Journey of the Gods

November 20, 2021

Best Quest Action Games: 10+ Combat Titles To Play Now

Ready for some action? With our list of the best Quest action games, your heart is sure to be pumping in no time.

Assembling a list of the best Quest action games is a little tricky. Lots of games have intense combat at their core, but we already have lists recognizing the best Quest shooters and other types of experiences. For this list, we’ve doubled down on the experiences that have combat but don’t necessarily feel like shooters, perhaps instead focusing on melee, archery or spell-casting. Hopefully there’s a little something for everyone here.

If you want a list of the best action games on Quest and other VR headsets, you can find that right here too. As always, you can grab all of these titles from the Oculus Store.

Best Quest Action Games

Sairento: Untethered

If you need something fast-paced and deadly, Sairento: Untethered should more than fit the bill. Chop up enemies with swords, backflip in slow motion with dual-wielding pistols or shoot off heads with a bow and arrow; Sairento is a frantic mash-up of athletic combat that has kept people coming back time and again over the past few years. It’s an easy choice for the best Quest action games.

We’re still some ways out from having a full-blown Zelda-like experience in VR but, until we get there, Journey Of The Gods is at least a nice taster of what to expect. Developed by Back 4 Blood studio Turtle Rock, you set out on a quest with sword and shield in hand, fighting monsters and using powers granted by ancient gods. Journey of the Gods offers a fun adventure that’s great for first-time VR users.

Read More: Journey Of The Gods Review

Trover Saves The Universe | Moss

There aren’t many actual third-person action games akin to God of War or Bayonetta on Quest. Truth be told it’s not exactly the most natural fit for the platform. But if you are looking for a more traditional action game experience on your headset, your best bet are these two action-adventure titles that offer fun — if simplistic — combat along with other elements like platforming and, in Trover’s case, gross-out humor.

Read More: Moss Review

The Wizards: Dark Times

Carbon Studios’ full-on sequel to its spell combat game mixed things up with a full linear single-player story. But The Wizards’ best element is its gesture-based combat system, which sees you summoning shields and fireballs with a flick of the wrist. It works incredibly well and feels genuinely empowering, making for the best magic game on Quest today.

Read More: The Wizards: Dark Times Review

Star Wars: Vader Immortal Lightsaber Dojo | Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge

There’s a lot to appreciate between these two Star Wars titles. While Vader Immortal’s story mode might not have the mechanical depth and complexity to class it as a full game, the Lightsaber Dojo mode more than makes up for it with waves of wish-fulfilling Jedi action. Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge, meanwhile, has a lot of shooter elements but also some incredible other ways to interact with the universe, including more saber combat. There’s just enough here for action fans to take a look at.

Read More: Star Wars: Vader Immortal Review

Blade And Sorcery: Nomad (Quest 2 only)

It’s a little rough around the edges and there’s still plenty more content to add, but Blade And Sorcery still offers some of if not the best physics-based action on Quest. Wield swords and cast spells in either the game’s wave-based arena mode or the new Dungeons mode, which sees you sneaking through randomized dungeons and brutally gutting foes. Just don’t cast this one to a screen if the kids are about.

Read More: Blade And Sorcery: Nomad Review

In Death: Unchained

You could argue In Death is a shooter but, for our money, it’s a neat fit for the action genre, offering up the best archery combat on Quest. In this roguelite you tackle runs of biblical dungeons, from heavenly churches to the firey pits below. It’s entirely moreish and tough as nails, but best of all it’s still being updated with free content.

Read More: In Death: Unchained Review

Gorn

It’s on the sillier side of physics-driven action games, but Gorn still offers really, really fun VR combat with a satisfying crunch. Here you take on waves of gladiators in an arena, equipping increasingly elaborate weaponry. Extension decapitation and impalement, Wolverine-style claws, the ability to take out hearts and throw them and deadly honey badgers – Gorn has the lot.

Read More: Gorn Review

Until You Fall

A much more arcade-driven experience than the more realistic physics fighters on this list, Until You Fall offers incredibly tight, well-choreographed action that rarely misses the mark. It’s a roguelite in which you tackle runs of a dungeon, aiming to get a great build for a character as you block sword attacks and prepare to swipe back at enemies. Demanding difficulty and steady progression make Until You Fall a moreish treat.

