The Oculus Rift version is as good as ever and now offers even more value for money thanks to the new features, it is a little shame that there’s no cross-buy support for Oculus Quest. And as for the mobile version, there’s a reason why Beat Saber made VRFocus’ ‘Top 10 List’ for launch day purchases as you can now take Beat Saber with you anywhere. Either version of Beat Saber is great for new and veteran VR fans alike, and VRFocus’ score applies to both.

Tetris Effect has lost none of the prime gameplay quality that the series is known for, it’s still as addictive and difficult to stop playing as ever. Quite frankly, Tetris Effect is the best version of Tetris. Just as important, the title suits experienced and new VR players alike. The former get hours of engrossing gameplay while the latter get to see why VR is worth getting into. Just remember to take the headset off once in a while.

While Astro Bot Rescue Mission isn’t quite as charming as Moss, or as superbly crafted as Mario Odyssey, it is a great old-school platformer for the VR era, bringing some of the best features of both 2D and 3D platformers of old and incorporating VR in a way that doesn’t feel awkward. This is a fun, lighthearted way to spend some time in VR, and worth checking out.

Ready at Dawn has created an experience that every Oculus Touch owner needs in their library, with the only negative point to the whole experience being that it ends.

Yes, Rez Infinite is somewhat short, with an initial playthough possibly taking around a couple of hours, but you’ll enjoy (or should enjoy) every minute of it. So much so you’ll probably keep replaying it, improving your score, evolving your character and just taking in the whole spectacle. In answer to the first paragraph’s question about whether Oculus Rift and HTC Vive owners should be excited about Rez Infinite’s release, this is one VR videogame that should be in your library.

What’s most impressive about Until You Fall is the level of polish and smoothness of each encounter. From little details like your weapons clinking together – rather than glitching through – to the way combat is methodical and completely engaging, it’s one of the best examples in VR. So much so that you need to make sure you’ve got ample space, Until You Fall is one of those titles where you’ll quite easily hit a real-life object – even with Guardian on – because you’re so heavily engrossed.

Ragnarock impressed before and now that the official PC VR launch has taken place Ragnarock has got even better, finessing what was already an enjoyable experience. The same essence is still there but now there are more tracks, a few extras like new hammers to unlock, and some cool new levels to look at. Ragnarock is a joy to play, reigniting that passion for rhythm action videogames. Currently, Ragnarock is the best rhythm game to launch in 2021.

The Gallery: Episode 2 – Heart of the Emberstone isn’t massively long – a run through should take around 5 hours or so – but it’s big enough to offer a satisfying experience, especially if you play episode one for a refresh. Cloudhead Games has done exactly what it needed to, create a compelling sequel that expands and improves the series.

Cosmonious High is Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory in VR, with a myriad assortment of sounds, colours and stuff to stick your finger in. It’s technically solid as I’d expect from a developer so well versed in VR with diverse characters and a deep, organic sandbox world to be entertained by. But it sticks to a very well-oiled system of simple task completion with the complexity never raising high enough to satisfy mature VR players. Cosmonious High provides just the right flavour of gameplay for younger players or those new to the VR scene looking to learn how interactive these titles can be. If you played Job Simulator at the original launch then you may want to look elsewhere.

Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is very much that Sunday game of Monopoly with the family, where everyone happily shouts at each other when it gets hectic and then laugh about it afterwards. A nicely paced difficulty curve keeps the experience challenging and when all is said and done you can just throw food at each other. This is the kind of social videogame Oculus Quest was made for.

It is stupid, and over the top on almost every level yet it’ll still put a smile of most players faces. Additionally, GORN will help you lose two things, time and calories. You’ll find that one fight will turn into ten, and you’ll be a sweaty mess from all that arm swinging. If you want something deep and thought-provoking go read a book, for everyone else there’s GORN.

Ghost Giant is one of those ideal titles for Oculus Quest. Able to be played seated or standing you don’t need loads of room so taking the headset to a friend’s and simply letting the experience unfold offers a superb introduction to VR gaming. It might be a little short but Ghost Giant is a charming videogame with bags of character. The start of 2020 has been a little lacking in top tier Oculus Quest content, Ghost Giant helps rectify that situation.

