AI vibecoding has caused a veritable explosion in the VR modding scene. The latest to benefit: PSVR exclusive and critically acclaimed platformer Astro Bot Rescue Mission (2018).
The News
VR modder ‘Bigmak94’ has released another mod, this time bringing Astro Bot Rescue Mission to Quest 3 and PC VR.
Also known for their Super Mario Galaxy VR mod, Bigmak94 asked AI assistant Claude to modify shadPS4, an open-source PlayStation 4 emulator for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
The modder reveals in a Reddit post that Claude effectively output two versions: a native Quest 3 version you can sideload and play on-device, and a PC VR version you can stream to other headsets. Check it out in action below:
Like all VR mods, users need a copy of the game in question, which needs to be dumped from the console. You can find information on that and how to install the so-dubbed ‘AstroQuest’ mod via the project’s GitHub.
Notably, the mod includes 6DOF headset tracking, native controller mapping, and immersive spatial audio. While the standalone Quest 3 build is considered fully functional and playable, the headset’s mobile GPU is “pushed to its limits,” Bigmak94 says. Native standalone visuals are said to run at lower resolutions and visual fidelity compared to the original PS4 hardware or the PC VR mode.
What’s more, users can also pair and play via PS5 DualSense controller, which stands in for the PS4 controller the game expects, including the proper buttons, sticks, touchpad, motion sensors, rumble and light bar.
My Take
When Sony unveiled PSVR 2 in February 2022, I was fully expecting Astro Bot to get a port, an upgrade—something—if only based on how successful and critically acclaimed the plucky little platformer had proven to be only four years earlier on the original PSVR. After all, it was Sony’s own Japan Studio to develop the game, so it seemed like a shoe in.
Sadly, it never was ported to PSVR 2. And its sequel, Astro Bot (2024), was a flatscreen-only game, underlining just how little Sony cared about bringing one of its most successful VR titles to the new platform. And while Astro Bot isn’t abandonware by virtue of the fact you can still buy it on the PlayStation Store, it’s pretty close.
Now, with the ability for more users to explore the often byzantine process of modding and decompiling games now thanks to AI agents like Claude, Astro Bot is really only the tip of the iceberg. Users have been following this same basic workflow with a number of games, including the recent VR mod for Titanfall 2 (2016). And I can’t wait to see (and play) more.
