10.
Electronauts Forming the perfect marriage of neon lights,
electronic music, and VR capabilities, this casual music game will let you unleash your
inner DJ.
Electronauts wraps itself in stereotypical neon lights, which, for many, seems the fitting
representation of the disc jock life.
But, even if that's not your thing, critics like COGConnected would tell you that's not
a problem.
"I’m still no die-hard of EDM, but the game has certainly opened my eyes to the wide variety
of music..and just how fun it can be to manipulate it."
Manipulation is pretty much key in Electronauts where you get to create beats and remix their
admittedly obscure but solid track selection.
They also have plenty of youtube tutorials which will gladly you the ropes.
Push Square may have given it a mere 7 out of 10, but they enjoyed this kind of accessibility
that makes it fun for any kind of player.
It has a playscore of 8.38.
9.
Red Matter Released just last December 2018, Red Matter
came long after the advent of virtual reality games.
And, you can definitely see it with the way it handles the technicalities of the platform.
This story-driven adventure revolves around aCold War-like situation set in the far future.
In it, you, the player, will take on the role of astronaut slash agent Epsilon as he ventures
to Saturn's moon to investigate a shady top-secret research project.
Maybe Ad Astra without the daddy issues?
Among all four of its critic reviews, Red Matter was praised for how it incorporated
the strengths of the platform in the game.
This is demonstrated in TSA's review where they called it the most immersive puzzle game,
"thanks in no small part to how well it makes use of VR..."
On top of its technicals, it's atmosphere and setting also play huge part, as PS Universe
says "Red Matter nails its soviet-era underground bunker with a realistic visual flair."
It has a playscore of 8.39.
8.
I Expect You To Die If you thought the sci-fi was a great, familiar
place to start on the VR, wait till you see this.
Parodying the iconic spy movies we grew up with, I Expect You To Die puts you in the
suits and bowtie of a world-class agent.
With the aid of a wry narrator ala Stanley Parable, it guides you through puzzles and
escapes the room scenarios that all seem to capture the ridiculousness and the ridiculous
risks of the spy trade.
Despite getting ratings below eight, reviewers like Upload VR still poured praise on the
title.
According to them "Between the motion controls and the immersive view of virtual reality,
it does a good job of putting you there in complex and sometimes dangerous situations."
For Destructoid who gave the game an 8, I Expect You To Die even had unexpected effects,
saying "even after I had finished the handful of scenarios, I anxiously wanted to see how
others would approach the same..."
It has a playscore of 8.46.
7.
Sairento VR This next game banks on the immersive powers
of virtual reality by selling you the experience of becoming a powerful cyber ninja.
In Sairento VR, you're equipped with all the tools you need to be the stealthy Japanese
cyborg you probably wanted to be.
As fun as it is to play, a lot of critics admit that the VR experience isn't exactly
perfect.
This sentiment shows up in many of the reviews, but each of them agrees that its strengths
far outweigh the game's technical glitches.
That's exactly GameSpew's view saying "it's worth putting up with these glitchy moments...because
Sairento VR is such a ridiculous, over-the-top joy to play."
COGConnected pretty much shared these sentiments when they said "the swordplay left much to
be desired, but everything else more than made up for it."
Being a hit among gamers with a Gamer Score a whopping 9.03, it shows Sairento hit it
off with a total playscore of 8.46.
6.
The Persistence We're back on another creepy space station
in this title from Firesprite Limited.
Virtual Reality was practically built for immersion and if there's one genre where that
fits perfectly, it's horror.
It's a wonder we got this far in this list without them but Persistence may prove to
be a fitting entrance.
What makes it stand out is its use of procedural generation which adds replayability and tension
to their narrative.
As TechRaptor says, "Each run on the spaceship saw me rethink how to approach enemies."
Some critics like PS Lifestyle may have given it a less than awesome score, it is, for the
most part, a solid title still.
Other than some moments where it felt unfair to them, they ultimately recommend it.
"...while it does have its flaws, there’s something incredibly satisfying about sneaking
up behind enemies and zapping the stem cells out of their skulls."
Adding replayability to the VR horror formula, it has a playscore of 8.49.
5.
