As you will all no doubt be very aware the onset of October means only one thing (two things if you count shops start putting up Christmas displays for some reason) and that is a deluge of all things spooky, scary and skeleton-filled. Halloween is coming, and there is quite literally no stopping it.
Today the latest horror tinged announcement comes from France as The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (SEFFF) looks to bring its Halloween selection of twenty-nine scary short films (6 in regular and 23 in 360 degree format) to VRrOOm’s XR platform. For a month, beginning today and ending on November 8th 2018, VRrOOm’s XR platform will host a variety of SEFFF experiences that will appeal to lovers of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
The partnership announcement with SEFFF comes a month after the app, developed with Paris-based agency Bemersive, was launched in partnership with the Venice Film Festival. VRrOOm also plan to announce their next program later this month.
“The VRrOOm’s XR platform is dedicated to providing a virtual stage to the world’s finest festivals and cultural events, reflecting on how today’s exhibition and distribution of films go hand-in-hand in a fast-changing landscape of how art and artists relate to their audiences across all media.” Said the company in a statement. “The app also features a virtual cinema room designed according to THX’s certification program guidelines. The THX Certified Cinema virtual auditorium is a celebration of the art of filmmaking, allowing the audience members to experience the power of storytelling in the world’s most personal cinema.”
The app is free to access for interested parties to download and ais available on both iOS and Android, with support for Google Daydream headsets. Additionally the app is also available on the app is also available on both Viveport and the Oculus Store, with support for the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR.
The full list of experiences and short films are as follows: Kinch And The Double World, Portal, King of Infinite Space, Crackle, Going Home, Mister Vampire, The Ghostbusters, Space X Girl VR, Your Spiritual Temple Sucks, Voyager, Damage Control, Babs, Just After Midnight, A Loft In Paradise, Saint Hubert, Knives, Seance, Mirror Man, Burlap, The Invisible Man, 11:57, Blood Room, Coyote, Death Van, Fan Club, Joy Ride, Teddy’s Bear Picnic, Last Man Standing and Zombie Apocalypse.
VRFocus will bring you more news on the developments in VR film very soon.
It’s not always easy visiting big events which is why Pixvana’s XR production studio, WunderVu, has extended its partnership with NBC Universal to showcase this weeks New York Comic Con in virtual reality (VR) via a series of episodes for SYFY WIRE.
The content WunderVu is planning on creating will allow guests to explore the floor of the New York Comic Con (October 4-7) in 180 or 360 degrees. This will enable them to engage and experience the event as if they were there, with three hosted VR episodes, each offering challenges and contests for viewers.
“Virtual Reality enables passionate endemic audiences, like the SYFY WIRE fan base, to experience ‘being there’ and being part of the fun, and the networks and sponsors are starting to notice,” said Rachel Lanham, General Manager of Wundervu in a statement. “There’s no other medium that envelops the viewer and builds lasting memories quite like VR.”
“VR allows us to reach audiences in a dynamic and truly authentic way,” said Matthew Chiavelli, SVP, Digital, for SYFY. “Together with SYFY WIRE’s four livestreams and with the production magic of Wundervu, we’re able to put people at New York Comic Con and other fan events that they might not have had the opportunity to experience otherwise. Helping people to share the experience of events like these in a virtual way is incredibly powerful.”
The first VR segment of New York Comic Con will be available by Saturday evening across all of the SyFy Wire channels – including Facebook and YouTube. Additionally, all the content will be posted to the most well known 360 video channels – YouTube360 (mobile, desktop, or via Google Cardboard), Facebook360 (mobile or desktop), and Google Daydream.
For further updates of WunderVu content, keep reading VRFocus.
During the Google I/O conference earlier this year the company wowed the audience with a demonstration of its natural language processing technology in conjunction with AI, allowing a users phone to talk and make reservations or change an appointment. Today, Los Angeles-based Artie, a company specialising in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) has partially come out of stealth to showcase Artie’s Adventure, an experience using AI-powered characters for Google Daydream.
An experimental VR experience directed by Armando Kirwin and TJ Fuller, Artie’s Adventure revolves around Santa Monica surf pup Artie, who needs your help to get back to the beach. Designed as an interactive adventure driven by AI characters whilst using voice control to talk to Artie and other new friends, you need to assist the pup on its journey across a hyper-stylized Los Angeles.
The AI technology was developed by Artie and is built on top of Unity and Google Cloud, making heavy use of Google’s natural language processing capabilities.
Little has been revealed regarding the gameplay other than the voice interaction, which will allow you to ask Artie to do tricks, grab bit to eat and generally converse with the characters around you. This hasn’t been shown in great depth, but it’s more than likely – because of the tech used – that you’ll be able to have reasonable conversations.
Artie’s Adventure will be exclusive to Google Daydream and the Lenovo Mirage Solo, making extensive use of the 6DOF capabilities offered by Google’s WorldSense technology.
While Artie might be revealing its first project today the company is still staying in stealth for a little while longer, with plans for an official announcement regarding co-founders, investment, teams and so on taking place later this month.
The title will be released in stages with Chapter 1 arriving today, with Chapter 2 to follow in two weeks and Chapter 3 to follow two weeks after that. Artie’s Adventure can be downloaded from the Google Play store. As further updates are released regarding the experience, VRFocus will keep you updated.
Well that’s another Oculus Connect done and with the surprise announcement that there’s not going to be a PlayStation Experience in 2018 and with EGX and Tokyo Game Show also done and dusted we are officially out of major tier level events with the exception of Paris Games Week but I know some people are on the fence as to its importance.
Oh, there are still actual events going on between now and December. There’s GTC Europe starting today for instance. VR Days and XRDC before the end of the month as well. VRX 2018 hits in December and there’s a few other ones here and there around the globe. But for the big hitters that is apparently, that’s, err… that. Next stop CES 2019, I guess?
As usual there was lots to talk about during the event, especially the announcements relating to the former-Santa Cruz, the Oculus Quest. I guess I won’t be able to make jokes relating to The Thrills’ song any more. On the plus side, jokes about The Real Adventures of Oculus Quest are now very much in.
For this year’s post Oculus Connect VR vs. I thought I’d focus on one particular part of Oculus Connect 5 (OC5). At least initially. Maybe I’ll go back and re-watch some more at a later date to see how I feel about things. I definitely need to re-watch Michael Abrash’s section because I missed a rather big chunk of it – and as regular readers will know I’m an unabashed Abrash fan. (I found out on day two Peter is not, and he is now officially dead to me.) Instead, I thought I’d go through the 2018 edition of Oculus Chief Technical Officer John Carmack‘s “Unscripted” keynote and point out some things I took away from the whole thing. Because despite issues getting to watch it – which we’ll get into – there were some things that leapt out during the session. Some important, some not so important.
This’ll actually end up being a two-parter, since 90 minutes of John Carmack is a lot to digest. For this week let’s start with some general items as well as the first 45 minutes of the 90.
What Is It With Facebook And Not Being Able To Stream Video Properly?
Before we begin let’s start with something that plagued both keynotes for those of us stuck watching on Facebook: the lag and coverage drops. This really is inexcusable for what is a Facebook run event. Video is so problematic for Facebook yet is also a key pillar of their business direction. If you’re going to insist on making us use Facebook (and having to immediately turn on Quiet Mode to get rid of the silly emoji clutter) can it at least be stable? At some points in the stream you could tell the audio and visuals were slightly out of sync and frankly Facebook, compared to other events that deal with far bigger numbers you guys really should have this down pat by now, but I’ve yet to see a livestream without issues.
The Carmack stream died for me again, judging by the subtitles apparently at the point his teeth started chattering. pic.twitter.com/ArVmYgxzAO
Long-Term Goals Are Fine, But If You Suck You Suck
One of the things people tend to not like about me is I am pretty honest about things when they fail. Today’s mistake is tomorrow’s disaster. It’s like you presenting the murderer in Cluedo with the gift of a new candlestick and being surprised they kill again. Ill-conceived ideas shouldn’t be given a pass just ‘because’, especially if the evidence says otherwise. Hard honesty is not ‘being negative’.
Whilst we all know that Carmack is the counterpoint to Day One it was very interesting for him to directly address that fact.
