Chill out with free roam mode, or race for the best times (and get a workout)

Kayaking is awesome �it's such?? a rewarding way to spend time outdoors and see a part of nature that many of us don't get to on a regular basis. Th??at said, loading up a kayak with all your gear, driving to a good (not-too-busy) destination, hauling it out, and knowing you have to do it all again once you're done? It can be too much of a hassle sometimes.

While a simulation game isn't going to replicate the real thing, a newly-released PC VR game called Kayak VR: Mirage captures the scenic beauty and chill vibes of kayaking.

//youtu.be/z7eOwtJshQg

The visual fidelity really sells this kayak sim experience, and I appreciate the range of locales with tropical, chilly, and even stormy s?cenarios; you can take trips to Costa Rica, Antarctica, Norway, and Australia. There's wildlife, too. Don't sweat the killer whales.

It's a chill-out game if you want it to be �or, as the trailer shows, you can also go HAM with competiti?ve time trials. The game has asynchronous multiplayer, including global leaderboards, so if you're looking for more of a rapid-fire workout, the race is on.

To make it even more immersive, the developers recommend attaching controllers "to a stick or mount" to create a makeshift paddle; here's one example of a controller-holding stick that Quest players typically use for Beat Saber. You might have to get crafty.

Kayak VR: Mirage is out on Steam with support for? Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, and Oculus Rift VR headsets. It's normally $22.99, but currently costs $19.54.

[caption id="attachment_335273" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Competing for the fastest time with asynchronous players.}[/caption]

Future updates

The team at Better Than Life has bigger plans for Kayak VR: Mirage, though I imagine the frequency and scope of future content updates will come down to how well the game sells. There's a public roadmap with potential ideas like a ??stand up paddle board, fishing, whitewater, and trash collecting. There's alrea??dy a strong base to build upon.

In other PC VR news, Steam is hosting a VR Fest on Monday, July 18, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. The event will have game deals and demos of upcoming VR titles.

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And that creature is you

Devolver Digital and VR are a combination I'm curious to check out, and the publisher is stepping back into the Immersion Zone with a new game that puts you in control of a giant creature with big, meaty tentacles. But instead of rampaging, in Firepunchd Games' Tentacular, you're a gentle giant. It's a pleasant game abou??t a cozy isla??nd, in fact.

To anyone who has played indie classic Octodad before, the appeal is clear. Bein??g a well-meaning but out-of-place weirdo is something video games can do really well.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=usqOkcgbOVg

You'll see the world through the eyes of a towering creature, but what do you, like, actually do? There's "action" and "construction" gameplay, so it's a smidge sim-y, which isn't necessarily what I was expecting at first given the premise and presentation. But it works! As for the story, there's a reason the Great Tentacled One isn't out?? to get people.

As the developers explain on the Steam page for Tentacular:

"Raised among humans on the bustling and eccentric island of La Kalma, the time has finally come to unravel the secrets of your mysterious origin while working as the world’s strongest handyman. Help your human friends to research a strange and an incredibly powerful energy source through a colossal collection of action-based activities and constructio??ns puzzles, using your titanic tentacles to aid your quest for answers and unlock elements for your very own playground in the creative sandbox mode."

Good VR games don't bite off more than they can chew (but also aren't too "tech demo"-esque either). Framing t??he scope a bit, we can e??xpect "50+ puzzle and action levels."

Tentacular is coming to Meta Quest and Steam VR (that's Valve Index, Vive, and Rift as well) in spring 2022. (I hope you read that subheading up top in the style of Hoobastank.)

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Climb harder

It's crazy to think that it's been nearly five years since The Climb!

That's about how long mainstream VR tech has been out, and thankful??ly, a handful of plucky studios are still pluggi??????????????????????????ng away at VR games. I mean, it's a niche at this point, but I'm thankful.

The Climb was a really fun effort from Crytek to help cement why ??VR gaming has ??a place in the industry. It offered a unique perspective on a harrowing activity, and used the VR medium to juice up the atmosphere on an already-firm climbing game foundation.

The Climb 2 builds? furthe?r on that, and adds my most-requested feature into the mix: city maps.

The Climb 2 (Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest 2 [reviewed])
Developer: Crytek
Publisher: Crytek
Released: March 4, 2021
MSRP: $29.99

There aren't any convoluted modes or parameters in The Climb 2. You're literally climbing up a bunch of jungle gyms either for fun,???? or for time trial bragging rights.

There's five biomes: Alps, Bay, Canyon, City, and North. From there, the environments branch out into three levels (easy, medium, hard), and then two modes (casual, standard). There's 15 jungle gyms to climb and all of them are worth playin?g at least once.

The main appeal of the original returns, in that it isn't always apparent where you're supposed to go. Sometimes you might need to grab a ledge and "peek" around a corner to see the next vantage point. Or, you could look up or d?own to get a better view. VR is essential to the core of the game and it's better for it. It's puzzly! I love that about it.

The Climb 2 also mixes things up with crumbling grips (think Mario's disappearing ledges), sharp grips (which pierce you and mess with your stamina mete?r), and ??grips you need to clean off before grabbing. When you add in the need to constantly grab onto objects with both hands and chalk (a simple button press, which requires a free hand), it gets real strategic real fast.

One of the biggest wins is the "half press technique." Making good use of ??the pressure triggers on the Oculus Touch remotes (still among the best VR controllers in the industry), you can "half" press in to maintain a zen-like balance without overexerting yourself. As the tutorial reminds us it is possible to fully play the game without it, but har??dcore speedrunners will want to master it.

Each stage was fu??n to play, but the city setting really takes the cake for me. In fact, if Crytek is interested in returning to this IP roughly every five years, make the next one all cityscapes; or give me some DLC. Point blank the city environments are a blast to tussle through, as the team ??really gets creative here with some of the obstacles and logic/pathing puzzles. It's especially harrowing to look down and see traffic bustling below you, or have a bird catapult in front of your face on a high ledge.

With that need for extra detail the engine fal?ters a bit (some objects, like flowers on an awning, or rough, visually), but the main things like buildings and grips hold together. Far away fanfare like helicopters ta??king off and landing and ambient noises add to the allure of the city levels. In any case, it's very satisfying to look back and see what you've conquered.

The Climb 2 is light on content beyond the main draw, as "glove and accessory unlocks" are not going to be enough to satisfy everyone once they've finished all the stages. But like the ori??ginal, I'm going to be returning to it every time I get the itch to climb something.

Virtually.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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After the Fall, Doom 3: VR Edition, and Fracked are among the PlayStation VR games coming out this year

I haven't revisited PlayS??tation VR since hooking up my PS5, but I haven't packed the headset up, eit??her – it's crammed in a media-center drawer just in case there's something fresh to play this year.

Actually, there is! The headset is still hanging in there with software support. Sony highlighted six PlayStation VR games for 2021 in a series of PlayStation Blog posts today. Let's run through 'em.

After the Fall is a co-op shooter from the makers of Arizona Sunshine that's set in an "alternate 1980s" Los Angeles. Don't call them zombies – they're snowbreed. It's not every day we see a game with ?PlayStation VR Aim Controller support, and if you're going solo, you can team up with the AI.

Fracked immediately reminded me of that "Call of Duty in a kayak" game Phantom: Covert Ops, and I was on-point – it's made by the same team, nDreams. This time, you can ski and shoot! I think I'm down?

