All things considered, there's something undeniably clever about Unseen Diplomacy 2. When it all comes together, when a mission is particularly interesting and the gadgets all work and the procedurally-generated levels don't back us into a corner, it delivers a kind of immersion that few games can match. But the delivery of those moments is inconsistent. The lack of polish in key systems makes it difficult to fully recommend in its current state. With a couple of patches, who knows? As it stands, Unseen Diplomacy 2 is a fun diversion, one that's just a step or two away from being truly great.

Crossings manages to mask its flaws with strong, well-designed combat and a moody atmospheric world to explore. The co-op experience comes up short and the game lacks several comfort features, but these are all fixable issues and with an attractive $10 price point, it's a welcome addition to one of the most crowded genres in VR.

Salmon Man is a worthwhile use of your time if you’re in the market for this sort of game. It’s somewhat ironic to say this as a games reviewer, but more than most titles, you can tell at a glance whether this is for you. Did you enjoy Getting Over It? Can you handle a turbulent VR experience? Do you want to combine those ideas? This is for you. If not, perhaps it’s ok to give this game a miss. If you do give it a go though, there’s a good degree of value and fun to be had here.

Stellar Cafe is a lighthearted, relatively short AI experience that wraps up its simple story before outstaying its welcome. I do wish it were longer, but what's here is quite enjoyable and worth a pickup as a glimpse into what feels like an inevitable future for gaming, especially social sim settings like this.

What's working for this title are beautiful graphics and a great choice in how you choose to play the game. You can spend time in multiplayer exclusively, try to conquer career mode, or enjoy both. My muscles may be sore from playing this sequel, but I'm not complaining there. This game can eventually be an all-timer with some improvements, just like the first installment is.

If you love Deadpool in general or just want to step into the pages of a Marvel comic, then Deadpool VR is worth experiencing. When it works, it’s joyful, absurd, and seriously fun. When it doesn’t, it’s weightless, repetitive, and oddly empty, so temper your expectations: this isn’t the next Iron Man VR or Arkham Shadow. It’s something stranger, sillier, and rougher around the edges - much like the Merc with a Mouth himself.

For the insatiable VR player constantly searching for the next story-driven campaign, it's easier to recommend, albeit with the warning to hold off until the framerate issues are resolved. Tracked won me over with its heartfelt narrative, unserious Rambo-esque combat antics, and VR-centric crafting mechanics that kept me engaged throughout. I just wish there weren't so many strings attached.

You can feel the passion behind Memoreum, but there's a lack of cohesive precision needed to fully drive that in the right direction. For every artistic flourish or fun moment, there's often a technical floundering or an odd design choice. It's a persistent tug of war that, while an earnest effort, shows some growing pains of taking on such a sizable endeavor. I hope that this doesn't discourage Patient 8 - the studio has the right ideas and enthusiasm, but its debut game stumbles over itself at times as it shoulders those high hopes. Regardless, there's going to be someone out there who will love Memoreum, even with its rough spots, and they'll have a sizable experience to dig into.

If you love VR puzzlers, Games By Stitch has created a good foundation here that delivers effective, tense atmospheric design. Those prior frustrations mean I'd struggle to recommend more widely but finding solutions can be highly rewarding. If you're up for a new challenge with a friend, Elsewhere Electric is worth a look.

Vex Mage packs a classic formula that's only missing a few fixes to be a great experience, such as the menu issue and quick matchmaking. You could play this for a long time and feel satisfied with how hard you work to reach the top of Vex Mage's leaderboards; what's here is both enjoyable and interesting. Every level is challenging, giving me pause before I rush in, and I enjoy how Nervous Systems anticipated players' moves to provide extra difficulty. It's like I'm playing my old favorites again with a new twist.

Unfortunately, ILM's use of shifting realities for Adventure Mode feels experimental, and the podracing is ultimately disappointing. The option to podrace in first-person VR would dramatically change Beyond Victory into something both intense and satisfying, while not forcing the fast-paced movement on players who aren’t ready for that. Without that option, I’m left suggesting these aren’t the droids you’re looking for.

Dreams of Another is a creative, thoughtful effort that's given me plenty to think about, and I'm glad to see more experimental titles like this still being made by Q-Games. But when the VR support feels this lacking combined with the game's slow pacing and repetitive elements, I can't fully recommend it on PlayStation VR2.

Iron Guard: Salvation offers more than a simple tower defense title in VR, but it's not quite enough to make it a fully fledged RTS. There are good foundations here and welcome mission variety, but awkward design choices from Xlab Digital and a lack of depth are holding it back. Without any multiplayer options either, this hinders the game from living up to its full potential.

