The HTC Vive Pro was one of the biggest VR releases of 2018. It comes with a big price jump from the regular HTC Vive. We are going to jump in and see if it is really worth it, what the two headsets from HTC can do, and many more things. The Pro Edition of this headset comes out nearly 4 years after the original Vive. While the Vive has upgraded their current lead headset, their main competitor, Oculus, has gone a different rout. They have a new but powerful standalone headset the Oculus Quest.
Brief history of HTC products and company success
HTC stands for High Tech Computer Corporation. The company was founded in 1997, and they were originally design manufacturers for commercial laptop computers. HTC then made a splash in the phone industry, having the first phone to be able to run android, the HTC Dream, or the T-Mobile G1. Although the phone industry has been successful across the world for quite some time, HTC decided it was time to explore some new business routes. In March of 2015, HTC announced a partnership with Valve Corporations. These two companies are responsible for the launch of the Vive and the Vive Pro, a virtual head-mounted display. HTC has yet to be intermingled with mixed reality yet.
What is the Vive Pro?
The Vive Pro is the upgraded and updated version of the Vive. The Vive, being released nearly four years ago, needed a face lift of some sorts. The Vive Pro has better resolution and noticeably better graphics, and a lot of it has to do with the hardware. Coming in at $799 for the headset alone, and $1,399 for the whole entire set, you’re going to be surprised at the amount of things that haven’t been changed from the original Vive headset. Although the Vive was released a while ago, it has never supported mobile VR.
The Vive Pro has plenty more pixels pushed to the screen, and when operating on one of the newest gaming PC’s, this headset really pushes the edge on what we thing virtual reality should look like. This headset will lead you to believe that you are really there, casting spells in the middle of France while you hold off a herd of grueling minions. This gaming machine is really second to none when it comes to public VR headsets.
What can the Vive and Vive Pro do?
HTC makes high end gaming headsets that can be used with qualifying PC’s. These headsets they have made are at the top of everyones lists for the most capable and promising virtual gaming machines. The Vive and Vive Pro are capable of playing any and all virtual games by developers, as long as it is available in one of the stores in the Vive.
Not only these are headsets perfect for all types of gaming, but these headsets are more than capable of performing many entertainment apps. Through the browser inside the headset, you will be able to access any and all TV streaming websites (with required subscriptions). With all of that said, there are plenty of apps available to stream movies and television shows onto your headset, and the resolution and speed does the job and more. There is not many things that you can’t do on these headsets.
HTC Vive vs HTC Vive Pro
Many people wonder which one is better? The Vive or the Pro. The question might seem easy, but it really isn’t all that simple. The Vive obviously came out at much earlier date, but the technology inside of the Vive Pro is not light-years ahead of the Vive as most people would think. The resolution is obviously much better and his noticeable pretty quick. Other than that, it starts to get a bit tricky.
There is a reason that one is the Vive, and one is the Vive Pro. HTC did not give them complete separate names because they or not completely separate machines. The Vive Pro is just an upgraded model of the original Vive, and should be treated as such. We will get into what the exact specs of the PCs that you need to run each headset later, but for now let’s keep it simple. There is next to no differences between the two headsets when it comes to the power of the titles it can run. In fact, most of that as done through your PC.
If you’re looking for more clear gameplay and a higher resolution gaming headset, the Vive Pro is going to be your option. If the resolution per eye is not that big of a deal to you, you should probably go with the regular Vive. There is no difference in the fps (Frames Per Second). So when it comes to pure gaming, either of the two headsets will be getting the job done for years to come.
HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift
Both of these headsets offer an out of body experience in a very commonplace you call your living room, especially with a powerful gaming PC. As we dive deeper into this comparison, remember that both are made at launch for the same purposes. A total immersive gaming headset that will allow you to play any game, anywhere in the world, literally. (especially on SteamVR)
Both of these headsets offer the developers the ability to produce game sat 90 fps, and most of them take that opportunity. Either headset will have your head spinning around for hours. This is very important to note, that the Samsung Gear VR has a refresh rate of 60Hz. That is child play compared to these elite headsets. Both the Rift and the Vive have a field of view of 110 degrees, which makes you feel like you’re completely surrounded by your virtual world with your head-mounted display.
