Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual! is one of those VR experiences you want to love because the characters are so well defined, amusing and likeable, even when Max is handing you a bundle of lit TNT. That’s not enough to carry the experience when a big chunk of the gameplay is either shallow or frustratingly twitchy. Clocking in around 3-5 hours, once the final boss was down that was really enough, with no desire to pop back into improve a mini-game ranking. The pictures of all the old games were kind of cool though.

So was Sniper Elite VR worth the anticipation and wait? Most definitely. It’s not without issues trying to find that balance between being a fun experience for all whilst giving VR veterans a videogame they can really get stuck into. When you do get into it though, Sniper Elite VR becomes a thoroughly engrossing VR shooter as you read the environment, study enemy movements and take that vital long-range shot. Doing that continually over the 7+ hour campaign seems very repetitive but lining up that perfect shot never is.

There’s plenty of content on offer if you love RTS gaming with options galore to keep you coming back for more. Even though it isn’t a perfect experience and larger, more insane battles would be great, Eternal Starlight is still wonderfully fun to play.

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.

On the one hand, the weapons are great and you could easily spend hours in the shooting range mixing and matching components. The 4-5 hour campaign is ok until you get further in and notice some of the glaring issues and glitches like the AI or the rather bland design choices. Best played on the hardest difficulty setting for any real challenge, Zero Caliber: Reloaded gets enough right to be worth a look, but only just.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Little Chicken has managed to take an unusual idea and make it work really well as a virtual reality (VR) experience. Best played in short 30-minute durations as it can become a little grinding if you try and play for over an hour straight, nonetheless Traffic Jams provides an enjoyable and engaging arm flailing time. It would’ve been nice if the multiplayer had some more substance to really trip the VR player up though. The kind of VR experience everyone can have fun with no matter their skill level.

With its colourful aesthetic, muppet-like characters and off-the-wall sense of humour Floor Plan 2 is a delight, perfectly suited to the Oculus Quest platform. The pacing and complexity of the gameplay is very well crafted, ensuring players of all ages should enjoy exploring all the various floors. It could do with being a little more difficult especially for puzzle fans but the experience is still satisfying to complete. As Floor Plan 2 does a lot right and little wrong, this is an easy win when it comes to purchasing.

Day of Heroes: D-Day offers some nice level ideas and decent visuals that do allow you to become engrossed in the gameplay at points. But it is a very middle of the road VR shooter with mechanics which could do with some refinement and more comfort options to support player requirements. One aspect Day of Heroes: D-Day does completely miss is heart, you’re in the midst of a war yet it feels very ‘by the numbers’, a videogame you could like but never love.

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.

Drawing inspiration from The Little Prince, the early 20th-Century novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Stargaze feels very much like a piece of children’s piece of interactive literature. It offers a pleasant narrative set amongst the stars with enough wonderment and interactive controls to keep them entertained. For most players this will be a one and done experience that’ll last a couple of hours at most, even the last couple of puzzles aren’t too difficult. Short, wholesome VR puzzle gaming.

There are points where A Wake Inn provides some superb VR design more games should have and it never felt like there was nothing to do. But clunky elements stutter the experience making it less refined. It was close to being a great VR title, instead, falling into the average horror crowd.

Ryte: The Eye of Atlantis is a story-driven puzzle title with a nice flair for the dramatic. Grand elements are littered throughout, from the giant centurion battles to the towering temple at the city centre, yet there’s a sense a lot of this grandeur has been cut back. Especially when the first playthrough unlocked the Steam achievement for completing the videogame in 1 hour 30 minutes. It isn’t a complete one and done thankfully as there are multiple endings depending on five key choices you make along the way which gives the gameplay some much-need depth. Ryte: The Eye of Atlantis has some great ideas whilst seemingly missing some obvious ones.

Machizzle is a perfectly likeable puzzle title for fans of the genre. While it doesn’t necessarily set itself apart when it comes to features, the gameplay is solid and perfectly suited for most players as there’s no need to worry about locomotion – there is none. If the studio can build a strong community of players then that’s where Machizzle could really shine thanks to the level editor. VR may have a strong contingent of titles in this genre but thanks to a packed solo campaign and the sandbox mode, Machizzle offers good value puzzling.

The fast and furious gameplay is instantaneous, grab a gun and shoot it, with the real enjoyment coming from dodging all over the place. It’s like you’re in a sci-fi dodgeball tournament without the worry of a ball smacking you in the face. Plus the studio has managed to give it that wow factor with some really eye-popping aesthetics. If you’re looking for a deeply engrossing experience this isn’t it, Blaston is more suited to quick-fire gaming sessions.

Much like the comic books it’s based around, Tarzan VR is a light affair that can be easily consumed in stages. The action isn’t too particularly tough, and the enemies aren’t at all clever but the overall experience is enjoyable enough for a couple of hours. Be aware that the episodic nature of Tarzan VR’s delivery means only buying the first instalment will give you a slice of the tale, rather than each having its own self-contained storyline. It does do a lot of things right as well, lots of interactive elements, great movement and some excellent audio throughout. For a franchise with such a long history, Tarzan VR does it justice.

What you see is what you get with Gamedust’s latest VR experience and that’s no bad thing. From the aesthetics to the locomotion, Yupitergrad is a nicely crafted VR game which was thrilling to play at points. The light humour gives it character few VR titles achieve, nicely offsetting those moments of frustration. It would’ve been nice if there was a bit more because Slavic Spider-Man deserves it.

There’s been so much anticipation for The Walking Dead Onslaught thanks to Survios’ excellent back catalogue that it was predictable expectations were high. The studio has continued its high production values with a great looking VR game, a superb soundtrack and of course the official affiliation to entice fans. Yet there are clearly deficiencies in the gameplay such as the most dangerous knife ever created to the overall lack of depth. The Walking Dead Onslaught isn’t a bad videogame, it just doesn’t do anything special.

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.

Here you have a good example of why indie developers are such a vital part of the VR industry. Cubism would never have been made by a big studio yet it deserves your attention nonetheless. Easy to pick up yet difficult to complete, it may take some an hour whilst others will take five. It’s the kind of VR game you can give to anyone and they’ll instantly know what to do, because who doesn’t know how to place a few blocks together.

Gnomes & Goblins started out so well and would have easily suited that style for another hour, providing a short entertaining experience. Instead what’s been presented is a piece of content with two distinctly different sides, the latter trying to flesh out the former with inconsistent gameplay which waters down the charm. If you pick up Gnomes & Goblins enjoy the beginning sequence and then replay, just don’t go any further.

Falcone Age is one of those little VR adventures which has bags of character, easily able to charm even the most hardnosed of gamers. The co-op companionship and storyline are certainly its two best features, calling you back into tie-up any missed secrets. There are some areas which aren’t faultless and at points, the locations can seem sparse of things to do but they don’t make the title a bad game. One to consider if you’re looking for a nice, narrative-driven experience where you can raise a falcon.

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.

Moose Life is quite clearly one of those indie titles which has been made for the love of videogames. Cheap and cheerful, it’s like a playful puppy which just wants to have some fun because life doesn’t always need to be serious. There might not be a lot of depth to the experience or options but for those looking for a quick injection of easy retro gaming, Llamasoft has got your back.

What Shooty Skies Overdrive offers is an entertaining arcade shooter, great for those times when you want to dive into a VR game that’s not too overly complicated. The powerups help to break up the repetitive nature of the gameplay whilst the aesthetics give the overall experience a charming personality which makes Shooty Skies Overdrive great for any age.