Since the inception of its idea, Virtual Reality (VR) gaming has tantalized the imagination of gamers all around the world. The vast array of possibilities that it offered made players excited for its future. Sure! its had a rocky start, due to lack of epic games, poor marketing strategy and expensive headsets, but all of that has changed in the past few years. So today we talk about the Top 15 Virtual Reality Games.
With amazing systems like the PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, the new Oculus Go and the HTC Vive, we have entered into a new era of gaming. Where immersion is no longer about staring at 2D images, 3D avatars or even the so called “4D” experience. Virtual reality is looking, feeling and sensing the game around you.
With this surge of technological advancements in the Virtual Reality gaming medium, Game Developers took it upon themselves to push the envelope of what these systems are capable of by creating some extraordinary titles to go along with the systems that we’ve mentioned above.
With new games coming out so rapidly it can be jarring to keep track of them all. Luckily, we’ve been able to personally play and gauge all the latest titles and compiled a list (so you dont have to!) of the Top 15 Best Virtual Reality Games to have released in the last few years.
This we hope will be a good place to start for anyone who’s looking to get into Virtual Reality gaming but doesn’t know what are the best Virtual Reality games to start from. So fear not, we’re here to guide your way.
So fasten your seatbelts we’re taking a trip through the Top 15 Best Virtual Reality games now!
No# 15 RIGS: Mechanized Combat
Our First game for this list is a PlayStation VR exclusive that puts you in the driver seat of a futuristic combat mech, and thrusts you into an explosive, beautiful, combat arena filled with other extraordinary combat mechs to go head to head against.
This single player experience tests you and molds you into a better player at every turn. With its rich and engaging team tactics, emphasis on skill and vast array of RIGS to obtain and utilize online against the world. RIGS wants you in charge. It delivers fun and engaging matches that are a thriller till the end.You compete in a series of sporting events that are set in the futuristic sports league known as “Mechanized Combat League” Because there’s nothing quite like being top gun. (We’re only starting!)
No# 14 Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality
Wubba-Lubba-Dub-Dub, is how Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality made us feel as we played through it. Albeit a short Virtual Rick-ality is a fun and hilarious game which is jam packed with references, easter eggs and call backs for fans of the Adult Swim Show. The game starts off with Rick telling Morty that he’s essentially cloned him and created us and then goes on to ask our help to complete trivial tasks at first (though we get so much more involved later on) the story has us solving puzzles, exploring and shooting baddies all in an accumulation of moments that give fans of the show a sense of actually being there on Rick and Morty’s crazy adventures. Virtual Reality gaming allows for better immersion in this regard and you’ve always got something to do in the short run time. With support for the game on the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and the PlayStation VR there’s a number of ways you can pick this title up, get into the world of Rick and Morty and get Schwifty. (How can you not?)
No# 13 Beat Saber 2018
On our list is the 2018 Early Access hit called Beat Saber available currently on the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality devices. This game, to sum it up in one phrase is “Guitar Hero meets Star Wars”
Hone your inner Jedi as you wield lightsabers in both hands to slash away at the color coded musical notes and dodge obstacles. A welcome challenge that will test your hand-eye-coordination, precision and timing, Beat Saber keeps you on the edge and you feel one with the Force as you jam to some epic beats. Slicing up music notes as they fly at you with blistering speed, to produce a beautiful tune, is absolutely cathartic. The way the lights in the background zip around along with the beat and the music for the impact upon each slash gives weight to your swings. This game will get your arms in shape in no time with its fast paced action and lovely music ensemble. With a 10/10 review score on Steam this is one VR experience rhythm game enthusiasts and Jedi Masters alike should not miss!
