It's been v years since the release of the original consumer-grade Oculus Rift, and the globe of virtual reality has been expanding e'er since. While some are skeptical that the engineering will become mainstream, in that location is an impressive choice of VR experiences out at that place. Here are a few highlights in various genres to whet your appetite for these immersive games.

Shooters

Robo Think

Robo Recall is made by Epic Games, of Fortnite and Unreal fame. It'south a fun shooting-gallery game with plenty of challenges and charm. You're Agent 34, an employee of RoboReady whose objective is to destroy and recall the unsafe and vehement rogue robots on the loose. An easy game to learn, Robo Recollect oozes quality, even though there are just four guns and a limited amount of stages. Information technology's piece of cake to jump into and enjoy even for short sessions or longer marathons.

Available on: Oculus

Half-Life Alyx

1 of the biggest VR releases you could ask for is this latest game from Valve, Half-Life Alyx. The game puts you lot in the shoes of Alyx Vance, fighting through the Combine occupied City 17. There are massive and jaw-dropping set pieces, and everything can be interacted with. Just like the gravity gun in Half-Life 2, Alyx uses an innovative weapon/tool known as the gravity gloves, to reduce fumbling around with items. While the puzzles are adequately straightforward, the activity sequences can be thrilling and nerve-wracking, requiring you to duck backside cover, reload and gear up your weapons and accurately throw grenades. With over 10 hours of gameplay in the story and an engaged modding customs, Alyx is one of the top VR games available.

Bachelor on: Steam

The Walking Expressionless: Saints & Sinners

This gruesome game is gear up in The Walking Dead universe, so those who are easily spooked or freaked out by zombies should stay away. Those that can stomach the game will be treated to an immersive shooter that volition have gamers sweating their mode to survival. There'southward crafting, express ammo, degrading gear and supplies, and a whole selection of melee weapons to feel in this game.

Ready in New Orleans during the zombie outbreak, gamers can expect nearly 15 hours of content, in addition to a Horde manner that volition continue the game for anyone who still wants more zombie-killing fun.

Available on: Steam, Oculus

Military Sims: Onward, Pavlov and Contractors

There are a few military shooters available in VR, with multiplayer options that should appeal to the more than competitive gamers out there. Onward is i pick that was pretty popular due to its realistic handling of over 30 guns. That sounds pretty cool, but accurately reloading a gun without dropping a clip or forgetting a step while being attacked tin exist a fleck hectic.

The game provides solo, co-operative and competitive online play, just has recently been criticized past dedicated fans with an update that catered to Oculus Quest users. Graphics and gameplay were described as downgraded. Fortunately, there are other options out at that place for those looking for their military sim fix. Pavlov is pretty popular with many custom maps, while another selection is Contractors VR, all of which should be pop with fans of Call Of Duty and Counter-Strike.

Onward available on Steam, Oculus

Pavlov VR available on Steam

Contractors VR available on Steam, Oculus

Superhot VR

Superhot was released in early 2022 and ported to VR afterward that yr with much success (it feels very natural in VR). Anyone familiar with Superhot should recognize this fashionable, puzzle-like shooter with its unique gameplay mechanic: time only moves when yous practise.

The game is relatively elementary to pick upward and play, with short levels and distinct scenarios for yous to shoot, dial, throw and fustigate your way out of. Ane of the best parts of this game is that at that place isn't a lot of locomotion, then there'due south no need to walk or teleport anywhere, which is good for avoiding motion sickness.

Available on: Oculus, Steam

Adventure/Survival/RPG

Lone Echo

Lone Echo is set on a infinite station orbiting Saturn, with the player acting as a service android that is tasked with profitable the lone human being crew, Captain Olivia with upkeep and maintaining the station. However, after an anomaly, the helm disappears and you are set out to detect her.

While not an action game, Lonely Echo is an immersive narrative experience, with enough of puzzles and things to fix around the station. Since it takes identify in space, you move around by floating effectually and using take hold of and pull handles. The game as well has a multiplayer game called Echo Loonshit, which is a team sport, similar to handball, utilizing the locomotion mechanics of Lone Echo.