While you can tell this wasn't initially designed for VR or mixed reality, Hidden Memories of The Gardens Between is a captivating journey that touchingly portrays the familiar pain of a friend moving away. This houses a compelling tale about childhood imagination that's beautifully surreal, and taking the diorama approach introduces an intriguing perspective to this existing story. Several issues keep this from becoming an essential recommendation, however: the Quest 3 resolution isn't the sharpest, several levels become rather frustrating, and the expanded content isn't enough if you previously beat the original game. Still, The Voxel Agents largely does this chilled-out puzzle adventure justice in VR, and it's worth considering if you're after something different.

Prison Boss Prohibition carefully iterates on the processes of its predecessor and provides a hilarious opportunity to test your criminal prowess in VR. The world surrounding your illicit behavior is wonderfully silly and yet still creates a sense of urgency as you cook up all manner of contraband. While control issues hamper the immersion, Trebuchet’s poultry-filled co-op simulation provides an enticing gameplay loop well worth sinking an afternoon into - even if you are a clumsy suspect with poor planning skills like me.

Zombie Army VR has a decent foundation with a tense atmosphere and enjoyable gunplay, but that's let down by the main campaign offering little more than a repetitive shooting gallery. Playing with a friend can only do so much to hide core issues, which is unfortunate when the game mechanically feels good. What's here is fine, Zombie Army VR has its moments, and it'll serve if you're after a new co-op campaign. Just don't expect much else.

Neon Cipher began life as a school project developed across a three-month period. Upon graduation, eXomorph Games’ studio head, Jon Bogert, expanded the game to its current form for this release, and it's an enjoyable debut from a new developer. It may not be as lush or expansive as similar third-person/first-person puzzle platformers such as Moss, but it’s a fun albeit simplified example of the genre’s more interesting ideas.

Wordomi is breezy fun, and it’s fine value. Your parents could play it — add this to your library so you’ve got a way to help them “get it.” Or add it to your library for the usual reason: it’s a good time! Sanding off the rough edges (“DUE” really ought to be a solution whenever presented the letters D-U-E) and it'll be a great time. Zooming out, it fits the essential niche of a quick, casual game.

Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition is a flawed game that you can still have some fun with. Petting and feeding the horses proves enjoyable and there's good strategy here, but the racing itself is let down by frustrating steering issues. It's a difficult recommendation in its current state, so here's hoping a few good updates can still make this title a winner.

While it's ultimately a safer sequel that won't deliver any revolutionary changes, GORN 2 refines the existing premise well for a strong VR arena fighter that should please fans of the original. You won't need long to clear the campaign, the replayability isn't terribly strong, and there are some performance issues on Quest 3. Yet between its vibrant cel-shaded visual presentation, brutally hilarious combat and strong action, it's still a great time.

Harpagun continues a strong streak by Something Random after last year's Toy Trains, delivering an entertaining VR smasher-shooter with an intriguing narrative that immediately grabs your attention. Some rough edges on Quest dull its shine and the restrictive movement system limits combat, yet there's still plenty to like with its strong action gameplay. As such, it comes recommended.

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate shows immense potential, offering a uniquely engaging narrative and an outstanding array of creative and satisfying puzzles. In fact, the puzzles are truly wonderful that without the constant technical issues this could easily have been the best game of its genre that I’ve played. However, the technical issues and poor combat implementation make it difficult to recommend the game in its current state. It is clear that beneath these problems is a truly exceptional game that, with proper patches and improvements, could easily become one of the best VR experiences available to date. For now, however, it might be best to wait.

Who knows — a few years from now, there might be a pinball equivalent to Walkabout Mini Golf, allowing you to spend time with friends and fully recreate the joy of spending time with others at an arcade. For now, this is as close as it gets to mimicking the feeling of actually using a pinball table, although you might have heard this before.

With the omission of certain VR accessibility options, a lack of activities such as raising livestock, and visual bugs, it is hard not to imagine how much more this game could be. Regardless, Farming Simulator VR is a commendable effort that warrants a playthrough for both series veterans and those curious about farm life. When fatigued by the woes of the world, I can see myself returning to this peaceful farmstead where it's just me and my crops, a land where there is seemingly no one to interact with for miles around. With a few tweaks and additions, it could become one of the must-plays of the current VR generation. As it currently stands, however, it's a calming distraction.

Detective VR is fun! It's inspiring! Suspenseful. While there's room for improvement with the gameplay, it's an impressive effort from Studio Chipo y Juan that's a delight to play, with so much room for more to come. If you want to catch a murderer in mixed reality, I'd recommend picking this one up today.

Ashen Arrows delivers a welcome blend of roguelike mechanics that adds replay value often missing from many VR shooters, offering a fresh and pleasing visual style with some great voice acting. If it could just ramp up the storyline and add in extra minigames, it could very well become a game I’d regularly come back to. It isn’t that Ashen Arrows feels incomplete, more that it needs a few extra bits to round it out and turn an enjoyable experience into a truly amazing one.