Both headsets typically would have to be tethered to the PC to operate, but due to new developments in technology, both headsets now have adapters to make them wireless. The Vive has its own adapter from HTC, as Oculus has let another company have a shot on their opportunity to take the Rift wireless. One of the reasons that Vive may be taking that responsibility on is because Oculus is releasing the Quest soon, a standalone headset that requires no adapter or wires, as the motion tracking is also inside of the headset. Either adapter will obviously make the weight on your head much heavier, but just as all things do, it gets easier with time.
One thing that Vive has a step up on the Rift is the camera on the front of the headset. The camera is used for augmented reality vision, and new technology is coming out for the Vive that will allow you to be notified when you’re close to walking into something. In the real reality that is, not in the space of virtual reality.
The game sand entertainment options for the Vive and Rift are nearly the same, as it is rare to see anything exclusive unless it is on the PlayStation VR. These two headsets will keep you in the game, and run the game at the exact same rate of speed and quality. Most of this is contingent on your PC of course, because that is the main power source of everything going on right in front of your eyes.
Both the Rift and the Vive have controllers that comes inside of the package, so you will not have to worry about purchasing the controllers outside of the package. Unless of course you buy the Vive Pro. Oddly enough, the controllers for the Pro do not come with the initial purchase of the headset. The Oculus Touch Controllers and the Vive Wands are nearly the same thing. Although the Wands are slightly bigger and heavier, theres not much more to it. The Oculus Touch controllers are plenty more cheap, if you’re looking to buy additional controllers. HTC and Oculus both include two controllers for the Vive and the Rift, making a need for an extra controller pretty rare.
When it is all said and done, the Vive takes an edge over the Rift. There are 37 sensors inside and outside the Vive that provide a fluid and seamless experience inside of this headset. The scale and safety options for the Vive are much more impressive and useful. When evaluating headsets with so many similarities, every little detail can propel one ahead of the other. In this case, the Vive has just enough where we give it the nod over the Rift.
What PCs can run the HTC Vive and Vive Pro?
|
| Vive | Vive Pro |
| Processor | Intel™ Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better | Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce™ GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon™ RX 480, equivalent or better | NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon™ RX 480, equivalent or better |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM or more | 4 GB RAM or more |
| Video Output | 1x HDMI 1.4 port, or DisplayPort 1.2 or newer | DisplayPort 1.2 or newer |
| USB | 1x USB 2.0 port or newer | 1x USB 3.0 port or newer |
| Operating System | Windows™ 7 SP1, Windows™ 8.1 or later or Windows™ 10 |
Windows® 8.1 or later, Windows® 10
Upgrade to Windows® 10 for the best results with the dual front facing cameras Driver is required to download and install before using VIVE Pro under Windows® |
Can Vive run on Mac?
Until just last year, the only way you could run any virtual reality on your Mac would be to open up Windows, even with a good sync cable. But even then, the Mac wouldn’t have a solid GPU option that was actually good enough for a good VR experience.
Now, with High Sierra, Apple has finally jumped on board with high-end virtual reality headsets on their own operating systems, as long as you have a HDMI connector. The computer you plan to run VR on must have a few minimum requirements, and a solid sync cable. For the processor, it needs Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350. For the graphics card, it’ll need NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 and 4GB of RAM.
What type of screen does the Vive have?
The Vive features a duel screen system, meaning that each eye has its own screen. This makes for better visuals, refresh rate, and a wider field of view. The screens are AMOLED. It is near the same as the newly integrated OLED screens on the newest smart phone, but with one small, but big difference. These screens have a layer of semiconducting film behind the screen, which allows each pixel to be activated and deactivated much faster than usual. It also allows the pixels to work together more, making displays much more defined and exact.
They are 3.6” diagonal. That doesn’t seem all too large, but the Vive does a great job of making sure you’re completely immersed into the virtual worlds as much as possible. You wont be seeing the edge of the screen. The Vive packs in 1080 x 1200 pixels per eye. You wont notice per eye as much as you will realize the overall 2160 x 1200 pixel count.
What type of screen does the Vive Pro have?
This is where the Vive Pro creates real separation form the Vive. The Vive Pro packs a real punch when it comes to the visual side of things, and the number and specs of it don’t lie. The Vive Pro features the same aforementioned screen for the Vive, the AMOLED screens. These are imperative to the success of the visual side of this headset.
Each eye gets a whopping 1440 x 1600, which leads to a 2880 x 1600 full display. The field of view doesn’t change, as it is 110 degrees. Anything more than that will usually go unnoticed. This headset slims the screen itself down to 3.5” inches, although that also goes unnoticed with their amazing ability to hide it with perfect resolution and motion tracking in the display.
