Posted this list of 'must have' games for the GEAR VR in another thread. Thought I'd post it here for people looking for cool stuff to buy. I left out some of the great social apps available for the system, and stuck with games. VR talk seems to be focused around porn lately, which is fine if that's your thing. Unfortunately, it seems like that's all people see the Gear VR as now, which is a bummer as it's a great machine for things other than porn.
From the thread:
There are a quite a few very good games on the system. I've had it for about a month now and couldn't be happier with my purchase. I use it primarily as a games machine, too. Right off the bat, spend the cash and get the Steelseries XR Bluetooth controller.
VR in general is missing the diversity of solid games, no matter if you have the GEAR, RIFT, or the VIVE. The experiences are very comparable this early in the cycle.
Accepting that, If i had to list the MUST HAVES (that aren't the obvious picks like Gunjack, Anshar Wars 2, or End Space), you can't go wrong with:
1.)
Land's End - From the creators of Monument Valley, it's like really simplified version of The Witness in some ways. Pretty to look at. Too short (only 5 Chapters), but what's there is pretty engaging. Got a lot of early buzz which possibly put it into the overhype category, but it's still a good game.
2.
Smash VR - This game caught me totally off guard. I heard that it was good but hadn't done much research. Picked it up on and didn't touch it until i had downtime in the airport en route to EVO. Let me tell you...This might be one of my favorite games on the system. It's fast paced, worth replaying, and takes great advantage of the 'gaze based' mechanic of where you look, you interact. The whole game consists of breaking a series of glass obstacles before they hit you as you progress rapidly through a surreal environment.
It's fantastic fun and keeps ramping up the difficulty. Very immersive, super arcadey, and an overall great showcase game.
3.
Minecraft VR - Seriously, it's Minecraft. In VR. While you're at it, add
Hitman Go to the list. Again, VR might not add a lot to the experience, but it's such a great game that it doesn't really matter.
4.
Viral - So it's a physics-based shooter where you launch orbs against a stream of antagonistic sarcastic asshole robots. They also shoot back at you. Sounds simple, but it's a great deal of fun as levels start to play with position, depth, height, and of course, enemy priority. The difficulty ramps up fairly quickly, and you'll find that VIRAL will become one of your defacto VR games for a challenging experience.
5.
BombSquad - Here's one of those blink and you'll miss it VR experiences. Best described as bomberman meets Powerstone, it's an arena-based battle game where you position bombs and tripmines, or kick and punch your way to domination by being the last man standing against enemy waves of bombadiers, evil robots, and ninjas. And of course, it's multiplayer, too.
6.
Floorplan VR - it's a very simple adventure puzzle game that's big on charm. The entire experience takes place within a single elevator. Each floor has it's own zany story with a new key piece of the overall mystery that you have to solve. On the top floor is an incomplete astro-suit, and you're tasked with finding all of the other pieces on all of the other floors. Finding the components won't be as simple as asking for them, though. Different puzzles have solutions on different floors, and nothing, of course, comes easy. It's a game that I'm dragging out resolving, because I don't want it to end.
I could name at least several more games. I avoided putting any of the big atmosphere games here like Dark Days, Dreadhalls, Annie Amber, Dead Secret, or The Affected, because talking about them would be TLDR. Short version: They're great.
I also excluded 'b-tier' experiences that are totally serviceable, but wouldn't get the time of day if they weren't in VR. That means they're playable but generic, but get shine by virtue of working adequately and simply doing what they're supposed to do. Games like Herobound: First Steps, Omega Agent, Perfect Moon, and Adventure Time fall into this category.
I know that I'm missing a few gems. I still have several games that I own, but haven't truly dug into like Espers 2, Darknet, or Twisted Realms.
There is a LOT to enjoy on the platform. Give it a chance. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