Read More: Until You Fall Review

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

There’s a lot of shooter mechanics to Saints & Sinners, but the game’s best known for its winning melee combat that earns it a place on our best Quest action games list. You haven’t truly experienced all VR has to offer until you’ve wrestled for control of a zombie’s head and repeatedly mashed a spoon into the side in hopes of reaching the brain. Combine that with a compelling, wide-open campaign and Saints & Sinners offers a heck of a lot.

And that’s our list of the best Quest action games. What do you make of our rankings? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!

May 20, 2020

The Best VR Games to Lose Yourself In

No matter who you are it’s almost a given that at points you just want to shut the world out and cocoon somewhere to relax and unwind. This can take many forms, from delving into a good book, binge-watching the latest Netflix series or listening to your favourite album. Of course, videogames can also provide a superb means of escape and virtual reality (VR) titles take that one step further. So here are a few of VRFocus’ favourites.

OrbusVR: Reborn

If you want plenty of content then massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are a good place to start. Which means you should take a look at OrbusVR: Reborn by Ad Alternum.

Originally released in 2017, OrbusVR was reborn in 2019 expanding the experience with more content as well as improving the visuals among other tweaks. While you can adventure alone, the title is best experienced with others. Go on raids, explore dungeons, fight monsters and just enjoy a huge open world. Plus there’s a free demo over on Steam so you can try it first.

Supported platforms: Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index.

Journey of the Gods

If single-player adventuring is more your thing then Turtle Rock Games’ latest, Journey of the Gods is another worthy of your time. An RPG with a bit of a Legend of Zelda vibe, this about saving townsfolk, upgrading weapons and generally fighting lots of big monsters.

There’s a twist in the gameplay in the fact that you get to unlock some god-like powers, transforming you into a massive deity that can crash trees, make impassible terrain passable and rain down lightning bolts onto enemies.

Supported platforms: Oculus Quest & Oculus Rift.

Paper Beast

Some videogames just don’t need an explanation, it’s simply best to just play them and go with the flow. Paper Beast for PlayStation VR is one of those titles.

Wonderfully esoteric with its gameplay design, Paper Beast is an amalgamation of genres with a story putting you inside a living, breathing digital world made up of random code from big data. Interact with the strange creatures which inhabit the world, solve environmental puzzles and begin a journey with no dialogue or written cues.

Supported platforms: PlayStation VR

Beat Saber

Rather than losing yourself on an adventure why not lose yourself in the music. There are an ever growing number of rhythm-action titles which could have made this list but Beat Saber has the right mix of energetic gameplay, infectious tunes and wide platform support.

The experience has evolved considerably since its initial release, adding more music packs, allowing gamers to create their own beat maps and throwing in some 360-degree challenges for good measure. You might start on normal difficulty but soon the desire to complete Expert+ will take hold.

Supported platforms: Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality & PlayStation VR.

Boneworks

If you love as much physical interaction as possible in your VR experiences then Stress Level Zero’s Boneworks is certainly one to consider.

The studio has painstakingly ensured that Boneworks physics, from using guns to swinging a sledgehammer is as closer to their real-world counterparts as possible. Offering a single-player, story-based adventure, with puzzles to solve and enemies to deal with, Boneworks is recommended for those with previous VR experience due to the nature of the mechanics.

Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality.

Half-Life: Alyx

Plenty has been said about this definitive VR title from Valve, offering some of the best immersive gameplay you’ll find anywhere.

Whether you’re a fan of the original series of videogames or coming into the franchise fresh, you can play Half-Life: Alyx like a normal single-player FPS or experiment with all the little additions which Valve has dotted around. One thing is for sure, you’ll want to dive straight back in after the first playthrough. Plus, there are all the community mods to come.

Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality.

Stormland

A superb title which arrived late in 2019 from Insomniac Games, Stormland offers a free-flowing experience that lets you just enjoy being in a VR world.

With a single-player narrative at its core, inhabiting a robot form you can run around and take down enemies, clamber over any rock face or building, and then glide between the islands which make up the areas. Better still, bring a mate in for some co-op gameplay plus once the campaign is complete, each week the Stormland will change, providing new reasons to return.

Supported platforms: Oculus Rift

Tetris Effect

Some may feel its the same old gameplay simply rehashed with fancy new visuals and sounds – and it essentially is – but that doesn’t mean VRFocus doesn’t love playing it.

With a myriad of modes to challenge you, Tetris Effect has an almost hypnotic effect as all those fancy visuals dance around your vision, changing as you complete each line and score more points.

The PC version might be exclusive to the Epic Games Store but that’s no reason to ignore it. If you love puzzle titles then this is a VR classic.

