Technologies

The Best PSVR Games That Still Aren’t on PSVR 2

There are still some great original PSVR games that work on the PlayStation 5, if you have the right gear. Hope these get PSVR 2 updates soon.

The PlayStation VR 2 has turned the PlayStation 5 into a great VR gaming destination, but for some reason it doesn’t play a lot of the PlayStation’s best VR games.

If that sounds like an unlikely statement, I’ll explain: the PSVR 2 isn’t backwards compatible with the original PSVR game library, which means a lot of older and still great VR games are stranded on the PlayStation platform. Oddly enough, the original 2016 PlayStation VR does work on a PlayStation 5, and those games will play. Hopefully they’ll all be updated for PSVR 2 support over time, but there are no guarantees this will ever happen.

This means that yes, you can skip the PSVR 2 and use the original PSVR, hook it up to the PS5, and enjoy VR games. Some of them even benefit from better load times and graphics, too. And, frankly, if you have an older PSVR lying around and don’t want to spend more money for a PSVR 2, this is a valid way to go.

The PlayStation VR lives on with the PS5… and a few extra accessories.

Scott Stein/CNET

ps5-psvr — The PlayStation VR lives on with the PS5… and a few extra accessories.

Scott Stein/CNET

Just know this: The PSVR headset is older tech that requires a complex, cabled box and an older PS4 camera, which will plug into the PS5 with an extra dongle adapter you’ll have to get from Sony. Also, most PSVR games won’t work with the new PS5 DualSense controller (with a few exceptions, like Star Wars Squadrons). For most gamepad games, you’ll need to dig up an older PS4-era DualShock 4.

Sony’s PSVR has other optional gear, too: wand-like PS Move controllers (which you need for some games) and a light-gun-like VR Aim controller. For the sake of keeping this list simple, I left off games that only work with those; below are some excellent titles that just need a DualShock 4 to work.

Also, a lot of these games also can work without a PSVR headset. They’re VR optional, but the headset adds a different level of immersion that’s often really compelling, with the downside of a lower-res display than you’d get on a 4K TV.

But these games are so good, they’re still worth your attention. And hey, Sony: let’s get some PSVR 2 versions of these soon.

And if you do go for a PSVR2, here’s a list of our favorite PSVR 2 games.

Editor’s note: This article was originally written in 2019, and updated after the PSVR 2 launch as a reminder of how good these games still are.

Media Molecule

Dreams

Media Molecule’s browsable world of user-created things is impossible to explain, but you could build your own VR dreamscape here. Or explore others. Dreams will function without a VR headset, but VR just adds a whole new dimension to discover.

$20 at Best Buy

$18 at Amazon

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EA/Screenshot by Sean Keane/CNET

Star Wars Squadrons

A pretty great Star Wars dogfighting game without a VR headset becomes even better with one. You can use your DualSense controller, since this game doesn’t track the controller’s motion in space.

$20 at Amazon

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Sony Interactive Entertainment

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission

The best Sony VR exclusive game, and a must-play if you get a PSVR headset. The same team that made Astro’s Playroom — the game that’s baked into your PS5 that shows off the amazing tricks of the DualSense controller — also made this showcase for the PSVR headset. It plays like a wonderful VR version of a Mario-type platformer. I like it even more than Astro’s Playroom.

$17 at Amazon

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PlayStation

Paper Beast

An art piece exploration puzzle game involving fantastic alien worlds, impossibly strange creatures and a simple interface that will have you exploring what to do. It’s a great game to soak in some atmosphere. And really, it’s so strange — and beautiful.

See at PlayStation Store

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Wipeout Omega Collection

Sony’s PS4 edition of the classic hovercar racing franchise works beautifully in VR, and it won’t make you too nauseous. The benefit of VR ends up being mainly about focus. (Sony’s Driveclub is another option.)

$28 at Amazon

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Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.