The full release of Bootstrap Island lives up to its early promise with a highly engaging, immersive, and at times disturbing adventure that stands as one of VR's best survival titles. Any issues I had will likely be ironed out with further patches, but this is already a great time in VR.
For VR players looking for an energetic blend of action and light strategic elements, Orcs Must Die! By the Blade will deliver plenty of hack and slash fun.
VR has always had a penchant for great puzzle games and Fixer Undercover is no exception. The heavy emphasis on VR interactions and encouragement to think outside the box on solutions makes for a highly entertaining spy caper. The game is only held back by a healthy dose of grab jank, average graphics, and a fairly predictable story. None of those should be dealbreakers though. Fixer Undercover is a worthy addition to any puzzle lover's library.
Crossings manages to mask its flaws with strong, well-designed combat and a moody atmospheric world to explore. The co-op experience comes up short and the game lacks several comfort features, but these are all fixable issues and with an attractive $10 price point, it's a welcome addition to one of the most crowded genres in VR.
Put simply, despite lacking in approachability and customization features, Aces of Thunder offers one of the most thrilling venues for combat VR gaming has to offer and is a fitting callback to the classic flight sims of yesteryear.
Salmon Man is a worthwhile use of your time if you’re in the market for this sort of game. It’s somewhat ironic to say this as a games reviewer, but more than most titles, you can tell at a glance whether this is for you. Did you enjoy Getting Over It? Can you handle a turbulent VR experience? Do you want to combine those ideas? This is for you. If not, perhaps it’s ok to give this game a miss. If you do give it a go though, there’s a good degree of value and fun to be had here.
Stellar Cafe is a lighthearted, relatively short AI experience that wraps up its simple story before outstaying its welcome. I do wish it were longer, but what's here is quite enjoyable and worth a pickup as a glimpse into what feels like an inevitable future for gaming, especially social sim settings like this.
If you are an action junkie just here to wreck enemies, there are better roguelites available in VR with more engaging combat than Street Gods. Even as a power fantasy, the lack of weapon variety, uninspired enemies, repetitive locations, and power-ups make Street Gods a struggle to hold your attention for long.
Glassbreakers is smart, competitive, and highly addictive and stands as one of the best strategy experiences available in VR - and one of the most charming. Currently, it is a game let down only by the fact that the player base hasn't grown enough to support consistent, frictionless matchmaking. Nonetheless, since its launch I have spent more time in Glassbreakers than all my other games combined - testament to a beautifully balanced and brilliantly designed small-scale masterpiece. Five weeks on from launch I maintain that Glassbreakers truly deserves a large-scale following. Highly recommended.
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow may be a bit modest and rough around the edges, but it's also impressive in the right ways. It melds modern sensibilities with a retro mindset, welcoming new players to the series. Magpie is a charmingly impish lead aided greatly by Garrett's ghostly reprisal. The foundations set here can deliver a proper fresh start for this classic series. I can see Magpie's story continuing, though time will tell if that's the case. Either way, Maze Theory pleasantly surprises with the next generation of Thief.