“It’s not that [long-term planning] isn’t important.” He insisted, stifling a chuckle. “A lot of people find a lot of great motivation from it, and some things do need long-term commitment – I am really happy that Facebook does have this long-term commitment to research and development of new technology. But, in some ways a ‘long-term vision’ can be a carpet you sweep your current shortcomings under.”
Oculus Go Might Not Entirely Please Him, But How Well It Has Done Pleases Everyone
“I was probably the most optimistic inside Oculus about how well Go would do, but it turned out that it exceeded even my expectations.”
One thing I do agree with VR naysayers about is a lack of clarity as to sales figures of VR head-mounted displays (HMDs). We didn’t get any figures here either, but with the ‘hard honesty’ full on displayed (Carmack did acknowledge having issues with certain aspects of Go’s software) both Oculus and Carmack bigged up how well the HMD had done. To the point where they acknowledged the response had actually surprised them. That bodes particularly well.
Known Unknowns
Oculus don’t know why Go is as retentive as Rift. They don’t know how many people can’t deal with 3DOF tracking – “but we know they exist”. They don’t know what exactly is going to be the ‘magic’ element that brings people to the Oculus Quest. There were admissions of Oculus not knowing all manner of things on Day One as well. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure whether I’m concerned or unconcerned about that.
The Gear VR Doesn’t Get The Same Love As 2017…
Last year Carmack, on several occasions held Samsung up the way things should be done. This year they didn’t fare as well, despite being “by far the most successful VR headset” according to Carmack. Carmack this time noted how the Gear VR despite giving a pleasing performance doesn’t persist as an interest point to buyers.
“Poisonous user experiences” for lapsed Gear VR users also “kinda kills the experience”.
Okay, It’s Good For Something
It turns out Carmack isn’t too enamoured of the Go’s strap and that Oculus didn’t get what they were aiming for. But there is another option, apparently.
“You can actually take a Gear VR strap and with a little bit of scissor work on it get it to fit inside a Go and have the conventional one backstrap.” The facial interface for the Go wasn’t to Carmack’s satisfaction either so he took a pair of scissors to that too.
“Have we suddenly gone into an episode of Blue Peter?” I asked the VRFocus team, wondering how a Fairy liquid bottle and sticky back plastic was going to factor into things.
USB Support IS Coming
A solution, albeit a limited one, is coming to Go. Licencing is an issue as is power AND drive formats, but that’s something I’ve seen people asking for a while and was last addressed by Carmack way back in March .It’s clearly problematic for the team at Oculus but good to see they’re going to make it happen somehow despite all that.
Oculus Straight Up Admitted To Taking Design Ideas From Google
When I managed to wrangle Facebook’s video into showing me OC5 again I came back into something that made me do a massive double-take.
“We did come around to basically doing what Daydream does with recentering. I think they made the right call in retrospect. Where the recenter operation, by default, recenters not just your controller but also your view unless the application explicitly opts out. We had long debates about this, but I think that is the right call in the end.” Said Carmack before plunging straight on. “And there’s a couple of little other things that we’ve cribbed from Daydream. I added the little thumbprint on the controller that they do- every time I take a hint from them I try and do it a little bit better.”
“I managed to get the video working again to find Carmack admitting they’ve been nicking design ideas from Google?”
“Pretty much.” Responded Kevin J.
Often it’s left unsaid that company A is inspired by, or just plain clones choice B from rival C. It’s unsaid because, well, designs are rather by default copyrighted. So, for Carmack to out-and-out admit they’d taken cues from the Google Daydream was surprising. I mean, can you imagine if Oculus were sued for copyright infringement? …Again?* If I were Google I’d probably begin looking at forthcoming UI updates and other things a lot closer after that.
Even Carmack Thinks VR Lifestyle Shots Are Utter Nonsense
“You know, I chuckle whenever our promotional stuff where we have people-atheletic people- swinging around wildly and ducking and bending with VR where that’s not going to be the reality of the way people are going to be using this product most of the time.” Carmack said with a smile. “Making company specific decisions around your development, around that, might not be wisest thing.”
They’re not the only ones. You’ve all seen this Vive picture, right? I wonder if Carmack has.
People Spending More Time Watching Movies On Their PS4 Shocked Him
There was a lot of discussion about Quest’s intention of being 80% games vs 20% media in its usage, as opposed to Rift which is currently the reverse. Carmack, quite rightly in my opinion, disagrees that media will be so low. He then pointed out that there was a recent study which showed that media use trumped videogames “even on games consoles”.
I mean… Hasn’t that always been the case since last generation and DVD player support? How on Earth has he only just heard this?
Who Stole Carmack’s Clock?
Unfortunately, Carmack ran out of time and had to stop very abruptly indeed. It made me wonder what happened to his countdown clock he had last year in front of the stage that gave him a constant indication of how long he had so he could prioritise and wrap things up.
It felt like a mistake to (apparently) not have that this year. If there was a clock going on his tablet the evidence suggests that went by the wayside quickly.
Oculus stop short of using the ol' vaudeville hook technique as time sadly runs out on John Carmack.
We’ll leave it there for part one, I’ll come back to the second 45 minutes in the next column or one after that. For now though, have a good rest of the week.
For those wishing to create and distribute virtual reality (VR) video content then Pixvana’s SPIN Studio might be just what you’re looking for. Today, the company has announced the official launch of its XR storytelling platform, alongside its new stitcher as part of SPIN Studio.
Pixvana’s SPIN Studio is a cloud-based end-to-end platform for creating, editing, and distributing immersive video content. Creators can build interactive story experiences using hands-on tools that work with natural gestures and actions from within the headset. They’ll also be able to expedite processes, from camera upload to image editing, stitching, and distribution.
Using an Oculus Rift for example, users can combine media into interactive stories using Oculus Touch in a WYSIWYG interface. While in VR they’ll be able to sequence linear stories from their VR playlist, connect scenes in branching timelines, add interactive hotspots to guide the user’s gaze, incorporate hotspot actions, add graphic overlays and logos, and more.
“We are bringing to market the first complete set of cloud-based VR tools, with the capability of creating and editing in a virtual environment, making it easier than ever to build immersive VR experiences,” said Forest Key, Co-Founder and CEO of Pixvana. “With this release, we’ve completely reimagined the way people create interactive stories, and made it possible for them to unlock the real potential of VR media. Both expert and novice creators can now make VR video experiences and engage with audiences in more powerful ways – enlivening events, presentations, classrooms, tours and more.”
As part of SPIN Studio Pixvana has launched its new stitcher, allowing creators to turn multiple video files into a story. The software renders masters at 8K+ resolution in the cloud.
“8K is the future. With it comes incredible benefits, but the sheer volume of data still poses challenges,” said Jason Paul, general manager of Gaming Software and Virtual Reality at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA’s VRWorks 360 SDK, the SPIN Studio solution for rendering 8K in the cloud simplifies the workflow, making 8K more accessible to many content creators.”
The complete end-to-end SPIN Studio feature set includes:
VR Video Upload – Get raw files into the cloud quickly using a camera-agnostic uploader tool.
Asset Organization – Easily manage VR video assets, including 2D and 360-degree photos and audio tracks from the cloud-based CMS.
VR Video Editing – Level horizons and tweak color for lifelike results, automatically or with quick manual adjustments.
VR Video Stitching – Stitch perfect XR masters in 8K+ resolution.
In-Headset Creation – Work directly in the headset to build immersive experiences, with interactivity; add graphics, pictures, hotspots, sounds, text and more.
VR Video Sharing – One-click VR casting capability for sending optimized videos to select headsets anywhere in the world, or for publishing to Steam or YouTube.
SPIN Play – The app that brings it all together, from in-headset creation to easy video sharing. When used in “creation mode”, running on the Oculus Rift, the app lets you move content easily in 3D and has the power to place media spatially with a flick of the wrist.
SPIN Studio is compatible with devices including Oculus Rift and Oculus Go, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, and HTC Vive. Users can sign up for a free trial of SPIN Studio today. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Lenovo launched its Mirage Solo standalone headset back in May, featuring inside-out tracking and support for the Daydream software platform. At the time it was somewhat disappointing that this advanced headset only came with a three degrees-of-freedom (3DoF) controller, limiting the interaction users could have. Recently though, Google has revealed work on experimental 6DoF controllers as well as several other advances for the virtual reality (VR) platform.
