When you want a truly immersive gaming experience, you need the best VR games. Shut out everything but the action. Yet, not all VR games are as exciting as promised. If you’re just venturing into VR gaming or looking for something new, start with this list.
Best Music Game: Beat Saber
Price: $29.99
Platforms: Meta Quest 2, PSVR, SteamVR
If you ever played Guitar Hero or Rock Band, Beat Saber is the logical upgrade and easily one of the best VR games. It’s challenging enough for skilled players and simple enough for beginners to pick up quickly.
But you’re not trying to play with a plastic guitar. Instead, you’re swinging around virtual lightsabers while hitting the colored blocks. Of course, you don’t want to get hit with flying obstacles, either.
It’s a highly active game that puts you right in the middle of the music. Despite being released in 2018, it’s still actively maintained with regular updates, including music packs.
Best for Space Flight Simulation: Elite Dangerous
Price: $29.99
Platforms: Any system that supports SteamVR
Flight simulation plus VR is a perfect match. With Elite: Dangerous, you’re thrust into space in an epic MMO. Even if you’re not into mining for asteroids, you’ll still enjoy exploring the Milky Way in stunning detail.
This surprisingly in-depth game isn’t your everyday space flight sim. The attention to detail and advanced controls make you feel more like the actual pilot of a starship.
The only downside is that it can take hours just to learn the basics. Controlling the ship isn’t easy, but once you get the hang of it, this is a VR game you’ll come back to again and again.
Best for Minecraft Fans: Minecraft VR
Price: Free with in-game purchases
Platforms: Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest
Step into the virtual world of Minecraft, to experience building, explore caves, and even battle in an all-new way. The highly popular pixel art game is one of the best VR games for anyone who already loves playing Minecraft.
The immersive 3D audio makes the game come to life. The VR version is pretty much just the normal game, but designed for VR, so there’s nothing exclusive to find or do.
All the movements may be too much for anyone who gets motion sick easily. But the game does head-turning in increments to help reduce the chance of you getting dizzy while looking around.
Most Physical Freerunning: Stride
Price: Starts at $14.99 (depends on platform)
Platforms: Meta Quest and later, PS VR, SteamVR, HTC Vive
Want to feel like a parkour pro, while outwitting cunning gunmen trying to take you out? Just play Stride. This highly physical game has your body in constant motion as you try to control your free-running character.
It’s a game to see how long you can last. Jump across rooftops, slide along walls, and dodge enemies. There’s even a multiplayer mode to see who’s the best among your friends.
Naturally, the constant movement may be too much for more sensitive stomachs, but if you’re up for it, take on a variety of thrills in arena, timed, and endless modes. The more you play, the harder it gets, but that’s just part of the fun.
Best Open World Game: No Man’s Sky
Price: $59.99
Platforms: PS VR, SteamVR
No Man’s Sky is already an epic open world game, but now imagine it being even more immersive. Much like Minecraft, there isn’t any special or new content in the VR version. It’s just No Man’s Sky, but from an entirely new perspective.
Sure, the game had a rocky start, but it’s more than made up for those hiccups. And, sitting in your cockpit, looking out at the vast space before you as you explore, gives you a new appreciation for the game.
Travel to new places, search for resources, and experience space first hand (at least virtually). Even if you’ve played the original for hours, it’ll seem like an all-new game in VR.
Best Party Game: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Price: $14.99 and up, depending on platform
Platforms: Meta Quest and later, PS VR, SteamVR, HTC Vive
If the name alone sounds like chaos, you’d be right. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is one of the best VR games for parties. It’s designed to keep you and your friends talking. Stop communicating, and the bomb you’re supposed to diffuse could go off.
Only one person wears the VR headset in this game. They’re also the only one who can see and defuse the bomb. But everyone else sees step-by-step instructions to defuse the bomb.
If you’re lucky, your friends won’t let you down, and you’ll successfully defuse the bomb before it’s too late. Take too long, or make one too many mistakes, and it’s all over. It’s also a great game to play with non-gamers.
Best for Marvel Fans: Iron Man VR
Price: $29.99 and up, depending on platform
Platforms: PS VR, Meta Quest 2 and later
Sure, we’ve all seen Tony Stark flying around as Iron Man. But what if you could be Stark? Iron Man VR lets you step inside the Iron Man suit. Fly around, bypass obstacles, fire blasts, and much more.
While there is a story to play through, just being able to fly in the suit is enough, all on its own. But don’t worry. You do get to step out of the suit from time to time.
Head back home, and step back into the life of Iron Man’s alter ego, Tony Stark, to customize your suit. Make the most of your customizations to take on any evil headed your way.
Step Into the Virtual World
The best VR games let you leave reality behind for a bit. If you don’t want to spend a fortune to play, try these VR headsets. Or, if VR isn’t right for you, check out these free RPGs or great story-driven games.
Image credit: Unsplash
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