Another year has passed, and VR continues to be a dynamic force in gaming, creativity, and social connection. Far from becoming stagnant, it has evolved over nearly a decade, opening up new possibilities that keep players immersed and engaged.
2024 has been a particularly monumental year for VR, showcasing its undeniable potential. While having more blockbuster games is always welcome, this year has been about more than just that. We’ve seen an array of exciting releases from well-known titles to ambitious indie projects, proving that VR is both a lucrative industry and an engaging hobby for all involved.
This year stands out for its emphasis on refinement. Developers are utilizing the past decade’s experiences to push VR into a new era marked by enhanced comfort, deeper immersion, and greater accessibility. From innovative mechanics and gripping narratives to stunning visual experiences that transport you elsewhere, 2024 offers much to celebrate and anticipate.
Now, let’s dive into the Road to VR’s 2024 Game of the Year Awards:
Game of the Year: Skydance’s Behemoth
Developer: Skydance Games
Available On: Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR
Release Date: December 5th, 2024
PC VR stands as a unique player in the VR landscape, offering enthusiasts the chance to maximize their hardware capabilities. Unlike the more standalone experiences found on platforms like Quest or the optimized wonders of PSVR 2, PC VR allows players to fully exploit their systems for peak performance.
However, immersion is not just about stunning visuals. It’s about weaving together a believable world, populated by lifelike NPCs and enveloped in atmospheric soundscapes. It’s an intricate dance that few have mastered like Skydance’s Behemoth, making it a standout in VR’s brief yet rich history.
Skydance Games, creators of The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, have applied their expertise to Behemoth, honing the refined melee combat and immersive world-building that made their previous titles exceptional. Before you even face your first Behemoth, the game skillfully tests every ability learned—from grappling to archery. How you choose to conquer the game’s challenges, whether upgrading Legendary weapons or wielding enemy gear like huge buster swords, is where Behemoth really shines.
Behemoth doesn’t just exemplify what makes VR gaming outstanding; it’s our top pick for PC VR this year and an essential experience for any VR enthusiast. Dive deeper in our spoiler-free review.
Quest Game of the Year: Batman: Arkham Shadow
Developer: Camouflaj
Publisher: Oculus Studios / Meta
Available On: Quest 3/S (exclusive)
Release Date: October 21st, 2024
Batman: Arkham Shadow was a project that seemed improbable—reviving a franchise after nearly a decade without a new entry, undertaken by a studio new to the originals, and reimagining its gameplay for VR. Yet against all odds, Camouflaj not only resurrected the Arkham series but also crafted an experience worthy of our Quest Game of the Year title.
Instead of simply porting an Arkham title to VR, Camouflaj identified what elements made the original games feel unique and preserved these while overhauling the gameplay mechanics for the new platform.
The most daunting challenge was recreating the Arkham series’ iconic combat, where Batman fluidly navigates enemy crowds. The studio crafted an innovative blend of motion and movement, letting players dive into combat with dynamic motion controls. As you progress, the complexity and excitement of battles increase until you truly feel like you can tackle an army.
I could delve further into the design challenges they overcame (and I already have!), but in short, Batman: Arkham Shadow secures its place as one of the Quest’s standout titles.
PSVR 2 Game of the Year: Metro Awakening
Developer: Vertigo Games
Available On: PSVR 2, Quest, PC VR
Release Date: November 7th, 2024
Fans have long exclaimed, "Metro would be incredible in VR!" and in 2024, Vertigo Games delivered on that notion with Metro Awakening.
You might wonder why players would choose to explore the gritty, post-apocalyptic world of Metro over a light-hearted title like ‘Puppy Sim 2079,’ but Vertigo Games’ VR expertise transforms this bleak setting into an engrossing adventure. Much like the development of Batman: Arkham Shadow, they grasped what makes Metro distinctive and adapted it flawlessly to the VR medium, maintaining authenticity while crafting new VR-native interactions.