Song in the Smoke is a surprising "primal wilderness" survival game from 17-Bit, of all places. Don't we alre?ady have too many survival games? Probably. But I like the premise of darkness being terrifying.

I Expect You to Die 2 is a sequel that was worth doing, even if it took several years to put it together. More head-scratching super-spy deathtraps await us, and this time, we're going undercover at Zoraxis.

Zenith is an "anime-inspired" fantasy MMO with unexpectedly physical combat. There are throwing, blocking, ?and dodging mechanics, according to Ramen VR, and you can "slam your staff like a wizard."

Doom 3: VR Edition is not to be confused with the existing Doom VFR. Instead, this is straight-up Doom 3 (and its expansions) "retooled for PS VR technology." I was never all that into the original game at the time, but I think the horror tone, in particular, will ??click with me more i??n VR. I could go for a revisit.

That's it – that's the list. Anything stand out to you here, or are y?ou taking a break from VR?

I'm mostly waiting for the so-called "next generation of VR on PlayStation" – a new PlayStation VR headset built with PS5 in mind as opposed to the current PSVR model that works with PS5 via backward compatibility. It's still great from a comfort standpoint as someone who wears glasses, but the tech feels dated at this point (even with "PS5 enhancements" popping up on a game-by-game basis like in the case of Fracked). It's generally hard to get exci??ted about inferior ports from other platforms??.

On that note, you can expect?? most of these games to be playable on PC VR as w?ell.

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The bad news: VR motion controllers aren't supported

A beefed-up PC with a comfy VR setup and Microsoft Flight Simulator sounds like a dream right now.

The VR test period is over, and the update is ready: you can now fly with VR in Microsoft Flight Simulator if you have an Oculus, Vive, Valve Index, or Windows Mixed Reality headset. "All OpenXR-compliant headsets" are supp??orted with this free update – look in the VR options menu to get started.

Here's what t??he VR mode look??s like in broad strokes:

It's worth stressing that motion controllers currently are not supported – a fact that's bound to bum out VR enthusiasts – and Microsoft Flight Simulator has a graphics setting for desktop and for VR.

"When you switch between the two modes the sim dynamically switches settings, which may briefly impact its performance," according to Asobo Studio. If needed, you can try a?nd increase your performance with the Render Scale setting &nd?ash; that "has the greatest impact on framerate."

There's also a holiday scavenger hunt tucked away in today's update. If you're up for the challenge, there are a dozen "iconic landmarks" t?o track down. They've been done up with festive lights.

You can also expect to see snow and i??ce, in general. The Live Weather feat??ure was updated too.

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'AAA VR' isn't enough anymore

We are now in an era where impressive-looking VR games are somewhat commonplace; it's no longer a selling point all on its own. So when I heard that Respawn Entertainment was working on a new Medal of Honor ??;for VR, my interest was piqued, but I kept my expectations in check.

Always trust your instincts.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (PC [reviewed with a Valve Index])
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: December 11, 2020
MSRP: $59.99

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, at a base level, is a World War II shooter in VR: no more??, no less.

It has a lot of the s??ame "on your person" inventory systems of?? the past (reach around each shoulder for a big gun, on your holster for a pistol), as well as the same precision iron sights aiming that you have to do yourself with your own two eyes. There's been significant advancements even in the last few years when it comes to controller tech, so using Valve's "knuckle" controllers still feels as fresh as it did the first time I picked them up.

Above and Beyond has the added bonus of the thrill of handling old-timey weapons. You'll need to pick up on how each gun handles, as well? as utilize two hands on occasion. Plus, wrist-flicking a shotgun to reload it like The Terminator rules in any timeline. Given how good the game looks, everything is fine on paper when you're actually getting down to the business of shooting stuff.

The story, for the most part, is just dressing for the fact that this AAA VR shooter exists, but it can actively detract from Above and Beyond's mechanical framework. It's stiff and stodgy: and I don't mean that in the sense that it's too serious (it should be!), but literally stiff. Character models look good on the surface, but move unnaturally or don't move a??t all. Those very same characters become utterly forgettable in turn, despite the fact that you're looking at them directly, face to face.

The conceit that your character can't talk due to an injury is also frankly unnecessary, as is the strange pacing of hyper-focus and laid-back laissez faire on a moment's notice. It's...weird, because attached to the game are rather serious, heartfelt unlockable mini-documentaries that showcase real veterans or resistance members (just release these separately). After the roughly 10-hour campaign, you can also opt for some cursory survival missions if you're up for them (they lasted me about ??an hour in total until I felt spent). Then there's multiplayer. Oh man, VR multiplayer.

It helps quite a bit that this is a release from a big publisher, which should help funnel folks into lobbies at least throughout the holidays. But without more mainstream, accessible platforms like PSVR and Oculus Quest 2 (natively, without a link), it might not be nearly as full as you'd expect in the weeks to come. Respawn seem?ingly knows this, so CPUs can populate games (which is already happening) to fill them up. Dedicated servers help too: they have that EA money.

When multiplayer clicks in Above and Beyond, it can feel pretty cool. Knowing how long it takes to theoretically load up certain guns and jumping in to ambush someone at the right time is a great feeling. The same goes for nailing a perfect grenade lob or saving yourself with a well-timed health syringe inject?ion.

But most of the modes (deathmatch, team d??????????????????????????eathmatch, blast radius, domination) outside of mad bomber — which tasks players with blowing everyone up with explosives — feel the same. The fact that the game exists in VR is only somewhat impressive in 2020 when there have been many great shooters before it; so a barebones level of variety isn't quite cutting i??t in terms of keeping people interested long-term.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is a weird? game in that it feels like it should have come out several years before it actually arrived. It's stuck in time. It's easy to appreciate the budget that went into making it look the way it does, and I hope Respawn gives it another go; but it needed so much more than a shiny veneer to survive in this current VR climate.

_{[This review is based on a retail code provided by the publisher.]}

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Releasing December 11 on the Oculus store on Steam

I've been fixated on the story campaign in Respawn's VR-only Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, but the more I see of the multiplayer, the more I think that's going to be the main ??dra?w for a lot of players.

Respawn is putting a surprising amount of care into Above and Beyond, and based on this trailer – and prior experience with competitive VR games in general – the multiplayer should be pretty nuts. After d??ecades of better-looking but familiar-feeling gaming, you start to take things for granted. With the extra immersion of virtual reality, even the simplest player interactions can feel fresh and exciting. 

There are going to be five multiplayer modes in Medal of Honor, including the familiar Domination, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch, a rocket-launcher-toting king-of-the-hill g??ametype (Blast Radius), and a scenario ??focused on planting and defusing bombs (Mad Bomber). It's a focused spread.

This footage shows what it looks like, but playing it – feeling surrounded – will be way more thrilling.

Also worth noting: Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is playable through Steam with support for Valve Index, HTC Vive, and Oculus, so if you want to side-step the Oculus store and the whole mess with Facebook accounts, in this particular instance, you can. That's su??per important for multiplayer queues.

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Insiders can sign up for the VR closed beta test

Microsoft Flight Simulator doesn't have VR support yet, but that's ?where you &nda?sh; or at least someone like you, who owns the right headset – come in. Asobo Studio is getting ready to run a VR closed beta.

