Playing a boardgame might not sound like the best use of VR, but the brilliant (and often hilarious) Tabletop Simulator makes a great case for it.
Indie developer Berserk Games finally integrated long-anticipated VR support for its popular release late last week, almost a year to the day that it first launched. Tabletop Simulator brilliantly mixes the comedic simulator genre with 15 classic boardgames, including the likes of Chess, Poker, and Dominoes, with extra DLC adding more games in. Crucially, you have complete freedom with how to play; pieces can be moved anywhere on a board, allowing you to simply set up and play just as you would with a real set.
Of course, that means you can also make a complete mockery of it all, pushing your opponents pieces over or throwing the board away. The beauty of Tabletop Simulator is that you don’t have to clean up after. You can also create your own original games, and online multiplayer for up to 10 players.
VR support currently entails integration for the HTC Vive, though Berserk Games is keen to point out that it’s only in the Alpha stage right now. That said there are some great features included here, such as the ability for a non-VR user to play online with someone that does have a Vive on. It also makes full use of Room-Scale tracking and the Vive’s positional controllers. A new game, Zombicide, has also arrived alongside the support as a new DLC pack.
VR support for Tabletop Simulator was actually announced all the way back in 2014 for the Oculus Rift. It’s unclear if that support is still on the way, though it could well be that Berserk Games is waiting for the arrival of the Oculus Touch controllers in the second half of this year before implementing the HMD. For now, though, the full game is available for $29.99.
