Since the game is still in Early Access we are withholding final judgement, but as it stands I’m very impressed by Until You Fall. Visually it’s on point with an amazingly lush neon art style and a soundtrack that pumps and thuds just as violently as your sword slashes. The replayable rogue-lite elements help keep things fresh and all of the various weapons and augmentations ensure a sense of progression, but it does still feel a bit shallow overall. I’m excited to see what all gets added while Schell Games spend the next several months finalizing it in Early Access on Steam.

Cosmonious High is another fantastic place to start for VR newcomers but, four games in, maybe it’s time Owlchemy started to think about loosening those training wheels a little.

Despite some missed opportunities, Humanity is still an excellent release and nonetheless compelling in VR. It's a great fit for the medium and a brilliant example of Sony's PS5/PSVR 2 dual offering strategy, also seen in Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil Village.

Structurally, Mothergunship: Forge is a familiar VR game in an oversaturated genre. But its central feature that lets you endlessly customize a massive arsenal of weapons is so well realized that you can easily brush off any sense of deja vu. Bringing that original hook from the flatscreen game to VR completely revolutionizes how the mechanic works, and you’ll find yourself coming back for runs time and again not just to progress further in the game but simply to see what weapon of unparalleled destruction you can whip up next. Much of Mothergunship: Forge is a tried and true VR shooter, but when you bolt-on that extra grenade launcher and power it up with a fleet of lava mines, what’s old is new again. [Recommended]

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy And The Liar is a great puzzle game that falls just short of essential given that not all players are going to find a fit with its trial-and-error style of intentionally designed frustration. But this is bigger, better and more richly developed than its predecessor, with escape room-like puzzles that are an absolute joy to unlock one at a time. If you liked the first game, you’ll love the sequel and the added detail is a joy to behold. We can’t wait to see what Schell Games does with this franchise in the future.

For the most part, Moss: Book 2 is the satisfying sequel you’d expect. It adds brilliant new gameplay mechanics that make for some innovative combat encounters, whilst puzzles prove to be a surprise highlight. More impressive, though, are some of the ways the game catches you off-guard with both the story and that series-defining bond you establish with Quill reaching new heights. But, just as with the first entry, you’re left wanting more of just about everything; its a longer game but still on the lean side, ending just as its best ideas start to get fleshed out. Greedy as it may sound, this still isn’t the sweeping epic you know this series has in it, but instead another reassuring step towards getting there. I’m convinced Polyarc has that game in its future but, for now, Moss: Book 2 is another excellent chapter in a wider story for Quill that drives home that familiar feeling that the best is still to come. [Upload Recommended]

Adhering so closely to the original doesn’t necessarily make the PC VR version of the game superior to the Quest edition. Dense jungles might be easy to trek through on a flatscreen, but it’s far more tedious in VR, and some of the concessions Quest makes in this regard ultimately suit the platform better. The great news is that, whether you want a deep, demanding survival game with complex systems, or a more welcoming conversion that’s more considerate of VR design, there’s a version of Green Hell VR for you. [Recommended]

Killer Frequency is a treat. It’s goofy and schlocky in all the best ways without deflating the thrilling tension in its scariest moments and presents a clever twist on the horror genre that doesn’t lean into some of the frustrating tropes you might find in the average horror game. There were moments that had me sweating enough to fog up my headset just as there were moments that had me laughing out loud. I’m usually not the biggest fan of horror games, especially not VR ones, but Killer Frequency hits just the right notes for me to easily recommend this game to anyone looking for a fright, a chuckle or a clever puzzle.

If you’ve ever wanted to leave your universe behind and have a space adventure from the comfort of your living room, I can’t think of a better way to do it than with No Man’s Sky on PSVR 2. [Recommended]

Between the enhanced controls, new features and F1 World, F1 23 presents a welcome improvement on its predecessor. While PC VR support feels more reliable, several problems stop this from becoming the definitive VR racing game, and Braking Point sometimes misses the mark. Even still, EA goes beyond a standard roster update and I can see myself returning to the grid frequently. [Recommended]

Codemasters has captured Formula 1’s more thrilling aspects brilliantly in VR for F1 22 and I’ve never felt so immersed in a racing game before. While I’m sad to see the story mode go and didn’t care hugely for F1 Life, I can see F1 22 appealing to both long-term series fans and newcomers seeking a fresh racer. Hopefully we’ll see a post-launch patch will fix these performance issues but if you’re happy to compromise for the moment, F1 22 is a great choice that comes recommended.

