This year we’ve actually got the capability to experience VR games and so we’re going to be covering a new show we’d previously left on the cutting room floor due to our own inexperience with VR. We’re wishing really hard for a mech sim but we used our three wishes on pizza and energy drinks so chances are slim. Without further ado; the full show is above and games minus fluff are below.

Fracked

Announced as a PlayStation VR exclusive at the moment. The trailer opens with a fast paced shooting segment on skis and shifts to shooting crystal headed monsters in the face before boarding a train and clambering all over the outside of it while dangling precariously over a cliff. As VR shooters go, it’s not the most impressive looking game we’ve ever seen but it does look like a lot of fun. Fingers crossed for a PC version down the line. Fracked is releasing in Summer 2021.

Larcenauts

Larcenauts is a multiplayer PvP hero shooter. Apart from a huge alien crab man the designs are incredibly bland and forgettable. There’s fully masked soldier number one, fully masked soldier number two, girl soldier, robot soldier, and the requisite fast dual wielding character. The gameplay looks decently fast paced but didn’t show anything that couldn’t be done without VR, making us question just who this one is for.

Waltz of the Wizard Natural Magic Update

Apparently this one has been out for two years already and we’d never heard of it. The dark fantasy environments of this wizarding game have an almost Tim Burton-esque quality to them in places and are bland grey corridors in others. It looked like there’s some physics and physicality to the combat, which is a relief, games like this tend to invoke bottom of the barrel waggle combat as their go-to style. Waltz of the Wizard is receiving an update titled Natural Magic on 6 July 2021.

Song in the Smoke

Song in the Smoke is a survival adventure game about a journey through a vast wild landscape, according to Game Director Jake Kazdal. The trailer shows a rainy forest, some large animal bones, and hunting animals with a bow. Kazdal says the animals will have behaviour such as getting hungry or nervous with no scripted actions. We don’t often go for survival games but this one looks like a pretty pleasant experience and it’s coming to PC and PSVR in Summer 2021.

Against

Against looks like so many other stand-in-one-place VR action games (like Beat Saber) and looks to have a mix of melee weapons players can use to deflect bullets, block attacks, and slice up zombies and werewolves that helpfully jump into range. Gameplay in the trailer looked a little janky and disconnected but it could be a fun time.

Eternal Starlight

Eternal Starlight is a space-based strategy game where players command their ships from a holographic type interface reminiscent of Ender’s Game. The trailer’s a bit too brief to get a real sense of what’s going on but fans of Battlegroup VR may be interested in this one. Eternal Starlight is releasing on 17 June 2021.

Samurai Slaughter House

This greyscale slash-em-up pretty much sells its entire premise in the name. From the trailer it’s hard to tell just how responsive or non-waggle-y the combat is but the brief snippet we get looks interesting. We love a bit of VR knifey-throaty and a samurai game inspired by old Japanese cinema sounds like a great time. Samurai Slaughter House is coming in 2022 for PC VR.

Smash Drums

This VR rhythm game is all about being an awesome drummer and takes the typical stuff floating towards you approach that works so well. Add in some indie rock and you’ve got a fun time. Unfortunately only available for the Quest via App Lab. There’s a three song demo available right now and the full 21 song game is releasing on 17 June 2021.

Puzzle Bobble 3D

Already out on the Quest, this classic coloured ball shooting puzzle game has been redesigned for 3D and looks like good light hearted fun. Today’s brief trailer is just to introduce the game’s PSVR version coming later this year.

Unplugged

Originally revealed last year, Unplugged is a VR rhythm game that uses Quest hand tracking tech to allow players to play air guitar to bands like The Offspring. We’re not entirely sold on how well this will play in practice but it’s certainly an intriguing use of the tech. The game will be coming to Quest and PC VR but will require VR hardware capable of finger tracking.

Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual

Charismatic point and click series Sam & Max is a great fit for VR and the trailer looks like an escape room type experience. Sam, and Max, seem to have a line for every interaction with lots of contemporary pop culture references. Sam & Max is releasing in Summer 2021.

In Da Hoop!

In Da Hoop! is a VR basketball game about just shooting hoops. Throwing stuff at targets in VR can be incredibly engaging (as H3VR‘s skee-ball range proves) and this one looks like it’ll scratch the itch for some simple satisfying sphere slinging quite well. The game will also be playable with controllers or hand tracking if you have the hardware for it. In Da Hoop! is coming to Quest and PC VR in Summer 2021.

Pistol Whip

Pistol Whip has been out for a while and is one of the best VR experiences (and workouts) we’ve had. For the uninitiated, the game plays out as an on-rails shooter where players do their best John Wick impressions to gun down patterns of goons to a great soundtrack. Today’s trailer takes a look at a new style system that will allow weapon settings and modifiers (both already present in the base game) to be combined into presets with their own leaderboards. A new revolver weapon, big heads mode, and bullet hell modifier are new additions. Campaign levels will also be playable with any weapons once the update lands, conversely the burst fire pistol from the campaign will become usable in any level. The update is coming along with the next campaign DLC Smoke & Mirrors in Summer 2021.