6DoF controllers allow for much more natural interaction in a virtual space – just like in the real world – so Google has begun adding APIs to support positional controller tracking alongside designing a ‘system uses machine learning and off-the-shelf parts to accurately estimate the 3D position and orientation of the controllers,’ states the blog. These new prototype controllers are already in the hands of several developers to begin testing with more to be included soon.
Those cameras on the front of the Lenovo Mirage Solo have a number of use cases beside the WorldSense inside-out tracking. The latest being a see through mode for the headset, allowing users to see the world around them. Particularly good for seeing where you are in the world without taking the headset off, the mode has even greater potential when considering augmented reality (AR) prototyping.
The combination of WorldSense and AR gives developers similar versatility to mobile, with users being able to see and know where they are whilst interacting with digital objects, for example interior design.
Experimental app using objects from Poly, see-through mode and 6DoF Controllers to design a space. Image Credit: Google
Last on the list of experimental features Google has been developing is the introduction to open any smartphone Android app on a Daydream device. This will allow owners to use their favourite videogames, tools and apps in VR. To make this possible for developers to add Daydream VR support into their existing 2D applications Google re-used existing 2D interfaces for Chrome Browser Sync, settings and more to provide the browsing experience.
US developers can apply for the experimental 6DoF controller developer kit here. As for See-through mode and Android Apps in VR, developers will be able to get their hands on them soon. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.
Während wir alle gespannt auf die Oculus Connect 5 warten und auf neue Informationen zur Santa Cruz oder Rift 2 hoffen, veröffentlicht Google noch schnell eine großartige Neuigkeit. Wie das Unternehmen mitteilt, werden schon bald Entwickler-Kits für die Mirage Solo bereitstehen, welche die VR-Brille mit 6DOF-Controllern ausstatten soll. Das System beschränkt sich jedoch auf Daydream-Brillen, welche ihren Raum erkennen können (Daydream Standalone). Mit einer Smartphone-Lösung (Daydream View) lassen sich die Controller nicht verwenden.
6DOF Controller für Daydream vorgestellt
Das vorgestellte System besteht aus einer zusätzlichen Platte für die Front, welche mit einem USB-C-Anschluss ausgestattet ist. Dieses Element wird für die Ortung der Controller verantwortlich sein und Google beschreibt die Erkennung als ein “einzigartiges optisches Tracking-Verfahren”, welches durch Machine Learning die Position und Orientierung der Controller exakt ermitteln können soll.
Die Controller sind mit einem Touchpad, einem Trigger, einem Grip-Button, einem App-Button und einem Button für das Menü (oder um die Orientierung zurückzusetzen) ausgestattet.
Sollte das Tracking sauber funktionieren, hat Google bereits einen Konkurrenten für die Oculus Santa Cruz in den Startlöchern bzw. schon auf dem Markt. Die Mirage Solo kann bei diversen Händlern bereits ab 399 Euro erworben werden und bis die Controller für Konsumenten bereitstehen, wird der Preis vermutlich noch fallen.
It appears Google has made some serious headway on its low-cost, mobile inside out VR controller tracking standard first seen back in April. Today the company revealed they’ll be offering developer kits of a pair of new experimental Daydream with positional tracking (aka six degree of freedom, or 6DOF) controllers, which they say will allow devs to build such experiences for the Lenovo Mirage Solo.
The pair of controllers are optically tracked, and include a trigger, Daydream button, App button, grip buttons, and a touchpad with click ability.
Developers will require a Lenovo Mirage Solo, as the kit only includes two controllers and the purpose-built tracking faceplate that connects to the headset’s USB port.
Google is currently accepting applications for developer kits of the experimental Daydream 6DoF controllers, although only in the United States at this time.
Photo by Road to VR
Lenovo Mirage Solo, which launched back in May, already offers 6DOF optical tracking for its headset, while its native controller scheme is only a single 3DOF controller (rotation only)—presenting an unfortunate mismatch for users looking for greater VR immersion.
While not entirely out of the realm of possibility, it’s doubtful the company will sell these aftermarket 6DOF kits to the public, as it’s more likely points to company’s next generation of VR hardware yet to come. Google’s VR/AR team lead Clay Bavor previously stated at this year’s I/O dev conference that Lenovo Mirage Solo users shouldn’t expect 6DOF controllers for the headset, although he maintained that “directionally, I think that’s where the technology, the industry is going.”
As Oculus gears up to talk more about their 6DOF headset/controller hardware Project Santa Cruz, it’s clear Google wants a seat at the 6DOF table for what could be a new bar in standalone VR.
We should be seeing the next flagship Google Daydream-ready smartphone very soon.
Last week Google sent out invites for a ‘Made by Google Launch Event’ taking place at 11am ET on October 9th in New York City. The name seems like a clear indicator that we’ll be seeing the reveal of the next in Google’s own line of smartphones, the Pixel 3 and likely the enlarged Pixel 3 XL too. This will be the first phone from the company since it acquired the design division of HTC that had made its previous two Pixel phones.
Why should a VR fan care? Well, simply put, the Pixel line usually serves as the flagship device for Google’s Daydream mobile VR ecosystem. That means whatever Google is planning to unveil should have access to the entire breadth of VR content that’s been released on Daydream over the past two years. More importantly, though, there will hopefully be some updates to the kit’s design and processing power that make it the best place to jump into Daydream.
You can also expect the phone to be a great showcase for Google’s Android-based augmented reality platform, ARCore.
We also have to wonder if Google is planning to unveil another iteration of its Daydream View headset at the show. View was first introduced at 2016’s Made by Google event and then updated in the 2017 version, so we’re holding out hope that yet more revisions are on their way.
More than anything, though, we just want to know what Google’s been up to in VR, recently. The company partnered with Lenovo to deliver the excellent Mirage Solo standalone headset earlier this year, but VR was almost entirely absent from its I/O developer conference in May.
True, the medium isn’t overflowing with 100-hour RPGs and lavishly-produced shooters, but there are absolutely more than enough titles out there now to satisfy a wide variety of gamers whether they like online sports, mind-bending puzzles or walking simulators. The fact is that whether you own an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR or otherwise, you’ve got plenty to play. But where should you spend your hard-earned cash?
To answer that question, we’ve rounded up 100 VR games we believe are absolutely worth playing right here on this page (scroll down!). Note that we’re not talking a ranked ‘Top 100’ list, at least not yet. This is about highlighting games that are fighting the good fight for VR, trying to shine a spotlight on some of the stuff you may have missed and championing the absolute essentials that everyone should play.
And, to be clear, these are strictly games, not experiences. We may or may not be working on another list to cover the latter category for later on and there may or may not be some overlap between the two, but for now we wanted to directly recognize the game developers doing great work in this emerging medium.
Editor’s Note: This post will frequently be republished and repromoted, but it was originally published in the early Fall of 2018.
Getting a jump scare out of you in VR is easy. There’s a lot of cheap experiences out there that have earned YouTube stardom using lackluster techniques. That makes the restraint Wolf & Wood shows in slowly building the intense, dread-filled horror of A Chair in a Room all the more impressive. This a chilling, intelligent psychological experience that is more interested in playing with your mind than it is screaming in your face at the most unexpected moment. It also makes great use of room-scale technology, if you have space. This is the thinking man’s horror game.
From the minds that brought you Rick and Morty comes this unmissable, hilarious showcase for just how brilliantly odd VR can be. Accounting is a fascinating trip through the mad world of Justin Roiland and co, exploring just how awkward and, frankly, disturbed VR can make you feel. If you’re not being shouted at for something you didn’t mean to do you’re generally destroying, stabbing or causing any other kind of weird mess you can. If you can, go for the expanded Accounting+ on PSVR, though the free Vive version is great too.
At a divisive time in American history comes this hilariously biting commentary on gun culture that’s not to be missed. The American Dream depicts a world in which day-to-day tasks are carried out with the help of guns. Shoot holes in bagels, paint cars and, uh, deliver newborn babies with the help of your sidearms. The American Dream is a bold VR game that dares to provoke as it strives to make a statement about the dangers of society today. This is something that demonstrates the real power of VR and the direction we want to see gaming head in going forward.
