It’s been another leap forward in the ever-evolving world of VR, a medium that’s anything but static. With nearly a decade under its belt, virtual reality continues to shift our perception of what’s achievable in gaming, creativity, and human connection. This year, 2024, has marked numerous milestones where VR’s long-touted potential is finally being realized in undeniable ways. It’s certainly not just about seeing more high-profile ‘AAA’ games, though those have their perks. Instead, we’ve witnessed the arrival of eagerly awaited titles alongside bold indie projects that demonstrate VR is not just a niche. It’s a venture where both developers and gamers find rewarding experiences.
One of the standout elements of this year’s progress is the heightened focus on refinement within VR games. Developers have harnessed a decade of learning to push VR into new eras of comfort and immersion. The results include revolutionary mechanics, memorable narratives, and breathtaking visuals that envelop players in realism. As the year unfolds, we’ve had plenty to celebrate and anticipate.
As we dive into the end-of-year reflections, let’s explore the Road to VR’s 2024 Game of the Year Awards.
The spotlight this year shines brightly on Skydance’s Behemoth. Available on platforms like Quest, PSVR 2, and PC VR, Behemoth demonstrates what PC VR gaming is all about. Unlike the Quest, the most widely used standalone VR system, or PSVR 2—with its smart PS5 optimization—PC VR offers power users the chance to push their hardware capabilities to the edge, extracting every available pixel. Yet immersion transcends visuals alone; it’s about crafting coherent worlds that players naturally comprehend, featuring non-player characters (NPCs) that feel alive, soundscapes that completely envelop, and set pieces that awe and inspire. Few titles within VR’s history have achieved this exquisite balance between the cerebral and the immersive, and Skydance’s Behemoth is among those elite few.
Skydance, the studio behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners from 2020, has poured their hard-won VR expertise into Behemoth. The combat and immersive worldbuilding elements are testimony to Skydance’s commitment to depth and realism. Each Behemoth battle is a culmination of skills honed in climbing, bow-shooting, and melee combat. Players are given a choice of legendary weapons and the freedom to engage with the enemy using acquired gear, making the experience uniquely personal and strategically rich.
Behemoth boasts the quintessential elements of VR gaming excellence, earning it not just the top spot in our PC VR category, but also a place on our essential VR game shortlist. Our comprehensive, spoiler-free review elaborates further.
Moving to another impressive entry, Batman: Arkham Shadow stands proudly on Quest 3/S as an exclusive. Against all odds, Camouflaj revived this cherished franchise, reimagining it for VR despite steep challenges like its deep-rooted gameplay conventions. Their success lies not in porting a conventional Arkham game to VR but in capturing the essence of what makes an Arkham game unique, discarding traditional mechanics for VR-reworked ones.
The riveting combat, a hallmark of the Arkham series, has been revolutionized. Players dive towards enemies with a seamless motion merging hand movements and locomotion. It’s dynamic, evolving in complexity as the game progresses, ultimately making players feel invincible against droves of adversaries.
Although I could detail the numerous design trials Camouflaj overcame, let it suffice to say that Batman: Arkham Shadow becomes one of Quest’s standout titles, deserving our award for Quest Game of the Year.
On to PSVR 2, Metro Awakening triumphs by bringing its immersive overlay to virtual reality. Known for its post-apocalyptic allure, the Metro series’ transition into VR has been much anticipated. Vertigo Games capitalizes on its VR pedigree, crafting an experience that feels integral to the franchise yet naturally at home within VR. Their introduction of inventive weapons like the crossbow and shotgun heightens interactivity, clearly rooted in the series’ homemade, gritty aesthetic.
Metro Awakening’s holistic VR execution extends beyond its weaponry, introducing a diegetic inventory system that enhances the sense of reality. Players access gear from naturally placed in-game backpacks, maintaining item integrity and reinforcing immersion. The atmospheric sounds and visuals are equally immersive, enveloping players in unease and anticipation.
This year, Metro Awakening not only takes our Excellence in Immersion award but remains a thrilling testament to the magic of VR design.
In the realm of mixed reality (MR), Starship Home emerges as a groundbreaking game. Despite the constraints of current VR understanding of physical spaces, Creature Studio’s title pushes past these barriers, creating genuine interactivity with MR. Starship Home deftly marries casual gaming with MR, inviting players to arrange modules around rooms, enhancing the illusion of space transformation. This innovative use of MR paves the way for future games to explore similar paths.
Another remarkable indie effort is UNDERDOGS by One Hamsa, celebrated for Excellence in Locomotion and Indie Development. Despite its predecessor lacking player locomotion, this latest title from One Hamsa centers movement within gameplay, showcasing nuanced arm-based locomotion for player engagement. The game’s design facilitates intuitive movement and combat, turning what could be simple actions into tactical choices within the lively VR world.
Lastly, Blade & Sorcery continues to thrill with its latest 1.0 update—the ‘Crystal Hunt’ mode culminating years of iterative progress. Warpfrog’s dedication to refining this physics-based combat sandbox has elevated it into a complete world filled with adventure, stories, and immersive combat. As we bid farewell to this phase following its full release, we eagerly await Warpfrog’s next endeavor.
Lastly, Trombone Champ: Unflattened! signifies a joyous leap for Flat2VR studios, proving their prowess by transforming a 2D concept into an engaging VR experience. Their successful adaptation retains the original’s charm while incorporating full-body VR interaction, garnering accolades and interest from other traditional developers considering VR adaptations.
As this transformative year concludes, Road to VR’s Game of the Year Awards remain a testament to the innovation and passion driving VR forward. Here’s to more breakthroughs and unforgettable experiences in 2025!