This is a full-hearted marvel with the capacity for laughter and amazement, paired with the mechanical intricacy with substance. In short, you’d be a sucker to miss Tentacular. [UploadVR Recommended]

It’s an absolute delight to unravel the mystery of The Last Clockwinder and beyond satisfying to feel such a strong level of creative and intellectual control over the solutions to each puzzle. With no wrong answer to any given problem, it’s a puzzle game that centres itself around letting you choose your own approach at all times. If you’re looking for a relaxing yet stimulating few hours in VR, The Last Clockwinder comes highly recommended. [Recommended]

There’s a wealth of blockbuster campaigns and arcade games for PSVR 2, but there’s nothing else quite like Before Your Eyes. This is an essential experience for the platform that leverages eye tracking technology to tell a compelling story that simply wouldn’t work without it.

Horizon Call of the Mountain is a brilliant way to kick off PSVR 2 and remains compelling until the very end. By leaning into the medium’s physicality, Firesprite and Guerrilla created a game that could only work in VR and simultaneously feels faithful to the Horizon franchise. I do wish Ryas was a more interesting character and while I wouldn’t call the gameplay revelatory, what’s here feels incredibly polished and looks absolutely stunning. This is an undoubtably an essential game for all PlayStation VR2 owners. [Essential]

One of the most beloved aspects of the Civilization series is how it makes 4X strategy accessible and unusually nice to look at, at least compared to its many bureaucratic peers in the genre. This port sacrifices both of those defining facets without any meaningful consolation. Civilization VII VR is a good enough proof of concept that is desperately in need of its own flavour. Sure, it works, but at what cost?

Vader Immortal isn’t perfect. It’s very much the first part of a larger series, one that leaves you wanting more of each of its individual elements. But it’s a significant step forward for VR, bolstering a line-up of experiences that emphasize audience emotions over playable technicalities. The pay-off, it successfully argues, is richer than any immersive Star Wars experience before it. ILMxLAB once labeled this as ‘story-living’ over storytelling. A touch hyperbolic, perhaps, but I’m inclined to agree.

Synapse is a strong addition to PlayStation VR2's library that any FPS fan should buy. While gameplay would benefit from greater variety, I remain impressed by how eye tracking complements combat to make telekinesis feel highly satisfying. Reaching the end feels rewarding and when the visuals look this good, early PSVR 2 adopters won't want to miss it. [Recommended]

VR Skater is an enjoyable skateboarding sim that may frustrate anyone seeking quick gratification. Memorizing new tricks is tough, making it challenging to master and a steep learning curve means basic controls only go so far. If you're willing to invest time into learning advanced moves, earning gold medals across maps feels rewarding but rough edges make it difficult to outright recommend.

As an outsider, this is a fun, comprehensive distraction that gave me a different kind of VR empowerment for an afternoon, but also something I’m not itching to return to. If you’ve already made a hobby out of remixing music, though, you owe it to yourself to give Electronauts a go.

A good horror VR game needs that special formula to keep players coming back and while Phasmophobia is a highly enjoyable experience with friends, it's a tough sell as a single player game. There's still fun to be had and if you can overlook the janky mechanics, which are heightened by the make-believe recreation of a haunted house, then welcome to the life of a paranormal investigator.

Vertigo Games has summoned the particular 90s adventure game charm of The 7th Guest in this VR adaptation, reinterpreting it as a spooky, nuanced mystery that feels like a good fit for the medium. I did find myself bogged down by some frustrating puzzles and tension-scuppering interaction issues, but the promise of the narrative and consistent visual spectacle kept me invested throughout. As long as you’re patient enough for its puzzles, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this malevolent virtual manor.

At its best, Budget Cuts is a gleeful stealth playground that thrives on the spontaneity it demands of players. But it’s a game that can also succumb to the weight of its lofty ambitions just as often as it realizes them. We won’t be ready to put a final score on Neat Corp’s debut until we see how its bugs work out, but right now Budget Cuts shows how far we’ve come and how far we’ve still got to go.

If you’re like me and want something more, Legends is disappointing. While it’s commendable that Codemasters managed to get the game running on mobile hardware, making this a Quest exclusive instead of an optional VR mode on other platforms adds an expectation that simply hasn’t been met. Even though the racing remains enjoyable, you could play this anywhere else and have a better time. The wider compromises on Quest aren’t worth it.

