Wednesday 27 December 2023

25 Free Games & Apps Quest 3 Owners Should Download First

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Not ready to plonk down your first $100 on Quest games? Thankfully there’s an impressive number of free games, experiences, apps, and social VR platforms to keep you playing before you’re paying—all of them compatible with Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Meta’s latest, Quest 3.

Note: We didn’t include demos for paid games in the list, but you should definitely also check out these too for a quick taste of the full thing, such as Synth Riders, Journey of the Gods, Creed: Rise to Glory, Beat Saber, Superhot VR, Space Pirate Trainer, No More Rainbows, Pistol Whip, and Carve Snowboarding. 

We have however included App Lab games. If you want to see more, SideQuest’s search function is a great resource for finding free stuff and demos. Below you’ll find some of the top App Lab games in addition to those hosted on the official store.

Free Games

Population: One

Population: One is basically VR’s most successful battle royale, letting you climb, fly, shoot, and team-up with whoever dares. The free-to-play game does feature microtransactions, but only for cosmetics, which is nice. It’s still a paid game on Steam though, which makes sense considering developers BixBox VR were acquired by Meta. There is more than just battle royale though: you can play in the sandbox for custom maps and rules, team deathmatch with customizable loadouts, a 12v12 war mode, and more.

Gym Class – Basketball

Gym Class – Basketball is the solution if you’re looking to shoot some hoops and dunk like you probably can’t on a physical court. Online multiplayer lets you go head-to-head for a pretty convincing game of b-ball thanks to the game’s physics-based and full-body kinematics.

X8

X8 is the VR hero shooter you’ve been waiting for, as you descend upon battle arenas in this 5v5 all-out brawl. In addition to versatile hero abilities, you can also activate turrets, tripwires, pop smoke and more. Also engage in some CS-style attack and defend in the game’s ‘Master Demolition’ mode.

Blaston

Once a paid game, this room-scale shooter is now free-to-play, letting you take on friends, family and foes in head-to-head 1v1 dueling. Refine your loadout and jump into the action as you scramble for weapons and send a volley of hellfire at your enemies, all the while Matrix dodging through this innovative bullet hell meets futuristic dueling game. Spend money on cosmetics, or don’t: it’s a massive slice of fun any which way. It also has a mixed reality passthrough mode!

I Expect You To Die: Home Sweet Home [MR]

From the same minds that brought you the I Expect You To Die series comes a short mixed reality mini-mission that lets you become a secret agent in your own living room. Smuggled out of a top-secret medical facility to recover in the comfort of your home, you’re now fitted with a new ocular implant, letting you decipher puzzles, dodge dangerous threats, fight robotic hornets, and use plenty of spy gadgets. Dr. Zor has set a trap – right in your home, and it’s up to you to thwart those plans and save the day.

Gun Raiders

Gun Raiders serves up a healthy slice of multiplayer shooter action with multiple game modes that let you jetpack through the air, climb from wall to wall, and shoot down the competition. There’s the same sort of microtransactions you see in bigger games, but it they’re all avatar skin stuff, so no pay-to-win here.

  • Developer: Gun Raiders Entertainment Inc.
  • Store link

Hyper Dash

Hyper Dash is a multiplayer shooter that basically fills in where Echo Combat never could (never mind that Echo Combat was never on Quest, and is now entirely defunct on Oculus PC). Letting you quick dash, sprint, and rail grind around, Hyper Dash manages to serve up an impressive number of modes, including Payload, Domination, Control Point, (Team) Deathmatch, Capture The Flag, and Elimination. You can also take on both Quest and SteamVR users thanks to the inclusion of cross-play.

Ultimechs

Ultimechs should look pretty familiar: it’s basically Rocket League, but instead of driving around in cars, you’re given rocket-powered fists to punch balls into the goal. Online multiplayer includes both 1v1 and 2v2 matches, offering up tons of opportunities to earn cosmetic gear that will let you outfit your battle mech into something unique. There are also now two paid battle passes too, offering up a ton of cosmetics to set you apart from the competition.

Battle Talent

Battle Talent is one of those fighting sims that let you go ham on ragdoll baddies, which in this case are wily goblins and loads of skelingtons. This physics-based roguelite action game lets you climb, run and slide your way through levels as you slash, shoot, and wield magic against your foes.

Cards & Tankards

Cards & Tankards is a pretty addictive social collectible card game, letting you collect and battle friends with over 180 cards. With cross-play against SteamVR headsets (also free on PC), you may consider hosting your regular game night playing more than a few rounds in the game’s characteristic medieval fantasy tavern.

Gorilla Tag

This humble game of tag started out life on SideQuest and App Lab, offering up an infectious bit of gameplay that’s now available for free on the official Quest Store. You’ll be lumbering around a tree-lined arena using its unique grab-the-world locomotion style that lets you amble around like a great ape. Chase the other apes and infect them or climb for your life as the infected chase you. Pure and simple. Make sure you’re far from TVs, furniture, babies, and pets because you will punch something in the mad dash for sweet, low-poly freedom.