Moss is a flawlessly crafted experience starring a character that absolutely deserves to be the face of modern VR. Every inch of the world shows attention to detail, and a story is woven that draws you in, making you truly invested in the world and in Quill as a person.

Statik is a superb example of a puzzle game, intelligent, immersive and lots of fun to play. The subtle story woven through is interesting, the puzzles challenging without being too frustrating. VR is used superbly as an integral part of the experience and not a tacked on gimmick. Definitely worth picking up for anyone who owns a PlayStation VR.

Overall, Knockout League is an entertaining arcade fitness title. As long as you are expecting the kind of arcade-style pattern matching and not a proper boxing simulator, you are quite likely to derive some entertainment out of Knockout League, as well as get some decent exercise from it.

There’s very little to dislike in Sprint Vector. Sure there will be times when that competitive edge over takes you, getting annoyed when you fudge a jump but that’s to be expected. The single-player has enough to get you started with a few hours of gameplay, yet it’s the multiplayer that’ll have you coming back for more. Here’s hoping that Sprint Vector draws in enough of a crowd to sustain it, rather than becoming another multiplayer focused experience that gets forgotten about. Which would be a shame, because from where VRFocus is standing Sprint Vector is another hit for the studio.

Survios has once again done an outstanding job, with Creed: Rise to Glory helping cement the studio as one of VR’s premium content developers. You don’t have to be into boxing to enjoy this title, and for those who enjoy VR fitness it certainly ticks all the boxes. You may lose interest in the story but there’s enough to keep most players involved for quite some time.

Mothergunship: Forge is a classic wave shooter just like Blasters of the Universe, taking the ability to swap out weapon components to a whole new level. The variance in parts is almost like stepping into a Lego store to build your ideal model. Get far enough and the guns can get ridiculous, filling the screen with components. Then again, that’s kind of the point. It would’ve been nice to have a sandbox gallery to experiment in, even so, the variety of gameplay modes keeps the gameplay entertaining. Just don’t go in expecting a slick, tactical shooter, Mothergunship: Forge is 100% an absurdly frantic FPS.

Polybius is an excellent shooter that takes inspiration from the 80s arcade scene in the best of ways. It is a finely crafted experience that only benefits from being on the PlayStation VR. It can be an intense experience, however, and one best left to relatively short gameplay sessions lest the visual overload become too much. Owners of PlayStation VR should definitely look to add this to their library, as it is one of the best VR titles on the PlayStation at present. Jeff Minter and Llamasoft have got another winner.

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar hasn’t come to reinvent the wheel and it didn’t need to, what was required was achieved; an entertaining puzzler that you can’t put down. An extra couple of levels would’ve been nice with the possibility of a handy nudge in the right direction yet they’re only minor quibbles. If you’re looking for a VR puzzler that really pushes the technology then this isn’t it, I Expect You To Die 2 is all about playing to the masses and that’s no bad thing either.

Moss: Book II builds upon its forebear in so many ways making a hugely worthwhile sequel. Taking around 5-6 hours to complete without collecting everything Moss: Book II isn’t a huge VR game yet it’s a satisfying experience. Whilst not particularly difficult, stepping into Moss and teaming up with Quill is a delight once again, with polished gameplay, more interactivity and visuals you can’t help but soak in. The main problem really is that Moss: Book II ends a bit too soon, as you won’t want it to be over.

Pistol Whip is huge amounts of fun even on the easiest difficulty setting, suitable for VR players no matter their skill level. Like any videogame of this type there is an overly repetitive value to the gameplay, and with only 10 scenes to begin with, it could’ve done with a few more; especially when it comes to music variety. Even so, Pistol Whip can still be heartily recommended for all you VR fans.

Demeo continues Resolution Games’ run of well-crafted VR titles, moving away from the frantic gameplay of Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale and Blaston into a far more laidback experience. As Demeo is entirely tabletop-based there are no comfort issues to worry about (best played seated), plus as you complete runs you level up and unlock new customisation options, encouraging repeat gameplay. Its slower style isn’t for everyone yet as an example of D&D in VR, Demeo excels.