What is the refresh rate of the Vive?
The refresh rate of the Vive is 90 Hz, which is used to be golden standard for headsets, but now is pretty common all around. That refresh rate, although common, is nothing to joke around about. This headset will be changing screens and pooping different colors insanely fast. For example, if you ever had the Samsung Gear VR, that was refreshing at a rate of 60 Hz. When 90 Hz is the golden standard, 60 Hz all of a sudden becomes incredibly slow and outdated.
What is the refresh rate of the Vive Pro?
The Vive Pro and the Vive have the same refresh rate, although it might not seem that way. The unearthly amount of pixels in the Vive Pro make everything seem faster and more crisp. This is very important, especially for the high quality games that these headsets can handle. As you play on a headset with a bad hz refresh rate, you realize the importance of it.
The faster refresh rate, the faster the display can keep up with the rapid movements inside and outside of the game. This allows next to no lag inside of the headset. If playing an online game, or any game that needs a quick response in a certain time frame, you’ll love the 90 Hz from the Vive and Vive Pro
How much does the Vive weigh?
The answer to this question has been changing ever since the release date of the Vive. When the Vive first hit the market in March of 2015, it weighed 550 grams (1.21 pounds). HTC heard plenty of complaints about that weight, including that it was also very front heavy. Luckily we didn’t have to wait for the Vive Pro for the weight to drop ever so slightly.
Thanks to the new wires that connect the Vive to the PC, the new audio strap, and always updating the technology inside, the Vive is now 15% lighter than it was in 2015. That brings the weight down to 468 grams (1.03 pounds) which is right on track to be the same weight as the Oculus Rift. The Rift weighs a cool 470 grams. HTC has done a great job keeping up and slowly surpassing the Oculus headsets.
How much does the Vive Pro weigh?
The HTC Vive Pro takes a bit of a jump up in weight compared to its competition headsets weight. It weighs in at 555 grams (1.22 pounds) and it has reason to weigh that much. The Vive Pro features builtin headphones that give a surreal 360 degree sound system. Is has the ability to be completely wireless which will obviously add some weight as you put the wireless adapter on top of your head.
Are HTC products comfortable to wear?
There has been mixed feelings for years when it comes to the headsets that HTC has provided the public. There have been many complaints about the headsets being front heavy. On top of that, many people believe that the strap system could be better. Through all of these complaints any experiences where people do not enjoy the Vive and Vive Pro, the majority of people have found a way to make it work for them.
The headsets are very versatile in the way they set out on the head, and give many options on how tight or loose, and formfitting you want the headset to be. I have found that many of the people that complain about the headsets comfort levels are usually the same people that have never adjusted the straps ever since getting it out of the box. If adjusted properly, the HTC headsets can be very comfortable and convenient to wear. You could go hours on end without really having it a strain on your head or neck.
Does the Vive have speakers or headphones?
The Vive, unlike some headsets, doesn’t have built in speakers. Rather it has a set of in-ear stereo headphones. HTC has learned that to get the full range of sound, it is better to include a great set of headphones instead of including a builtin stereo system. There are many advantages to this, and not many disadvantages.
The cord that comes with the headphones in 30cm, which is honestly pretty long. If you wrap it up right, it’ll stay out of the way, and still give you wrap around sounds that most game make a living off of in virtual reality. The Vive and Vive Pro still don’t have bluetooth headphone capabilities, but that shouldn’t stop you from using in-ear buds.
Will the Vive make me tired?
Using virtual reality in any headset has the reputation of getting you tired. That is always not the case, but depending on what you are doing inside of any headset, it can lead to tiredness or fatigue. If you’re playing a game on like Beat Saber for hours on end, chances are you were going to get tired pretty quick. Now if you’re sitting at your couch for a few hours exploring different experiences with a chaperone and watching some TV in virtual reality, then chances are you will only be as tired as you would be doing those things in real life.
One thing the big companies have been doing a great job of improving is the latency of their products. That is the delay in between things happening outside of the headset and things happening inside the headset. For example, if you look to the left, and the headset even has a slight delay recognizing that, you’re going to be more prone to motion sickness and tiredness.
Can I get motion sickness when using the Vive?
