2023's Best VR Games So Far
Virtual reality is a mind-boggling experience, whether you're just watching a movie in the Netflix theater, working out, or playing a video game. Though VR offers all these experiences and more, gaming is truly the activity you'll want to try to get the most out of your VR headset.
There are classic VR games, like "Superhot" or "Beat Saber," as well as free VR games you can try out on your VR headset to see what game styles you like. Even if you play games on a console or a computer, you may find that your preferred genres there don't translate to a VR setting. For example, you may love first-person shooters with a mouse and keyboard but absolutely hate them on your VR headset.
The world of VR games is rapidly expanding, with new games altogether or VR iterations of existing popular games. Dozens of VR games have been released already this year, but we've rounded up the 12 best options. It's worth noting that some games may only be available on select headsets, like the PSVR 2 or the Meta Quest 2, but this detail will be noted when applicable.
Speaking of headsets — if you're curious about virtual reality but haven't chosen a device yet, check out our guide on which VR headsets are actually worth buying right now.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Before Sony even announced details about what the PlayStation VR2 would look like or when it would arrive, the company revealed that "Horizon Call of the Mountain" would be the first PSVR 2 exclusive. Set in the world of the other "Horizon" games, this title lets you explore a massive open world, solve mysteries, and hunt down machines.
In "Horizon Call of the Mountain," you play as Ryas, a disgraced former soldier on a mission to unravel a mystery that will help you redeem yourself and save your people. To achieve these goals, you'll ascend the peaks of the Carja Sundom and journey into the wilds. Along the way, you'll meet Aloy and other familiar faces from the "Horizon" series.
Both of the previous games in the "Horizon" series are revered for being visually stunning. Luckily, this game is no different, and you get to enjoy all the beauty built into the world with an immersive 360-degree experience. You'll feel like you're in the Carja and Nora homelands, and every encounter with a character or an enemy machine will feel richer.
Since the "Horizon" games are historically exclusive to PlayStation — at least in the beginning — it's no surprise that "Horizon Call of the Mountain" is exclusive to the PSVR 2 headset. You can play this game seated or standing, and it's easy to spend hours playing, so you'll likely want to get some accessories for your PSVR 2 that'll make your experience more comfortable.
Propagation: Paradise Hotel
In "Propagation: Paradise Hotel," you're trapped inside a hotel with monsters. A strange illness has infected the people in and around the Paradise Hotel, turning them into savage creatures. You've been separated from your sister, and it's up to you to navigate the hotel safely to find her.
You'll use stealth and exploration as Emily Diaz. The storytelling in "Propagation: Paradise Hotel" is excellent, and you'll feel every emotion Emily feels as you play. You gather resources, meet allies, and try your best to survive terrifying encounters in a horrifying escape room that keeps throwing you curveballs every five minutes. The sound design, lighting choices, and visual scares all work together to create a truly creepy, immersive experience.
This game should work with any PC VR headset and should be coming soon to PlayStation VR2. You can play while sitting, but you'll need to make sure you have plenty of space around you to grab things in front of you.
Vertigo 2
"Vertigo 2" is a single-player adventure shooter that sends you exploring through alien flora and fauna from other universes while you find your way home. This game was built from the ground up for VR and has even drawn comparisons to the legendary VR title "Half-Life: Alyx."
You wake up in the Quantum Reactor VII and as you start making your journey back home, you start to encounter flora and fauna from other universes leaking into the Quantum Reactor VII area. You carry an arsenal of 14 weapons, and they all have unique reload mechanics and a different feel. The main campaign is much longer than the original "Vertigo" game, and you'll encounter 10 new bosses. "Vertigo 2" brings back a lot of the characters from the original "Vertigo," and they're fully voiced to make the game more immersive.
This is a VR-only game, so you won't be able to play it on a console or a computer without a virtual reality headset. "Vertigo 2" is compatible with PC VR headsets, and the developer hopes to eventually release the game on the PSVR 2 headset as well.
Firmament
If you enjoyed the classic adventure games "Myst" and "Riven," you'll want to try "Firmament," the newest game from Cyan Worlds. "Firmament" is a puzzle-adventure game that features rich storytelling and world-building. When you first start the game, the world seems abandoned, but it comes alive as you explore and unlock the mysteries of three realms.