Gunheart has a lot going for it, visually well designed with decent gunplay mechanics and enough content to keep most players happy for several hours. There are bugs and some optimisation issues – just having a better than min spec PC might work – yet the overall experience is still very enjoyable. Certainly Gunheart’s main hook is the easy, drop in co-op gameplay, yet there’s not always many people about, an issue a lot of VR multiplayers suffer with.

Developer Kluge Interactive isn’t going to break the rhythm action mould with Synth Riders yet that doesn’t mean to say there’s not plenty of entertainment to be found. The Oculus Quest version doesn’t feature the calorie tracker of the PC edition but as long as you’re doing something energetic then who cares. What you need to watch out for is a sudden addiction to Synthwave music and the desire to grow a mullet.

The Wizards – Dark Times needed to be a bigger, better adventure than its forebear and for the most part, it does. Once all the spells are unlocked the magic system showcases why VR is a natural fit this style of videogame, wielding powerful spells with abandon. There are no RPG elements to get bogged down with, potions to collect or stats to upgrade, unencumbering players for a lighter gameplay experience which is easy to step into. Even though there are some gripes along the way The Wizards – Dark Times still proves a satisfying magical adventure.

As with most releases on modern VR hardware, it’s easy to pick flaws in the videogame due to the control systems and lessened visual quality, but to do so would be to ignore the huge leap forward L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files makes in the creation of a real-world playground. The delivery of unique characters impresses a sense of urgency, empathy and often distain unlike any other videogame experience, playing into the strengths of the VR medium by placing the player face-to-face with convincing digital human beings. L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files presents an unwavering argument for VR as a compelling entertainment medium, and should be welcomed as a yet another stepping stone to true presence in digital worlds.

So is YUKI a fitting portrayal of bullet hell nostalgia that’ll keep you coming back for more? Even with the lacklustre procedurally generated levels, YUKI is still a blast to play, easy to pick up and great to look at. You get so involved with the levels that a couple of hours go by in an instant and it’s only when you die and take a breather that you realise how much the gameplay makes you move. If you’re looking for a highly polished bullet hell shooter, give YUKI a try.

Even with those grumbles, Star Wars Pinball VR is an excellent addition to the franchise, another superb showcase of pinball in VR. There’s so much content to discover you’ll be playing for hour after hour trying to finesse those shots to unlock new secrets. Sure, it really helps if you’re a Star Wars fan as all the cave customization options will be lost on anyone else. VR headsets already have a decent selection of Star Wars titles with Star Wars Pinball VR being one of the best.

If there was a reason to own an Oculus Rift and discount every other VR headset then Stormland is it. This is thanks to a combination of elements from the intuitive free-roaming, to the action-pack guns fights and the wealth of options available. Plus, the fact Stormland looks gorgeous, once atop a spire or cliff, looking out over the cloud covered vista is awe inspiring. Every Oculus Rift owner need this in their library, as Stormland could very well be the VR videogame of 2019.

From the very beginning, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners offers a satisfying zombie experience that’s hard to match. Titles like Arizona Sunshine easily fill that need for straight-up arcade action, for when you want a living dead apocalypse with a bit more depth then The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is your new go-to videogame. With a good 15+ hours of content depending on how slow and methodical you are, the atmosphere and superb physics make a nice cohesive whole.

While FORM isn’t perfect, it sure comes close. Yes it’s a bit too easy, and could do with an extra hour or two of gameplay (the latter is really just a moan because you’ll just want more to play), but Charm Games has created a mesmerising experience from start to finish.

Its the presentation where The Exorcist: Legion VR shines. It is not long or complex, but it has bags of atmosphere and says what it needs to say with panache. The sense of presence is used effectively to give you a properly immersive horror experience. As Halloween approaches, it is definitely one to look into for fans of horror.

