The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Chapter 2 Retribution Review – Best VR Zombie Game Yet

I’ve always been a fan of The Walking Dead since an old friend of mine got me into the show, and I immediately fell in love with Shane Walsh…but that’s a story for another time. There were many reasons why I first got into VR gaming, and one of them was because I saw the PSVR2 headset and that The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners would be getting a Chapter 2.

Unfortunately, I never played Chapter 1, and honestly, I am kinda glad I didn’t. From the looks I’ve gotten into the first one on the Meta Quest 2 headset, it just doesn’t seem as up to par as the new one for the PlayStation console and headset. Again, I never played it, so I wouldn’t know…but Chapter 2 of Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is amazing, and that’s the long and short of it.

Check out our review of the first Walking Dead VR game.

Game Name: The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Chapter 2 Retribution
Platform: PSVR 2
Publisher(s): Skydance Interactive
Developer(s): Skydance Interactive, Skybound Entertainment
Release Date: March 2023

 

Why I Love The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners Chapter 2

When players first start out in the Walking Dead VR game, they will be brought up to date on everything that happened in the prior game in a cutscene that is a little bit spooky – especially when bodies are floating above their graves. After this, players will then enter the open world, where it is up to them to survive the end of the world. This is when players will find a school bus that will be the player’s one-stop shop for all their zombie slaying needs. In there is a recycling bin where items found around can be recycled for other materials to craft weapons and ammo. There is also a rack where extra weapons can be stored for quick grabbing and more, which can be done via this hub.

I’m a person who is a homebody, so VR is a way for me to enjoy other places while in the comfort of my room. When playing the Walking Dead VR game, sure, it was a zombie apocalypse, but it felt like a new exciting adventure. Some people might find the game scary, but honestly, it isn’t as bad as some players might think, especially after fighting the first walker or two. The scariest part for me was when the walkers started getting the upper hand and got the lowdown on me. That wasn’t fun as the deadly moans of zombies were in your ears, and the headset began shaking on your head to add to the terror. But after experiencing that the first time, it isn’t as bad the next.

So just like a true Walking Dead survivor, you deal with the fear the more you have to experience it.

I love that this game allows us to explore a whole new world which is basically also the end of the world. Playing games like this one in VR allows players to be hands-on with weapons, items, and much more. For example, I started a doll collection. There are all these little random voodoo-looking dolls around the open world, and while I bypassed a lot of them, at one point, I decided to begin a collection. These dolls now sit on the bus on a table, and it makes me happy.

Overall Gameplay and Visual Comments

Now let’s head into the gameplay, shall we? The gameplay and visuals through the headset are pretty smooth and solid. Honestly, I’ve only noticed one glitch. It took place at the crafting table where an item I didn’t need got stuck, and it was stuck there for a while, even after I exited the game and came back another day. However, this glitch did work out. Otherwise, I haven’t noticed really glitches since I began playing on the day it launched, which is rare for titles nowadays.

The graphics are really clear, especially with good settings on your PSVR 2 headset that best fit your eyes. I didn’t experience any screen tearing, other glitches, or bugs that took me out of the game world. So honestly, for not having received hardly any updates since launch, the overall gameplay is fantastic.

As for movement and overall usage of the VR headset during gameplay, it honestly worked smoother than expected. I played my first VR game on the Meta Quest 2 (also known as an Oculus). I can’t remember which game, but even though that headset is great, I could tell the PSVR2 moved smoother. Playing this Walking Dead VR game on it was super smooth and hardly ever had any hiccups. I did experience an issue if the room I was in was completely dark, which caused issues with the tracking. Always make sure the room is lit nicely to ensure the cameras can track movements.

The controllers worked well during combat. When Zombies are running at you from all directions, you need to be quick. Needless to say, half the time that I was using a gun or knife, I almost forgot the hand wasn’t my own with how flawlessly it worked. The only thing to be mindful of is what gun you are using and when you use it, as some take longer to load than others. Some of the shotguns can be hard to load quickly unless you take a lot of practice…but you also don’t wanna waste bullets.

The same from above applies to crafting. It is fairly simple, as all it takes is having the collected materials, then clicking whatever you want to craft. The game will then spawn it on the table, and we can pick it up from there. The graveyard is one of the best places for players to test out the weapons they want to use, which is what I often do.

Another cool thing is we can travel to many different places that are crawling with Walkers, some being more difficult than others. I always liked having the opportunity to explore my surroundings. But be careful not to lose your backpack and die from zombie attacks, a lesson I learned the hard way.

Oh, and yes, there is a story campaign, and it can be quite expansive. But personally? The gameplay was the real allure, and that’s what kept bringing me back to the title.

Final Thoughts

This has quickly become one of my favorite games to play after work to destress, especially when I am in the mood to play some VR…or just wanna hang out with my creepy doll collection.

My final thought, without having played the first game, this one is definitely more fleshed out than the first from visuals. I love how hands-on we get to be in the gameplay and how we almost get to do whatever we want, even when following the main story. This is a game I know I will be playing for years to come.

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