Supported platforms: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

December 25, 2019

The Best Oculus Quest Games of 2019

Oculus Quest has been the standout success of 2019, with consumers eager to buy the headset and developers equally eager to supply the standalone device with content. Not only does the device have its own dedicated store but thanks to Oculus Link all of Oculus Rift’s content is also available. For this roundup of the best Oculus Quest videogames, VRFocus is purely going to concentrate on those made for the headset, allowing you to enjoy untethered VR gaming freedom.

Oculus Quest may have only been available for seven months but it has already made an impact on the VR scene. The store may be highly curated but there are plenty of videogames worth your time across a range of genres and skill levels.

The Best Oculus Quest Games of 2019:

Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series

You could almost say this is three videogames in one, but as each is roughly around 45 minutes long and you need to play all of them to unravel the full story. While Star Wars fans will certainly get the greatest joy out of playing Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series thanks to its story being canon material, even those that aren’t bothered about the franchise should still have fun playing with lightsabers and using the force.

Beat Saber

While the popular rhythm-action title couldn’t be included in VRFocus’ PlayStation VR ‘Best of 2019’ list, Beat Saber can most certainly be included here, as it was a launch title for Oculus Quest. Leading its genre Beat Saber needs little introduction as its simple yet addictive gameplay cutting cubes with a sword has struck a chord with VR gamers across the world.

There’s a reasonable selection of included songs plus a load of DLC tracks available to expand the selection. Beat Saber is one of those titles which has become a de facto addition to most gamers libraries no matter the platform and the Oculus Quest version is no different.

Pistol Whip

Another rhythm-action videogame, this time from the studio behind The Gallery puzzle series, Cloudhead Games. Only released in November, Pistol Whip has already garnered quite the reputation as a non-stop action shooter inspired by the likes of John Wick.

You can choose to shoot or melee enemies whilst dodging incoming bullets like a badass, all to a thumping soundtrack and some intense visuals. Modifiers help to change the gameplay, adding dual-wield weapons or removing the aim assist to increase the score multiplier. If Beat Saber isn’t quite your thing then Pistol Whip could well scratch that gaming itch, a first-person shooter (FPS) with flair.

The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

A small side project by Apex Construct developer Fast Travel Games, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a cute puzzler with light challenges designed for all ages.

It may have only got three-stars in VRFocus’ review but that does mean to say its not worthy to be on this list. While The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a little short, the design and ideas employed are definitely worth a look, each level a small diorama to be spun around, peered into and investigated. Charming and cute, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets will put a smile on your face.

Gadgeteer

Another puzzle-based experience, Gadgeteer is a far more elaborate affair than others on this list. Gameplay mechanics revolve around Rube Goldberg machines, using a series of gadgets to build elaborate contraptions. Offering a single-player campaign to teach you the ropes, the sandbox mode is where most players will spend their time, offering free rein to create whatever machines you so please with the 50+ items available.

VRFocus said in its review: “Gadgeteer isn’t going to be for everyone, much like being a watchmaker. It’s finicky, time-consuming and puzzling all at the same time. They’re also the reasons why Gadgeteer is a puzzle gem for Oculus Quest.”

Acron: Attack of the Squirrels

So far this list has purely been about single-player VR videogames so let’s change that with Acron: Attack of the Squirrels by Resolution Games. Multiplayer only, Acron: Attack of the Squirrels is at its best with a few friends and family over, all playing locally.

The Oculus Quest player takes the role of a tree trying to protect several golden acorns while everyone else is a mischevious squirrel trying to steal them. The non-VR players join in via a free mobile app and up to eight can team up at once, offering some highly entertaining gameplay, with everyone laughing and shouting as they succeed and fail.

Shadow Point

More puzzling escapades, this time from Coatsink with Shadow Point. With a story narration by the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart, this British studio has previously released some excellent VR videogames and Shadow Point continues that trend.

Trying to unravel the mystery of a missing schoolgirl you head to Shadow Point observatory before being whisked to the heavens, tasked with solving evermore elaborate puzzles which play with light and shadows.

If you’ve tried The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets and want greater depth and difficulty then Shadow Point is a good step to take, providing a solid few hours of entertainment (depending on whether you get stuck of course).

Journey of the Gods

If you’re looking for a Legend of Zelda-like VR experience on Oculus Quest then Journey of the Gods is worth a look. With a bold cel-shaded style, there are big monsters to fight, people to save, weapons to upgrade and lands to explore. Everything that you could want or need in a VR adventure.

