Play At Home: The Best Free PSVR Games To Play First

The next wave of Sony’s Play at Home promotion has just launched, meaning five of PSVR’s best games are now free – and you don’t need need Move controllers to play them. See where to start with our best free PSVR games choices.

This is a no strings attached deal; you don’t need to be a PlayStation Plus or Now subscriber, nor enter any extra information beyond what you’ve already provided for your PlayStation account. Head to the PlayStation Store between now and April 23rd and you can download them to keep. Don’t have a PSVR? Grab them anyway and then keep those fingers crossed at the upcoming PS5 VR headset supports backwards compatibility!

So, what should you play? Well they’re all great, but here’s our list in ascending order, starting with the game we feel everyone should try first and then moving down to what to explore afterward. There’s definitely something for everyone here, though.

The Best Free PSVR Games For Play At Home

Astro Bot Rescue Mission – PSVR’s Best Game Is Now Free

ASTRO BOT Screenshot 01

If you’re going to start somewhere, it should probably be with our old pal Astro. Rescue Mission has long claimed the top spot on our regularly updated list of the best PSVR games, and there’s no signs of that changing anytime soon. Sony Japan’s brilliant platformer features smart twists on the genre with fantastic immersion and — we’ll just keep saying it — Mario-tier innovation. If you’ve played Astro’s Playroom on PS5 and want more, trust us, you need to play Rescue Mission.

Get Out There With Paper Beast

Or maybe you’re someone that likes their VR a little more experiential? On PSVR, the dreamy world of Paper Beast is a tough pitch with its lack of challenge and focus on abstract interactions. But, trust me when I say, you have to give a try now that it’s free. This is a game about building a connection with a living, breathing ecosystem and coming to an understanding and appreciation of its sometimes cruel set of rules. It might well not be for you, but give it even 10 minutes and if you haven’t fallen in love with its fascinating array of digital animals then, well, at least you gave it a fair shot.

Moss – A Perfect Companion For Astro

Astro might be the best third-person platformer in VR but Moss is a very close second and it’s got a few tricks of its own to make the PSVR mascot jealous. Polyarc’s VR debut remains an enduring hit, with incredible diorama-sized worlds and a close connection to foster between you and Quill, the adorable protagonist. Again, there’s smart use of motion controls but Moss will also appeal to people looking for a little more combat than Astro’s breezy challenges.

Feel The Challenge With Thumper

thumper-bright-screenshot

Moss and Astro not hard enough for you? Thumper is arguably VR’s most intense and anxiety-inducing game. You have to keep your nerve as you control a shiny space beetle (don’t ask) that speeds down a set track. Remain calm and keep yourself from slamming into the sides of walls and you’ll survive. But, with a soundtrack designed to make you sweat, that’s easier said than done. Also available on a flat screen if you want to test it out quickly!

Revisit A Classic With Rez Infinite

Rez Infinite 2

Another game with optional PSVR support, Rez Infinite has lived long in the hearts of many a fan. Again, this isn’t one that will be for everyone, but with Play At Home you can give it a fair shake at no extra cost. Essentially an on-rails shooter, Rez quickly establishes a hypnotic atmosphere through synthy sounds and visuals that are utterly arresting to take in.


What do you think are the best free PSVR games from Play At Home? Let us know in the comments below!

The VR Game Launch Roundup: Dread-fully Good Deals Next Week

VR Game Roundup

As there isn’t a massive selection of new virtual reality (VR) titles to chose from next week – unless they suddenly drop, for today’s roundup VRFocus has split the selection. There’s a couple of new ones including the next project from the developer behind Dreadhalls, and as PlayStation VR players are getting five free videogames next week they’ve been included as well.

Cosmodread

Cosmodread – White Door Games

The next project from Spanish VR horror specialist White Door Games, Cosmodread tasks you with surviving on board a derelict spaceship. Hunt for resources and craft weapons as you explore, with the eventual goal being to find a way back to Earth.

Unbinary – Ludact

“Unbinary is a VR hand-painted puzzle adventure that will immerse you in an unusual moment in human history. Webby, the super AI that was elected to rule planet Earth, needs to be audited, and it is your role to assure she is ready for her duty.”

  • Supported platforms: Oculus Rift
  • Launch date: 26th March
Unbinary

Play at Home 2021 – PlayStation VR

This month saw Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launch its Play at Home programme and next week is going to provide a bumper crop of VR titles for PlayStation VR owners. They all free to download and keep, available from 25th March 8:00 pm PT / March 26 03:00 GMT to 22nd April 8:00 pm PT / April 23 04:00 BST.

