Five VR games recommended for VR gaming beginners
So, you got a VR headset for Christmas and now you’re looking for some recommendations on where to start. This post is for you.
All of the games listed here should work on any VR headset. This list is designed to help you get the most enjoyment out of your new headset. VR gaming allows for total immersion. Unlike a book or movie, VR gaming makes you a participant in the story. You can play these games in any order you wish, but I recommend that you play them in order. One last note: all five of these games are one year or older. Don’t let that discourage you. Each game has amazing graphics, sound, and gameplay. Games like these take years to develop. Once they hit the market, there are still bugs that need to be ironed out in future updates. Rest assured that these games are bug-free.
VR gaming is not all about gunplay. You’ll find plenty of that on this list, but all of these titles also include puzzle solving. If you’re new to VR gaming, you might struggle with the concept of having to solve a puzzle before you can proceed with the story. This game has a very clever hint system. If you’re stuck, you don’t have to go online to find the answer. There are several levels of hints with each progressive level giving you more information. You should be able to get through this game needing only to use the first or second level hint.
Now that you have some puzzle-solving skills, you’ll be ready to tackle added gunplay. This game will introduce you to the skill of having to solve a puzzle while also fighting off various threats. You’ll also learn how to use an assortment of different weapons. Boneworks has a perfect balance of gunplay and puzzle-solving.
Red Matter 2 is another game with a good balance of gunplay and puzzle-solving. The gunplay, however, isn’t the focus here. You won’t have to become an expert in handling a half dozen different weapons. Instead, you will find yourself spending a lot of time just admiring the graphics. As the title suggests, this is the second in a series. The original Red Matter is a good game, but it suffers from restricted movement. If you’re looking to be transported to another world, Red Matter 2 is your game.
4 Wanderer
An upgraded version of this game has been released or will be released soon. If you can get the updated version, go with that. This is a time travel game. The game has amazing graphics, an intriguing soundtrack, and a good mix of puzzle-solving and gunplay. On the gunplay front, you’ll get to use some older weapons such as a bow and arrow. You may have to go online to help solve one or two puzzles, but you will not be disappointed with this game.
5. Half-Life Alyx
When I first got my HP G2 Reverb headset, I wasn’t thinking about VR gaming. I got the headset to use with Microsoft Flight Simulator. Since I had this great VR headset, I thought I would try a VR game. I went on Steam and one of the first things I saw was the game Half-Life Alyx. The game had been out for a while, and it was on sale. I had not read any reviews. I knew nothing about the game. I thought the trailer looked intriguing. From the moment I first started the game and found myself standing on the balcony as a large, menacing-looking robot came into view, I was in complete awe. All of the games on this list are great. Half-life Alyx, however, is on a completely different level. This game is nearly four years old, but it is still a showcase for VR gaming. Note: since this was my first VR game, I played the entire game standing up. While standing has some advantages, I found that my back could only handle an hour or two at a time. You’ll get the same immersion while sitting, and you won’t have to worry about banging your controller into anything.
Honorable Mention
As I mentioned earlier, my main reason for getting a VR headset was to use with Microsoft Flight Simulator. While MSFS is not a game like the titles mentioned above, it does offer total immersion. If you’re a pilot or would like to experience flying a plane, MSFS is a must-have VR experience. I’ve been flying around the world for over a year now. I’ve seen the pyramids in Egypt and flown next to the top of Mt. Everest, and I’m only halfway around the globe.
Final Thoughts
If you were to play each of these games all the way through, it could take you a solid year to complete them all, depending on how often you play. There are plenty of other games to recommend. You will find them on this site under the VR category.