As it stands, Concrete Genie’s PSVR offering won’t offend with its vibrant palette. It just won’t do much else, either.

Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom is authentic to its source material and it’s good to see Maze Theory create an original in-universe story that leverages new material recorded by members of the original cast, such as Cillian Murphy. However, the many issues and simplistic gameplay mean that The King’s Ransom is probably only of interest to the most hardcore fans of the show. Gorgeous environments, an engaging story and quality voice acting aren’t enough to lift the game beyond what is ultimately an average VR experience.

As it stands, Stride has a great foundation that doesn’t apply itself properly. A few tricky aspects aside, the game handles incredibly well, capturing the thrills, speed and exhaustion of parkour. But, while certainly addictive, the three modes on offer in the current Oculus Quest release don’t make the most of the mechanics, and feel like they’re in service to missing, larger modes. Those other options are on the way and we’ll take a look at Stride again once they’re here but, for now, Stride is a fun game with modes that can’t keep the pace going.

Fracked is a blast to play, even if it isn’t quite the massive shooter epic to round out the PSVR era. By all means, its arena-based action is polished and thrilling, offering refined fast-paced action with intense combat setpieces. But the game’s simply over far too soon, never getting a chance to really expand on its core elements and deliver the rich experience its mechanics deserve. Fracked starts off at a sprint and never really lets up, but the finish line is far closer than it should have been.

Even if the overall package doesn't always reach the same high bar set by the first game, Innerspace nonetheless presents a worthy sequel in Another Fisherman's Tale. It's a game that successfully shoots for a wider scope, while still experimenting with unique mechanics that engage with virtual reality in exciting new ways. Fans of the original should be pleased with how the sequel develops on its predecessor, while series newcomers might find themselves impressed by the originality on display. For either group, Another Fisherman's Tale comes recommended. [Recommended]

In the end, I came away disappointed. A diehard fan of Riven may find appreciation in its meticulous reproduction of a world from their memories, yet even then, it has issues that hold it back, some of which are exacerbated by its otherwise successful shift in perspective. If you’re a newcomer to this world, the choice is obvious: as majestic as its world may be, it’s difficult to recommend.

Vader Immortal Episode II has the odd tone of a mid-game tutorial, more concerned with laying the foundations for what’s to come narratively and stubbornly determined to explore less-exciting gameplay mechanics. With those foundations established, though, there’s a hope that ILMxLAB has removed some of the hurdles it might have otherwise encountered in Episode III.

If you're seeking a new VR puzzle adventure, Firmament can certainly fit the bill and long-term Cyan fans will likely find plenty to enjoy here. I wanted to like it more but with all above caveats, I can't outright recommend it.

Despite my issues, overall Pixel Ripped 1978 remains a worthwhile addition to your library, especially for those seeking a dose of retro gaming nostalgia. [Recommended]

If you’re able to optimize your setup and come in with the right expectations, I’d still say Gorn is an easy recommendation for PSVR fans. No, you’re not getting an epic adventure comparable to the bar-raising The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, but there’s still some of VR’s most entertaining combat on offer here.

Doom 3: VR Edition is a serviceable port of a decent shooter that was never intended to be played in VR. While there’s undeniable novelty to seeing id’s spookier take on the series realised in full 3D and some combat sequences do work better inside the headset, the game’s unable to separate itself from its flatscreen foundations and never plays to the platform’s real strengths. It’s a bit of VR junk food, then; easy to digest and enjoyable while it lasts but, in the grand scheme of VR gaming, you can do a lot better. Maybe it’s time we accepted Doom’s demonic antics are best left on our PCs and consoles.

Good Goliath does what it sets out to do; it’s a simple VR game with an arcade flavour and easy to learn controls. It’s accessible, and that’s good, but it’s also very basic, and that’s bad. The moment to moment gameplay can often feel frustrating as you simply duck and dodge incoming objects and throw them back, but in the boss fights it gives you a glimpse of the technical skill and excellent design that the team is capable of. If Good Goliath had been a boss rush only game it would be far easier to recommend, but it’s sadly just a little too limited to be worth your time if you’ve played much else in VR.

Winds & Leaves is an untroubling little VR game, both in the restorative nature of its farming mechanics and, ultimately, how simple and inoffensive it is. Soothing and wholesome, it’s a game about losing yourself in the satisfaction of honest work and clean living. But, even with the game’s angle of relaxation considered, it’s ultimately just a little too straightforward for its own good and some clunky elements end up holding it back. Winds & Leaves is a breezy remedy for a VR’s otherwise action-packed summer, but it’s only a temporary retreat.

