Critically acclaimed VR survival game Song in the Smoke (2021) is getting a full overhaul when it launches on PSVR 2, something developer 17-BIT says will rival the visual quality of the game’s PC VR version.

Song in the Smoke launched on Quest, PC VR and PSVR last October—just in time to win our PSVR Game of the Year in 2021. We were impressed by its well-studied crafting depth, expressive art style, and harrowing encounters with the primeval world’s mosh of beastly creatures.

And although not a given, since PSVR 2 titles won’t share backwards compatibility with PSVR, developer 17-BIT says Song in the Smoke is definitely headed to the upcoming PSVR 2, and with more visual panache.

“It wasn’t a light upgrade – it was a ton of work and up-rezzing of so many visual systems,” creative director Jake Kazdal tells Edge in its 380th edition. “It stands alone, even compared to the highest-end version possible on PC VR – it’s honestly not even close.”

The studio says it wants to bring the PSVR 2 version of the game to players as a free upgrade to the original game on PSVR, although Kazdal admits they “still need to figure out the logistics of that.”

SEE ALSO
Why "Embodiment" is More Important Than "Immersion" – Inside XR Design

Dubbed Song in the Smoke: Rekindled, the game is said to be “more than a remaster,” as it’s set to feature what the studio says in a recent tweet “tons of polish and additional features driven by user requests and feedback,” calling it an “ultimate edition.”

The studio says we’re due to learn more soon. It’s not clear whether Song in the Smoke: Rekindled is destined for launch-day status for the PSVR 2 when it hits shelves February 22nd, 2023. We’ll be keeping our eye on 17-BIT in the meantime, and also adding it to our growing list of all PSVR 2 games announced to date.

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.


Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 3,500 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • NL_VR

    Game was fun to play, but i got sick and tired that it turnes night so fast, like everything you do makes times goes faster.

    Its like the developer dont want you to play the game the way you want only how they want.

    • Nevets

      That’s why they’re called the “developer” and you’re called the “user”.

      • NL_VR

        Here comes captain obvious

        • Nevets

          Well, you clearly needed someone to explain it to you.

          • NL_VR

            No I did not.
            You clearly didn’t understand or just wanted to bitch about it.
            Verry typical on these forums

          • david vincent

            Just block the obnoxious ones

    • david vincent

      I have the same issue with Green Hell VR

    • Mike EY

      It’s called “forced drama” or “fake drama” in tv/film. They think people might get bored, but don’t realise people need a break or are curious, etc…

  • David Hughes-Narborough

    Not just rivals but actually according to Jake Kazdal creative director ‘It stands alone, even compared to the highest-end version possible on PC VR – it’s honestly not even close.’

    • lol Talk is cheap.

    • Ad

      He says it like it’s a question of power, but it’s probably more to do with the resources invested. Good I guess?

  • CURTROCK

    Although $1000 is a lot more than say, Quest 2….it’s about 1/2 the price or better, of a decent PC VR setup. I spent $3000 total back in the day to buy a Rift CV1 and gaming PC.

  • NL_VR

    Yes that’s what they want you can stick to Quest…. lol, lmao

    • Runesr2

      Just paid $1500 for PS5 and PSVR2 preorder, everything is more expensive in Scandinavia.
      I believe in Sony, right now neither Valve nor Meta are driving high-end VR forward.

      • sfmike

        I’m a fan of Meta even though I see them as a huge corporation wasting valuable resources in such a way that will hurt VR in the long run and am happy to pay the price to Sony for their actual mass market advancements. The Two 2000×2040 OLED displays alone sold me on this headset even if it is wired as Meta refuses to give us the black levels we want and deserve. If only they would have dropped the crappy Fresnel lens, but early testers say they are improved. Sony is our only hope to move VR forward and maybe keep it alive as the VR haters get louder in corporate media and the recession steals most entertainment money away from the mass audience leaving only VR as a niche market that our corporate master’s board of directors would like to see go away just like they did to 3D TV as it isn’t bringing in the massive revenue they were promised by investment analysts a couple years ago. More money for the CEO and shareholders if they kick VR to the curb and put their hopes on AR as the golden goose of billions in profit.

    • ViRGiN

      found the valve index elitist

      • NL_VR

        Found 1 shill

  • ApocalypseShadow

    No matter what the deflection, PS VR 2 will have better looking and playing games than Quest 2. It’s not even a discussion. But you just don’t get a VR console. You get something that plays over 4,000 PS4 games and plays some of best games on PS5 with upcoming games like Spider-Man 2.

    No matter what, Quest 2 will never get better. It’s already close to being on the chopping block when Quest 3 comes just like Quest and Go have already become obsolete so soon. And, in order to play the future, big games you will need an expensive PC to play them. As again, Quest 2 won’t be able to handle it.

