No matter who you are it’s almost a given that at points you just want to shut the world out and cocoon somewhere to relax and unwind. This can take many forms, from delving into a good book, binge-watching the latest Netflix series or listening to your favourite album. Of course, videogames can also provide a superb means of escape and virtual reality (VR) titles take that one step further. So here are a few of VRFocus’ favourites.
OrbusVR: Reborn
If you want plenty of content then massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are a good place to start. Which means you should take a look at OrbusVR: Reborn by Ad Alternum.
Originally released in 2017, OrbusVR was reborn in 2019 expanding the experience with more content as well as improving the visuals among other tweaks. While you can adventure alone, the title is best experienced with others. Go on raids, explore dungeons, fight monsters and just enjoy a huge open world. Plus there’s a free demo over on Steam so you can try it first.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index.
Journey of the Gods
If single-player adventuring is more your thing then Turtle Rock Games’ latest, Journey of the Gods is another worthy of your time. An RPG with a bit of a Legend of Zelda vibe, this about saving townsfolk, upgrading weapons and generally fighting lots of big monsters.
There’s a twist in the gameplay in the fact that you get to unlock some god-like powers, transforming you into a massive deity that can crash trees, make impassible terrain passable and rain down lightning bolts onto enemies.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Quest & Oculus Rift.
Paper Beast
Some videogames just don’t need an explanation, it’s simply best to just play them and go with the flow. Paper Beast for PlayStation VR is one of those titles.
Wonderfully esoteric with its gameplay design, Paper Beast is an amalgamation of genres with a story putting you inside a living, breathing digital world made up of random code from big data. Interact with the strange creatures which inhabit the world, solve environmental puzzles and begin a journey with no dialogue or written cues.
- Supported platforms: PlayStation VR
Beat Saber
Rather than losing yourself on an adventure why not lose yourself in the music. There are an ever growing number of rhythm-action titles which could have made this list but Beat Saber has the right mix of energetic gameplay, infectious tunes and wide platform support.
The experience has evolved considerably since its initial release, adding more music packs, allowing gamers to create their own beat maps and throwing in some 360-degree challenges for good measure. You might start on normal difficulty but soon the desire to complete Expert+ will take hold.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality & PlayStation VR.
Boneworks
If you love as much physical interaction as possible in your VR experiences then Stress Level Zero’s Boneworks is certainly one to consider.
The studio has painstakingly ensured that Boneworks physics, from using guns to swinging a sledgehammer is as closer to their real-world counterparts as possible. Offering a single-player, story-based adventure, with puzzles to solve and enemies to deal with, Boneworks is recommended for those with previous VR experience due to the nature of the mechanics.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality.
Half-Life: Alyx
Plenty has been said about this definitive VR title from Valve, offering some of the best immersive gameplay you’ll find anywhere.
Whether you’re a fan of the original series of videogames or coming into the franchise fresh, you can play Half-Life: Alyx like a normal single-player FPS or experiment with all the little additions which Valve has dotted around. One thing is for sure, you’ll want to dive straight back in after the first playthrough. Plus, there are all the community mods to come.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality.
Stormland
A superb title which arrived late in 2019 from Insomniac Games, Stormland offers a free-flowing experience that lets you just enjoy being in a VR world.
With a single-player narrative at its core, inhabiting a robot form you can run around and take down enemies, clamber over any rock face or building, and then glide between the islands which make up the areas. Better still, bring a mate in for some co-op gameplay plus once the campaign is complete, each week the Stormland will change, providing new reasons to return.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift
Tetris Effect
Some may feel its the same old gameplay simply rehashed with fancy new visuals and sounds – and it essentially is – but that doesn’t mean VRFocus doesn’t love playing it.
With a myriad of modes to challenge you, Tetris Effect has an almost hypnotic effect as all those fancy visuals dance around your vision, changing as you complete each line and score more points.
The PC version might be exclusive to the Epic Games Store but that’s no reason to ignore it. If you love puzzle titles then this is a VR classic.
- Supported platforms: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
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