Even with the minor annoyances of forced intricacy, Tentacular should find itself as a must-play game. The detailed world-building makes for a wonderfully immersive experience, the tasks vary enough to never become tiring and the game has bags of charm and charisma from character relationships. The life of a kaiju might not be easy, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

Wanderer is an ambitious project and for the most part, M-Theory and OddBoy have succeeded. The single-player adventure will keep you busy for 10+ hours and you’ll want to see it through to the end. Pushing the settings to max on PC will give you a glorious game to look at, and the audio is rock solid. Yes, there are one or two unwieldy issues along the way yet they didn’t hamper the overall entertainment Wanderer provides. If you’re looking for a puzzle game to really get stuck into then definitely take a look at Wanderer.

From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.

Bow to Blood is a fine, fun title with some minor niggles. The combat is good, though somewhat tricky to get used to, but the alliance system offers something interesting and unique that elevates the title to a higher level.

The Last Clockwinder is a delightful puzzler all about robots, picking fruit, and the frailties of our natural world. If you love creating Rube Goldberg contraptions but want a game with a bit of a twist on that idea then here’s a good alternative. Overall it’s well crafted, lovely to look at, and for those that desire perfection in their puzzle-solving, The Last Clockwinder should provide a good few hours of entertainment.

What Carbon Studio has done is combine its knowledge from debut VR title Alice VR and the months of Early Access development and distilled it into The Wizards. If you want to feel like an all-powerful sorcerer then The Wizards is up there with the best, an entertaining adventure that will make non-VR players jealous.

While Trover Saves the Universe doesn’t have that same level of interaction a lot of other VR titles tend to feature as standard nowadays, its elevated from being a standard VR platformer to one with a unique atmosphere thanks to all the other elements. Trover Saves the Universe is the funniest experience you’ll have on Oculus Quest, plus there’s plenty of content thanks to the included free DLC. It’s a fun experience which should give most players a good 5+ hours of entertainment.

Firewall Zero Hour has managed to avoid many of the common pitfalls of VR online multiplayers and add its own interesting twist to the military FPS genre. The lobby system could use some improvements, but otherwise its a finely crafted title that will be of great interest to FPS fans.

Wilson’s Heart is good, even very good at points. Expertly mixing its story, sound and visual aesthetics into a solid experience that’ll draw you in and keep you engrossed for hours. But there are some niggles with the constrained gameplay mechanics that hamper its ability to be a great title.

Transpose is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind, with enough levels to keep most busy for a good few hours. If there’s a downside then the Echo Bands can be a bit fiddly when trying to delete Echos. Other than that, Transpose is a mesmerising experience that VR players shouldn’t overlook.

An exclusive experience like no other, a beautiful statement on the natural world and the influence technology can have on it.

Rovio Entertainment and Resolution Games have certainly played it safe with Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs. While there aren’t really any major surprises when it comes to content and gameplay the adaption to VR has worked superbly well, with the studios retaining the high production values they’re known for. Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is Angry Birds just in VR, and that’s no bad thing, equally fun and frustrating as it ever was.

Fallout 4 VR is such a massive experience that VRFocus could go on writing for hours. What you want to know is, is it worth investing your time in? That’s an easy yes. What Bethesda has done with Fallout 4 VR is create the ultimate Fallout experience. Yes you may have preferred Fallout 3 but this is the version you’ve got in VR, and it’s a stunner. If you have HTC Vive then you need this, just bear in mind that it might be 2018 before you take the headset off.

There’s a lot to love and get engrossed in as it’s so immersive, the real criticism comes from the fact that Lone Echo II plays everything a little too safe. The experience doesn’t break any new ground and it really could’ve done with some greater challenges thrown in. On the other hand, it was engrossing until the very end, easily the standout AAA VR experience of 2021.

In the end though it all comes down to how much time and enjoyment you’ll get out of Sairento VR and rest assured it’ll be plenty. If Mixed Realms hadn’t managed to nail down the movement system then Sairento VR could’ve been just another FPS with a myriad of options. Instead, Sairento VR is one of the best free flowing combat titles available for VR headsets, showcasing how far development of VR locomotion has come.

