From the outside looking it, The Climb 2 feels very much like the first, with its gamified freeclimbing and leaderboard-centric gameplay. But just under the surface is a newer, bolder game that goes in a few unexpected directions. New environments host fun gadgets like ziplines and moving platforms, and plenty of choice when it comes to self-imposed difficulty. Level design is spot on, although visuals could be better optimized for a more immersive experience.

Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality perfectly matches the show's hilarity and absurdity, and truly feels like an extended episode of the show. As a clone of Morty, and consequently the lowliest creature in the Smith household, you don't get to go on all of the adventures with Rick, but somehow the tedium inherent to the studio's predecessor 'Job Simulator' all pays off in the most Rick-way possible. [Tested with HTC Vive, Oculus Touch]

Defector serves up some high-octane set pieces that are clearly inspired by the myriad of Mission Impossible films, but is hobbled by a lackluster arcade shooter and toothless interactions with NPCs to boot. Its bog standard action movie narrative is mostly forgettable, but users may forgive many of Defector's cons considering its $20 launch price.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow does an admirable job of translating the storied series into VR for the first time. While it does suffer from some stumbling blocks that tarnish an otherwise golden example of VR-native design, the latter half of the game seems to tread water, offering up reused levels and an ending that probably won't work for anyone.

Phantom: Covert Ops should be commended for its innovative core design. The 'tactical kayak' may sound contrived but it really works and brings something very unique to VR. While it feels natural to steer with your paddle and manage your inventory as you glide across the waterways, it's the higher-level gameplay and storytelling that's missing depth and detail. Though it's nice to have the addition of Free Play (where you get to select your own loadout) and Challenges (where you test your mettle in kayaking and shooting), we would have much preferred to see these beats carefully woven into the core gameplay than tacked on as padding. [Tested with Oculus Rift S]

Batman: Arkham VR plays like a long demo with highly detailed and immersive environments and fun (if one-dimensional) gameplay. For Rocksteady’s first attempt at a VR game, Arkham VR is a solid foundation for what we hope will be future episodic installments. What the game lacks in mobility and action it makes up for in storytelling and satisfying object interaction. Overall Arkham VR is a taste of the potential virtual reality can offer the series, but leaves us wanting more varied gameplay. [Tested with PSVR]

Alien: Rogue Incursion is the first VR-native game in the Aliens franchise, blending action-packed combat and exploration with an authentic cinematic atmosphere. While its intense encounters and immersive environments shine, the repetitive alien battles and punishing save system can dampen the overall experience.

Budget Cuts 2 takes the series in a slightly different direction, as it puts more emphasis on straight-forward storytelling and conventional action. That said, it still offers up a nice slice of adrenaline-soaked fun, as you plan your way around instant death, but it may leave you wistful for the first's patently fresh outlook on life.

Torn is a single player adventure game that’s inspired by arguably the greatest sci-fi television of all time, The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. There’s much to like about Torn, but in the end it left me feeling, well, a bit torn.

Eagle Flight brings the unbridled joy of flying to VR. With its sense of speed, stern challenge, and unparalleled levels of control and comfort it’s only the fact that it plays so safely within its own sandbox that stops it getting a perfect score. [Tested with Oculus Rift]

Iron Man VR isn't perfect, but it's the most complete and compelling VR superhero game to date. Studio Camouflaj has crafted a experience which feels whole by successfully weaving unique VR gameplay with an iconic character and a worthwhile story. Most of the game's ideas are well executed—especially its break-neck yet comfortable flying mechanics—including a few unique moments which you might not have expected from this game.

The story, while pretty simplistic, uses classic gaming tropes that aren't hard to swallow, but consequently leave little aftertaste. The lack of any penalty for dying leeches some of the excitement of killing the world's titanic bosses, although in the end, Windlands 2 competently sets the stage for a larger, more epic dive into the evil that destroyed the world. Looking past some of the smaller blemishes, what remains is a beautiful, and difficult platformer that promises more fun yet to come.

Though the concept really works and the experience is enjoyable and comfortable, A Rogue Escape would have benefited from more carefully tuning input for specific VR controllers, more polished audio, and more content length.

The totality of the game lacks effective pacing as it bounces back and forth from puzzle to combat with little sense of synergy and no apparent climax. For those that are compelled by Boneworks' combat, the Arena and Sandbox modes offer up a great opportunity for extended gameplay, though we would have liked to see an emphasis on user-generated levels so that the community might flesh out concepts that didn't hit their stride in the campaign.

