It’s a new year and there are a heap of upcoming Valve Index games to look forward to.
Valve’s premium VR headset emerged as arguably the best device on the market in 2019. Its launch was propped up with hundreds of existing SteamVR games to experience all over again with sharp visuals and a new pair of controllers. But in 2020 we want to see new titles that make full use of the Index hardware.
We already know Valve will be providing a prime example, but below are bunch of other upcoming Valve Index games we’re looking forward to.
Note that this list contains games you can pick up on SteamVR.
Upcoming Valve Index Games
After The Fall – TBA
Vertigo Games’ full follow-up to Arizona Sunshine has been years in the making, but 2020 will be the year After The Fall steps out of the shadows. This polished, pretty zombie VR shooter offers co-op play, a sprawling set of missions and a frozen wasteland to explore. We’re looking forward to massive boss encounters and social interactions in the game’s hub environment.
Space Channel 5 VR – Spring 2020
The long-dormant Space Channel 5 series returns with this VR remake that has you dancing on to defeat a fleet of invading aliens. It’s a strangely fitting return for the series that will revolutionize its rhythm-based gameplay. If you’re a fan of the likes of Dance Central VR, then you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for this one.
Down The Rabbit Hole – Early 2020
Down The Rabbit Hole’s hotpot mix of different storytelling styles and gameplay elements promises one of the most experimental VR experiences of the year. Set in the world of Wonderland (though, notably, not starring Alice herself), you play as a young girl that makes her way through a series of scenes, solving puzzles and meeting crazy characters. The game mixes third and first-person sections with curious invention.
Half-Life: Alyx – March 2020
Here it is, the big one. After years of rumors and speculation, we finally know that Half-Life VR is real. The first game in the series in well over ten years will bridge the gap between Half-Life 1 and 2, casting players as Alyx, no longer confined to sidekick status. The one trailer we’ve seen thus far promises a fully interactive world to explore, bar-raising visuals and lots of familiar faces (and face-eating monsters) in VR. This is surely at the top of everyone’s list.
Lonn – TBA
Boneworks and Half-Life aren’t the only VR games with full campaigns putting physics front and center of their design. Lonn is a very promising cyberpunk-style action title from SixSense Studios. You play as a former bounty hunter taking on an evil mega-corporation. With a trusty sword at your side and powers of telekinesis, Lonn looks like it could deliver in spades, making it one of our most anticipated upcoming Valve Index games.
Crunch Element – Early Access In 2020
2020 not looking explosive enough for you? Then best check out Crunch Element, an infiltration-based shooter in which every wall is destructible. Scout out your surroundings, make your plan and then go loud in the loudest sense possible. Crunch Element looks like it will deliver simple sandbox thrills, and we can’t really argue with that.
Low-Fi – TBA
The developer of Technolust is back with another highly compelling sci-fi VR showcase. Low-Fi likes to think of itself as more simulation than game, allowing players to explore a Blade Runner-style metropolis, living the life you choose. From flying cars to rainy streets, we can’t wait to immerse ourselves in the game’s highly-detailed world.
Population One – TBA
Population One has taken a little longer to get out the gate than we were expecting, but we’re still hopeful for a full release in 2020. This is perhaps the most promising attempt yet at mashing VR with the battle royale genre and, even though the craze surrounding the last man standing style of play has subsided a little, Population One could well reinvigorate it for headsets. The game promises liberating traversal and, of course, plenty of ‘splosions.
Tarzan VR – TBA
Primordian developer Stonepunk Studios was a perfect choice for a Tarzan VR game. Dense jungles and primal combat are just what the doctor ordered here. Add in some vine-swinging, a lush art style and the promise of getting up close and personal with some exotic marvels, and we’re keeping a keen eye on this one.
Predator VR – TBA
Based off of the VR arcade release with new features, Predator VR promises the chance to hunt or be hunted by the iconic alien. In the game’s single-player campaign you’ll play as a soldier trying to survive a cruel game of cat and mouse, whereas a multiplayer offering lets you step into the shoes of the beast itself.
Pixel Ripped 1995 – Spring 2020
Following on from the success of the original game, Pixel Ripped continues on with its episodic series paying tribute to classic gaming. In 1995 we move into an era of 16-bit excellence, in which we’ll once again have to balance our gaming addictions with, well, making sure people don’t get in the way. We can’t wait to see what new ideas await us in Pixel Ripped 1995.
The Room VR: A Dark Matter – Early 2020
Fireproof Games’ The Room series made a name for itself on mobile devices by creating puzzles that truly consider the nature of the platform. Innovative interactions make The Room one of the most popular series for phones and tablets. We’re hoping Fireproof brings that same level of invention to the series’ VR debut, which offers a full story with detailed environments and puzzles on a scale the series hasn’t yet seen.
The Walking Dead: Saints And Sinners – Q3 2020
Zombie shooters are a dime a dozen on VR platforms, but The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is hoping to stand out with a sharp level of polish and focus on storytelling. Set in the ruins of New Orleans, you take the fight to hordes of gory walkers, managing inventory supplies and securing stealth kills as you go. Archangel developer Skydance Interactive has been working on this for a while, so we have high expectations.
The Walking Dead: Onslaught – TBA
Yep, you read that right. There are not one but two Walking Dead VR shooters on the way in 2020, somehow. But, whereas Saints & Sinners focuses on a new area of the universe, Onslaught — developed by Creed and Westworld VR developer Survios — ties into the ongoing TV show. An all-new story casts you as famous characters from the franchise, including Rick Grimes. Seeing which game comes out on top will be interesting for sure.
The Wizards: Dark Times – TBA
The original Wizards game was a visual treat and fun to play, though undeniably limited in scope. For this standalone expansion, developer Carbon is going all out with a single-player campaign, new gesture-based spells and enemies to fight. There’s lots of spell-casting VR games out there, but Dark Times promises to be one of the biggest yet.
Vertigo 2 – TBA
Last year’s Vertigo 2 demo suggested developer Zulubo Productions was making great strides with this sequel. Half-Life-esque combat and exploration pays tribute to its inspirations with plenty of parody, but the game’s arsenal is genuinely fun to use. With a remaster of the first game also on the way, it’s set to be a very good year for Vertigo.
Valve’s Unannounced VR Games
There’s a very small chance that we might see what else Valve is working on in VR this year. Remember, the company said it was working on three games and, as impressive as it looks, Half-Life: Alyx is only one of those titles. What else could Valve be planning? A return to the Left4Dead or Portal franchises? Something entirely new? We’ll be keeping a close eye on them. We might not know much about them, but these are some of our most anticipated upcoming Valve Index games.
Eye of the Temple – TBA
Eye of the Temple looks like a worthy entry into an important strand of VR game that focuses on room-scale movement, with shifting platforms keeping you entirely immersed in the experience, making it the perfect choice for Valve Index owners. With a trust whip in hand, this is practically an Indiana Jones simulator. That’s a very good thing.
PantherVR – Early Access April 2020
Rift and Quest might have stealth covered with Phantom, but Index owners have another exciting contendor in PantherVR. This sandbox stealth game has you sneaking through enemy bases, executing silent take downs or, if you’d prefer, going loud and shooting your way through.
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What do you think of our list of upcoming Valve Index games? Are there any you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
