Hitman 3 will be releasing on January 20th, 2021 for consoles and PC, but PSVR owners get a special treat – the ability to play the game completely in VR. It’s a first for the series and for the developer, IO Interactive. But how will it work? What are the limitations? What’s to get excited about? Read on and find out.
So, the first thing to know about Hitman 3 on PSVR is that there’s no support for the PS Move controllers, meaning you won’t have free movement like in other games. You won’t be able to wiggle your arms independently of each other as you’ll be restricted to using the DualShock 4 controller. Yes – even on PS5, the DualShock 4 gamepad is what you’ll need to be playing with. So if you’ve already buried your PS4 and all of its peripherals, it’s time to go grave robbing. Or just buy a DualShock 4. Whatever.
You’ll move Agent 47 around in a more traditional manner, then, using the DualShock 4’s controller’s sticks and buttons, though motion functions are in the game using the light-based tracking system. This includes shooting. So, to shoot, you’ll move your real-life arms and controller to aim. A bit like playing Firewall Zero Hour with a gamepad.
It’s also worth noting that if you’re on PS5, you’ll need the free PSVR adapter from Sony. I’ll leave a link down in the description below in case any of you don’t have one yet. It’s really easy to get one and to be fair, Sony was very quick in sending them out to our team, with most of us getting ours within 3-5 working days, so you should still have time before the game releases.
What’s also slightly disappointing is that there is no support for the PSVR Aim controller, though one can see the problem with using the peripheral – unless you’re constantly walking around with a rifle in the game, it would feel a little strange and disconnected to be using the Aim controller.
Not all is lost, mind you. IO Interactive did a Reddit AMA last year and the language used suggested that there could be more to come in the future. When asked about the controls and the PS Move controllers, one of the developers stated that “the current version of the game is not using PS Move controllers, it’s using the DualShock.” You could take this to mean that a future version of the game could use the Move controllers, or perhaps something completely new – though that seems unlikely on PS5 until the PSVR 2 releases. I’d love to be wrong, I really would, but I wouldn’t put money on a new controller before a new headset.
Still, we’re getting Hitman in VR, and that’s amazing. Something we wouldn’t have been able to imagine all those years ago when the follically challenged assassin made his debut with those lovely dual pistols. However, if you’re having sweet dreams of dual-wielding those iconic ballers, you’re going to be disappointed. The developers have also confirmed that players won’t be able to dual-wield those sexy pistols. Then again, who knows what the future holds.
It may seem like it’s all been a big negative up to this point, but rest assured that there are some good things to talk about. For one, the game will feature collision detection, meaning that if you touch a wall, a table, or a person, your hands will stop on contact. This is something that many VR games still manage to get wrong, so fair play to IO Interactive for taking the time and effort to make the VR version of Hitman 3 a bit more haptic and immersive with this seemingly small feature. And it’s not just Hitman 3, it’s the entire trilogy.
Yes, the entire Hitman trilogy will be playable in VR, which is great and it means you’ll be able to see old levels in a new light. You’ll be able to actually walk the runway in Paris, chill on a bench in Sapienza, and well, whatever else you fancy doing.
Despite Hitman being all about stealth and evading detection, a lot of work has gone into making the game’s combat feel great in VR. While some actions are locked to the controller’s buttons and sticks, like movement, crouching, and reloading, physical combat is just that: physical. You’ve got the collision detection which means you’ll be able to punch, slap, or you can bash heads in with pipes, bottles, or even a piano. You can also be an annoying twat by tapping people on their shoulder and then moving to the other side. Handy if you want to slip a little something into somebody’s drink, or just annoy random NPCs for a giggle – Whatever takes your fancy, and you’ll do it by waving your arms around in your living room. Just, er, be careful not to smack the telly.
How this all comes together is something we’re still waiting to try for ourselves, but if it’s done right, it could be some next-level stuff. Plus, I want to mingle with hundreds of people at the Paris fashion show. I’m a social creature and these lockdowns have got me going mad. I just want to stand at the bar and have a beer with some peeps, you know?