PokerStars VR

No real cash gambling here, but PokerStars VR not only let you go all-in on games of Texas Hold’em, but now a full casino’s worth of table games a machines that are sure to light up the dopamine starved pleasure centers of your brain. It’s all free play, so you won’t be risking real cash unless you buy in-game chips, which cannot be turned back into real money: it’s only to keep your bankroll flush for free play.

Ancient Dungeon Beta

This plucky roguelite dungeon crawler is still in beta (still!), but there’s a reason it’s become an App Lab favorite. Explore a vast dungeon to explore, housing plenty of baddies just asking for the steel of your sword, knives, and arrows. You’ll climb over deep pits, dodge lethal traps, and search for hidden treasures. Smash all the pots and crates you can before it officially launches on Quest sometime in the near future.

Bait!

Since the Fishin’ Buddies update, this classic VR title has gotten a whole new lease on life as a multiplayer VR fishing game that lets you sit back and crack a cold one with the boys as you reel in the big’uns. The additional social areas also let you sit back between your fishing adventures to take part in casual mini-games.

Gods of Gravity

Gods of Gravity is an arcade-style RTS game where you compete in an epic showdown of between celestial gods (2-8 players). Scoop up ships and fling them to capture a nearby planet, or open wormholes to teleport them across the solar system. Hold planets and moons to boost your production. Mine asteroids for the powerful resources within. And if you dare, capture the sun for the ultimate buff. Then send a massive fleet to conquer your enemy’s home planet. Last god standing wins.

Social VR Platforms

Rec Room

Without a doubt one of the most fun, and most expansive VR titles out there… and it’s free. Sure, you can pay real cash for in-game tokens to buy spiffy clothes for your avatar, but that’s really up to you. Gads of mini-games await you in both first-party creations such as the ever so popular co-op Quests—that could be games in their own right—to user-created stuff that will keep your pocket book gathering dust. It’s social VR, so meet people and have a ball for zero dollarydoos. Fair warning: there’s a ton of kids.

VRChat

If you’ve been anywhere near the Internet in the last few years, it’s likely you’ve already heard about VRChat, the user-generated social VR space filled with… well… everything you can imagine, re-pro games included like Among Us, Mario Kart, and even a version of Beat Saber. Fashion your own avatar or download the millions of user-generated avatars out there so you can embody SpongeBob, Kirito from Sword Art Online, or any one of the million anime girl avatars that you’re bound to see there.

Horizon Worlds

Horizon Worlds has changed a lot since launch. It now includes more tools, user-generated content, and some more compelling first-party games which has rounded out things to make it more competitive with Rec Room and VRChat. You may want to check in just to see the state of Meta’s first-party VR social platform. Whatever the case, the price of ‘free’ is hard to argue with.

Continue on Page 2: Free Experiences & Apps»

The post 25 Free Games & Apps Quest 3 Owners Should Download First appeared first on Road to VR.



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Saturday 23 December 2023

Quest 3’s Mixed Reality Game The Cabin - Home Invasion Gets Festive!

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Quest 3’s Mixed Reality Game The Cabin - Home Invasion Gets Festive!

This sponsored post was produced by UploadVR in partnership with Soul Assembly.

Are you still on the fence about what to buy yourself or a loved one for the holidays? Drop Dead The Cabin: Home Invasion from Soul Assembly hit the Meta Quest store in early 2023 and has recently made big changes to the eerie experience, including a mixed reality update for the Quest 3 and other festive goodies to fill that empty virtual stocking. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QHBFKdF2Tc 

Soul Assembly is a video game company based out of the UK. It has over 70 developers creating virtual reality and augmented reality titles like Drop Dead: Dual Strike, Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister, and Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade. The Cabin: Home Invasion is set to join the ranks after reaching 20 million views across social media in the first week of release.



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Friday 22 December 2023

Breachers Is Now Available On PlayStation VR2

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Tactical shooter Breachers is out now on PlayStation VR2.

Released in April, Breachers is a 5v5 multiplayer team-based shooter that takes inspiration from Rainbow Six Siege and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Developed by Triangle Factory (Hyper Dash), the game splits you between attackers breaching a bomb site or defenders trying to stop them. Since launch, the studio's added new options like an additional map Control Point and more.

On PSVR 2, Triangle Factory confirms Breachers includes new upgrades like adaptive trigger support and enhanced visuals. Crossplay support is also included.

We praised Breachers in our recommended review this April on Quest, calling it a "polished tactical shooter" that delivers "satisfying gunplay."

