Anno 1800 returns to the roots of the real-time colony-builder series and delivers intimidatingly complex gameplay that's as marvelous as it is beautiful.
There's a fun and challenging experience down in the depths of Below, especially in the very lowest levels. Unfortunately, the cumbersome design will turn players away and keep the game's treasures hidden forever.
The concept is engaging and the game is fun occasionally, but input on the VR end is lacking.
With that said, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales alone is worth the journey. Even if you're not a major Gwent fan, the custom scenarios and puzzles could spark new interest and compel you to explore a significant chapter in the Witcher lore.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 has an entertaining and beautiful core unfortunately covered by a flawed shell. You have to break through that shell repeatedly if you want to get to the really good bits and the bits are fantastic, sure, but the in-between moments are incredibly annoying.
Torn is one of the better puzzlers in gaming. Full stop. There's a growing number of games on virtual reality platforms that gamers without an HMD are missing out on and this is certainly one of them. Do not miss this one if you have the means to play.
While a solid way to ease players into VR experiences, that doesn't give Naked Sun a pass for everything. The minimalist design gives it a distinct, futuristic style but doesn't excite. There are a lot of repeated assets as well and they're certainly noticeable. I'm not particularly excited to add future Naked Sun games to my library, but I would be excited to see them in a VR arcade near you.
Marvel Powers United VR feels like a game headed toward greatness, delivering a robust experience mirroring the standards of non-VR gaming. It comes up short, though, and leaves a good bit to be desired. The experience of embodying superheroes is a lot of fun at times, but the lack of variety sets it way back. There's a lot of potential here, so I hope the Sanzaru team fleshes out the game more over time.
Sniper Rust VR is a collection of things that make for an unentertaining experience, but a poor shooting experience is the final straw.
The developers did a lot of work to keep the immersion intact, like not allowing me to use abilities while in areas with NPCs for instance. This makes the map feel unnaturally bare when moving between districts and also makes one particular series of option quests feel off. Occasionally, I came across helpless humans that I had to save from enemy creatures. When I did so, the NPCs didn't seem to have noticed that I totally vamp'd out and ripped their assailants apart.
State of Decay 2 is repetitive, but fun when it works.
The original Pillars of Eternity is a tough act to follow, but Obsidian has knocked it out of the park once again.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom intensifies the action in its JRPG foundation, mirroring some of Level-5's best work instead of leaning more heavily on the charm of Studio Ghibli. It's resulted in a game I continue to enjoy a great deal and a desire for Level-5 to distance itself even further from the animation giant to get a peek at what the developer can do, again, when completely uninhibited in any way.
The Council isn't a perfect start, but it is quite a wonderful foundation to build upon.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a fantastic and absolutely frustrating experience.
Sprint Vector is a pretty great value that deserves a spot in the VR ecosystem's upper tier of games.
In an effort to adopt the stylings of other popular, open-world racers, Need For Speed: Payback presents some fun ideas with poor execution.
At its center, it is a hardcore RPG that will reward players that invest in it heavily and it has more than enough value at its lower price. The game's most significant issues have been addressed with a patch, thankfully, and any that step into the world of Andal is in for a treat.
There's a lot of potential scattered around Agents of Mayhem but not enough of it is realized.
Hellblade overcomes very minor hiccups with incredible presence, immersive design, and an overall package that truly leaves an impression