If you're lucky, you'll get your hands on the limited release HTC Vive devices coming out this holiday season. For most of us, we'll be getting the Vive in early 2016 instead.
But that doesn't mean you can't cash in on holiday sales for Vive-supported games now. Steam is investing a lot in HTC Vive and SteamVR, so they want to show their games off to everyone they can.
VR devices may not come around by holiday time, but VR games are popping up like lights on a tree.
JUMP
Genre: Puzzle platformer
Rating: 70% positive (out of 30 reviews)
Base price: $9.99 USD / $10.99 CAD / £6.99 UK
Sale?: No
VR support: Supported on Vive Developer Kit with plans for full Vive support
Release date: Available now on Steam
JUMP by Endeavor One Inc. is a platformer for the VR age.
Get to the tallest tower in the fewest steps. Feel like a superhero or a person who never misses leg day!
Crystal Rift
Genre: Dungeon crawler
Rating: 80% positive (out of 31 reviews)
Base price: $19.99 USD / $21.99 CAD / £14.99 UK
Sale?: No
VR support: Full Vive support
Release date: Early access available on Steam
Fans of the Legend of Grimrock games will likely enjoy this dungeon crawler by Psytec Games.
Rather than using RPG elements, Crystal Rift focuses primarily on action-based combat and exploration. It also has a dungeon editor for designing your own creepy mazes.
Legend of Dungeon
Genre: Roguelike RPG
Rating: 74% positive (out of 1,236 reviews)
Base price: $9.99 USD / $10.99 CAD / £6.99 UK
Sale?: 65% off on Steam until December 1st!
VR support: Vive headset supported; Vive controllers not supported
Release date: Available now on Steam
This RPG by Robot Loves Kitty is for the hardcore indie crowd. It includes randomly generated dungeons and roguelike elements.
After you gift your family or friends this game, you can play classic multiplayer or the stream-based game called Legend of Dungeon: Masters where you can help (or hinder) their progress through your Twitch account.
World of Diving
Genre: Exploration
Rating: 76% positive (out of 342 reviews)
Base price: $19.99 USD / $21.99 CAD / £14.99 UK
Sale?: 45% off on Steam until December 1st!
VR support: Vive support in 2016
Release date: Early access available on Steam
World of Diving by Vertigo Games is complete underwater immersion.
This diving simulation is an open-world multiplayer game. Although there are racing and photography objectives, this is a game for friends and family members who like to relax.
Radial-G: Racing Revolved
Genre: Racing
Rating: 95% positive (out of 68 reviews)
Base price: $12.99 USD / $13.99 CAD / £9.99 UK
Sale?: No
VR support: Vive support expected in 2016
Release date: Early access available on Steam
Racing fans rejoice. Tammeka Games' Radial-G: Racing Revolved is a fast-paced racing game for VR lovers.
In the tradition of futuristic racer Wipeout, Radial-G allows the player to loop around tracks at blinding speeds. Buy this for the speed demons in your life.
Elite: Dangerous
Genre: Space exploration MMO
Rating: 73% positive (out of 7,977 reviews)
Base price: $44.99 USD / $51.99 CAD / £29.99 UK
Sale?: 67% off on Steam until December 1st!
VR support: Vive support announced for holiday season
Release date: Available now on Steam
Frontier Developments' Elite: Dangerous is a great game for both the sci-fi and the MMO fan on your list.
In this game, players take jobs like supply runs, explore star systems, and get into space battles. Gamers who enjoy games like EVE Online or can't wait to play No Man's Sky will probably want to give this one a try.
Albino Lullaby
Genre: Horror
Rating: 89% positive (out of 149 reviews)
Base price: $9.99 USD / $10.99 CAD / £6.99 UK for Episode 1 (Season Pass for all three episodes also available)
Sale?: 25% off on Steam until December 1st!
VR support: Full Vive support
Release date: Available now on Steam
The developers of Albino Lullaby, Ape Law, are so confident that their game will mess with your head that they tell you right up front:
No blood. No gore. No jump scares.
Inspired by David Lynch films, the game leads players through settings both surreal and disturbing. If the person on your list would enjoy a VR haunted house experience, then look no further.
Orc Assault
Genre: Tower defense
Rating: N/A
Base price: TBD
Sale?: No
VR support: Full Vive support
Release date: December 15 on Steam
Tower defense comes to VR.
Players can view the landscape in full 3D like they're viewing a living war room map. Expect a casual strategy game experience from Ghost Machine's Orc Assault.
Golf Masters
Genre: Sports
Rating: N/A
Base price: TBD
Sale?: No
VR support: Full Vive support
Release date: December 15 on Steam
For the sports fans on your list; a trip to the green in 3D.
Ghost Machine offers one of the first sports games for the Vive. Its immersive atmosphere lets you size up your tee from every angle.
If you're still looking for the perfect VR game, here's a tip. Make sure you search the VR-supported tag on Steam. Some of the games will be for Oculus, some for Vive, and some for both. But still, it's a good start.
Here's just hoping Steam will have a better way of searching for HTC Vive games by the time the device is released.
In the meantime, these suggestions will give you one less gift to worry about. Enjoy those holiday Steam sales!
Image sources: JUMP via vr-gamer.de; Crystal Rift via roadtovr.com; Legend of Dungeon via nichegamer.com; World of Diving via divegame.net; Radial-G: Racing Revolved via vr-gaming.co.uk; Elite: Dangerous via mmogames.com; Albino Lullaby via youtube.com; Orc Assault via vrfocus.com; Golf Masters via store.steampowered.com
Published: Nov 26, 2015 10:19 am