The experience itself is good fun and a mostly engaging horror shooter from start to end. It blends together arcade gameplay elements with intense horror action, bringing some fantastic enemy designs and brilliant settings into the fray. While the visuals might not be the most stunning we’ve seen on the platform, it’s nonetheless competent and what lacks in fidelity it makes up for in style. Though probably not a system seller, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is a good PSVR 2 exclusive and an easy recommendation for fans of horror and arcade action. [Recommended]

Sony Pictures VR and nDreams have built a solid foundation for a decent co-op multiplayer experience with Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord. We've found good mechanics and an overall engaging presentation in what we've played so far, but we'll need to play more to report properly on the online multiplayer experience and performance across different headsets. The biggest lingering question is whether there's enough variety to sustain players coming back for multiple sessions across the main campaign, let alone beyond that.

My heart bleeds for Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall. It’s a game of genuinely admirable aspiration that, in many ways, is painfully close to achieving its goals. But every time I started to settle into its gorgeous world and brilliantly over-the-top-lore one of its many issues would make itself known. The combat is a mess in need of a significant overhaul, the UI is fussy and unhelpful, and a string of bugs and puzzle roadblocks kill any sense of momentum. With more time under the hood, a lot of these issues could have been refined and Tempestfall would have been a highlight in a meager year for PC VR releases. As it stands, this offering might be only worthy of Sigmar’s wrath.

Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable is a disappointing adaptation of the popular series. While UNIVRS has done well with the combat and the controls, everything else ultimately falls flat. Between the performance issues, inconsistent visual quality, unreliable allies during solo missions and a short yet repetitive campaign, what's here feels rushed and unpolished.

As a live-service game with a long road map ahead of it, it would be too early to consider this our ‘final’ verdict of Firewall Ultra. However, in its launch state, the game is riddled with bugs, as well as frustrating UI and design decisions that often make it a drag to play. If you nonetheless wade through all that, the core PvP Contracts and the new co-op Exfil mode can still be tense and exhilarating with the right team. If these issues are ironed out, it may have better prospects in the long run with more content to come. However, the pricing structure at launch (with its push towards additional in-app purchases after the initial base game purchase) cynically encourages you to spend more to unlock additional content and features. It’s difficult to recommend Firewall Ultra to PSVR 2 owners right now, especially compared to progression-less but more polished and varied options like Pavlov.

After The Fall fills a hole in the VR market that’s been empty for far too long. It’s a polished, engaging shooter that will get its hooks into you after even just a few of its Harvest Runs thanks to the remarkable ease with which you can find friends to play with on any headset. But it’s also true that this is a mechanically straightforward shooter that’s closer to the breezy simplicity of Arizona Sunshine than it is the rivals that have long since surpassed Vertigo’s original VR hit. But that’s a calculated decision, and one that will likely work in After The Fall’s favor as it seeks to grow as large a userbase as possible. The verdict’s not quite in yet, but After The Fall might just be the co-op VR shooter to beat.

Front Defense feels like a game that was made without an audience in mind. The dedicated VR users that have enough space (it needs approximately three square meters of room) will have played plenty of VR shooters by now, many that are just better than this. The core gamers a WWII shooter is supposed to appeal to will get bored far too quickly with the lack of depth. And the small sliver of people left in the middle that are hungry enough to buy just another wave shooter will leave disappointed that this isn’t a more complete experience from Vive Studios.

Twilight Path’s gorgeous visuals and massive world aren’t enough to hide the lackluster puzzle solving and brief journey through the spirit world. Since the adventure is over far too soon at barely more than an hour of gameplay, there really isn’t enough here to entice even the most hardcore puzzle gaming fans. Form was an excellent debut VR puzzle adventure for Charm Games, but Twilight Path feels like a step back. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Twilight Path’s spirit world aren’t the only things about this game that are lifeless.

Separation is a game with something to say, it just spends too long trying to say it. While I wanted to fall for its wistful mountain climbs and poignant canyon descents, I became too frustrated with its tedious core treasure hunt to stop and pay its wider implications much mind. I suspect that some will make those connections, lost in the game’s alluring fog, but many more will be done with this pilgrimage long before it’s over.

