cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

17 Oculus Games/Experiences Reviewed

Anonymous
Not applicable
Now that I have my Rift I wanted to contribute back to this community that helped distract me while I waited for mine to arrive. I've had my CV1 for about a week and thought I'd write small reviews of everything I've tried in hopes that it helps a few people plan for what they'd like to do first. I'd definitely recommend downloading everything you want early so when you get your Oculus you can jump right in.

I've included free games/experiences here too because I've seen them get ignored despite some of them being the best experiences so far. I've broken it into Experiences, Games, and Apps and provide a brief thought on each, as well as pros and cons for the VR implementation.

Hope this helps!

Experiences

fhaapfw3b5lj.png
This is easily the best way to introduce people to VR. I have yet to see it not induce a childlike laughter in players yet. The scenes are all well crafted and showcase some of the best sensations VR can create.

VR +
The scenes that get the most intense reactions are the steampunkish skyscraper scene and the walking T-Rex scene. Giving players a sense of height and fear make these the moments you want to have your camera ready for. The forest animals around the fire, the alien, and the rubber duck are also highlights but don't elicit physical reactions quite as much.

VR -
Because these experiences are so good, they also highlight the limitations of VR. People will undoubtedly reach out to touch objects and when their (invisible) hands swipe through invisible objects there's always a bit of a disconnect created, but not disappointment.

2bren25orba8.png
You're a rabbit with a front row seat to an alien invasion by way of two bumbling creatures who aren't very good at it.

VR +
The animation is excellent and the environment idyllic. This is a standing experience and looking down to see your rabbit body is kinda fun. The other rabbit is the real star though as it bounces up to you, hides behind you, and eventually saves the day.

VR -
The rabbit body you take on looks more like a snowman. Maybe it is, actually. I swear I saw paws though 🙂 Other than that, it's great experience that feels like it fits somewhere in between Henry and Lost in terms of scale.

qer2j9pnmusq.png
Henry is a hedgehog who just wants to hug a friend and not impale them on his spines. A touching story with lots of small details to discover. The only VR experience that tells you to sit on the floor!

VR +
Feels the closest to a Pixar short film in terms of character and story development. Lots of small details to discover. My girlfriend was full out laying on the floor at points just to see under Henry's table (there was a ladybug under it).

VR - 
None.

q6t7795naqs8.png
If this short film hasn't been spoiled for you yet, then don't worry, I won't spoil it here, either. This was my favourite of the Oculus Story Studio films.

VR +
Captures some magic in a short timeframe and provides a sense of scale unmatched in anything else I've watched/played.

VR -
Too short! I want more!

1vhqsxic3jpe.png
A man spearing for fish encounters a gigantic creature. The visuals are heavily stylized and I enjoyed the story. Even though it gets a little ambiguous near the end, it had all the magic of a folk tale.

VR + 
Like a lot of these short films, the progression of the story is based on where you are looking. Events may not trigger until you are looking at certain objects which allows the user to retain a small amount of control over the proceedings. The Colossus, while not as impressive as some other examples of scale, gave me an instant desire to play Shadow of the Colossus in VR.

VR -
Art style may turn off some people. 

g38t3mxcwg3i.png
As a podcaster myself, I was very interested to see what the Foo Show was all about. I'm not sure I'll be able to properly convey it though. Imagine watching a podcast the same way you'd watch the Tonight Show. The host and guests are all animated in a charming, low-poly way, and you can choose from a few spots around the set to watch from. Now, let's pretend the guest was JJ Abrams. On TV, he would tell you about walking around the Millenium Falcon. On the FOO Show, you could actually go there and walk around with JJ and pick things up, look at them, listen to him talk about them. The first episode features the devs of Firewatch and after a brief intro, you and the group get to look around the interior of one of the watchtowers from the game. You can pick up all of the objects in the room and examine them, all while seeing the guests and host do the same. You can even pull things from their hands as they talk about them. It's a very cool way to interact with something that would otherwise just be audio.

VR +
The fact that VR already has its first talk show is astounding. Not only that, but the possibilities are endless. I can only hope he gets Jonathan Blow on to talk about The Witness.

VR -
The character models often end up twisting and contorting in bone-breaking fashion which, depending on who you are, is either annoying or hilarious.

cnb4pzfa5rn7.png
A tour inside the most mindboggling landscape of them all - our own body. It's a narrated, 10 minute look inside all the little lives that exist inside us.

VR +
It made me wish I was just starting elementary school now because learning experientially like this would have helped a lot.

VR -
Crude graphical representations. There was one particular protein that looks like a walking penis. That very well could be what it looks like, but maybe some better texture work would have been nice.

Games

v8ds9vvmbnx4.png
This one is underappreciated. It doesn't have the immersion of Eve: Valkyrie, but it offers a new spin on the mascot-platformer experience in an age when we get very few of them. It lacks the memorable charm of Mario and Sonic, but the mechanics are sound and it offers one of the few longplay experiences on the Rift.

VR +
I never get tired of looking off into the distance of some of the more complex levels and seeing the world still animated, living, long before I reach it. The levels have great verticality and never shy away from encouraging the player to peek around a tree to find a hidden collectible. Also one of the few games to offer a great couch experience that you can stay in for hours at a time.

