Review: Cave Crave
Have you ever fancied doing a spot of caving? Nope, me neither. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything worse—tight spaces, the risk of getting crushed, drowning, lost… no thanks. You couldn’t pay me enough. That said, Cave Crave, a new PSVR2 title, offers the chance to experience all of that minus the actual danger. Tempting, right?
The game kicks off with a narrative hook: you’re following in your father’s footsteps. You discover a tape recording of his voice, guiding you through the caves. Why he’d want you to take up this hideous pastime is beyond me—but here we are.
In VR, you’re fully immersed in the cave environment. You use the controllers to grip surfaces, crawl, crouch, and navigate through tight passages. Early on, you pick up a head torch that can switch to infrared mode, useful for spotting collectible fossils.
As you progress, you’re given tools like a hammer to break through stalactites and stalagmites, and a cleaning device to wipe mud off your gloves. Later, you unlock pitons to climb walls and access new areas. Since cave layouts can be disorienting, you can mark walls with directions to avoid getting hopelessly lost.
One particularly intense mechanic involves squeezing through extremely tight corners. You must hold specific buttons to simulate holding your breath—release them too soon, and your lungs (and chest) get crushed. Yes, really.
You can die by falling from heights or running out of breath in certain sections. Beyond the main story, there’s a Tourist Mode for free exploration and a Horror Mode where you search for fossils while avoiding additional threats. Word of warning: if you hate spiders, steer clear of that one.
I was initially intrigued by Cave Crave. It’s a unique concept and something you couldn’t replicate in 2D. For that, it deserves some kudos. But the novelty wore off quickly. I found myself getting lost in levels, frustrated by the constant arm movements required to drag myself along. I got quite sweaty and as a result it’s not the most comfortable experience. Tracking was occasionally off, and navigating confined spaces could be a real pain due to awkward camera angles.
If you’re genuinely curious about caving or enjoy niche VR experiences, it might be worth a try. But for me, it only reinforced one thing: I will never go caving. Not in real life, and not again in virtual reality.
Review by Chris.