As you explore the three realms, you carry a device with you called an Adjunct. The Adjunct is your interface as you solve puzzles and unlock secrets. The three realms are full of giant, mysterious machines, and you'll need to figure out why they're in the world. You'll have a handy spirit who shows up as you start exploring, and she helps you while also sharing bits about her own story.
When you buy "Firmament," you'll be able to play it in standard mode on the platform you buy it on as well as on a compatible VR headset. This game is compatible with most VR headsets, including the Valve Index, HTC Vive, and the Meta Quest 2. It's easy to play "Firmament" while sitting down, and there are accessibility features like enabling smooth or snap turning, quick travel, and height quantization.
F1 23
"F1 23" is the official video game representing the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, featuring well-known circuits and top F1 drivers. When you buy "F1 23," you'll be getting access to the standard game and the VR version. The content within each version is the same, but playing "F1 23" on a computer versus with a VR headset are two completely different experiences.
The VR version of "F1 23" puts you behind the wheel of incredibly speedy cars as you compete for the top spot in multiple circuits. There are new Las Vegas and Qatar circuits to try out, and the game now incorporates red flags as an authentic strategic element for you to consider while racing.
There's also a new chapter in the game's classic Braking Point story mode. Many people don't play a racing game for the story, but the campaign is interesting enough to complete and it's a great way to test out the game in VR mode. As you complete challenges and gain experience, you earn upgrades that make your car faster and more powerful. Then, you can take your upgraded car out in Multiplayer mode and compete against strangers in the rankings.
It's pretty easy to play "F1 23" in VR mode while you're sitting down. The game works with PC VR headsets but is not compatible with the PSVR 2. However, if you have the Meta Quest 2, the HTC Vive Pro 2, or something similar, you should be good to go.
Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom
This VR game is based on the popular television series "Peaky Blinders," which originally aired on BBC Two. The show is a British period crime drama that follows multiple characters on the gritty, gangster-filled streets of 1920s London and Birmingham. "Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom" doesn't follow the show's narrative exactly, but it'll feel like the same universe fans have come to know and love.
The game features many iconic locations from the show, including the Garrison Tavern, the Shelbys' Betting Shop, and Charlie's Yard. You'll get to have conversations with the legendary Tommy Shelby and Arthur Shelby, both voiced by the original actors, as well as some great new characters. When you find yourself on the run from the firing squad, you'll turn to Tommy Shelby for help and become entangled in an even bigger plot.
"Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom" is available for the Meta Quest 2 and Pico 4 headsets. Similar to other exploration games, you can play this game comfortably from a seated position.
Resident Evil Village VR
When "Resident Evil Village" came out in 2021, it took the world by storm. People were in love with Lady Dimitrescu, the large villainess, and wished she had more screen time in the game. Though she may not have extra screen time in the VR edition "Resident Evil Village," players can experience her legendary lines delivered in a more immersive setting. The VR mode of "Resident Evil Village" was released as a free DLC to anyone who already owned the base game. If you don't own the base game, you can try out the VR mode on a PSVR 2 for free with a short demo before deciding whether it's worth the cost.
This game puts you in Ethan's shoes as you explore the terrifying scenarios and engage with creepy characters. You hold your arm up to block attacks and make offensive moves of your own, and you can swap between various weapons you collect throughout the game. With the PSVR 2, the game utilizes 3D audio and eye tracking to make gameplay more immersive, and you can show your friends and family what you're doing in-game on a 4K HDR display.
The "Resident Evil" games have frequently been released as PlayStation exclusives, but the base "Resident Evil Village" game is actually available on all major platforms. The VR version, however, is exclusive to the PSVR 2 headset. Although you need to own the base game in order to play the VR DLC, you could own the base game on Xbox or Steam and still play in VR mode as long as you own a PSVR 2.
Humanity
"Humanity" combines puzzle-solving and action-platforming for a unique result. You control crowds of people, commanding them all to do various actions, like jumping, turning, pushing, floating, shooting, or climbing. The game's story mode contains 90 different stages to play through, and you'll even encounter some boss battles along the way.
If you don't feel like playing in story mode, there are a ton of user-made levels crafted through the in-game Stage Creator. With this ever-growing library of user-created stages, puzzles, or sculptures, there's always something new to experience in "Humanity." Players can rate the level or stage once they've played it, so it's easy to find out which levels rank among the best.
When you play "Humanity" with a VR headset, you feel even more immersed in the role of a lone Shiba Inu commanding the hoards of people. You feel like you're towering over everyone as you dole out instructions.