A rock-solid debut from one of VR’s most promising new developers, Apex Construct takes players on a sprawling adventure in a strangely beautiful post-apocalyptic world. The trusty bow and arrow mechanics at the game’s heart provide a fitting template for a full campaign in which you’ll do battle with an army of robot minions. Apex Construct is a game that’s very eager to please those that have been pining for a full gaming experience and, while not perfect, it gets more than enough right to be worth your time.
VR loves mechs, and it’s not hard to see why. The experience of sitting inside a cockpit, realistically interacting with your controls and unleashing a barrage of missiles or lasers is unbeatable. Nowhere is that more evident than with Skydance’s multiplayer expansion to Archangel, which gives you full control over a war machine of your choosing. An intuitive control scheme that makes great use of motion controllers and expansive maps that allow you to play out cinematic battles make this a blockbuster VR game you shouldn’t miss.
Shooting zombies was always going to be one of the most popular things to do in VR, and Vertigo Games’ Arizona Sunshine is the best place to do it. This is the rare example of a VR game that offers the full package including an entire campaign that can be played by yourself or in co-op as well as one of the best horde modes in the genre. Arizona Sunshine lets you live out your zombie survival dreams like never before. If you’re going to pick it up, we really like playing it on PSVR with the Aim controller, just so you know.
E McNeill has made a name for himself developing some of VR’s most thoughtful and strategic games. His latest, Astraeus, is easily his most accomplished yet, achieving a surprisingly accessible control scheme in which you select asteroids to mine and compete to create the largest and best network of bases in the galaxy. This is a game that shows true vision in its futuristic user interface and also demonstrates a welcome strand of humor with commentary from your robotic companion too.
Who says mobile VR is for casual games? Certainly not Coatsink, which last year released one of the industry’s deepest titles on a Gear VR. Augmented Empire combines the strategic gameplay of XCOM with the team-building story of a Mass Effect game to wonderful effect, then throws in VR support for good measure. It’s one of the rare games on any VR platform that will find you caring about its characters and itching to get back to every night. If you’re looking for a full, hardcore gaming experience in VR, this provides everything you’d ever need.
Rocksteady’s unexpected VR debut allowed us to take on the cowl much sooner than we ever thought we’d get to. Arkham VR is a punchy mini-story that trades in some of the series’ defining features in the name of keeping the experience as immersive and comfortable as possible. While many of us would like to see the combat properly added in, there’s no denying that Arkham VR offers some incredibly powerful moments that stand amongst the best reasons to pick up a VR headset today.
Who could have predicted that, with all the possibilities of VR, a rhythm action game would become one of the scene’s biggest sensations? But Beat Saber really is that good; not only does it feel great to wield two knock-off lightsabers in hand but the game has razor-sharp mechanics that make slashing and dodging your way through any one of its tracks a real thrill. Impending launches for multiplayer and level editing are only set to sweeten the deal. Don’t turn your nose up at what’s fast becoming one of VR’s all-around best games.
You might not think VR is suited for the bullet hell genre, but Blasters of the Universe is here to prove you wrong. Secret Location added a welcome new layer to the well-worn wave shooter genre by making players perform virtual acrobatics to avoid swarms of incoming bullets. It makes for a much more intense and alarming survival game. Highly customizable weapons and a brilliant Saturday morning cartoon presentation make this one of the most polished and fun single-player shooters you can find in VR today.
Few were expecting much from Bow to Blood, but this really is one of VR’s most deceptively deep games. You pilot a flying ship in the Bow to Blood tournament, heading into aerial combat and races as you try and claw your way to the top of the competition. Frantic ship micromanagement gives the gameplay a chaotic edge, but its the relationship system that sees you interact with other competitors that really stands out. It gets you to forge uneasy alliances and make enemies in order to save yourself from being voted out of the competition and it works brilliantly.
Bound is an enthralling delight of a VR experience in which you control a ballet dancer weaving her way through intricate levels. It first released on standard displays, but the move to PSVR really brought the game’s beautiful world to life. Vivid colors and bar-setting animation are given hypnotic new meaning, as is the game’s touching story. If you’re into a much more experiential strand of VR then Bound is definitely something you should check out.
Leave it to the developers that brought us games like Age of Empires II to deliver probably the best real-time strategy game seen in VR thus far. Brass Tactics takes a delightful twist on the genre by fusing fully animated battles with a tabletop gaming arena that’s best shared with friends in multiplayer. Motion controls make the game incredibly accessible and the ability to drag yourself over the board can really lose you in its miniature battles. Brass Tactics delivers on the strategy dreams many of us have had for years now.
VR has the potential to reinvigorate boardgames and Catan VR shows you why. This brings the classic tabletop game to virtual life with amazing animations. Pick your own avatar, find friends online and then sit down for an evening of shaky alliances and betrayals. It also supports cross-play across all of the headsets it’s been released on, making it one of VR’s most accessible online games.
Further proof that third person VR games can not only work but flourish on the platform, Chronos is a brilliantly moody action game that fuses the present day with fantastical elements. There are plenty of amazing sights to behold as you journey through an ancient dungeon, solving puzzles and fighting with orcs. It’s as close to a traditional Zelda game you’re going to get in VR right now, but stands up on its own terms too. We’re still holding out hope that a sequel to Chronos is on the cards at Gunfire.
Still one of VR’s most visually-impressive games, The Climb remains a great way to introduce anyone to this new medium, despite the fact you keep your feet on the floor. It’s a rock climbing experience in which you use the Oculus Touch controllers to scale massive mountains in some ridiculously beautiful locations. Motion controls make this one of VR’s most intuitive locomotion systems (don’t play it with the gamepad) and it’s as good a workout as you’d want from a game. Just don’t play it if you suffer from vertigo.
Sometimes you just need to go back to basics. Compound does this not just by looking like the original Doom or Wolfenstein 3D but also slowing the action back down to their pace too. In doing so, the game gives players the space to properly react to their surroundings instead of overwhelming the senses as so many other VR shooters do. It makes threats more detectable and thus more exciting, and gives the ensuing action the kind of level playing field that actually helps keep you rooted in the experience. It’s only in Early Access right now but Compound is definitely one of VR’s best shooters.
Turns out people still want to fight zombies even when you might believe the zombies are real. Well, if that sounds like you, you need to be playing Dead Effect 2. This is a very capable port of an already-enjoyable zombie shooter that will give fans of everything from Aliens to Night of the Living Dead something to love. Dead Effect 2 is one of a handful of games that makes a great case for developers porting past projects to VR where appropriate, and we’re hoping other studios take note.
If Lone Echo is Gravity; an explosive blockbuster sci-fi adventure, then Downward Spiral is 2001, boasting a more considered, moody atmosphere. You explore the remains of an abandoned space station, trying to locate your missing crew and find out what’s happened. The excellent zero-gravity traversal keeps you rooted right in the middle of the well-paced campaign, which can be played either solo or with a friend. The great assortment of weapons also comes into play in an entertaining multiplayer mode, too. This is the full package.
A lot of VR ports struggle to bring their entire experience over to headsets (we’re looking at you, Gran Turismo Sport), but Dirt Rally does so with aplomb. The entire rocky rally ride is available to experience in this package, with a huge amount of tracks to skid around. While it may not be as comprehensive as the Project Cars series, Dirt Rally offers an authentically rough strand of racing that you can’t find anywhere else. We might even dare to call it VR’s best racing game at this point in time.
Card games are perfect for VR, really. Imagine a round of Magic in which the creatures you summon spring to life and get locked in deadly combat with your opponent. That’s exactly what Dragon Front offers, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun to see unfold. High Voltage’s biggest contribution to the VR scene yet gives you a deep but accessible combat system and continued support for the game has introduced new factions that have evolved the game in new ways. Crucially, cross-play makes it easy to find matches.
This wonderful little experiment of a game pays tribute to more 80’s media than you might think. Though it initially appears to be a nostalgic trip back to the days of the NES, a more sinister undertone soon makes itself known, creating a creepy, memorable experience. Stress Level Zero littered this game with love, from the throwbacks to classic games, films and TV shows to the huge amount of easter eggs and alternate endings that will have you rooting back through the story as soon as you finish it.
Eagle Flight remains unlike anything else you’ve ever seen in VR. You take on the role of an eagle in a post-apocalyptic Paris that has surrendered itself back to nature. Simply swooping along the skyline and taking in the sights is an amazing experience in its own right, but Eagle Flight features intuitive controls that are put to great use across a variety of modes including single-player races and competitive online games that rethink aerial combat for the VR age. We’re still holding out hope for a second game in this series.
