Tempestfall is not a terrible game. It’s just not a deep game. Other VR games have raised the bar on VR melee combat over what Tempestfall offers. For better melee combat games, try After The Fall or Swordsman, which use physics based actions. However, if you are a Warhammer fan, the story lore and setting may be enough to keep you engaged.
If you enjoyed the fast and frantic pace of Doom Eternal, this game will scratch the very same FPS itch.
MotoGP 2022 adds a couple of new features but is relatively unchanged from the previous release. Graphical differences are minor, which is fine as the base experience is solid. Milestone has taken steps to make the game more accessible without losing the aspects of it that the hard-core crowd enjoys. If there was ever a time for the uninitiated to dive in, this year’s edition is it.
Overall, this is a real charmer of a game. It plays with the real scale of a world in VR to create an engaging experience. Oft times I found myself smiling like one would with a Nintendo Mario game. Tentacular is available on Meta/Oculus and Steam VR.
Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 5 should please fans of the series. The additions make the game more accessible than ever and is more fleshed out thanks to the new content. The main drawback is the lack of haptic feedback in relation to the track surface.
Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual is a textbook case that proves not all games are easy to transition from a traditional to virtual presentation. Dialog heavy games can work in VR if you are an active participant. Not so much when you are a mere observer. This problem is further exacerbated by the lack of polish of the game’s controls. What still works is the banter between Sam and Max. The writing is good as is the soundtrack. If you are a fan of these characters, you’ll probably be able to deal with the game’s shortcomings. For the rest, your time is better spent elsewhere.
When released on the PS4 and Xbox One, ACC shot to the top of true sim console racers. It attained this title despite the limitations of those consoles. The PS5 and Xbox Series solidify ACC’s dominance. For the first time in sim racing history, a console version can share the starting grid spot with its PC brother.
A tip of the hat to Codemasters for trying something new with the Story Mode. While it doesn’t enhance the game in the way intended, it does make for a useful tour of the game’s offerings. Grid Legends is a lot of fun and that’s what really matters at the finish line.
Wanderer is a true treat and if it does well enough. Oddᗺoy + M-Theory has plans to make a trilogy of games. The game launched with some annoying bugs but the developers have been quick and diligent to respond and provide patches. The version of the game I played ran flawlessly after the patches. Wanderer is available on all VR platforms – PSVR, SteamVR, and Oculus. Check this one out. You won’t regret it.
The most satisfying thing about this remaster is the charm of the original game is still present. This version of Shadow Man is the best of both worlds. This is an excellent marriage of old-time gaming with a fresh coat of technical polish. If you’ve never played this game before, you are in for a treat.
Despite the limitations of the PSVR tech and the three-year-old game design, Windlands 2 is still worth a try, especially if you have a couple of friends to play with.
MXGP 21 is a tough game to review. Riding on dirt tracks is a much harder thing to simulate than doing so on paved ones. However, one can only judge a game by how much enjoyment it creates. For myself, I was often more frustrated than elated. Though the game includes a bevy of options to make MXGP 21 accessible to everyone, it’s a niche racing genre that will appeal mainly to dedicated fans. The other big knock on this game is the changes from the 2020 version are only incremental.
Game developer, Prideful Sloth, places a premium on marrying narrative storytelling with detailed world building. This is a great game for players who just want to unwind or for parents looking for a safe game for their children to play.
Overall, the first chapter comes together as a wonderfully fun and exciting dungeon crawler. Shadowgate is a superior first VR effort from the Zojoi team. They have struck an engaging balance between the roots of the game, the tropes of the fantasy genre, and the spatial and immersion possibilities that VR offers for gaming. Hopefully, there will be more VR chapters of the Shadowgate saga to enjoy in the future.
Overall, the transition of Resident Evil 4 to VR is a triumphant affair. Seeing iconic locations brought to full-scale VR life is not only a wonderful nostalgia blast but the conversion injects new life into arguably the best Resident Evil game. Fighting off the hordes of Ganados of Pueblo and the other villains of the Los Illuminados, as they get right in your face, is a gaming treat all players should experience.
It’s always a struggle to describe in words, or even show in videos, how immersive and enveloping a VR experience is when done right. SITS will suck you in and bring out your inner caveman. 17-Bit has nailed it with this game. It’s truly an excellent VR experience.
With each game they release, Bloober Team continues to make strides, and The Medium is another such step. It has an intriguing story with intriguing characters. The game also has a nifty mix of old and new gameplaying elements.
Dark Crystal Games’ passion for this type of game shines through in every facet. They have made every attempt to make the game as accessible to a wide range of players as possible. The game feels tight in terms of performance and I encountered no bugs. How much one will enjoy the game really depends on how much one will put into it.
Overall, Blair Witch VR is a solid horror experience with some super scares. The excellent audio and your dog, Bullet, elevate what would be a pretty standard experience. Dog lovers take note. Bullet is a great companion, and the game has some deft touches where you can reach out and pet him or scratch his ears. A little thing but one that really connects you to the world.
Synth Riders makes a great complimentary music rhythm game to Beat Saber. Beat Saber is a great outlet for aggression and feeding your inner Jedi. Synth Riders lets you sync with the music and release your inner creativity. Both are excellent forms of physical exercise. I’ll give Synth Rider the nod, though, for more options and subjectively better music. Plus, the original Star Trek Photon Torpedo sound effect used for combo leveling up never gets old.