After a year on lockdown and little to do indoors, the world has turned to new digital activities like VR to keep themselves entertained and off the couch. Facebook's Oculus Quest 2 has been a large draw for many in this demographic. Thankfully, VR's rough experimental period is mostly done, and there are now many high-quality games and experiences on the Oculus Store.
Many of these experiences, however, can be an unpleasant fit for VR newcomers. Cybersickness – similar to carsickness or seasickness, wherein visuals don't match up with real motion – is often an issue for folks new to VR. The tech is also very immersive and can lend itself to intense, even frightening, experiences best left to more seasoned players. It's important to find the right game for new players so this nascent technology can leave a good impression.
10 Super Hot VR
The VR version of the breakout 2016 puzzle shooter SUPERHOT lets the player reenact instances similar to iconic slow-motion action sequences from The Matrix. Time moves only when you do, leaving ample time to observe the area around you and plan your attack. In this game, it becomes common practice to grab a gun midair, reload, throw the empty mag at one baddy, and unload on another.
All of this is clearly telegraphed and free of gore, thanks to SUPERHOT’s minimalist style and presentation. It’s a game that’s easy to pick up and understand, and it plays like an action nut’s dream.
9 Tilt Brush
More artistry tool than game, Google’s Tilt Brush places the artist inside the canvas. One hand is the tool pallet, complete with paintbrushes, markers, airbrushes, and even some animated effects. The other hand holds the brush, with which the player can paint the air.
Tilt Brush has a large selection of tools for creating 3D images, but its greatest strength is its simplicity. The player immediately enters a blank space and can start drawing with the click of a button. It’s the kind of VR software that’s instantly understandable, enjoyable, and even mesmerizing. And it’s free!
8 Big Screen Beta
With the world on lockdown, many miss the simplest events — things like going to the pub or eating at a chain restaurant. Or just sitting in a theater, or on a couch, and watching images flicker on a screen. Bigscreen Beta is one of many apps that makes this last pre-covid pastime possible in VR.
Bigscreen Beta lets players connect online to inhabit the same digital space to watch a movie, stream a TV show, or even play games together. Some media is available in-app for purchase or rental, but with some work, users can also link a computer to the service and stream anything on their screens into the shared space.
7 The Lab (Link)
While the Oculus store offers plenty for new and seasoned VR players alike, the Oculus Quest 2 also works great as a PC-enabled headset via the Oculus Link cable. So if you’re looking to explore games available on your PC rig, The Lab by Valve is an essential first-VR experience.
Valve launched this game as a demo for the HTC Vive, but it works great on Oculus Quest. The Lab plays host to a handful of great mini-games made to showcase the possibilities with VR, including a bow-and-arrow tower defense game, a clever shoot-em-up arcade game, and a Dota-themed 3D space.
6 Eleven Table Tennis
Over recent years, developers have learned that VR lends itself well to physics-based, tactile activities. Table tennis is one such sport, and Eleven Table Tennis is one of the best apps to realize this. It’s a simple, realistic experience made for both new players and ping pong pros.
Matchmaking is a standout feature here. You can choose to meet up with people anonymously just to play, or you can chat as you play and add folks to your friends list. Most importantly, you can meet up with your pre-covid friends and family to catch up and serve some aces.
5 First Contact
The first of Oculus’s two excellent introductory apps, First Contact puts the player in a trailer with a charming wordless robot. The Floating droid resembles Pixar’s Wall-E both in appearance and in its tendency to collect gadgets. Knick knacks like bottle rockets, video cassettes, and many other tinker toys fill this playspace.
The folks at Oculus clearly designed First Contact with first-timers in mind. It succeeds with excellent physics, a collection of fun mini-games, and a likable (albeit derivative) interactive character.
4 First Steps
The most recent of Oculus’s two introductory VR apps, First Steps ease the player into the new medium with an impressive yet muted approach. Rather than imitating reality, its spaces look like 3D neon drawings that come to life. This artistic style can be helpful for new players dubious of the existential dilemmas VR tends to elicit.
Despite the minimalist style, First Steps makes a strong impression. It opens with a cinematic, surrounding the player with fireworks, whales flying overhead, and other wild imagery. Then it calms down, orients the player with the controls, and presents a few fun toys and mini-games to play at one’s own pace.
3 Google Earth VR (Link)
Few experiences in VR can match zooming from the Tower of Pisa to your childhood stomping grounds with the flick of a wrist. Google Earth VR lets the player explore a nearly 1:1 scaled representation of our home planet, complete with 3D-rendered cities and landscapes.
The app offers accessibility options and features to combat motion sickness — which is handy. It’s hard to resist flying around the globe at top speed in this monumental achievement of an app. The world is your model, and you’re free to spin it on your finger and explore its wonders.
2 Beat Saber
If you're even vaguely aware of VR's existence, you've probably come across a video of Beat Saber, the popular lightsaber-wielding rhythm game of the decade. In this game, you slice blocks at the music's beat, adhering to the directional arrows and lightsaber colors indicated on each block.
The simplicity of this concept speaks little to the catharsis and satisfaction that comes from slicing cubes on-beat. Even at the most basic, introductory levels, Beat Saber delivers empowerment that rivals the likes of Guitar Hero, Amplitude, Thumper, and all other rhythm games. And with the potential for cross-play on the horizon, Beat Saber makes for a great addition to the Oculus Quest 2.
1 Job Simulator
A tongue-in-cheek VR game from developer Owlchemy Labs, Job Simulator was one of the first titles to capture the joy of tinkering with VR objects. The game takes place in a world where robots role-play as humans in various workplaces. You will fulfill the tasks of an office worker, a convenience store clerk, and other mundane daytime gigs.
The fun of these jobs is in the objects surrounding the player, as there are gadgets and supplies to mess with. Throw paper airplanes at your coworkers, make your morning coffee, supersize a customer’s slushy — do whatever you wish you could without the consequences of HR or management coming down on you.