The HTC Vive releases for this week cover a diverse collection of genres of topics with some winter and Christmas themed treats mixed in. Oscar Mike VR is an intriguing FPS with a Counter-Strike style that will hopefully iron out a couple issues to become a major multiplayer experience. DreamDesk VR finally hits Steam with plenty of customization tools for your virtual reality workspace, but is it worth the high price point? If you’re a fan of escape the room experiences, this week gives you couple cool options with the solid Locked In VR and sci-fi noir Abode.
In the meantime, if you missed last week, you can see those new releases here. And don’t forget that UploadVR has a Steam community group, complete with a curated list of recommendations so that you don’t have to waste any money finding out what’s good in the world of VR.
We also have a top list of the absolute best HTC Vive games — which is updated every few months with the latest and greatest options.
VR Dungeon, from Relative Reality Studios
Price: $4.99
Built on cross-play between HTC Vive and a smartphone, VR Dungeon is a collaborative puzzler. Team up, find objects and treasure and escape the dungeon.
Recommendation: Really cool concept with a lot of potential. Give it a shot.
I Hate Santa, from VirtualRock VR
Price: $2.99
With the Christmas holiday right around the corner, we’re starting to get an influx of themed games. I Hate Santa is a snow-filtered wave shooter where you take out kids with snowballs on your way to finding out Santa’s dark secret.
Recommendation: Not recommended. Better options that are free.
Theme Park Studio, from Pantera Entertainment
Price: $29.99
Theme Park Studio is essentially a theme park themed physics toolbox that includes Steam Workshop integration, so expect a wealth of mods. Build and enter “VR Mode” to explore and ride your creations.
Recommendation: Spotty support that has seen an uptick in recent weeks. If continued, could be a major VR experience. Keep an eye on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6zeNhvXopA
Historium VR- Relive the history of Bruges, from Sevenedge Interactive Media
Price: $13.49 (Currently Discounted)
In Historium VR, players take an interactive and immersive journey through 15th century Bruges. Walk, sail, and fly around as you learn the history of the area and its trading routes.
Recommendation: Catch it on sale unless you have an overwhelming interest in the era.
Hand Eye Cubination, from Virtual Vitality
Price: $8.99 (Currently Discounted)
This experience takes full advantage of your senses in an immersive VR experience as you guide cubes across various puzzles.
Recommendation: Very casual and simple experience that may become uninteresting quickly. Keep an eye on it though.
Space Junk Patrol, from Anthracite Games
Price: $5.09 (Currently Discounted)
In Space Junk Patrol, you pilot your own ship through crowded space and clean up debris while fighting off alien adversaries.
Recommendation: Not a bad casual time-sink for the sale price.
Neon Arena, from Axyos Games
Price: $5.99 (Currently Discounted)
Neon Arena is a twin stick shooter within an ever-evolving arena. Also includes co-op gameplay.
Recommendation: Decent game, but doesn’t really take advantage of VR much.
Driftwatch VR, from Sevenedge Interactive Media
Price: $6.79 (Currently Discounted)
This on-rails Vive shooter puts players on the back of a whale or in a helicopter as you shoot down enemies with magic, arrows, and dual melee weapons.
Recommendation: Visually impressive with solid physics but fairly short. Keep an eye on it.
Locked In VR, from Immersion
Price: $5.39 (Currently Discounted)
If not evident from the name, Locked In VR is an escape the room experience. You’re dropped into a basement with things scattered and a timer on the wall. Use your wits and figure out the various puzzles to find out why you’re there in the first place.
Recommendation: One of the better escape the room titles at a solid price.
Abode, from Overflow
Price: $9.99
Abode is an escape the room-like game with a sci-fi noir aesthetic to it. Find, repair, and use items across the apartment to learn all of the dwelling’s secrets.
Recommendation: Another solid game to add to your collection if you’re not already tired of this genre.
VRchaeology: Prologue, from Play Nicely
Price: Free-to-play
In VRchaeology you take some TNT along with your archaeological tools to chisel and explode your way to riches.
Recommendation: Brief but free experience. Give it a shot and keep an eye out for more additions.
Oscar Mike VR, from For Loop Games
Price: $19.99
Oscar Mike VR is a 5v5 first-person shooter with online and offline multiplayer. It has a similar design and structure to Counter-Strike with players purchasing their weapons as the beginning of every round and the featured image is ripped right out of Battlefield.
Recommendation: Decent experience if you dig military shooters. Onward is still better overall.
