Traded Up

Draft week, free agency signings and contract extensions are currently making the sporting news daily. Everyone is wondering where Aaron Rodgers will end up, but not enough people are asking themselves if they can replace him and do it better. NFL Pro Era is here to give players the chance to chuck the ol’ pigskin to Davante Adams themselves. So if you have little faith in Jimmy the Juice, step into his shoes and give the ball a spin. This in theory sounds like a ton of fun to burn away the Sundays before kickoff in September. But is the pass complete? Or is this just a punt away of a solid virtual reality idea? Let’s huddle up and break this play down.

The Longest Yard

This game doesn’t have a narrative and that is perfectly fine. Essentially, you are Quarterback number one and it’s your job to lead your team to a winning season. The games are simulated throughout and it plays a lot like a “Be a Pro” mode featured in EA Sports titles. This works well and provides players new to VR gaming with some familiar conventions. The players actually look at you through eye tracking at times which is really immersive and makes you feel even worse for letting your teammates down. Overall though, this is not a game to play for story, and that's just fine because the throwing is wildly entertaining. 

Run Forrest Run!

Settling in, this is more than just "Throwing Simulator VR." This truly is an immersive quarterback experience. Players have the chance to run the ball, hand off the ball, or go deep for Jaylen Waddle. The game designs plays and throws them at the players, but at the end of the day, QB 1 can deviate and do the playcalling themselves. There's many routes to execute in practice mode, so when the pressure is on in the season, it isn't ever an easy win. While at times, it felt like the games graphics worked against the player, overall it was a smooth experience playing games and calling the shots. Running the ball is fun, and stressful and the haptic head feedback of the PSVR2 keeps players alert and playfully scared to end up in concussion protocol! When the throws land, I found myself celebrating and forgetting I wasn't atually just standing in my living room playing a game. This however, didn't happen all of the time, and due to some technical issues, I was reminded that NFL Pro Era isn't ready for the big leagues quite yet.

Technically Priced

Before I mention technical problems, players should be reminded that this is not a full priced AAA title. NFL Pro Era comes in at $39.99 brand new for players to purchase. EA's Madden title comes in at the $79.99 price tag. While my expectations were tampered by simply looking at the price, the technical problems I noticed were finnicky enough to take me out of immersion time to time. One key moment was when holding the tablet on the sidelines, or perfectly aiming my throw only to have it wildly curve. Playing other PSVR2 games with cleaner technical polish spoiled me a little and I wanted this to be a bit smootherin execution especially after being retooled significantly from PSVR and Metaquest to PSVR2. 

Overall 

NFL Pro Era is an impressive experience for a first attempt at simulating the QB Experience for VR. Based on gameplay I’ve seen for other platforms, the graphics have received a significant overhaul. The narrative is fun, and the game does a great job keeping the gameplay fresh and not just simply a game of catch with Amon-Ra St. Brown. While it could use more immersion with what players say on field, and more narrative engagement overall, the game does what it tells players it was going to do. You’re QB1 and you’ve got to help your team make it all the way. It’s a great start for VR sports and if this is setting the scene, then the future for sports in VR looks bright. 

Thank you for reading or watching my very first review as a freelancer. Please like, subscribe and share my channels and socials everywhere on the internet and I look forward to making more content around PSVR2 and beyond!