Despite the fact that the Gear VR has been out a while and the Oculus Rift has been around in some form or another for even longer, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of content releasing on a weekly basis yet. But hey, maybe that’s a good thing? It gives you more time to enjoy what drops and really focus on the best things. That’s the dual blessing and curse of the walled garden experience.
Even still, it can be hard to keep track of what releases each week, so that’s why we’re here to help. Since the Gear VR and Oculus Rift each share an ecosystem to some degree and neither receive a ton of release on their own each week, we’ve combined them into one single list that will post every Friday afternoon to prep you for a weekend full of VR gaming.
Let’s take a look at what’s new on the Gear VR and Oculus Rift for the week of 05/01/16.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbAuXrLLux8
Valiant, from Offpeak Games –
Release Date: 05/02/16, Price: Oculus Rift ($19.99, Currently 15% Off)
We covered the launch of Valiant earlier this week, as it looks like a great treat to enjoy in multiplayer. From our original announcement: “Players take part in team battles, slaying friends on horseback with weapons like swords, bows, and, of course, lances for jousting. Multiplayer battles are capped at five vs five and use either a traditional gamepad or mouse setup or, for more realistic battles.” Oculus Touch support should be added in the future as well.
Kismet, from Psyop –
Release Date: 05/02/16, Price: Oculus Rift ($6.99, Currently 29% Off)
Kismet is another one we already wrote about earlier this week and it’s off to a great start. From our original announcement: “Powered by a deck of 22 hand-painted Tarot cards and an accurate real-time map of the solar system, Kismet is meant to be experienced daily, with unique outcomes every calendar day that are directly tied to not only the cards that you choose, but your individual birth date and the actual alignment of celestial bodies at the time of your reading.”
Swing Star VR, from ComputerLunch –
Release Date: 05/04/2016, Price: Oculus Rift ($4.99), Gear VR ($2.99)
If you’re tired of Gear VR gallery shooters or looking for something entirely new to try on your Rift, Swing Star VR could be for you. Described by its developer as an “acrobatic swinging, simulation game”, you play a boy wearing a helmet that features a giant, extendable hand and swing across floating blocks to a giant bell. Really. Levels are mixed up with Donkey Kong-style barrels and sticky jelly. If it looks a little too on the sickly side for you then it probably will be, but iron stomached VR fans might find some fun here.
Guardian VR, from Guardian News and Media –
Release Date: 05/04/2016, Price: Gear VR (Free)
You might have seen this unique experience launch for Google Cardboard late last month, but now it’s available on Oculus and Samsung’s kit. In a piece named 6×9, you’ll get a rather unpleasant taste of solitary confinement in a prison cell, something that 80,000 people are currently assigned to in the US. You won’t be spending anywhere near the stretch of time they do inside those walls, but you might still get to experience what that isolation can bring. Watch out for more from Guardian VR later down the line.
Omega Agent, from Fireproof Games –
Release Date: 05/04/16, Price: Oculus Rift ($14.99)
If you’ve been following VR gaming for a while now, you’ve probably heard of Omega Agent already. It originally released on the Gear VR several months ago and now the inclusion of Oculus Rift support brings with it more graphical fidelity and that’s about all that’s different. The thrills of soaring through the air and between buildings is still there, even if a more robust and updated experience isn’t.
Moon Player, from Rock VR –
Release Date: 05/04/2016, Price: Gear VR (Free)
From Netflix to Oculus VR’s own app, Gear VR already has plenty of video players on offer. Moon Player, on the other hand, gives you access to your existing catalogue of videos already stored on your phone, including any 3D and 360 content you might have. Developer Rock VR claims that just about any video format will play inside the app, and that you’ll be able to “maximise video quality” within. The app lays out all your videos to simply select from and has an interface that allows you to skip through them too.
Mind Unleashed, from Frost Earth –
Release Date: 05/05/15, Price: Oculus Rift ($2.99, Currently 15% Off)
If you’re too impatient to wait for Damaged Core in order to get your “playing as a robot” fix, then Mind Unleashed might be appealing. You’ll take control of a robot that can fly around maps as you gun down waves of robotic enemies. Some users report nausea concerns, but the developer is working to iron out some of those initial kinks. Gameplay looks fast and fun and it’s hard to beat that price.
Mythos of the World Axis Demo, from Ats Kurvet –
Release Date: 05/05/2016, Price: Oculus Rift (Free)
Here we have a new build of a demo that Oculus Rift DK2 owners may already have sampled. Mythos is a third-person adventure game of sorts that doesn’t look too far off Gunfire Games’ Chronos in the visuals department. Gameplay wise, though, it seems to be much more about traversal and platforming. Ats Kurvet says the demo has been completely “reworked” for CV1, though there’s still elements to update. We’re not quite sure when we’ll get to see the finished product but the murky medieval atmosphere certainly gives us hope for something special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKsfW8m-ms0
Insane Decay of Mind, from GoManga Interactive –
Release Date: 05/06/16, Price: Oculus Rift ($2.99 Currently 15% Off)
You’ll play as a young girl lost in the eerie hallways of what she thinks is her school. Throughout the game you’ll be stalked and haunted by shadow creatures and experience terrifying virtual nightmares. Insanity naturally plays a big role in the themes of Insane Decay of Mind, so you can expect to experience some truly spine-tingling moments, especially when in the confined solitude of your VR headset.
Yon Paradox, from Digital Mantis –
Release Date: 05/06/16, Price: Oculus Rift ($2.99 Currently 15% Off)
This is the type of game I imagine was conceived by a bunch of people around a table trying to think of the most perplexing and absolutely mind-bending scenario as they possibly could. In Yon Paradox, you’re literally playing a game against your past self in the future. Let me explain. Time is distorted and continually blasts you backwards in time and populates the world with your past alter-egos replicating what you already did. In this way, it’s a puzzle game against yourself. Trippy, right?