VRFocus noted in its review of Journey of the Gods: “Showcasing what’s best about VR adventuring, the title is ideal for those who want to make the most of their new headset purchase, with decent gameplay, narrative and fantasy feel.” Not one to be missed this festive season.

Thrill of the Fight

There are quite a few ways to burn calories in VR as this list very well proves and Thrill of the Fight offers the most intensive workout here. Boxing fans will find a barebones experience with training and career modes available. There are no flashy gimmicks here, you need to block, watch your footwork and time those punches for maximum effect – no waving your arms wildly hoping for success.

Do a couple of fights back to back and you’ll soon start to notice if you don’t work out much. Thrill of the Fight is very much a videogame which relies on roomscale, as you’ll need a minimum of 2m x 2m to play. More is preferable, otherwise, during the heat of a match, you’re likely to hit a wall.

Originally a PC VR title released in 2016, Thrill of the Fight has translated well for those wishing for an energetic experience.

Synth Riders

Noticing a theme here? Yes, here’s another rhythm-action videogame for those that love to expel some energy. Synth Riders differentiates itself from Beat Saber and Pistol Whip with Synth Wave tunes for that retro 80s feel.

This might be another arm swinger but its still great fun, and there are several modes and modifiers to change the gameplay mechanics. There’s a little more of a cheese factor with Synth Riders which is fine by VRFocus as the tunes just make you want to bop along.

Synth Riders might not be as well known as the other two but that’s no reason to dismiss it, plus its the cheapest of the three.

June 18, 2019

Journey of the Gods Review: A Legendary Quest

Journey of the Gods is a delightful game. Taking heavy inspiration from The Legend of Zelda franchise, Turtle Rock Studios has crafted a polished and well-rounded action adventure that takes you across a variety of biomes wielding a sword, shield, and cross-buy as you battle back dozens of dangerous beasts. While technically playable seated or standing stationary, moving around in full roomscale is when the game really comes alive.

After the first hour or so, once you’re used to the rhythm of switching between your crossbow and sword/shield setup, is when Journey of the Gods starts to click. There are lots of puzzle elements here, but not in the traditional Zelda-sense of moving blocks and hitting switches that often. Instead, problems are more environmental.

The core differentiating gameplay gimmick in Journey of the Gods is that you can grow to become a towering God that looks down at the world and influences things around you. That means growing and shrinking trees to open up or close passages, throwing down lightning bolts, and more. This functionality is used in combat, to a degree, but is mostly about puzzle solving. Energy is dispersed around levels to collect and power up your God-power gauge.

In this way it’s a bit like two games mashed together — a lite God-mode puzzle game and a more involved first-person action game. The first-person bits reminded me a lot of the early days of VR like Vanishing Realms, but instead of being over in an hour you can stretch this one out to six or more depending on how much of a completionist you are.

Scattered around each level you’ll find upgrade tokens for your sword, shield, and crossbow that can be exchanged back at the hub world to increase each item’s power. I’d have liked for a more diverse progression system of some kind other than just new God powers, such as new weapons, or items, but that’s mostly just the Zelda fan in me. The developers did a good job of injecting some unique flair here.

Visually Journey of the Gods isn’t going to turn a lot of heads. It’s got a very flat, stylized design that, while consistent and well-done, will likely be off-putting to some. It lacks the pop and personality of something like Wind Waker, but still evokes a similar sense of charming style. More than anything I found myself a little underwhelmed by creature designs and the lack of faces on characters. Windlands 2 has a nice, similarly stylized visual design but it came across as much more lively despite there actually being fewer NPCs to interact with in that one.

Journey of the Gods also has a minor space issue. A lot of the open space in levels feels under-utilized, almost as if levels are large for the sake of it rather than out of necessity. However, the few times I played the game on Quest outside on my backyard patio or in my garage where I really had room to move, the larger levels were certainly nice to run around in.

The sword and shield combo felt really great and it makes me hope to see more games with this gameplay setup on Quest soon. Alongside Apex Construct, it’s one of the few games on Quest that offers a solid front-to-back single-player campaign full of combat. I’ve played plenty of sword fighting games on wired PC headsets, but being able to spin and slash without worrying about yanking the cord out of your PC is really great.

Final Score: 8/10 – Good

Journey of the Gods is a simple, yet charming game. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel in terms of action adventure games in VR go and it certainly won’t blow your mind with its visuals, but what we’ve got here is a well-made and tightly designed adventure with hours of content to explore. I’d love to see this turned into a franchise so we could experience a bigger, better, and bolder sequel. As it stands, Journey of the Gods is a delightful and fun game worth adventuring with.

