This week’s weekly roundup of HTC Vive titles contains a handful of virtual ‘escape the room’ experiences, some wacky mini-games, and even an education lab with a growing list of attractions. No killer app, but there’s one really intriguing heavy hitter in the 90s style FPS Quell 4D. There are also a couple award winning virtual short films worth your attention.
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.
Ship It, from Think On Labs
Price: $14.99
Put your last minute packing skills to work as you pack virtual boxes with blocks the differ in size, shape, and color and then ship them off to your employer. Think miniature Tetris and you’re in the ballpark.
Recommendation: Responsive with blocks snapping satisfyingly into place as you rapidly work. Grab it with the mindset that you’ll occasionally come back to it.
Edmersiv, from EvoBooks
Price: Free
In this educational lab you can tinker with a science set, study virtual animals, and explore historic locals. Edmersiv even has a virtual coliseum for you to explore inside and out…are you not entertained?
Recommendation: Educational, immersive, and free-to-play with more to come…so yeah, worth a look.
Quell 4D, from Rubycone
Price: $19.99
Straight to the point, you’re Murderman and you’ve got things to do. Move around by leading your mount with a carrot hanging from a string and use your other hand to live up to your name.
Recommendation: Brutal 90s style FPS. You even have to ask?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOhhZPx7bG4
The Gleam: VR Escape the Room, from Blue Entropy Studios
Price: $3.79 (Currently Discounted)
Solve puzzles, decipher codes, and try to keep a degree of sanity in a virtual “Escape Room” attraction. The Gleam has full-room scale with a dense amount items to gather to help in your escape.
Recommendation: Snatch it up for cheap and challenge friends to escape the fastest.
Crazy Flies, From Chongqing Yan Wan Network Technology Co. Ltd.
Price: $2.39 (Currently Discounted)
Ever swat a fly and think that you were somewhat adept at it? Crazy Flies is your shot. Use a collection of weapons to take down the flying pests before time runs out.
Recommendation: Even for cheap, it’s not very appealing.
Heroes of the Seven Seas VR, from Mirage Interactive
Price: $12.99
Live out your pirate dream in virtual reality as you sail across the waters, seek out treasure, and chat with mermaids. Combat in Heroes of the Seven Seas takes place on your upgradeable ship and on foot with a variety of weapons.
Recommendation: If you have a craving for the life of a pirate, try to catch it on sail…sale. Even then we weren’t big fans of the Gear VR version.
Pen Island VR, from ReaVR Games
Price: $7.19 (Currently Discounted)
Wash up on shore and gather a couple items as you attempt to survive Pen Island and its strange inhabitants. More of a wave defense game versus a wave shooter.
Recommendation: Pass.
Lazerbait, From Taylor Stapleton
Price: Free
Lazerbait is an arcade strategy game reminiscent of mobile RTS-light titles. Send your ships from planet to planet until you’ve conquered them all.
Recommendation: Pass, or download it. Meh. It’s free.
Tornufallo, from RealityRig
Price: $0.84 (Currently Discounted)
Sharknado? No. Tornufallo. Do your best to survive this unnatural disaster as you dodge and swat away massive debris.
Recommendation: Pretty cheap leaderboard driven game that could be a fun time with friends. Currently in Early Access.
Allumette, From Penrose Studios
Price: Free
In Allumette, watch a beautifully styled VR short film about the relationship between a mother and daughter unfold before you.
Recommendation: A wonderful free experience you should check out. Prepare for tears. More info.
INVASION!, from Baobab Studios Inc.
Price: Free
In this animated short narrated by Ethan Hawk, a pair of aliens attempt to take over the world and eliminate anyone in their path. Unfortunately, they’re ambitions run into a brick wall of cute.
Recommendation: An award winning, free short (for a limited time). Grab it. More info.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puvsoT_Qd9s
The Unwelcomed, from The Unwelcomed Studios
Price: $8.99 (Currently Discounted)
Unwelcomed is an escape the room puzzle experience. Move around the haunting mansion and get out before things go wrong.
Recommendation: Pretty limited in its current Early Access form. Wait a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B278BNgExUw
WackyMoles, from CrystalGame
Price: $15.99 (Currently Discounted)
This casual title has you clearing out some naughty moles inhabiting your vegetable garden in the backyard. Use your hammer in this Early Access title to attack a variety of moles while dodging their different skills.
Recommendation: Pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCK8j-SuIp4
Shatter Quest, from Dream Totems LLC
Price: $12.74 (Currently Discounted)
Put you table tennis skills to work in the fantasy setting of Shatter Quest, smacking a ball around to take down static and moving glass barriers.
Recommendation: Pretty bland. Pass.
The Rabbit Hole, from VRMonkey
Price:$3.99
Fall down the Rabbit Hole and try to escape an atmospheric, dark dwelling built in Unreal 4. Use different items to change your size and explore different nooks and crannies.
Recommendation: If you’re into escape rooms, not too steep an investment into something with decent potential in Early Access.
Alveari, from BeehiveBob
Price: $14.99
Alveari is a pretty good looking collection of shooting mini-games in a series of abstract settings. Has a solid visual foundation thus far and some cool effects, but not much more.
Recommendation: In Early Access and not deep enough for the price of entry.