Gaugepunk Games has done incredible work making meaningfully immersive VR experiences, and Echo Grotto successfully fuses that with gamified exploration. This is a caving VR game that you’ll get lost in both in terms of hours spent playing and location as you dive deeper. There’s an untouched tranquility to your expeditions, which become easier the more equipment you uncover. Echo Grotto will only last as long as your curiosity does, but in a world this well realized that can go a long way.
When it first released last year we confidently proclaimed Eclipse was Daydream’s best game. That still stands; this is a rich, immersive exploration game that leads you on a compelling tale of a doomed planet. The game uses environmental storytelling to unearth some genuinely memorable moments that make great use of VR. Amazing environments, enlightening jet pack traversal and well-paced platforming also help to establish this as an utterly engrossing journey from start to finish. If you have a Daydream-ready phone, it’s worth getting a View headset to play this alone.
Ratchet and Clank creator Insomniac Games took us to dark places with its first VR game, which remains as close to Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 as you’ll yet find in the Rift. Edge of Nowhere takes you on both an Arctic expedition gone wrong and a descent into madness as you journey through frozen wastes in search of a lost team. This isn’t necessarily the type of game that couldn’t be done outside of VR, but that doesn’t change the fact that playing it inside a headset amplifies the pulse-pounding scraps. A treat of a more traditional game.
Yup, that’s right. Skyrim. In VR. It’s the full thing; hundreds of hours worth of content, full support for motion controllers across the wide range of swords, bows and spells, and complete freedom over where you go and what you do. Whilst Skyrim does include some inevitable awkward elements, they don’t stand in the way of what is otherwise the biggest and arguably most compelling VR experience on the market. Support for mods on PC also makes this a practically endless experience.
One of the earliest games to support VR headsets is still easily the biggest. Elite features endless hours of space exploration and combat with incredibly deep systems that give you full agency over your sci-fi adventures. Forge your own path in a massive galaxy to explore, meeting up with freinds and making a few enemies in the process. Regular expansions to the game have only increased the sheer amount of things you can do, including exploring the surface of planets. Elite is that rare game that truly lets you live out your childhood fantasies in VR.
Wolf & Wood built upon the success of A Chair in a Room with access to a franchise that’s practically perfect for the developer: The Exorcist. Legion VR’s episodic installments give the studio space to experiment and deliver new terrors across each of the five entries in this brilliant series. Again, the studio employs smart use of the psychological effects of VR to provide a wider sense of dread and turmoil instead of just resorting to the usual jump scare tactics. This is one VR tie-in that doesn’t disappoint.
Somehow Bethesda really managed to squeeze all of its massive 2015 role-playing game into a VR headset. Fallout 4 gives you an entire wasteland to explore and an endless amount of choices to make. Use motion controllers to wield the game’s expansive arsenal of weapons, getting into fights with Deathclaws and robots. Then, if you want to take a step back from the survivng, build your own space and hang out with everyone’s favorite dog companion. There aren’t many more VR games out there right now that will offer you this kind of bang for your buck.
Get the pink ball to the pink goal. That’s all you have to do in Fantastic Contraption, but it’s how you pull it off that really makes the game shine. You’re given the tools to build your very own walking, wheeling vehicle which will carry the ball to its goal. This is one of VR’s most creative games, letting you build mechanical Frankenstein monsters that you’ll grow to love as you send them off to navigate challenging courses. The rock solid physics system provides endless hours of experimental engineering that’s great to share with friends. Fantastic Contraption is just waiting to fill your brain with ideas.
The first game to properly support PSVR’s Aim controller, Farpoint takes a decent stab at delivering a blockbuster FPS campaign for the VR age. You crash land on an uncharted planet which you soon discover in the worst way possible is infested with giant spiders. Aim plays a huge part in making Farpoint a truly immersive experience, cashing in big time on the slick satisfactions that come with pretending to be a space marine. Its campaign is short and largely simplistic, but it gets by on pure wish fulfillment alone.
We may never get a second episode in the Fated series, but the impressive world-building and genuine sense of adventure found in the first installment still make it worth a look. This is as close to a Game of Thrones VR game you’ll yet find, though its the interactions with the game’s NPCs using simple head-nodding and skaing that really stand out, including one incredible moment towards the end that stands as one of VR’s most heart-breaking sequences. It’s a little old now, but Fated still offers a glimpse of the future.
Finally, two years after PSVR’s launch, First Contact delivered the shooter fans had been dreaming of. Using PSVR’s Aim controller to great effect, Firewall offers perhaps the most convincing, arresting online combat in the entire industry. Short, sharp 4 v 4 battles see players working together to clear maps of the enemy. Each match creates a terrific air of tension as you hunt down other players and then trade bullets from behind cover. It’s early days for Firewall but we’d bet this is one of PSVR’s most enduring games.
Arguably the best game from one of VR’s best new developers, Floor Plan is an eccentric mix of multi-floored puzzling that sees you interacting with a colorful cast of characters. It’s a glorious throwback to the LucasArts heyday of adventure gaming, with outlandish solutions to bizarre puzzles that will often leave you laughing just as much as scratching your brain. It’s a little on the short side, but Floor Plan captures the random delights that VR can provide.
One of VR’s most immersive experiences, Form is a surreal puzzle game in which a scientific experiment sends you on an enlightening journey of discovery. Charm Games creates challenges that aren’t necessarily taxing on the brain but simply feel fantastic to interact with in VR. Anything could happen in Form and what does happen usually ends up being amazing to behold. It’s a little on the short side but it’s unlike any other puzzle game you’ve ever tried and absolutely worth picking up even if you’re not a regular puzzle solver.
From Other Suns – Read Our Review
Platforms: Oculus Rift
Developer: Gunfire Games
Chronos developer Gunfire Games turned to procedural generation to answer the call for long-lasting VR games, and the result is the excellent From Other Suns. In this co-op shooter you and up to three friends journey through a galaxy filled with dangers, managing resources on your own ship before boarding others to take on armies of aliens and robots. From Other Suns has an amazing arsenal of weapons and fun corridor shootouts that you can experience time and again and is one of the best places for friends to hang out in VR.
It’s worth bundling both of Cloudhead Games’ Gallery games together because as a pair they form an incredibly promising start to one of VR’s most fantastical journeys. Cloudhead has built an adventure series that thinks first and foremost about the kinds of interactions that would be fun in VR and then builds its Dark Crystal-inspired world around them. The second episode in particular demonstrates a masterful grip on the kinds of story-telling techniques that are really going to help VR stand out going forward. One thing’s for sure, we can’t wait for Episode 3.
There are those of us that believe VR is a force for good in this world and that it should be used for the betterment of mankind. We couldn’t agree more, and Gorn is a shining example of that. Okay, really this ultra-bloody gladiator game probably isn’t something you should be showing to any classrooms anytime soon but it does legitimately boast some of VR’s best melee combat, with slapstick battles that have a surprisingly low tolerance for any panic on the player’s part. Gorn is frantic, freeing fun and we wouldn’t change a single drop of its silly bloodshed.
Gunheart is another shooter that gets props for delivering the full package to VR fans with a full story-driven campaign. Its co-op focus with RPG elements makes every battle with twisted aliens a hugely engaging affair, and the first-rate visuals and brilliant enemy design make it one of VR’s best-looking games too. Optional flatscreen support will also give you more people to play with, while plenty of customization options and a wide range of side-missions will keep you coming back for more.
We were all pleasantly surprised when Ninja Theory dropped a VR version of last year’s critically acclaimed Hellblade onto our laps and even more delighted when we discovered just how well the experience holds up. Though Hellblade wasn’t designed for VR, there are certain moments in the campaign that really speak to the player from this new perspective, and the daunting battle with mental health is enhanced by the power of the platform. This is a game you should play anyway but, if you can, play it in a VR headset.
H3VR (yes this is the H3VR you keep reading about) has a simple mission at heart; to let you fire a heck of a lot of guns and make it all feel as authentic as possible. True, this might not be the most progressive use of VR, but you can’t deny it’s probably the most authentic and exhaustive library of firearms out there in the virtual world, and if shooting guns is your thing then is this probably the place to do it (real world or otherwise). It’s a sandbox of destruction that you’ll lose hours in.