If you’re a fan of the franchise then you won’t be disappointed with The Room VR: A Dark Matter as Fireproof Games continues to improve upon the gameplay. For those that have never played The Room before, then its standalone storyline won’t make you feel like you’ve missed out. Varied environments filled with detail, rich lore and polished puzzles prove that The Room VR: A Dark Matter is an essential VR puzzler for all fans of the genre.

Overall, The Persistence is a great sci-fi horror experience that cleverly uses VR to slowly ratchet up the tension and fear. While never entirely terrifying, it does still work well as horror, with just enough randomisation to keep you coming back for more.

All in all Hidden Path Entertainment has achieved what it set out to deliver, a well-tuned VR RTS that fans of the genre should be easily impressed by. Sure it’s not perfect, but in comparison to others in the same class Brass Tactics is one of the best.

The level design is magnificent and becomes a real challenge the deeper in you get. Every day feels fresh and new, a mixture of joy when a new area is discovered and dread when a menacing growl suddenly appears from behind you. It’s a huge experience that you can get lost in, spending hour upon hour taking it all in. Song in the Smoke looked like it was something special and it is, one of the best VR games of 2021.

ARVORE has certainly learnt from Pixel Ripped 1989, both in terms of scope and gameplay, Pixel Ripped 1995 is a premium retro experience from start to finish. There’s a wonderful mix of aesthetics employed across the campaign which offers around 4-5 hours of gameplay. For a VR title Pixel Ripped 1995 can feel a little constrained and linear plus there doesn’t seem to be much replay encouragement. However, all in all, there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

A Fisherman’s Tale is in many respects the VR title VRFocus hoped it would be, inventive use of the technology that oozes heart and soul, making you care about the character and his astonishing little world. The puzzles help to carry the story along yet don’t offer anywhere near the complexity of titles like Transpose. The main downside, it leaves you wanting more when there’s no more to be had.

The production values are top notch making Star Trek: Bridge Crew one of those rare VR experiences that feels like a AAA title, and likely part of most VR gamers’ collections.

If you love a good horror experience then Transference should be on your to buy list. It’s a videogame that should come with a heart warning, not because of jump scares, just merely due to the fact it’ll get your heart racing for the entire duration. Ubisoft and SpectreVision have done a commendable job entwining both live-action story and gameplay elements to make Transference one of the best psychological thrillers for VR.

To be honest Vacation Simulator was always going to face an uphill struggle against its sibling. Is it better than Job Simulator, most definitely yes, enhancing that hands-on play style fans love. But it also arrives at a time very different to 2016, when expectations have changed, but it hasn’t. Once again the series proves ideal for newcomers. Experienced players will get through Vacation Simulator fairly quickly with the only reason to go back being to 100% the memories. Where Vacation Simulator will really find its market is on standalone devices like Oculus Quest creating new VR fans.

If you love rhythm-action videogames and are looking for a proper challenge then you can’t go too far wrong with Audica. It lacks the flair and charisma of rivals which draw far more attention but Harmonix’s latest is not to be overlooked. The music selection and challenging gameplay are the big plus points here, working well with the wireless freedom Oculus Quest offers.

In Death is a VR videogame for those that want a challenge. The level design and weapon handling are beautiful with soaring angelic structures emanating from the clouds, pin point accuracy for satisfying headshots. The devil seems to be in the details with In Death, offering rinse and repeat gameplay that will keep you coming back for more.

Despite being a relatively compact experience, OddBug Studio has created a tightly knit series of challenges invested in an eye-catching world topped-off with a VR implementation that will undoubtedly be copied by many other titles before the year is out. It’s hard to fault the team for what content is there, as in those few hours of gameplay it’s likely that you’ll find The Lost Bear to be one of the most compelling PlayStation VR videogames to date.

The achievement made by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR is one by way of both hardware and design to capitalise upon this. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR’s level of immersion is simply fantastic, and while Bethesda Softworks could well have gone the route of DOOM VFR and created a shorter spin-off experience, developing a brand new The Elder Scrolls instalment specifically for VR would have taken many years and far too much in the way of resources for what is still a nascent audience. As it stands some may find the price point of the videogame a bitter pill to swallow, but for those who dreamed of a truly immersive role-playing experience, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR is simply the best opportunity available today.

