If you got a new Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S this past holiday season, chances are that you may have already run through Batman Arkham Shadow and are looking for your next gaming addiction. While the next Arkham Shadow update will add a new game plus mode, I've got four new games that can fill the time while you wait.
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.
Just before Christmas, we saw the debut of the long-awaited Behemoth, a game that combines some of the best elements of the classic PlayStation title Shadow of the Colossus with the visceral combat of a Soulsborne. Just before that, a handful of amazing mixed reality titles showcased exactly what mixed reality could do for new and existing genres.
Since then, we've seen dozens of new games debut on the Meta Quest platform. From chill puzzle games to action-heavy Soulsborne titles, there's a good bit of variety here for you to check out.
Voxel violence
Two new titles debuted with incredible physics-driven combat that's sure to wow you with every swing and punch. First up is Clone Drone in the Hyperdome, a VR sequel to the popular Steam title Clone Drone in the Danger Zone. Hyperdome uses a similar voxel visual style, but there's much more to this visual style than meets the eye.
While you might get Minecraft vibes at first, the game is a lot more Teardown than Minecraft because of the ability to slice enemies in the most brutal ways, all using the fun power of voxels to dismantle them. Weapons all have a convincing weight and each type will need to be wielded very differently, otherwise you'll end up as a steaming heap of voxels yourself.
Clone Drone in the Hyperdome uses a roguelike structure where you'll embark on an infinite death loop, fighting through procedurally-generated levels until you eventually die yourself. As you progress, you'll unlock different powers and weapon types by defeating unique bosses, each with its own skillset that you'll have to choose from before embarking on your adventure.
Is that the Elden Ring?
On the opposite side of the action spectrum is Grimlord, with its Unreal Engine 5-powered visuals and unforgiving Soulsborne gameplay. This one channels some of the best qualities of Dark Souls and Elden Ring into a stellar VR package, including that dark fantasy setting people love.
You'll traverse the hand-hewn world, unlocking shortcuts and watching around every corner for the next enemy ready to pummel you to pieces. The swordplay isn't just physics-driven, it's also incredibly accurate feeling and translates beautifully to dozens of other weapons you'll find throughout the game.
Grimlord was in early access for two years, honing its gameplay via community feedback and eventually switching over to Unreal Engine 5 for the final release. If the visceral combat and brutal, unforgiving nature of a Soulsborne title is your jam, go ahead and try the free Grimlord demo a shot first. Based on reviews and my own experience, I'm quite confident you'll end up buying the full version in no time flat.
Trapped in the Rennaissance
If puzzle games are more your style, the escape room-like vibe of House of Da Vinci VR is sure to give you a thrill. Cutting-edge graphics and phenomenal artwork really shine on the powerful chipset in the Quest 3 and Quest 3S, but more than that, the puzzles you'll find will make you feel smarter than Tom Hanks in "The Da Vinci Code."
Leonardo Da Vinci was known for his elaborate inventions and detailed drawings, all of which developer Blue Brain Games took inspiration from. Each machine you come across requires serious brain power and deductive reasoning to solve which, in turn, will give you access to the next area with more puzzles to solve.
Games like this work particularly well in VR because of the medium's tactile nature, giving you the ability to not only look around at each machine from every angle and inspect it up close but to hold intricate parts in your hand and understand spatial relationships required to solve them. It's a win-win for puzzle and adventure fans alike!
Turn based strategy gets a mixed reality makeover
Augmented Empire is the complete rebuild of the classic VR turn-based-strategy title with updated graphics, mechanics, hand tracking, and even mixed reality support on the Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Sporting a neon-drenched cyberpunk theme and superb turn-based mechanics, Augmented Empire is made by the same folks who brought us the excellent Jurassic World Aftermath a few years back.
The game follows classic turn-based mechanics where each character has a dedicated set of attacks and limited moves they can make each turn. I particularly love it because not only is the gameplay very chill — being turn-based means you can take your sweet time if you want — but the new mixed reality elements make it feel like playing a board game that came to life right on your table or in the middle of your living room.
You can even choose to have the game board stretch across your entire room, making the small world feel alive and realistic. The story is rather good, and the price is even better at just $12.99. Nothing like a low price and a great game to make an even better weekend!
More to come
This was just a teeny tiny slice of what's available on the Meta Quest now and what has come out in the past two months alone. A ton of upcoming Meta Quest games are on the way including heavy-hitters like Alien Rogue Incursion which we already know is an incredible game from the PC VR and PSVR 2 release in December.