    Good try though.

    • Wes Osborne

      Great point, finally got a PS5 and am stoked for vr for the first time in awhile. I have lots of headsets but Sony means quality both in hardware and games

    • ViRGiN

      In order to play the future big games (that don’t even exist), you will need futuristic big computer.

      Guess what, hardware becomes outdated, quest or not lol. Everyone got their money worth out of quest and go. Nobody ever gets any money worth from getting into pcvr.

      • ApocalypseShadow

        Everyone gets 1-2 years with it before it’s already obsolete. Just tossing them out like old cellphones.

        What big games have come to Quest besides games that were made 20 years ago? Even GTA came out years ago and it’s still not on Quest 2. What’s the hold up? When the physics, the AI, the detail, the objects on-screen get bigger, Quest 2 won’t run it. Just like it can’t run Skyrim VR that came out in 2016. That’s 6 years ago. PSVR did that 6 years ago.

        Funny part is that PS VR 2 is already PS6 ready. Eye tracking made that possible. No amount of software will ever make Quest 2 any better unless it’s hooked to a PC. Killing the idea that Quest 2 can keep up on its own or is cheap.

        • ViRGiN

          PCVR can’t handle Resident Evil 7, that’s why it’s only on PSVR. That’s your grade of logic.

          Quest 2 users have always been enjoying what’s available. PCVR users are endlessly replaying games released in the first two years, constantly waiting for real games that aren’t even on horizon.

          • ApocalypseShadow

            So, on stand alone, without a PC, you can enjoy all the big games like Skyrim, Hitman, RE7, Borderlands, etc? Of course not. PSVR did. Is RE8 coming to Quest 2? Nope. Just some Guerilla Tag and more music micro transactions for Beat Saber. That’s Quest 2 lifeline: cheap indie games. While Facebook makes nothing. Even Ready at Dawn, Facebook’s own developer was like “No. We’re not bringing the big Echo games to Quest 2. They knew it wasn’t worth trying to cram a big game on obsolete hardware. Maybe next time on Quest 3 after buying Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest Pro. But still no big games. So expensive buying headset after headset but still can’t play games like Skyrim natively.

            If the system sold supposedly 15 million, where’s the big games? Those games above came to PlayStation. The new big games are coming to PlayStation. You’re lucky Sony’s in the game or all you’ll be playing is some more Tag and waiting on that next music release.

            All that crap you throw at PC VR games and the biggest Quest 2 game is Guerrilla Tag. The same nonsense came back to bite you in the bum didn’t it? Lol. Enjoy playing as a monkey. Bigger games just aren’t possible on obsolete hardware.

          • Manochang

            this person gets it.

    • Arno van Wingerde

      While I agree with your argument on the power of PSVR2, the argument that it is only $50 more than PSVR1 misses the point. You should compare a PS5+PSVR2 system at about 1000$ to a 400$ Quest2: more power at a higher price point and a cabled connection. Take your pick or got both… togather for much less than a PCVR system, but again the latter has more power at its disposal… choices choices!

      • ApocalypseShadow

        It doesn’t miss the point. I had a PS4. I paid $500 for PSVR in 2016. PS5 owners ready for PS VR 2 aren’t paying for both. They are paying for the headset only for $550. You’re trying to create a narrative when there are VR gamers who already have PS5. But you don’t include those gamers. Why is that?

        Some gamers try to add both trying to make PS VR 2 seem expensive against Quest 2. Funny how no one mentions that you can buy a Quest 2 for $499. Only $50 less than Sony’s headset because it has 256gig space. They only mention the cheaper one. Trying to seem cheaper by only talking about the $399 version which went up in price… Just like you did. But both headsets came out 2 years ago and displays PS2 graphics. Gamers today want more than cheap indie games. They are fun. But VR needs more than that. Which Quest 2 is incapable of. But you know this already don’t you?

        When gamers mention that PS VR 2 graphics are going to destroy Quest 2 in every way, then these same gamers mention PC support. But PC hardware isn’t free. A good one to play the top VR games on PC or to match PS5 are just as much as buying a PS5 and PS VR 2 without Quest 2. But no one mentions that.

        Point still stands, without Sony, VR will be stuck with these cheaply made VR games on hardware that can’t even play Skyrim or Hitman 3 or RE7 that PSVR did in 2016. Yes. It’s going to cost more. But the benefit is bigger and better games that mobile is not capable of playing on its own. That’s just a fact you can’t deflect or ignore.

  • Andrew Jakobs

    Well, ‘just’ to get into the PCVR ecosystem you’ll have to dig even much deeper into your pockets.