5 New Games Added to Oculus Quest’s Launch Lineup, Including Thumper

The Oculus Quest launch lineup countdown continues with five new titles confirmed for a day one release – a date which is still currently unknown – offering both intense action and tranquil gaming pleasure.  

Oculus Quest - Front

The big news is that Drool’s fast-paced rhythm action title Thumper is coming to the headset. Thumper is a little unusual in the genre as you control a beetle hurtling down a cosmic track bombarded by musical obstacles that can be overcome with rhythm-obeying commands. Players can glide around corners and bash into the sides to stay alive, trying to survive until the end, which also includes mini-bosses to deal with.

“When we first starting prototyping Thumper way back in 2009, gaming VR was just a sci-fi fantasy,” explains Drool designer Marc Flury on the Oculus Blog. “We didn’t realize our psychedelic space beetle experience would feel so perfect in VR. With a fully standalone device like Oculus Quest, the dream feels complete. Now anyone can experience  Thumper in VR with no fuss and no compromise.”

The reason Thumper was the big news is that the other four videogames: Rush, Fruit Ninja, Bait! and Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigswere previously mentioned when Oculus released its first countdown trailer at the end of March. There was a flurry of images displayed at the end which include the aforementioned titles. Now at least they have been officially confirmed as launch day experiences.

Angry Birds VR

Each is a big videogame in its own right, with Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs and Bait! both by Resolution Games. Bait! was one of the studios’ earliest titles and a big success, allowing players to catch fish in tranquil surroundings. Angry Birds VR is its most release, launch ed back in February in collaboration with Rovio Entertainment.

Rush and Fruit Ninja are two smaller titles but still offer their own unique gameplay experiences. The latter is a great pick up and play videogame, especially suitable for new VR players. While the former is a bit more extreme, wingsuit flying through canyons and sheer drops as you race towards the finish line.

As Oculus reveals new videogames coming to Quest, VRFocus will let you know.

Oculus Quest: Thumper, Fruit Ninja VR, Angry Birds VR und weitere Launchtitel bestätigt

Im Zuge des anstehenden Marktstarts der Oculus Quest, veröffentlicht Oculus unter dem #QuestCountdown wöchentlich weitere Launchtitel, die beim Release der autarken VR-Brille spielbar sein werden. Nach den Singleplayer-Abenteuern Shadow Point, Robo Recall und The Exorcist: Legion VR stehen diese Woche Arcade- und Gelegenheitsspiele im Mittelpunkt. So ziehen die Titel Thumper, Fruit Ninja VR, Bait! und Rush zukünftig in die Spielbibliotheken ein.

Oculus Quest: #QuestCountdown – Thumper, Fruit Ninja VR, Angry Birds VR, Bait! und Rush als Launchtitel bestätigt

Die Oculus Quest dürfte sich dank der einfachen Nutzung optimal für einen schnellen Ausflug in die virtuelle Welt eignen, um kurz vom Alltagsstress abzuschalten. Und was eignet sich dafür besser als ein paar simple Gelegenheitsspiele? Unter diesem Motto stehen die neu angekündigten Day-One-Veröffentlichungen für die autarke VR-Brille.

Thumper

Thumper-Oculus-Go

In Thumper übernehmen die Spieler die Kontrolle eines Hochgeschwindigkeitskäfers, der durch eine psychedelische Rennstrecke rast. Schnelle Reaktionen und Rhythmusgefühl sind dabei mehr als erforderlich, um erfolgreiche die Passagen zu absolvieren. Marc Flury, Designer von Entwicklerstudio Drool, spricht enthusiastisch über den kommenden Release:

Als wir 2009 mit den ersten Prototypen von Thumper angefangen haben, war VR-Gaming noch eine Sci-Fi-Fantasie. Wir wussten damals nicht, dass sich unser psychedelisches Space-Käfererlebnis so perfekt in VR anfühlen würde. Mit einem autarken Gerät, wie der Oculus Quest, fühlt sich dieser Traum nun vervollständigt an. Jetzt kann jeder ohne großen Aufwand, und ohne Kompromisse Thumper in VR erleben.”

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs und Bait!

Angry-Birds-VR-Oculus-Quest

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs | via: Oculus Blog

Dass Entwicklerstudio Resolution Games an einer Quest-Umsetzung von Angry Birds VR und Bait! arbeitet, war bereits im Vorfeld bekannt. Dass der vogelschleudernde VR-Titel bereits zum Start der Quest verfügbar sein wird, ist dagegen neu.