Journey of the Gods is now available on Oculus Quest and is expected to be released on Oculus Rift as today. The game costs $29.99 and does support cross-buy across Quest and Rift. Check out these official review guidelines to find out more about our process.

Tagged with: Journey of the Gods, Turtle Rock Studios

The post Journey of the Gods Review: A Legendary Quest appeared first on UploadVR.

June 17, 2019

Turtle Rock’s Journey of The Gods Journeys To Rift This Week

Vader Immortal isn’t the only Oculus Quest game making the jump to Rift this week. Turtle Rock Studios’ Journey of the Gods is also due on the PC VR platform.

The developer recently confirmed that its Quest launch title will arrive on Rift on June 18th. That’s tomorrow! Journey of the Gods is an Oculus Studios title, meaning Oculus funded and published the project. As such, you can expect full cross-buy support with Oculus Quest. That means if you’ve already bought the game on Quest, you’ll be able to download it for free on Rift and vice versa.

Journey of the Gods is coming to the @oculus Rift and Rift S this Tuesday! Don’t miss the epic adventure… #oculusrift #OculusRiftS pic.twitter.com/Go0cdeIW0v

— Turtle Rock Studios (@TurtleRock) June 14, 2019

Journey of the Gods is a Zelda-like VR adventure game. You travel across a fantastical landscape, doing battle with evil monsters using a sword and shield. Beating bosses bestows you new god-like powers that turn levels into diorama-sized sets, allowing you to throw lighting and manipulate vegetation.

On Quest the game costs $29.99, which is what it’ll cost on Rift too. We haven’t gotten to a full review of Journey of the Gods yet, but we’ve enjoyed what we’ve played. It’s colorful and innocent with some great combat and hours worth of content. It’s not ground-breaking but, for a lot of VR fans, that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for Turtle Rock’s other Quest game, Face Your Fears II, to hit Rift. The original title did jump from Go to PC, so we have hopes this will too.

Tagged with: Journey of the Gods, Turtle Rock Studios, VR adventure

The post Turtle Rock’s Journey of The Gods Journeys To Rift This Week appeared first on UploadVR.

June 3, 2019

Review: Journey of the Gods

For the launch of Oculus Quest, Turtle Rock Studios was unique in the fact that it launched two virtual reality (VR) experiences for the standalone headset. While VRFocus reviewed horror sequel Face Your Fears 2 and found that it didn’t quite hit the mark when it came to scares and gameplay, the same can’t be said for the developers more ambitious project, a highly stylish action-adventure called Journey of the Gods.

Journey of the Gods

One of the few original titles for Oculus Quest – alongside Shadow Point – you instantly feel at home in Journey of the Gods, as it makes use of Oculus Quest’s benefits and limitations as a standalone headset. Suited for seated and standing gameplay, the latter certainly works in Journey of the Gods’ favour, offering greater flexibility when engaging in combat.

Featuring stripped back role-playing game (RPG) elements, you have to fight through this stylish land killing all manner of enemies using a formidable selection of weaponry. At its most basic you’re supplied with a sword and shield, as well as a crossbow. Both can be upgraded by scouring the landscape for hidden items, making the shield wider for better protection, or making the sword longer for improved reach in combat for example. The weapon of choice was most definitely the crossbow, however. Offering an impressive range and a quick reloading system via a crank handle, it was perfect for picking off enemies at distance or when toe-to-toe.

And then there’s the ‘god mode’ to really alter the odds. Only activated once enough essence has been collected from those purple crystals you can see in the screenshots, this mode has a dual function. As progression is made you’ll learn new abilities which can help you in battle or solve puzzles. From removing trees that can block a path to slowing time, one of the best effects is being able to rein lightning bolts down on tough foes.

Journey of the Gods

One of the best parts of Journey of the Gods is the enemy design. More often than not generic foes that you find in videogames tend not to be varied, with the variety saved for the bosses. Turtle Rock Studios has instead produced some of the most assorted, with slugs that spit, floating multiarmed monsters that spawn lesser creatures, flying beasts with protective armour, ones that simply charge at you like a bull or those with many eyes needing a sharp object to blind them. And that’s not including some of the massive creatures at the end of each level.

Because of this, plus the puzzles littered around, there always feels like there’s something to do in Journey of the Gods. That and the fact that everything just works. There never seemed to be any real glitches or other annoyances getting in the way of the gameplay.