It’s a shame that How We Soar flew under the radar when it should have, well, soared. In this elating adventure you ride upon the back of a phoenix that tours the life of a struggling writer. This is as majestic as VR gaming gets, letting you elegantly glide across beautiful paper-made levels, swooping through rings. Its slow pace and story-driven focus won’t be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of any kind of narrative-first gaming then this is one experience that you really need to dig up.
Being a super secret agent is hard. That’s why, as the name suggests, you die a lot in I Expect You To Die. This is a trial and error VR puzzler that often ends in hilarious tragedy and requires quick wits that take full advantage of the platform. This shows VR gaming as its most inventive and erratic, giving you something new to see and do around every corner from dodging lasers to disarming bombs and mixing test tubes. Schell Games has made a lot of great contributions to VR over the years, but this is one of their best.
Turns out Everest developer Solfar Studios has a bit of fight in it. In Death is one of the best medieval combat games for VR, Pitting you against hordes of ghouls, archers and demented knights that you’ll take down shot-by-shot with your trusty bow and arrow. There’s just a splash of Dark Souls to it, with an authentic atmosphere that really makes you feel like you’re storming an ancient fortress. This is another Early Access game that’s already justified a purchase, so we’re hoping Solfar builds a lot more into it in the coming months.
We might not have a full-fledged Jurassic Park for the VR age just yet (sorry, Ark Park), but CloudGate Studios’ Island 359 comes close enough for now. This is a hugely entertaining survival game that lets you live out your dino dreams (that is if your dino dreams including shooting a t-rex in the head). Not to mention Island 359 has become an impressive hotbed for VR experimentation, being one of the few games to embrace Vive’s Trackers peripherals to bring full-body tracking into VR.
Job Simulator is likely to forever remain a staple of introducing people to VR, making full use of the room-scale capabilities of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive but also effectively scaling down the experience for those that don’t have space. You have to complete seemingly menial tasks like cooking food and making repairs, but are given complete freedom to essentially trash the environment around you, leading to all kinds of chaotic fun. It’s one of the most accessible expressions of the power of the platform and still one of the most significant releases for it.
Though still in Early Access, Karnage Chronicles has steadily been growing over the past year to offer one of VR’s most robust and enjoyable dungeon crawlers. Now offering full multiplayer support, this is one of the best destinations to fulfill your Lord of the Rings dreams with a friend. Like The Mage’s Tale, the character and environmental design is absolutely fantastic, but the mix of melee and ranged combat offers a deep combat system that lets you cater to your playstyle, too. It’s absolutely worth supporting this game ahead of its full launch.
Perhaps the ultimate party game, VR or otherwise, Keep Talking shines inside a headset. One player puts on a VR device and finds a bomb sitting in front of them. Any number of others in the real world will then sift through a manual telling you how to disarm it. The game thrives on constant communication, with the pressure piling as the bomb tickets down. Keep Talking is the best example of a local play VR game that makes smart use of the real and virtual worlds to create an experience you couldn’t have anywhere else.
Tripwire’s Killing Floor franchise makes a successful translation into the VR realm with this heart-pounding shooter that will have you mowing down hordes of terrifying enemies. A narrative campaign can be enjoyed by yourself or with a friend and there’s the usual variety of wave-based modes to round out the package. This one’s best known for its polish though, which simply hits a level that many other VR developers couldn’t hope to achieve.
Boxing is one of the most immeadiately-obvious things to do with VR’s motion controllers. Fortunately, Knockout League understands that it helps to go beyond reality, too. The game’s rock solid mechanics are a great foundation for some truly whacky battles that aren’t just intended for sports fans. As such, it’s Knockout League achieves that rare thing for a sports game, appealing to more than just a core audience. This is something any fan of VR action should look into. Did I mention you fight an octopus?
Rockstar might not be ready to deliver GTA in VR just yet but this slice of the L.A. Noire experience is a welcome experiment in its own right. This takes several missions from the main game and explores how certain elements of L.A. Noire might work in VR. Mostly that means interrogating suspects and interviewing witnesses that have had their faces realistically captured using what was at the time ground-breaking face-scanning technology. High-speed chases, shootouts and fist-fights round out what is one of VR’s most high-end experiences.
We’re still waiting for Valve to bring the goods when it comes to a full VR game, but its free minigame compilation launched alongside the HTC Vive is still one of the most polished and fascinating showcases for headsets thus far. Whether you’re fixing robots from Portal 2, petting virtual robo-dogs or fending off attackers with a bow and arrow, The Lab sets the standard for a wide range of VR mechanics whilst also providing the immersive moments of wonder that really make this platform shine.
One of VR’s first true games also remains one of its best. Developed by the minds behind Monument Valley, Land’s End is a visually arresting adventure in which you explore the remains of an ancient civilization. The game does a terrific job of immersing you in its world, making you marvel at the sheer scale of a cliff face one moment and then cower as you stand atop it in the next. The stunning art direction, meanwhile, still makes this one of the most convincing VR worlds to visit. Don’t sleep on lands end if you have access to Oculus’ mobile VR suite.
Mario Party in VR? Why not, right? Make Real’s manic multiplayer party game is eager to delight with a range of minigames that will pit players against each other in often zany ways. It’s rare that a VR game will not only make you laugh but also let you share that moment with friends. This has that in spades. Voice over from none other than Brian Blessed should tell you all you need to know about the tone the game is going for. It’s another game that’s probably best picked up with enough friends to play it with but, if that’s possible for you, you’ll have a blast.
Ready at Dawn’s pair of VR offerings are amazing in their own right, but combined together (which is easy to do seeing as Echo VR is free) they make for one of the most essential packages on the market. Lone Echo is an incredible single-player campaign with amazing zero-gravity emotion and genuine weight behind its character-driven story. Echo VR takes the best of its mechanics and builds one of VR’s most instantly entertaining competitive multiplayer games around it. Together, they arguably make for the best VR experience you can have today.
If you’ve been craving a rock solid VR dungeon crawler with hours of content and a vast library of spells to cast, The Mage’s Tale more than fits the bill. The veterans at inXile have brought to life the worlds they’ve been imagining for decades for the first time in VR and the result is an unmissable adventure that will have you mixing potions and shooting fireballs. Giant boss battles, meanwhile, are some of the most thrilling you can have in VR and the character design is second to none. This is a must for fantasy fans.
Superman meets Google Earth in this wonderfully conceived superhero game. You’re an invincible hero that can’t be beaten, but the alien invaders aren’t after you; they’re after your planet. Shoot across the globe and race to the defense of urban metropolises, beating the enemy back whilst trying to keep the damage to a minimum. Megaton Rainfall strikes a delicate balance between making you feel really powerful and still considering your actions. Not to mention it has some of the most inventive and varied enemies you’ll find in any game. Strong stomach required, though.
Did you know that you could play Mojang’s mega-hit in VR? Yes, the entire Minecraft experience is available to play inside the Rift and Gear headsets, bringing the blocky world to life like never before. Oculus Touch might not be a huge game-changer, but the never-ending amount of updates also applies to both VR versions of the game, as does cross-play support. Also note that, if you’re prone to VR simulation sickness, you can play the game on a virtual screen with a full 3D environment surrounding you.
Whilst E3 2016’s action-oriented FFXV VR demo never materialized for PSVR owners, we did get, uh, a spin-off fishing game. But wait! It’s actually a good fishing game, making clever use of the massive JRPG’s expansive world and pitting you in stand-off challenges with massive monsters that you’re definitely not going to find in this year’s Fishing Simulator game. Not to mention the game’s cast puts in another appearance here, and the chance to feel like you’re really hanging out with Noctis and co is worth a look for any fan.
In our review we called Quill the little mouse that could, and that still stands. Moss is an enduring VR adventure that seems to delight even the most hardcore of VR fans. You control a tiny little mouse that takes on an adventure that leads her into ancient temples and across forgotten ruins. The game’s clever mix of puzzles that utilize the player’s own presence in a miniature world really stands out, and marveling at the lavish environments is a real treat. Moss is one of VR’s most instantly playable games and utterly essential for any headset owner.