  • ViRGiN

    it’s not the price tag.
    it’s the software library.
    it sucks.

    • neodraig

      it’s the software library.
      it sucks.

      If you’re talking about the Quest 2, I completley agree with you.

      It’s filled with with gimmicky games that look more like experiences than real games, it hasn’t any big exclusive games (the only one being RE4 which is just a mod for a 20 years old game), and with visuals from another era that barelly manage to reach the level of a PS2.

      We’ve had enough of those crappy gimmicky games we’ve been served for years now with the Quest, can’t wait to play proper games (again) in VR.

      • ViRGiN

        LMAO, and what psvr2 offers? Job simulator? Cartoon graphics? After 7 years of the original psvr1, i expect best of the best, and what was announced it’s essentially shitty pcvr experience without the need of pc.

        • kool

          Resident evil 8 and firewall alone blows everything quest has out the water. What games did quest have to compete with wipe out, astrobot, persistence, truth and blood. Sony even gave quest its last big game iron man and will have its best game re4 in VR as it was meant to be. Pickens are slim in both sides psvr has the pick of the litter.

          • ViRGiN

            psvr1 was like gear vr – millions have it, but it’s irrelevant to vr as a whole.
            the hardware was outdated from day 1 – and it was the only way to play for the next 7 years.

            keep telling yourself stuff that makes you happy.
            i wonder why sony isn’t going to port their games to pcvr… almost like it’s irrelevant to VR as a whole once again, and would rather re-release older titles for actual dominant platform – quest.
            iron man on psvr never became best seller – the controllers and cable are purely a huge distraction. now switch to actual quality platform like quest – and suddenly you found yourself at #11 of best sellers. gee i wonder why people start to appreciate it on a console that actually gives you freedom?

          • kool

            Your logic makes no sense psvr has old hardware but the quest has 20 year old graphics. And whats is your definition of irrelevant because of being the first multimillion selling VR hmd shouldn’t be included. You’ll be playing ports of psvr2 games in four or five years I wouldn’t bad mouth my future wish list of it was in your position.

          • ViRGiN

            lmao.
            as a PCVR elitist, you are borderline hoping to play SOME of the indie titles from PSVR2 on your already outdated PCVR

          • kool

            Lol I haven’t had a PC since the 90s, common sensece is so last gen right!

          • ViRGiN

            What’s a PC?

          • Sky Castle

            You realize the Quest 2 can connect to a PC right? You have a stand alone headset with 3 sources to play from…Quest, Oculus, and Steam plus AAA games that can be moded to play in VR. PSVR get most of their indie games after PSVR gamers have already beaten and uninstalled them.

          • Arno van Wingerde

            Good if you have to have a 2000$+ PC around… for those who do not PSVR2 may be the better option.

          • kool

            No the quest has only one way to play. Adding PC streaming cost thousands of dollars and im not sure what that last statement means.

  • kool

    Where else can you find a cheaper high end VR experience?

    • ViRGiN

      Bargain bin pcvr?
      Oh sorry you said high end vr experience. Nevermind

      • kool

        Your gonna need at least $2k for similar performance.

  • Mike EY

    Peak insecurity game. Act tough, act pretty, imagine you’re a grown up, go on murder spree and wonder why no one likes you

  • Sky Castle

    PSVR2 is better than the Steam Index that cost $1k alone and you still need a beefy PC. In fact it’s better than most PCVR headset at $500. Not only people who buy into the PSVR2 getting a good value for what they’re paying for, it also helps the VR echo system overall, not just for console. You crying over what people buy just shows your level of stupidity.

  • Arno van Wingerde

    Carried away again: your argument is a bit like: “who would buy a $50,000 car when a 10000$ car will also get you from A to B?”.
    Answer: lots of people…
    I love my Quest2 very much: both untethered and cheap, but its processor power is simply severely limited, preventing larger games to run on the device and other games run in lower resolution.

    • Dale Brosius

      Exactly! This guys arguments are pointless and dumb. “Quest is cheaper then a ps5+psvr2” yeah and thats because quest is a cheap pos compared to the tech in ps5 & psvr2. Its literally like someone with a Ford Tempo going on about how much cheaper his car was then someones Toyota Supra. Yes congratulations your cheap pos is cheaper then my high performance model!

  • Dale Brosius

    This is the most retarded logic possible. Including the price of a PS5 in the price of PS VR2 is the same as including the price of a PC when talking about a PC VR headset. Should we take it a step further and include the cost of a TV/Monitor also?

  • Manochang

    I cant wait. PSVR2 is going to be brilliant. I have PCVR and it is just too much effort some of the time. Quest is ace, but I want something that is meaty AND looks great too. Cables are fine for me — just make sure you play the right game seated.