Shadow Legend VR is most certainly one of those 50/50 VR titles with both recommendable and questionable elements. Why wasn’t there more crafting elements to make better weapons? Or why didn’t the swords become blunt over time, necessitating the use of the grinding wheels? Shadow Legend VR isn’t a bad VR title by any means, it looks good and offers a fun few hours but it could’ve been so much more.

GNOG is an excellent title and well worth anyone’s time. It takes excellent advantage of the PlayStation VR functionality to produce something beautiful and striking, both visually and aurally. While it could potentially benefit from some extra puzzles and a bit more polishing, it is still a solid title and worthy addition to your PlayStation VR library.

For those that love slow and tense survival horror Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife certainly delivers. While it’s not completely plain sailing as the Oculus Quest 2 did at points look to struggle a little with objects occasionally popping up out of nowhere, the atmosphere and tension the whole experience creates make this a worthy horror title. Coming in at around eight hours of nail-biting content, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife does the World of Darkness proud.

Rock Band VR is definitely built around having as much fun with the experience as possible. There’s no right way or wrong way to any of it, just the sheer enjoyment of playing some classic tunes in a far more relaxed manner. Does it sometimes feel a bit much having to wear a headset, strap a guitar to you and have an Oculus Touch in the mix as well? Yes, yes it does, but quite frankly you probably won’t care when thrashing out some Bon Jovi.

There may have been a little longer to wait as the 2020 launch window went by but in all fairness, it was still worth it. The Climb 2 continues that simple, addictive gameplay that just draws you in, easy for newcomers to get to grips with whilst veterans should find enough new content to keep them happy. Crytek’s return to VR has been long overdue.

This is a video game for those that love Rick and Morty, and quite frankly that’s no bad thing. Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is a madcap, fun filled adventure from start to finish, perfectly suiting VR’s qualities, it should not be missed.

Those looking for a causal city-building experience might take satisfaction in it if they can master the late-game balancing, and fans of puzzle games will doubtless enjoy challenge mode. Hardcore city-planners will likely be too frustrated by the lack of depth, but it might be worth a look for them anyway.

Defector is such a mixed bag. The production values are top-notch as you’d expect from Twisted Pixel and Oculus Studios, and Defector employs great ideas for an exciting adventure, most of the time. A little more gameplay variety would’ve been nice, jumping out of windows, rappelling down ravines, climbing the Effiel Tower in a suit, you know, stupid spy stuff. It should have been Oculus Rift’s answer to Blood & Truth, however, the experience just misses the mark.

Maskmaker is very much a slow burner which you need to give time to develop past the first three levels, after which you’ll be rewarded with a rich puzzle experience. It took just over four hours to complete, feeling a lot less because the narrative is so engrossing. Much like A Fisherman’s Tale, Maskmaker is mostly a one and done title, there are hidden memory pieces to find if you didn’t manage to the first time around but that’s about it. Some sort of unlockable sandbox mode after the campaign ends to fill the mask makers store with your own designs would’ve been the icing on the cake. Even so, in Maskmaker InnerspaceVR has created a fine puzzle experience.

Phantom: Covert Ops offers a decent slice of immersive VR gaming that will be well suited to most gamers. The main campaign is a little short especially as the levels are repeated and the core gameplay does lack depth for more experienced players. Even so, Phantom: Covert Ops is entertaining and there’s enough to keep you invested for a good few hours. Hopefully, nDreams will build upon this concept rather than letting it sink into the depths.

It looks good, there are options for days and most importantly the gameplay is entertaining. GRIP: Combat Racing VR is pure digital witchcraft, making the addition of VR look seamless. Plus it’s a free update if you already own the original title, which is a bonus.