No# 12 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (Virtual Reality)
This game on our list needs no introduction to game enthusiasts. Why? Well, The fifth installment to the Elder Scrolls franchise, and perhaps one of the greatest rpgs of all time, Skyrim is a massive sprawling open world. An entire Universe brimming with content and locales to explore, and after many iterations on different platforms has also come to realm of Virtual Reality. You’ll cast magic, fight dragons and fus roh da your way to victory using the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. The beautiful world of Skyrim is now yours to be completely immersed in and spend over 200 hours in its rich detailed Universe, lore and combat.The game not only features an expansive world, but also makes you realize that there are consequences for your actions. A single different choice can make the world completely mold differently around you, and key figures in the game will begin to interact uniquely with you. There are some amazing options when it comes in regard to how the civilians view you. Their view will be completely based upon the choices you make while embarking on your grand quest. Choose your race from a plethora of choices and witness how choosing one race over the other affects your game. Learn how certain characters in the game will converse with you and judge you based on your appearance. Dive deep into the rich, elaborate, lore of skyrim as well as uncover the deepest and darkest secret that this world can offer. Make your way through murky streets, hidden tombs, lost temples, forgotten dungeons and strongholds to learn of your destiny.
Are you the prophesized hero to save Skyrim? Are you the Dragonborn? Let’s find out!
No# 11 Cold Iron
Having watched dozens of Westerns in our time we always wanted to be a gunslinger with a lightning fast trigger and pin point accuracy. Cold Iron allows you to do just that, by immersing you into a world where your bestfriend is a revolver and your speed and precision are your only two allies. You’re sent on a rather short, but intriguing and excellently voiced journey where you’re pit in duels and events that test your skills with the barrel. The game by itself gives a decent amount of things for you to do, but can feel short though due to the permadeath mechanic, whereby you’re sent to the beginning of the world, you’ll have to replay several sections over and over until you’ve mastered them. Cold Iron wants exactly that, for you to fail and try again over and over til you’re so confident in your skills that you could shoot with your eyes closed. Are you up for the challenge? Will you persist to the end?
No# 10 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
From the creators of the titular horror game, Until Dawn, Supermassive games presents an arcade survival horror first-person-shooter like we’ve never seen before. Both atmospheric and terrifying. Rush of Blood is a masterclass in how to utilize the VR system to its maximum potential in order to induce a genuine sense of dread. We even think it’s got more scare-factor in its title screen than most entire “horror” games do. Surreal and creepy what it lacks in sheer length of time played it surely makes up by packing every moment you spend with this game full of content and tension. You feel the growls and moans of the dead as you edge closer and closer to the horrors that await you. Your decision to survive is yours alone and you must protect that right as the terrors of the night will try to strip you off it. The dread of Until Dawn Rush of Blood is slow but extremely effective, with jumpscares and atmospheric buildup making this a horrifying journey. Along with that several different routes and various difficulty settings make you want to keep coming back to this one, as we have, and as you will to see what’s at the end of the darkness… Excited? You’re right to be!
No# 9 Rez Infinite (Virtual Reality)
Rez is one of those games that are timeless. Translated from the PS2 era into next generation consoles and then amplified with the VR experience, Rez infinite is a cyberspace rhythm game VR experience that is heart pounding, foot tapping, joyride till the very end. Set in digital landscape where you as an onscreen sprite, that acts as your avatar, travel deep into the cyber realm to destroy all the bugs that get in your way and awake the being within. This is a rail-shooter that keeps you captivated with its beautiful tunes, its immaculate gameplay mechanics and beautiful visual design. We had so much fun playing Rez Infinite and going through Area X alone warrants picking this game up in VR where you transcend the boundaries of Earth and glide through an open space creating your own symphony as you blast along your path to the end, culminating ultimately into a rush of consonance. Looking at ways you can order this, you’re right to be doing so!
No# 8 I Expect You To Die
Ever wanted to be James Bond? Solving impossible puzzles and disarming death traps with but moments to spare? (Didn’t all of us at some point?) Well then I Expect You To Die is right up your alley. In this reality puzzler you are thrust into the shoes of an elite secret agent tasked with solving the dastardly death traps that the international criminals have set up for you or thwarting their plans by infiltrating into their lairs and unfolding their villainous plots. Each trap has numerous ways to solve it and finding your own solutions to the problems is a satisfying and rewarding experience as it never feels like a victory is unearned because the game constantly places you in trial and error situations. It probes you into trying out all the various possibilities it presents in front of you and asks you to use your wit and telekinetic abilities (Yes, you have those in this game) to beat that buzzer and save the world. For the hero in you!