You can run down the full requirements and sign-up over here if you qualify, but the important thing to note is that the first phase of the beta will be limited to Windows Mixed Reality, while the second ?phase will open up to encompass "additional headsets." Asobo says it will "only allow a select group of testers at any given time," s??o having the right setup and expressing interest won't guarantee that you'll get in.

It could be a while before we see footage of VR up and running in Microsoft Flight Simulator given that ??beta access comes with a non-disclosure agreement, but I'm expecting eventual greatness. This game has a bright future ahead of? it – years upon years of content updates – and VR will push it even higher.

I look forward to? maybe one day owning powerful enough hardware that can make the most of it.

October 1st, 2020 Development Update [Microsoft Flight Simulator]

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Freedom 2.0

Budding tech industries move quickly and oft?en leave prior products in the dust: it's the nature of the business.

I've said this a lot having covered every major gaming-oriented headset since the f?irst consumer version of the Rift was released in 2016, but: "buyer beware." Not only are headset manufacturers constantly on edge, but developers are closing down VR studios in recent years after ??the expected VR boom didn't match their expectations.

Even still, VR is in a very good spot at this point from a consumer standpoint. So many studios (defunct or otherwise) have con??tributed to the landscape in a positive way, to the point where we are spoiled for choice when it comes to quality VR games.

The Oculus Quest was one of the most ideal ways to experience that newfound glory, especially if you count the option to tether your headset to your PC for extra juice. The Oculus Quest 2 reaffirms what I said last year about the Quest: this is look??ing more and more like the futur?e of VR, now.

Product: Oculus Quest 2
Manufacturer: Oculus
Input: One USB-C charger
MSRP: $299 (64GB), $399 (256GB)

Here's some fast-facts for folks who are looking to upgrade from a Quest [1] or dive into VR for the first time. First, the value prospect. The Oculus Quest 2 will run you $299.99 for the 64GB version. In 2019 (that's not that?? far away!), the original Oculus Quest was $399.99 for 64GB.

The Quest 2 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor, which is incredibly impressive for the form-factor of the headset. The per-eye display resolution is 1832x1920, with a refresh rate?? of 72Hz, and the promise of a future update to provide a latent 90Hz. It also sports more RAM (up to 6GB). It's also 10% lighter (503g), which is absolutely noticeable when wearing a computer on your head for long periods of time. In case you're curious, you can use the same charger as the original Quest as a backup. The head strap, unfortunately, is a downgrade from the first Quest; utilizing a cheaper Oculus Go-esque strap instead of the premium rubber (an upgrade is available for $50).

So what does this all mean? I've spent hundreds of hours with the Quest prior to testing out the new i??teration, ?and the Quest 2 is slightly better in just about every respect, minus the default strap. I noticed that games looked a tad sharper with the new headset and ran more smoothly in a subtle manner. It's also more comfortable, which is a fairly important factor if you're going to be using this thing often (and if you're stuck in your house, you might). That's all the techy stuff though: the Quest 2 has a few more upgrades and sidegrades.

The new remot??es are one of the flashier new additions. Look, I've always been a fan of the Touch remotes, ever since they debuted in the Rift line. But the advancements that Oculus has made in recent years have absolutely cemented my love for them. They're comfortable, intuitive, and easy to use in just about every genre from action RPGs to shooters. Now, the Touch remotes for the Quest 2 are a little snugger to grasp, coupled with the ability to drop controllers altogether and use hand tracking.

This is easily one of the more enticing ?aspects of the Quest 2. ??While the Touch remotes are great as a whole, sometimes I just want to boot up my headset and browse the store or mess around with some apps for a few minutes. Having to drain controller batteries and pair them every time for that purpose was annoying, but now you can move your finger around like a pointer and pinch to select elements of the UI. That's mostly what it's good for now though: games will "gradually" get controller-free support, but the feature is not widely used outside of menus.

T??he rest of the Quest experience still holds up. For longer sessions, the tether-less mantra of the device is so easy to vibe with. The speakers are powerful enough to create a sense of immersion with succinct highs and powerful lows and I can't stress how convenient the lack of a tether is when playing room scale shooters. Even in smaller spaces where you don't have a lot of room to move, just being able to turn around without getting a cable wrapped around you is bliss. If you're keen on hooking the Quest 2 up to your PC (just like the Quest), you can buy an $80 link cable (which was not provided for testing).

The Quest 2 still clocks in at roughly two hours of battery life for hard gaming and three hours for video playback. For most people, that's going to be more than enough. For me — a person who consumes games like mana of life — it can be on the lower side. A lot of games already account for this. Many titles are either level-based experiences (Robo Recall) or episodic (Vader Immortal), with clear act breaks for when you need to give the headset some power l??ove.

Now, playing a lot of those same games (it's important to note that no big "exclusives" were granted for this assessment because they don't yet exist) did feel a little better on the Quest 2 thanks to the sharper visuals and better remotes. Even lo-fi titles like Superhot VR felt a little snappier, in fact. It really drives home that the Quest 2 might not be a gargantuan generational leap, but it's the ?new standard. 

There is something I absolutely need to mention though: as of the Oculus Quest 2, you are required to have a Facebook account. For prior Oculus users such as myself this isn't really a problem if you're sticking to previous tech, as you can still access your Oculus account until the end of 2022. For any Quest 2 user, even someone who had said Oculus account, it might?? be an issue, because the headse?t forces you to merge the two. If this is a dealbreaker, I completely understand: I just needed to mention it.

If you already own a Quest, there isn't a huge reason to completely jump ship at this time because there aren't any "Quest 2 exclusive titles" at the moment. Yet, I fully recommended the original Quest and I will?? continue to recommend the straight-up-upgrade of the Quest 2. The Quest family is probably the smartest way to get into VR right now and the most future-proof.

[Update]

Since my Quest 2 review, Logitech has pr??ovided us with two recent headsets "designed for the Quest:" the G333 VR Gaming Headphones (ear? buds) and the G Pro X headset. Having tested both of them out, I can safely say that the G Pro X is a pretty unique addition to the Oculus line.

The G333 VR bu?ds, like many high-quality buds, offer "VR environment" audio quality, which accounts for directional audio to allow VR games to really sing without bugging anyone around you. But the G Pro X is really what I did the bulk of my testing with, as they are designed around booming lows: many of which are chill-inducing depending on the game. Another perk of the G Pro X: it comes with a tiny little audio cable that's "Quest ready."

In short, it's just long enough to slot into the Quest and allow you to tease the headphones over your head and on your ears, without havin?g the cord hit your head constantly. Having used various headphone solutions in VR for years, this little concession is appreciated: even if you can buy a similar cable yourself. The leatherette cups are very comfortable, which is a pretty important thing to get right if you're going to try and forget that they exist when inside of the VR realm. I tried them out for multiple hour-long sessions, and they didn't feel like they were weighing on my head.

Rez Infinite was probably the best possible way to test the Go Pro X, and it passed. The dynamic nature of Rez's soundtrack is a great way to get some mileage out of the highs and lows of any potential set of headphones, and the directional aud??io really helped with the Area X 360 degrees of freedom zone. I finished the entire game with one session wit??h the Go Pro X and never felt annoyed that they were on my ears.

Either way, strapping headphones to the Oculus Quest 2 is the way to go. A set of high quality headphones is far more effective in terms of immersion than the standard in-headset speakers: although I should still note that th??e Que??st 2 projects audio wonderfully, and I will take it any day of the week over nothing.