Selina: Mind at Large is an easy game to recommend, simply because the moments that work feel not only unique in how they make you feel, but are emblematic of what we should champion in VR. It needs polish and isn't perfect, sure, but it's an experience only possible or made better by being created within this unusual medium. I’d prefer that to something boring, and it’s certainly engaging far more than it stumbles. Trotzkind took an ambitious swing here, and it mostly works. Isn’t that what we want in games?

It's hard not to think of the wasted potential here with COLD VR, and the 40-stage campaign took me roughly three hours to complete. ALLWARE's debut game needed more time, better balancing, and considerably more polish to fine tune the core campaign before next week's launch. That's especially true when playing on Quest compared to the Steam edition. I hope future updates can address these issues because there are moments where COLD VR delivers a fun twist on SUPERHOT's premise. I came away from numerous levels celebrating my victory, dodging bullets in slow motion still feels cool, and the action is satisfying when it works. Presently though, it's a difficult game to recommend.

Epyka is a beautiful entry point for first-time puzzle-adventure gamers, and a breath of fresh air for adventure game veterans seeking a lighter, well-crafted experience. Its compelling narrative, challenging but fair puzzles, and the companionship of the game's few NPCs make Epyka exactly the game that I wished MYST was when I was ten years old. Given my ten-year-old daughter's joy when she donned the headset and patted Jack for the first time, I think she agrees. We only wish the game was longer.

Pirates VR: Jolly Roger delivers a colorful VR adventure, yet Split Light's latest game feels like a missed opportunity. Noticeable jank, design issues and shallow combat have left me wanting more, though it's balanced out by rewarding exploration and great visuals. If you don't mind a brief visit to the Caribbean, this lighthearted four-hour campaign has its charms.

Alien: Rogue Incursion stands as a commendable yet flawed entry into this beloved Alien franchise. The immersive atmosphere, engaging storytelling, and emotional character dynamics are captivating, but it falters after a few too many technical shortcomings and lack of meaningful closure. Further refinements could see this blossom into a solid VR terror filled experience, though anyone seeking a deep and gripping horror adventure may currently find it somewhat lacking.

Skydance's Behemoth is an enjoyable new VR action adventure from the Saints and Sinners studio. The combat feels good, this Nordic-inspired fantasy world delivers some mostly impressive visuals on PS VR2, and taking down the Behemoths is rewarding. Unfortunately, the game's biggest problem are those moments in between. While I enjoyed learning about this world and found myself invested in its story, getting from one Behemoth to the next can become tedious. Repetitive light puzzles, lacking enemy variety and considerable jank notably hamper Skydance's ambitious title. Skydance's Behemoth feels great when you're slaying the titular creatures, but there's ultimately some rough edges.

There's a good game hidden somewhere in Ember Souls, even if the current version makes it hard to parse underneath a ton of jank. The core conceit with the game's heavy emphasis on parkour platforming, and the unique level design centered around the use of your Ember Stones feels like it should work better than it does - yet performance and tracking issues collide with uneven game design that hold the whole experience back. Maybe with a few patches the game can reach a point where it can be recommended, but in the current state it's hard to do so. Ember Souls' heart is in the right place, but the execution is frustrating and promising in equal measure.

While the gameplay can be fairly simplistic and levels are sometimes lacking depth, Coatsink delivers a gripping story with characters that feel truly real, like watching a book come to life. Repetitive combat may keep me from believing the game is a masterpiece, but Augmented Empire’s narrative threads, beautiful levels, and distinct vibes kept me hooked from start to finish.

Taken for what it is, Bounce Arcade is a great deal of fun, but I'm not sure if it's got the staying power I was hoping it would offer as a complete package. When it works, it's by far one of the more entertaining implementations of a genre typically not seen in VR. When it doesn't work? It's unavoidably apparent, like an itchy sweater, and core mechanics this tight deserve better than that. I still recommend Bounce Arcade with the caveat that I really hope it blossoms into something better. If Gunpowder Gulch can be refined, then maybe Pirate's Plunder can too, but I can't rate a game on hypotheticals. If you're game for something novel, despite a few blemishes, then check out Bounce Arcade; just don't expect all the stages to be winners.

There's plenty to love about Just Add Water's latest game on Quest. DIG VR delivers an enjoyable premise backed by a vibrant presentation, comically silly minigames, and beautifully British humor. That's ultimately hampered by some tedious campaign missions and fiddly controls for certain tools, but if you're after a light sim you can take your time with, DIG VR will fill that gap.

Undead Citadel is an action game redeemed only by its combat. Dark Curry's game features a raft of graphical issues on Quest, a narrative that offers little in the way of plot or progression, and a campaign mired by repetition. There's still some great moments and good fun to be had, and that'll be enough for some. If you're after a more arcade-style take on physics-based melee, this may have enough to keep you interested.