No# 7 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Virtual Reality)
The Resident Evil games were the defining video game franchise that dominated the survival horror game genre for many years. And with games like Resident Evil 4 being heralded as perhaps one of the greatest of its genre cemented CAPCOM’s place in the industry as a trailblazer. However, the recent iterations of the franchise has been very lackluster for the most part with disappointing gameplay and barely any scares that truly immersed the player into the experience. Which is, perhaps, why Resident Evil 7: Biohazard came as such a breath of fresh air and groundbreaking experience. It moved away from the third person perspective the Resident Evil games were known for and delved into the world of First Person Shooters. And what’s even more brilliant is that the full game can be played on both consoles using a Television screen and Virtual Reality headsets. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is an oppressive, terrifying and grotesque masterpiece of a horror game. It piles on the tension placing you in a claustrophobic labyrinthine house where you’re constantly chased by an undead family hell bent on murdering you. You solve riddles, uncover mysteries and shoot maniacal monsters all in an effort to make it out alive, to survive. With the Virtual Reality headsets through the PSVR you’re thrust into this bleak world and made to defend yourself against its cruel onslaught with nothing between you and the beasts anymore.. The entire experience is one that any horror connoisseur should not miss out on and we’re proud to place Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Virtual Reality) on our list for the best Virtual Reality games.
Not recommended to amateurs
No# 6 The Persistence
The vastly hyped survival horror game “The Persistence” by developer Firesprite is perhaps one of the best PlayStation VR exclusives you can get now. This, with all warning, is a scary game. It’s dark, atmospheric and leaves your palms sweaty from all the anxiety you build up as you go through this masterfully crafted experience. The Persistence’ hallmark is its dynamic and fun combat that always gives you numerous options to play the game and tune it to your creative style.It gives you a myriad of weapons and tools that you can upgrade, create and engineer to help you along with your journey. It has got a tough but fair death mechanic wherein you lose all of your weapons when you die, but even after dying over 40 times within our playthrough of the game we never felt like our death was meaningless, as it always propelled us towards our goal and gave this forward momentum seldom seen in other titles nowadays except one of our all-time favourites Dark Souls. The Persistence is one Virtual Reality experience that draws the player in and makes sure to keep him there with tension and exciting combat. A critique for the game would be the lack of varied level look. However, the rest of the game does make up for it in a rewarding experience that rewards you for being persistent.
No# 5 Farpoint (Virtual Reality)
Farpoint 2017 is a shooter and an immensely good one at that. Farpoint does not play like a tech-demo or a proof of concept Virtual Reality game or even a normal console game that had Virtual Reality added as an afterthought. No, Farpoint takes the steering wheel away from those old ideas and creates a wholistically new experience that seems like it was made for Virtual Reality. It’s an absolute pleasure to use the PlayStation VR Aim controller and precisely target incoming hostiles with rifles, shotguns and other futuristic weapons. Changing weapons mid combat by holsting up the weapon to your shoulder makes the experience even more realistic and engaging and the combat against smart, varied, Artificial Intelligence controlled monsters makes the shooting engaging and thought provoking. Farpoint, however, lacks in storytelling whilst shining in gameplay. It’s got a simplistic storyline that follows set beats and has a few twists that are predictable. Although that can be forgiven because this in all sense of the phrase is a Sci-fi shooter unlike any other and definitely one to pick up if you have a PlayStation VR. And if you don’t, well we urge you to go buy the PlayStation VR and this game along with the rest on this list.
No# 4 Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 year Celebration
Rise of the Tomb Raider was a fantastic game when it came out and within its 20th year Celebration edition, we get a well made and profoundly structured Virtual Reality experience. This is an optional setting, but one of the highest caliber for the game if you own a PlayStation VR. This mode allows you to look at the screen from Lara’s perspective in first person mode and explore about her wrecked, deserted and mysterious manor to unlock the secrets of her family. Jam packed with an hour or more so worth of an immersive gameplay experience full of fun puzzles to solve while being immersed in the world of Lara Croft.Gorgeous vistas, thumping adventure story, some epic villains, smart puzzles and a mesmerizing musical soundtrack. Adventure, eye candy, or action choose this game for all three of these things.