Breachers is a fine effort that delivers on its promise, offering a thrilling tactical VR shooter with satisfying gunplay. Securing victories with carefully planned strategies feels immensely satisfying with friends in co-op... If you’ve been seeking a Rainbow Six: Siege or Counter-Strike experience in VR, I believe Breachers has a strong future ahead.

Elsewhere, it's also available on the Meta Quest platform, Pico and PC VR.

Breachers Review - Straight Shooting
Breachers brings a new 5v5 team-based FPS to Quest, Pico and PC VR. Offering a polished tactical shooter reminiscent of Rainbow Six Siege, here’s our full review:
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Notice: This article, originally published on October 16, 2023, was updated on December 20, 2023, to reflect the launch.



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Meta Hints It Might Demo A 'Prohibitively Expensive' AR Glasses Prototype In 2024

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Meta's CTO seemed to suggest the company could demo a highly advanced true AR glasses prototype in 2024.

Meta has been working on AR glasses for at least eight years now, spending tens of billions of dollars on the project that Mark Zuckerberg hopes will one day deliver him an "iPhone moment".

Last year The Verge's Alex Heath reported that Meta no longer plans to release its first AR glasses, codenamed Orion, as an actual product. Instead, Heath wrote, Meta will distribute them to select developers in 2024 and also use them as a demonstration of the future of AR.

In an interview with Heath this week in his weekly newsletter, Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth seemed to confirm Heath's past reporting.

Bosworth directly confirmed to Heath that a small number of Meta employees will begin internally testing the glasses next year, and separately said "I think there’s a pretty good chance that people will get a chance to play with it in 2024."

He also claimed, in some of the strongest terms we've ever seen, that the glasses are the most advanced consumer electronics device ever made:

"It’s probably our most exciting prototype that we’ve had to date.

I might get myself in trouble for saying this: I think it might be the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain. In the domain of consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species."

However, Bosworth also set expectations in making clear that this is a "prohibitively expensive" device that can't actually actually be mass produced as a product any time soon:

"These things were built on a prohibitively expensive technology path. For us to return to this capability in a consumer electronics price point and form factor is the real work that we have ahead of us.

It’s exciting to have a device that is spectacular in what it’s able to do but it’s also a device that is not on the same technology path that we need to pursue to make it accessible to people."

This seems to corroborate the reporting of The Information's Wayne Ma earlier this year. Ma reported that the Orion prototype glasses use microLED displays and silicon carbide waveguides.

MicroLED is a truly new display technology, but no company has yet figured out how to affordably mass produce it. It's self-emissive like OLED, meaning pixels output light as well as color and don’t need a backlight, but is more power efficient and can theoretically reach much higher brightness. This makes it uniquely suitable for glasses, which need to be usable on sunny days yet powered by a small and light battery. In 2019, Facebook secured the entire future output of a startup supplier, but Ma reported the companies still haven't been able to achieve a high manufacturing yield, meaning they can only produce a small number of displays at a high cost.

The silicon carbide waveguides are also proving challenging to procure. The material can deliver a wider field of view than the glass waveguides used in current transparent AR headsets, but it is also incredibly expensive. Further, Ma's report explained that because the material is used in military radars and sensors, the US government imposes strict export controls on it. That means glasses using it will have to be assembled inside the US, significantly raising the production cost, despite most of the manufacturing and components coming from China and Taiwan.

Meta Reportedly Downgrading Key Specs Of AR Glasses
Meta is reportedly downgrading key specs of its in-development AR glasses to achieve a lower cost. Full details here:
UploadVRDavid Heaney

To ship AR glasses as an actual mass producible product, Ma reports Meta will use downgraded components: LCoS displays and glass waveguides.

LCoS displays are essentially LCD microdisplays, though using reflection instead of transmission to form an image. LCoS isn't a new technology, it has been used in movie projectors since the 90s as well as in AR products like HoloLens 1 and Magic Leap 2. They are less power efficient and less bright than microLED has the potential to be, but much less expensive in the short term.

While the silicon carbide waveguide in the Orion glasses can reportedly achieve a field of view around 70° diagonal, the glass waveguide in the actual product will only have a field of view of around 50° diagonal, like HoloLens 2 and Nreal. We harshly criticized the field of view of both HoloLens 2 and Nreal Light in our reviews of each product. For comparison, opaque headsets which use camera passthrough have fields of view well in excess of 100° degrees diagonal.

Ma reported that the goal is to ship this AR glasses product around 2027.

Orion Prototype Consumer Product
Planned Production Scale
(Year)		 1000
(2024)		 ~50,000
(2027)
Displays MicroLED LCoS
Waveguides
(Field of View)		 Silicon Carbide
(70° diagonal)		 Glass
(50° diagonal)

These downgrades reflect the wider difficulties across the industry in the struggle to try to bring transparent AR glasses out of the realm of science fiction and into real products. Apple reportedly postponed its full AR glasses “indefinitely” earlier this year, and Google reportedly killed its internal glasses project in favor of making the software for third parties instead.