This isn’t an open world adventure by any means. The levels, while big, are still linear with a clear path through with no real chance of getting lost. It’s a bit of a shame that there’s no way to access the upgrade location mid-level if you find enough parts – upgrades require three items at a time – only giving access once a level has been completed. It’s not a deal breaker, just a bit weird in an RPG style experience.

Journey of the Gods is Oculus Quest’s The Legend of Zelda. Showcasing what’s best about VR adventuring, the title is ideal for those who want to make the most of their new headset purchase, with decent gameplay, narrative and fantasy feel. It may not look graphically impressive in the screenshots when compared to Apex Construct or Vader Immortal: A Star Wars Series, but it doesn’t need to. Journey of the Gods has a charm and purpose all of its own, precisely why it featured on VRFocus’ ‘Oculus Quest: The Top 10 Games to Buy on Launch Day‘ list.

100%

Awesome

Verdict

May 21, 2019

Oculus Quest: The Top 10 Games to buy on Launch Day

So you’ve spent your hard earned cash on a nice new Oculus Quest headset and now you need some awesome content to put the headset to good use. There’s certainly plenty to get your teeth stuck into, whether that’s action, horror, comedy, relaxation or to work up a sweat. The difficulty in choosing is what to purchase next, so VRFocus is here to guide you on the best videogames to add to your library.

None of these recommendations will feature the free content available such as YouTube VR, VRChat, PokerStars VR or Rec Room as they’re free, so should be the first ones you download anyway.

What we’re interested in are the ones that cost you cash as they range from £7.99 GBP all the way up to £22.99. There are some instant standout titles ported over from Oculus Rift, plus some brand new originals which have arrived just for the headset launch.

So in no particular order, the 10 best videogames to buy are:

Beat Saber – £22.99

The highly popular rhythm-action title has taken the VR world by storm over the past year and shows no signs of letting up. With thumping music and addictive gameplay, Beat Saber will have friends saying ‘just one more go’ as they try again on Expert+ level. This is one videogame where you will work up a sweat and burn some calories, and enjoy doing it at the same time.

Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – £7.99

This isn’t a videogame, instead Vader Immortal: A Stars Wars VR Series shows you the future of VR entertainment. Mixing cinematic design with interactive gameplay, this first episode slots you into the Star Wars universe between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. While you don’t necessarily need to be an avid fan to enjoy the roughly 50-60 minute experience, it certainly doesn’t hurt – especially when the lightsaber comes into play.

SUPERHOT VR – £18.99

Another title that has an avid fan base much like Beat Saber, SUPERHOT VR is one of those delightfully simple yet gloriously engaging VR experiences where the screenshots struggle to capture the gameplay. Essentially a first-person shooter (FPS), the trick here is that time only moves when you do, allowing for all sorts of Matrix-style bullet dodging.

Apex Construct – £14.99

One of VRFocus’ favourite bow shooters when it first arrived on PlayStation VR, Apex Construct by Fast Travel Games doesn’t seem to have suffered from its port to Oculus Quest. Somehow the studio has managed to cram in all the action or the original whilst maintaining the all-important bow features. A great adventure for all players.

Robo Recall: Unplugged – £22.99

Another reason why VR FPS videogames are the best, Epic Games’ Robo Recall stunned when it arrived for Oculus Rift. All out action that showcases VR at it’s best, whether that’s shooting robots or getting in close to get your hands dirty, the Oculus Quest version has lost none of the excitement, all it lacks is some of the visual fidelity of the PC original.

Journey of the Gods – £22.99

Turtle Rock Studios has released two new videogames for the launch of Oculus Quest. While Face Your Fears 2 hasn’t made this list, stylish action-adventure Journey of the Gods has. Offering a large world to explore with fantastical creatures to fight, you chose to fight with a crossbow, sword and shield or mix between the two. Along the way, there are secrets to be discovered and upgrades to be had to the boss fights a little fairer.

Moss – £22.99

Easily demonstrating that all VR content doesn’t need to be first-person, Polyarc’s Moss is an adorable third-person puzzle title featuring a little mouse named Quill. She doesn’t say anything but knows you’re there guiding her, with you and Quill able to talk to each other through sign language. The studio has updated the videogame for the launch adding further content for players.

