The Persistence

If films like Alien have taught us anything, it's that being on a spaceship isn't a great idea because when things go wrong all the crew are enclosed in a confined space with nowhere to run. Now Firesprite Studios' PSVR game The Persistence is here to give you another reason to steer clear of space travel, except for this time it's because you're at risk of all your crew turning to bloodthirsty mutants as your ship is pulled slowly towards a black hole. Talk about a bad day.

As with many other VR titles knocking about these days this puts you in the first-person perspective of a crewmember on board the ship (which is The Persistence of the title), except there's a twist: you're actually dead. Yes, early in the story you come across your own dead body and are told that what you're currently using is a clone of yourself, and each time you die in the game another clone is summoned to keep the adventure going.

What this creates is a loop that gives a narrative reason behind the roguelite nature of the game, as when you die you'll go back to the start where the cloning machine is located, losing most of the progression you've made in the ship. However, as with any good roguelite there's soft progression, so you keep everything you've picked up and are free to upgrade as you wish providing you have the cash to splash, so after each run you can get slightly more powerful and therefore become much more likely to survive a bit longer.

Another little feature that helps The Persistence fit snugly into the role of a roguelite is that the ship randomises its layout each time, so no one run is the same as the next, as you can bump into different enemies and take a unique route to your objective each time. Speaking of objectives, there are several floors you need to complete key tasks on to get yourself and the ship out of danger, such as rebooting the AI system known as Iris. Go to the objective, get killed, and try again is basically the loop Firesprite is throwing you into, and The Persistence of the title doesn't just refer to the ship, but also to your own ability to keep going and improve. As Rocky Balboa once said, "it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

As you take your first tentative steps into the dark, sterile white (for some reason spaceships of the future love that aesthetic) of The Persistence's corridors you get very basic tools to survive. For instance, an SC Harvester sits on your hip at all times as your default weapon, allowing you to pistol whip enemies up close or sneak up behind them and kill them instantly, but as you progress you'll find more and more that makes your journey to the key areas of the ship a little bit easier.

Weapons are probably the most fun thing you'll find, and arguably the most useful. As much as guns might sound like the dream choice here - and we're not denying they're damn effective - melee weapons are perhaps the best option since ammunition is scarce and stealth kills keep you safe and out of danger. The Lance, for example, is a two-handed club that instantly kills your regular grunts with a donk on the head, but you can also get a knife that is deadly but at the same time fragile and can't be used very often. Balancing whether to use these weapons or save them for another time is key.

When you're not wielding a deadly weapon you have plenty of other bits and pieces to help you out, one of which are grenades which can prove especially useful when there are multiple enemies or giant hard-to-kill brutes. If a head-on assault isn't the answer there are other power-ups to help you tactically, including one that slows time and another that turns you invisible, so by collecting all these weapons and items you can quickly stop being mutant lunch.

Of course this involves searching and scavenging your way through the ship to collect as many items as possible, but this doesn't just apply to items, as you'll need various currencies in the game to unlock upgrades at the workbenches on the ship, character upgrades back at the start, and craft weapons on your way. Be careful of environmental dangers though, as snooping through all the hidden areas might lead you to some electrified floors or cabinets rigged with explosives. Curiosity killed the cat, as they say.

<newpage>

As you might've guessed, this is more of a survival horror experience than a peaceful saunter through space, and the horror comes from your own vulnerability. You can take very few hits before you die - at least in the beginning - hence why stealth is key and every grunt and groan you hear is reason for concern. Mutants also have a habit of running at you and screaming once they know where you are, and there are even times when faster, crawling mutants start coming out of the goddamn walls.

What also makes the game that bit more unnerving is the darkness, as you're always finely balancing whether to use your flashlight or turn it off and stay hidden. Loads of rooms are pitch black after all, and this contrast between the bright sterile lights and the utter gloom of the unknown works well to produce this classic sci-fi horror vibe. Of course, since it's in VR as well the fear is doubled, as there's no escape when the screen is attached to your face.

If you're feeling too spooked to be alone, there's also a neat little feature that sees your friend use their phone to interact with the game and help you out, as they can see the map and distract enemies, activate traps, and locate items while you cower in a corner. This is a really cool feature that allows someone outside of the VR space to meaningfully impact your experience, and it works smoothly when we tried it too. Alternatively, you can use the map yourself in game, which has a helpful marker feature to make sure you're never lost in the labyrinth of death.

A mention needs to be made of the comfort options as well, since there are three settings to choose from depending on your prevalence to sickness and your own personal preferences, ranging from full FPS controls on the DualShock 4 (no Move controllers allowed) combined with the movement of your own head, to snap controls in case you really can't handle that free movement.

We came away from The Persistence with a strong feeling that the loop had sucked us in, since every time we died and another clone reprinted itself, we were eager to improve and go back again to get a bit further. It's simple and effective, and since the horror experience translates well into VR, it's easy to get drawn into exploring and sneaking around this sci-fi thriller. And trust us when we say, in virtual space, the whole house can hear you scream.