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Thursday 21 December 2023

What Will Happen To Your Windows Mixed Reality VR Headset?

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Own a Windows Mixed Reality VR headset? Here's what Microsoft told us about when support will end, and what that means for you.

If you missed the news, Microsoft announced that Windows Mixed Reality is now officially deprecated, and will be "removed in a future release of Windows".

The Acer AH101, Acer OJO 500, Asus HC102, Dell Visor, HP VR1000, HP Reverb, HP Reverb G2, Lenovo Explorer, Samsung Odyssey, and Samsung Odyssey+ VR headsets all require Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality software to function.

Microsoft Is Killing Its Windows Mixed Reality VR Platform
Microsoft will remove support for Windows Mixed Reality headsets in “a future release” of Windows.
UploadVRDavid Heaney

A source at Microsoft told UploadVR this "future release of Windows" will arrive in late 2024.

But Microsoft's public notice said the deprecation also includes both the required Mixed Reality Portal application currently available on the Microsoft Store and the SteamVR driver currently on Steam. What exactly do these "deprecations" entail, and what does this mean for your VR headset?

UploadVR reached out to Microsoft officially for answers. A company representative provided the following statement:

"As of Nov. 1, 2026 for consumers and Nov. 1, 2027 for commercial customers, Windows Mixed Reality will no longer be available for download via the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, and Steam VR beta, and we will discontinue support.

[...]

Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam until users upgrade to a version of Windows that does not include Windows Mixed Reality."

So there you have it. After 1 November 2026, you'll no longer be able to download the Mixed Reality Portal app required to use Windows MR headsets, nor the SteamVR driver, so if you have the late 2024 Windows 11 update or newer you won't be able to set up the headset.

It sounds like existing headset setups will continue to function though, assuming you keep the software installed, but we've again reached out to Microsoft to ask whether there's some kind of remote or timed bricking mechanism as there is in Magic Leap 1.



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UploadVR's Best of VR 2023 Awards – Game Of The Year & More

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Welcome to UploadVR's Best of VR Awards for 2023.

2023 was a packed year for VR, with a bunch of new hardware releases and a plethora of exciting new VR games across several platforms. This year, our Best of VR Awards will highlight our picks for the best hardware and software of the calendar year across multiple categories, with one winner and a few honorable mentions for each.

Our nominations and winners recognize works released broadly, in full release – this means that we may exclude hardware and software that’s only available in limited or early release from consideration. That said, we have also added a new category recognizing Early Access titles specifically.

Here are UploadVR's picks for Best of VR 2023.

Best Updated VR Game

It's common for VR games to continue offering new content to their audiences in the months (or years) after launch, whether it be via paid DLC or through free updates. Walkabout Mini Golf continues to release exciting new courses, such as its Journey to the Center of the Earth, Laser Lair and Alfheim: Land of the Elves courses. Puzzling Places continued to receive new updates, including multiplayer and MR support on Quest – the latter of which is our new favorite way to play. Among Us VR arrived on new platforms and received a new Polus map, while Breachers added consistent new content such as its party system, new maps, and Control Point mode.

However, the Best Updated VR Game of 2023 has to be Pistol Whip. In our mid-2023 review of the game, we said it was better than ever and at the end of the year, that sentiment still rings true. Cloudhead games continue to add new features and content to Pistol Whip years after launch, including the Overdrive season, Elixir of Madness, and Pistol Mix modding tool. The updates don't look set to stop either – the game's roadmap indicates a brand new collection of scenes is on the way in 2024.

Best New VR/AR Hardware

This year included a few notable VR/AR hardware releases. XR Elite saw Vive try to reclaim some of the consumer market with its modular mixed reality headset, while Bigscreen Beyond offered exceptional PC VR comfort with significant trade-offs. Sony brought next-generation VR gaming to PS5 with PSVR 2, offering a major step in console VR with high-end features in a package that's easier to manage than PC VR.

However, it's Quest 3 that is our pick for Best New VR/AR Hardware this year. Though the mixed reality is really just passable, it's everything else about the headset that pushes it over the line. There's huge improvements to comfort with better weight distribution, while the new pancake lenses offer improved visuals in a far slimmer form factor. Internally, it's also far more powerful with more than double the GPU performance than previous standalone headsets.

Best VR Developer

Resolution Games continue to impress with Racket Club and Demeo Battles, meanwhile Cloudhead Games continues to put out free updates for Pistol Whip while working on new projects. Capcom also had a strong year with two full VR Modes for Resident Evil games. Mighty Coconut continues to expand Walkabout Mini Golf with new courses.

However, Best VR Developer has to go to solo developer Zach Tsiakalis-Brown, who almost single-handedly created PC VR masterpiece Vertigo 2. In a world dominated by studios of varying sizes, it is astounding that Zach Tsiakalis-Brown was able to create such a masterpiece of a game by himself. If you want to learn more, be sure to check out our interview with him from earlier in the year.

