Another year is over and what a year 2021 was. Great videogames and awesome new tech but those pandemic issues never subsided so bring on the metaverse. Now isn’t the time to reminisce, now’s the time to look ahead and when it comes to virtual reality (VR) titles on the horizon there is plenty to get excited about. Here are the ones VRFocus is most interested in playing.
Moss: Book II
Make no mistake the original Moss by Polyarc was an awesome VR title so the news that its sequel Moss: Book II is due for release this coming Spring is exciting news.
Continuing the tale of Quill, the little mouse with a big heart, Moss: Book II is a puzzle adventure only confirmed for PlayStation VR at the moment. Having rescued her uncle Argus in the first instalment, this time around Quill must end the merciless rule of the Arcane whilst confronting a winged tyrant hunting her within the hexed castle where her uncle was held captive. Offering new locations and puzzles to solve, Moss: Book II is set to include new features like a nature attunement ability to grow new pathways and a huge hammer to cause some destruction.
Needless to say, Moss: Book II should be on every PlayStation VR owners most wanted list.
- Supported headsets: PlayStation VR
- Release date: Spring 2022
Ultimechs
Resolution Games is known for its multiplayer titles like Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, and Demeo, and that’s set to continue into 2022.
Teasing its next project back in November, Ultimechs is going to be a futuristic sports experience mashing together robots with football (soccer). Only a few teasing details have been released so far showcasing rocket-powered fists, 2v2 action and some highly competitive gameplay.
Looking like a far more dynamic experience than Resolution Games’ other competitive sci-fi videogame Blaston, Ultimechs will allow you to move around an arena, giving it a much more esports vibe. Considering the studios’ expertise in this VR field, Ultimechs could well become a “must-have” VR multiplayer next year.
- Supported headset(s): ???
- Release date: 2022
Ultrawings 2
The original Ultrawings was a beloved classic so there’s plenty of excitement regarding the sequel. Developer Bit Planet Games has spent four years working on Ultrawings 2 and says it’ll be: “3X the gameplay of the original”.
Mixing arcade gameplay with simulator mechanics, Ultrawings 2 is set to feature four planes and one helicopter with hundreds of missions to test your flying skills on. From popping balloons with a dart pistol and stunt plane aerobatics to air-to-air combat shooting down drones in the fighter plane, there should be plenty to keep players entertained. They’ll also have their pick of control schemes. Whether that’s a normal gamepad, using their virtual hands to grab the cockpit controls or going fully immersive using a HOTAS setup, Ultrawings 2 will balance fun with realistic flying.
VRFocus can’t wait to get back into the skies again.
- Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PC VR
- Release date: February 2022
Green Hell VR
Creepy Jar’s survival adventure Green Hell is coming to VR headsets thanks to Incuvo in 2022, remastering the control scheme for fully immersive gaming.
Heading to Meta Quest and PC VR headsets – a PlayStation VR version has also been mentioned – Green Hell VR drops you in a lush jungle with all the dangers you’d expect for the Amazon rainforest. Survive by foraging for food, learn how to build shelters, make tools, and craft weapons to defend yourself from whatever lurks in the undergrowth as you try to find a way out.
Being rebuilt for VR means that Green Hell VR has the kind of physical control system you’d expect from Incuvo, wrap your injuries with leaves, draw your bow to kill predators and light fires by sparking rock together. It’s all about enveloping you in the jungle experience so what’s not to look forward to?
- Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PC VR
- Release date: Q1 2022
NERF Ultimate Championship
Another multiplayer with some exciting potential is NERF Ultimate Championship for Meta Quest. Initially unveiled during E3 2021 by Secret Location, the first proper look at the arena shooter came only a few short weeks ago with a gameplay reveal trailer.
A 4 vs 4, team-based VR experience, NERF Ultimate Championship will encourage players to navigate arenas in a parkour-like fashion with plenty of wall running and jumping. Of course, this being an official NERF tie-in players will have access to a wide variety of NERF blasters to choose from, each featuring manual reloading, revving triggers, dual-wielding capabilities. There’s also unique dart physics to be aware of.
