The time has come to take the pulse of Virtual Reality in 2023, and we start from a very good base: the hardware that the year gives us enables that leap in quality that the format needed. The recently released PlayStation VR 2 or Meta Quest 3 open the door to those kinds of immersive experiences that go two steps beyond seeing what happens on a screen from a distance. However, in the end it all comes down to a single factor: games have given us these last 12 months.
At iGamesNews we have already covered the best games of 2023, as well as the best games for mobile devices, and we are fully aware that the review of the year would be incomplete if we did not give Virtual Reality experiences a more than well-deserved distinction. Not only bringing together the best and most interesting, but also the most fun we have been able to play so far.
What criteria have we followed? Fundamentally one: that the game or Virtual Reality experience has been launched between January and December 2023. It’s that simple. Regardless of the system or the contents. And although we are fully aware that there are all the great titles (the list would have been unnecessarily longer) the result and the general image that it leaves us speak for themselves.
Without further ado, below you will find the 21 best games for Virtual Reality of 2023. Excuses to take the leap and get some glasses? For now, we can confirm that there is a lot worth playing.
Among Us VR
You felt a genuine chill when you saw how the rest of the crew approached you on mobile phones, on PCs and on consoles while you tried to keep your ship or base from going down. Now, bring those same sensations to Virtual Reality and prepare for the best and worst shocks. Of course, just like in the traditional Among Us, the one who has the best time is the imposter.
Arizona Sunshine 2
Zombie games have adapted extremely well to Virtual Reality, and the creators of AriZona Sunshine They know it very well: if the first already stood out among shooting titles to play with helmets and gyros, the second knows how to offer that new step forward in the new generation of VR platforms.
Asgard’s Wrath 2
The best VR game of 2023? Asgard’s Wrath 2 aspires to be more than that and, as Half-Life Alyx, raising the bar for what Virtual Reality experiences can offer. An experience out of 10 that, by the way, is included as a gift when purchasing the Meta Quest 3 and there is a reason: it is the definitive ambassador of Meta.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR
Of all Ubisoft projects related to Assassin’s Creed that Ubisoft has in its hands, which are quite a few, the leap of faith into Virtual Reality was quite a challenge. Luckily, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR has ended up being more than expected, bringing parkour sensations and Assassin style to the most immersive format with surprising success.
Breachers
Breachers wants to be the competitive shooter with tactical elements of reference in Virtual Reality, and that is not only achieved with technology and good ideas, but with a community behind it that supports its 5v5 games. Your Steam reviews don’t lie and the experience is more than what it promises.
Drums Rock
The Spanish Guitar Hero for virtual reality does not disappoint: Drums Rock It has that arcade spirit surrounded by great songs that we will bring to life by playing a drum set in Virtual Reality with a double incentive: we will learn to master the essentials of the noble art of drumsticks and feel like a Rock star without exasperating our neighbors or taking up half a room.
F1 23
F1 23 It is not a game created exclusively for Virtual Reality, but it demonstrates how well the use of helmets suits the simulation genre: traveling around the official circuits of the premier class of motorsports as if we were there has never been so amazing.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2
2023 has been an exceptional year for fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s, and that deserved a new game. The sequel to Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted The franchise combines substitutes with adapted mini-games and new attractions. You won’t need to turn off the lights to fully immerse yourself in the experience.
Grimlord
It was time to see a dark fantasy soulslike for Virtual Reality, and Grimlord knows very well how to take advantage of that idea: we can customize our weapons and we have no limits on action. The premise? to experience a Dark Souls-like game from the inside. With the good, the challenging and the cruel that this entails.
Gran Turismo 7
That you see Gran Turismo 7 as an addition to the 2022 game does not overshadow its enormous achievements: it is literally the best we have seen and played in virtual reality at iGamesNews. If you are also passionate about motorsports, you will be amazed: this is one of the best ambassadors of PlayStation VR 2.
Hellsweeper VR
The Divine Comedy He drew us a hell of seven seven levels. The creators of Sairento VR double down on that idea by offering 18 worlds that we can turn upside down alone or cooperatively. Hellsweeper VR It is perfect for letting off steam or directly releasing accumulated stress without consequences.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
The ambassador of the PlayStation VR 2 and the first major expansion of the Horizon Zero Dawn universe towards a new direction and with a new protagonist: in Horizon Call of the Mountain, Guerrilla unleashes the possibilities of Sony’s next-generation VR with an immersive journey into the deep future wilderness dominated by metal behemoths.
Humanity
He Lemmings of the 21st century! As an adorable Shiba Inu dog, we must guide waves of people through surreal levels, combining puzzle and platforming mechanics. The best? In addition to the levels included, in Humanity we can create our own.
Resident Evil 4
Everything good said about the remake of Resident Evil 4 is not enough: the candidate for Game of the Year 2023 has excelled in each and every one of its sections, surpassing a game that set the standard. And the same applies to its Virtual Reality, which simplifies the mechanics to give way to its excellence and, in the process, show how Survival Horror should be brought to VR.
Resident Evil Village
Perhaps, the jump from Resident Evil Village to VR did not take us so much by surprise: the previous installment was impeccable on PS VR and its first-person design greatly facilitated the conversion. But none of that clouds the fact that it is one of the best Virtual Reality experiences this year on its own merits. Capcom has got the point of the format and we can only celebrate it.
Synapse
After making a well-deserved name in Virtual Reality, nDreams created a very powerful shooter tailored to PlayStation VR 2 in which explosive action, exploration and science fiction go hand in hand. The result? Synapse It didn’t take long for it to become a solid candidate for best VR game at the Game Awards.
Vertigo 2
Vertigo 2 It is an experience in itself: it is a psychedelic journey through quantum worlds. The premise is to return home, although in the process we will have to overcome dangers and deal bullets. The most dangerous thing? Avoid being stunned by contemplating landscapes full of color and amazing details.
The 7th Guest VR
An impeccable remake for the Virtual Reality systems of the legendary The 7th Guest. And beware, it arrived just in time to celebrate its 30th anniversary. New life and glory for what is considered the father of haunted mansion games.
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners Chapter 2 – Retribution
It may be based on the television series and comics imagined by Robert Kirkman, but our colleague Rubén is right when he defines The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners Chapter 2 – Retribution as a John Wick simulator killing zombies in which hand-to-hand combat body is a blast and with tons of weapons waiting for you to figure out what to do with them.
The Light Brigade
The roguelite in shooter style that Virtual Reality had been asking for for years, although we didn’t know it. The keys of The Light Brigade Not only are they in their own mechanics of restarting the game, improving what we already had, but they also draw on sensational gunplay, which takes advantage of the possibilities of the format and fits the experience like a glove.
Bola Extra: Power Wash Simulator VR
21 games are not few and we have left several in the pipeline (we can always stretch the list a little more through the comments), but it would be a crime not to include the jump to Virtual Reality of a game as deliciously addictive as Power Wash Simulator. Possibly the best combination created by humanity since potatoes and a fried egg.
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