Interview: How Zach Tsiakalis-Brown Brought Vertigo 2 To Life
We talked to Vertigo 2 developer Zach Tsiakalis-Brown about how he brought the game to life. Read more here:
UploadVRHarry Baker

Best New Multiplayer VR Game

Demeo Battles, Breachers and Power Wash Simulator all made a case as strong contenders in this category, but in the end it had to go Dungeons of Eternity.

Earlier this year, we gave it an Essential rating (back before we switched to a 5-Star rating system), making it one of our favorite games of the year. Catering to many different playstyles, it's a enjoyable fantasy action RPG that comes highly recommend – especially to play with friends.

Dungeons Of Eternity Review: One Of Co-Op’s Best On Quest
Dungeons of Eternity offers one of the best VR co-op adventures yet on Meta Quest headsets. Here is our full review.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Most Anticipated VR Game of 2024

There's lots to look forward to in 2024 – Skydance's Behemoth, Big Shots, Border Bots, Silent Slayer, Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, Final Fury, Brazen Blaze and Glassbreakers, to name a few.

However, our most anticipated game has to be Underdogs. In our hands-on preview, we spoke about its refreshing take on futuristic mech brawler combat, including a physics-based system that rewards wider swings with increased damage. We can't wait to dig into Underdogs more when it arrives in early 2024.

Hands-On: UNDERDOGS Shows Promising Gritty Mech Combat
UNDERDOGS promises a refreshing take on physics-based mech combat. Our full preview:
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Favorite Early Access VR Game

Ghosts of Tabor and Track Craft both caught our attention as Early Access titles this year, but there was one other game that really caught our attention.

Glassbreakers stole our heart this year at Gamescom, presenting a fantastic multiplayer experience designed around engaging interactions, a MOBA-like competitive experience and engaging menu system built around physical interactions. We can't wait to play more Glassbreakers when it goes into full release next year.

Favorite Mixed Reality Experience

With the advent of Quest 3, there were loads of new mixed reality experiences available this year. We loved checking out MR support for games like Vermillion, Synth Rides, Pianovision, The Light Brigade and Drop Dead: The Cabin.

But it was Demeo/Demeo Battles that is our favorite to play in mixed reality. Yes, we know – they are technically two separate titles. However, their implementation of mixed reality is identical and so it comes down to which type of Demeo experience you want to play. Whether you're keen on co-op dungeon crawling with friends or competitive PvP action, both Demeo and Demeo Battles are best enjoyed in mixed reality.

Favorite New PSVR 2 Game

PSVR 2's launch year came with some engaging new titles. There were two fantastic Resident Evil VR Modes – for Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 Remake – as well as Synapse, Before Your Eyes, C-Smash VRS and Gran Turismo 7.

But our favorite had to be the headset's flagship title, Horizon: Call of the Mountain. It was a brilliant way to kick off the PSVR 2 lifecycle and presents a brand new experience that is both unique to VR and faithful to the Horizon franchise. Though not necessarily revelatory, it's nonetheless an essential game for PSVR 2 owners – and our favorite of the year.

Horizon Call of the Mountain Review: A Stunning Showcase For PSVR 2
Horizon Call of the Mountain headlines a strong start for PlayStation VR2, showcasing the headset’s new features through an engaging action-adventure. Here’s our full review. Launch games are critical for any new platform. First impressions only happen once and while PlayStation VR2 boasts impressive specs, few things get
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Favorite New PC VR Game

More so than ever in 2023, this award is on its last legs. Despite the decreasing number of new PC VR releases, we remained impressed with the few we tried this year. F1 23 offered welcome improvements over its predecessor on PC VR, but still fell a little short of becoming the definitive VR racing game.

But for our favorite PC VR game of the year, what else could it go to besides Vertigo 2? This game is a stunning achievement – a homage to Valve classics and yet a complete creative force of its own as well. It's a incredibly well-polished campaign – and created entirely by one sole developer, too.

Favorite New Quest Game

There was plenty of new content for Quest owners this year, with an abundance of choice across multiple genres. Between Asgard's Wrath 2, Arizona Sunshine 2, Dungeons of Eternity, Eye of the Temple and Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice, there was something for everyone.

However, our favorite new Quest game of the year goes to Assassin's Creed Nexus VR. There were doubts as to whether Ubisoft could pull of bringing such an iconic franchise over to VR, but Nexus manages to stand proud with main series and present players with a 20-hour campaign that leaves you wanting more. It demonstrates what a fully-fledged VR entry can do for a big franchise, adapting gameplay from the main series into something unique and engaging on Quest headsets.