Paul Brady, Co-Gründer und CCO von Resolution Games, verspricht ein völlig neues Spielgefühl in der kommenden Quest-Umsetzung:

Dank VR können die Spieler zum ersten Mal ein richtiger Teil des Spiels werden und das Gameplay wie nie zuvor mit einem einzigartigen Immersions- und Präsenzgefühl erleben. Klassiker können mit innovativen Spielideen neu erfunden werden, damit Fans ihre geliebten IPs neu erleben können mit völlig anderem Gameplay und  Mechaniken. Es ist eine aufregende Zeit, und wir sind sehr froh darüber, ein Teil davon zu sein!”

Bait!-Oculus-Quest

Bait! für Oculus Quest | Image courtesy: Oculus | Resolution Games

Ebenso bestätigt wurde nun der bisherige Mobile-Titel Bait!, welcher euch auf eine entspannte Angeltour auf der Suche nach einem legendären Fisch schickt. Innerhalb der Quest-Adaption wird es erstmals möglich, das Gameplay mit zwei Controllern und Bewegungserfassung in sechs DoF zu erleben. Dadurch entsteht eine immersivere Steuerung, indem die virtuelle Angelrute völlig neu umgesetzt wird. So wird der Köder geworfen, die Schnur per Angelrolle händisch eingezogen und der Fang daraufhin an Land geholt.

Fruit Ninja VR

Früchte Ninja Virtual Reality

Ein weiterer actionreicher Gelegenheitstitel ist Fruit Ninja VR, welcher euch erlaubt, mit zwei Katanas anfliegende Früchte zu zersäbeln. Das klassische Gameplay wird dank der uneingeschränkten Spielmöglichkeit der Quest zu einem spaßigen Spielerlebnis für überall, wie die verantwortlichen Devs versprechen:

Actiongeladene Obstverstümmelungen, gepaart mit dem natürlichen Pick-Up-and-Play-Erlebnis von Fruit Ninja, erlaubt einen nahtlosen Übergang vom jeweiligen Bezirk direkt zum Dojo – ganz egal, wo man sich gerade befindet.”

Rush

Rush-Oculus-Quest

Rush | via: Oculus Blog

Als Letztes in der Reihe wird die Wingsuit-Simulation Rush VR angekündigt, die euch in rasanten Geschwindigkeiten durch die Lüfte gleiten lässt. In verschiedenen Strecken stellt ihr euch darin in einem Wettkampf gegen die Zeit oder tretet gegen andere Kontrahenten an.

Ingmar Lak, Director von Binary Mill, hebt die neuen Möglichkeiten der autarken Quest-Brille bei der Umsetzung hervor:

Dank des Ganzkörper-Avatarsystems von RUSH werden die Vorteile der Standalone-VR sofort spürbar, mit einem einzigartigen Gefühl von Freiheit, wie es bisher nicht möglich war. Ob man nun vor einem Sprung über den Rand einer Klippe schaut oder die verschiedenen Umgebungen innerhalb des Spiels erkundet, den Spielern wird ermöglicht, die gesamte Spielfläche zu nutzen, um das bestmögliche Spielerlebnis von RUSH zu schaffen.”

(Quelle: Oculus Blog)

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‘Rhythm Violence’ Classic Thumper Is Coming To Oculus Quest

‘Rhythm Violence’ Classic Thumper Is Coming To Oculus Quest

Another VR favorite is on its way to Oculus Quest soon. Thumper from Drool will be launching on the platform this year.

Thumper is described as a ‘rhythm violence’ game, which is a pretty apt summary. In the game you play as space beetle (yes really) and speed down a course. You need to time button presses with the background music whilst also steering your companion to safety as you work your way up to boss fights.

Mechanically it’s a treat, but what really makes Thumper thrive is its brutalist atmosphere. The game’s twist and turns are mapped to its masochistic soundtrack, which weaves a sense of dread inside you. As the speed increases and the action mounts it’s tough not to start sweating. There isn’t another VR experience quite like it.

In fact Thumper is one of the rare games we’ve awarded a 9/10. “It is at first immediately familiar as an entry in the now classic rhythm game genre, but enhances virtually every aspect of the experience through brightly pulsing visuals, intense music, and nothing short of violent, visceral rhythm-based gameplay,” we wrote. “While you can play Thumper entirely outside of VR, the experience truly shines and envelops you the most once you place a VR headset on your face. This one is not to be missed.”