I’m struggling to think of a scenario in which I’d recommend The Walking Dead: Onslaught. Functionally, it works, and there are some bright spots here since you get to step foot inside the world of the show and interact with iconic characters — but the compliments mostly stop there. Campaign missions are extremely linear and uninspired, Scavenge runs utilize a ludicrous red fog to represent “The Horde” while you collect random scrap parts, and combat fails to ever give you much of a reason to graduate beyond the basic combat knife. I hate to say it, but The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is just a much better example of how to create an immersive VR world, much better use of the source material, and much better game in general.

Space Channel 5 VR should have been a glorious return to form, but this cult hit series can’t keep up with the beat set by its competitors. The surprisingly brief campaign coasts on by without ever pushing your skills and, once it’s over, there’s very little else to do. Ulala and co are long overdue a return to the main stage, but this isn’t it.

A painfully dull test of endurance, Time Carnage is as lifeless as VR wave shooters come. Even for an over-saturated genre, this is surprisingly devoid of invention; stand in place, shoot hordes of incoming attackers, unlock a new gun, do it all again. There is at least enough functional content to save the game from reaching Pixel Gear levels of travesty, but there are many, many other wave shooters you should play instead of this.

There are fun and novel ideas at the center of Siegecraft Commander — such as the unique base building and inventive use of slingshot-style mechanics — but it doesn’t translate well to VR. After playing my neck hurt and I found the controls less than precise. If a bit more polish had been given to the VR integration it could have helped elevate things, but at the end of the day it felt more monotonous than strategically rewarding.

The audience that will find something valuable with this VR reimagining is incredibly small, mostly split between players with experience of the original or those curious about video game history. Even for them, the VR design choices will be jarring and hamper the core Colossal Cave experience, rather than enabling it. That audience, however, does not include those looking for a satisfying adventure in VR and that’s why you should probably steer clear of Colossal Cave until further notice… At least in VR, anyway. [Avoid]

Despite its good intentions Eden Tomorrow rarely breaks free of its many issues. An intensely disagreeable sidekick, dull pacing and by-the-numbers plotting will put you on autopilot for 90% of the game. There are moments of magic here but, for the most part, Eden Tomorrow is simply a slog.

Flow Weaver is a sometimes entertaining, sometimes frustrating, and wholly forgettable break from reality which, by the end of its short but needlessly stretched-out hour of gameplay, left me ready to escape to some other game. If you love sorcery and you’re jonesing for a chance to cast a few spells in VR, there are certainly better alternatives like Waltz of the Wizard. However, the puzzles offered in Flow Weaver are still worth checking out if you absolutely love the escape room genre. If so, you’ll be rewarded with some genuinely nice looking environments that are easy on the senses.

Gungrave was a poorly received shooter in 2002. 16 years on, Gungrave VR copies and pastes its mechanics, tacks on pointless VR support and builds about 50 minutes worth of new content into the game. That’s not exactly a recipe for a runaway hit, is it?

As gorgeous and well-intentioned as it may be, it’s tough to recommend Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia in its current form. There are moments of splendor in this opening act, but they’re far too fleeting and around a third of the incredibly short 45-minute runtime is spent watching its world instead of interacting with it. ROTU will have its work cut out for it in future episodes if this series is to bounce back from this underwhelming first installment but, for what it’s worth, we’re rooting for it.

Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is short, and for once in a linear game, that’s a good thing, because I wanted to move on with my life the second I had finished playing it. Casually prejudiced, generic in nearly every way, and an absolute bore to slog through, it genuinely might be the worst game on PlayStation VR. If you’re given this as a gift, cut out that person from your life, even if they’re a blood relative. It isn’t worth it.

Dying: Reborn PSVR has some fun puzzles to solve, but it’s far too short on substance to recommend to anyone. By carving out sections of the non-VR game, Oasis Games has created something a little like the game’s disturbing fish-headed protagonist; a hollow Frankenstein’s monster, brought to life with left overs. PSVR players deserve better.

With its colorful comic book throwbacks, First Impact clearly has the heart of a hero and even the foundation for a good game, but Red Meat Games needed much more time to realize its vision. The game world is buggy, the controls are stiff, and many of the powers feel like they aren’t worth using. Sadly, this is one game that made me feel anything but super.

It’s pretty easy to see through Codename: Phantom’s disguise; what initially looks like a fun skill-based shooter turns out to be repetitive, uninspired and short-lived. If you want to feel like Bond in VR, there’s a better game I expect you to buy.