Getting motion sickness while wearing a headset has been a problem since the beginning of virtual reality. As many companies have against this problem throughout the development of their products, it still seems to be an issue that comes up. No matter how good the technology gets, there always seems to be something that will trip someone up enough to become sick inside of the headset. With that being said, here is a list of a few things that will help reduce that feeling.
Lock your eyes while turning and moving around. We do the same thing in real life to reduce dizziness, and it’s proven to work in a headset.
If you reduce the speed of your character while you are in the game, it will mimic the real life movement that you have. Making your body and mind adjust to the game much faster and more comfortable than usual.
Although many people do not want to hear this, taking a break while wearing a virtual reality headset can be imperative if you are trying to avoid sickness. With how fast time moves in any type of video game, taking a break from the completely immersive experiences can give your mind and eyes a nice and needed break.
This one might seem very simple, but I always find people going back to games that make them sick. Here is my advice to people that keep playing games that make them feel motion sickness or tired. Don’t do it. We all love a good immersive game, but usually never at the expense of how we feel during and after the game. Avoid titles that make you feel anything but great.
Lowering the brightness not only will help you reduce motion sickness, but gives your headset a great chance of a longer battery life. The higher brightness can cause headaches and cause your eyes to get tired too fast, making you feel tired and drowsy.
Eating or drinking something with ginger can actually cause motion sickness to decrease as well. Ginger has been a remedy for motion sickness for as long as anyone can remember. Although it does not work on everyone, the success rate is higher than you would believe. Give it a try and watch the magic happen.
Trying to reduce the movement of your head while you are in The headset, Will more than likely reduce motion sickness and feeling tired. Because motion sickness is directly correspondent with movement, reducing the amount of that will have a major impact.
How accurate are the controllers?
When the Vive came out a few years ago, there were some complaints with the tracking with the controllers. Although they weren’t huge tracking problems, the reports were still flooding in, and HTC took notice. The Vive Pro has had next to no problems, and the newer and improved versions of the Vive are now problem free.
Not only has HTC taken care of any tracking problems, they’ve added much more to the solution. The Vive and Vive Pro now have the most accurate tracking on the market, and many options to release that power. They have plenty of add-ons for the controllers, nearly all for any sport you can play inside of any virtual reality.
How do the motion controllers work?
The tracking on the Vive and Vive Pro motion controllers rely heavy on the infrared light that is sent out by your base stations. Because of the outside in tracking, the controllers are completely filled with sensors. With all of these sensors working at all times, the base stations are always updating where the controllers are in relation to the base stations.
Included with these amazing infrared sensors, there are two buttons on the bottom of the controller that are easy to press by simply grabbing the base of the controller. The trigger button, conveniently placed on the underside of the controller, is perfect for anything with your pointer finger. All around, this controller is perfect for anything and everything you’re going to encounter in your virtual world. One big knock on the Vive controller is the lack of a trigger button.
What controllers come with the Vive?
he Vive includes the regular Vive controllers. These controllers are widely known as some of the best controllers on the market. They feature over 24 infrared sensors, duel-stage triggers, haptic feedback, and even a multi-function trackpad. The controllers rely on recharging rather than a battery, and that changes the game.
The battery life in the controller, if charged prior to playing, will always outlast your time inside of the headset. The controllers are nearly perfect for everything that you will encounter during your virtual experiences.
Does the Vive Pro have eye trackers?
The Vive Pro has integrated eye-tracking inside of it, and it is pretty good for the first time inside of a HTC virtual headset. The eye trackers not only eliminate the need for controllers in some scenarios, but enhance the visuals in the already great Vive Pro. The eye trackers are always working whether they are going to be utilized or not.
One of the things the eye trackers do is pin-pointing where you are looking, and slightly blur out everything you’re not looking at. This allows the image you are focussed on to be much more sharp and clear. This allows the headset to not waste energy on parts of the frame that aren’t being focused on, and that goes a long way.
Another thing the eye trackers allow the Vive Pro to do is to eliminate the need for controllers in some cases, especially in many different menu screens. The way this works is pretty simple, and much easier than it seems. It works in the same way controller with no buttons would work. You simply look where you would want tp click, wait a couple seconds for it to register that is in fact what you want, and it takes you to that part. Eye tracking will continue to integrate itself into virtual reality and beyond.
When will Vive be wireless?