This is far from Thumper’s first brush with VR. The game was a launch title for Sony’s PSVR back in 2016 and has since come to PC-based headsets too. Last year it even got a port to the Oculus Go headset, which must’ve made this Quest port a bit more straightforward.

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PlayStation VR Demo Disc 3 Now Available for EU Customers

The act of releasing a demo is a bit more of a rarity nowadays, with virtual reality (VR) developers occasionally using the medium to promote an upcoming videogame. The demo disc, on the other hand, is a dinosaur of a bygone era, when magazines were your essential source of gaming info, with each monthly publication adorned with a selection of titles on disc. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is still keeping that nostalgia alive with its PlayStation VR Demo Disc, the last or arrived in 2017. That changes today – for European customers at least – with the release of PlayStation VR Demo Collection 3.

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission

Completely free to download from the PlayStation Store, the collection features nine titles for PlayStation VR and is especially ideal if you’ve just purchased a headset over Christmas. On offer are some of the best examples of VR content for the headset.

All the titles support the DualShock 4 controller apart from Job Simulator where you will need PlayStation Move controllers.

Battlezone image

Titles like Job Simulator, Battlezone, The Persistence and Thumper have once again made the grade and stayed in place from the last demo collection, even though some were original launch window experiences from way back in 2016.

SIE happened to reveal the top downloads of 2018 for PlayStation VR recently, with Owlchemy Labs Job Simulator attaining the number one spot in the US and number two in Europe. Both Moss and SUPERHOT VR also made it into the top ten on both charts.

The company is also likely celebrating as it released sales figures for PlayStation 4 last week during CES 2019, with the console achieving a whopping 91.6 million sales worldwide by the end of 2018.

If you are new to the PlayStation VR platform then you’ll also want to take a look at VRFocus’ ‘Best PlayStation VR Games of 2018‘ feature to see what videogames should be in your library. And there are plenty of titles coming in 2019 to look forward to as well. For all the latest updates on PlayStation VR, keep reading VRFocus.

SUPERHOT Team Puts Together a ‘VR Essentials’ Bundle on Steam

When it comes to virtual reality (VR) videogames – depending on the headset you own – there are generally several titles that are considered ‘must haves’. Experiences that really showcase the power and immersive qualities of the technology, whilst being great introductions for first-time players. Of course, this is all subjective, but one title likely to appear on most lists is bullet dodging SUPERHOT VR. Well, the team behind the videogame have listed their VR essentials by creating a ‘Complete Your Collection’ bundle on Steam.

superhot vr - first screenshots 8

What the SUPERHOT team have done is create a list of eight videogames you should own and dropped their prices by 15 percent on Steam, making for an attractive pickup if you’ve been thinking about any of the titles selected.

So which VR experiences have been selected. Naturally, SUPERHOT VR is on there – and so it should be – a first-person shooter that’s entirely in slow-mo, only when a player moves do things start to speed up. So this means lots a Matrix-style bullet dodging as they shoot enemies, or grab an ashtray or bottle to fling in their faces.

Next up is Budget Cuts, a robotic stealth title by Neat Corporation. Keeping with the arcade action is Sairento VR which mixes ninja style swordplay and acrobatics with a first-person shooter (FPS). If that all sounds a bit intense then there’s always old-school favourite Job Simulator by Owlchemy Labs which players never seem to tire of.

For those FPS fans out there what’s a must-have list without a zombie title somewhere in the mix. For the SUPERHOT team, it has to be Vertigo Games’ Arizona Sunshine which has a finely crafted campaign alongside a Horde mode which can be enjoyed in single or multiplayer.

Another classic in the list is Space Pirate Trainer from I-Illusions, a great entry level experience to tet those VR skills, yet difficult enough in the later stages for the pros.

The last two both have their own unique qualities, with GORN going for a brutal, brawler with rag-doll physics and copious amounts of gore. While Thumper is an insanely fast and frantic on-rails rhythm action title, where players control a beetle along a cosmic course, taking out mini-bosses along the way.

Check out the Steam bundle here. And for anymore VR deals keep reading VRFocus.

Intense Rhythm Action Title Thumper Coming to Oculus Go Tomorrow

Long before Beat Saber became the rhythm action videogame of choice among virtual reality (VR) enthusiasts, indie developer Drool made a name for itself with its fast paced version of the genre, Thumper. Originally launched on PlayStation VR in 2016 before coming to Oculus Rift and HTC Vive later that year, the team has now confirmed support for mobile standalone headset Oculus Go.

