The sluggish start to the new year rolls into week two of releases for the Oculus Rift. Gear VR, however, fares much better this week with the launch of two intriguing new apps that should keep gamers satisfied. We’re still waiting for 2017 to kick it into high gear (pun intended) with VR releases, though.
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.
Plus — check out our list of the best Oculus Rift games and best Gear VR games for more suggestions!
https://youtu.be/wxjGJLv1StM
SpaceDragon, from 3lbGames
Price: $14.99 (Rift)
The description for SpaceDragon first asks: “Have you ever wanted to destroy a world?” so I warn you that purchasing this might put you on some sort of watch list. Still, this is a strange looking beast in which you control neon dragons across space, fighting robot enemies across multiple solar systems. Sounds trippy and like a break from the norm.
Recommendation: Touch owners should check this out for something new.
City Avenger, from Chesstar Studios
Price: $2.99 (Gear)
A controller-required Gear game where you seemingly tear through a city shooting and blowing up everything in sight. It’s got an 80’s action vibe on one hand, but on the other it looks pretty mindless.
Recommendation: Probably avoid this one.
Fat City, from Heavy Iron Studios
Price: $3.99 (Rift and Gear)
Fat City has been popping up over multiple platforms over the past few months, so we’re not surprised to see it make its VR debut on Gear VR. This is an action puzzler in which you plan bank heists and try and make off with stacks of cash. There are 60 puzzles included here.
Recommendation: Definitely a good choice for the puzzle fans.
Great Header, from Chesstar Studios
Price: Free (Gear)
Great Header appears to be a renamed version of HeadMaster, the game that popped up on Gear VR last year baring a very close resembelance to PlayStation VR exclusive Headmaster from Frame. All that’s changed is the name, you still need to hit footballs with your head to send them flying at targets.
Recommendation: Free, throwaway fun.
Kill Ball, from FiresVR
Price: $0.99 (Gear)
Those of us with years of wisdom know that PopCap’s Zuma is one of the greatest games every created. It probably isn’t coming to VR any time soon, so we’ll gladly accept this clone, in which you fire colored balls at corresponding ones lined up and moving along a set back.
Recommendation: Zuma fans should look into this charming clone.
Love Cubed, from Big Immersive
Price: $4.99 (Gear)
I’d be lying if I said I knew what was going on here. Love Cubed is a game in which you drag a cubed head around to bounce into other cubed heads to prevent them from getting to your cubed headed girlfriend. There are some games in this job that I genuinely don’t know how to say anything about. This is one of them.
Recommendation: Potential to give you neck pain from all the jerking. We’d recommend passing.
https://youtu.be/nA_ji5gLkWc
Lost Sounds: Adventures of Poco Eco, from POSSIBLE Games
Price: $4.99 (Gear)
This is a pretty slick production for a Gear VR title, which is why we weren’t surprised to learn it had already been released as a standard game for smartphones. This is an exploration game with a specific focus on providing a surreal audio-visual experience.
Recommendation: Audiophiles will find a lot to love here.
Cube Razer, from Trucker VR
Price: Free (Gear)
The endless amount of endless runners for Gear VR continues with this first-person flight experience. Players can choose from different cockpit types (including an invisible one) to help them steer around moving objects and navigate narrows valleys.
Recommendation: Even though it’s free it’s not much to see unless you really love your endless runners.
Skylight, from E McNeill
Price: Free, with $4.99 upgrade (Gear)
The developer of Darknet and Tactera returns with his third Gear VR title. Skylight is a hybrid real-time strategy and turn-based tactics game in which you order ships through a holographic projector. Note that the free download is a demo with an in-app purchase unlocking the full game.
Recommendation: Definitely grab this one, we were big fans of Skylight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKmkbJucH7Q
Beats Fever, from Arrowiz
Price: $13.49 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
Beats Fever is rhythm gameplay with a stylish and bright environment and UI. Includes 3 stages with 20 licensed songs currently where you hit or slide over notes.
Recommendation: Really exciting use of VR for a music game. It’s technically not in Early Access, but you should expect updates.
Quick Draw, from Playing With Matches
Price: $9.99 (Rift)
Do you have the fastest hands in the virtual wild west? In Quick Draw you play as a gun-toting bad ass in four different modes. Play as a sheriff defending his town from ruffians in Defend the Town or just get to the meat of the gameplay in time trial, blind time trial, and online duels against other real players. Your reaction times are tracked for online leader-boards as well.
Recommendation: This scratches a very specific itch and is definitely worth a look.
Arena: Blood on the Sand VR, from Random Bird Studio
Price: $8.09 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
Come and prove yourself warrior. Arena: Blood on the Sand tosses you into a gladiator’s coliseum where you use your sword and shield to defend against skeletal assailants that attack with swords and bow & arrow.
Recommendation: Decent visuals don’t save an otherwise broken and uninspired waggle-fest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp5dIGehlUA
Dating Lessons. from Cerevrum Inc.
Price: $9.99 (Rift)
Dating Lessons is a series of VR training courses where you learn to interact with women on various levels. There are 11 lectures and 7 interactive sessions for you to participate in, some of which cover actually touching them.
Recommendation: This is creepy and we vote giving it a pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfcfDW8De4
Space Slam, from 😉 Quickdraw Studios
Price: $8.39 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
Abandon all space flight etiquette and safety guidelines you may have learned in other games. Scrap what you think you know about mining. In Space Slam, maintain your momentum and crash your ship into planets and meteors as you gather rare minerals to carry back to base. Includes over 50 levels and some unlockable cosmetic trails for your ship.
Recommendation: Very fun and interesting take on splace flight simulation.
Ready, Aim, Splat!, from Blue Volcano Studio
Price: $10.79 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
Z-Day is coming. Grab your arsenal of virtual vegetables and prepare to take on waves and waves of zombies. Combine a quirky art style and humor with a dash of kittens and you get this interesting game. Features 8 power ups, 16-bit and Sin City modes, the “King of Pop”, more than 40 unlockables, leader-boards, and more.
Recommendation: Nice stylized wave shooter. But it’s not very inventive. Pass if you’re tired of the genre.
Noda, from Coding Leap
Price: $4.99 (Rift)
Noda adds another option to the currently meager productivity options in the VR space. In serene settings, you essentially can plot out your plans via mind-mapping or white-boarding around you.
Recommendation: Isn’t very expensive and is in Early Access. Keep an eye on it if it aligns with you interests in productive software.