Justice League VR just isn’t designed for the home headset space; its collection of short minigames are uninspired and often frustrating to play. It makes becoming your favorite heroes feel limp and wanting. Don’t spend money on this shoddy marketing tool and, if you’re going to IMAX’s VR centers anytime soon, pick something else to play.

For fans looking forward to the full release of We Happy Few, this is an excellent primer. It really gets you in the mood of the game’s chilling, dystopian world and sets the tone for what is sure to be an unsettling experience. It’s a shame the full game won’t have VR support, but this is a solid free download for any PSVR owner.

Blind is so keen to out-think the player that it too often leaves you, for lack of a better term, completely in the dark. It’s got some fascinating ideas on how to present blindness in VR that give you just the slightest bit of understanding of what life can be like for people that have no sight. But the infuriating puzzles that often carry solutions far too specific to be truly enjoyed keep it from reaching any deeper meaning.

Drone Striker is a thrill-free, middle of the road on-rails shooter with absolutely nothing to offer anyone on PSVR. It could have served a mediocre filler content for a platform launch, but two years into the ecosystem there’s nothing to see here. Pass.

A lot of people talk about how VR is an empathy machine, but when the snow comes and you just made life harder for a bunch of cute little animals it can force you to feel not just for them but the seasons themselves. I found it so much fun to change the seasons, do you think that’s why the seasons change? I felt that question while wearing the headset, but it wasn’t until writing this article I figured out how to put it into words.

Scraper: First Strike is a game that initially promises so much, yet never makes good on any of its promises. It offers the most basic mechanical trappings of what could later become a linear action RPG, yet never uses any of its design foundation for means greater than rote tasks and wave shooter combat. And while it continuously implies its intentions to segue into a larger narrative, it never comes close to giving you a reason to care.

As a competent piece of mature storytelling, Awake’s first episode has few equals in VR. It’s a piece that understands the purpose of telling a story in VR and isn’t afraid to wrestle with new ways of involving you in a story. For that alone, you need to see it.

Gungrave U.N. is a leaner version of an already short game with utterly vapid side-scrolling sections and the same dated design as its predecessor. Don’t do it to yourself.

Vestige rewards your endurance with a bittersweet reminder of the power of memory and how lucky we are to be able to make them. That’s what makes this short trip through despair worth it; a tough lesson in holding onto what you have, what you love, and making every moment count. Don’t miss it.

Virtual Virtual Reality remains an early VR gem. Whether its message of the possible pitfalls of the VR generation ahead is to be heeded seriously is part of its appeal. Is this simply a whacky exaggeration of where we’re headed, or is there something deeper hidden in the depths of Activitude? It’s up to you to decide, but you’ll have a lot of fun doing so.

When you consider this is a free app Spider-Man: Far From Home VR becomes something of a guilty pleasure. It doesn’t have anything like the polish of, say, Marvel Powers United VR but, not unlike the classic Spider-Man 2 from 2004, the swinging is so much fun you can overlook the many technical blemishes. SPVR and CreateVR now have a compelling template down; we can only hope its next step is to refine and expand upon it to give us the Spider-Man VR game we truly deserve.

Fujii is a soothing, peaceful brand of VR that could stand to get its hands dirty. It’s a fitting destination to whist away an hour or two but often feels too light to make a real impact. With more to see and do, it would be easier to get swept up in its charms and its persistent gardening aspect would be better served. As it stands my virtual garden is likely to go neglected.

The Doctor you’ll meet in The Runaway is lively and captivating, exactly as you would expect, so the moment this animated story concludes, any fan of the TV show will be left aching for more adventures in VR with The Doctor that are put together with this level of polish.

To understand what makes No Man’s Sky VR so special is to appreciate the underlying appeal of VR as a medium. They’re both about exploring a vast, endless sea of fantastical destinations. They’re both about embodiment and unrivaled immersion. And above all else they’re both about becoming who you want to be by exploring the far corners of seemingly limitless potential. When No Man’s Sky VR is clicking, and that’s the vast majoroty of the time, it’s unlike anything else out there. Sean Murray called it the “perfect kind of sci-fi dream” and I find it hard to disagree.

Ultimately Spice and Wolf VR only scratches the surface of VR anime adaptations. It plays out like a 2016 promotional tie-in to a movie, not a VR project worth some $292,000 in crowd-funding, let alone a price tag anywhere north of a few dollars. If you’re a series die-hard, you’ll probably enjoy the fan service on offer. Everyone else should steer clear.