Despite its numerous technical issues, I've enjoyed the adventure Starship Home provided. Creature's creative uses of mixed reality and narrative are passable and show a glimpse of what a fully realized MR title can achieve. However, persistent glitches and repetition make it a somewhat frustrating experience. With more refinement and polish, Starship Home can potentially be one of the top mixed reality experiences out there. Playing it made me yearn for a deeper, more mature space adventure. If you want something less cartoonish, ASTRA offers a shorter but similar narrative-driven mixed reality experience with more realistic visuals. Overall, Starship Home is a good start and with some technical improvements, it could truly reach the stars.

Exploding Kittens is, in pretty much any format, a fantastic game. Despite a few elements that could be improved, the VR iteration successfully delivers the core of what made the franchise an international success. It’s hardly a must-have for every VR library, but if you have long-distance family or a game-night group that is too far away to get together with physically, Exploding Kittens VR is easy to recommend as part of your next virtual game night.

Death Game Hotel is an absolute blast in multiplayer, and White Owls Inc. delivers well on its premises. However, if you don’t enjoy the Uno-style gambling mini-game that sits at its core, then you won't have much fun with the rest. It's a niche concept that won't universally appeal, but if you're up for some anime-inspired gambling, Death Game Hotel handles this nicely.

Neon Squad Tactics is a genuinely likable and generous game. The presentation is subjective, so if you like the look of these headache-inducing colors, there’s a good chance you’ll like what you hear and have an enjoyable time with the rest. It’s a shame we couldn’t try out the multiplayer table options, but what there is for the solo player is worth trying. It’s not the most challenging or diverse game, and the controls could do with an overhaul, but if a snarky sci-fi take on Demeo is what you need right now, Neon Squad Tactics should do you tactically until a more polished offering comes along.

For everything else, F1 24 remains a fun racer and offers a couple of notable improvements from its predecessor. Career mode is more enjoyable with its new mechanics and handling feels better, though other meaningful changes are minimal. Existing Formula 1 fans will likely have plenty of fun, and I still had a great time hitting the tracks; just don't expect a major upgrade.

Sushi Ben is an impressive effort from Big Brane Studios, one that delivers a heartwarming tale filled with great humor and a charming cast. The basic minigames, sudden ending, and quiet open world let this down, though the expressive manga-inspired presentation delivers one of the most visually distinctive VR adventures in recent memory. If you're searching for a new VR narrative adventure, Sushi Ben comes recommended.

Journey to Foundation tells a compelling story with no shortage of ambition in its methods to make you a part of it, ultimately shaping its outcome. This doesn't always come together, and many of your actions in between make the experience feel like a time capsule of a bygone VR era in which studios still experimented with this space. That period might be in the past now, but in a time where many VR games continue to bet on spectacle and feel rather than worlds and characters leaving a mark, I'm glad that Archiact committed to the premise's strengths from the beginning.

When it works, Ultimate Swing Golf soars. Even if unlocking additional courses, golf clubs and costumes can feel like a grueling grind through mission mode at points, decades of experience in the genre shine in how welcoming the game feels in every hole and menu. When you’re inevitably rolling the roulette on a successful hole, however, it’s hard to recommend over other VR golf titles unless fixed in a future patch.

Under Cover is an entertaining VR FPS that lacks staying power due to its limited content. Repetitive bosses, the lack of online leaderboards and no additional modes leave it feeling bare, though there's plenty to like thanks to a nice retro presentation, satisfying gunplay and enjoyable campaign. If you're itching for more Time Crisis-inspired VR shooters and you've already played Crisis Brigade 2, Under Cover pays homage to 90s lightgun shooters well and feels like walking into a PS1-era game. Just don't expect to be here for long.

Demeter: The Asklepios Chronicles feels like a promising concept working off the VR platformers that came before. It takes clear inspiration from Moss and Astro Bot while delivering its own mixed-reality twist that makes you feel like a more present observer in this world. Demeter isn't the most exciting experience, though, because of some occasionally dull gameplay, but if you're seeking another platformer for your headset, there's enough here to keep you invested.

I’m hopeful that the team at Futurlab and nDreams invest further in the VR version, but even with its many problems, it’s hard to deny PowerWash Simulator VR still has its charms. Even with the sincere graphical gulf, I’m still drawn to pick up the gun and get cleaning in VR with a playlist on in the background.

The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend is an entertaining debut title from Singer Studios, delivering an intriguing premise that held my interest with a convincing performance from Lucy Liu. Unfortunately, that's frustrated by minimal comfort settings and jank, while the ending could be stronger. Still, if you're looking for a short VR narrative adventure, The Pirate Queen is a decent choice.

Stranger Things VR is a commendable effort from Tender Claws and a nice example of VR's potential as a storytelling medium, letting you experience Hawkins and the Upside Down in a brand new way that expands on the Stranger Things universe. Unfortunately, all that is hindered by extremely repetitive gameplay elements and poor combat. If you're a fan of the TV show and can look past the absence of the voice actors for some of your favorite characters, you'll likely enjoy your time exploring Vecna's twisted mind while traversing the Upside Down. Even if you've never seen the Netflix series and simply want enjoy trippy and often spooky VR experiences, you might consider giving Stranger Things VR a look.

