When it comes to any peripheral that encourages human movement, one of the first game genres that are often explored is Sports. Within this genre, some implementation of a Tennis-themed game isn’t too far behind. While this has worked well for some platforms before, I for one would not like to guess how many hours I spent playing Wii Sports’ relatively simple tennis mode, how can you deliver a similar experience while also being fresh and original? Did I hear reviving an early-2000s arcade / Dreamcast game from SEGA? Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Coming a few months following the release of the PlayStation VR2, the reimagining of SEGA’s Cosmic Smash – best described as a fusion of Breakout and the IRL sport Squash – is now available on the platform under the title C-Smash VRS. Developed by Wolf & Wood and published by RapidEyeMovers, this is a simple but addictive game that embraces single and multi player experiences and is an overall fun romp.
C-Smash VRS thrives when it comes to integrating you into the experience it has to offer. This is not a game you will likely spend dozens upon dozens of hours playing but for the occasional game session with others or a worthy challenge in its arguably more robust single-player challenge campaign, you have here a winner. The goal of the game in single-player mode is simple but sometimes dastardly, with you playing squash in a spice-like environment as breakout-style challenges are presented to you one after the other. In front of you are environmental obstructions and panels you must hit, all standing between you and your ability to progress. Complete the challenge in (depending on the difficulty) a rather limited time and you can continue your course through the stars in search of stricter challenges. However should you fail, you will have to start over again. Celebrating reactivity and split-second decision-making, it is an experience that is a genuinely good work-out (especially now we are in the cooler months), and even if you are like me and not instinctively good at these more physical challenges, the production value and short sessions usually leave you up for “one more round” five or six more times until you complete the challenge.
Playing C-Smash VRS is very instinctive, and suits even relatively small play spaces such as my own. After being taught how to grab your equipment, namely a racquet, you are immediately taken into a tutorial that introduces you to a few of the game’s basic concepts and ensures you have them fully grasped before you continue. Controls are simple: You use your dominant hand to hit the ball with the racquet as it comes your way, while your non-dominant hand is used to move you left and right across the field using the analog stick. The movement system does take some getting used to, but even with everything going on, quickly becomes instinctive and wasn’t nausea-inducing in the slightest. Just be sure to wear your wrist strap, since as with other tennis games, there may be that desire to hit the ball a bit too fast and have your controller lodged in your television.
As each PlayStation 5 system can only support one PlayStation VR2 unit at a time, there is no local multiplayer in C-Smash VRS, instead relying solely on online multiplayer. There is a solid selection of game modes to choose from, from head-to-head modes where you see who can hit the most targets to Bodyshot where both players are in a narrow corridor and must pelt balls at each other – aiming to get a direct hit in. The modes are chaotic, competitive and pleasurable fun – although as with games like this – it depends on the quality of your internet connection and the availability of others to play at the time. This is, after all, a more casual game exclusively for a peripheral which costs more than the actual console to own. The developer has expressed commitment towards introducing additional content soon, so hopefully they can explore more than just the four currently available game modes.
The biggest drawcard of C-Smash VRS at the end of the day is its audiovisual theming, which succeeds in immersing you into its retro-future environment with its clean and minimalistic yet postmodern cyberspace-styled world. While other PSVR2 games have delivered highly detailed worlds that make it feel like you are truly standing in a game world, no other game I have played for the platform has been able to immerse me as well, at least without queasiness. Even more incredible is the inclusion of music from the likes of DJ Ken Ishii and Danalogue, which when combined with the sound effects and dynamic environments, is the cherry on top that makes this a multisensory experience worth checking out.
While on the casual side of the virtual reality game market exclusively for a peripheral which is more likely to appeal to more hardcore gamers, C-Smash VRS has an almost universal appeal through its easy-to-pickup yet challenging-to-master single and multiplayer campaigns, audiovisual quality and more. For its price, you get a solid amount of gameplay, and even if it might not have the longevity of other games on the market, is one I see myself keeping installed on my PlayStation 5 for months if not years to come, to pick up every now and again for a workout or physical challenge. But as for its future, it really depends on maintaining its active player-base to keep the game’s entire online multiplayer functionality alive, and also what the development team have planned for future updates. Time will tell…
C-Smash VRS is now available to purchase digitally for the PlayStation VR2 via the PlayStation Store. The PSVR2 requires players to own both the PlayStation 5 and its associated PSVR2 peripheral.
A review code was provided by the developer/publisher for the purpose of this review.