Ghost Giant VR is always about unique experiences, and
this game gets the experience of having a friend.
From the makers of the quirky tiles Fe and Flipping Death, Zoink Games tells an interesting
story of a small cat and his newfound friend as they go on to solve puzzles and keep life
together.
Unlike other games, Ghost Giant isn't exactly impressive in terms of technical innovations.
According to IGN who gave it an 8.30, it may look like any other object-based puzzler,
but it has a kind of charm has tugged at many a critics’ heartstrings.
Giving it a decent score of 7.00, even Destructoid couldn't disagree saying: "It feels like a
VR advancement of a classic PC point-and-click adventure game, albeit one with a great look,
phenomenal sound design, and a story I'm not ashamed to admit had me choking up a bit toward
the end."
An essential VR game if only for its story, it has a playscore of 8.5.
4.
Blood & Truth An exclusive for the PSVR, Blood & Truth might
be a great fix for anyone that's still on that John Wick high.
This VR title evolved out of the brutal gangster action of PlayStation VR Worlds' London Heist.
That makes it all the more impressive to see how far SIE London Studio has come.
Just like Sairento VR, Blood & Truth also has its share of glitches.
According to Upload VR, some of these flaws come out in the form of their sometimes frustrating
moment system.
But, despite this and their pacing issues, they ultimately called Blood & Truth a "tour
de force" for the PSVR.
"The action is pulse-pounding and so bombastic it rivals even the biggest summer blockbusters."
IGN said almost the same thing in their review: "Blood & Truth’s intense shooting action
made me feel as cool as its characters, immersing me in its world even as its limited movement
did its best to remind me I wasn’t in full control."
For a taste of the action star package, Blood & Truth has you covered with a score of 8.57.
3.
Beat Saber Beat Saber could very well be one of the first
faces of VR.
One, because it makes you feel like Jedis and Siths if you're into that.
And two, because you'll look really cool if you're good at it.
Beat Saber is a rhythm game on the VR, and it stands out with its surrealistic neon environment.
Swinging around sabers and slicing through red and blue blocks at the perfect moment
can be quite a workout.
For IGN, giving the game a 9.50, "Beat Saber literally leaves me breathless" Later on their
review, IGN also noted the game's sparse tracks on the release.
However, a lot has changed since, with users allowed to create custom songs and with a
few released DLCs and updates.
Game Informer also states that Beat Saber is a great poster boy for the platform.
It doesn't have majestic surroundings, but it "uses VR to place you into the music and
taps into your carnal desire to hit things with swords."
It has a playscore of 8.97.
2.
Moss Beat Saber was markedly sparse in the environmental
aspect, but not here in Polyarc's VR adventure.
In Moss, we are treated to a feast of visual delights.
It tells the story of a young mouse named Quill who awakens ancient magic and wanders
around the vast woodlands.
Unlike her, the world is large and you get front seats to the action as you guide her
through the journey.
Wonder and awe are feelings you'll get a lot, and it's reflected in the reviews it received
upon release.
Wccftech.com gave the game 9, complimenting the comfort and ease that the world offers.
"the forest world that Quill calls her home is a character all its own."
But aside from its sheer beauty, it also offers up an enduring friendship between you and
Quill that will make its three-hour storyline too short of a stay.
GameSpew suggests, "when she squeaks and holds up her adorable little arm, make sure you
don’t leave her hanging."
It has a playscore of 8.98.
1.
ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission A lot of our games so far have excelled in
individual aspects but as the number one game, this VR title has managed to balance immersion,
story, and technicals--all in one, straightforward package.
Astro Bot Rescue came to us at the tail end of last year and has since stolen the show
entirely.
As usual, it isn't groundbreaking.
Destructoid gave it a 7.50 for relying on the VR wow factor, but even they couldn't
deny its responsiveness and polished finish.
There's also a lot to love about the way it translated the platforming we know into VR.
Game Informer goes on to say, "Astro Bot Rescue Mission feels like it came out of nowhere
to quietly prove that familiar genres can feel like new experience."
Add that to the work they put in on the presentation, controls, and level design, ASTRO BOT becomes
a game that's just genuinely fun to play.
It has a playscore of 9.05.