From the return of a historic franchise to ambitious new originals, 2020 is shaping up to be one hell of a year for VR gaming.
2019 was one hell of a year for VR hardware. Not only did we finally get our hands on Oculus’ standalone headset, the Oculus Quest, but we also received the Oculus Rift S as well as Valve’s flagship VR headset, the Valve Index. With all this incredible hardware out in the wild, the stage is set for a new wave of equally-incredible games and experiences.
That being said, let’s take a look at 5 upcoming VR games we can’t freakin’ wait to play in 2019:
HALF-LIFE: ALYX
(March 2020)
No surprise that Valve’s recently-announced Half-Life prequel sits at the top of our “Most-Anticipated” list. Set after the original Half-Life but before the events of Half-Life 2 and its two subsequent episodes, Half-Life: Alyx places players in the shoes of Alyx Vance, a skilled hacker and future side-kick to series protagonist Gordon Freeman who, alongside her father, is about to kickstart a revolution against an oppressive alien force.
Along with being the first official Half-Life game in 13 years, Half-Life: Alyx promises to revolutionize modern VR gaming with a fully-fleshed out gaming experience designed from the ground-up for VR headsets. Though Valve has designed the experience specifically with their Valve Index headset and “Knuckles” controllers in-mind, the company has stated that the title will be playable on nearly every major PC VR headset, including the Oculus Quest via Oculus Link.
Half-Life: Alyx launches on SteamVR in March 2020.
MEDAL OF HONOR: ABOVE AND BEYOND
(2020)
After nearly two years of secrecy, Respawn Entertainment earlier this year revealed that its long-rumored VR game is in-fact a new installment in the legendary Medal of Honor franchise. Available on Oculus Rift and Oculus Rift S sometime next year, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond follows an Allied agent of the Office of Secret Intelligence working alongside the French Resistance to disrupt Nazie operations across Europe.
Along with a satisfying campaign, Respawn promises robust online multiplayer in which players can duke it out using a variety of WWII-era weaponry. No doubt a franchise as recognizable as Medal of Honor will help bring additional eyes to VR. Beyond that, it will be nice to have another high-profile narrative-driven VR experience on the scene.
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond launches on Oculus Rift/Rift S in 2020.
PHANTOM: COVERT OPS
(2020)
I’ll admit it: I couldn’t help but laugh when I first heard the concept behind Phantom: Covert Ops. A stealth-based military shooter where the player navigates the in-game world using a tactical kayak? I mean, that’s a pretty outlandish premise for a game. But eventually, I had the chance to grab hold of the paddles myself, and after completing just a single mission of the massive campaign, I’m happy to admit I was so very, very wrong.
Whether it be hiding in thick river marsh while a patrol boat of heavily-armed enemies passes by, or causing a distraction by firing my sniper rifle at an explosive barrel and paddling like crazy past the ensuing chaos, Phantom: Covert Ops is chock full of little moments that do an incredible job at convincing you you’re a bad-ass special forces operative. Though it sucks the game was delayed to 2020, at least we’re now getting a souped-up version for the Rift S!
Phantom: Covert Ops launches on Oculus Rift/Rift S and Oculus Quest in 2020.
THE WALKING DEAD: SAINTS & SINNERS
(January 23rd, 2020)
A massive open-world environment. Robust weapons and item crafting. A complex dialogue system. These are just a handful of the many incredible features included in Skydance Interactive’s upcoming survival-horror VR RPG game. Set three years after the initial zombie outbreak, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is a choose-your-adventure style open-world experience in which users navigate the increasingly-hostile streets of post-apocalypse New Orleans.
Players will be free to explore a massive open-world environment filled with dangerous enemies, valuable resources, and plenty of potential interactions—both friendly and hostile. Using what Skydance promises as a revolutionary VR physics system, players can engage in visceral hand-to-hand combat. Stab a zombie too hard and risk your weapon becoming lodged in its rotting flesh. Fire your weapon out in the open and you could soon have a horde of walkers raining down on your position.
While VR gaming is no stranger to the zombie genre, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is primed to set a new standard for survival-horror in VR.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners launches on SteamVR and Oculus Rift/Rift S January 23rd, 2020 followed by the Oculus Quest at a later date.
LONE ECHO II
(Q1 2020)
I’m a sucker for a good campaign, which explains my unabashed love for Lone Echo. What could be considered as one of VR’s first truly compelling cinematic gaming experiences, Lone Echo somehow managed to instill me with a sense of dread, hope, and love all within a 4-hour window.
Like the many other players who’ve had the pleasure of enjoying this brilliant sci-fi experience, I was thrilled to learn that developer Ready At Dawn would be continuing the story of Jack and Olivia. During E3 2019, Ready at Dawn stated that Lone Echo II would be 50% larger than its predecessor, promising new updates the original games already stellar locomotion, combat, and VR interactions. Lone Echo II launches on Oculus Rift/RiftS in Q1 2020.
Feature Image Credit: Valve Corp.
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