Best VR games for 2022: What to play on Meta Quest 2, PSVR and beyond

By Joe Julians

Published: Friday, 20 May 2022 at 12:00 am

Jamiroquai once told us that the future is made of virtual insanity and they weren’t wrong. VR has been on the rise for the last several years and while we are still a way off from going full Ready Player One, there’s a lot to enjoy out there that makes the most of the various systems available.

If you’re looking for a tip on which headset to get, we’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Meta Quest 2 of late (formerly known as the Oculus Quest 2). One of the great things about that headset is it doesn’t need a PC or a console – you can just use it on its own! And there are some great games on there.

Look out for more great games (and headsets) to be on the way soon as the technology improves – for one thing, Sony is gearing up to launch its PSVR 2 headset for PS5 in the near future.

But what games released in recent months are the best to play in VR right now? Here are our choices for the best games to play in VR in 2022.

Best VR games to play in 2022

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Meta Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, PSVR

The Walking Dead TV show may be coming to an end this year, but the universe seemingly has a lot of undead life in it yet, as not only do we have more TV shows on the way, but we also have more entries in the gaming side of the franchise.

That includes Saints and Sinners, a VR experience to put you right in the thick of the zombie action. But are you tough enough to survive the oncoming onslaught?

Half-Life: Alyx

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest (only when connected to a PC)

The Half-Life series made a triumphant return with Half-Life: Alyx that threw the franchise right into the world of VR in style.

Set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2, this game will see you battling to save humanity from extinction – and given the positive reviews, it seems people have had an amazing time whilst doing so.

Beat Saber

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest, PSVR

The official synopsis for Beat Saber reads: “Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game where you slash the beats of adrenaline-pumping music as they fly towards you, surrounded by a futuristic world.”

And it does what it says on the tin! It’s great fun to play and the sort of game that is perfect to pick up and play if you want to take a bit of relaxing time out on a busy day.

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission

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Available on: PSVR

We love Astro Bot here and we’ve lost count of how many times we played the PS5 introductory Astro’s Playroom – it’s super addictive.

And so is Astro Bot: Rescue Mission but that should come as no surprise as if there is any character that seems the perfect fit to be deployed in VR – it’s Astro Bot!

Resident Evil 4 VR

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Available on: Meta Quest 2

Horror games are not for everyone and if you find that you’re prone to getting a little too nervy when playing them, well, VR might just tip you over the edge.

That is especially true of Resident Evil, one of the biggest and best horror franchises in gaming, so if you plan to play this one, make sure you are mentally prepared for the terror that awaits. It also won Best VR/AR Game at The Game Awards 2021 so you know a great game is on the cards.

Superhot VR

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest, PSVR

There is a great hook at the heart of Superhot VR in that time itself only moves on when you yourself physically move – a great concept for a game that truly is a ton of VR fun.

Reviews for this were glowing to say the least, and many refer to it as one of their favourite VR titles on the market. We can’t recommend this one enough.

Check out the best games on each platform:

Doctor Who: Edge of Time

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Meta Quest, PSVR

There is so much Doctor Who news coming out lately that it’s hard to keep up, so it’s the perfect time to throw yourself into this VR adventure in time and space.

A new mysterious enemy threatens to tear apart the universe and only you can stop them by taking on the persona of Jodie Whittaker’s 13th incarnation of the Doctor.

Blade and Sorcery

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest

If you want to immerse yourself into a medieval VR setting then you’ll want to cast your eye in the direction of the super fun Blade and Sorcery.

You can choose between a warrior, ranger or sorcerer to play as. But whatever you pick, you’ll still be faced with the same goal – taking out many enemies before they take you down.

Budget Cuts

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, Meta Quest, PSVR

Stealth is a big factor here, and in VR, it takes the stealth element to a whole new level – which also makes this a little tenser than we expected it to be.

But if you don’t like stealth, you can just go crazy and blast your way past your foes, so the choice is yours. Whichever route you choose, you will likely be happy you took a chance with Budget Cuts.

Danger Goat

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Available on: Windows Mixed Reality

Goats are no strangers to the gaming world (Goat Simulator will forever remain a favourite of ours) and there is another great fun goat adventure to be found in the brilliantly named Danger Goat!

This is a platform/puzzle game that will see your goat pitted against a variety of dangerous and silly foes, including shrink rays and crazy killer robots – and yes, the goat goes to space.

Elite: Dangerous

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Available on: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality

While VR technology is coming along leaps and bounds, it is often the graphics that end up feeling a little underwhelming, but Elite: Dangerous is easily one of the best-looking VR games to date.

This is a powerful game but if you have the system in place to play it, you’ll be treated to a stunning experience that is one of the most immersive you can find. Elite: Dangerous is very much worthy of your time.

Star Wars: Vader Immortal

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Lucasfilm

Available on: Meta Quest, PSVR

There were three games released as part of the VR Vader Immortal series and they were all bundled together when they were released onto the PS4 VR system.

While you’ll feel like the Jedi you’ve always wanted to be, it’s worth noting that this plays more as an experience than a game, but when the experience is this much fun we won’t complain too much.

If you’re looking for something else to play on your computer or laptop, check out our list of the best PC games to try in 2022.