When Farpoint was released exclusively for PlayStation VR back in 2017, it was different than what had come before it. The game was the first title to truly offer more than what felt like a tech demo or a short "experience"-style title that left players wanting more.
This was partly due to the ability to use the new VR Aim Controller, essentially a light-gun peripheral, making the action feel more realistic. It was also down to the game design, which lets players freely explore the game world rather than settling for an on-rails style design. Now that the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 headsets have made VR more accessible to the masses, there are many other games for those who have plumbed the depths of Farpoint and want more action.
10 Contractors
Packing single-player, co-op, and online PvP modes, Contractors has something for everyone. While not the best-looking VR shooter to be had, the action more than makes up for the lack of eye candy. With a silky-smooth framerate that allows for enjoyable and accurate shooting, unattractive backdrops are instantly forgivable. It even takes a page out of Farpoint's book by delivering a playable lobby. An open design allows for exploration and getting used to the controls, along with various challenge courses. From there, all that's left is to choose which game mode to play.
9 Solaris
The second game from the developer of Firewall: Zero Hour, this one holds very little in common with its predecessor. While Zero Hour was a tactical shooter, Solaris has been compared to a science-fiction version of Quake. With the focus on action, there is very little choice involved. 4x4 PvP is the only mode offered, and the game features only four guns (and no reloading mechanic) and two equipment items. What is here is fast-paced and simple, allowing players to pick up and play a match or two even when short on time.
8 Arizona Sunshine
This game predates the Quest by more than two years, but as one of the best FPS VR shooters available, it was inevitably going to be ported over. A linear campaign with some amount of exploratory freedom, Sunshine has players battling the undead hordes of the latest zombie apocalypse in a struggle to find a potentially safe haven.
The game is gorgeous with bright, vibrant environments and detailed enemies. The shooting mechanics are well thought out, even without a gun peripheral. Having space to physically dodge and duck will pay off with better immersion and in-game success in the long run. Online co-op and multiplayer modes allow for social zombie slaughter while the ubiquitous horde mode could result in serious physical fatigue by the end of the round. While the campaign is short, this is an experience not to be missed.
7 Superhot VR
Even now, more than 5 years after its initial release, the main hook of Superhot's gameplay feels fresh and unique. The game world moves as the player does, so if the character stops, everything freezes. Moves can be planned, strategies devised. When the movement starts, the bullets start flying.
Creating a unique take on the famous bullet-time mechanic, Superhot was an instant hit and is even better on Oculus. Get in close and melee moves will shatter the baddies, as will items around the levels that can be pick up and thrown as makeshift weapons. There's a great time, and a serious workout, to be had with this classic.
6 Onward
Without a doubt the most realistic offering of the Oculus shooters, the hardcore military-sim is the place to go for nervy tactical multiplayer action. The main mode pits two five-person teams against each other in a defender/objective style match. Other game modes are offered for varying levels of engagement and challenge as well. One of the game's main attractions is its terrific selection of death-dealing weapons, which can be toyed with endlessly at the shooting range level. The graphics aren't on the level of some other VR titles but the action is spot-on, and cross-play makes for an easy time finding open matches to join.
5 Robo Recall Unplugged
Ever dream of starring in a Transformers movie or working as a robot hunter? For now, this is the closest anyone will get, and it is incredibly satisfying to harness the power of the character. If guns aren't enough to subdue these rogue bots, the player can tear off limbs and even toss the robo-baddies into each other to dispatch a few at a time. Movement is slick and all the action feels great no matter what the character is trying to pull off. While not a long game, there is immense replayability in the chase for higher scores and the freedom to use imagination in clearing the levels of the mechanical miscreants.
4 Boneworks
This is a must-play for anyone who isn't bothered by the nastier side-effects of VR. Boneworks offers a physics-based experience that is rare to find in a VR shooter. Frustration can be found in the game's janky movement and traversal, but for those not quick to rage-quit, there is a ton of "let's see if this works" joy to be found in progressing through this one. Combat and environmental puzzle-solving are the focus here, where meaty and satisfying melee options combine with detailed guns that feel great to fire. There's even a sandbox mode to see what trouble can be found after the game's campaign has been conquered.
3 Beat Saber
While not a shooter, Beat Saber is so widely acclaimed that it needs to be on everyone's playlist. The game offers something similar to melee combat, where the player slashes at color-coded boxes with what amount to lightsabers while matching the rhythm of the excellent electronic soundtrack.
Scores are determined by the accuracy of the cuts through the boxes as well as hitting them all in rhythm. Players who may not be familiar with VR or rhythm games can start out (relatively) slowly, with Easy and Normal modes allowing skills to develop. The difficulty goes all the way up to Expert+ though, which will undoubtedly be a breathless affair for even the best players.
2 Pistol Whip 2089
The comparison is cliché at this point, but no less apt for that: Pistol Whip turns the player into a virtual John Wick, dancing a ballet of bullets and death. A slower version of an on-rails shooter, the game features neon-colored levels and another fantastic techno-beat soundtrack that actually awards more points for kills when the action stays on-rhythm. 2089 is the remixed version of the game, having added a new soundtrack that creates a pseudo-campaign and some small tweaks to the formula that was such a huge hit upon its original release.
1 The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
With the poor reputation attributed to licensed properties in the gaming space, it's a delight to find a game like this one. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners does all the big things right, putting players firmly in the shoes of a survivor in post-apocalyptic New Orleans. A wide array of melee weapons and guns make for satisfying combat encounters, and the game handles physics in such a way as to add to the tension. Crouching behind the environment to avoid zombies, manually wrapping bandages to heal wounds, even the ability to drop shotgun shells while reloading, all add to the tension that should be front and center in a game like this.