Today we’re examining the VR game Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, developed in Sweden. In this title, you assume the role of a wraith who met an untimely demise during a séance. Your primary objective is to uncover the circumstances surrounding your death. As a wraith, you navigate a sprawling estate, encountering characters from your past life, while evading malevolent wraiths that pose a constant threat. Success will require both cunning and courage.
Notably, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife offers a degree of locomotion customization rarely seen in other VR titles (at least, in those we’ve tested). Many VR games employ a pronounced vignette effect (“darkening at the periphery”) and incremental (“choppy”) turning to reduce motion sickness. While understandable, this approach can diminish the sense of immersion. Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife allows players to fine-tune these settings to their preference. By disabling the vignette and incremental turning, I was able to navigate the environment with fluidity comparable to a standard FPS. While this significantly enhanced the VR experience, it also led to increased susceptibility to nausea. A suitable compromise was found by limiting play sessions and consciously mimicking physical movements corresponding to in-game actions. This proved surprisingly effective.
The game also provides options for avatar visibility, allowing players to choose between displaying only hands or full arms. Opting for full arms significantly enhances the sense of presence. The act of reaching out to interact with the environment, such as opening a door, feels remarkably realistic, creating a tangible connection to the game world.
A common limitation across VR titles on the Playstation 4 (Pro) is the relatively low resolution. This issue, unfortunately, is not attributable to the developers at Fast Travel Games, but rather to the hardware constraints of the platform. It is anticipated that the next generation PSVR (2) for the PS5 will address these limitations. Despite this, the game boasts a stylish and atmospheric visual design, effectively creating a sense of dread and suspense. The unpredictable nature and variety of the apparitions certainly keeps you on edge. One particularly intense moment involved an unexpected feline encounter concurrent with an in-game threat, resulting in a rather startled reaction.
The narrative is intricate and compelling, supported by strong voice acting. The sound design and music contribute significantly to the unsettling atmosphere, creating a truly immersive experience. The game utilizes Motion controllers, and the control scheme is intuitive and easily mastered.
One drawback of Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife is the inability to move backwards directly. This limitation can be frustrating, requiring the player to turn around completely to retrace their steps. Furthermore, the lack of strafing movement hinders maneuverability in certain situations. Finally, while the storyline is engaging, the prevalence of horror games set in haunted houses within the VR landscape might dissuade some players from exploring this title.
However, that would be a mistake. Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife delivers a genuinely terrifying experience, complemented by exceptional VR implementation. As such, it earns a high rating and a strong recommendation.
