15 VIRTUAL REALITY GAMES YOU SHOULD BE PLAYING RIGHT NOW
With virtual reality headsets now in the hands of consumers, gamers everywhere are trying to decide what VR games are worth their time and money. Whether you're an early adopter or not, here are 15 VR titles that will make good use of your newly acquired VR headset.
1. Adventure Time: Magic Man's Head Games
- Turbo Button
- Gear VR
- $49.99
Set in Cartoon Network's Adventure Time universe, follow Jake and Finn through the camera's PoV instead of theirs. Go spelunking in caves, jump across caverns, and hack-and-slash your way through enemies. Players reported smooth framerates, which helps to keep dizziness at bay when turning your head to view the world. The only downside is that it's a relatively short game – around 90 minutes for the full experience.
2. Chronos
- Gunfire Games
- Oculus Rift
- $4.99
Chronos is the answer to those people who are wondering if there's more to virtual reality than just office simulators and jump-scare compilations. Set in a fantasy world, this third-person action-adventure puts you inside the fixed camera instead of the character, allowing a more natural sense of control over the action. With its own in-game aging mechanic that happens after the player dies, it's certainly looking to be one of the more unique VR titles on our list.
3. Esper 2
- Coatsink Software
- Gear VR
- $9.99
First-person puzzlers make for an easy transition into VR, but intelligently incorporating the platform itself as a puzzle mechanic isn't so simple. Esper 2's premise is all about solving puzzles with psychic powers, which translates into looking at an object and moving it with your head. Not so simple when barriers, switches, and other mind-blockers are involved.
4. Keep Talking and No One Explodes
- Steel Crate Games
- Oculus Rift
- $14.99
This co-op bomb diffusing game drew a lot of interest back in 2015, earning an Editor's Choice award at PAX East. In order to diffuse the bomb in time, the Oculus wearer (Spectator) must communicate clearly what they're seeing to friends (the Experts) who have the accompanying manual full of instructions. This sounds like the perfect kind of chaos for a Saturday night.
5. Windlands
- Psytec Games Ltd.
- Oculus Rift and HTC Vive
- $19.99
In this upcoming VR title, get the real Tarzan experience as you swing through trees on floating islands with your trusty grappling hook. Reach the end point of the level and uncover the secrets of the Windlands universe. With a successful IndieGogo campaign completed, the game is currently available on Steam in Early Access.
6. Water Bears
- SchellGames
- HTC Vive
- $8.99
First popular as a mobile title, Water Bears VR is a puzzle game in which the aim is to connect pipe pieces together to divert water to the adorable creatures that live in suspended bubbles (they look more like water bugs than bears, but they're still cute). Environmental hazards block your way in higher levels. What looks like a simple premise could very easily prove to be frighteningly addictive.
7. Adr1ft
- Three One Zero
- HTC Vive
- $8.99
While its first-person perspective might induce motion sickness when experienced through a VR headset, Adr1ft looks like such a visually stimulating experience it just might be worth a few headaches. Set within the vast emptiness of space, you step into the shoes of a stranded astronaut. Wrestle with zero gravity as you explore the wreckage trying to find clues of what happened to your crew.
8. Eve: Valkyrie
- CCP
- Oculus Rift now, HTC Vive planned
- $59.99
Speaking of space, EVE: Valkyrie is a competitive, multiplayer team-based combat shooter taking place in the Eve universe, but built from the ground up for VR. The actual gameplay is very similar to other space dogfighting games, but the VR elements make it a truly immersive experience. Just make sure you avoid the missiles headed towards your face while you gape at all the pretty stars.
9. AirMech: Command
- Carbon Games
- Oculus Rift
- $39.99
AirMech: Command lets you imagine what it would be like if your Warhammer 4K tabletop setup came to life. A space RTS, you can view the action from above (looking down at your table), or get up close and personal.
10. BlazeRush
- Targem Games
- Oculus Rift
- $8.99
BlazeRush was previously released on other platforms and has now been optimized for VR. Set in a colorful landscape, it's a fast-paced, arcade-style racing survival game. Looking a little like a Mad Max version of Mario Kart, you can play with friends or go against the AI for a fun and frantic experience.
11. Dreadhalls
- White Door Games
- Oculus Rift, Gear VR
- $9.99
If horror is your thing, then your new VR headset is the perfect vehicle for experiencing true, unadulterated terror. There are many titles out there – most relying solely on jump scares – but one of the best is Dreadhalls, which was designed specifically for VR. It uses the whole VR ecosystem to induce panic and fear. This dungeon crawler is not for the faint of heart, but is a must-have for any horror fan.
12. Omega Agent
- Fireproof Games
- Oculus Rift, Gear VR
- $14.99
In Omega Agent, you are training to be the best spy that ever was. Use a jetpack to explore Omega Island and recover top-secret documents. Maneuvering flight while in jetpack mode is part of the challenge, especially when trying to also use the jetpack's equipped weaponry. Action, puzzles, and code breaking – this VR exclusive looks like one heck of a ride.
13. Tilt Brush
- HTC Vive
- $29.99
Tilt Brush is an incredible virtual reality painting/drawing/sculpting application developed by Google, and it comes packaged with the HTC Vive. While a VR version of MS Paint might not sound like the most exciting thing you can be doing with your new headset, the software has received near universal acclaim from those who have tried it. You can paint with light, fire, rainbows, or any number of other exotic materials, then save and share your creations with your friends.
14. Dead Secret
- Robot Invader
- Gear VR, Oculus Rift planned
- $14.99
Bringing more interactive drama than traditional action-adventure, Dead Secret is an intriguing mystery thriller. Delve into the past of a man who was murdered, and find out what happened before you become the next victim. With a unique art style that looks both homey and unsettling, this title looks like it will take advantage of the VR platform to play tricks on the player.
15. Space Pirate Trainer
- I-Illusions
- HTC Vive
- $14.99
Space Pirate Traineris a simple arcade shooter which requires physical space to move around in real life. You'll need this space because you'll be attacked by robot drones from all angles, and your only goal is to shot them all down using your twin laser guns. High scores and surviving as long as possible are the name of the game in Space Pirate Trainer, and this is a game that will definitely have you sweating after a few sessions.
