loads of diversity that will keep you coming back for more.

Getting creative, experimenting, and adapting to ever-changing combat situations is a very heavy focus. Enemies are constantly trying to flank in order to get their shot at taking you down. Use everything in your arsenal and even take advantage of the environment itself to take the fight to them. Combat is fast-paced and often quite intense, and it paired perfectly with the incredibly smooth and just as fast movement. One of my most intense situations had me pinned down behind cover with nowhere to go, a heap of enemies, and very little cover. Launching myself from cover and up into the air, and raining hell on them with my grenade launcher means that the satisfaction and thrill of surviving this kind of intensity brings much joy and a giant smile to the face.

nDreams have done an incredible job balancing visual fidelity and performance with the visuals, delivering a simply stunning, crystal clear image that is reprojected to 120hz, and giving the player a buttery smooth, very fast, and overall fluid gameplay experience. Level designs are full of brilliance, with loads of predetermined paths that you can take, plenty of verticalities, and even the ability to forge your own path by climbing onto rocks and ledges. One of my favourite visual effects, other than the extremely satisfying explosions, is the particle effects that would rival Sony’s very own Housemarque as the enemy is spawning in or moving to another location.

Listening to our story unfold with voice acting performances by the iconic and incredibly talented voices of David Hayter and Jennifer Hale had me feeling as if their characters weren’t just enemies, but truly hated each other. Mix this mind-bending tale with the ensuing super-powered carnage, explosions, and gunfire, and you’ve got yourself one massive piece of ear candy. While the included PS VR2 earbuds deliver a high-quality listening experience, my personal recommendation is that if you’ve got a high-quality set of wired headphones that you could plug in, do so. Alternatively, you can also use a compatible wireless option.

Welcome death’s cold embrace, grow significantly more powerful, and unleash your inner anti-hero in this highly replayable offering from nDreams. Synapse is a mind-melting, adrenaline-fueled, action-packed, super-powered, intense, and expressive shooter that raises the bar on what the PS VR2 is capable of. A truly next-gen VR experience that you’ll be sorry you missed. Experience everything Synapse has to offer right now and remember, death is not the end.

Written by: Gary Nielsen