Torn is a beautiful title to look and showcases a premium level of detail and quality that’s only ever found in a few VR titles. The puzzles themselves maybe on the simple side and the ending is somewhat underwhelming yet that doesn’t detract from the wonderful adventure as a whole, with Torn evoking a charming strangeness that carries you through.

Sparc is a well-crafted multiplayer experience that can cheerfully absorb many hours of your time, if you have the stamina (and space in your house) for it. The lack of variety in the arenas and the dearth of single-player features is something of a disappointment, but overall, Sparc is an exciting and fun multiplayer title.

Marvel’s Iron Man VR does feel like its stretching the boundaries of what PlayStation VR and the Move controllers can do. Yes, the load times are very annoying yet the experience as a whole is still super satisfying. There might have been a few delays along the way but Camouflaj has made sure it was worth the wait. While there are plenty of hours of content to enjoy what’s most important is that exhilarating feeling of being Iron Man. Marvel’s Iron Man VR does that, making for a rewarding superhero experience.

The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a perfectly pleasant VR experience which features all the polish you’d expect from Fast Travel Games. If you have a child who’s really eager to try VR for the first time but you don’t want them jumping all over the place, damaging either equipment or themselves then this ideal. For everyone else, at the right price, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is still worth a pop, its a charming little VR experience.

On first inspection, A Rogue Escape didn’t seem like it was going to do anything too different yet it showcases how a traditional escape room videogame can be recreated and enhanced by VR. Playing around with all the systems is a lot of fun with a run through taking around 2-3 hours. The real shame is the replay factor, there is none. Once you’ve figured out what does what that initial spark is lost, and there’s nothing else to explore. But the same can be said for most games of this ilk. Even so, A Rogue Escape had its moments of greatness.

Despite some minor gripes, its clear that Apex Construct represents the way forward for VR videogames, an absorbing, intriguing experience that draws you in with a rich world complete with is own history and mysteries to be unravelled as well as a fluid combat system. Apex Construct is the standard by which future VR titles will be judged, and an indicator that VR has stepped up its game.

Borderlands 2 VR is most certainly a highlight of this year’s VR releases and one of the best titles yet to hit PlayStation VR. Its still Borderlands 2, sure, but you’ve never played Borderlands 2 like this before.

Technical gripes aside The Mage’s Tale is a really good magical adventure that really puts you into the heart of the experience. The story provides hours worth of gameplay and the potion creation side adds even more fun, mixing and matching various items to see what they do. If you’ve been looking for a decent fantasy RPG then you can’t go too far wrong with this.

There’s no doubt that The American Dream’s commentary on American gun culture will rile some, particularly at this point in the political landscape, nevertheless as a VR experience it’s certain worth your consideration.

At points Left-Hand Path is a little rough around the edges, it’s not as polished as The Mage’s Tale for example. But that doesn’t mean it can’t have a charm of its own. Strange Company has created a massive world that you can spend far too many hours in – the studio claims around 15, depending on deaths it’s going to be more. If you’re an RPG fanatic who wants to head out on a brutal adventure then Left-Hand Path is the videogame for you.

So is Arktika.1 that ground breaking VR experience all the promotion material would have you believe? On the one hand no not really, it’s a good looking single-player FPS that’s a VR version of Metro when being really cynical. However, should Oculus Rift owners buy Arktika.1, then that’s a definite yes. There’s a good eight hours of gameplay on the easiest setting, with the hard difficulty just making progress all that more brutal. 4A Games has created a highly refined, polished videogame that’s a joy to play from start to finish.

If you can master the somewhat difficult controls, there is a great deal of enjoyment to be found in Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars. Fans of the series should buy this immediately, and giant mech fans will also want to add it to their libraries. For others, it is certainly worth investigating, though the challenging controls might prove off-putting for some.

If you’re after a co-op experience on PlayStation VR Covert certainly shines in this department, with some great team-based moments. It does still feel like an Oculus Go port, from the visuals to the interactions. As such, there is a noticeable difference when playing co-op titles like The Angry Birds Movie 2: VR Under Pressure which is tailored to the system. That being said, this is definitely the best version of Covert to showcase the power of VR co-op.