_{[A full retail Oculus Quest 2 headset was provided by Oculus VR for testing. Logitech audio was provided after the review period.]}

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Launching first for Oculus Quest

The incomparable Myst is coming back in style. (Did it ever truly leave?) Original creator Cyan has "reimagined" Myst for?? VR – but even if you don't have a headset, y??ou'll still be able to play along.

The remake, simply titled Myst, is coming first to Ocu?lus Quest for $29.99, followed by a wider PC launch (including other VR platforms and "flatscreen ??PC"), then "additional platforms" will follow.

This new Myst is a "from the ground up" Unreal Engine title. Cle??verly, "many of the puzzles have been reimagined and engineered to include optional puzzle randomization and enhanced accessibility," Cyan says. In other words, it's not strictly about better visuals. Expect to find new "interacti??ons," too.

When a revamp of a beloved classic can stay true to its roots and also tap into a new audience, you know it's onto something. No word on a release date yet, but Myst is on Steam, GOG, and Oculus.

Cyan Reveals Development of Myst for VR [Cyan]

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Back in the trenches

I have run the rollercoaster of emotions in the brief time it took this Medal of Honor trailer to roll. I went from "There's a new Medal of Honor?" to "Huh, they got the original writer to direct" to "Hell yeah, he smashed a dude's head wi?th a stone bust" to "Okay, I'd play this."

I'll admit that I have no real love for Medal of Honor?? bu??t Respawn has earned our trust by now. It's a studio that has turned out nothing but quality ever since it was founded a decade ago.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is "a full-blown VR experience." It's launching on Oculus headets sometime this holiday season. Check out the gamescom trailer to get a feeling for what Respawn's stab at Medal of Honor is all about.

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'Challenge Pack 1' implies more is to come

Phantom: Covert Ops came out a few months ago, and I still can't believe someone was able to successfully pitch "Call of Duty in a kayak" and get away with it. But studio nDr?eams actually followed up on it and gave us a decent little acti??on romp that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Today, the studio announced that "Challen??ge Pack 1" is out today, which is available on both currently supported platforms (Rift/Quest). It brings five challenge maps into the fray, whi??ch feature gunplay amid cartoony targets, as well as "crazy cheats" like an infinite ammo grenade launcher and a "reverse kayak controls" level that sounds devilish.

Phantom already heavily leaned in on the campy side, so this is exactly what the game needed. Extra bug fixes and quality of life changes are the c??her?ry on top. nDreams is calling this "the first free post-launch content update," implying more is to come.

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'Tactical kayak action' - genius

Even though it's been over four years since the first consumer Rift launc?hed, Oculus is still? moving full speed ahead with VR.

Although a lot of folks have thumbed their nose at it, VR continues to surprise me fairly often. We just saw it with Half-Life: Alyx and now Phantom: Covert Ops is giving the "AAA VR" thing a go.

Phantom: Covert Ops (PC [Oculus Rift], Oculus Quest [tested])
Developer: nDreams
Publisher: Oculus Studios
Released: June 25, 2020
MSRP: TBA

Here's the elevator pitch: it's Call of Duty in a kayak.

The "Phantom Unit member working for NATO" angle is pure absurdity, but it works (luckily the enemy base was recently flooded, which is bringing back extreme Knightboat vibes). It's such a bold stance that it sounds dumb at first, but actually works in the sense that it solves a lot of the innate problems with some VR games. It's guided, to a point, like how most Call of Duty games funnel you through passages to provide popcorn action moments. But in this case, you're still free to look around, use both hands and interact with the environment. The sixish-hour campaign is pretty huge for a VR game, rivaling some Call of Duty titles.

It's also not strictly on rails (eat your heart out Molyneux). Although you're at the mercy of the game's waterways, you'll have to manually paddle your way around, which vaguely matches real-life paddle physics. It's tiring! And also really fun. Everything else, like classic VR, is intuitive as hell. You'll grab your sniper rifle (which you can peer through the scope with!) on the? right side of your boat, your pistol is on your chest and your assault rifle is on your back. Ammo and your night vision goggles (which cleverly double as your camera) are right in front of you. Easy.

It's these kind of control schemes that just show how much VR rules. Brand new playe??rs can just dive right in and understand "oh so I make a grabbing motion at the object on-screen, and I'm good" without having to fumble through multiple butt?on combinations. Not that I want that style of control to go away! It's just another reason why VR offers something different compared to the same controller schemes I've been playing for over three decades.

I also like the careful balance of action and stealth. Although the game makes it clear that stealth is paramount, you can take your targets out in any way you see fit — or distract them with environmental objects like fire extinguishers or noise grenades. Covert Ops does grant limited extra ammo in the form of supply caches, but you still need ?to balance the use of your weapons so you don't go completely dry. To wit, ??some puzzles can be solved with bullets or by hand.

It's not perfect, of course. Covert Ops is a little janky when it comes to AI behavior, as they'll sometimes?? notice you when you're almost fully hidden, or barely notice you when you're in clear view. It looks fine on the Oculus Quest (the distinct buildings and character models are great, though the backgrounds lack detail), but most importantly, it plays smoothly.

Hardcore VR players have already likely flocked to Covert Ops: it's the next big thing from Oculus Studios, of course they're looking for an excuse to get some use out of their headset. But for everyone else, it's definitely one to keep on a list somewhere for when?? y??ou eventually pick up a Rift or a Quest.

_{[These impressions are based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. Score - 7.0.]}

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The studio behind Lone Echo and The Order: 1886

Some of us still associate Ready At Dawn with the cinematic PS4 shooter The Order: 1886, but recently, the studio has leaned into VR with games like Lone Echo and its in-development sequel Lone Echo II. That path is even more set in stone today. Facebook went ahead an??d acquired Ready At Dawn.

Excited to share that we’re joining the Oculus Studios team! Together, we will continue to pursue a future of rich, immersive and original VR game content. Excited for what’s to come! //t.co/Cmj2bAGtO5

— Ready At Dawn (@RAD_Studios) June 22, 2020

According to Oculus, "the entire Ready At Dawn team will be joining th??e Oculu?s Studios team."

The current staff "will continue to build amazing game experiences as an independent studio operating out of their current offices in Irvine, CA, and Portland, OR, with the full support of Facebook and the Oculus Studios team behind them." Despite a delay, Lone Echo II is aiming for a 2020 launch.

Big picture, Ready At Dawn is striving for "memorable, immersive, and inno?vative? VR content."

This is a smart buy. As for other potentia??l studio acquisitions, Oculus Studios says it is "exploring many ways to accelerate VR, and we have awesome and innovative plans for the next few years of gaming."

Ready At Dawn is on the right track in the VR space, and I'd love to see The Order live on elsewhere.

Welcoming Ready At Dawn to Facebook [Oculus]

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Trover strikes again

With the latest season of Rick and Morty ending, another one of Justin Roiland's creations is rising in its place. Well, another port of a 2??019 creation, but the point still stands.

Last year Trover Saves the Universe arrived on the PC (VR), PS4 (PSVR), Switch and Xbox One, but one major VR platform was left out of the equation: the Oculus Quest. Squanch Games is remedying that this week, as they've just announced that Trover will hit the platform on June 18 (the file clocks in at? 3.40GB).

