It’s been a week of exciting announcements for VR games, but it’s actually pretty quiet on the releases front, especially for Oculus Rift. We’ve got some interesting new experiences to check out, but this might be a good week to go back and revisit some of the games and experiences you missed in the past month. Last week’s update alone has some great titles you might have passed on.
Don’t forget that we’ve got an UploadVR Gaming Steam Community to join now and you can also follow the Curator Group where we’ll keep you up-to-date with our reviews and recommendations. Let’s get to it.
NEKOPALIVE, from NEKO WORKs
Release Date: 05/31/16 Price: Free (Oculus Rift)
NEKOPALIVE is a VR concert that features “the catgirls of La Soleil” from the NEKOPARA series. No, we’re not entirely sure what we just said either. With four songs to listen to, you can sit back and be entertained as these girls dance and sing. Sure, it’s a little strange, but graphically this is actually rock solid, and makes a better case for VR concerts than any 360 video we’ve ever seen.
Recommendation: If you’re a NEKOPARA fan then this is a free distraction, but anyone else can pass.
Sketchfab VR, from Sketchfab
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: Free (Gear VR)
You may well have been hearing about Sketchfab for some time now. It’s a 3D rendering platform that’s slowly but surely implemented an impressive array of VR features over the past few years. This week it makes another big leap with the launch of the full Gear VR app that allows you to browse the entire gallery of creations. You can even explore 3D environments made with the latest tools. You can also pick this up on both Rift and Vive.
Recommendation: It’s free to download, but Sketchfab might only appeal to a small number of people working in product design and similar areas.
Guided Meditation VR, from Cubicle Ninjas
Releases Date: 06/02/16 Price: Free (Gear VR)
The launch of Guided Meditation on Gear VR has been a long time coming and we’re happy to say it’s finally here. Cubicle Ninjas has spent the past few years working on one of the most in-depth relaxation experiences in VR and it’s committed to making it even better. Guided Meditation goes above and beyond by offering customization options, heart rate reading and more, making it one of if not the best soothing VR experiences.
Recommendation: If the thought of relaxing in VR appeals to you then this is the app you need to check out. If not, then it’s fun to immerse yourself in these environments all the same.
Haunted, from VRYX
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: $0.99 (Gear VR)
Horror fans have been starved of VR content for the past few weeks, but Haunted is here to fix that. VRYX has crafted a short experience set within a dank, dark house that aims to scare you silly. In fact the developer even recommends that people with heart issues don’t play it. We guess that means it’s big on jump scares, but we’ll let you find out for yourself.
Recommendation: Given the low price horror hunters might want to check this one out, but anyone that likes their pants dry should steer clear.
Tactera, from E McNeill
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: $9.99 (Gear VR)
E McNeill was one of the first to release a full VR game with the brilliant Darknet, so we welcome his return. Tactera is a futuristic real-time strategy game in which the action takes place on a table top. You command gunships, tanks, bombers and more in a sci-fi command center that takes a few cues from Tron on the visual side and genre staples like Command and Conquer on the gameplay front.
Recommendation: Buy a Gear for games? Then get this; McNeill is one of VR’s first seasoned developers and he knows how to make a great game.
Stern Pinball, from FarSight Studios
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: Free with in-app purchases (Gear VR)
Oculus Rift is already well served on the pinball front with Pinball FX2 VR, but Gear VR is getting some love this week with the release of Stern Pinball. You can pretty much guess what’s on offer here, but what’s unique to this take on the classic game is tie-ins with beloved franchises. A Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein pack comes free but, for a price, you can also get tables for Star Trek, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Starship Troopers. A Rift version is also arriving this year.
Recommendation: If you want to see what VR can do for pinball and don’t have access to a Rift then this is your best bet.
Rilix Coaster, from Rilix
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: Free (Gear VR)
VR rollercoasters are a little 2013 by this point but if you haven’t had the pleasure of summoning simulator sickness yet then you might want to give this a go. Rilix Coaster is a little different from other offerings, though, as it’s actually meant to be viewed in a motorised cart that moves with the twists and turns on the track. It’s a pretty neat idea if you have one such cart near you, but that’s not likely to happen any time soon.
Recommendation: If you’re near a Rilix Coaster cart then by all means. If not? There are better things to do with your Gear.
Arachnophobia, from IgnisVR
Release Date: 06/02/16 Price: $4.99 (Oculus Rift)
It might be releasing on Steam this week, but Arachnophobia is actually a pretty old VR app that dates back to the earlier days of Oculus Share. It’s a pretty interesting experiment, even if it does play on the limitations of earlier VR. You place your hands on a table to mirror the setup in-game and then raise the levels of intensity as spiders begin to crawl over your hands. Can you stand having creepy crawlies all over you?
Recommendation: VR’s moved on since Arachnophobia first released so it’s hard to recommend this, but it might be fun to show anyone with a particular fear of spiders.