If you want VR to make a pirates life for you then there’s no better destination than Narrows, a spritely mix of ship-based combat, sword-slinging action and seven seas exploration for Google Daydream. We love Narrows for its super-cheerful representation of a life on the ocean that gives you plenty of fun activities to take part in. Along with Eclipse, it’s one of a handful of games that makes the Daydream platform a valid choice for VR gamers looking for something genuinely new.
Myst developer Cyan once paved the way for gaming’s future with its narrative-driven adventure game, and now it’s doing the same for VR. Obduction is a ridiculously detailed exploration game that revels in giving the player stunning locations to explore to their hearts’ content. Support for motion controllers also brings a new dimension to the game and further demonstrates the amazing progress the gaming industry has made in the last 25 years. We can’t wait to see Cyan’s next project in VR too.
What’s even more amazing than Onward’s overnight, solo-developer success story is how Downpour Interactive has maintained its lead since. Onward still delivers one of the best multiplayer military combat experiences in all of VR, pitting players in realistic battles in which teamwork and communication is a must. Update-by-update Downpour manages to bring something new to the game that keeps many of its competitors a step behind. If you’re looking for VR’s most intense multiplayer firefights, this is your one-stop shop.
Another great example of how well VR suits the Counter-Strike strand of shooter, Pavlov VR offers intense close-quarters shootouts with a huge arsenal of weapons. Perhaps most importantly, developer daveillz is one of the most dedicated in the VR scene, having spent the better part of two years pouring as much detail into the game as possible. It’s still in Early Access for now but, when it’s finally deemed ready, we don’t doubt that Pavlov will be one of the most robust, realistic shooter experiences you can have inside a headset.
Robbing a bank in real life is not a good idea (unless you can get away with it). Fortunately, Payday 2 lets you execute the explosive heist of your dreams with none of the legal ramifications (though also none of the payoff). Team up with up to three friends either in or out of VR and take on a huge number of heists that will often end with your gunning your way to freedom. It goes for Heat, though often ends up feeling like a war. It’s not a game for those with reservations about using VR to kill people, that’s for sure.
The Persistence shines as a super playable thriller. You sneak through a procedurally generated ship, trying to avoid contact with the horrific mutants on board, gathering an arsenal of weaponry to take them on. Played with a DualShock 4, the game is tense and jumpy but also built upon a solid foundation that will have you coming back to make your way further into the terror each time. There’s also a smartphone app that will let your friends help you sneak past baddies, or bring them right to your front door. Fun!
If you’re looking for an acid trip without harming your body then Jeff Minter’s latest arcade excursion — itself based on an elusive cabinet game — is the game for you. You pilot a small ship that shoots down a course, destroying obstacles and trying to pass through tiny gates in order to rack up points. The gameplay is hugely addictive, but we have to warn you that Polybius is a true assault on the senses and not always in the best way. This is only for the readiest and most caffeine-fuelled of VR gamers.
Arguably VR’s biggest, most exhaustive game, racing or otherwise. Project Cars 2 comes from the school of ‘everything and the kitchen sink’, throwing in a frankly overwhelming amount of cars, racing disceplines and tracks, coupled with visuals that spare no detail. This is a simulation game for true petrol heads, giving you the kind of options you’ve always dreamed about tinkering with in the past. The sheer amount to consider will be too much for some, but for the devoted there’s no better place to drive than Project Cars 2.
We wouldn’t consider most social VR platforms to have a place upon this list, but Rec Room’s focus on activities and its generous amount of free content mean it more than earns its place. Whether you’re meeting up with friends for a game of dodgeball or taking on cooperative quests together, Rec Room has some of VR’s most thoughtfully-developed content that you’ll want to play time and again. This is also the best cross-play game on the market right now, meaning you’ll have a much easier time finding your friends.
Resident Evil 7 in VR is nothing short of a triumph, remaining easily the most polished, high-end game on any device. It also happens to be the scariest 7 hours you can have on this planet and it helps that the game marks a true return to form for the storied franchise itself. Now in first-person, you dare yourself to explore the Baker mansion and uncover the story of a twisted family that’s unleashing nightmares upon the world. Take note that the Gold Edition of the game packs much more VR content, all of it just as polished as the main game.
Who would have thought that Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s cult favorite action game would find new life inside VR? Rez’s mix of soothing and exciting musical levels can be a little intense to experience inside a headset, but if you’ve got the resolve they make for an absolutely hypnotic world to explore. Not to mention that the new Area X mode is an absolute joy to explore in VR, letting you off the reigns for the first time to discover a seemingly unending amount of fantastical sights and sounds. Special shout out goes to the super-capable Daydream port, too.
Justin Roiland and co smartly trusted the developers of Job Simulator to take the reigns on the first VR tie-in to one of the most popular shows on the planet. Virtual Ricky-ality is a punchy tribute to the absurdist world of Rick and Morty, filled to the brim with easter eggs for fans but also crafting an amazing VR experience in its own right. Even if you’ve never watched the show before, this offers some of the best examples of the power of the platform and there’s a good chance you’ll still be laughing along to it anyway.
Who doesn’t like using a bow and arrow in VR? The answer must be no one because practically every game out there lets you unleash your inner-Legolas. Sacralith: The Archer’s Tale is one of the better archery games on the market, though, with a full campaign that gradually teaches you mastery of your techniques. We’re particularly impressed with the game’s emphasis on story, which puts you in direct contact with a lot of NPCs characters. That’s not something many developers are brave enough to do in VR’s early days.
There’s a lot of Serious Sam content out there, so we’re cheating on this one. For starters, Serious Sam VR: The Last Hope remains one of VR’s best wave shooters, bringing a lot of the madness from the series’ past to life with some of the biggest and best weapons to fire in VR. Then there’s the original trilogy of games that’s all been ported into headsets, offering yet more hectic action that will drown you in monster guts. There’s more than enough explosive action here to satisfy any FPS fan.
The Solus Project has to be one of VR’s most exhaustive games. It gives you a hugely detailed world to explore with harsh survival elements that will have you thinking through every move you make. This is the type of VR experience that’s all about the atmosphere, and it delivers on that in spades with its incredible environmental design. This is to be considered one of VR’s most complete experiences and something that truly delivers on the promise of taking you to a whole new world like never before.
Arguably the original VR wave shooter, Space Pirate Trainer’s arcade edge has helped it stave off the competition for over two years now. This nails the simple sensations of wielding futuristic weapons and getting to learn them intimately so that you can get the job done like a professional. It’s also wonderfully physical, giving you real reason to actually move when you’re inside your headset. As a first taste of VR shooting, it’s a great introduction. Hopefully the incoming PSVR version will help it find an even bigger audience.
A lot of people compare jumping into a VR headset to when the characters of the Tron series lose themselves in their own virtual worlds. CCP Games’ Sparc takes that comparison a little more literally, creating a VR eSport that’s an actual sport, much like what can be seen in the classic movies. It’s as much fun to play as it is to watch; Sparc will have friends working up a sweat as they try to best each other in futuristic competitions in which you need to tag the other player with projectiles. It’s playing games like Sparc that really remind you this is the future of entertainment. What a shame CCP itself has pulled out of it for now.
You might not have thought that a game about on-foot races could really work in VR, but Sprint Vector defies all odds. Survios spent time creating one of the industry’s best locomotion systems, which basically has you skating around huge obstacle courses, then mixes in climbing and flying mechanics that make you feel like an athletic Superman. Add to that extensive online support that’s growing a competitive community and you have one of VR’s best multiplayer games. Sprint Vector is Mario Kart for the VR age, and it’s a real blast to play.
Another instance of pure wish fulfillment; Star Trek: Bridge Crew’s cooperative missions in which players pilot Star Fleet ships is a dream come true for many. It’s an incredibly smart example of VR implementation, taking a specific element of a popular franchise that would work really well in VR and then capitalizing on it. The result is an unbeatable feeling of stepping into the world of a sci-fi titan like never before, with plenty of content to beam your way through. Support for standard displays also makes it easy to find a game. The Next Generation DLC only takes it further into awesome territory.
Making puzzle games that take full advantage of VR is hard, but Tarsier sets the bar with Statik. This is an adorably odd game in which your virtual hands are bound to various contraptions that need to be tampered with in order to progress. There’s some gloriously inventive brain-teasing in the mix that will see you controlling RC cars, surveying CCTV footage and more, though it’s sharing scenes with the game’s world-weary scientist, Dr. Ingen, that really stands out. Even if you don’t like puzzles, exploring this mad world of ambiguity makes Statik worth a look.