It might be old news, but the Quest is a perfect way to play Trover if you've been putting it off. Although the game is meant for sitting VR play, the ability to move around at will without a tether will do wonders for some of the trickier camera angles. While Trover is perfectly playable without VR, I high?ly recommend?? using a headset.

Trover Saves the Universe [Oculus]

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Taking cues from Amnesia and Alien: Isolation

The World of Darkness is spilling out into video games again. Apart from the increasingly tangible Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, there's another lo??ng-winded name to keep tabs on ??this year.

Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife is a first-person VR horror romp from Fast Travel Games, the team behind last year's Budget Cuts 2, and we got our first – but not particularly forthcomin?g – look a??t it today.

As a Wraith in the Barclay Mansion, you'll "unravel the many mysteries that await beyond the Shroud." Beyond that for-now basic premise, the creative director of Afterlife spoke about his inspirations.

"I am a massive fan of games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Alien: Isolation, and have always felt that the kind of narrative-driven, exploration-focused horror these titles deliver would be perfect for VR," said Fast Travel Games' Erik Odeldahl. "To make such a game in the World of Darkness setting, specifically the rich and mystical world of Wraith: The Oblivion, is really a dream come true for me."

What's next? A proper "gameplay trailer" is slated for Gamescom, which starts August 27, 2020. Further out, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife is planning to release on "all ??major VR platforms."

I like the concept of Afterlife and Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood, I just hope they can stick the landing. Also, I get it, but these names. Brett said "They could??'ve titl?ed it Don't Open This Email."

I'm glad I did!

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Looks like paper's back on the menu, boys

The peculiar PlayStation VR game Paper Beast is launching on Steam later this summer, and if you're into the idea of studying fantastic wildlife in a strange land that you can physically reshape, you're gonna want to check it out. It's the imaginative work of Pixel Reef and Another World creator Eric Chahi.

At a glance, this might look like a sandbox-style god game about a surreal ecosystem – it can be, if that's all you're after – but there's a main pu??zzle-solving adventure mode, too. You'll need to figure out what makes these creatures tick and how they can inadvertently help you. It's an exploration game.

The PC VR version of Paper Beast will have a few advancements over the original PSVR edition. Oculus Rift, Vive, and Valve Index players are getting "continuous m??ove support, upgraded visuals, gameplay tweaks, an?? expanded sandbox mode," and more animals, plants, and items, according to the developers.

"The initial reaction to the PlayStation 4 version by both the fans and the critics was beyond what we could have imagine," said Eric Chahi. Did anyone else play From Dust? I'm glad to see him back at it.

Pixel Reef is also planning to release a demo of Paper Beast as part of Steam Game Fest: Summer Edition, a digital event w??ith playa?ble builds of upcoming games. It's running from June 16–22, 2020.

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War Remains is a trip to hell from your home

Last year, famed podcaster and amateur historian Dan Carlin, along with MWM Interactive, released War Remains, a virtual reality experience that put guests in the shoes of a soldier on the western front of World War I. It was only ava?ilable at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019 and later that year in Austin; during a time where you could put a headset on your face that someone else had just worn and not care about contracting ?an incurable disease.

But this is 2020, and we need our horrific experiences of human atrocities coming into lethal efficiency thanks to the wonders of the industrial expansion in our homes! For the small pric??e of five dollars, you too can experience what some would call the most ??brutal war of all time while Dan Carlin narrates your ever-impending doom. Doesn't that sound like a romp?!

The publishers and developers have made it abundantly clear that this isn't a game so much as an experience, so don't go in expecting to pop out of the trenches and pull off no-scopes. After reviewing Attentat 1942 a few years ago, I began to feel that we needed more museum-like experiences at home. While this is basically that, unless you have a VR headset, you're s??till stuck in no man's land.

War Remains is available now on Oculus, Viveport, and Steam.

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It's not quite Mirror's Edge, but it might be enough

VR parkour, as a concept, is full of thrilling potential – but only if it's done well. Only if it nails that sense of scale, speed, and danger without making you ill. After seeing the trailer for Stride, a first-person platformer coming to Oculus Rift?, HTC Vive, and Valve Index this ??summer, I'm crossing my fingers.

I wouldn't go so far as to call this Mirror's Edge in VR – the scope and execution aren't reaching those same heights – but that's the general headspace Stride developer Joy Way wants us to be in, I'm sure.

A note on that potential pit in your stomach: "The gameplay has been designed such that the player's hand movements coincide with his avatar's movements. This means that the load on the player's vestibular apparatus is kept to a minimum. Although most people do feel minor uneasiness when they first start playing ??the game, as you master the controls, motion sickness disappears entirely."

The trailer seem??s far more focused on the playe?r's agile maneuverability than the enemies, who are armed but don't seem particularly threatening or even all that responsive, at least in this footage.

The main parkour side of Stride &ndash?; racing across rooftops, leaping from balconies, zip-lining between buildings – looks entertaining enough to carry most of the burden, though. We'l??l just have to see.

You can keep tabs on Steam if you're in a District 13 sorta mood.

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Valve is back

Every so often we tackle dual reviews, where two authors share their takes on a game and provide a single combined score. What better game to bring that concept back than Half-Life: Alyx, the first new Half-Life game in ages.

Gather around as Chris Carter shares his ??thoughts with the Valve Index version of the game, while Brett Makedonski plays it on the Oculus Rift.

Half-Life: Alyx (PC [reviewed with a Valve Index and an Oculus Rift])
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
Release: March 23, 2020
MSRP: $59.99

Chris Carter (Valve Index):

I still can't believe I played a new Half-Life game. It took Valve long enough, but we're here. And yes, it does feel like a new Half-Life, thank you very much!

This is 2020: we're past the era where high-profile VR games are assumed tech demos, as some recent big names have shown us. Valve is equally up to the task with Alyx, and gives us one of the most technically impressive VR games to date, especially on a high-end rig. Even something as simple as looking up at the sky through glass in its opening moments will be enough to elicit a jaw-drop from veteran VR players, and of course, those who are coming into the hobby blind. Ha, through the looking glass! I'm going to be super vague here on story details as I'm sure a lot of you have been walking on eggshells around Alyx coverage.

Whether or not you're new to VR, Alyx is extremely accessible with four diffic??ulty settings and three movement options, all of which can be swapped at any time. Even if you go for full locomotion (read: FPS movement with the left analog stick), a clever use of a "jump" teleport mechanic allows you to easily re-orient your setup without having to back out into a main menu. Playing standing the entire time (I need to be able to instantl?y turn around!), it's one of the most comfortable VR experiences I've had the pleasure of being a part of.

You know what's uncomfortable (in a good way)? How creepy this game can be at times. You're not just fighting the Combine threat (which, to be frank, is a bit old at this point but they'll do), you're navigating droves of Xen creatures like Barnacles, Headcrabs and Zombies. Seeing all of these up-close, right in front of your face, is enough to scar some people for life, and frankly, reinvents them for a new era. I literally don't even look up when I get caught by a Barnacle, preferring to blind-fire my pistol at them: I hate them that much. Out of the 100+ VR ga??mes I've played in my lifetime, this is one of the most terrifying worlds I've been a part of.