Lone Echo isn't a very long game, with some gamers noting it took them less than 10 hours to complete, only a sequel is on the fashion, you can cheque out the immersive trailer hither.

Available on: Oculus

Skyrim VR

What hasn't Skyrim been ported to? The lore of the Elder Scrolls and the earth of Tamriel becomes a flake more immersive through VR. It's non exactly the nigh refined virtual reality game out there, particularly in terms of gainsay, which can feel a bit limited in comparing to other games here, but Skyrim does provide hundreds of hours of gameplay.

Bachelor on: Steam

Asgards Wrath

Unlike Skyrim, Asgards Wrath was congenital from the basis upwards for virtual reality, so the mechanics and gainsay are far more intuitive. The combat, in particular, is pretty engaging, as yous have to swing the weapons around with realistic effort, and can even throw them. The game takes almost 25 hours to complete, which is pretty lengthy for VR, and there are tons of areas and dungeons to explore.

Bachelor on: Oculus

No Man'southward Sky

Ever since the Beyond update for No Homo'south Sky, the game has included support for VR headsets, making the infinite exploration and survival game even more immersive. The game lets you land and explore on an incredible amount of planets that are procedurally generated, meaning no two encounters should be the same. While No Man's Sky received a lot of estrus early on in its release for failing to alive up to expectations, it's been able to abound a sizable fanbase ever since. The fact that information technology'due south steadily added features similar VR support shows that the programmer is willing to put in the work to shed that reputation.

Available on: Steam

Escape Rooms and First Person Puzzle Games

The Room VR: A Night Matter

A genre that's seeing plenty of dear in the VR space is first-person puzzle games. These tin also be described as Escape Room blazon games. Some gamers might already be familiar with the series of mobile games known as The Room. The series now arrives in virtual reality in The Room VR: A Dark Matter where gamers are tasked with solving a mystery nearly a missing Egyptologist.

The game shifts its tone from mystery to fantasy and features astonishing production values. Furthermore, it's accessible even for newcomers to VR.

Players can play from a seated position, don't have to stretch or duck down, and can't drib items on the floor. Despite all of that the game still feels engaging and true to the idea of an Escape Room.

Available on: Steam, Oculus

A Fisherman's Tale

If the standard escape room setup doesn't appeal to you, then mayhap the innovative and unique game A Fisherman'south Tale, might exist more than up your alley. In this storybook-like game set in a lighthouse, you play every bit a fisherman in a lighthouse, presented with a dollhouse scale version of yourself and the environment in front of you and a larger version of your grapheme looming above. Solving the puzzles in the game requires y'all to scale some items up or downwardly for your doppelgangers. While the game is on the short side, it is affordable and features mechanics that are difficult to feel outside of VR.

Available on: Steam, Oculus

Go on Talking and Nobody Explodes

Another fun aspect of virtual reality is asymmetric multiplayer games, where players play the aforementioned game but with dissimilar mechanics. In Proceed Talking and Nobody Explodes, i role player is tasked with defusing a bomb, while other players accept the bomb-defusing manual. Each player can't see what the other i does, so communication is key every bit the person handling the bomb has to describe everything they're seeing, while the manual holders have to detect out how to help. Without a doubt, information technology's a fun political party game for anyone with a VR setup.

Bachelor on: Steam, Oculus

Obduction

Myst is one of the original outset-person puzzle games, and a VR remake is on the way. Those seeking that experience a bit early can turn to Obduction. Exploring carefully crafted and beautiful settings, Obduction has you seeking out the story and mystery of a small boondocks through its various puzzles. Some accept managed to complete this game in about 20 hours but plant the puzzles to be pretty difficult. Unfortunately, the game doesn't support touch controls, and at that place are some complaints about backtracking and movement in this game. Still, those seeking a get-go-person puzzle experience shouldn't skip Obduction.

