Bravo Team in the test

A tactical co-op shooter for PlayStation VR? That sounds promising. "Bravo Team" already received advance praise when it was unveiled and quite a few people were hoping for a strategy-orientated shooter that throws you into the middle of the battle. However, the action game does not quite achieve this goal. This is mainly due to the lack of variety and the simple-minded level design.

Aim Controller instead of DualShock

But let's start from the beginning: "Bravo Team" is a tactical shooter for PlayStation VR and was created by Supermassive Games. The studio, which most recently brought "The Inpatient" into the world, has designed the current title specifically for the Aim Controller already familiar from "Farpoint". Although the game also supports the normal DualShock or even the Move, this is not really much fun. Especially with the normal gamepad controls, "Bravo Team" feels bad and aiming by moving the controller is simply awkward.

So if you want to get the most fun out of the tactical shooter, you should have the Aim Controller. You can then aim at enemies using the plastic gun, just like in "Farpoint", and even look through the scope if you hold the gadget close enough to your eye. The Aim Controller brings a certain feel to the game that other VR titles lack.

Real shooter tactics

In contrast to "Farpoint", however, you do not control your character freely in "Bravo Team". Instead, you jump from one cover to the next, peek over it and fire volleys at your opponents. On the one hand, this game mechanic works well: navigation with the aim controller is comparatively precise and the firefights are a lot of fun, especially in the first few minutes.

The rather static gameplay also ensures that the usual VR side effects do not occur. Nausea or dizziness did not occur during the test during longer sessions. At the same time, however, the constant hopping from one cover to the next also takes the dynamism out of the game. You don't really feel free, but have to keep looking for the next fixed points.

At the same time, "Bravo Team" attaches great importance to the co-operative game mechanics. As a result, you are never travelling alone. If you don't have a human comrade at hand, a computer soldier will take over their role. You command him with simple commands and let him advance or follow you. However, "Bravo Team" is much more fun in online co-op. Here, the game is almost reminiscent of an arcade shooter: you talk to each other via chat, coordinate attacks and, if necessary, help each other back to your feet if someone goes down. Although tactics are only necessary to a limited extent, you should flank your opponents or sneak up on them, especially in the higher difficulty levels. Silent attacks are also possible, but are rarer due to the nature of the game. With a real partner at your side, "Bravo Team" is definitely worth a longer look - despite its obvious weaknesses.

Shooting gallery for PlayStation VR

However, "Bravo Team" doesn't really inspire great enthusiasm. The story proves to be merely a means to an end and after the aha-moments of the first few minutes, hardly anything new happens. The campaign consists of just six chapters. This corresponds to a playing time of between two and a half and three and a half hours. You start on a bridge, later shoot your way through a police station and finally fight your way across the roofs of tower blocks. Unfortunately, "Bravo Team" doesn't offer much variety and with every minute you feel more and more like you're at a shooting gallery at a funfair.

In addition, the VR shooter is technically - in contrast to "Farpoint" - rather average. You have to deal with clone armies from the retort, whose movements mostly appear stiff and the hit feedback also leaves a lot to be desired. The scenery, which is reminiscent of a large Russian city, is primarily gloomy and dreary, but fits in quite well with the serious background. The recurring graphic errors are really annoying. In the test, for example, our cannon repeatedly protruded into the cover and even got stuck in it. The same occasionally applies to fallen enemies.