Bullet Sorrow VR, from VikingVRStudio
Price: $15.99 (Currently Discounted)
In this futuristic arcade shooter, utilize a collection of weapons to eliminate enemies. Also take advantage of progressive bullet time as you take cover and dodge enemy fire.
Recommendation: Very well done wave shooter with potential to grow. Grab it.
Doomsday Survival: Training, from CrazyAi
Price: $9.99
Doomsday Survival: Training is a pretty physically intense workout disguised in a fun sci-fi aesthetic. Includes a collection of modes as you duck, collect, and dodge your way up the leaderboards.
Recommendation: Fun way to distract yourself into a decent workout.
Emission VR, from VRSpec Team
Price: $0.99
Emission VR is a third person zombie battler set in a Resident Evil-esque environment. The atmosphere is dark and the zombies are hungry. Better keep those guns at the ready.
Recommendation: If you’ve ever felt nostalgic for a Jill Sandwich then this could be the game for you.
Crazy Saloon VR, from Monsieur K
Price: $9.99
Crazy Saloon VR is a humorous collection of old west themed minigames inside a saloon. In the game you can play as the bartender and serve the cowboys drinks, throw darks, defend the bar, and more.
Recommendation: Silly fun that’s worth grabbing.
DreamDesk VR, from We AR VR
Price: $39.99
DreamDesk is the latest VR desktop app to hit the market. This one differentiates itself by allowing you to “create, scale and place virtual screens around you without additional hardware or drivers.” That means multiple screens baby.
Recommendation: DreamDesk could help you be more productive and if that’s worth $39.99 to you then this could be a decent purchase. For most people, however, this one’s price is simply too high.
Salvage Op, from D.W.S.
Price: $11.04 (Currently Discounted)
Using your head mounted flashlight and dual weapons, explore the overrun vessels of Salvage Op in deep space.
Recommendation: Interesting concept but just keep an eye on it in early access for now.
Snowday, from Breachgate
Price: $14.99
Winter is upon us and it’s time to hit the power in this first person shooter (or snowbrawler as the devs call it). Use stealth and good aim to become the best snowball fighter in the neighborhood.
Recommendation: Fun winter-themed competitive shooter with a solid foundation in early access.
Bounce, from Steel Wool Studios
Price: $19.99 (Currently Discounted)
This physics-based puzzle game tasks you helping out a robot companion through a labyrinth of rooms.
Recommendation: One of the best VR physics puzzlers available. Grab it. Our review.
GemWars, from uyi technology Co, Ltd
Price: $15.99
GemWars is a wave shooter with a fantasy/toon aesthetic where you take down a diverse collection of enemy types with various weapons. Also includes an unlockable tower defense mode.
Recommendation: Wealth of content and lots of fun. Grab it.
Nock: Hidden Arrow, from CodeBison Games
Price: $8.49 (Currently Discounted)
Nock: Hidden Arrow might just fall under the category of “hidden gems.” It combines some creative light mechanics with the always-satisfying-in-VR archery combat system to put together a truly engaging dungeon crawler.
Recommendation: Nock: Hidden Arrow would make a great weekend game and it’s on sale as well. Great concept.
Pinball FX2 VR, from Zen Studios
Price: $14.99
It’s pinball, but in VR. Lots of great themed tables, like The Walking Dead, can be downloaded as DLC, and plenty of spectacular effects. We’ve interviewed the devs about it extensively and recently published our review. Lots of great content here.
Recommendation: For fans of the classic hobby that predates video games themselves, this is a must-buy.
Magnificent Ships: Volume 1, from VROOM
Price: $11.99
This collection of detailed ships allows you to explore in room and full-scale modes so you can admire the great degree of work put into the models. You can manipulate the massive vessels as if they were toys or take a first person tour of the deck.
Recommendation: Very specific interest here so grab it if it tickles your fancy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTNde93Dhxs
BladeShield, from Rank17, Silicon Storm
Price: $2.39 (Currently Discounted)
How long can you survive against this onslaught of robotic foes? They want you dead but fortunately you have a pair of license-free laser swords that are in no way affiliated with a certain film franchise to fend them off. Dual wield to your heart’s content.
Recommendation: License-free laser swords and VR are a match made in heaven. For less than three dollars this one could be a steal.
Drunken Bar Fight, from The Munky
Price: $10.19 (Currently Discounted)
Ever wanted the adrenaline rush of a brutal bar fight without the scars and legal consequences? Drunken Bar Fight is your chance.
Recommendation: It’s a bit clunky when it comes to the crucial aspect of hitting your enemies, so keep an eye out for updates while it’s in early access.
