I've been a VR gamer for a decade now and I've seen this industry morph significantly in that time. It went from an incredibly complicated mess of expensive PCs, wires everywhere, and hours of configuration to the simplicity of a console in that timespan, and now VR is finally in a place where anyone can pick up and play anytime they want.
In his weekly column, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich delves into all things VR, from new hardware to new games, upcoming technologies, and so much more.
Of course, I'm talking about a system like the Meta Quest 3S or the Meta Quest 3, both of which offer next-gen mobile computing in an easy-to-use package. If you weren't already aware, these systems are identical to a console like a Nintendo Switch, letting you pick up and play at any time without needing an IT degree.
Heck, it's even easier and cheaper than a PlayStation 5 since you don't need to hook it up to a TV or PC. Plus, this has been the single greatest year for VR gaming releases in the history of the medium, with big names like Metro, Batman, Alien, Skydance's Behemoth, Assassin's Creed, and plenty more.
Value-wise, there's simply no better holiday shopping deal than picking up a Meta Quest 3S during Black Friday week. In addition to retailers like Amazon including a $75 gift card — let's face it, an Amazon gift card is basically cash in 2024 — you also get Batman Arkham Shadow and three months of Meta Quest+ for free. As Patrick pointed out, that's over $140 worth of free stuff.
Good console hardware is only as good as the games that are on it, but, thankfully, the Quest has most of the all-time best VR games and many of the best games of the generation. Better yet, lots of these are games you probably didn't know existed, and what's more fun than trying something completely new, especially in the land of gaming where so many things are derivative? Nothing, that's what.
The most fun games
Some people play games to escape their problems. Some play them to experience a good story or to do things they can't in real life. Others play games just to have fun or to unwind. The Meta Quest offers all of these things and does them in new ways that feel tangibly different from traditional gaming.
You've probably heard of the immersion factor of VR by now and while it seems like a trope, it really isn't. There's a reason you see those videos on the news of people jumping into TVs when they try Richie's Plank Experience for the first time. VR transports you into the game, and that's something unique you won't get by sitting on a couch.
But that angle has been overplayed because it's simply not something you can understand unless you experience it, so instead of focusing on that, let's go the best VR games released in the last year.
At the tail-end of 2023, Assasin's Creed Nexus debuted as the best Assassin's Creed game in over a decade. It channels everything that's great about the series: great stealth mechanics, plenty of scenario variety with three playable characters over three timelines, and an intriguing story that weaves everything together.
It's a masterpiece, and the series' trademark mechanics work perfectly from a first-person perspective, including a brilliant parkour engine that makes it easy to feel like a master assassin.
Right afterward, we got Asgard's Wrath 2, a game that channels classic 3D Zelda games in a 100+ hour-long adventure that gets new content every few months. It's the sequel to one of the highest-rated PCVR games of all time and delivers a world that's bigger, better, and bolder than the original in every way. Combat is visceral, the clever puzzles make you feel smart when you solve them, and the world is constantly interesting as you move between playable characters and realms of existence.
This year we've had even more to play, but the most recent titles are among the very best you'll find on any system in 2024. Batman Arkham Shadow is the first true Arkham game in a decade, letting you play through the eyes of Batman in a story that takes place between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum.
After an epically gripping four-chapter prologue filled with emotion, action, and detective work, players are thrust into the Metroidvania-style Blackgate Prison to unravel the mystery of the Rat King and stop the Day of Destruction. You'll switch between Batman himself and a new prisoner of Blackgate, lending plenty of variety in a 12+ hour campaign. New Game+ is coming in January, too, so finding all those secrets will be even better.
If that wasn't enough, Metro Awakening is the first built-for-VR game in the Metro universe by the makers of the excellent Arizona Sunshine series. As with any good Metro game, this one's as much a horror game as it is a first-person shooter. You'll play as a doctor trying to help his wife overcome the pain of losing a child, only to uncover the horrors that lie within the depths of the metro and become something totally unexpected.
Multiplayer like you've never played before
Every week, I meet up with a group of friends to hang out and play some games together. Usually, we're facing off in Breachers, a 5v5 Rainbow Six-like shooter that pits Enforcers against Revolters with traps, destructible walls, rappelling, and plenty of fun. It's a joy to join the crew every week and it feels like we're there in the same room together even though none of us live anywhere near each other.
It goes back to that whole "immersion" thing I mentioned earlier, and it's part of what makes multiplayer gaming in VR so special.
I also occasionally jump back into Population: One, the free-to-play battle royale that feels amazing in VR thanks to its VR-centric mechanics. You can climb anything, glide anywhere, and generally feel like a superhero because of it. The game just launched a fun seasonal Turkeys vs Pilgrims event and always does something special for the holiday season, so stay tuned for that if you're a player.
Closer to home, I regularly play games like Dungeons of Eternity with my son in between bouts of Minecraft on the Switch or Steam Deck. It's fun to delve into new worlds in Minecraft but there's something special about diving into a dungeon with a more physical persona.
I've written about the joy of Dungeons of Eternity several times and named it my favorite multiplayer game of 2023, and the game has seen some notable updates this year, keeping it fresh and enjoyable. This year's best multiplayer game is, undoutedbly, Contractors: Showdown for me. It's a full-fledged Call of Duty Warzone or PUBG competitor, all with the unique movement and gun handling that's only possible in VR.
And then there's the bevy of mixed reality games that have come out this year. Mixed reality is a new concept that only makes sense with a headset like the Quest 3 or Quest 3S because of its color cameras which let you still see the room around you even with the headset on. It's straight up amazing, especially now that developers have figured out new types of games to make with the new medium.
Lots of people flock to titles like Resonite, VR Chat, and even Horizon Worlds as well, which are more social-first hubs with gaming worlds inside. Meta even rebranded the Quest app on phones to the "Meta Horizon" app to further promote its Roblox-like title (Horizon Worlds), but I'm not super keen on these experiences.
Still, these games are some of the biggest primary traffic drivers of VR content and get people to come back regularly every day. The most successful VR game to date is arguably Gorilla Tag with over $100 million in revenue, and the group that made it is already hard at work on the next generation of social VR games.
Something new for you
If you've been playing games for a few decades like me, you'll probably remember when games went from 2D to 3D and changed everything. The Meta Quest feels exactly like that and delivers both virtual reality AND mixed reality in one headset, opening up two worlds that you probably haven't properly experienced before, even if you've used an older VR headset.
There's something for everyone here, and the best Meta Quest games show the depth and variety of the thousands of games that are available on the platform. What are you waiting for? Grab a Quest 3S today and start enjoying some of the best gaming you'll ever play.
