Oculus Quest (Facebook)
Facebook’s Oculus Quest is the latest virtual reality headset to penetrate the marketplace, having arrived on Tuesday. It costs $399.99 or $499.99, respectively coming with 64 GB or 128 GB of memory. The Quest may lack the raw power of an Oculus Rift S, but it doesn’t need to burden itself with connecting to a high-end PC to function. It also doesn’t have any wires that can impair your ability to immerse yourself, which will be appreciated. Question is, what kind of games will it have?
Over 50 games are currently announced for the platform, ranging from anime-esque visual novels to shooters. Among the more noteworthy titles include VR favorite Beat Saber, a rhythm game where you control two off-brand lightsabers and bash objects to the beat of the song. As one would expect, the difficulty ramps up the further you go, giving your arms a workout! Its visual flair is impeccable too, utilizing its dichromatic palette to heighten the mood. Beat Saber will cost $30.
Another familiar quantity is Superhot VR ($25), which pits you against several hostile, polygonal foes. Some of them are armed, some aren’t, and you have to fight them. Basic abilities at your disposal include punches and uppercuts, and you can pilfer an enemy’s weapons for your own use.
Costing $15 is Space Pirate Trainer, a first-person “shmup.” As with other installments in the challenging genre, you’ll encounter wave after wave of enemies, all of whom will be gunning for you. You’re equipped with two firearms and an energy shield, and dodging opposing fire is another helpful tactic. Robo Recall ($30) is another, more traditional shooter featuring antagonistic robots. You’re a cop placed in an urban city, and you’ll use your limited resources to clear goals and purge the landscape of the aluminum antagonists.
Perhaps the most anticipated title is Vader Immortal – A Star Wars VR Series, which puts you before the iconic film villain in hopes to become his apprentice. It’s a short affair (reportedly it spans about an hour), but it lets you use a lightsaber in a VR space – itself a compelling feature. Set between Episode III and IV, this is very much the first part of a three-act series, but it’s an intriguing start.
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