****/2019/08/29/angry-birds-movie-2-vr-under-pressure-review/ So I’ll be completely honest from the start of this review; I have never been a fan of the mobile Angry Birds games. I’m not a fan of mobile games at all but as bright and as beautiful as the graphics were within Angry Birds titles, I just couldn’t get into them. So, why did I want to review a new console version of the games, especially from an unknown team at XR Games? Well, why not? For both Rovio and Sony to put their trust in an indie team of developers to create the official game to partner the release of the latest movie must have been a huge risk. The Leeds (UK) based team at XR Games ran by Bobby Thandi haven’t had a release yet and are focussed on soley bringing out VR titles for the PS4, but have they been able to pull off a credible game? The simple answer to that is yes! OK, the idea of a movie tie-in is a risky one, most come out as awful attempts and I cant think of a decent title at all. Its probably because a movie can be made a lot faster than a game can but they both need to be released at the same time so the games get rushed. I’m no expert, but that’s how it always feels when you do get hands on with a movies game. One of the first things I noticed with the game was just how hard it was on single player trying to do everything myself; there’s a simple reason for this, the game is designed for upto 4 players and more emphasis has been aimed toward the multiplayer aspect. But it’s a VR game, how does local multiplayer work? I hear you ask. Well, once I had given up on trying to defeat the game on my own I called in my daughter to help out. I had the VR headset, and she had the TV screen. I found myself talking to her describing where she needed to go by looking at the area with my headset as with all VR games, whoever is watching you play via the telly, they see exactly what you see.. not in this game which is why I understood her confusion, although whilst in the world of VR I had no idea. My world from inside the VR headset The TV shows a completely different layout of the game for upto 3 players to help out. The player using the VR controls an external plunger which hooks in treasure chests from the seabed outside of the submarine you are inside of, but can also influence movement from inside as well. I’ll break down the basics of the game so its a little more understandable.. Inside of the submarine you can control upto 3 birds. With the birds you will need to grab coloured boxes and put them in corresponding coloured containers. Those containers will turn the boxes into ammo for you to fire at the treasure chests. Once the ammo has been created then that then needs to be loaded into launchers. When treasure chests are successfully grabbed from the seabed then the boxes that are retrieved need to be loaded onto their storage spaces. The player controlling the VR can grab boxes from inside the submarine and fire them toward their needed locations in order to help, but as I said before, there is so much happening on the screen needing to be done, this makes it almost impossible for one person alone to do via the VR, especially when you have to switch between the plunger controls and a bird that’s running around the deck. The screen for all the other players not using the PSVR If you are taking control not using the VR, I did notice some huge similarities with the gameplay to Team 17’s Overcooked. That being said, I really enjoyed those games, and was lucky enough to test Overcooked 2 at Team 17’s Wakefield studio before it was released with my daughter. It combines extremely well with the VR play. The game is obviously based off the new movie which I haven’t seen, but if XR Games want to treat me to some tickets I’d be happy to go and see it after experiencing this game (joke), and is packed full of clips from the movie which look fantastic in total HD. I’d actually like to experience the Angry Birds Movie 2 without being constantly sat on the edge of my seat randomly swearing at my daughter (dont worry, shes 16) as we always seem to do with co-op games of this nature, not to mention the stress especially as the game moves into later levels with even more to do as well as the submarines floor changing for every level you play. I could feel the sweat running down my face the more I played. How would I score the game though? As a single player game it is way too hard to play; the game is definitely a multiplayer only and that does kind of let the game down a little as the game seems to be aimed toward a family audience more than a ‘Moms basement’ audience, I just hope that doesnt let the sales of a 9/10 game down at all. The game is totally different from anything you have seen from Rovio before and for me, that was a great thin

For a movie tie-in that I expected nothing out of, I got far more than I bargained for. The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure VR is a fun multiplayer experience that you can play with nearly anyone! It gets a little too hard too fast but the chaos that ensues trying to beat it is always a hoot. I expect to be playing this game every day after school and homework for a number of weeks to come. If you have kids, or an active local player gaming group, The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure VR is a worthy addition to any game night!

Snappy Game Reviews - Team effort It’s been a fair while since the last time I played a brand new tie-in game to a movie. These used to be very popular in the ’90s and early 2000s but slowly started to become rare occurrences as most tie-ins weren’t exactly game of the year material. As such, it was a surprise for me to find out that ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ that had just come out in theatres this summer had a videogame, a virtual reality one no less, that was worth recommending. The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure VR focuses on couch co-op fun that people of all ages can enjoy, as long as they’re able to assemble a crew of their own. The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure VR takes place during the part of the movie where the crew leaves Bird Island in a yellow submarine to investigate the source of an imminent threat hailing from Eagle Island. This is quickly set up for those who still haven’t seen the movie by a few of the segments taken from the movie. While on your journey there you’ll be on the track of a sea creature that stole Leonard’s favourite crown, it’s a minor detail but it helps to give the levels some feeling of progress towards an end goal. Each stage is a race against the clock to collect and secure the biggest amount of treasure while keeping your submarine in one piece. The player wearing the headset is the captain of the crew and as such has full visibility over what’s going on inside and outside the submarine. He’s also the one in charge of the Magnashot, a slingshot that can load itself with all sorts of items and even crew members. The Magnashot controls double as the controls for firing the submarine canons that can collect treasure laying at the bottom of the sea or destroy debris depending on the loaded ammo type. Keeping the canons loaded at all times is crucial to succeeding and requires a lot of teamwork and communication especially if you’re aiming for a high score. The rest of the crew members have an important task as well, as only they can grab explosives necessary to destroy certain hazards as well as keeping the deck secure from any dangers. This may sound like utter chaos, and it sure is, but you can rest assured that every little mechanic is introduced in a very comprehensive matter. When you’re playing by yourself things can get just as, if not more, chaotic than with more players as you’ll constantly have your reflexes and micromanaging skills tested as you try to make ends meet as both Leonard and Red. The same gameplay mechanics apply to when you’re playing on your own but I honestly feel like there should’ve been some tweaks made to make things less frustrating when you’re playing on your own. Small changes like adding a crosshair to the Magnashot to make aiming easier or perhaps letting it grab pigium (pink explosive treasure) without blowing them up would’ve made for a more balanced solo experience. Getting Leonard’s crown back should only take you a couple of hours but you’ll still have a couple of challenge stages to tackle. There is a total of 30 stages in the game where, in good old Angry Birds fashion, you’ll aim to obtain three stars in each. Getting three stars in every stage is a daunting task to attempt on your own but it shouldn’t be too difficult with a group of friends. When it comes to co-op games available on the PlayStation VR, The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure VR is easily one of the best available right now. It’s gorgeous, brimming with personality and a blast to play with friends. If you plan to explore the ocean on your own, however, be prepared for a tough as nails multitasking experience.