VR -
Surprisingly, when I played this one while standing (not sure why, but I did), it can very easily induce motion sickness. Having your eyes focused on Lucky and seeing the world shift around you gives you a sudden jolt of disorientation. That being said, there's no reason to play the game while standing and if you really want to get up and look around, just don't move the character while doing it.  

sz5xs85iwgfa.png
For many, E:V is the definitive launch experience. I can't say I disagree. The entire production shines. From the interior models of your ship and the pilot's body, to the celestial gas giants and capital ships of space, the sense of scale, speed, and immersion is some of the best for the device.

VR +
As a gamer, I've developed tunnel vision from years of staring at a monitor. So it's refreshing to continually realize I have an entire world to stare out into now. When the controls of E:V sink in and you pull off a great manoeuvre to beat an opponent, there's nothing like it. It's one of the few times I've shouted while playing a game simply from sheer excitement. Using your eyes to lock onto ships is particularly satisfying too. 

VR -
DO A BARREL ROLL...if you want to be sick! Your experience may vary, but the infamous barrel roll does not make my head feel too great. On the other hand, I'm sure doing a real barrel roll would feel pretty much the same. So, realism? 

12oksbg3esn1.png
It's not often we get a decent RPG at the launch of a new device, so Chronos is such a welcome addition. More Zelda than Dark Souls, it manages to carve out a niche all its own. Set in what feels like a dark fantasy world that has emerged among the ruins of our own civilization, the aesthetic contrasts between fantasy and modern. It's a cool aspect that makes the title feel more unique than it otherwise would have. Combat is Dark Souls-lite, with different strikes, blocking, dodging, and magic all present, but it isn't quite as deep as DS and that suits the game just fine. As an action RPG, options for upgrading your character are minor, but it does include an aging mechanic that affects your physical/magical traits. Every time you die, you age a year and your body eventually degrades while your mind sharpens.

VR +
Another title I can easily play for a couple hours, Chronos uses a third-person POV that usually sets the player view in a small alcove looking into the room or, for exteriors, often floating over the edge of a cliff (don't look down!). A perfect launch title for extended play sessions that'll last about a dozen hours at least. I also liked the added touch of having the character look at you when you run him close to the screen. It pulls you into the experience just a little more.

VR -
While not as immersive as some titles, I still get a tickle in my stomach any time it puts me on the edge of a cliff face, but I seem to be particularly sensitive to heights in VR.

n7y3bbxrgen9.png
Of all the titles I've played, I've spent the least time with Adr1ft, but not because it isn't a great experience (see below). You play as an astronaut with the smallest lungs imaginable and must navigate your busted up space station continually taking bong hits from free-floating O2 canisters. The sense of weightlessness and despair is palpable. This is not a "fun" game in the traditional sense. It's stressful and, somehow, simultaneously claustrophic and agoraphobic. It's also an experience that could only be properly represented in VR. The sense of scale and perspective as you view the earth from such a distance that the entirety of our world fits into your eyespace is unmatched and, for me, a little unsettling.

VR +
Are you looking for an experience that teases out your fear response? This is it. It does it better than anything else I've played so far.

VR -
If I can make one suggestion, I'd say to play everything you have before Adr1ft in order to acclimatize yourself to VR. It should easily be given its own category for intensity as I found it much more difficult to handle than Eve: Valkyrie. I'm sure others may disagree, but that was my experience.

7vgqj6aki6qd.png
I don't have children of my own, but it's kinda cool to see so many titles not centered around virtual killing and mutilation. I sort of hope it stays that way as I think it forces devs to think of new ideas like Farlands. Farlands uses the now common teleporting system for movement in VR. Your task is to scan, catalogue, and nurture alien life. The creatures are all well animated and the visuals as a whole are quite crisp and unique. The game also changes every time you enter it and as you discover more life forms you unlock new planets to explore. The addition of a loose narrative is a nice touch to contextualize it all too.

VR +
Beautiful alien landscapes populated by bizarre creatures that are made even more impressive in VR. It's a fairly passive experience that you can sink a decent amount of time in. 

VR - 
Occasionally, the controls and how to progress aren't explained well and you're left looking like a fool making all sorts of unnecessary head movements when all you needed to do was press the X button. The longevity of a title like this will vary. I will probably pop in once in a while, but there's not much of a gameplay hook to pull you back in. I would have also liked to be given the option to walk (and not teleport) around the environments.



27 REPLIES 27

Creesball
Expert Protege
Great read, thank you!

Anonymous
Not applicable


 I'm really itching for those long play sessions that Chronos and Lucky's Tale provide.


This was absolutely my goal with AirMech Command. The result is a game you can play for hours comfortably, but also having a very "only in VR" kind of experience.

I'm actually curious why more people haven't been talking about AMC on here, as direct feedback from those who play it count it among one of the best VR games. Many devs I know use it as the benchmark for comfort and "solidness" of the experience.