From the looks of it, NERF Ultimate Championship is going to take all those regular NERF battles and up the action, in ways only VR can.
- Supported platform(s): Meta Quest
- Release date: 2022
Hubris
Originally due for release this year, Cyborn’s rather gorgeous Hubris is now due to hit PC VR headsets at some point next year. Aiming for very high-end, sci-fi VR adventuring, Hubris looks like it could very well be the Lone Echo II of 2022.
Promising a fully explorable world where you can climb, swim, jump and run around as you please, VRFocus demoed Hubris a couple of months ago, finding a promising experience that was very pretty to look at. Visuals aside, there was plenty of physical activity where you could climb cliff faces, swim underwater and harpoon creatures as well as platforming sections.
One route that Cyborn has said it’s taking with the videogame is that it’ll be episodic, which may or may not work in its favour. If you’ve ever wanted Halo in VR – and who hasn’t? – then Hubris may just fill that hole, so long as there’s enough of it.
- Supported platform(s): PC VR, PlayStation VR
- Release date: 2022
SIN
Love your horror? SIN is the follow up to the popular The Exorcist: Legion VR where you play as a detective going up against demonic forces. Fun Train has teamed up with Pocket Money Games for this project. SIN stands for “Safety in Numbers” and as that implies you won’t be alone this time around.
No gameplay details have been revealed just yet but SIN will continue the narrative from the previous episodes, so it’s going to be scary at the very least. Teaming up with a friend – or braving it solo – SIN is the only horror VRFocus knows of for 2022 and should be in good hands.
- Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PlayStation VR
- Release date: Late 2022
Wanderer
Another one delayed from 2021, Wanderer is a joint project between New Zealand-based studios M Theory and Oddboy.
Wanderer is a time-travelling adventure with a talking watch where you have to visit particular points in history in a bid to save the world. Exploring historical, futuristic and post-apocalyptic settings, you’ll take to the stage in 1969 for an epic musical performance, uncover traitors and crack codes during WWII; help inventor Nikola Tesla prepare his machinery, and step onto the moon.
Wanderer is one of the more unique prospects for 2022, a fascinating narrative alongside time-hopping puzzles and some lovely looking locations.
- Supported platform(s): PC VR, PlayStation VR
- Release date: 27th January 2022
Hitman 3
An exclusive PlayStation VR release – where VR is concerned – in January 2021, IO Interactive’s infamous assassin will eventually make its way to PC VR headsets in the coming 12 months.
Continuing the Hitman storyline, Hitman 3 features five gameplay modes: a full campaign, Elusive Targets, Escalations, Contracts Mode and Sniper Assassin, all of which can be played in VR. It’s been the studio’s most successful Hitman videogame with 50 million players stepping into the shoes of Agent 47.
However, unlike the PlayStation version that’s only compatible with the DualShock controller, and therefore lacks that extra bit of immersive freedom the PC VR edition won’t, and that’s really exciting. IO Interactive has worked on motion controller support, already showcasing Hitman 3 working with Valve Index controllers. This means dual-wielding weapons and other interactions that make VR so immersive will be present in this edition.
- Supported platform(s): PC VR
- Release date: 2022
Little Cities
And finally a far more casual strategy VR title. Being built by indie team Purple Yonder with publishing support from nDreams (Fracked, Phantom: Covert Ops), Little Cities is a laid back city-building experience for Meta Quest.
You’ll be able to construct complex cities that require residential areas, areas for commerce as well as industrial zones, all carefully balanced to make the populace happy. Specialist buildings such as network phone towers, schools, hospitals, police stations and more all add to the success of your city but they each only cover a certain radius so making sure they’re in an optimal spot is crucial.
Demoing one map from Little Cities, VRFocus found a delightful little city management experience that offered promising gameplay for fans of non-action oriented VR videogames.
- Supported platform(s): Meta Quest
- Release date: Spring 2022
via Mint VR