HTC has their own adapter now to make their headsets wireless, and not tethered to any computer. The wireless adapter came out in September of 2018, and it quickly was a hit. The starting price for this ground breaking product is $299. Although the price is pretty steep for an adapter, this product can completely change your experience inside of virtual worlds. Anyone else who has bought this product hasn’t been disappointed.
The adapter works for both the Vive and the Vive Pro. The headset offers near-zero latency, and an experience that is unhindered from the lack of wires connecting you to your PC. The wireless adapter is not only ground breaking for playing wireless alone, but ground breaking in the sense of multiplayer in the same room.
Removing the cables from the equation makes for much more team play. The Vive WirelessAdapters can have place 3 people in the same room scale environment. This comes with two separate and rechargeable batteries, making the battery life of the adapter essentially 5 hours.
Are the HTC Vive trackers worth it?
The HTC Vive Trackers came out to the public in the middle of 2018, and there has been plenty of (good and bad) buzz about them since. Many people have tried them out, deemed them nearly useless, and moved on. Many others, including developers and people needing exact tracking, have found the trackers for the Vive something that is imperative to a good virtual reality experience.
The trackers have the same technology has the Vive controllers, using infrared signals from the base stations. These trackers can essentially replace a Vive controller if attached to one of the Vive accessories. With the same technology, it is pretty simple replicate that with an accessory.
That is where many people are torn about this product. It has the same functionality as an average Vive controller, and nothing outstanding for many people more than that. It can attach to accessories very nicely. If you’re going to be spending that kind of money anyway, thats when it makes most sense to go ahead and buy a tracker for your Vive or Vive Pro.
Are base stations wireless?
The Base Stations for the Vive are not wireless. The stations are compatible to all of the headsets that HTC has to offer and are known for their unmatched tracking capabilities. The Base Stations are very important to a quality virtual experience. You will need to connect them with a USB cable, and keep the HDMI open for the headset. The base stations what powers the room-scale features and adds a layer of immersive gameplay that is hard to find anywhere else.
Can I play games with other people on the Vive?
The Vive and Vive Pro feature many multiplayer games, many of which are with and against your friends. Many games that are in SteamVR are mulitplayer. Some of those are listed down below that are multiplayer, and single player, are still atop the charts. Most people are still searching for a multiplayer game that is perfect for their needs and their friends needs, but what is out right now should get the job done.
Will the Vive get hot on my face?
Feeling in an increase in temperature due to a VR headset heating up is quite disruptive and can become uncomfortable. While it is currently impossible to prevent a consumer electronic devices to heat up at all when being used, proper design and heat dissipation techniques can be employed to minimize or mast the effects of heat.
The most notable impact of a device heating up can be observed when it is under extreme workloads. Similar to a smartphone that heats up in your hand or a laptop that can turn into a lap-warmer, and VR headset can – if not designed properly – heat up your face and curse discomfort.
The HTC Vive and Vive Pro attempt to minimize the impact of device warming by ensuring the components that actually come in contact with the user are poor conductors of heat. The mesh-covered foam around the eye piece, and the cloth straps not only increase the comfort from a material standpoint, but these materials also are poor conductors of heat/cold and are also very good at wicking away sweat – which can very quickly negatively impact quality and length of a VR Experience.
As VR experiences become more immersive and allow for greater physical exertion, it is becoming even more important that the HMD minimize heat, potentially dissipating heat generated by the wearing and the device, and also minimize the accumulation and reside of sweat from the wearer.
Will I sweat in the Vive?
Asking if you will sweat while wearing the Vive is a loaded question that will be answered different depending on who you ask.
If you ask the creators of Echo Arena (a title featured on our short list of must play Vive games), they might say something like “We sure hope you sweat while playing Echo Arena on the HTC Vive!”. If you ask the makers of Job Simulator, they will simply chuckle.
The same can be said for many other VR Titles that are designed to get the user moving – whether by interactive gameplay, sports simulation, or experiences that simulate a full-on exercise class with an instructor.
But, when you are using VR to experience a Zen Garden, or explore the outer-reaches of the galaxy to marvel at the beauty that can only be experienced through an immersive simulation, overheating to the point of sweating is the last thing anyone would say is additive to the experience.
Fortunately, and for each person the experience is somewhat subjective, we have not noticed the Vive or Vive Pro heating up to the point of producing enough heat, or trapping heat generated by the wearer, to result in a sweaty face or an uncomfortably warm experience. The cloth-covered foam and fabric straps have proven to be just the right amount of snug and breathability to ensure the headset stays on, but doesn’t cause unnecessary overheating.