Review: Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR Stands Proud With The Main Series
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR proudly stands alongside the main series. Our full review:
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

VR Game of the Year 2023

When it comes to the biggest award of the year, it was a tough call. With games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain, Dungeons of Eternity, Assassin's Creed Nexus, Synapse, Breachers, Arizona Sunshine 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake VR Mode and Asgard's Wrath 2, it was a tighter race than ever.

However, our VR Game of the Year for 2023 is Vertigo 2. There were a lot of brilliant VR campaigns this year, but Vertigo 2's tops them all. Not only is this one of the most polished shooter campaigns available, it was created almost entirely by Zach Tsiakalis-Brown, a solo developer. In a year with perhaps more VR releases from big studios and AAA developers than ever, it is amazing that Vertigo 2 – an indie release and the creation of one person – stood up tall against the competition.

Interview: How Zach Tsiakalis-Brown Brought Vertigo 2 To Life
We talked to Vertigo 2 developer Zach Tsiakalis-Brown about how he brought the game to life. Read more here:
UploadVRHarry Baker

It's only available on PC VR for now, though a planned PSVR 2 release for this year has now been twice delayed. Once Vertigo 2 hits that platform, more people than ever will be able to play this stunning campaign – we can't wait for them to try it.

But even without the PSVR 2 release, there is no doubt in our mind: Vertigo 2 is our VR Game of the Year for 2023.

Vertigo 2 Review: Creative & Engaging SteamVR Experience
Vertigo 2 offers a PC VR experience that is constantly creative and undeniably engaging.
UploadVRHarry Baker


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Road to VR’s 2023 Game of the Year Awards

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“Virtual reality is dead.” That’s what we’ve been told about every six months for the better part of a decade now. Anyone who’s been following the space though knows that more people than ever are playing VR games and opening portals to other dimensions right where their living rooms, home offices, or dorm rooms used to be.

Another year has passed, and here we are again—celebrating the best VR games that kept us coming back for more. Now in our seventh annual Game of the Year Awards, we’ve seen several high budget, multi-year projects come to fruition, which is something only a more mature VR games industry could ever hope to support. We’re there. That’s today.

This past year, we’ve also played games that continue to push the medium forward, not by the virtue of giant production budgets, but by sheer sweat equity. Small but highly capable teams are making an impact by creating things that might not all be “safe bets”, but still manage to attract hardcore fan bases thanks to innovative gameplay and continued developer support well after launch. Be it big or small though, every team is standing on the shoulders of the collective VR community, who continue to experiment and create the sort of hard-won best practices that, to this day, help make VR games comfortable, immersive, and most of all, fun.

Without further ado though, we present Road to VR’s 2023 Game of the Year Awards:

Game of the Year

Vertigo 2

Developer: Zach Tsiakalis-Brown

Publisher: Zulubo Productions

Available On: PC VR, PSVR 2 (coming soon)

Release Date: March 30th, 2023

Vertigo 2 is the sequel to the hit PC VR shooter, this time returning you to the belly of its Half-Life-inspired science facility which houses a vast Quantum Reactor. It’s not all blasting away at baddies and making your way back home; the Vertigo series injects a ton of heart and good humor to go alongside a cast of weird characters that feel so patently meme-worthy, funny and imaginative.

Underlining the madcap action are some very smart mechanics, the biggest standout of which being its VR-native gun controls and unique reloading for each weapon, which are so immersive their design language should be used widely across VR. The summation makes for an adventure that will not only keep you guessing as to what’s next, but immersing you into an absolutely massive universe that truly feels solid and alive.

You’d be pretty surprised to know that this 10-hour VR-native was essentially created by a single person, Zach Tsiakalis-Brown. That’s certainly not why we gave Vertigo 2 our PC VR Game of the Year award; we’re honoring it purely on its own merits for delivering the whole package—smart design, engaging VR-native mechanics, and a fun and memorable story that will stick with you well beyond the end credits.

Want to learn more about Vertigo 2? Read our full review to find out why we gave it [9.5/10].

Asgard’s Wrath 2

Developer: Sanzaru Games

Publisher: Oculus Studios

Available On: Meta Quest (exclusive)

Release Date: December 15th, 2023

Asgard’s Wrath 2 is massive in every measurable dimension. It’s bigger, deeper and basically everything we hoped it would be when Meta first announced in September that Quest would be the exclusive platform to host the game’s sequel, the original of which landed on Rift in 2019.

Besides being a behemoth at 100+ hours in gameplay length, the sequel serves up an incredible depth and scale that is unrivaled on Quest, raising the bar for what you might consider “full-length” content on Meta’s fleet of standalones. Essentially, Asgard’s Wrath 2 is to the Quest platform what Half-Life: Alyx (2020) is to PC VR headsets.

To boot, Meta-owned studio Sanzaru Games have potentially also created the most expensive Quest game to date in terms of development dollars. It definitely shows in the game’s dense and detailed visuals, which although somewhat flatter than a game with the horsepower of a dedicated GPU, nearly approaches what you might see on PC VR headsets. Some might argue that speaks to more about what’s typically available on Quest, and less about what can actually be done with the standalone hardware.

