These are the best games available on the Oculus Quest 2 - Android

These are the best games available on the Oculus Quest 2 - Android

We've rounded up the best Oculus Quest 2 games worth your time and money. The best Oculus Quest 2 games Shooters Music and rhythm Exercise Multiplayer Action Horror Family-friendly Puzzles and relaxation Oculus Link There are over 200 games and apps on the Oculus Quest storefront, and while some are free, the majority of them cost at least $20 while only offering about 3–5 hours of gameplay on average. Some find ways to pad their runtime, but the fact is, most Quest and Quest 2 games are short and sweet. How sweet is what matters, and there's no feeling worse than wasting your gaming budget for the month on a bad game that you finish in an afternoon. Android Central has a disproportionate number of VR fanatics who spend their leisure time blocking out reality with the Oculus Quest 2 — which does run on an Android OS, believe it or not. We've spent a lot of time testing out games, good and bad, to figure out which are the best Oculus Quest 2 games that we'd actually reco...

We've rounded up the best Oculus Quest 2 games worth your time and money.

The best Oculus Quest 2 games

  • Shooters
  • Music and rhythm
  • Exercise
  • Multiplayer
  • Action
  • Horror
  • Family-friendly
  • Puzzles and relaxation
  • Oculus Link

There are over 200 games and apps on the Oculus Quest storefront, and while some are free, the majority of them cost at least $20 while only offering about 3–5 hours of gameplay on average. Some find ways to pad their runtime, but the fact is, most Quest and Quest 2 games are short and sweet. How sweet is what matters, and there's no feeling worse than wasting your gaming budget for the month on a bad game that you finish in an afternoon.

Android Central has a disproportionate number of VR fanatics who spend their leisure time blocking out reality with the Oculus Quest 2 — which does run on an Android OS, believe it or not. We've spent a lot of time testing out games, good and bad, to figure out which are the best Oculus Quest 2 games that we'd actually recommend.

Here are our top recommendations and personal favorites, whether you want to be scared to death, keep your kids entertained, play with friends and family online or locally, or keep yourself fit while stuck indoors. We've broken them down into specific categories and genres, which you can access directly via our jumplist.

Whether you just bought your new Quest 2 and want to build your library, or are getting bored of the ones you own, these are the best Oculus Quest 2 games that you should try right now! If one of your favorites isn't there, feel free to shout them out in the comments, and we'll give them a spin and see if they're worth including!

We update this list whenever a new game comes out that's worthy of being added to this list, so you'll always know about the latest and greatest games. Also, all of these games can be played on the Oculus Quest as well; they just won't have the graphical enhancements.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Michael Hicks has dealt with motion sickness since he starting trying out VR in 2016, but likes it too much to stop. When he's not rocking his Quest 2, Michael covers everything from laptops to soundbars, home security to fitness watches.

Nick Sutrich started with DOS and NES and uses those fond memories of floppy disks and cartridges to fuel his opinions on modern tech. Whether it's VR, smart home gadgets, or something else that beeps and boops, he's been writing about it since 2011.

James Bricknell fell in love with VR back when the Lawnmower Man first arrived. Since then he has used as many headsets as possible and now rocks the Quest 2 as his most used console.

The Best VR Shooters

The best Oculus Quest 2 games

  • Shooters
    • Apex Construct
    • Espire 1: VR Operative
    • Phantom: Covert Ops
    • Robo Recall: Unplugged
    • Space Pirate Trainer
    • SUPERHOT
  • Music and rhythm
  • Exercise
  • Multiplayer
  • Action
  • Horror
  • Family-friendly
  • Puzzles and relaxation
  • Oculus Link

Shooters in VR can be different from the usual FPS and tactical shooters you see on consoles. You may be a soldier, powerful cyborg, or deadly spy, but using motion controls makes each shot more deliberate and trickier to pull off than with a controller or mouse. These make VR shooters uniquely challenging, and satisfying once you become skilled enough to pull off major victories. Here are the best Oculus Quest 2 shooting games.