Described by the studio as a ‘rhythm violence’ experience, Thumper puts players in control of a very fast beetle that flies down a cosmic shoot bombarded with musical obstacles that can be overcome with rhythm-obeying commands. Players can glide round corners and bash into the sides to stay alive, trying to survive until the end, which also includes mini-bosses to deal with.

It was an instant hit in 2016 among press and consumers alike for its impressive visuals and audio tracks. While it had a flat screen cousin, it was the VR version that set it apart, especially when you consider all the stationary wave shooters flooding the market at the time.

Condensing the title onto Oculus Go is certainly a feat and it’ll be interesting to see how Thumper holds up on mobile after two years. With Oculus Go’s improved lenses hopefully Thumper hasn’t lost any of its wow factor, possibly encouraging other devs to look at whether their videogames would be a good match for the mobile headset.

Thumper Screenshot 1

Thumper is scheduled to launch for Oculus Go on Thursday, 6th September for $9.99 USD. For some reason, even though most titles work on Oculus Go and Gear VR, Drool has confirmed Thumper won’t support Gear VR – or the team has no plans to.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Drool and Thumper, reporting back with any further updates.

VR-Rhythmusspiel Thumper erscheint am 6. September für Oculus Go

Das VR-Rhythmusspiel Thumper ist bereits seit 2016 für diverse Plattformen erhältlich. Dazu zählen unter anderem PC-Brillen sowie PS4 und PlayStation VR (PSVR). Nun verkündete Entwicklerstudio Drool per Twitter die Veröffentlichung am 6. September für die autarke Oculus Go.

Thumper – Release für Oculus Go am 6. September

In Thumper übernehmen die Spieler/innen die Kontroller über einen Weltraumkäfer, welcher mit bahnbrechender Geschwindigkeit durch den Weltraum fliegt. Dabei gilt es, zahlreichen Hindernissen passend zur Musik auszuweichen. Währenddessen legt ihr halsbrecherische Manöver hin, um letztlich das Ziel zu erreichen. Das simple Spieldesign besitzt enormes Suchtpotenzial und bietet eine stark immersive Spielerfahrung.

Wie das aussieht, wird im damals veröffentlichten Trailer dargestellt:

Entwicklerstudio Drool verkündete kürzlich per Twitter den Release der mobilen Version des VR-Titels für Oculus Go.

Die VR-Version glänzt dank des rasanten Rennens durch die Passagen und visuellen Effekten mit einer besonderen Immersion. Dabei werden aufgrund des herausfordernden Game-Designs das richtige Timing sowie gute Reflexe vorausgesetzt. Per Knopfdruck weicht ihr passend zur Musik den anfliegenden Objekten aus und kämpft in diversen Levelabschnitten gegen Mini-Bosse. Das Ganze wird durch elektronische Musik untermalt, die ein dazugehöriges Flowerlebnis unterstützt.

Thumper

Die Go-Version soll laut Devs ebenfalls mit einer Framerate von 60 Hertz laufen. Ob dies Einfluss auf die visuellen Effekte oder Grafik hat, bleibt zunächst abzuwarten.

Thumper erscheint morgen am 6. September für Oculus Go für 9,99 Euro im Oculus Store.

Die PC-Version des Spiels ist bereits jetzt für Oculus Rift und HTC Vive auf Steam sowie im Oculus Store erhältlich. Für PlayStation VR (PSVR) ist eine Konsolenversion im PlayStation Store verfügbar. Der Preis beläuft sich jeweils auf 19, 99 Euro.

(Quellen: Road to VRDrool Twitter | Video: Drool YouTube)

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Thumper Brings Its Harrowing Sense Of Speed To Oculus Go This Week

Thumper Brings Its Harrowing Sense Of Speed To Oculus Go This Week

The full version of fast-paced rhythm game Thumper is coming to Oculus Go this week for around $10.

We reviewed Thumper all the way back in October 2016 for PlayStation VR, rating it 9/10 “Amazing” as it delivers a “harrowing sense of speed.”

Thumper has since come to most other platforms, including Switch and iOS. With the game finally coming to Facebook’s Oculus Go standalone VR headset on Sept. 6, though, most Go owners are going to want to take note of what could end up being one of the best games available on that platform. It might be too intense for some, but for those than can stomach it Thumper should look incredible with Oculus Go.

We’ll plan to go hands-on with it on Oculus Go as soon as it is available.

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