The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution [PlayStation VR 2] | REVIEW

When The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution released on the Meta Quest 2 late last year, it was hard not to be a little bit disappointed. Sure, the gameplay was fun and it certainly captured the intensity of taking on hordes of vicious zombies, but the presentation and atmosphere was just a little lacking thanks to the more limited virtual reality hardware.

I’ve re-visited the game with its release on the PlayStation VR 2 and found myself mighty impressed with the improvements that have been made. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution isn’t perfect, but experiencing it with its nice and shiny multitude of enhancements makes for a real nail-biting treat.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution continues directly from the original game, with the player taking on the role of the Tourist as they deal with the repercussions of their actions as they continue their battle against both the zombies and the threat of the human group known as The Tower. Oh, and there’s an excellent villain known as the Axeman to deal with too – he doesn’t only live up to the baddies seen across the graphic novel series, but also feels befitting of the returning New Orleans setting.

The story is entertaining and still has the choice-making that was popular last time around, but be warned: it is very much a direct sequel, meaning you might find the plot a little less enjoyable if you didn’t play through the first game. If I’m being honest, I actually found that the narrative didn’t quite have the same punch seen in the previous game too, though it still offers enough to keep players invested in their plight.

One thing I’ve got to mention straight away is just how good The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution looks and feels on the PlayStation VR 2. The visuals looked dated on the Meta Quest 2 (and a hell of a lot less impressive than the trailers showcased) whilst a variety of bugs and long load times could make it feel a little frustrating, but everything has been souped up here to really take full advantage of the tech. Environments and character models are significantly more detailed and prettier, there’s plenty of depth to be found in the colour thanks to the OLED display (something you’ll especially appreciate in the night sequences), whilst the loading times have been vastly shortened to ensure you’re not out of the action for too long. It really feels like it uses the full capabilities of Sony’s fancy new headset, and it just makes the experience all the more enthralling because of it. If you played the game on the Meta Quest 2 and just found that it looked and felt a little dated, I’d implore you to take another look on the PlayStation VR 2… you won’t regret it.

“There’s a lot more depth to the experience than might initially meet the eye and it ensures that The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution doesn’t lose its gruesome buzz across its roughly fourteen-hour runtime.”

When it comes to the gameplay, players can expect to work through a myriad of intense locales as they battle the zombie (and sometimes human) threat. You’ll be well-equipped for the job too, with a variety of both melee and ranged weaponry to use when in the midst of battle. Whilst I’d argue that the melee weapons are more satisfying to use when slicing-and-dicing through the undead (especially with the chainsaw that can satisfyingly make mincemeat of enemies), your firearms can be more effective when in a shootout with the ever-dangerous human threat. There’s a real intensity to be found with the gunplay, especially since you’re actually lining up the shots yourself whilst popping in and out of cover, and it adds some welcome variety to the experience outside of smashing through zombies. It’s worth noting the DualSense controllers capture the impact of your weaponry in a real cool way too, so you’ll feel EVERY pull of the trigger and EVERY crushed zombie skull.

Your antics in the game span across both day-and-night, with the difference in time bringing with it different risks and rewards. Scouring locations in the day might be more favourable given that the light makes it easier to see your surroundings, but heading out at night brings with it better rewards alongside its more ominous zombie threat. Of course, the fact that the game offers multiple ways to approach its challenges means the danger can ultimately be determined by the player. Do you go all guns blazing or do you take a stealthy approach? Each is appealing in its own way with The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution offering plenty of flexibility, but better players will be able to assess the situation and know what to do in any given moment.

It makes for a thrilling experience and one that found me glued into my PlayStation VR 2 headset. It always felt rewarding to gather the items required to upgrade or unlock new weaponry, whilst simply battling enemies and having to deal with both villainous humans and flesh-eating zombies ensured the excitement never stops. It can be surprisingly strategic too, especially when having to manage your stamina in some of the more intense sequences or when ensuring you have enough resources to survive through one of the trickier moments. There’s a lot more depth to the experience than might initially meet the eye and it ensures that The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution doesn’t lose its gruesome buzz across its roughly fourteen-hour runtime.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It does come with one caveat though: it doesn’t feel all that different to the original game. Whilst there are new additions here and there, there’s a lot of recycled content players would’ve seen before if they played through its predecessor. Similar levels, similar enemies, similar weapons… heck, even the story is a direct continuation as if you’ve dropped straight back in. It makes the game feel like more of an expansion than a sequel, with The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution simply adding a few extras as opposed to completely revamping the experience. It’s not a bad thing by any means, but it’s something worth bearing in mind if you’re played the first game before.

It’s worth pointing out that I came across a few little bugs too, but nothing game-breaking. Both my character and the enemies got stuck in the environment at times, whilst at one point the game didn’t seem to trigger the end of a level. Another instance saw the zombies seemingly ignoring my existence, which made my life easier at the cost of actually having fun. It’s all been minor stuff that isn’t especially game-breaking`, but the issues were noticeable enough to be worth pointing out.

Developer: Skydance Interactive
Publisher: Skydance Interactive
Platform(s): PlayStation VR 2 (Reviewed), Meta Quest 2, PC VR
Website: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/games/the-walking-dead-saints-and-sinners-chapter-2-retribution/