Whatever the case, Asgard’s Wrath 2 not only stands out from the pack on Quest, but it’s a excellent game in any context and on any headset.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

Developer: Guerrilla Games & Firesprite

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Available On: PSVR 2 (exclusive)

Release Date: February 22nd, 2023

Horizon Call of the Mountain is the first major first-party IP that Sony offered up as a VR game. And the company doubled down by making it not just a launch title for the newly launched PlayStation VR 2, but they even offered it up as a bundle launch bundle with the headset itself.

Lucky on not, Horizon Call of the Mountain turned out to be the perfect launch title to show players what the company’s new headset was capable of. Not only does it offer an immersive buffer of rich VR gameplay with some of the best looking visuals in any VR game to date, it also takes advantage of PSVR 2’s most unique features, like eye-tracking, reactive triggers, and head-haptics.

Though it didn’t capture the open-world gameplay of its brethren, Horizon Call of the Mountain found compelling gameplay in now-classic VR mechanics like climbing and bow shooting while managing to innovate in its own right with immersive crafting and a unique locomotion system during combat sequences.

Perhaps the only big flaw with Sony’s plan to launch its headset alongside this exciting adventure is that there hasn’t been any games of quite this scale on the headset since!

Want to read more about Horizon Call of the Mountain? Check out our full review of the game and our behind-the-scenes feature article on the title’s development.

Design Awards

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR

Developer: Ubisoft

Available On: Meta Quest (exclusive)

Release Date: November 16th, 2023

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR had the daunting task of figuring out how to bring one of the franchise’s staple elements—parkour—into VR in a way that’s comfortable and compelling. And as it turns out, the solution meant leaning into Ubisoft’s existing parkour tech that was never designed with VR in mind.

From the outset, the Assassin’s Creed games were defined by their awesome third-person locomotion that gave players unprecedented freedom to traverse the world as well vertically as horizontally. That’s thanks in no small part to a carefully crafted system that determines which parts of the game’s geometry constitute valid handholds and how the character should animate from one position to the next.

Though it was conceived long before the age of modern VR, the developers of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR cleverly adapted the concept for VR such that players can hold down a button and automatically leap between obstacles as easily as looking in the direction they want to go—any movement done with your legs is accomplished this way. But to fuse this with VR gameplay, anything involving the arms—for instance, grabbing onto a hold that’s higher than your feet can reach, pulling yourself up over a ledge, or swinging from a pole—must be done by manually reaching out and making it happen with your own two hands.

Couple that with carefully crafted comfort considerations (say that three times fast)—like the precise speed and trajectory of automated leaps—and Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR delivered that classic franchise feeling of seeing almost anything as climbable and anywhere as reachable, while staying mostly comfortable in VR.

Dungeons of Eternity

Developer: Othergate

Available On: Meta Quest (exclusive)

Release Date: February 22nd, 2023

As a co-op fantasy dungeon crawler, Dungeons of Eternity seems like the last place you’d go looking for an innovative VR interface. But that didn’t stop developer Othergate from trying anyway.

While the game does ultimately fall back on basic laser-pointer menus at the foundational level, the studio fleshed out the game’s ‘menu’ system into an immersive lobby that’s shared by you and your friends.

Common game functions like selecting a level, crafting weapons, and readying up have all been effortlessly translated into this immersive space. Selecting a level means approaching the map table and picking your mission. To craft weapons you’ll want to run down to your equipment room where you’ll find your workbench. And readying up isn’t a button press, but physically walking over to the teleporters to beam up with your teammates.

In many games, all of this would happen purely with text on a screen, but manifesting those functions as a physical lobby feels natural, especially because of the social aspect. If your friend is in their equipment room, you know exactly what they’re up to. Same thing if you see them looking over the map table. That’s contraty to many multiplayer flatscreen games where menus are wholly individual affairs and you’ll often find teammates asking each other “are you ready?” “are you picking a level?”.

That idea of sharing information between teammates carries into the game’s mini-map system too. Rather than pressing a button to make a flat map appear on your screen, mini-maps are physical items—little spherical projectors—that you first have to find inside a level. Once you do, you can pull the projector out and toss it on the ground to project a 3D map of the dungeon that you and your teammates can collectively see.

This not only feels way more immersive than summoning a flat map with a button, but it also makes for natural collaboration as players can simply point to one part of the map as they’re talking about it.

Arizona Sunshine 2

Developer: Vertigo Games

Available On: PC VR, Meta Quest, PSVR 2

Release Date: December 7th, 2023

For the first time we’re giving a double-award to a single title. Arizona Sunshine 2 earns both Excellence in Immersion and Excellence in Co-op—and here’s why.