I want to love Legendary Tales but I don't know that I'd recommend it. The biggest hurdle it fails to clear is that it's come out in a post-Dungeons of Eternity world. Frankly, the combat feels better in Dungeons of Eternity. Things are more fluid, hitboxes are sweeter, and it's just a smoother experience. I like the RPG systems of Legendary Tales more and the legendary items substantially more, but you have to grit your teeth to enjoy it all. Mostly, though, I think I just miss the Early Access version of this game, and that's a weird place to be.

Crumbling is a nostalgic spin on the trendy VR roguelike that effectively evokes the youthful bliss of setting up fights between your action figures. It won’t shift the genre in a new direction and the basic narrative means seasoned players may prefer something with a bit more depth and nuance. Even so, Crumbling boasts moreish battle mechanics and a polished cartoon world full of intricate dioramas. It's a friendly introduction to the format, especially for kids new to VR.

There is a solid VR campaign within Asgard’s Wrath 2. It’s just a matter of whether you’re someone who'll enjoy – or simply put up with – everything else that comes alongside it.

Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior feels more like an expansion pack than a true sequel. There's an enjoyable but brief new campaign, new modes offer welcome variety, and staring down the scope to shoot Nazis feels great. However, very little has otherwise changed, while poor environmental interactions and odd design choices detract considerably from the immersion. If all you want is more Sniper Elite VR content, Winter Warrior delivers but it's a missed opportunity for improvement.

Wallace & Gromit In The Grand Getaway does a fine job adapting Aardman's classic films for VR, though a few smaller issues mean there's room for improvement. While Jamtastic! could be more exciting and the main adventure suffers from occasional jank, this charming little adventure nails the spirit of the series, packed with humor and personality. I'd love to see more of these tales and if you grew up watching Wallace & Gromit, it's an easy recommendation.

Garden of the Sea is a game to let sink in more than it is to be played. Its story mode, whilst certainly pleasant, is over far too quickly to stir up much intrigue, but it’ll make up for it if you’re the kind of player that likes to sit with an experience for a while, customizing and growing out your own space if for nothing else but personal satisfaction and relaxation. Even this element of the game is a bit too modest in scope to make Garden of the Sea the definitive destination for VR meditation, but it’s an undeniably warm and effortlessly likable getaway all the same.

With some lovely visuals and straightforward mechanics, Moon Mode’s made excellent use of spatial gameplay in a manner only VR could achieve. Creating new settlements is entertaining and while there’s not much here for genre veterans, it’s worth remembering who Spacefolk City’s targeting. If you’re after a city builder with smaller scope, you’d do well to check this out.

Lone Echo 2’s incredible production values and first-rate immersion make for an enjoyable swansong that’s let down by its plodding pace and familiarity. Despite arriving four years after the groundbreaking original, there’s very little that will surprise you here and, although well written, the drawn-out character dialogue quickly wears thin. It’s still held up by a fantastic locomotion system with first-rate immersion alongside a solid story with believable performances, but the startling spark of blockbuster innovation that fuelled the first game has long-since died out. Jack and Liv’s mission to get back to the past makes for a fun ride, but parts of Lone Echo 2 were stuck there to begin with.

Loco Dojo doesn’t rewrite the rules on the party game format, but it successfully finds the fun in adding VR to that template. Its best games are brilliantly entertaining explorations of the different kinds of experiences the platform offers and, although it has some structural issues, tournaments move with a pace that makes them easy to jump into and tempting to replay time and again. It might be hard to realize a family game night in VR but if you and your friends find yourselves in four corners of the globe with an Oculus Quest each, Loco Dojo is a good way to capture the camaraderie often reserved for local play.

Sweet Surrender has a lot of room to grow. That much was made clear when Salmi Games promised extensive free updates at launch, but it’s also obvious when you stack it up next to the depth of other VR roguelites, with a comparatively light loot system and smaller overall dungeon size. But, despite its relative simplicity, the game’s moreish difficulty, enjoyable arcade gameplay and hypnotic visual and audio flair make for a rock-solid roguelite I was more than happy to lose hours within. This might be just the start of Sweet Surrender’s journey, but it’s a really promising one.

Overall, Clash of Chefs VR is a solid game and one that can provide plenty of entertainment, particularly in multiplayer, but it fails to do anything groundbreaking or extraordinary with the genre and it does have some niggling issues that need to be resolved. If you’re after Overcooked VR, we still say go with Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale, but this is a decent addition to the genre all the same.

Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual has a lot of great ideas executed to varying degrees of success, and its fair share of misfires too. While its first half feels fresh and snappy as it throws new gameplay concepts at you every few minutes, its latter portion suffers from diminishing returns as it exposes half-baked mechanics and throws in some frustrating puzzles. But it is a genuine delight to spend time with this dynamic duo, largely thanks to a hilarious script that doesn’t hold back and, even after all these years, that incredible sense of sharing a space with other characters in VR. Sam & Max get by on their trademark charisma but, let’s be honest, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?

A Rogue Escape is unapologetically the game it wants to be. It’s a tough, claustrophobic puzzler that rewards those who have the patience to poke and prod their way through its maze of buttons and switches. If its stuffy atmosphere doesn’t sound appealing to you then it’s not likely to win you over, but anyone looking for a more demanding VR puzzle game will no doubt find a lot to like here.

Sentenced’s weighty themes do a fascinating job of conjuring up conflict within, even if it only ever digs just below the surface of your conscience. It’s an endurance test more than it is a complex set of ethical conundrums and, in that, it’s a uniquely engaging VR experience. Come ready to fulfill your duties but wary of the limits authority will push you to, and you might find Sentenced challenges you in some surprising ways. Not for everyone, but a bloody treat for those willing to take up the burden.

Zero Caliber: Reloaded is painfully close to getting all the way there. It’s got some of VR’s best weapon handling and incredible customization alongside an admirable effort to deliver the full shooter campaign we all crave. And, a lot of the time, that’s enough – hunkering down into cover, reloading your weapon and then leaning out to score a headshot doesn’t tire over the course of the 4 – 5 hour campaign. But the game is also plagued with familiar issues like underwhelming enemy AI, and its missions seem to cater to different numbers of players, creating an uneven experience throughout. It’s still an easy recommendation for anyone starved for single-player or co-op campaigns on Quest, but there’s plenty of room for VR shooters to grow from here.

Maskmaker is peppered with magic moments but also padded with more routine and familiar gameplay, plus a heavy-handed narrative. Its best moments achieve an intricate balance between body-swapping puzzling that helps lift the veil on some of the story’s deeper themes, and I would have happily spent hours more making masks in the welcome confines of its workshop. But the game often feels like it’s presenting puzzles for the sake of it and could have helped its story breathe by stripping back some of the exposition.

With solid bones and what seems to be a welcoming and excited community, it’s likely that you’ll have a fantastic time with Alvo if you enjoy multiplayer shooters. Even in empty rooms, bots will automatically fill up the roster and make sure you have plenty of target practice before the real battles begin. Just don’t go in expecting any sort of single-player missions or a campaign mode, because there isn’t one whatsoever.

VR Bros has the pieces for something really great with A Wake Inn, but just falters in stringing things together in a way that remains compelling. The core design ideas are fantastic in terms of how you move through the world, interact with the environment, solve basic puzzles, and creep through the halls, but that thoughtful nature is discarded once a weapon is in your hand and the once terrifying mannequins are just combat dummies waiting to be mauled. A Wake Inn isn’t as terrifying as it could have been, but it’s still an interesting look at some clever VR mechanics others could learn from.

Ryte: The Eye of Atlantis has enough moments of interest to make it worth a look, but there’s nothing particularly deep or memorable here. Perhaps you’ll have better luck with performance, but as-is, it clearly needs some optimization work to be a smoother, less glitchy experience as a whole. And even then what’s here is mostly derivative, if compelling at-times, VR adventure fare.

At its heart, Yupitergrad’s brand of VR vaulting offers a clean and thrilling sensation, but its obstacle courses can frustrate as much as they do entertain. It’s not a game to master so much as it is to survive as you subject yourself to the mercy of its gauntlet and the finicky arsenal that helps you navigate it. Take it short strides, keep your patience and there’s fun to be had with Yupitergrad. It just gets strung up by its own plungers from time-to-time.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond can be both frustrating and captivating at the exact same time, but underneath it all is a fun and engaging VR shooter that nails several facets of being a successful AAA game. It’s not quite enough to solidify the experience as a must-play, but there are plenty of bright spots. If you’re eager to dive into a VR version of WWII with exciting set piece moments, authentic historical footage, and an addictively fun online multiplayer mode, then you should come away satisfied. But if you were looking for an immersive narrative wrapped up in a cutting-edge evolution of VR game design with expert pacing — don’t hold your breath.

Outside of VR, Project Wingman really is the Ace Combat spinoff fans have always dreamed of. If you just have a gamepad and want to feel like you’re in Top Gun without needing to learn aerodynamics, you’ll have a lot of fun. In VR it’s still playable with a gamepad, but that ruins the immersion for the most part. Project Wingman is still a good game, but the shaky VR support drags everything down significantly.

If you are fine with being limited to playing against friends who have also bought the game, or don’t mind that content from the sequels aren’t present, then feel free to add another star to this review. But for myself, the zen nature of it all got old quickly when I couldn’t really play with others.