Available on: Steam, Oculus, Epic Games Store

I Expect You To Die 1 & 2

I Expect Y'all To Die is a fun and quirky escape-room-style puzzle game. The interactive spy thriller features 4 environments, each with some mission objectives to complete. Of class, since you lot play as a spy, you're oftentimes attempting to avert death. A few updates and DLC take been added to the game expanding its replayability. Additionally, a sequel was launched recently and there's a demo bachelor hither.

Bachelor on: Steam, Oculus

Rhythm Games

Beat Saber

Virtual reality has also immune unique spins on already established genres. In Beat Saber you're presented with a stone-ring style rhythm game, where you swing lightsabers at cubes that are synced to the music. The colors of the cubes suggest which saber to use, and an arrow on the cubes describes the slicing motion to utilise when cutting them.

It's an addictive game and 1 that's like shooting fish in a barrel to selection up and play in short or long bursts. You tin besides work upwardly quite a sweat in the process. There'southward extra content available to download including songs from mainstream bands like Imagine Dragons, Green Day, Panic! At the Disco, Linkin Park, and BTS. There are also custom songs and mods for the game to further aggrandize its replayability.

Bachelor on: Steam, Oculus

Pistol Whip

Pistol Whip is essentially Beat Saber with guns. Instead of swinging swords around, you shoot enemies that spawn in fourth dimension with the music. Within moments y'all feel like you lot're John Wick, rhythmically blasting enemies in quick succession.

Available on: Steam, Oculus

Sports

11: Table Tennis VR

If y'all want to work up a sweat, there are plenty of sports games available in VR. Eleven: Tabular array Tennis VR is ane of the nearly fully-featured games, with realistic physics, minigames, and a multiplayer way. The game is as well oft updated and has a potent competitive gaming community.

Available on: Steam, Oculus

Creed & Thrill of the Fight

Battle is a great manner to exercise, and doing it in VR is one way to ensure no one gets injure! At that place are ii pretty good boxing games bachelor, with different audiences in mind. Creed: Rising to Glory is a more coincidental, arcade-like game that references the Rocky movies. It's fun but far from serious. Thrill of the Fight is a bit more intensive, which will lead to a far more thorough conditioning.

Creed: Ascension to Glory available on Steam, Oculus

Thrill of the Fight available on Steam, Oculus

Flying and Driving

Project Cars 2 / Projection Cars 3 / Assetto Corsa / Dirt Rally ii

Racing games work well in virtual reality, especially if you lot have the right hardware for it, similar a steering bike and pedals.

Those seeking a sim-like experience volition love Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa, which have plenty of authentically recreated cars and tracks to play with as well every bit career and multiplayer modes.

Many other competitive, serious sim racers like rFactor, iRacing and RaceRoom feature VR support, while the more recent Projection Cars 3 is decidedly less hardcore and may be ameliorate suited to those seeking a more casual or arcade-like experience. Those who want to stray off the pavement and into some mud and clay will feel correct at domicile with DiRT Rally II.

Project Cars 2 available on Steam

Project Cars iii available on Steam

Assetto Corsa available on Steam

DiRT Rally II available on Steam, Oculus

Flight Simulator

Flight sim games are equally impressive and immersive in VR. Microsoft's Flying Simulator was updated in tardily 2022 to support VR, and though it doesn't feature bear upon controls, the game feels extremely realistic with the use of a joystick, and players can utilise a 3D mouse cursor to toggle switches and controls in the cockpit. Flight Simulator boasts gorgeous, next-gen graphics combining over two petabytes of Bing Maps information with the Microsoft Azure cloud platform to create a photorealistic earth for you to fly around in.

Bachelor on Steam, Microsoft Store

Star Wars: Squadrons

Finally, if yous'd rather fly around in space, Star Wars Squadrons supports VR headsets, letting you immerse yourself in the fictional universe. All the of import ships are available for you to fly including the Necktie Fighter, X-Wing, TIE Interceptor, TIE Bomber, TIE Reaper, U-Wing, B-Fly, and the Necktie Defender. Wait near ten hours of space dogfighting gameplay in the story mode, and you tin proceed the fighting online with other players.

Available on Steam, Epic Games Store