We really appreciated the game’s attention to immersive detail. Most things that seem like they should be interactive consistently are. Doors, cabinets, drawers, and even ovens all open as expected. Windows shatter. TVs break. Shopping carts roll. Swivel chairs spin. And on top of that there’s a healthy dose of simple but fun interactive props like basketballs, ping pong balls, and cigarettes that you light and even put in your mouth to take a puff. And your dog companion, Buddy? Not only will he fetch tennis balls that you throw, you can even pet him to make sure he knows who’s a good boy.

All of this is interactive goodness is amplified thanks to the game’s co-op capability which allows two players to play the entire campaign together. Discovering the game’s many interactive props and immersive details is that much more fun when you’re doing it with a friend. And thanks to the game’s wide release on all major VR platforms, and cross-platform co-op, it’s very likely that you can actually play with the friend you want to without having to convince anyone to buy a new headset!

The Light Brigade

Developer: Funktronic Labs

Available On: PC VR, Meta Quest, PSVR 2

Release Date: February 22nd, 2023

The Light Brigade is a single player roguelike shooter that you might compare to In Death: Unchained, the critically acclaimed bowshooter from Sólfar Studios and Superbright. Developed by indie studio Funktronic Labs, The Light Brigade lets you step foot into an eerie, shattered world, pitting you against demon soldiers using a variety of World War weaponry. It’s a highly stylized, lower-poly affair that is all works really well visually, creating an ambiance that’s memorable and feeling like some spooky lovechild of Dark Souls and Wolfenstein. 

While procedurally generated levels in other games can leave you feeling like you’re running around in circles or retreading the same old places, The Light Brigade does an excellent job of blending varied and unique environments to make them challenging every single run.

This roguelike is of course mostly about blasting dudes in the head, although the upgrade tree has a good number of pathways and bonus features—all of which is important to build up stats capable of meeting the final boss. More than not, you’ll end up dying another untimely death, as baddies get harder relative to your growing strength, offering good challenge. In the end, The Light Brigade well balanced, appropriately bitey, and addictive in a way only truly great roguelikes can be.

Hotdogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades

Developer: RUST LTD

Available On: PC VR

Release Date: April 5th, 2016

Hotdogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (H3VR) is the definition of a game that keeps on giving. Developer RUST LTD could have abandoned the VR shooter sandbox long ago and still made its over 18,000 Steam reviewers happy with the breadth of content available.

Still in Early Access since its entrance on Steam in 2016, the game presents PC VR players with extremely realistic models of basically every firearm on the planet. Although one of the big focuses initially was plinking at the range, over the years the studio has added a dizzying number of shooter game modes, including things like a sci-fi action roguelite, a zombie shooter, a VR adaptation of Team Fortress 2, and other stuff that feature puzzles, mazes and over a dozen more individual modes to explore. Wherever you go though, you won’t be blasting away at humans: only wibbly hotdog people who shatter into mushy little bits when you shoot them.

As a testament to H3VR’s staying power, the game’s most recent update came earlier this month—over seven years since it launched into EA—introducing new firearms and a host of improvements and quality of life updates. And it’s not showing any signs of stopping either. The studio says it doesn’t know when it will leave Steam Early Access, just that it’s “still having a blast adding things,” and that the sandbox format allows them to grow organically “through a series of experiments, varying from freeform sandbox to more traditionally structured games.”

LEGO Bricktales

Developer: ClockStone STUDIO

Publisher: Thunderful Publishing AB

Available On: Meta Quest exclusive)

Release Date: December 7th, 2023

LEGO Bricktales didn’t start out life as a VR-native, but if you’ve played the plucky little brick-building adventure for a minute or two, you’d swear it wasn’t a port at all.

As a Quest-exclusive, the port feels at home in both pure VR and Quest’s optional passthrough MR, as the big focus here is adding more tactility to building models than you might with keyboard and mouse. With a horizon locked ‘snap-in’ building guide, Bricktales makes it easy to create nearly anything with your own two hands with minimal fuss you might otherwise associate with guiding tiny bricks into place.

Granted, you can’t go completely wild and build just whatever, as you’re tasked with focusing on objective-based builds to do things like getting across rivers, building helicopters, and completing sculptures. Still, you’ll have plenty of pieces though to let your imagination take over.

The family-friendly story may feel at times a little too aimed at kids, but I dare anyone not to look at the little dioramas made of true-to-life Lego pieces and think to yourself “if I had this as a kid I would flip!” In fact, we’re flipping even as adults, as LEGO Bricktales provides a nostalgia rush for anyone who’s put down the plastic blocks long ago.

Note: Games eligible for Road to VR‘s Game of the Year Award must be available to the public on or before December 15th, 2023 to allow for ample deliberation. Games must also natively support the target platform as to ensure full operability.

The post Road to VR’s 2023 Game of the Year Awards appeared first on Road to VR.



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