No# 3 Moss (PlayStation VR Exclusive)
Moss is an adorable tale of our rodent sized heroine Quil, who we accompany on her journey to rescue her Uncle from the clutches of evil forces. The PlayStation VR headset and precision controls make this game a joy to play, with exceptional world building, design and textures throughout the world, Moss is something gorgeous to behold. Moss is 50% platforming puzzles and 50% combat. And sometimes is both when the game requires it. It’s got a depth of platforming that eases the player into itself before it becomes complex and always allows you time to figure it out on your journey to help Quil on her adventure. Combat is also very fun as you move, hold and drag objects that aid Quil in combat so she can continue on her journey and persevere over the evil forces.With excellent voice-over narration in the game that describes events via storybook-style it truly makes you feel like a part of the adventure. Its story doesn’t, despite the buildup, have the catharsis we were hoping for, however, the journey itself was so tantalizing and immersive that it made us want, nay, demand a sequel for this gorgeous game brimming with life and character. This is one rodent you don’t want to call pest control for. The only Rodent’s journey you want to pick up!
No# 2 Superhot VR
The Virtual Reality systems like PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift feel like they were made for Superhot VR. A game that makes you truly feel like a superhero by stopping time when you’re not moving and then continuing it after you move again. This gives you control, precision and time to carry out cool shootouts and tricks to feel like a hero. Block incoming bullets, snatch weapons from enemies and shoot pinpoint accurate shots with Superhot’s mechanics. The game feels even smoother using the Oculus Rift that fully immerses you into the experience. And although the backgrounds are a single white washed color and the enemies coded only to look like red silhouettes, it’s an addictive experience. The game is fairly challenging as well, by making you start your run through the game over every time you die, you’re reminded to keep in mind how you conquered a particular area. You might think you’d tire of fighting the same enemies again and again, but dealing with enemies that might have given you trouble earlier, with all the tactics needed to succeed this time around, is super empowering and fun to pull off. After you finish Superhot’s 4-5 hour campaign in single player mode you’re greeted with more action and more fun with an endless survival mode where you can test your metal and continue enjoying this spectacular experience. This is what we call value for money!
No# 1 Wipeout Omega Collection (PlayStation VR Exclusive)
What drew us into Wipeout Omega was the heart pounding sensation we felt as we sat in the cockpit and eagerly awaited the countdown. The crowd, the atmosphere, and the feeling of speed all began to surge, and we were off! For the price of one Wipeout Omega Collection gives you 3 fully realized, beautifully rendered, games that are jam packed with content. Wipeout 2048, Wipeout HD and Wipeout Fury each having their own unique game modes, their own campaign and their own vehicles. You feel like you’ve been given more than you could have ever dreamed off to toy, play and have fun with. It’s a phenomenal experience racing at blistering fast speeds across the futuristic racing tracks and seeing the other racers as they snake their away forward in a tense race to the finish line. Wipeout is a visual spectacle in Virtual Reality, with so much detail and care going into creating each and every track that it is worth beholding to fully appreciate its spectacular level design and graphical detail. But to say that Wipeout Omega is only about racing would be to over simplify it, rather Wipeout also sports weapons on each of its vehicles such as the rapid fire cannons and the Quake that dynamically changes the entire track. These can be used in a myriad of different ways to further the game experience by blasting your fellow competitors from behind to get that last minute first place, or to utilize in the combat oriented game modes like Eliminator(Which is our favorite). There are 9 other game modes that keep Wipeout’s experience fresh and riveting each time you plug in to play. With it’s exceptionally well optimized gameplay to minimise any motion sickness at all from the experience Wipeout cements itself as perhaps the best Virtual Reality game out there in the market right now. A must buy that we’d urge you get the Virtual Reality headset to try, it’s an experience that you’ll keep coming back to for its riveting sense of destruction, control and speed. If you’ve made it this far down the list, you trust our judgement and so this if not any other game, you must buy!
