There are still plenty of fantastic titles that make use of the technology available, and we have selected some of our favorites for you to try now and over the coming year. Several of our top picks are a bit long in the tooth, but we still consider them to be some of the best experiences for the greatest variety of headsets, until the release of the PS4 virtual reality headset in February.
Even with this year's $100 price hike and the release of the Metaquest Pro, the Meta Quest 2 is still the most popular virtual reality game. The headset we used to try out all the games on was the same one. Some of our favorites include hits such as Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR, but we have also included lesser-known titles such as Cities: VR and Battlegroup VR.
The majority of the games on our list are compatible with modern virtual reality headsets. Specific compatibility for each title has been noted by us.
Beat Saber has an existing library of free songs, but also has songs from popular artists like Skrillex and Billie Eilish that can be purchased individually or in a bundle. Adding your own tunes can be done with a little elbow grease.
Beat Saber is a relatively easy game to play at a base level. Beat Saber has a high skill ceiling and is relentless on the higher challenges.
It's compatible with Meta Quest, Meta Rift, and other virtual reality headsets.
Beat Saber is something like Dance Dance Revolution but for your hands.
The studio that brought us Rock Band and Guitar Hero knows how to make us look ridiculous while making us feel cool. Anyone familiar with the classics Dance Dance Revolution or Just Dance will know what to expect in Dance Central Virtual Reality.
There are 32 songs in the game that span eras and genres from hip hop to modern alternative. There are a dozen or so DLC songs available, but the store is no longer receiving updates, and there is no way to add your own.
Dance Central is the most active game on our list and has a built-in fitness tracking function that gives you a rough estimate of how many calories you have burned.
It's compatible with: Meta Quest.
The same engine used for the Far Cry franchise is used in The Climb 2, which is definitely not for the acrophobic. The Climb 2 features 12 peaks of steadily increasing difficulty spread across four different environments. There are multiple routes to the top and a scoring system to keep you competing against the best of the best.
The mechanics of the game are simple and easy to understand. As you progress through the game, you will be forced to jump across gaps and perform technical holds to extend your grip on ledges. Playing The Climb 2 for an extended period of time will make you work up a sweat or clammy hands.
There is still enough incentive to play The Climb 2 year-round despite the fact that the game isn't very deep.
It's compatible with: Meta Quest.
The Climb 2 is a game that uses the same engine used for the Far Cry series.
Making the leap to virtual reality has given this game a new lease on life, even though it has been re-released more times than we can count. Most of the things that made the entry great to begin with are retained in this iteration.
In addition to moving the action to a first-person perspective, Resident Evil 4VR also ups the tension by turning many of the actions into manual efforts. You need more than a few failed attempts to successfully reload.
It's compatible with Metaquest 2.
The game has been given a new lease on life thanks to the leap to virtual reality, but it will be replaced by a remake soon.
There is a video game that is not about JohnWick. Superhot VR has you outnumbered and outgunned in scenarios where a single bullet can kill you. You can only progress time when you are moving. The time distortion mechanic makes the experience a little more cerebral than an average shooter.
Bullets and the environment make up the puzzle in Superhot. You have to find creative ways to survive when you're hopelessly outgunned. Did you mean out of bullets? You should throw your gun. Don't have a gun? Shoot the bullet out of the air and hit the bad guys.
It's compatible with Meta Quest, Meta Rift, and other virtual reality headsets.
It is a masterpiece by some and is available on all virtual reality platforms. This virtual reality port is a rail shooter at heart, but the unique aesthetic, sound, and music combine to transform it into an experience unlike anything else.
The controller inputs allow you to look where you want to aim and press a button to shoot. When coupled with the amazing techno soundtrack, the experience feels fluid. When enemies are destroyed, they release a flurry of loops and beats.
It's compatible with Meta Quest, Meta Rift, and other virtual reality headsets.
You can combine Dark Souls with your favorite roguelike in a virtual reality environment. In Death: Unchained is a punishing game that will keep you coming back for more. In Death: Unchained makes its weapons feel incredibly satisfying to shoot, despite being limited to bows and arrows.
Unchained is a remake of the original In Death, which was made for the virtual reality headsets. This version compromises the graphics a bit to accommodate the hardware, but is packed with extra levels to bridge the difference.
It's compatible with: Metaquest, Metaquest 2.
This musically charged entry in the classic block-stacking game is different than anything else you have experienced before, and it can be played without the use of a virtual reality headset. The core experience of Tetris Effect is still the same, but it is also driven by a combination of musical rhythms and vivid colors in the virtual reality version. Depending on which level you play, your experience can be vastly different. The virtual reality component does a good job of adding depth to each level and making it feel like you're in a different world from the one you're used to.
It's compatible with Meta Quest, Meta Rift, and other virtual reality headsets.
It is possible to manage things from a bird's-eye view all the way down to the pedestrian level in Cities: Skylines, Cities: VR. Not every feature of the larger Cities: Skylines, like terrain editing or natural disasters, are brought over to the virtual reality version, but fans of the original game will still feel familiar with the interface and systems.
It's compatible with Metaquest 2.
The spiritual successor to Sim City made the leap to virtual reality.
Battlegroup virtual reality is a must-play for fans of The Expanse or other space battles. The cinematic view of battles as they unfold is offered by the bridge of your flagship. Battlegroup VR gives you a lot of control over each ship, allowing you to control things like firing arcs and power distribution. A modest narrative-driven campaign moves the action of Battlegroup VR along at a reasonable pace, but the game also has a randomized skirmish mode. This is one of the best real-time strategy games for virtual reality.
It's compatible with: Metaquest, Metaquest 2.
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