Stride is a very mixed experience on Oculus Quest. Whilst that might be due to the PC version still being in early access and you’re essentially getting the same version here, this is still a full release for Quest, hence the review. Stride’s parkour mechanics are what really sell the experience as there’s nothing quite like it for Oculus Quest. There are points where the gameplay is very addictive and engrossing as you try to perfect each jump and wall run. On the other hand, Stride can get repetitive too quickly and lacks that spark to make it a great VR game.

With a unique art style and engaging story, Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son offers an unexpectedly enjoyable adventure, and you don’t even need to have seen the film. That being said, it’s time to see if Groundhog Day is online somewhere.

In all, there feel like somewhat minor gripes for a well-crafted, if somewhat brief, VR experience that delivers great storytelling and characterisation in a fascinating and funny universe. If it had a proper ended instead of just..stopping, it would be truly sublime.

Playing the main Megadimension Neptunia story in VR is mostly worth it, but the poorly-rendered VR-only sections do little or nothing to really add to proceedings other than hurt your eyes and make you feel awkward. Its fun, but unless you don’t already have a copy of the original title, its one for fans only.

nDreams is well versed in making highly polished VR titles and Fracked is no different. The art style is gorgeous, adding a comic book blend to the action playing out. And there are some wonderful ideas and mechanics employed. Unfortunately, they’re not given the time and breadth to be expanded upon, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to the narrative. Fracked is exuberant and exciting to play, it just burns too bright and fast.

Battlewake is a bit of a mixed experience. While its looks great and handles very well the multiplayer definitely carries the whole thing as the campaign is a little lacklustre. The combat is a good laugh once there are a few of you to banter with but it does get somewhat repetitive and so do the locations. Sea of Thieves in VR this certainly is not, on the other hand, for those not after sinking dozens of hours into a videogame to get anywhere Battlewake will have you wondering where the rum’s gone.

XR Games has ensured that should your home be empty and everyone’s busy you can still play the title in solo mode. But to be honest you’re best sticking to a solid single-player adventure for those times. Save The Angry Birds Movie 2: VR Under Pressure for what its good at, all-round multiplayer enjoyment suitable for most ages and abilities.

Korix tends to veer more towards ‘tower defence’ that RTS as a whole. The lack of story and blocky, basic graphical style let the side down somewhat. Despite that, it is fun to play for short sessions, especially in multiplayer, but lacks the depth for holding your attention for extended periods of time.

Ultimately DOOM VFR stands as a fine example of just what can be achieved with the FPS genre in VR as of today, lining-up against Robo Recall as an action-heavy experience that throws the rulebook out of the window. It’s true that the visual quality has suffered dramatically and the control systems could be seen as far too awkward by many, but the fact that DOOM VFR pushes so hard against the VR grain makes it well worth any PlayStation VR owner’s time and money.

Marvel Powers United VR really is a mixed bag of goodies. One the one hand are its high production values, with gorgeous character models and scenery, easy control schemes and comfortable gameplay style. It’s the repetition that lets it down, dissolving the gameplay down to basic wave-based combat. With four friends you’ll get some life out of Marvel Powers United VR, just not the heroic gameplay most were looking for.

Clash of Chefs VR has everything you could want from a VR cooking game, plenty of food, loads of modes and a nice wedge of lemon. The gameplay is fluid and once you get into a rhythm very satisfying to pump out order after order. Whilst it lacks the insane multiplayer madness of Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale, there’s enough succulent gameplay to keep you entertained for hours. An entertaining VR cooking experience through and through.

Déraciné is beautiful and atmospheric and has a deep and absorbing story to tell, but its easy to question why this needs to be a VR title. The tonal inconsistency and node-based movement might also be off-putting, but for those who wish to be absorbed in a story, Déraciné is worth giving a look.

The videogame does have its faults but they aren’t gameplay breaking. Killing Floor: Incursion’s single-player campaign is a glorious action romp that’s easy to play through in one sitting. One thing not mentioned so far is the fact that there’s a co-op option, and as every gamer should know, bringing a mate along to cover each others back only increases the fun factor.