Rager PS VR2 Review – Rhythm-Fueled Ninja Combat
RAGER is a rhythm-action brawler designed specifically for VR platforms — The PlayStation VR2 version hits you at the 5th of March. Players slash, duck, block, and dodge to the beat as hordes of enemies (often robotic) rush at you.
RAGER PS VR2 review: A sharp, energetic rhythm‑action game with great haptics, crisp visuals, and fun weapon progression. Short, polished, and surprisingly addictive.
RAGER can, at first glance, be described as yet another Beat Saber-inspired rhythm-action title. The similarities are obvious: incoming targets, dual-wielded weapons, slashing, blocking, and dodging to the beat. However, once you spend some time with it, it becomes clear that RAGER does attempt to add its own twist to the established formula.
Beyond the core mechanics of slicing and avoiding obstacles lies one of the game’s more interesting features: its evolving arsenal system. Rather than sticking with a single weapon type throughout, RAGER gradually introduces new tools of destruction across its 12 levels. Players unlock a variety of weapons, including swords, fists, sledgehammers, and more, each offering a slightly different feel and rhythm in combat.
12 Levels, Lots Of Weapons…
This progression system adds a welcome layer of variety and keeps the experience from feeling too repetitive. My personal favorite is the final weapon you unlock. Without spoiling the surprise, I will say that it genuinely made me feel far more powerful than anything that came before — to the point where, for a brief moment, I felt like a proper Jedi.
That said, the game does introduce one design choice that I personally found frustrating. After unlocking new weapons, RAGER occasionally swaps them between your left and right hands in some levels.
Just when I had grown comfortable wielding a sledgehammer in my left hand and a sword in my right, the game deliberately reversed the setup again…
While this may have been intended to challenge muscle memory and increase difficulty, it felt unnecessarily disruptive — particularly for players still getting used to the mechanics.
A Really Short Experience, But…
Content-wise, the game is structured into three worlds, each containing four levels. One level per world culminates in a boss fight, offering a slight escalation in intensity. Despite this structure, I was able to complete the game relatively quickly — in under an hour — and that’s coming from someone who does not typically excel at rhythm-based VR titles. This may be a positive for some players seeking a compact experience, but others may find the overall length somewhat limited.
FEATURES…
In terms of comfort and accessibility, RAGER does a solid job. The game does not feature smooth turning, but this is rarely an issue since gameplay keeps you centred. Players can use snap turning with the right stick or simply turn their head and body naturally. It supports both seated and standing play and does not require a large play area, making it accessible to most VR setups.
Overall, while RAGER does not completely reinvent the genre, it distinguishes itself through its weapon progression system and accessible design. It may not dethrone the giants of the rhythm-action VR space, but it offers enough variety and energy to stand on its own.
Polished, Native 90, DFR, Haptics…
There is very little jank to be found here. The game feels polished, responsive, and genuinely fun to play.
While it is a relatively small experience — both in terms of file size and overall content — the inclusion of leaderboards will almost certainly help extend its lifespan. That said, at the time of writing, the leaderboards are not cross-platform.
The soundtrack leans heavily into aggressive, high-tempo tracks. Don’t expect pop music — this is intense, energetic material designed to keep your adrenaline levels high throughout.
THE VERDICT…
THE VERDICT…There’s a bit of noticeable haptic in the actual visor/PS VR2. The Sense controller got solid haptics. No use of adaptive triggers, which makes sense given that the gameplay does not rely on button inputs during action sequences.
Visually, however, the game is impressively crisp, thanks to dynamic foviated rendering (DFR) and at native 90hz.
Performance is smooth and stable throughout, adding to the game’s overall polished presentation. It plays very well, with strong immersion and a solid soundtrack that keeps the energy up.
However, the short campaign ultimately pulls the score down. While Freestyle and Mods modes do add some replay value, at a price point of $19.99 it still feels slightly underwhelming in terms of overall content.
Review key supplied by the Publisher.
Launch day trailer below:
