15 best launch games for Sony’s PlayStation VR2

Hoping to build off of the ongoing success of the PlayStation 5, Sony has re-entered the world of virtual reality video games with the PlayStation VR2. It’s an impressive (though pricey) piece of hardware on its own, but a gaming accessory is only as good as the games you can play with it.

Sony opened the floodgates and boasts a staggering 40 titles available at launch. It’s a lot to sift through, and no average person could be expected to play, much less buy, them all. So we’ve gone through the list and picked out 15 games that are worth taking a look at, especially if you’ve never owned a VR system before.

After the Fall

Shooting zombies is, and may forever be, VR gaming’s favorite pastime. After the Fall is designed around four players teaming up (though you can play alone with AI companions) to blast through swarms of the undead in a post-apocalyptic winter wasteland. It succeeds in making you feel overwhelmed by the number of enemies running toward you at once, and blasting them away is a good time even on repeat plays.

Cosmonious High

From Austin-based developer Owlchemy Labs, this game follows up the company’s early VR hits Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator with a game that is, if you can believe it, actually more of a game. While those early “simulation” experiences were a lot of fun, at the end of the day they felt more like toys to showcase the technology (and tell some good jokes). Cosmonious High brings the same level of charm but attaches it to something that has more goals, objectives, and things to do overall.

Demeo

Want to play a tabletop RPG a la Dungeons and Dragons with your friends, but you can’t all get around the same table? Give Demeo a shot. The game is designed to emulate the feeling of sitting in a basement and moving mini-figures from tile-to-tile, rolling dice and casting spells. It does a great job at this, too, giving you just enough tactile feel of moving pieces on a table to make it more like the real thing, no dungeon master required. What’s more, the game is cross-play with other systems and doesn’t actually require VR to play, making it easier to get your friends on board for some online play.

Gran Turismo 7

Driving games are a natural fit for VR, but few games do it as realistically as Gran Turismo 7. The game, which has previously been available in its “flat” form but now has a free VR upgrade, strives for racing realism at every turn, from the interiors of the cars to the sound each engine makes to the way you need to break around corners. It may not be a game for those who just want simple, fast, arcade-like fun, but it’s a perfect match for anyone who wants to feel like they’re really racing around a track.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

If PS VR2 has a “system seller,” this is probably it. Not only is Horizon Call of the Mountain one of the few true exclusives on the platform, it’s also one of the most full-featured VR games on the market. You will climb treacherous cliffs, shoot arrows and robotic enemies and solve puzzles in a game that feels like the kind of thing VR was made for.

Kayak VR: Mirage

Sometimes the goal of immersion is less about action and more about realism. Kayak VR: Mirage is one of VR’s best-looking experiences, with gorgeous environments and water effects that can be downright relaxing to just stare at for awhile. But when it comes to the actual, physical motion of rowing to move your virtual kayak from one place to another, you might find yourself inadvertently getting a workout.

The Last Clockwinder

Have you ever thought that you could be more productive if you could just clone yourself? Well, now you can. Sort of. The Last Clockwinder is a deviously clever puzzle game in which you make a short VR “recording” of yourself performing an action in VR, then watch as a mechanized clone performs that same action over and over again, forever. Creating an assembly line of a single person requires a lot of creative thinking.

Moss Book 1 & 2

Did you ever read books like Redwall or Mouse Guard and wish you could experience life as a warrior mouse destined to save their home? Moss is perfect for you. It’s an adorable action game with some puzzle elements and some good, lighthearted storytelling that can be fun for all ages. The only downside: The first game in particular is really short (only a few hours long at most), so if your wallet is light after buying the headset you may want to stick to games with more longevity.

No Man’s Sky

If you’re looking to explore, No Man’s Sky will give you an entire universe. This sci-fi game of survival, crafting, trading, space travel and more has been packed with more free content for years since its original release, and now it has hit PS VR2 with a more immersive virtual reality mode than ever before. The entire game can be played from within the headset, so you’ll have a seemingly endless supply of planets to visit for hours on end.

Puzzling Places

Jigsaw puzzles are, in my humble opinion, a wonderful form of stress relief. But they can take up a lot of space, and if you have pets or a toddler around, you might risk your hard work getting ruined. Puzzling Places is fantastic not just because it makes the puzzle experience virtual, but also because each puzzle is a high-quality, 3D puzzle of real places. You might start small with a boxcar, but before long you’ll be putting together churches, castles, and other awe-inspiring landmarks.

Resident Evil Village

I have played through Resident Evil Village in its entirety twice already, and thus I know exactly how every moment goes. Yet playing it in VR makes me physically cringe with horror on multiple occasions within the first hour of playing. The free VR DLC lets you play the entirety of this fantastic horror action game entirely in virtual reality, with no holds barred. So that undead werewolf that wasn’t too frightening on your little TV? He’s a bit more terrifying up close and personal.

Rez Infinite

If your idea of VR is inspired more by the likes of Tron or The Lawnmower Man, Rez probably deserves your attention. It’s a short-but-trippy arcade shooter that, despite originally coming out in the early 2000s, feels like it was always meant for VR.

Star Wars: Tales from Galaxy’s Edge - Enhanced Edition

If you’re new to VR, sometimes the best entry point is something that feels a bit like a theme park ride. Tales from Galaxy’s Edge is one of the best examples of that around, expanding on the same Star Wars lore that drives the Galaxy’s Edge area at Disney theme parks. (See? I said it was like a ride.) You’ll work your way through some iconic Star Wars creatures, items and characters in a fun sci-fi adventure.

Tentacular

I have something to tell you: You’re not a human. You’re a giant squid. Don’t worry, though. You can earn the love of everybody in your beach-side community by helping them out with things that only a giant sea monster can do, like carefully stacking shipping containers, saving people from ultra-powerful magnets, and… finding an alien spaceship? Tentacular is delightfully goofy, and it’s a fun physics-based game that makes for a good VR showcase.

Thumper

Describing itself as a “rhythm violence” game, Thumper is a fascinating and unique mix of timing-based gameplay and Lovecraft-esque horror. Similar to a game like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, you have to hit notes in time with the beat, but instead of pulling off sick guitar riffs you are instead avoiding spikes and destroying enemies. While the game can be played without VR, immersing yourself fully into its unnerving vibe is, in my opinion, the best way to experience it.