Can I use the Vive to workout?
Virtual reality has been dubbed as the future, and for that to be the case, it has to be able to feature anything you can do in non-virtual world. There has been plenty of great breakthrough fitness games in the last while, and we will list a few games and experiences you will want to get your hands on. Say goodbye to the gym and say hello to a full immersive, full body workout.
Thrill of the Fight
Although this game is not nearly as polished as Knockout League in terms of graphics, the workout inside of this game is much more cardio than anything else. Playing for anything upward of 30 minutes is almost guaranteed at least 450 calories burned. 15 minuets into the game and you will be left wondering how much longer you need to be in the ring.
Audioshield
This game has a few similar ideas as Beat Saber, but original enough to have a crowd of its own. You can choose any song from Youtube or any library to deflect from. This game burns plenty of calories to the beat.
Knockout League
This game might be one of the most popular games for fitness inside of virtual reality. When you are fully immersed in this game and completely focused on beating your opponent through jabs, deflections, and uppercuts, you can burn up to 300 calories per 30 minutes. Not bad for a replacement to rowing.
Hotsquat
The name of the game already tells you the most important part of the game. Squatting. You start inside of a regular gym, and it’s regular until the walls move towards you and you are forced to squat down. It forces you to get plenty low, low enough for an average size dog. If you don’t stand all the way back up after your squat, the walls will collapse on you anyway. Play this game for a full leg and core workout.
Is Netflix on the Vive?
Like many other headsets, the Vive and Vive Pro can browse the web. As of right now, there is not a Netflix app on the HTC headsets. The web browsing apps and features do a great job allowing you to treat it like any other internet surfing experience, letting you watch whatever you please and do just about anything you can imagine.
Not only Netflix, but any other TV streaming services are available to the user. Sign in and you will be moments away from sitting back and enjoying your popcorn while you watch Game of Thrones. (Watching TV in VR does not mean the show themselves will be in virtual reality, but rather everything surrounding them)
Can I play Oculus games on the HTC Vive?
There are plenty of games that are available to play on either the Rift or the Vive. There are in fact though, a handful of great games that exclusive to the Oculus Rift. As of now, there is no simple way to access those games on the Vive or Vive Pro, but both companies are working towards a resolution for their consumers.
There is in fact a pretty complicated way to find the Oculus games inside of a Vive headset. There is a system called Revive that was created in May of 2016 for this exact problem. Once Oculus learned of this, they shut it down pretty quickly by adding digital rights to every platform. Oculus received backlash for this, even though they are simply protecting their games. They have opened up the door for Revive once again, but it is far from bug free and safe.
What games and apps can I use on the HTC Vive?
Viveport is the home for everything Vive. Not only is it where you get your game for the Vive and Vive Pro, but you can connect through social media and connecting apps. Viveport is known for the amounts of quality games offered to the virtual customers inside of the Vive.
Steam VR is another type of app store available to virtual customers. These two app stores hold much more than just games. They offer full experiences. From exploring the universe while on a jetpack, to riding a llama through ancient Egypt, these apps stores have everything you will want and more. Here is some great VR content that provide a great immersive experience with high resolution.
What are the best games for the Vive?
Although there are plenty of games that are amazing on the Vive and Pro, I’ve compiled a list of 9 that should grab your attention when you first put these headsets on.
Beat Saber
What else can be said about this game that no one else has said already? Its a near perfect game. If for some reason you don’t know about this hit, just think of it like this. You’re a Jedi with a red and blue lightsaber in each hand, and you’re playing Dance Dance Revolution while you slice the blocks that were coming at you. But you need to slice to the music, exactly like DDR.
Easily on the more addictive side of the gaming world in VR, it’s nearly impossible to put down. Maybe one of the reasons that is, is because regardless of the players experience with VR, they can pick it up and be a master within minutes, making the audience that can play very wide.
Onward
This is a heavy VR shooter game for all of the heavy VR gamers. If you grew up playing games like Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, SOCOM, or any other military type of shooting games, this will be right down your ally in Onward. This game a lot more weight on the teamwork side of the strategy than just running around and firing from your hip and hoping for the best with the help of only your guy.
