A U.S. court rejected an FTC request to block Microsoft’s bid to acquire Activision and Synapse is a fantastic virtual reality shooter.

Court rejects FTC request for injunction clearing way for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision

Tom Warren has been following the deal for the Verge, and late in the day on Wednesday reported that the FTC was appealing the decision by a federal court judge in California.

Synapse an energetic VR shooter that you’ll want to play again

You’ll work up a sweat playing Synapse, a new shooter from nDreams and developed exclusively for the PS VR2.

This is because the game requires more than just pointing your hands at things. In Synapse you gain telepathic abilities and success – survival – requires that you use those talents to pick up and fling objects around.

And you can traverse the environment by climbing, which requires that you simulate climbing with your hands.

It’s all anchored by a high-concept story: you are an agent who needs to go into the mind of a military vet who is a danger to society. Colonel Conrad knows you’re in his mind, and he attacks you. You’ll have to navigate the space, manage your ammunition and health, and make wise decisions when given the opportunity to pick up upgrades.

And if you die, you try again.

Some upgrades are permanent, others are only valid during your run. The objective is to get through to the end, and every time you try, you learn a little bit more about what’s really going on.

Veteran video game actors Jennifer Hale and David Hayter are great in Synapse playing, respectively, your handler and Colonel Conrad. They elevate the experience and give the game just the right tone: weighty but not serious.

This is a game you’ll want to return to, to explore the different configurations of upgrades, and to figure out what’s really going on in the mind of Colonel Conrad. Have a towel and a glass of water nearby, though, because you’ll need them when you’re done playing.