The six degrees of freedom (6DOF) shooter genre makes a lot of sense for VR, and Sublevel Zero shows you why. Though it can be dizzying, the sprawling network of mazes you’ll navigate in this procedurally-generated experience can host some incredibly immersive firefights. There’s plenty of content on offer, too, with a campaign that encourages you to constantly upgrade your ship and weapons systems in order to come back stronger. If you’ve missed this long-dormant genre, this is a great place to reintroduce yourself.
Deep sea diving is the perfect set up for a VR game, allowing us to easily immerse ourselves in a world that otherwise takes hours of training and thousands of dollars worth of equipment to do right. Fortunately, Subnatuica gives you literally an ocean of content to explore in VR. It is at times incredibly peaceful and soothing, allowing you to get lost amongst the waves. When you need it to be, though, it’s also visceral and exciting with something fantastical to discover around every corner. This is one of VR’s biggest and best games.
Few action games have demonstrated such an impressive grasp on what makes VR tick like Superhot. This spin-off of the first-person shooter in which time moves only when you move has you doing your best Neo-impression as you methodically pick off enemies using whatever’s at hand. Superhot understands that fast-paced action can often be overwhelming in VR, and slows things down to the point that you can perfectly capture your inner-Hollywood hero. Every level is a nerve-shredding exercise in fast-thinking and slick execution. If there’s one game that proves VR can elevate one of the industry’s most popular genres, it’s this.
Croteam is best known in the VR industry for its Serious Sam games and ports, but did you know the studio also brought the entirety of its existential puzzler to headsets last year too? Everything that made The Talos Principle’s environmental puzzling such a joy is alive and well here, and the game’s stunning world is a treat to explore in VR. Even if you’ve solved your way through Talos Principle’s generous amount of puzzles before, VR support makes it worth doing all over again. The DLC content is included as a bonus, too.
Tethered is a wonderful little god game in which you instruct peeps to build their own towns and do what they do best, worship you. Enemies attack by night and resources must be carefully managed to ensure that peeps remain happy, otherwise they’ll literally jump off of a cliff. I know! Grim! You’ll find yourself replaying levels to grab the best results and losing time admiring the tiny villages below you. If you’re looking for a decent challenge and a game with plenty of content, Tethered more than fits the bill.
Dread. That’s the word so many people use to describe Thumper, and its meant in the best way possible. In this lightning-fast game the anxiety builds as you gather speed and smash into corners, trying to stay alive on a terrifying journey through a dizzying world. If the intense regular levels don’t get you to shake with nerves then the massive boss battles most certainly will. Safe to say that Thumper’s brand of terror won’t be for everyone, then, but those that do take it on will be rewarded with enormous satisfaction too.
Did you know the developers of the incredible Velocity series made a PSVR game? Well they did, and it successfully captures the devilishly dense finger-knotting gameplay of its arcade tributes and applies it to… a Scalextric game? This is a miniature racer with a strong learning curve that rewards the time and effort you put into it with one of VR’s most refined gameplay systems. Not to mention you can share it all with friends to bring your playdates back to virtual life. Tiny Trax was criminally underlooked when it first launched. If you can get a friend to try it out with you, it’s well worth picking up.
Many people can’t spend more than a few minutes moving inside a VR headset without starting to feel sick. Amazingly, though, To The Top combines a fast, fluid locomotion system with intuitive tricks to not only enable you to move in VR but also run, jump, glide and climb across massive obstacle courses. By using motion controllers to essentially gallop through levels, Electric Hat has created one of the most liberating games in VR, in which negotiating your way through virtual jungle gyms feels hugely rewarding.
Torn is the mad scientist’s VR game, casting players as a young blogger than stumbles upon an enormous mansion that once belonged to a crazed inventor. You explore the house, solving curious puzzles that litter each room and uncovering what exactly happened to its former owner. Though the gameplay is simplistic, Torn has some of the best production values in VR that pair well with engaging mechanics and excellent writing. It’s a rock-solid puzzler that you shouldn’t let pass you by.
There probably isn’t a bigger dare in all of VR gaming than Until Dawn: Rush of Blood. This VR horror game has no concerns about making its players pee themselves, shoving all manner of nasties in your face as it takes you on a literal rollercoaster ride through the mind of one of the original PS4 game’s characters. This is a shouty, screamy popcorn horror game that is responsible for a lot of embarrassing YouTube videos, but the on-rails shooter action is a lot of fun in its own right too.
It may be nearly two and a half years old now but Vanishing Realms arguably still remains undefeated when it comes to VR melee combat. Making great use of your motion controllers and pitting you against smart enemies that block your attacks, this captures the intensity of a sword fight better than any of its imitators, elegantly avoiding the awkward reality of no haptic feedback. Throw in a bit of archery and some spells and you have a versatile combat system. Early Access progress might be slow, but Vanishing Realms still offers some of the best time you can spend in VR.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; Virtual-Virtual Reality is the closest VR has gotten to having its own Portal 2 so far. No, it doesn’t have the mind-bending puzzles, but from a purely narrative perspective Tender Claws’ VR debut channels a lot of what made Valve’s sequel so successful, embracing absurd ideas and scratching away at more sinister undertones before allowing you to discover them for yourself. VVR is one of the craziest VR games out there with a vital core message at its heart. Don’t miss it.
Wayward Sky’s whimsical mix of third-person diorama-style gameplay and first-person interactive moments still make for one of the most comfortable, active experiences in VR. You explore a floating fortress, solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles as you search for your captured father. Examining the gorgeous visuals from third-person is a pure delight, but it’s the more intimate moments of first-person interaction that really make the game sing. This is one of VR’s most underrated adventures for sure.
Turtle Rock’s VR efforts have mostly gone into its popular Face Your Fears series, but its the team’s little-known RPG, The Well, that’s truly worthy of VR gamer’s attention. Featuring some of the most gorgeous visuals you’ll find in any headset, The Well is a stylish, deep game with turn-based battles that harken back to gaming’s past to bring this futuristic tech something unlike anything you’ve yet seen. If you want to see VR play with different art styles instead of trying to achieve reality, this is your best bet.
You might need a fair few friends to justify picking up Werewolves Within together these days, but the experience is one of the few online games that really thinks about what makes VR unique. It’s a party game in which one of the players is a werewolf and must disguise this fact for as long as possible. It’s a VR game that uses your body and voice; your very language can either provide the perfect bluff or be a complete giveaway. It’s a shame we haven’t seen any games try and build upon this tantalizing concept since.
One of VR’s most stylish and thoughtful adventures, Wilson’s Heart is a great showcase for what can be done with Oculus’ Touch controllers. It’s a period-driven descent into madness in which you try to uncover why you’ve awoken in a dilapidated mental asylum. It’s the sort of game that has you constantly doing new things, understanding that VR shouldn’t consist of repetitive mechanics but instead present all the variety and interaction that real life gives us. It’s a great first step for Twisted Pixel into this new realm.
Becoming Spider-Man in VR sounds like a recipe for simulator sickness, but Windlands is a surprisingly comfortable experience and one of the first VR games to give players true freedom of movement. Venture out across a series of ancient lands, using two grappling hooks to swing through the skyline. Mastering this form of locomotion is one of the most satisfying experiences you can have in VR, and there are hours of content to lose yourself in. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too much longer for the sequel.
How lucky we were to get not just a game that bundles the last three fantastic Wipeout racers in one collection, but then to also have industry-leading VR support thrown into the mix too. Wipeout VR is the real deal, really rooting you in the fast-paced sci-fi races like never before. Few games can capture the hair-raising speed and cornering that you’ll experience here. It can be an intense ride but there are plenty of comfort options and the sheer amount of content makes this too good to miss.
Today the latest horror tinged announcement comes from France as The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (SEFFF) looks to bring its Halloween selection of twenty-nine scary short films (6 in regular and 23 in 360 degree format) to VRrOOm’s XR platform. For a month, beginning today and ending on November 8th 2018, VRrOOm’s XR platform will host a variety of SEFFF experiences that will appeal to lovers of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
