It's one of the titles I personally most anticipated for PlayStation VR. Crytek's "Robinson: The Journey" has been the focus of attention ever since its announcement, and the first opportunity to play At this year's Gamescom, expectations for the adventure game remained high. Where else can you currently experience the former rulers of our Earth – the dinosaurs – so closely? The game's theme alone targets a very broad audience, which will certainly contribute to its success.
The sole survivor on an alien planet
While dinosaurs did indeed live on Earth, in "Robinson: The Journey" everything takes place on an alien planet called Tyson III. The landing there was anything but gentle for our "hero"—our ship crashes right onto the surface, and we appear to be the only survivors, aside from our electronic companion, an intelligent HIGS unit. Our mission: Try to make contact with any other surviving crew members and stay alive in this hostile environment for as long as possible.
The beginning of this adventure is a bit bumpy, perhaps lacking a bit of guidance. We wake up in the middle of a T-Rex's breeding ground and are immediately able to witness the miracle of birth, watching the future king of the prehistoric jungle hatch from its egg. A cute little dinosaur baby, which we name Laika and, against all logic, make our "pet." A few months later, we've already established something resembling a small life on the alien planet – there's a farm, supply facilities, protective fences, and, of course, the hope of leaving this planet. Making progress requires a lot of trial and error. We have to restore the power supply, repair a scarecrow, play with Laika a bit, and enjoy a breathtaking view of the planet, including the crashed spaceship. A HIGS unit, somewhat reminiscent of Wheatley from Portal, is on hand to help, desperately trying to copy his sense of humor. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work, but it does console us a little about our loneliness.
Your primary task from now on is to explore the various areas around your camp, find the remaining HIGS units, and perhaps even find a way home. This naturally means a lot of exploring, climbing, playing mini-games, solving small puzzles, or simply being impressed by the stunning scenery. Because for me, at least, that's the biggest draw of "Robinson: The Journey."
From dense undergrowth and wild raptors
Well, the dinosaurs have been extinct for a long time, and films like "Jurassic Park" only hint at what it must be like to stand right in front of them. With VR and "Robinson: The Journey," you can actually experience this intense feeling and get within a few meters of them. Once you've made your way through the tar pits or the dense jungle, 30-meter-tall warm-blooded creatures appear as if from nowhere and rise up among the leaves, forcing you to crane your neck to fully grasp this overwhelming feeling and sight. Even touching them is virtually just a matter of centimeters, although you should be careful not to get trampled. But it's not just cheerful inhabitants of this prehistoric era that cross your path; hungry raptors are also among them, leaping up at you with a snap and a roar. That certainly inspires a healthy dose of respect!
But even beyond these graceful inhabitants, "Robinson: The Journey" impresses with its immersive atmosphere and beautiful, vibrant environment. A thriving array of flora and fauna surrounds you, numerous animal species await discovery, along with hot springs and dark caves. A paradise for amateur prehistoric explorers. Moreover, "Robinson: The Journey" is arguably one of the most beautiful titles currently available for PlayStation VR, purely in terms of graphics. I would even go so far as to say that it surpasses Rocksteady's "Batman: Arkham VR“It surpasses it slightly. The 3D soundscape, as expected, does its part and completely immerses you in Robinson's world.”
Climbing, puzzles and often falling
In terms of gameplay, "Robinson: The Journey," like almost all VR titles, is quite simple. The most challenging aspect is probably the hand-eye coordination while climbing – especially when descending, it's easy to lose your grip. You move through the levels in slow steps, always facing forward. You can rotate in 10-degree increments, which is intended to counteract motion sickness, and you can use a scanner to examine, combine, or move various objects. These are all relatively minor challenges that aren't particularly demanding, but require a fair amount of skill here and there. The controls often feel somewhat imprecise or cumbersome, but they are easier to use than, for example, in "The Assembly" by ndreams. An implementation with PlayStation Move would have been interesting and would have been a perfect fit. Unfortunately, this feature is currently unavailable.
While the pure playtime of "Robinson Crusoe: The Journey" to complete the story may seem quite short, there are plenty of opportunities to extensively explore the game world and everything that lives within it. This definitely adds up to far more than the predicted 3 to 5 hours. You should really enjoy the game, perhaps even spending a few minutes standing on the cliffs taking in the fantastic view or observing the giant dinosaurs. This offers a welcome added value that greatly enhances the VR experience. The rather high price is, of course, a point of contention, with many considering it unjustified. This could be partially supported, especially when looking across the Atlantic, where the game is sold for significantly less and user reviews are considerably more positive than in Germany.
