When PlayStation VR released all the way back in October 2016, gamers were a little divided. With VR being such a niche product at the time, Sony designed PSVR to be a solid entry-level headset that offered lower fidelity for a much lower price point. While some gamers jumped straight on this offer, and loved the headset, VR enthusiasts weren’t so quick to praiseSony’s first attempt at VR, criticizing its poor controls and lacking hardware. Flash forward six years, and it seems as though PSVR at least did well enough for Sony to give it another go, andPS VR2launches early next year.
Releasing on July 30, 2025, PlayStation VR2 looks to be an improvement over its predecessor in every conceivable way. With better hardware all around, and some exciting new features like Sense controllers and eye-tracking, PS VR2 looks almost worth its eye-watering asking price, and its launch line-up helps to make the headset more worth the initial investment. Along with heavy-hitters likeHorizon: Call of the MountainandThe Dark Pictures: Switchback, PS VR2 is also launching with a game calledFantavision 202X, which has a rather interesting backstory.
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Fantavision 202X Is a Sequel to an Iconic PS2 Game
Fantavision 202Xis actually the long-awaited sequel to an iconicPlayStation 2 launch title, simply titledFantavision.Fantavisionis a puzzle game similar to the likes ofTetris, where players link together fireworks to cause chain reactions that earn the player points. The bigger the chain reaction, the more points they get.Fantavisionis a pretty simple game at its core, and though it didn’t review too well, it ended up being one of the PS2’s most memorable launch titles.
The technological leap betweenthe original PlayStationand the PlayStation 2 was vast, and Sony needed to show its audience just how far the PS2 was taking the medium in order to get them on board. One of the biggest technological features the PS2 was pushing was graphical fidelity, and in particular, particle effects. Japan Studio’sFantavisionquickly became Sony’s number-one marketing tool for this, with its particle effect technology being some of the best in the industry at the time.
Though critics weren’t too keen onFantavision’s actual gameplay, calling it too repetitive and lackluster, the one point of unanimous praise was the game’s visuals and performance.Fantavision’s bright and colorful displays of fireworks showcased what the PS2 was capable of, as did the game’s consistently high framerate. In the end,Fantavisiondid exactly what Sony wanted it to do, and nowFantavision 202Xseeks to do the same with a new set of Sony hardware:PlayStation VR2.
Releasing alongside PlayStation VR2 in February 2023,Fantavision 202Xis a fully-fledged sequel to the original PS2 launch classic. Launching 23 years after the first game,Fantavision 202Xis fulfilling the same role its predecessor, with Sony using it to show off the graphical power of the new PS VR2 headset along with some of its unique features. The two Sense controllers, for instance, will apparently play a large role inFantavision 202X, using haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to elevate the experience.Fantavision 202Xis also running on Unreal Engine, so its physics systems and lighting are sure to be top-notch, especially for a VR title. It also seems likely thatFantavision 202Xwill meet a similar fate as its predecessor, as when compared to the rest ofPS VR2’s launch line-up, it doesn’t seem like it has the most compelling gameplay loop - though its graphics are sure to earn some praise from critics.