From holding your gun with both hands, pulling the knife on an opponent with the right timing and even talking with the walkie on your shoulder, Onward makes to be one of the most realistic games anyone has ever gotten their hands on. Literally. With full room scale tracking and artificial locomotion attached to the thumb sticks, theres no weird teleporting and wandering here. The community is fun and uplifting, making it one of the clear standouts on VR currently.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
This game was never intended to make a showing on VR, but here we are pleasantly surprised, and very impressed by what this game is able to do. Its the Skyrim that we know and love, but just in a more immersive setting with a VR headset. With plenty of controls and abilities to impact gameplay, this game does not disappoint. Coming with all of these controls and hundreds of hours of footage, there is an obvious drop off in looks, and frustrating UI, but that never really will bother you.
There is something magical about the feeling of walking down to Riverwood on that dirt road for the first time, or literally staring down the throat of a fire-breathing dragon, or even simply looking from the top of the Throat of The World. Whether this will be your first time getting your hands on a Skyrim game, or a seasoned veteran with a background with the game, you will have a hard time putting this game down.
The Exorcist: Legion VR
If you couldn’t get the hint for the title, this is one of the best horror experiences on VR up to date. With experts all over the making of this game, you can sense tension always building. This game is nothing short of brilliant. Every scare feels dangerous, and there isn’t a moment in time that you feel like you’re free. By the end, you’ll be hearing all of the voices in your head regardless of the headset being on or not.
The Exorcist: Legion VR will leave even the hardest of horror fans in a pile of tears in the corner shortly after getting a crack at this game.
Lone Echo
Lone Echo is special for a few reasons. It is a landmark and a stepping stone in three of the key areas in VR gaming: locomotion, UI, and interaction. The astonishing blend of intuitive movement, discovery-based gameplay and even character-driven storytelling gives the player a feeling that very few VR games could even hope to match. The story does end a bit early to most opinions, but that can only mean the story will continue to richen in the sequel.
This is an experience that you don’t want to miss out on, especially when this story is best told through a VR headset.
Superhot VR
Is that pure adrenaline or is that just the game slowing down? Thats the question will be constantly running through your head as you play this immersive game. With every moment you move time is slowly creeping up, but as you make more obvious movements, time will speed up almost too fast. This forces you to make split decisions with little to no waiting time on your consequence. You will be repeatedly dodging bullets and hits, and they come in sequences almost like a scenes from a movie. This only adds to the excitement of trying to get out of these grueling levels, with no room for error.
This by far is one of the best titles on with the Rift with Touch and the recent Forever update, and makes it even better with expanded game modes, more challenges, and improved way of leaving you wanting more.
Echo Arena / Echo Combat
Lone Echo was a single player game with no chance of multiple players, and this game is really just a spinoff with an ability to have multiplayer. You and your teammates are working together to throw glowing discs into goal, but with no gravity. It is a mix of soccer and disc golf. In space. Now thats some fun. This game is nothing we’ve ever seen, and it combines crazy timing with some honed skills to be able to successful. That only makes it more satisfying when you’re able to score. Once you’re on a roll with your squad, it is very hard to put down.
This is truly one of the best multiplayer gamesVR has to offer. After playing, you’re still left thinking of ways to improve yourself and your game. Its addicting, exciting and fulfilling when you find your groove.
A first-person shooter game with the same framework was released inside the game called Echo Combat. It really is just a zero-gravity game of Overwatch.
Hellblade VR
This game had no real wait time, and didn’t have a huge audience waiting for it either. Essentially it came out of no where. Ninja Theory went from being eerily quiet about projects and upcoming games, to releasing Hellblade in VR wishing weeks, and I haven’t found anyone who is not happy about it.
This game was never intended to be played in VR, but after playing, you realize the transition was just all too smooth. The story is told as Senua goes on a journey to save a loved one as goes deeper into the bowels of Celtic Hell and even her own mind. Constant voices in your head keep you pulling you in each direction and it all sounds spectacular with 3D spatial audio.
Without a doubt, Hellblade VR offers and experience very few can capture.
From Other Suns
In this multiplayer VR game, you go from node to node in a spaceship looting, battling, and even trading your way to get back to earth. This game is coded to a point where no two run throughs are ever the exact same, meaning you will be forever guessing on which way your actions and choices will play out.
This is an aggressive and ambitious title that gets work done and does a lot right. Plenty of Sci-Fi fans will surely get a kick out of this game, and there is hours and hours of gameplay to ensure the variety is never ending. The game never really felt stale.