Operencia: the Stolen Sun is an excellent RPG with a lot of great qualities. It looks good, the classic turn-based combat is well done, and the world itself feels expansive. Players can expect between 20-30 hours of adventure as well, so it’s a fairly lengthy game. For RPG lovers who haven’t checked out Operencia, it’s absolutely recommendable. For a VR-only release, it’s less of a sure bet. Avoid the Oculus Store version and go for either the Steam or PlayStation versions since those let you play the game however you like.

Last Hope Of The Internet have brought us an interesting action-adventure premise with Flavortown. Though I cannot check how it compares with the original release, there’s a solid idea at the core, packed with good humour and enjoyable combat. Unfortunately, it suffers some minor issues with grabbing objects and whilst it offers replayable minigames, they don’t do much to increase the brief gameplay time. For $6 an episode though, there isn’t much risk here and I’m certainly curious to see how this saga unfolds.

Gravity Lab isn’t as groundbreaking a puzzle game as it might have first seemed on freshly-released VR headsets, but its challenges are intuitive and carry genuine VR wonder, encouraging spatial experimentation. This is an enjoyable, accessible and (whisper it) incidentally educational piece of to-the-point VR gaming that’ll still put a smile on faces today. Not a bad return for a face from VR’s past, then.

Karnage Chronicles impresses with its wealth of polished content, offering hours of rock-solid VR dungeon-crawling action that really comes alive if you have a friend or three to play with. Ultimately the game’s combat is too simple, its progression too sparse and its tricks too cheap to stave off repetition but, if you’re wanting to form a Fellowship and wage war with your friends, you won’t find a much meatier option than this.

Despite its flaws and unpolished nature, Into the Radius is still a good VR game worth playing if you’re a fan of the setting or looking for something dense to dig into. You can easily get upwards of 15 hours of content out of this game and the developers seem eager to continue working on it. Janky controls and some odd design decisions do not nullify the quality of the setting or the game’s underlying ideas. At its core, Into the Radius is an immersive and ambitious survival shooter on the fringe of humanity that pushes you to your limits.

Vertigo Remastered is still very much a 2016 VR game at its core, even with an impressive number of new bells and whistles. But there’s a beating heart at the center of this always-entertaining campaign that fuels not only some brilliant, affectionate parody of Valve’s beloved series, but also its own string of thoughtfully-designed concepts that would fit right at home in it too. It’s Half-Lite which, for a game that wants to celebrate a series’ cultural impact as much as echo its philosophies, is high praise.

Just like its predecessor, Crisis VRigade 2 is as simple as VR shooters get. And yets its back-to-basics philosophy, paired with devilish difficulty that demands attention and rewards risk makes a compelling case for VR shooters to rediscover those roots. One session spent ducked behind a desk, scoring lucky headshots from beneath a barrage of fire can be enough to make you forget the call for the complexities of upgrade trees and open worlds. Crisis VRigade 2 still needs time to grow into a better, more feature-rich game, but if you’ve got the space and composure for an hour of street shootouts, it won’t disappoint.

As with any game, you mileage here might vary depending on your genre preferences. If you love wave shooter, bullet hell chaos, then Shooty Skies Overdrive takes those concepts and applies them to roomscale VR in an exciting way. However, the campaign fails to elevate those concepts to something more substantial, and some players might finish wanting more. There’s a lot of potential for improvement as time goes on — updates with additional game modes and new content could really help. But for now, Shooty Skies Overdrive offers a serviceable and amusing campaign that gets the job done with what it has to work with.

War Remains delivers perhaps as much you could ask of a historical experience for VR headsets in 2020, then. Without the time nor resources for substance, it instead centers on explosive presentation, offering an assault on the senses not easily replicated outside of VR. But ultimately this only captures the surface of a war with all the violent viscerality you’d expect. Anything deeper remains out of reach for now.

Thanks to a generous amount of options and a welcome bit of structure, Mini Motor Racing X is an easy recommendation in the middle of a slow time for VR releases, especially when it so quickly and efficiently demonstrates just how cool VR can be on a base level. But don’t expect anything more than a game that does a decent job imitating its influences, with little ambition to surpass them. Like a box of Micro Machines itself, Mini Motor Racing X helps pass the time, but when something shinier comes along it will soon be forgotten.

Ultimately, Ironlights has set itself up very well as an enjoyable game with lots of potential for improvement. For all its faults, it still has good bones – it just needs to make some changes here and there before it can call itself a sparkling piece of armor.

Mostly freed from the limitations of early mobile VR, the console and PC versions of Covert finally feel like the game it should have been two years ago. This an often amusing, occasionally engrossing bit of local VR collaboration that will have friends reaching the tops of their voices, if rarely doubling down on deep spy work. Still, if you’re looking for something to play with a friend that doesn’t own a headset or if you want more experiences like Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, you should accept this mission.