Weapons in Metro Awakening stand out with their intricate designs and interactive features. The crossbow and shotgun offer fresh VR experiences while fitting perfectly into the series’ style of makeshift armaments. These weapons are not only creatively conceived but also satisfyingly realistic, delivering a genuine sense of power and consequence.
The diegetic inventory system is another VR highlight, enhancing immersion with a unique approach where items are realistically sized and retrieved from virtual backpacks. Combined with atmospheric visuals and intense soundscapes, Metro Awakening delivers a compelling VR journey.
Awarded for Excellence in Immersion, this title wins hearts with its design, captivating players in a suspenseful world that remains vividly memorable long after you’ve removed your headset.
Mixed Reality Game of the Year: Starship Home
Developer: Creature
Available On: Quest 3/S (exclusive)
Release Date: September 26th, 2024
VR headsets, mainly the Quest 3, are still striving to completely comprehend our physical spaces, which partly holds back mixed reality from reaching its pinnacle. While numerous developers incorporated MR as a bonus mode or a playful environment, few truly explored its room-sensing potential.
That changes with Starship Home by Creature, which sets a new standard in mixed reality. Not only has it pushed MR boundaries, but it’s also a game deserving of attention in its own right.
In essence, Starship Home represents a significant step towards making MR an essential gaming element, not just a delightful addition. Its whimsical blend of spaceship management and sci-fi gardening showcases MR’s potential to enhance gaming experiences.
The game innovatively allows you to arrange system controls around your room—connecting your real surroundings to the game, completing the illusion that your space has become a quirky spacecraft. We’re excited to see more games adopt this approach, and you can discover why we adored Starship Home in our in-depth review.
Excellence in Locomotion and Indie Development Game: UNDERDOGS
Developer: One Hamsa
Available On: Quest, PC VR
Release Date: January 25th, 2024
UNDERDOGS, an exciting new release from indie studio One Hamsa, captures both our Excellence in Locomotion and Excellence in Indie Development awards. Known for its past VR innovation with Racket: Nx, a game without player locomotion, One Hamsa demonstrates its expertise again in UNDERDOGS.
In UNDERDOGS, players guide robust mechs using arm-driven navigation. This innovative choice makes movement feel almost graceful—as if you’re ice-skating on mechanical paws. Moreover, arms serve dual purposes; not only for navigation but also combat, wielding saw blades or flinging the mech towards foes with satisfying force.
Such creative locomotion adds a layer of embodied realism uncommon in VR, earning UNDERDOGS accolades in innovative movement and indie ingenuity alike.
Excellence in Ongoing Development: Blade & Sorcery
Developer: Warpfrog
Available On: PC VR, Quest
Release Date: June 17th, 2024
Blade & Sorcery initially gained fame in 2018 as a physics-based combat sandbox and continued to thrive under KospY’s guidance. Over the years, the team expanded, and with this growth came substantial updates—new maps, weaponry, powers, and a range of custom assets, enhancing the game’s immersive combat.
June’s highly anticipated 1.0 update completed Blade & Sorcery with the ‘Crystal Hunt’ story mode, enriching its already successful formula with an engaging narrative layer. As Warpfrog gears up for its next venture, utilizing its accumulated expertise, we commend their commitment and forward-thinking vision.
VR Adaptation Game of the Year: Trombone Champ: Unflattened!
Developer: Flat2VR Studios, Holy Wow Studios
Publisher: Flat2VR Studios
Available On: Quest, PC VR, PSVR 2
Release Date: November 26th, 2024
Originally a 2D sensation, Trombone Champ became a social media phenomenon post-2022 release. With Flat2VR’s talent, it makes a delightful leap into VR through Trombone Champ: Unflattened! This adaptation retains original charm while introducing VR-specific gameplay, like hand-controlled trombone slides.
Earning rave reviews across all platforms, Flat2VR showcases their exceptional skill in VR adaptations, paving the way for future projects by traditional developers recognizing the studio’s expertise.
Games considered for Road to VR’s Game of the Year Awards must have been publicly available by December 20th, 2024, and fully operational on their designated platforms.