Creed: Rise to Glory – £22.99

Float like and butterfly and sting like a bee in one of the more realistic experiences for the standalone headset. Creed: Rise to Glory by Survios puts you in the film, able to train with the likes of Rocky Balboa, before heading into the ring to see if you’ve got the skills to last. Another high energy videogame, this will definitely feel like a workout.

Shadow Point – £14.99

Coming from British VR studio Coatsink Software, Shadow Point is a nice relaxing puzzler that’s all about light and shadows. Great for first time VR players, don’t be deceived by the cartoon design work, the challenges start off easy but do become more complicated as the gameplay develops. Plus there’s the added bonus with Sir Patrick Stewart doing the story narration, which is nice.

Job Simulator – £14.99

Finally, VRFocus finishes with an oldie but a goldie. Owlchemy Labs’ Job Simulator has supported almost every VR headset released and done well on all of them. The quintessential pick-up and play VR experience that’s all about using your hands, everyone who likes VR needs to have played this at least once. It’s bizarre, funny, and difficult to put down.

May 21, 2019May 22, 2019

Top 10 Best Oculus Quest Games To Buy At Launch

Here at UploadVR we’ve had access to most of the Oculus Quest launch library for quite some time. In fact, we already have reviews for games like Superhot, Dance Central, Virtual Virtual Reality, Creed, and more. And now that the Quest is officially launching to the rest of the world today, we thought we’d collect a list of the top 10 best Oculus Quest games available on day one.

This list is written from the perspective of being able to apply to anyone even if you haven’t used VR before. Here is a livestream where we show off a bunch of the games on this list:

Worth noting we’ve left off free apps like Rec Room and VRChat because you should definitely have those downloaded regardless and since they don’t cost anything they didn’t seem useful to include in terms of recommending purchasing decisions. You should definitely install YouTube VR as well for all of the great and free 360 video content.

And we’re leaving off some games we haven’t gotten to try yet on Quest to confirm port quality (like VR horror game The Exorcist: Legion VR) or games we haven’t sunken enough time into yet (like VR MMO OrbusVR) but if preliminary indications are any value then both should be worth your hard-earned dollars if you enjoy those genres.

Without further ado, here’s the list of the best Oculus Quest games to buy at launch! They are all listed alphabetically.

Apex Construct ($19.99)

Read Our Review of The Quest Version

As one of the few “full” games launching on Quest with beautifully rendered stylized visuals, killer bow and arrow mechanics, and a solid multi-hour campaign, this should be the feather in the cap of every Quest owner. It’s got a sense of scale and narrative consistency that few VR games have, let alone VR games on portable standalone devices.

Beat Saber ($29.99)

Read Our Impressions of the Quest Version

If you are reading this article then you have probably seen or heard of Beat Saber at some point. This is the rhythm-based box-slashing VR game that’s sold over a million units and helped put VR on the map for tons of people. Now, it’s portable and plays just as good as you’d hope.

Drop Dead: Dual Strike Edition ($14.99)

Read Our Review of the PC VR Version

There aren’t many shooters on Oculus Quest at launch, but the few that are there are really fun. Drop Dead: Dual Strike is an expanded version of a game that originally launched on the Gear VR and now features excellent dual wielding mechanics, melee weapons, a horde mode, a decent-sized campaign, and full co-op. It’s hard to go wrong with this much zombie-slaying action.

Job Simulator ($19.99)

Read Our Review of the PC VR Version

One of the most popular VR games is making its way to Quest and it plays better than ever. Removing the tether frees you to walk around the office cubicles if you’d like and spin about without worries. It looks great too and is easily the most accessible and fun to play version yet.

Journey of the Gods ($29.99)

Watch Our Gameplay Video Above

Journey of the Gods from Turtle Rock is a Zelda-inspired action-adventure VR game that has you slashing your sword, blocking with a shield, and firing your crossbow at enemies across large, sprawling levels. If you’re a fan of larger adventures, similar to Apex Construct in scope, then this is a great one to pick up.

Robo Recall: Unplugged ($29.99)

Watch Our Gameplay Video Above

As one of the most anticipated games for Quest, Robo Recall does not disappoint. The Unplugged version ports the entire experience over from the Rift with the only downgrades coming in the form of lower graphical power. The whole game is here complete with its tight gameplay and arcade-style fun.

Space Pirate Trainer ($14.99)

Read Our Review of PC VR Version

Even after over three years, Space Pirate Trainer is still my go-to VR game when I am showing someone VR for the very first time. It’s dead simple to play but has a ton of layers and complexity if you’re willing to dig deeper. It nails that “just one more try” feeling and the high score board makes it perfect to pass around at parties.