"Humanity" is available on most VR headsets, and you can play from a comfortable chair — there's no need to stand at all. When you buy "Humanity," you'll be able to play the standard game on the platform you buy from, as well as the VR version of the game on a compatible headset.
Everslaught Invasion
"Everslaught Invasion" is an action game in which your character takes on hordes of enemies with physics-based combat, special class-related skills, and a ton of unique weapons. There's a story to explore, though the combat and character systems are truly what make this VR game shine.
Throughout the game, you'll run, dash, jump, and grapple your way through various fantasy environments. You can use melee and ranged weapons to fight your foes, and you'll unlock new weapons, maps, and lore items as you progress. You'll also be able to upgrade your weapons and your unique character skills to help you out in combat.
There are three distinct classes to choose from, warrior, rogue, or Vanguard. Each class has different levels of mobility, resistance, range, and melee, as well as special character abilities. The game can be played alone, but it's better played as a co-op game with a friend. Then, you can choose one class, your friend can choose another, and you can use your skills together to wipe out the enemy hoards as effectively as possible.
"Everslaught Invasion" is mostly played on the Meta Quest 2 but is compatible with multiple PC VR headsets. This likely isn't a game that you can play seated, as you need to be able to quickly look at your surroundings and have a full range of motion.
Fruit Ninja VR 2
"Fruit Ninja" started as a wildly popular mobile app available for both Android and iOS devices. Those versions of the game use your smartphone's touch screen to transform your finger into a weapon, slicing through the fruit as it falls from the sky in-game. The mobile app has seen plenty of updates since its original launch, and Halfbrick Studios decided to transform its updated mobile app into a virtual reality experience.
"Fruit Ninja VR 2" is the sequel to Halfbrick Studios' first foray into VR gaming. Rather than using your finger to slice through fruit on a touch screen, you use the VR controllers to equip weapons and use your arms and the space in front of you at home to cut through falling fruit. This new version includes a bigger collection of blades and bows to equip, and there are three modes to try out — Classic, Zen, and Arcade.
There are plenty of areas to explore in the world of Fruitasia, and you can even meet people from around the world in the Social Hub and compete against them in an arena setting. You can play minigames, uncover secrets within Fruitasia, and even slice fruit to music.
The game requires you to have 360-degree access, so the game would either need to be played standing up with plenty of room or if you have a 360-degree rotatable chair, you can sit down while playing.
Breachers
If you love military shooter games like "Counter-Strike" or "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege," you'll probably love "Breachers," a tactical 5v5 first-person shooter VR experience. You can choose to go on the offensive and play as an enforcer to eliminate enemies, disarm bombs, and infiltrate the enemy base. You can catch your opponents by surprise by swinging in through windows, blowing up walls, or using gadgetry like drones, cloaking devices, or breaching foam.
Or, you can opt to play as a revolter and defend your home base from enforcers. As a revolter, you're trying to prevent the other side from disarming your bomb. To do this, you use door blockers, trip mines, static field emitters, and proximity sensors so you know when a point of entry on your base has been breached. All players will be able to purchase and customize weaponry, which includes pistols, SMGs, shotguns, assault rifles, and more — all of which can be modified with attachments to suit how you're trying to play.
This game was built for VR only, which means there won't be a standard version you can play on a console or a PC, but there will be special attention to detail with how the game performs in your VR headset. There's also a spectator mode that can be viewed without VR hardware. Seated gameplay isn't officially supported, and you'll likely need to stand to make quick decisions and use a full range of motion.
Drums Rock
If you loved playing drums in "Guitar Hero," you'll probably enjoy "Drums Rock" as well. "Guitar Hero" always included some heavier rock tracks, but there was a lot of popular music mixed in as well. With "Drums Rock," you'll be able to jam out to classics in genres like hard rock, heavy metal, and more. You can play through hit songs like "I Love Rock 'N Roll" and "Black Betty."
If you're creative or musically inclined, you can also create custom songs to play through. Or, you can play through the five-hour campaign and take on difficult bosses with each of the four levels of difficulty available. The game also lets you compete against friends or strangers and compare your top scores.
The great thing about a game like "Drums Rock" is that it'll likely continue receiving new songs for quite some time. There could be a separate DLC if the demand is great enough for new music, but some additional songs will likely be added to the existing game at no extra cost. Plus, "Drums Rock" can be played sitting down, which is great if you tend to get motion sick while standing and playing on your VR headset.