Mini Review: POOLS (PSVR2) - Niche Horror Is a PSVR2 Showcase

POOLS is more of an experience than a game. You can technically see it through to completion in about an hour. But amid the brevity of our time with it, there's a palpable sense of atmosphere that'll leave you on edge.

POOLS is an off-kilter horror walking simulator where you must navigate complex mazes of tiled hallways, pools, and slides.

There are no enemies. There’s no time limit. There are no mechanics beyond walking or running around these hallways.

But the game taps into the niche liminal horror of the "Backrooms" concept, oscillating between tight dark corridors and abnormally large spaces, with bright water slides almost acting as jump scares.

There’s something incredibly unnerving about the game’s six levels, which expertly manage to scare the crap out of you without any form of traditional "scary" stuff. It's purely vibes, and they'll soak into your skin.

Visually, it's a real looker on the PS5 and PS5 Pro, emphasised by a brilliant use of lighting. The sound design, too, though minimal, can really raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

We scoffed at the game’s approach when we first booted it up, but within 20 minutes, we were twitching at the nearby sounds of sloshing water, and nervously approaching giant inflatable ducks as they bobbed around. There's no score here, so you almost start to think you're hearing things as you wade through the water.

It’s a creepy experience on PS5, but it’s taken to a new level on PSVR2. Mechanically, there isn’t much difference other than the ability to physically climb up ladders with the use of the Sense controllers.

However, Sony’s headset really lends itself to the scale of the game. We peered down seemingly endless pits, and twitched around to the sight of ladders being tucked into vents by unseen beings. And there's next to no visual disparity between PSVR2 and the flat screen version, making this one of the best visual showcases on Sony's headset.

Similar to some other PSVR2 titles, like Kayak VR: Mirage, POOLS is a thin gameplay experience, but you aren’t there for that. You’re there to be transported somewhere else. In Kayak VR, it's beautiful vistas. In POOLS, it’s creepy tiled hallways.

So while it’s a short-lived experience, it’s one we couldn’t help but admire. It certainly caters to a niche audience, but it quickly creates a unique and tense atmosphere that plays with your head, even more so when you have the PSVR2 strapped to it.