One of the great benefits of VR gaming is the ability to play games in a shared digital space. It promotes a greater sense of connection between players than a regular multiplayer video game, since you are "physically" occupying the space. While there are many multiplayer VR games coming out daily, they may not have a huge audience. If you are looking for active and engaging multiplayer communities, here are a handful of games you should get.
Free-to-play fun for all
For the most bang for your buck, you can't pass up Rec Room. For a completely free game, it has a ton of awesome content. Centered around an actual rec room, players can play all sorts of traditional games, as well as an assortment of fantasy and sci-fi themed games. Player avatars are customizable with a large assortment of clothing items that are generously gifted to the players just for playing the game. While the Rec Room crowd is a mostly younger audience, it is perfectly suitable and fun for players of all ages.
Tactical zombie co-op
The zombie apocalypse has been a huge part of pop culture for years and VR gaming is no exception. Arizona Sunshine, by Vertigo Games and Jaywalkers Interactive, drops the players in the middle of a zombie outbreak in the desert, leaving them to fend for themselves. The gameplay encourages strategy and collaboration to make it past zombie waves. Besides the standard zombie waves, players can also play a co-op story mode that is reminiscent of Left 4 Dead.
Fantasy tower defense
Elven Assassin is a refreshing take on the tower defense genre where the players fill the role of elven archers. The game is easy to pick up and go with simple and intuitive controls. Defend the keep from waves of monsters including orcs, dragons, and giants. All you have at your disposal is your bow and an unlimited supply of arrows. Although it can be played single-player, it is far more enjoyable with a full team of four to help you defend.
Realistic military simulator
Onward sets itself apart from other games with the use of tactical tools not typically seen in the first-person shooter genre. Besides the usual arsenal of guns and knives, players also have tablets and drones at their disposal. To complete maps, players utilize this additional tech to plan and coordinate their objectives. On top of this, Onward faithfully reproduces realistic gun behavior such as stabilizing and reloading.
Multiplayer shooter
Pavlov has a somewhat high learning curve, but that just makes it all the more satisfying to play. At its core, it is a first-person shooter in the same vein as CounterStrike. What sets it apart from other shooter games is the range of unique weapons, all of which have been designed to work realistically. This means if the player uses a particular rifle, it will load and fire as it would in real life. It can potentially take a while to learn how each weapon works, but the game rewards the player for specializing in a particular weapon.
Command a starship
Have you ever wanted to pilot your own starship? With Star Trek: Bridge Crew, you and your friends can throw yourself into a realistic simulation of the Starship Enterprise bridge. Go on missions and fight real space battles. Each player takes on a different role, including taking the helm as captain. With cross-play with non-VR gamers, you can include everyone, even if they don't play VR.
What to choose?
Depending on your tastes, some games will be better suited to you. We recommend VR Chat as an easy way to play an assortment of experiences all in one place. Similarly, you can't go wrong with the family-friendly Rec Room. If you're looking for more of a challenge, Arizona Sunshine offers longer, campaign-style entertainment.
VR has a lot to offer gamers, but the ability to play with friends makes it all the more interactive. No matter what game you choose, playing games with friends is more enjoyable. While many people may think of VR as a solitary and antisocial activity, it's actually full of opportunities to connect to people you might have never met.