While it might not have the finesse of a AAA title, it has the charm, uniqueness and personal connection that only indie games can offer. In that way, Bizarre Barber feels more like it belongs in an art gallery than on a top 25 list, and that’s the best thing about it.

Hello Puppets! didn’t blow me away, but it also didn’t have to. While not everything is perfect, it makes up for the areas it lacks in with some exciting and refreshing elements that add some levity to the horror setting. If you enjoy the horror genre in VR, it’s probably worth checking out for the slightly different take on the genre and humorous addition of Scout the puppet. In many ways, Hello Puppets! has a lot of parallels to how you might approach a blockbuster horror movie — while not particularly groundbreaking, if you have a few spare hours on the weekend, it might be worth checking out for a bit of fun, a few scares, and maybe even a laugh.

As it stands Audica is definitely something different, for better and for worse. The gameplay mechanics are enough to make it stand out, especially if you dedicate the time to really dig into it, but in a crowded VR rhythm game market the circumstances surrounding how and why it’s different aren’t always in its favor. If you’re a big fan of VR rhythm games, make no doubt: there is plenty to sink your teeth into and you’re gonna have fun, but if you’re picky about finding your flow in a game or already enamored with Beat Saber, there may not be enough to pull you in.

2MD VR Football boils down the excitement of football and delivers it over and over until your arm is too sore to throw another pass — just don’t expect to find anything other than a surface level recreation of the gridiron here.

Path of the Warrior is a conflicting game because it’s seeping with nostalgia and simple thrills like punching clowns in the face or shooting hoops at an arcade littered with unconscious thugs. Twisted Pixel have done a good job of replicating what it would feel like to go inside of a Streets of Rage-type video game and it mostly succeeds on that front. To be clear: Path of the Warrior isn’t a bad game, but with only five stages that take less than two hours to clear, repetitive combat, and not much depth at all, it’s nowhere near as impressive as it could be.

This isn’t the ultimate VR racing game by any means, but it still manages to deliver the fun of competent combat racing in spurts. With a small offering of tracks and vehicles, no real progression system, and no customization it’s a bit bare bones, but the thrill of seeing explosions and drifting around a giant pinball machine salvages a lot of the intensity.

With a lackluster story, an obstructive UI experience, and a niche concept, Stardust Odyssey isn’t this holiday’s killer app, but it remains something of a standout for VR deep-divers due to a first-of-its-kind setting and solid movement controls that feel floaty and fun just as they’re meant to. Add that to the game’s risk-reward stealth gameplay, and Stardust Odyssey is a flawed game, but not one that shouldn’t be bartered for.

When it comes to virtual reality and the rhythm genre, there might be better options out there. However, not many (if any at all) will allow you to experience a complete narrative while you play the game, and even fewer also give you the opportunity to explore a 3D environment – complete with puzzles – in between songs. While many might be playing Deemo Reborn for just its rhythm roots, they’ll find a much deeper game once they jump in, and fans of any gaming genre might even be able to find something to enjoy about this title.

Journey for Elysium’s gorgeous black and white visuals offer a terrific atmosphere and the trip to the end is fun, thanks to the variety of game play elements. But the game is over way too soon with some frustrating boating sections and simple puzzles.

Who is at its best when there’s a hook; a gimmick so playful and innovative that anyone can get carried away in the madness that ensues. Instead of testing those waters, The Edge of Time settles for bringing the series’ most tried and true elements directly into headsets in hopes of winning over dedicated fans. It plays more like a rejected episode of the TV series rather than something that fully embraces its platform. The Who faithful be satisfied in that safety, I suspect, but I personally can’t help but wish this was a little more dangerous.

Battlewake is a very solid pirate ship combat game that has great presentation, fun gameplay, and good core mechanics, but it just doesn’t have enough depth. The campaign is over just as you feel like you’re coming to grips with each character, multiplayer lacks the breadth and depth it needs, and generally it’s missing a unifying framework to tie it all together more strongly. It feels like Survios expected the multiplayer to really take off here, but without cross-play or a good reason to keep playing for weeks and months on-end, the buried treasure in this pirate conquest loses its luster far too quickly.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure borrows not from the forgotten heap of licensed tie-in games of the past and instead looks to mimic some of co-op gaming’s recent hits. It does so admirably and comes out as a game surprisingly worthwhile if you’re playing in co-op. When flying solo, persistent issues hamper the game, but with a flock of friends or family, it’s a happily hectic and cleverly built game for the VR player and their sidekicks alike.

Despite Pinball FX2 VR’s lack of motion controls, it is nice to have another game for the Quest where you can just sit down and be immersed. Soon the minutes fade away, as you pursue the next high score. Perhaps Zen Studios will bring over more tables from the non-VR version of the game in the future, or maybe even bring Pinball FX3 to VR, but for now this is the only way a pinball wizard can show their magic while on the go.