Virtual reality is a relatively new, yet fully engrossing medium for gameplay. As more and more exciting games are released for VR platforms, and others are re-released to the format, gamers are sinking money into their setups. Between headsets, games, and various other equipment needed — a steering wheel, for example — players are looking for the best bang for their buck.
As many have become aware, a lot of VR games available currently are short playthroughs, with concise storylines and limited, if any, side quests. Finding a VR game that can last over 25 hours of playtime, while remaining enjoyable, is rare — but not impossible.
Updated May 10, 2022 by Rebecca Timberlake: Some VR games are debatably short when you focus solely on the main storyline, but when you add on extras, side quests and missions, and the ability to freely play, they become expansive. Other games are judged based off of the time it takes dedicated expert gamers to play all the way through, but if you're a casual after-work or after-school player, they have a few days' worths of playing potential.
14 Payday 2 VR
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Payday 2 is a modern classic gaming experience of mayhem and criminal chaos, and with the VR extension, you can throw your whole mind and body into the fray. A Guy Ritchie film meets The Purge, you'll be able to play this solo or with others, and there's even the possibility to play crossover with PC gamers as well.
If you're playing the main story mode you'll sink around 24 hours into Payday 2 VR, but if you're a completionist, you're looking at around 500 hours of gameplay. If you're looking for a more thrilling way to enjoy Payday 2, and own it through your Steam account, you can get the VR version free.
13 Assetto Corsa VR
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Assetto Corsa translates pretty well into VR, with the full game playable, and allows for the driving experience to be even more realistic for you; down to the steering wheel movements required. Assetto Corsa captures the specs of real-life cars, giving you true-to-life handling and speed within the VR world.
The main career mode will run you about 36 hours of game time, and 78 hours when you tack on the extras. If you're really looking to maximize your experience, though, full 100 percent completion will take around 130 hours of playtime.
12 Chronos VR
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Chronos VR is an RPG that will take you through dungeons and twisting maps to defeat evil, as the hero of your town. It's strictly single-player, but that doesn't hinder its quality in the least — it was an award-winning game in 2016.
When looking up Chronos stats, you'll find the typical average gameplay to run between ten and 15 hours, depending on if you're wanting to play through the side quests or just the main story. However, the averages are based on hardcore RPG players, and most forums will advise you that a casual player will likely find themselves playing for upwards of 30 hours.
11 Star Trek Bridge Crew
An action-adventure with all the promise and drama of the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek Bridge Crew offers single or multiplayer gaming to create your own Star Fleet crew. It is also arguably one of the better recent Star Trek games, with a more cohesive coop mode.
Despite having a short campaign mode of only five hours, start to finish, the game itself offers endless replayability through procedurally generated missions that you can experience on your own or with a crew.
10 Half-Life: Alyx
An action/horror/sci-fi combination, Half-Life: Alyx game has aliens, good graphics, solid physics, and a strong storyline propelling you to the finish line. You’re fighting against a very hostile and very aggressive alien race that has taken over and initiated a police state.
The story mode takes around 20 hours to beat, but you can spend well over 25 hours trying for 100 percent completion of the game. While this is still on the lower end of the spectrum, many critics and players agree it is one of the best VR games out there now.
9 DiRT Rally VR
Originally a console and PC game, DiRT Rally was formatted for VR with the entire gameplay made available, not just parts of the game. The already awe-inspiring crash sequences are made all the more heart-stopping in VR as you run off the side of a cliff or crash into the bottom of a mountain.
You have over 25 hours of career mode gameplay and over 95 hours of pure racing fun. Although there isn’t a live multiplayer option, there are leaderboards that allow you to compare and compete with other racers.
8 Fallout 4 VR
This isn’t a tie-in or side story, but the complete Fallout 4 translated to VR. It allows you to fight, build, and craft using your ‘hands’, adding to the overall submersion of you into the game.
Despite being a single-player game only, it offers 35 hours or more of gameplay, and if you delve into the world around you to explore all the extras, you’ll easily sink over 75 hours into this virtual post-apocalyptic RPG.
7 From Other Suns
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A unique roguelike VR game in the sci-fi genre, you’ll get around 45 hours of gameplay with From Other Suns. Playing co-op, you go on adventures in space, and because it’s a roguelike, you’ll get a different experience every time - though the endgame is always to make it back to Earth to save it from the invading aliens.
You can board alien ships, battle ship vs ship, or even attempt to negotiate with the enemies. Needless to say, there is plenty of virtual fun to be had with this one.
6 Asgard’s Wrath
A Norse-based RPG, you’ll play as a god for around 45 hours in Asgard’s Wrath. The gameplay is similar to that of Skyrim, with strong graphics and attention to detail, though the storyline is simple.
It’s a single-player game only, but that doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment, as it gives you more time to focus on your surroundings. Just don’t anticipate any familiar Norse gods you meet to be like the ones in Marvel movies.
5 Elite Dangerous
Used as a demo for a lot of VR headsets when they were released, this game is fully immersive with a completely developed open-world that allows you to take the helm of your very own ship in space.
The universe is so well-thought-out that players have even gone so far out into space that they discovered aliens planning an attack. With a multiplayer option, you will get at least 100 hours of full-fledge space simulation gameplay in Elite Dangerous.
4 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
A common complaint about console and PC games translated to VR is that they have more glitches and bugs, or just don’t translate well enough to make it worth it. Skyrim didn’t have this problem with The Elder Scrolls V.
With a sprawling map that is entirely interactive, you can explore the outdoors as well as the indoors, giving you endless possibilities and over 200 hours of playtime to enjoy outside of the game missions.
3 Beat Saber
Absolutely endless gameplay, as the difficulty and length of each play changes with the song you pick, Beat Saber is like Dance, Dance Revolution but for your hands. Listed as one of the most popular and successful VR games of all time (so far), each ‘hand’ is a Light Saber that you slice blocks with to the beat of any given song.
Though it seems like a simplistic game lacking strategy and motive, it actually challenges your dexterity and hand-eye coordination, providing you with a challenging but fun experience every time you play.
2 A Township Tale
An open-world RPG that was specifically designed for the VR platform, A Township Tale is a mix between Animal Crossing and Minecraft. Like both of those games, you can play solo or opt-in for multiplayer with friends.
Either way, you’ll have unlimited gameplay, creating a story uniquely yours, honing your skills, and just exploring the world in general. Visually it isn’t as realistic as other VR games, but the cartoonish graphics are cute and lighthearted, keeping you entertained for countless hours.
1 Euro Truck Simulator 2
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You can play single-player or multiplayer, and as odd as it sounds, you’ll have tons of fun sinking hours into being a trucker. There are goals and tasks that you can complete if you’re wanting a bit of difficulty - for instance, avoiding any traffic tickets and accidents out on the road - but there is also the ability to drive around aimlessly exploring.
You’ll even be able to work on building a fleet with a garage to maintain, and while it might not be action-packed, it is a relaxing way to wind down after a long day or week.