Last week’s Game Developers Conference (GDC) is officially in the books. We saw a lot of great games last week that we’re having trouble waiting to play, but alas, that’s the nature of big industry events. Many of the games we saw are several weeks or months away from release, so in the mean time, we’ve got our standard pool of new weekly Oculus Rift and Gear VR releases to sift through instead.
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!
New Oculus Home Releases
Smashbox Arena, from Big Box VR
Price: $9.99 (Rift)
In this team-based action game, you shoot, dodge, and defend while coordinating with your teammates to take down the enemy team. Requires Oculus Touch, but the action is intense.
Recommendation: Simple and fun game with a structure that encourages actual tactical gameplay in conjunction with your team.
AirMech Command, from Carbon Games
Price: $19.99 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
AirMech Command aims to provide players with a definitive action/RTS experience on virtual platforms with tactical room scale control and up close flight controls if you need to jump into the fight yourself. The game includes a solo, co-op, and pvp mode. It’s been out almost a year, but now it has wonderful Touch support, making it one of, if not the, best VR strategy games around.
Recommendation: We reviewed this game on UploadVR previously, giving it an 8 out of 10. With Touch, it’s even better, making this a must-play for RTS fans.
Mission: ISS, from Magnopus
Price: Free (Rift)
Have you ever wanted to become an astronaut? Chances are that at some point in your life you’ve dreamed of going to space, floating weightlessly above Earth, and exploring a space station. That’s exactly what this free experience lets you do on board the actual International Space Station (ISS).
Recommendation: Absolutely check this one out.
Heroes: A Duet in Virtual Reality, from Map Design Lab
Price: Free (Gear VR)
Heroes was previously shown at Sundance and features dancers that perform throughout a variety of striking environments.
Recommendation: Creative and provocative. Worth a watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RZY3WbFogM
Affected: The Manor, from Fallen Planet Studios
Price: $7.99 (Rift)
It’s not often that a mobile Gear VR game makes the jump to its younger, but much more powerful, Oculus Rift brother, but that’s the case with Affected: The Manor. It’s a short, atmospheric horror experience that really shows how immersive and terrifying the realm of VR can be for scary games. This is one of the first prototype horror games that was in development before Rift even launched.
Recommendation: If you’re a horror addict, then you need to check this one out. At least worth it to watch other people play.
Superhot VR: Forever Update, from Superhot Team
Price: Free with Superhot, which costs $19.99 (Rift)
How do you make a great game even better? Add a bunch of new game modes, an endless mode, and give it all away fro free to anyone that already bought the game. That’s exactly what happened with Superhot and its Forever Update.
Recommendation: If you have an Oculus Rift with Touch then you should play this game, no exceptions.
New Oculus Rift Steam Releases
SoundStage, from Hard Light Labs
Price: $9.99 (Rift)
SoundStage is a music sandbox that can serve as your room scale audio canvas. From drums to synthesizers, this app gives you a ton of ways to create the sound you desire as a professional DJ or just a hobbyist.
Recommendation: Very robust program. If music is your thing, grab it.
Discovery Space 2, from Discovering VR
Price: $9.99 (Rift)
Discovering Space 2 is a visually engaging exploration experience that simply wants you to take in all of the sights space offers. You can either follow a tour or take control of a vessel so that you can explore the solar system.
Recommendation: Of the space exploration titles released this week for roughly the same price, this one really makes you feel like a pilot exploring the solar system.
Dreadhalls, from White Door Games
Price: $8.49 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
In Dreadhalls, you’re trapped inside of a massive dungeon you must explore to escape. You’ll also have to survive the creatures that seek you out and the hazardous environment. The levels are procedurally generated so you’ll never know what’s around the corner.
Recommendation: A solid fright-fest from that’s absolutely worth your cash. It’s already out on Home for both Rift and Gear VR, but grab it on sale if you haven’t already.
Pinball Inside: A VR Arcade Game, from Reality Reflection
Price: Free
Pinball Inside wants to give you the timeless classic experience the pinball machine provides with crisp visuals and an awesome machine.
Recommendation: Free and solid. Give it a go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbiJMPCsPaw
Spacetours VR – Ep1 The Solar System, from Vibrant Visuals – Christian Klötzel
Price: $9.59 (Rift, Currently Discounted)
Spacetours VR lives up to its name, taking you around our solar system and giving you a visually stimulating look at outer space. Asteroids and satellites will pass by as you take in the sights and sounds of the greatest mystery our solar system holds.
Recommendation: Pricey but certainly beautiful. If you’re enamored with space, it’s worth checking out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A53tDzvWiwI
Freedom Locomotion VR, from Huge Robot
Price: Free
Freedom Locomotion is essentially a movement tech demo with visually diverse and impactful settings for you to walk, jog, run, climb, and crawl across. The system gives you many choices for how you traverse, but isn’t really a proper “game” in the traditional sense.
Recommendation: Try it out for sure. Your feedback could be instrumental for VR devs solving many of the concerns with VR locomotion.
Plevr, from Fervr Labs
Price: $7.99 (Currently Discounted)
Plevr is like the Matrix stockroom scene for your movies, TV shows, and music. Get comfortable and use this application to reach out and touch your media content as you decide what you want to watch or listen to in your private VR space.
Recommendation: Steep price for something that’s just an integrated local browser. It’s definitely cool, though. Something like this will likely be standard in the future.
Mountain Mind, from Nebuch, Arligan
Price: $9.99
Mountain Mind turns the “stoner rock music” and abstract weirdness up to 11 and has you headbanging like never before. When you play, just be mindful of your actual surroundings as well.
Recommendation: An incredibly niche experience. No matter what we say, you’ll get it if you want it and you won’t if you have zero interest.
LightStrike, from Groove Jones LLC
Price: $3.99
Lightstrike drops you into a Tron-like VR arena where you stand on a floating pad while using a shield to defend yourself or a disc to inflict damage.
Recommendation: A cool spin on Tron-influenced VR experiences. Give this one a shot while you keep waiting for Sparc.