Certainly worth a look, then, even for its profound message alone. Blindfold will be an interesting touchstone for harder experiences to come. There’s more to shake out of this tree, even if this merely forms the foundations for it.

I have to hand it to Kinemotik for making a VR rhythm game that manages to add something new to a genre I thought had already been done to death and back. Even in Early Access form, Audio Trip is quite a bit of fun once you get accustomed to playing it, which is made far easier when you follow along with the virtual dance instructor. That said, it isn’t without its shortcomings. Even though it gets some slack for being in Early Access, it doesn’t immediately feel as approachable or fun as it could. The world environments and the gameplay itself are in conflict with each other at times, and the lack of hit sounds is an obvious improvement in the making.

The lack of proper feedback, the strange glitches (including the ability to shoot through scenery sometimes) and the graphical fidelity simply aren’t good enough to make this game worth your time despite the handful of bright spots. The game is, at the very least, true to its name, it certainly feels like the longest road, despite the incredible short playtime.

Where Thoughts Go isn’t some marvel of a VR world or a biting bit of narrative, but it does have something to say on an overlooked aspect of this tech. If you can find a few minutes to set aside to yourself, you might find a welcome piece of inner-reflection here.

While the game may not have felt so frustrating and outdated to players in 2018, it certainly does now. Perhaps even worse, the whole experience feels kind of gimmicky, as if it’s just a fun placeholder to fill time with when you’ve got nothing else to play. The sad news for Fail Factory! is that Quest and Rift owners have much more to play these days and, frankly, they would be better off playing anything besides this.

Crisis VRigade isn’t a stunningly innovative or even especially deep Oculus Quest shooter, but its demanding rule set gives it a touch of challenge and threat. That’s something a lot of other titles are sorely lacking. If you’re looking for a Quest game that will put your shooter skills to the test, you could do a lot worse.

If you’re looking for a cinematic agent-style action game for your VR headset, Defector is a better bet. Silicon Rising could drastically improve with some simple changes over the course of Early Access, but it needs far more work to give it any sort of meaningful substance.

In 2018 I said A-Tech Cybernetic: “is a sci-fi zombie shooter that, simply put, feels great to play and has an actual campaign. That’s not something you can say all that often in VR.” Well, you can say that pretty often now, and that’s one wave of enemies A-Tech Cybernetic can’t fend off.

If you’re a hardcore horror fan with an iron stomach desperately looking for 2-3 hours of content to whet your appetite, there’s something here for you, but otherwise I’d recommend looking elsewhere. There are far better VR horror games out there. Layers of Fear VR may technically be a horror game, but the scariest part is the dismal missteps made in bringing the game to a VR platform.

Dead GroundZ does at least score some points for having a genuine campaign in which you move through some surprisingly well-realized environments. Even with three more campaign levels to come, though, it’s hard to recommend a game that feels years old on arrival. If Dead GroundZ is to become more than a footnote in a respectable library, its dated design is the real zombie to slay.

At $9.99, Baby Shark VR Dancing isn’t asking a lot from you and what’s here is genuinely well-made, if a little insufferable to the more mature mind. But the point remains that many VR headsets makers set an age limit of 13 for use. This appeals to a much younger audience, one that I certainly wouldn’t be comfortable leaving inside an Oculus Rift or Valve Index, especially when they’re essentially playing a shooter with training wheels. As tempting a lockdown distraction this may seem for families, I’d exercise extreme caution all the same.

Despite being one of the first fully “finished” and paid Oculus Quest games with content beyond an alpha testing stage including leaderboards available to purchase on SideQuest, Rest in Pieces is mostly stuck in the past. There is some satisfying progression with a ton of weapons to pick from and upgrade, but getting through the first levels to dig into its depth can test your patience and the frequent performance issues make it hard to recommend in general.

To succeed in the multiplayer VR market in 2020, you need to be red hot. Frostpoint, however, arrives frozen stiff.

Garage Collective delivers another novel throwback with Stones of Harlath, but the retro revival aesthetic is easily the game’s main draw. Combat has some interesting ideas but is largely very basic and there’s very little content here. Garage Collective has something special with its signature art style, but it feels like it’s still searching for the perfect game to match it with.

