Demeter promo screenshot
Meta
Meta Quest 3 headset owners have had a great month. Asgard’s Wrath 2 has been released, and is already one of the best-reviewed VR games ever.
However, if you have just got your hands on a virtual reality headset from Meta, you might be wondering what’s over the horizon. There’s a lot.
As well as VR adaptations of lesser-known classic and recent console/PC releases, there are a bunch of titles made just for VR. You can check out trailers for a handful of the most intriguing upcoming games for Meta Quest 3 below. Most of these titles will also work on Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets.
Bulletstorm VR
This one may not be for the feint of heart. Bulletstorm was a larger-than-life Xbox 360 game from 2011. It’s old enough to run well on Meta Quest headsets, new enough to look seriously impressive with a little modern spit and polish. Bulletstorm also feature massive boss characters, making it an obvious showcase candidate for virtual reality. Scale really works in VR. You might assume this would not be one for VR beginners, what with its fast, kinetic action. But Meta has labelled it “comfortable” over on the Quest store.
Release date: January 18
Arcade Paradise VR
This was one of the surprise indie hits of 2022/2023, and should glide beautifully into the world of VR. You run a laundrette for your dad, but have ambitions of turning it into a video game arcade. On day one you spend your time emptying out washing machines. But you’ll soon be packing the back room with arcade machines. And, yep, you can actually play them. The VR version will have “35+” machines just like the standard version. Light gun games in particular should work extremely well here.
Release date: TBC
Medieval Dynasty: New Settlement
Medieval Dynasty came out for PC in 2021, after an early access phase in 2020. It’s an oldie-worldy title in which you build and maintain a settlement in medieval times. Not so much a survival game as a subsistence one. Where the console/PC version was primarily a third-person game with a first person mode, the VR edition sensibly appears to use first person as standard. This one could prove to be most immersive and relaxing.
Release date: Q1 2024
Stranger Things VR
The first Stranger Things VR game for Meta Quest headsets is not what you might expect. You play Vecna, a lead antagonist from the show. It’s an unusual choice. And the game itself looks unusual judging by the preview trailers. It’s developed by Green Claws, a long-term developer of interesting VR projects including the Virtual Virtual Reality and The Under Presents series.
Release date: February 2024
Swarm 2
The original Swarm was about the closest thing you could get to the VR experience of being Spider-man. It’s a grappling hook shooter, and its developer Greensky Games says this sequel is “bigger and better” than the original. Watch the trailer, which I strongly recommend, and you might assume Swarm 2 would be motion sickness central. However, the development team knows what it’s doing, and the original Swarm was surprisingly approachable.
Release date: March 2024
Behemoth VR
This epic game is shrouded in mystery. It was meant to be out in 2023 but now has been delayed by a whole year, until late 2024. However, it’s still an interesting project. Developer Skydance Interactive has released a cinematic trailer that looks hugely atmospheric. But there’s no gameplay footage yet. However, this is game from a developer that made one of the most notable Quest games, The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners, elevating expectations even further.
Release Date: Late 2024
Demeter
This is the sort of game Quest 3 should give more than just a passing glance, because it mines what is meant to be the latest VR headset’s calling card: mixed reality. Demeter creates miniature diorama-style worlds you can look around, rooted in whatever room in which you play. This might be the most ambitious adoption of mixed reality to date, and more of this is just what the Quest 3 needs. Arguably, anyway. It’s being made by Novelab.
Release date: January 25
Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable
So far only an early concept trailer for this manga adaptation has been released. But it offers a pretty compelling first look at what to expect. It depicts the player character flinging their way through a city much like one seen in the anime series. However, this one was originally meant to be out in 2023, before being shifted to the second half of 2024.
Release date: H2 2024
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Maria Malik is your guide to the immersive world of Virtual Reality (VR). With a passion for VR technology, she explores the latest VR headsets, applications, and experiences, providing readers with in-depth reviews, industry insights, and a glimpse into the future of virtual experiences.