Borderlands 2 VR technically works in VR but hasn't managed to escape the feeling of being an outright port. There's not much to the game which really feels like it's making good use of VR, and more than a handful of players are likely to find the game uncomfortable without cranking up the comfort settings. By the time you add up all the cons of playing the game in VR—no co-op, no DLC, no VR-specific interactions, poor graphics, gamepad-first design, and necessary immersion-reducing comfort settings—you might start to wonder why you aren't just playing the original Borderlands 2 in PSVR's 'game theater' mode—if not on your TV without the bother of the headset.

Until Dawn: Rush of Blood starts out swell, slowly teaching you the gameplay mechanics while staying within the creepy haunted house ride theme. But as the game progresses the flaws really begin to show. Between the lack of interesting enemies and the basic shooting gameplay it’s just not that entertaining and falls flat. I found that fighting my way through seven levels was more of a chore than a fun gaming experience. For $20 there are better games out there. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is game you can probably live without playing. [Tested with PlayStation VR]

Creating and casting magical spells in VR is an awesome experience that I didn't ever get tired of, but if a sequel is in the works, finer character animation and more locomotion options should be on the docket to turn up the immersion factor.

Arktika.1 falters somewhat with a thin story line that doesn't match up with the grandiosity of the game's impressive visuals. Shooting is a natural and genuinely fun experience and level design is immersive, although enemy types and puzzles can start to feel repetitive at times.

Although it's not "Mirror's Edge in VR," STRIDE takes some of the most visible influences from the game and nearly perfects them in VR. Offering a few humble arcade-style modes where the action plays out, the free running shooter serves up high-flying thrills that are importantly comfortable to the user. There's some learning curve to finesse the game's parkour locomotion and arcade shooting, and it's not without issue, but otherwise this Quest port is a good example of modern VR design implemented to make flatscreen-style action fast and accessible to VR users.

When the best thing you can say about a VR game is that it makes you want to play its non-VR inspiration, an opportunity has been missed. There are definitely glimpses of the game it could have been, but too few to salvage the experience. Add a point if a substantial patch materialises to address some of the issues.

Farpoint is one of the most complete single-player VR games available today with a high level of polish, compelling combat sandbox with interesting and varied weapons & enemies, and a serviceable story. It's also exciting proof that a more 'traditional' FPS can work in VR. [Tested with PlayStation VR + Aim on PS4 Pro]

Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son may not feature the most engaging gameplay, or technically precise controls, however it delivers a hearty helping of genuine sincerity that definitely sticks with you. Tedium plays a fair part here, which can grate on your nerves, although it's definitely fitting considering the source material.

Fracked has a lot going for it: satisfying weapon interactions, a great visual style, a unique and very functional cover system, and a handful of side activities like skiing, climbing, and light puzzling to break up the game's pace. When it comes to combat, the game lacks the variety necessary to keep things interesting through the end, petering out early on with just three enemies and two main weapons. The story does its best to drive the action forward, but feels underdeveloped, leaving the player wondering what their motivations are and scratching their head at the perplexing ending.

Battlewake serves up a short campaign and buffet of online modes that mostly do their job, although it's hard to say whether the plucky little pirate battler truly lives up to its full potential. The campaign, which should be an important anchor in times of VR multiplayer uncertainty, presents a melange of same-ish enemies and a forgettable story. The game's online modes aren't taking any risks either, although there's no telling how the community will take to Battlewake, which presents some fresh locomotion ideas and a good dose of wow-factor.

Cyan's remake of iconic late '90s puzzle-adventure RIVEN is better than the point-and-click classic in a lot of ways, although VR support feels a little rough around the edges to be truly native. Still, Riven is such a clever and beautiful game that middling VR support only slightly tarnishes what now feels like a modern entry alongside the studio's most recent titles.

Star Wars Vader Immortal - Episode II continues the dark tale of Vader's search for immortality, and while it is just as well-conceived as the first, its main flaw is the lightning fast runtime of 30 minutes, which barely gives you enough time to get into the swing of using your new force powers before the credits roll. A second installment of the wave-based Lightsaber Dojo does an excellent job of keeping you entertained afterwards, although if you're just here for the story you may leave a bit disappointed.

Marvel Powers United VR's high production value can't keep secret the game's true identity: unabashed wave shooting mechanics, bland enemies, and arcade gameplay that's more about points than fun or skill. If you were hoping that Powers United would make you feel like your favorite superhero, you'll be disappointed that the game offers no story, character development/progression, or meaningful exploration of the rich Marvel universe, and instead hinges around collecting outfits, poses, and props.

Espire 1: VR Operative excels in delivering some familiar stealth combat in a new, more immersive package, albeit with a few hiccups along the way. In addition to its superhuman acrobatics, you may find Espire 1 a serviceable Metal Gear-style game, although it is still somewhat rough around the edges due to stupid AI, a standard but forgettable story, and a general lack of haptics and solid world geometry that might otherwise have sent this high-flying stealth combat game yet higher.