The story is a mix between things you've seen before and new developments. A [speaking] Alyx is the main star, which is possibly the most new thing on offer, but there's plenty of mostly tasteful fanservicey things sprinkled in. You have to give it to Valve though, it all feels authentic, even minute gameplay choices. Puzzles rule in Half-Life: Alyx, and I'm not even talking about the typical "hand crank" or "button pressing" literal puz??zles.

You can grab a giant barrel with two hands and chuck it at something then run away. Or you can stack boxes like that one scene from Home Alone 2 ("solid as a rock!") to get somewhere. All of that, which requires no jostling and no UI, is accomplished by moving your hands around in the VR space, or by n?aturally grabbing and flicking items toward you with your Gravity Gloves.

So I'm coming at this from a different perspective on the technical side, which is partly why we have two reviews. I own every current major VR headset on the market, and have been playing VR games consistently since 2016. While Valve knocks it out of the park in the story department, they still have work ahead of them when it comes to VR contr??ols. Again, Valve did a great job here, but I have a few hangup??s.

A lot of current VR designers are getting away from excessive menus, in an effort to keep inventory management more natural. So when you need a pistol, you grab it from your hip. If you need a shotgun, it's on your back, and an SMG is on your chest; that sort of thing. In Alyx, you need to navigate a small "+" shaped menu with a button press to swap between those three aforementioned weapons and your multi-tool (which plugs into stuff and solves puzzles). When you're walking around, it's an annoyance at worst. During the he??at of a really intense firefight, it can be a problem and hamstrings fluid combat.

That said, the two-hand system is extremely versatile, and squeezing a grenade with the Index remotes or triggering individual finger movement is wild. There was one moment where I was sticking my hand into a med bay for healing, and using the other hand to grab items in that same room while looking around. That's not something you can typically do in a non-VR game, and Valve did right by the modern VR fantasy. It feels justified as so??mething that needs to be VR. Just a word of warning: if you're using the Index, charge your controllers between sessions! This is a long game (my first run took me 10 and a half hours, with a near 100% completion rate) and those things can run out of juice after a long session.

My Half-Life: Alyx experience can best be described as "joy." Joy found in playing another Half-Life for the first time in...forever, and joy found in natural puzzle solving. This is legit, folks. A 10-12 hour Half-Life might finally be enoug?h for you to spring for a?? VR headset.

Brett Makedonski (Oculus Rift):

Half-Life: Alyx is a Half-Life game. That's a sentence I was terrified I wouldn't be able to write. I was worried --convinced nearly -- it'd be a glorified tech demo or an impostor wearing a Half-Life mask. As it turns out, a silent man wielding a crowbar is not necessarily criteria for a Half-Life game.

Sidekick extraordinaire Alyx Vance slides into the star role's spotlight like she had been the lead woman all along. Passed the torch (crowbar?) from Gordon Freeman, Alyx leaves her own mark on Half-Life, providing observational commentary and occasionally chatting away on a two-way radio. It's natural and fitting. Valve deserves credit for having the confidence to pull off a protagonist swap, especially considering how strongly and passionately people associate Half-Life with Freeman.

However, Valve's greatest accomplishment with Alyx is that it managed to craft a narrative that's essential to the Half-Life canon. This isn't an inconsequential side-story of different people in a different time. (Remember: It takes place prior to the events of Half-Life 2.) It cleverly interjects itself into existing storylines, filling in gaps and giving new perspectives. Starting with Alyx out to save her father (Eli Vance, the name probably rings a bell) after he's abducted by the Combine, it quickly unravels into a whole bigger thing. Alyx is such an indispensable Half-Life game that I leg??itimately feel bad for any fans who are without the means to have a virtual reality setup.

It doesn't take long with a helmet strapped to your head to understand why Valve was so insistent that Alyx be a VR game. VR truly elevates Half-Life, bringing the world of City 17 alive in incredible ways. The opening minutes had me fascinated, watching Combine patrol units police the streets. That fascination never waned, whether it was carefully peeking around rafters to look straight up at a barna?cle's ho??rrific maw or knocking around the heads of now twice-dead zombies like the psychopath I am.

That immersion, VR's inherent ability to place you inside worlds, is what makes Half-Life: Alyx so special. In the 15 hours it took me to get through the campaign -- I evidently played much slower than Chris -- I never once felt at ease. I had plenty of flashbacks to Resident Evil 7, as I dreaded every upcoming encounter and scrounged for resources that always seemed in perfectly short supply. More appropriately, Alyx constantly conjured memories of Half-Life 2's Ravenholm. We don't go there for a reason. Alyx is a mastercla?ss in unnerving environment, and the whole thing is just so fucking intense.

Virtual reality can be a double-edged sword, even if the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Valve implements an awkward weapon-wheel menu that can lead to unintended weapon swaps. It's frustrating to fail thanks to your own flailing during battle or when a particularly feisty headcrab sends you into a panic, and you switch to the wrong gun and it's out of ammo. Also, the limitations of VR are evident in the design as Half-Life: Alyx rarely sends you into large-scale battles. It'd be too calamitous and disori??enting to have bulle??ts flying at you from all directions, so Valve usually confines Combine fights to waves of three. It's still intimidating.

There are also obvious seams where Valve designed Alyx to c??ater to innovative interactions that VR affords. For instance, a new alien flora is introduced out of nowhere in service of framing a late?r chapter around using the tracking controls to avoid a hazard. It comes off as neat if not a little gimmicky. Don't worry: The rest of that chapter is superb in every way.

Although I didn't play on the Valve Index, which Alyx was specifically developed for, I didn't notice any real drawbacks to playing on the Oculus Touch controllers. It quickly becomes second nature to use the triggers for the Gravity Gloves to coolly fling things toward you, catch them, and then toss them. You'll do this many times, and you'll eventually fee?l like a badass when it's effortless and smooth. Oculus Rift?? with Touch controllers is a perfectly suitable and valid way to play, and that's presumably the case for the other compatible VR headsets.

Half-Life: Alyx is an accomplishment no matter which way you spin it. It's a technical marvel as a generally excellent VR game. It's a narrative triumph in how it brilliantly navigates a new protagonist to add vital pieces of canon. And, it's an incredible adaption of a cherished series to a platform that does nothing but enhance what makes it special. As I took off my headset for the last time, I found myself thinking Valve can't keep us waiting another decade-plus between games. Half-Life: Alyx reinvigorated my love for Half-Life. We can only hope it similarly reinvi?gorated Valve.

_{[This review is based o??n a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Launching first for Oculus Quest on March 31, 2020

As someone who's into survival horror games and virtual reality, I've been burned m??any times before by titles that either don't make the most of? the genre, or the medium, or sometimes both. There are a lot of middling-at-best VR horror experiences out there. I've learned to go in with modest expectations.

I have a pretty good feeling about Lies Beneath, though. The upcoming Oculus game from Gunheart d??eveloper Drifter Entertainment has such a neat comic-book-influenced style to stand on.

Lies Beneath is a horror adventure about a college student, Mae, who returns to her hometown of Slumber, Alaska only to find freaky monsters. Thankfully, she's got a hatchet (and a shotgun). The team drew inspiration? fr?om a range of artists including Mike Mignola, Bernie Wrightson, and Shintaro Kago.

As noted on the Oculus Blog, t??he game has been in production at Drifter for just under tw??o years.

"Lies Beneath is a much more intimate, close-quarters game than our previous stuff precisely so that we bring everything into arm's ?reach," said creative director Brian Murphy. "As much as possible in this game, we tried to make it feel like if you could tou??ch it with your hands, it would react naturally."