Based on the amount of time people are putting into it, I know it represents one of the best values in VR for time played vs cost--but is the initial cost still putting people off? We might introduce a cheaper version that includes in app purchases at a later date--this version lets you unlock everything through gameplay.

SkateZilla
Expert Protege

LZoltowski
Champion
Thank you for this, great read.
Core i7-7700k @ 4.9 Ghz | 32 GB DDR4 Corsair Vengeance @ 3000Mhz | 2x 1TB Samsung Evo | 2x 4GB WD Black
ASUS MAXIMUS IX HERO | MSI AERO GTX 1080 OC @ 2000Mhz | Corsair Carbide Series 400C White (RGB FTW!) 

Be kind to one another 🙂

Anonymous
Not applicable
@CarbonJames Thanks for this comment. I've been on the fence with AMC since I got my Rift. To be honest, I'm coming to PC gaming through VR having only played consoles for most of my life. So I have pretty limited experience with strategy games. That being said, after I read your comment I went to your website and watched the video there and for whatever reason that was the first time AMC's hook clicked for me. I've seen it in the store and I had heard early buzz for it but I had initially written it off as a cool idea that probably wasn't for me. One thing that deterred me was that there was no video for AMC in the Oculus store, just screenshots. The one on your website does a great job of communicating the pace and unique gameplay shifting between unit control and commander. That would have done a lot in convincing me to give it a shot. A game like this definitely needs more than screenshots. 


As far as your price point comment, I don't think it's too high as long as the wealth of content is communicated. Again, I'm from the console world where I'm expected to pay $80 (Canadian) for most games. So I've been in heaven with the Rift (and PC) seeing so many games with lower price points. As long as I know what I'm getting for $40, that's enough for me. And a video on the Oculus store would go a long way in showing me the game has some meat.


I'll definitely be giving it a shot though!

Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks! We should definitely get a video up, I keep wanting to do something fancy that shows the full idea that you are in and around the table with your friends....but just something would be better than nothing. Maybe when we finish the current updates we are doing we can focus on some marketing. Wish I didn't have to choose between making the game and promoting it. 🙂

Melmix
Expert Protege




 I'm really itching for those long play sessions that Chronos and Lucky's Tale provide.


This was absolutely my goal with AirMech Command. The result is a game you can play for hours comfortably, but also having a very "only in VR" kind of experience.

I'm actually curious why more people haven't been talking about AMC on here, as direct feedback from those who play it count it among one of the best VR games. Many devs I know use it as the benchmark for comfort and "solidness" of the experience.

Based on the amount of time people are putting into it, I know it represents one of the best values in VR for time played vs cost--but is the initial cost still putting people off? We might introduce a cheaper version that includes in app purchases at a later date--this version lets you unlock everything through gameplay.


I just bought it yesterday, but I must admit I was a tad underwhelmed. Perhaps I didn't give it enough time, but to me it seemed like controlling your Mech was too simplistic... too few abilities and possibilities. Only ground or air and spam your machinegun. Controlling your units is also overly simplistic where you just tell them to attack or capture or similar and then they go whatever route they deem correct, which regularly leads to split fronts where you have to pick up your units to get them back on track.

I desperately want an RTS game and Airmech has real potential, but for now I just felt like I got bored within 30 minutes. Build 6 units, tell them to capture, support them in a push, take the next control point and defend it. Wait for your next 6 units and do it again. Rinse and repeat.

Again perhaps I haven't given it enough of a chance. I love games like Starcraft 2 and similar.

Me for the next year... :geek: VR4EVER! :lol:

Anonymous
Not applicable
Interesting, surprised at how many times you used the word "simplistic"--normally we get told AirMech is too complex. We've had the PC (non-VR) game in beta for a while now and the amount of time it takes to master it is one of the chief complaints.

We were afraid the VR audience would be more casual, so we definitely try to ramp you in at an easy pace, the logic being that it's better to have an easy win and learn a bit than get defeated and frustrated. You absolutely should just be building some units and sending them for the first couple matches--from there you'll have to learn a lot more to scratch the surface of the game.

We regularly get complaints from players in the non-VR game of "players cheating", but it's really just them facing really good players. The combinations of AirMechs and Units, and particular strategies for each map, then even how 1v1 is different to 2v2 games, it can get overwhelming.

For anyone who finds it too simple, for sure stick with it. I'm interested to see how the competitive scene works out on VR--the built in avatar and voice chat system is probably my favorite part.

There's absolutely some things that might feel simple like the limited commands, but that is fully intentional. If your opponent could just tell every unit exactly where to go, then it would be a straight up RTS game. Here, if you want the units to be automated, they need to do that with certain restrictions. You end up learning where they will go based on what order you give them from any location on any map. And you also know what is happening from your enemy's side. Yes, you can micro your units and place them exactly where you want, while your opponent uses that free time to drop some tanks behind your Fortress.

You are the most powerful unit in your army. Your choice of how you use your time, to attack, harass, micro, transport, support is extremely key. This is also where 2v2 games shine--coordinating who is doing what against others is incredibly fun. The AI is a fun buddy to learn against, but it's nowhere near as satisfying to crush an AI enemy as a real person. 🙂