From established, large scale developers like Survios to Digital Domain and more, locomotion itself is the mechanic du jour in this week’s selection of top five Oculus releases as the industry continues to learn about its medium: Whether it’s running, jumping, flipping, or spinning in 360 degrees, these Oculus-friendly games were the most notable in week two of February, 2018:
Sprint Vector
from Survios
The new game from Raw Data devs Survios – who opened their very own location VR arcade in Torrance this week – Sprint Vector combines a Tron-meets-Ancient Egypt cyberpunk aesthetic with futuristic sports. Essentially an obstacle race, Sprint Vector’s big innovation is the “Fluid Locomotion System” that lets players simulate high speed running…jumping…pretty much everything short of actual Parkour.
Adding to that, Sprint Vector’s core game experience is multi-player racing, complete with weaponry to take out fellow competitors. With multiple awards at last year’s GDC and E3 events, this is a must-have for hardcore VR gamers and hopefully not a barfbag for the rest.
Oculus Rift | 10 GB | $29.99 from Oculus or from Steam
Sairento VR
from Mixed Realms Pte Ltd
Want more cyberpunk running, jumping and flipping? Look no further than Sairento VR, a futuristic ninja simulator inspired by the likes of Shadowrun. Elevated above the typical wave shooter – or wave katana-slasher – by its high production values and storyline, this one also stands out from typical VR fighting experiences by providing an opportunity for martial arts acrobatics.
Oculus Rift | 10 GB | $29.99 from Oculus or from Steam
Esper: The Collection
from Coatsink
A package including both Esper games, The Collections adds Oculus Touch support for a more realistic (if that’s the appropriate word) depiction of telekinetic powers. The new release marks a perfect time for new VR enthusiasts to experience the games’ retro-inspired setting and a plot that’s a little bit Portal and a little bit The Men Who Stare at Goats.
Oculus Rift | 5 GB | $14.99 from Oculus
Digital Domain’s The Monkey King
from Digital Domain
Previously released on Sony PSVR and now available for the Rift, this animated retelling of the famous Chinese myth makes it onto our list – despite being a VR film rather than a proper game – for its high production values, highlighting the potential for VR in animated storytelling. The reviews are mixed, so proceed through the trees with cautiun. Digital Domain is a major VFX company, but that doesn’t mean they are the ruler of VR development yet. Nonetheless, it is a notable entry into the field.
Oculus Rift | 5 GB | $4.99 from Steam
busuu – Learn Spanish
from busuu
While it could have been a cheap Dora the Explorer rip-off, this Spanish tutorial adventure game – a free promotion for the busuu language-learning apps – is a surprisingly engaging Gear VR experience built around speech recognition software.
Gear VR | 420 MB | FREE from Oculus
Check back next week for more Oculus Rift and Gear VR releases and news! Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!