Even if you don't own a VR ??headset, it's worth checking out these creature designs. It doesn't matter how many times I'?ve seen human-head spider-demons – their scurrying always gets under my skin.

The Oculus Que??st version is launching first, on March 31, followed by the Rift S version on April 14.

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Deals on Oculus Rift, Vive, and Valve Index games

If there's one thing you'll quickly (and continuously) learn as a new VR owner, it's that sales are cru??cial.

After breaking through that initial financial barrier to entry, it's important to build out your early library with restraint. When I first got my headset, everything looked so fresh and exciting – I was impulse-buying left and right. Thankfully, VR is further along now, and deals po?p up on a pretty regular basis.

Depending on what you've played so far, the Humble VR Bundle has a lot of value. It includes two of my favorites: the pint-sized platformer Moss, and the share-with-friends showstopper Superhot VR.

You can pay $1 or more for:

• Cosmic Trip (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)
  
• Smashbox Arena (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive)

If you pay more than the average price (~$12), you'll also get:

• Gorn (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)
  
• Budget Cuts (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)
• Space Pirate Trainer (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)

If you drop $15 or more, you'll also get:

• Superhot VR (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)
• Moss (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality)
  

In terms of PC V??R, consider this bundle a good little starter kit. Some of these titles are more fleeting experiences, but the price is right. A few of them will be worth revisiting multiple times over.

The Humble VR Bundle will stick around until February 25, 2020, at 11??:00 a.m. Pacific.

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Play Asgard's Wrath on your Quest

You don't need an official Oculus Link cable to run Oculus Rift games on your standalone Oculus Quest headset, but if you want a no-fuss option that's guaranteed to work and work well, here it is. The company has started selling a five-meter USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C cable for $79 that'll do the trick.

There's definitely a bit of sticker shock there, but I can see some Quest owners justifying the premium price over cheaper third-party counter??parts. If nothing else, it'll be nice to not need an extension cable.

According to Oculus, the fiber-optic Li?nk cable is only available in "limited" quantities heading into 2020, and it's not quite ready for a full worldwide release. Europe is notably absent right now.

Oculus [Twitter]

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(That's why they performed at The Game Awards)

Beat Saber and Green Day – what a peculiar pairing. Announced after a live performance at The Game Awards 2019, the band is bringing six of its songs t??o the realm of VR saber slashing.

The Green Day Music Pack will cost $9 and it's launching on Oculus Quest and Rift tonight.

• "American Idiot"
• "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
• "Father of All..."
• "Fire, Ready, Aim"
• "Holiday"
• "Minority"

Beat Saber is also getting 360° and 90° levels. They're "custom engineered" modes that "open up the playing field and radically change the game," according to Beat Games. If you own the o??riginal versions of the songs, you won't have to pay anything extra to ac?cess the 360° and 90° versions.

You can read through the running list on the Oculus blog – there's around 25 tracks right now.

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Here's the launch trailer

For better or worse, Twin Peaks VR is about what you'd expect: a chance to spend a ?bit more time in David Lynch and Mark Frost's subversive universe. It doesn't look particularly great, even by virtual-reality graphics standards, but I could see fans having fun reliving key moments from the series.

If you haven't fully caught up on your Twin Peaks yet, be warned: this trailer and the screenshots on Steam delve into events from the third season, at least one ??of which is bound to catch you off guard.

The game is still set for a PC release by the end of 2019 on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Valve Index. Today, we got a launch trailer, complete with familiar faces from Twin Peaks: The Return and scenes from the Red Room, Glastonbury Grove, and that freaky glass box. I don't want ?to meddle with it!

Players will "solve various puzzles and disc??over many Easter eggs from ??the show."

I can't say I have high expectations for Twin Peaks VR – it looks like a bare-bones VR title – but it does make me want to rewatch The Return. I suspect it'll be even more enjoyable now that it's?? soaked in.

A?ccordin??g to Welcome to Twin Peaks, PlayStation VR and Oculus Quest versions are also planned.

Twin ??Peaks VR: First Official?? Trailer & Screenshots! [Welcome to Twin Peaks]

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It won't be cheap, but it might be worth it

There's good news and there's bad news. The next game in the Half-Life canon won't require the $1,000 Valve Index hardware to play. That's a bullet dodged. However, it will require some sort of PC-based VR setup, and that's going to be costly for anyone who's hellbent on playing the new Half-Life but isn't a virtual re?ality early??(ish) adopter.

Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way upfront: You'll need a PC that's beefy enough to run VR. The various headsets have their own compatibility tools (although apparently Facebook discontinued Oculus'), but Road to VR has a catchall list of specs.

If you don't yet have a PC, your path to Half-Life: Alyx is a lot more expensive. Here are a bunch of pre-built gaming PCs on Amazon. They should all be VR-capable, but do your due diligence and individually research whichever one you might buy. Or, go ahead and build your own. It's a fun life experience that you won't regret (unless you critically screw something up which probably won't happen), and you end up with a PC that you're more attached to. Use PCPartPicker if you have no idea where to start.

Okay, now it's time to talk turkey. Valve has stated that Half-Life: Alyx will be compatible with all PC-based VR. If it can run SteamVR, it can run Half-Life: Alyx. The headsets that are explicitly mentioned are:

• Valve Index -- $749.00 - $999.00
• HTC Vive -- $500 but sold out from official retailers
• Vive Pro -- $1,098.00 for the starter kit that comes with controllers and base stations
• Windows Mixed Reality headsets -- $499.00 (there are a ton of these from all sorts of companies like Acer, Dell, and HP, but the $499.00 Samsung HMD Odyssey+ is the only one Microsoft sells directly from the WMR landing page.)
• Oculus Rift -- $399.00
• Oculus Quest -- $399.00 but requires a Link cable to plug the standalone headset into a VR-capable PC

You should also note that Half-Life: Alyx doesn't necessarily need a roomscale setup; people with smaller living spaces can play it sitting or standing as long as they have tracking cameras. However, standard gamepads won't work. Half-Life: Alyx requires some sort of touc??h controller, whether they're trigger-based or finger-tracking.

As for B?lack Friday deals, there are a few options to weigh. Make sure to no?te that Oculus and Vive's Black Friday sales don't start until November 28:

• Oculus Rift S -- $349.00 (Normally $399.00)
• Oculus Quest -- $399.00 (No discount but comes with Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series)
• HTC Vive Pro Starter Edition -- $799.00 (Normally $1,098.00)
• HTC Vive Pro Full Kit -- $1,099.00 (Normally $1,399.00. This is the same as the Starter Edition except it has two SteamVR 2.0 base stations instead of one SteamVR 1.0 base station. Basically, it has improved tracking.)
• WMR Samsung HMD Odyssey+ -- $229.00 (Normally $499.00)

It should be pointed out that spending the extra $50 on a Quest over a Rift is probably the future-proof route. The Quest is a standalone device that requires no extra hardware (meaning it's tetherless), but the Oculus Link functionality essentially turns it into a Rift.

So what's the verdict? Go with a WMR headset if you just want the cheapest possible option. The Samsung HMD Odyssey+ seems to be the best combination of quality and low price, although other WMRs can drop the price even further -- like HP's headset for $180. Oculus is the safest bet, and the Quest is probably the best choice even if it isn't the cheapest choice. For an extra $60 or??? so (factor in the cost of a 10-ft USB C- to A cable), you get the freedom of using the headset wirelessly.