If one thing’s clear from even just a few hours with Larcenauts, it’s that the game has genuine depth. It’s the sort of texture, in fact, that we haven’t really seen done well in VR yet – Onward covers mil sims, Popultation: One has the Fortnite angle, and you can take your pick of arena shooters, but Larcenauts delivers the class-based, team-driven gameplay that’s been missing from that line-up. And it does it quite well, too.

Part of me would like to give Tarzan VR a higher score than this because, in all honestly, the game provided plenty of entertainment as I tried to decipher the many missteps its creators took, leaving the laws of the jungle to crumble around me and let anarchy ensue. But, while this madness might be enough to save the game from boredom, it is ultimately a paper-thin and unacceptably short experience that hopes to hide its lack of depth with its surreal take on the Tarzan lore. You’ll definitely remember the name of Tarzan VR, but not for the reasons you’d expect.

There’s a great concept within Disc Ninja but ultimately, Immersion’s frisbee/golf concept doesn’t completely nail the landing. Offering enjoyable gameplay, a vibrant presentation and entertaining multiplayer, the game’s held back by the odd frustrating level, barebones content and a surprising lack of comfort settings. If you’re playing alone, Disc Ninja won’t last too long, but find some friends to join in and you’ll have a good time.

Arashi: Castles Of Sin might not go down as VR’s answer to Tenchu, but it gets a lot right with its open-ended level design and its fantastic realization of Feudal Japan. It’s a rare VR game that gives you genuine choice in deciding how to get from A to B and, when it works, captures the slick elitism of becoming a ninja. But it’s let down by clumsier elements, like bugs, bad enemy AI and underwhelming sword combat. Even these dark forces combined aren’t enough to derail the fun sneaking at the core of the experience, but there’s plenty of room for Arashi to improve with a potential sequel.

Vengeful Rites is not a perfect game, but is a solid and engaging Action-Adventure RPG that is ideally suited for those who enjoy combat, exploration and puzzle-solving. Despite the lack of a deep narrative, there’s plenty of room for players to create their own story as they journey through the landscape.

I’ve been really encouraged by my opening hours with Zenith, then. If you’re not into MMOs then the familiar structure and stat-driven focus probably won’t talk you round, but the game does experiment with the VR format to provide some interesting interactivity and a lot of the key features you’d expect from the biggest MMOs out there are ready and waiting on day one. Simply put, Ramen VR is in a very good position on launch day (which, again, could be impeded by server launch issues). What I’ll be looking to see now is how those foundations build out into something more compelx and rewarding across the hopefully tens of hours of content that’s included in the game right now, because that’s where Zenith will really live or die.

Vox Machinae’s single-player campaign is an appreciated if flawed addition to an already-fun multiplayer mech combat title. Plodding pacing and padded story elements slow your progress to a crawl, but it still retains the game’s deliberate and considered combat, which successfully blends a purposeful amount of rustic clumsiness and lumbering heft. Even if you don’t care for the single-player’s offerings, the frantic class-based multiplayer proved it was worth the price of entry years ago — though we’re still to deliver our final verdict there — and, though there are other mech combat games available, few capture the sense of scale and power on display here. Like its own monolithic war machines, Vox Machinae is a scrappy underdog, but one that’s very much worth rooting for.

HitchHiker is a game that should work best in VR but ends up as likely the weakest version of an otherwise interesting experiment. The core mystery at the heart of the experience is intriguing, but it’s overly protracted by tiresome conversations, visually bland environments and limited VR design. VR storytelling can’t be as passive as its flatscreen counterparts; it needs, brevity, wit and interaction to hold a user’s attention, otherwise boredom sets in quickly. An abridged version of HitchHiker that allows players to fully immerse themselves in their journey without slogging through 40+ minute, technically imprecise chapters might be a much more compelling experience. As it stands, unless you’re really into mystery narratives, you should probably just keep walking.

Fans of God-sims and city builders will find a lot to enjoy in Townsmen VR, and even newcomers to those genres will appreciate how well the extensive tutorial guides players through the process of creation and combat. The ability to change perspectives and enjoy the world from different levels provides a new level of immersion for this genre that is very welcome.

Though there’s still room for improvement, Anotherway and Vertigo Games have landed on a concept that is addicting and completely unique. There’s really nothing else quite like Unplugged on the Quest platform – or any VR platform, for that matter. It’s a shining example of how VR and AR technology can offer totally unique experiences, previously thought unimaginable. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. For that reason alone, every Quest owner should give Unplugged a try. [Upload Essential]