The Future of Gaming Is Here
If you haven't tried virtual reality (VR) gaming before, you're sure to be blown away the first time you do experience it. This isn't your typical 2D gaming world; VR headsets take gameplay to a whole new level, allowing you to step into alternate worlds that feel immersive, interactive, and incredibly lifelike. Still not convinced? Here are 10 reasons why VR gaming is superior and 10 must-play titles.
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1. Immersive Experience
It's no surprise that VR gaming offers a highly immersive experience like no other. Whether you're walking through a haunted mansion or trying to get a hole-in-one on a realistic golf course, VR gaming puts you inside the 3D world the developers have created.
2. More Interactivity
Because you're surrounded by graphics and the alternate universe the game has brought you into, you can interact with it much more than regular 2D worlds. Whether you're just picking up an item or welding a sword, every move you make feels realistic.
3. Heightened Realism
VR games often go above and beyond with their graphics, ensuring the surroundings, characters, weapons, and items look and feel real. This quality, after all, is what makes these games so immersive and fun to play.
4. Enhanced Socializing
If you're playing with friends, VR gaming doesn't just make you feel like you've been transported into an alternate dimension—it makes you feel like your pals are right there with you. This sharing of virtual spaces elevates the gaming experience, making it far more enjoyable and one-of-a-kind.
5. Creative Freedom
VR headsets also give you ample room to explore your creativity, especially with apps and games that encourage you to create rather than just play. Games like Tilt Brush, Gravity Sketch, and Painting VR make you feel like the world is your canvas.
6. Transformed Learning Environments
Whether you're solving puzzles, discovering different locations and cultures around the world, or trying to tackle tricky math problems, VR gaming makes the educational experience unique and allows students to interact with the material more effectively. This can be particularly helpful for those who have learning difficulties, as it provides a safe environment for them to explore and engage with the content.
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7. Increased Movement
Because VR gaming is so immersive and interactive, you're likely going to be moving more and be encouraged to move more. You might have to actively fight, dodge, and run, allowing you to burn extra calories and lose weight while having fun.
8. Escapism
Gaming is already a form of escapism, but VR gaming takes it to a whole other level, given how immersive it is. When you're having a rough day or just need a break from reality, you can simply pop on your headset to jump into another world.
9. Future-Proof Tech
VR headsets and gaming are here to stay, and they'll get better and more advanced from here on out. So even if you find it expensive, just know that you're making a good investment, because you're only going to see more VR models in the coming years.
10. Revolutionized Gaming
VR headsets have revolutionized gaming. After all, as we've already mentioned, the kind of immersive and interactive experience it brings is simply like no other. Perhaps more exciting is that the technology around it is only going to get better.
What, then, are some must-play VR games? Read on for our top 10 recommendations:
1. Superhot VR
If you like shooter games, Superhot VR is only going to make the experience better. Here, you're outnumbered and your objective is simple: fight your way through the madness. You're not given any weapons, but you can steal your enemies' after you've taken them down as you continue to run. This is the kind of game that will leave you reeling—and in a good way.
2. Half-Life: Alyx
Another first-person shooter game, Half-Life: Alyx throws you into a dystopian world where you'll need to solve puzzles, engage in combat, and learn how to survive using interactive elements, such as when encountering the monster Jeff. Once you play this game once, it'll have you coming back for more, and more, and more.
3. Lone Echo II
Playing as an android named "Jack," Lone Echo II is a great sequel to Lone Echo and features a similar gameplay to its predecessor. Tasked with solving puzzles by interacting with the zero-gravity world around you, you—and Captain Olivia ("Liv") Rhodes—must figure out the mystery behind the abandoned space station you're in to have any hope of returning home.
4. Resident Evil Village
Are you a horror junkie? Then Resident Evil Village is a must-play. The sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, you're playing as Ethan Winters as you search for your lost daughter in a village filled with mutant creatures. Because Winters is more equipped to fight, given his military background, Resident Evil Village is much more action-oriented than Biohazard.
5. Golf+
If you've ever wanted to play golf in VR, then Golf+ is the game for you. Realistic landscapes and immersive environments make the experience incredibly lifelike, and the detailed mechanics—such as the feel and precision of your swings—are accurate enough to serve as real practice when you're off the course.
6. Pistol Whip
If you're looking to move and jam while you're at it, Pistol Whip offers the best of both worlds. This shooter game allows you to defeat enemies to the beat, and with flashy, vivid graphics and a fun soundtrack, you're sure to lose track of time.
7. Beat Saber
Beat Saber is, like Pistol Whip, another rhythm-focused game. If you've ever played Guitar Hero or Rock Band before, the gameplay will feel familiar—only this time, you'll be slashing through color-coded blocks in each song with, you guessed it, a lightsaber.
8. The Last Clockwinder
If you're in for a challenge and love solving puzzles, The Last Clockwinder offers all that and more. Using special gloves, you'll be able to create looping animations of yourself to automate multiple tasks, which is crucial for completing later objectives and saving the clock tower. Look no further if you want a game that teases your brain.
9. I Expect You to Die
Playing as a spy, I Expect You to Die is a James Bond-esque game where you'll be thrown in various life-threatening situations and only have your quick-thinking skills to rely on to escape unscathed. If you're up for complex puzzles, this is an absolute must-play.
10. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a great game to play with your friends. In this game, you must collaborate with each other to defuse a bomb. You'll be split into two groups: Defusers and Experts. Defusers can examine the bomb but not read the manual, and vice versa for the Experts. Teamwork is of utmost importance here if any of you want to make it out alive.