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, go with a Vive. But, at that price, you might as well just buy a Valve Index -- even if there isn't a Black Friday sale to take advantage of. The Vive's AMOLED display is better than the Index's LCD display, but the Index is superior in virtually every other category. Also, the Vive's motion controls are the wand-based touch controls that most VR is built on; Index has the new advanced Knuckles controls that are a step forward in terms of tracking. As an added bonus, if you're going to spend this much money, getting an Index nets you a free copy of Half-Life: Alyx ($60 for anyone who owns a different VR headset). That's the whole impetus for bu??ying into VR right no?w anyway, right?

Oculus Rift S, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive Pro Starter Edition, HTC Vive Pro Full Kit, WMR Samsung HMD Odyssey+ [Amazon]

Valve Index [Steam]

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The deal is done: it cannot be altered

It's hard to believe that the inaugural episode of Vader Immortal, a VR (and Oculus)-only experience came ?out in May.

Although it was very hurried I was hooked from the first run, and needed to see where it all ended. Naturally it can't go full crazy and have you kill Darth Vader, but the mystic elements of the Jedi/Sith are concepts that aren't as fully explored now that games like KOTOR are in the rear-view.

Now that the full enchilada is out, I can say that ILMx?LAB has successfully added to that conversation: even if that conversation is a mere murmur solely in the VR space.

_{[You can read reviews for Episodes 1 and 2 here.]}

Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series: Episode 3 (Oculus Quest [reviewed], PC)
Developer: ILMxLAB
Publisher: Oculus
Released: November 21, 2019 (Oculus Quest) / TBA (Oculus Rift)
MSRP: $9.99

Episode 3 is what a lot of us have been waiting for: blasters, all-out war with Vader, and a sense of?? really becoming a powerful force-wielder in VR.

I've mentioned literally "looking up to Vader" (as the game tracks your real height) multiple times before and it never gets old. Oculus was smart to really push this on the Quest: not only due to how accessible the device is, but to showcase the freedom o??f movement and how far this thing can push the envel??ope. Zooming up on Vader's castle while taking in the sights of Mustafar feels empowering on this portable machine, even if it still never manages to push into "full game" territory.

Clocking in at roughly 40 minutes, Episode 3 is a crescendo blast, but still very low-key in the grand scheme of things. There was a moment where I was force-choking a Stormtrooper with my left hand, deflecting blasts with my lightsaber in my right hand, then grabbing an errant blaster out of the air with force pull and taking down more enemies, where I didn't want it to end. I get the necessity of the slow build with the first two episodes, especially given that they each have their moments of gravitas, but this is what people wanted all alon??g.

It also has a few fleeting instances of that cheesy George Lucas spirit without going as far as Darth Icky silliness. Several of these are woven into Vader Immortal effortlessly, like a chance to battle a TIE-Fighter on foot or gatling-gun-down an AT-ST as a giant army assaults Vader's troops. Speaking of Vader, you finally do get to duel him, which, true to the spirit of Vader Immortal, is a brief bit of fun.

There's plenty of opportunities to tell stories like Vader Immortal in this post-Disney acquisition era: ILMxLAB and Respawn have proven it. The former did a great job of taking an existing expanded universe storyline and making it their own, but naturally the allure of one of the most iconic villains of all time helped their pitch. This might be the end for now, but hopefully now that the groundwork is in place they'll give us something more substantial and non-episodic. A new Half-Life and a full Star Wars fantasy would do wonders for VR in 2020.

_{[This  review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll be useful for a few high profile projects

VR has becom??e much more accessible in just this past year, and Oculus has smartly pivoted to match market demands.?? The users have spoken: they want untethered freedom of movement, and lower price points.

That was the goal with the Oculus Quest, which is actually moving some units while delivering higher quality experiences like Vader Immortal. The next step? To allow the Quest to connect to ??PCs to draw more power: an initiative Oculus is calling Oculus Link. Announced earlier this year the program is now in beta, and lets current Quest users connect their headset to a PC via a USB 3 cable to supercharge the device. To enable it, just head into the settings section of the Oculus p??rogram and enable betas.

Oculus says that right now you can use any USB 3 cable, but they're currently developing a "premium, custom optical fiber cable" that runs 16 feet to provide "more freedom of movement than any cable on the market." That cable is coming? later this?? year in limited form, then in wide release in 2020: presumably after the program exits beta.

So why is this a big deal? Well the Quest is one of the most affordable high-end VR options on the market, and the ability to just connect a cable to turn it into a Rift is enticing, especially with games like Half-Life: Alyx coming out?, not to mention access to all the current great titles available now on the Rift marketplace.

This is kind of a huge deal for Oculus and a gambit of sorts as they undercut the (also great) Rift S, but it's been several years and the mass market is not taking to VR: ?it's t??ime to shake it up.

Play Rift C?ontent on Quest with Oculus Link, Available Now in Beta [Oculus]

The post Oculus Link, whi??ch turns your Quest into a Rift, is out now in beta form appeared first on Destructoid.

*Cracks Knuckles*

Stress Level Zero just announced a December 10, 2019 release date for Boneworks on Steam, and it's the kind of game that can sell itself with a single gif. (Okay, actually, let's make that two.)

It's t??he kind of game that comes with a "Hey, you should probably have prior VR experience" ??warning.

It's the kind of game you just want to explore, unwrap, and exist in.

I don't know if Boneworks will live up to expectations – people have been drawing parallels to Half-Life 2, which is no small feat – but I'm convinced it'll be an unforgettable physics-driven experience. Assuming, of course, you have a Valve Index (or a technophile friend to mooch off of). The game is also coming to Vive and Oculus Rift, but it makes the strongest case with Valve's Knuckle controllers.

I feel like we'r?e peering into the eventual? promise of VR gaming here: worlds that give you near-total control of your surroundings and encourage you to think outside the box every step of the way.

The actual hand-to-hand combat and shooting mechanics in Boneworks are fine and all, but m?ore than anything else, I want to stack a bunch of shit and climb around. That's enough on its own.

Boneworks [Steam]

The post We’ll find out if Boneworks is the future of VR on December 10 appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming soon to Oculus Rift and Vive

Horror and virtual reality tend to go hand in hand, and while I've sleepwalked through some supposedly scary VR games that didn't end up being all that impactful even with an added sense of immersion, generally speaking, the ge??nre suits the medium. When done well, everything feels higher-stakes.

Layers of Fear, a first-person adventure game about a painter's descent into literal madness, went for a slow-burning psychological approach. The original 2016 release was more atmospheric than outright spooky, but I could see that changing with virtual reality – which is happening. Bloober Team and Incuvo have announced Layers of Fear VR. It's coming s?oon? to PC with support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

The VR version promises to be more "tangibly horrifying" than its non-VR predecessor. I don't know about that, but the setting – a messy Victorian mansion that plays tricks on your mind – was Layers of Fear's high point. Exploring every last nook and cranny up close should be entertaining in its ?own right.

On a related note, I would've been way more into Layers of Fear 2 if it had used VR. Maybe one day.

The post Layers of Fear V?R wants you to step into a spooky mansion appeared first on Destructoid.