Superhot VR ($24.99)

Read Our Review of the Quest Version

It’s difficult to overstate just how fantastic of a game Superhot is in VR. In this part shooter and part puzzle game time only moves when you do. That means you can freeze and contemplate your next action — a power that the game forces you to master quickly. It’s exhilarating, challenging, and really forces you to think outside the box. And now it’s without any wires!

Vader Immortal: Episode 1 ($9.99)

Read Our Review of the Quest Version

Even though it’s immediately clear that Vader Immortal: Episode 1 is just the start of something much larger, it’s still absolutely worth the entry fee. You get a nearly hour long story that feels like an authentic part of the Star Wars universe and an addictive Jedi training dojo full of replayability. Highly recommended.

Virtual Virtual Reality ($14.99)

Read Our Review of the Quest Version

Finally this is the most meta game on our list. And by that I mean that it’s part commentary on what VR actually is and what it could be, as well as what it can do. It’s a really great story that’s full of humor, charm, and memorabe moments that everyone should experience at least once.

Tagged with: Apex Construct, Beat Saber, Drop Dead, job simulator, Journey of the Gods, Oculus Quest, robo recall, Robo Recall: Unplugged, space pirate trainer, superhot, Vader Immortal, Virtual Virtu, Virtual Virtual Reality

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May 13, 2019

Watch Oculus Quest’s Tracking Put To The Test In A Field

Oculus Quest’s inside-out tracking allows you to go beyond the limits of room-scale VR. The only problem is, most of us don’t have actual rooms that go beyond those limits too. But what if you could play in a larger area? What if you had, say, an entire field at your disposal? Well then you’re in for some real magic.

This great video from ETR shows you what’s possible. It sees a Quest user explore the hub world of Oculus Studios’ Journey of the Gods across a wide area. The user is able to actually run across the field, with his movements replicated in-game. The result is a much more convincing and immersive experience. We did something similar with Google and Lenovo’s Mirage Solo standalone headset when it launched last year.

As he says, you need relatively low-light conditions to do this; Quest’s tracking doesn’t work well in focused sunlight. But, in the right conditions, you’re pretty much free to run around as you please. For a game like Journey of the Gods, that means combat can be much more physical. But imagine breaking Superhot VR and running to the other side of the room, or making your way through a level of Apex Construct without ever touching the analog stick.

It’s just a shame we can’t all play this way. Even if we do have open spaces near us, the thought of pulling a Quest over your eyes and running around in the dark isn’t exactly appealing.

Oculus Quest is out on May 21 for $399. You can check out our full review of the headset here.

Tagged with: inside-out tracking, Journey of the Gods, Oculus Quest

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May 1, 2019

Oculus Quest Comes With Demos For Beat Saber, Creed And More

The news is finally out; Oculus Quest, Facebook’s new VR headset, arrives on May 21. Over 50 titles are being lined up for the big day. But, given that you’ve just spent $399 on a new headset, you might be hoping to try a few games before you buy them. Well, good news; Quest comes loaded with five playable demos.

Oculus detailed what’s coming pre-loaded on the headset in yesterday’s blog post. Five titles will have samples ready and waiting, including arguably the biggest VR game of all, Beat Saber. Beat Games’ smash hit will offer the tutorial and two songs with varying difficulty levels to get to grips with. Beat Saber is one of VR’s most instantly addictive games, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself heading to the Oculus Store after trying this one.

Two new Oculus Studios games are also included in the mix. The first is Journey of the Gods, a cute little action role-playing game with a gorgeous art style. You’ll get “condensed versions” of the opening tutorial and boss fight here. Sports Scramble, meanwhile, is the latest from Armature. It’ll offer a tennis match either against an AI or friends online.

Next up for shooter fans is an arcade classic, Space Pirate Trainer. The long-loved wave shooter offers its first level in this demo along with a boss fight. Finally, we have a boxing match in Creed: Rise to Glory. We love Creed on PC VR but thought it was actually one of the weaker Quest ports we’ve seen so far. Still, now you can make up your own mind before you decide whether to pick it up or not.

It doesn’t sound like Oculus will be giving away any full games for free at Quest launch, but don’t forget the headset will come with cross-buy support. That means many of the games you bought on Rift via the Oculus Store will be ready and waiting on Quest. Yay, free games!

Tagged with: Beat Saber, Creed: Rise to Glory, demos, Journey of the Gods, Oculus Quest, space pirate trainer, Sports Scramble

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