Tetris Effect: Connected [PlayStation VR 2] | REVIEW

Tetris Effect: Connected is a 10/10 game no matter where you play it. On the original PlayStation VR? 10/10. On the Meta Quest 2? 10/10. On the Nintendo Switch? 10/10. It’s only natural then that it’d be a 10/10 on the PlayStation VR 2, and you know what? It is, but somehow it STILL manages to feel even better to play than it did on the other platforms that came before it.

Check out some screenshots down below:

We’ve covered Tetris Effect: Connected plenty of times in the past, so we won’t go into as much depth in this review. You can check out our review on how it feels on other virtual reality platforms through this link, whilst you can check out our Nintendo Switch review for the game through this link.

The core gameplay of Tetris Effect: Connected revolves around… well… Tetris. I’m not going to patronise anyone by explaining how Tetris works, but I will say that this take on the formula utilises a wonderful soundtrack and stunning imagery in a way that doesn’t only complement the gameplay but also looks utterly gorgeous. The sound and visuals of the world respond to how you play, with your progression through a stage emphasised by everything you see and hear. It’s a very cool and intuitive twist to the formula that has resonated with me across all platforms.

There is a cool new mechanic that’s introduced to spice things up: the Zone ability. The Zone meter will fill up when players clear lines, with a full meter then activated by pressing the right trigger. This slows down time and stops blocks from falling from the top of the screen, giving the player the chance to take full control of each block and place it exactly where they want. However, any lines they fill won’t clear in this time; instead, they stay in place until the Zone effect runs out. This is both a good and bad thing – players will rack up a higher score combo by having all of the lines clear at the same time when Zone is deactivated, but it’ll also mean there’s less room to place blocks in the meantime. It’s a neat mechanic that adds a whole new way to play Tetris without changing up the formula too much, whilst it also gives players the chance to get even higher scores than before. Of course, you don’t HAVE to use it if you don’t want to, so Tetris purists who want a more old-school experience can just ignore it if they want.

“Playing in virtual reality has always been the BEST way to experience Tetris Effect: Connected, and the PlayStation VR 2 makes it even better than before.”

There are an abundance of game modes to play, including a full-fledged single player campaign that takes you across multiple levels, whilst the multiplayer offerings (including competitive and cooperative play) are incredibly addictive and add a clever twist to the formula. There’s just so much on offer here, with Tetris Effect: Connected’s modes having something for everyone.

Of course, this is a fresh release of the game alongside PlayStation VR 2, so you can expect a few new additions and improvements. For starters, the visuals have seen an upgrade, with the game now taking advantage of the 4K resolution offered with the new headset. The game was already stunning before, especially on PlayStation VR, but it looks better than EVER now, with the bright colours, enchanting effects, and vivid imagery shown off with more clarity than before. It’s absolutely gorgeous and ensures the puzzling-gameplay is prettier than ever. Playing in virtual reality has always been the BEST way to experience Tetris Effect: Connected, and the PlayStation VR 2 makes it even better than before.

Then you have the haptic feedback, which activates at set points in levels or when activating the aforementioned Zone ability, with both the headset and the controllers responding to the action. It’s a neat little inclusion that always caught me off-guard, though I do think it could have been utilised further – especially in some of the levels which have some remarkable things taking place in the background. But still, it’s a cool feature that will immerse the player into the game’s enchanting landscape even further. Players can also use the eye-tracking functionality to blink and activate their Zone ability, though I must admit it’s something that I’ve not really found myself using… I just never want to take my eyes off the beautiful gameplay, if I can help it.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Finally, there are some new modes to dive into, with Endless Mode, Score Attack, and Zone Marathon giving players additional ways to experience Tetris Effect: Connected’s mesmerising gameplay. In fairness, it was already a content-rich experience, so these feel like the cherry on top of this impressive PlayStation VR 2 release – just try not to get TOO addicted to the game in Endless Mode, otherwise you might never find yourself taking the headset off…

Developer: Resonair, Monstars
Publisher: Enhance Games
Platform(s): PlayStation VR 2 (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Meta Quest 2
Website: https://www.tetriseffect.game/