During our second VR Game Roundup of 2021, we saw Holodia’s Holofit come to the Oculus Quest, Battle Arena VR arrive on the Oculus Store, and a game about eating sushi that tests your reflexes. This week is a bit slower than last, but there are still a few interesting titles. This week’s most notable virtual reality releases are Brain Beats for PlayStation VR, a piñata bowling title, and a new croquet game.
Undead Development
Kicking off this week’s VR Game Roundup is Undead Development, which is exiting a lengthy stint in Early Access. This survival title has players taking on zombie waves while attempting to reinforce the base they are in. You’ll be able to break apart furniture to construct new items, and the game has a really cool dynamic nailing system that allows you to nail any object to another (which really rewards creative play). With 70 pieces of loot to unlock, there’s a lot of replayability here.
Fitness Potential
While it won’t be the most active game all the time, action can definitely get frantic in Undead Development during later waves when you’ve got to nail items and also fend off zombies at the same time. You’ll be using both arms to interact with objects, so you should get a decent arm workout, especially if you tend to use melee weapons and spend a lot of time hammering objects.
Developer and Publisher: Masterstrike and LadrikDev
Release Date: January 13, 2021
Compatible With: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality
Price: $17.99
Link: Steam
Under Lock
This Early Access Steam title is an HTC Vive exclusive for now. Under Lock is a survival horror title designed around asymmetric multiplayer where one monster attempts to take out four survivors, searching for keys in a building as they try to escape. It has many neat ideas and definitely looks to be a game to keep an eye on, especially if it comes to additional platforms with crossplay.
Fitness Potential
Under Lock is playable both inside virtual reality and outside of it. Early reviews haven’t been kind to the VR version, and it’s said to be “almost unplayable.” So, VR enthusiasts might want to wait for more updates to see how it shakes out. It also doesn’t seem to be a very active game as it’s built around raising tension rather than constant action.
Developer and Publisher: Shakitum
Release Date: January 12, 2021
Compatible With: HTC Vive
Price: $9.99
Link: Steam
Brain Beats
This week’s most interesting release from a fitness standpoint is Brain Beats, which is releasing on PlayStation VR. This VR rhythm game was developed by “a team of psychophysical wellness professionals” and is meant to relieve stress and elevate your mood. The game has you hitting globes with both hands at the right time and cutting cubes with a sword. It launches with 27 songs, and more will be added as downloadable content.
Fitness Potential
As seen in the trailer above, this is the top fitness game of the week. Developed by wellness professionals, Brain Beats provides a full-body workout and a great arm workout as you are constantly moving to hit targets. With high scores and custom playlists, there is plenty of replayability as well. If you want a new PSVR fitness game, this is a great addition to your library.
Developer and Publisher: My World srls
Release Date: January 13, 2021
Compatible With: PlayStation VR
Price: $14.99
Link: PlayStation Store
PePiBo
PePiBo stands for Peregrino Piñata Bowling. While the two last words are pretty self-explanatory, Peregrino is the name of the protagonist. The game has an awesome premise as you solve puzzles by bowling. Spirit animals will help you out as you make your way through the game, and the bowling gets crazier as the game goes on with explosions, homing attacks, and more.
Fitness Potential
If you want a low-intensity light arm workout, then PePiBo will fit the bill. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of activity besides throwing balls with your dominant hand, although you could always switch it up if you want a more even workout and a challenge. While not seen in the trailer, the store description makes it seem like the player might have to dodge projectiles while trying to bowl, so it could actually be a better workout than I’m giving it credit for. It’s hard to say without going hands-on with PePiBo.
Developer and Publisher: Torito
Release Date: January 14, 2020
Compatible With: Oculus Rift
Price: $9.99
Link: Oculus Store
Crazy Croquet
Ending this week’s VR Game Roundup is Crazy Croquet, which is out on the Oculus Rift. It’s a fantasy version of the sport of croquet with fantastical worlds. In total, there are 12 different levels to get through, with each one being harder than the last. There are leaderboards so that you can compete with other players for the best score.
Fitness Potential
Croquet isn’t the most active sport, so don’t expect a great workout here. You will be using an arm to hit the ball with a mallet, but there isn’t any movement beyond that. So, unless you really dig the real sport of croquet, this can probably be passed on even with an affordable price.
Developer and Publisher: Selfox
Release Date: January 14, 2021
Compatible With: Oculus Rift
Price: $4.99
Link: Oculus Store
That does it for this week’s VR Game Roundup. Let us know if you are checking out Brain Beats and if you are still using your PlayStation VR headset.