Rythm of the Universe

Warning: The below trailer has rapidly flashing images, viewer discretion is advised.

Though this segment is almost entirely just ROTU Entertainment jerking themselves off over giving some of their profits to charities, we do get a brief look at a few of the weird creatures and vast landscapes of the game. We have no idea what it’s about or what gameplay looks like but at least you know the devs like charity. Rythm of the Universe is releasing in Q3 2021.

I Expect You To Die 2

Tongue in cheek spy-based puzzle game I Expect You To Die 2 is bringing more of the series trademark dry humour, wacky scenarios lifted right out of campy James Bond movies, and more devious puzzles. The trailer shows missions on a plane, in a theatre, and a castle. I Expect You To Die 2 is coming to PC and PS VR in Summer 2021.

Block Buster VR

Block Buster VR puts you in the role of a kaiju smashing up a city built of blocks. You have to survive the army trying to take you out and chow down on the hapless inhabitants. Nice.

Sushi Ben VR

This anime inspired indie title has a colourful art style and has players working to save their favourite sushi bar not by serving sushi but by convincing people to eat there by completing tasks and narrative encounters. Sushi Ben VR is coming in 2022.

Sentenced VR

Sentenced VR puts players in the role of an executioner. The trailer doesn’t show much but we can see that executions can be botched and the developer hopes that players will question their actions and maybe even feel regret for their deeds. Sorry dev, we’ll be too busy trying to stab our poor condemned criminal in the butt. Sentenced is releasing on 25 June 2021.

Sweet Surrender

Sweet Surrender is a roguelike shooter with a cel-shaded art style that goes heavy on the brown like it’s 2010 all over again. We see a variety of guns but enemies look to be braindead with at least one in the trailer completely ignoring that it’s being shot. A demo will be available as part of the Steam event later this month while the full game is releasing in late 2021.

Windlands 2

A three year old PC VR title making its way to PS VR? Yawn. Okay, joking aside, the game is a first person exploration game where players armed with grappling hooks and a bow explore the titular Windlands in a quest to destroy massive titans and save the world. Next!

Traffic Jams

Released for PC VR back in April, this quirky traffic directing game is also making the jump to PS VR on 26 August 2021. Next!

Green Hell VR

Do you enjoy non-news of a game that’s been out for two years? We sure do! No, wait, we don’t. So we’re just gonna take the piss out of this five minute filler segment. Mission accomplished. Next!

After The Fall

Vertigo Games (Arizona Sunshine) are back with another zombie blasting adventure set in a frozen wasteland. Expect your typical spread of zombies; the fast ones, the fat ones, the big smashy ones, you know the drill. After The Fall is a coop game with a Left 4 Dead style director system. All by the numbers so far but offering cross-play between different VR platforms is a good selling point. After The Fall is coming in Summer 2021 for PC and PS VR.

Blaston and Demeo

Tom Hall of Resolution Games presented two pieces of news for their games. First up is a campaign mode for their slow motion bullet hell shooter Blaston which is releasing on 21 June. Second is virtual tabletop dungeon crawler Demeo which is getting a second update titled Realm of the Rat King which is arriving on 28 June.

Sniper Elite VR

Stealthy sniping sandbox series Sniper Elite is making the jump to VR on 8 July 2021. The trailer shows off a mix of sniping and up-close shooting, even dual-wielding. Most of the series trademark features seem to have made the jump; sniper vision highlights weak points on vehicles and the gory x-ray kill cams are also present.

Nerf Ultimate Championship

The trailer shows literally nothing but if any brand of toy guns is a good fit for a VR shooter it’s Nerf. Unfortunately only announced for the Quest at this point, Nerf Ultimate Championship will be coming in 2022.

A Township Tale

Lastly we have another Quest exclusive announcement: A Township Tale looks to be a colourful coop town building type game where players can explore, fight, gather, craft, and even explore ruins and dungeons. A Township Tale is coming to Quest on 15 July 2021 and to our wishlist for a PC VR release right now.

Frankly we’re more than a little disappointed with the state of VR games. So few are trying anything new and even less seem to be trying at all. That said, we’ve had a few great announcements; more Pistol Whip and I Expect You To Die 2 look like fun as does After The Fall, assuming you’ve got enough friends with expensive VR hardware and the room to play it with you. Game of the show for us has to be In Da Hoop because chucking a ball around in VR is remarkably engaging and quick knock-about games tend to work rather well as light VR experiences. We’ve got more coverage coming as the day continues so stay tuned.