Apex Construct

Hunt down robots, then hunt down secrets

When Apex Construct — a post-apocalyptic bow-and-arrow shooter where you fight off robots while searching the remains of civilization for answers — first launched on PSVR, our review said it looked and played well but the motion controls left much to be desired. Then it came to the Quest, where the developers had to significantly devolve the peripheral graphics, audio, and other features to make it portable. Thanks to the Quest 2's enhanced power, Goldilocks would say that its Apex Construct port is just right.

While this isn't a traditional gun-based shooter, the bow motion controls with Touch controllers works excellently, and the lack of headset wires means you can spin to hunt and shoot the robots charging at you from every angle. That being said, this is definitely a single-player, story-driven game. There is a fun survival challenge where you compete against endless enemies and take on the leaderboard, but otherwise there's no social element to Apex Construct.

You'll spend hours exploring and re-exploring visually rich environments, looking for clues to solve the game's mysteries. If you're relatively new to VR and want a game that will challenge you without overwhelming you against online opponents, Apex Construct is a great place to start. It'll also scratch that robot-hunting itch until Horizon: Forbidden West comes out. —Michael Hicks

Apex Construct

$20 at Oculus Store

Use your bow as a weapon and a shield as you fight waves of hostile robots in your quest to reclaim the world for humanity.

Espire 1: VR Operative

Step into the shoes of your favorite secret agent or assassin

Whether your stealth shooter game of choice is Splinter Cell, Hitman, or something else, this FPS stealth shooter will scratch that VR itch. Using various gadgets and weapons, you'll climb up walls to avoid security cameras, tranquilize guards, tell them to "Freeze!" using the Quest 2's integrated mic, hide bodies before they're spotted, or go nuts with your weapons once an alert is called.

Espire 1: VR Operative has six single-player missions and no multiplayer or challenge modes — and the devs have said they have no plans for new content modes. Considering the fairly high price tag, you'll only get your money's worth, so to speak, if you like playing and replaying levels, finding new ways to take out or sneak past enemies and competing to beat other players' high scores. Thankfully, there's a ton of gadgets and weapons that'll add enough variety for fans of the stealth genre.

On the Quest 2, the game has some graphical enhancements to bring it closer to the PSVR port in visuals, and we appreciate the comfort settings that help moving around in VR feel less nauseating. But there remain some bugs and issues with the AI detection that can lead to frustrating moments where you'll say, "How the heck was I spotted?!" If you're not a stealth fan in particular, Espire 1 may be more miss than hit for you. —Michael Hicks

Espire 1: VR Operative

$30 at Oculus Store

Go through your stealth VR training and see if it'll turn you into the next Solid Snake or Sam Fisher.

Phantom: Covert Ops

A more stationary, but also more polished, stealth shooter

The boat portions of video games are generally the worst (hi there, Half-Life 2), so nDreams making an entire game out of stealth kayaking through enemy territory was a bold choice. Thankfully, it mostly pays off. You must strategically paddle through maps, keep an eye out for enemies, and choose whether to sneak past them, shoot objects to distract and blind them, or take them out and potentially bring more enemies into play.

The campaign mode is fun but short at around five hours, as you infiltrate the region of an ex-Soviet general's forces to take out high-value targets without getting spotted. The graphics look great, especially optimized for the Quest 2, though people prone to nausea may struggle when you use the "sharp turn" button. You'll also appreciate the excellent voice acting in what would otherwise be a silent trek. You can revisit levels to find hidden Easter eggs or go for speedrun leaderboard times.

The Challenge Packs add Game Shark-like effects to the core gameplay, adding some zany replayability to the more serious campaign. Since headshots are so key to gameplay, enemies are given tiny, giant, or exploding heads, for example. It's a stealth game that you'll want to keep revisiting! —Michael Hicks

Phantom: Covert Ops

$30 at Oculus Store

Paddle your way past Russian troops with all the weapons you need at your feet. It's an enjoyable single-player stealth shooter with plenty of post-game content.

Robo Recall: Unplugged

Epic Games' other 2017 game isn't quite Fortnite-quality, but it's pretty damn fun

Robo Recall: Unplugged shares a premise with Apex Construct but very little else. It's a fast-paced, violent, comical shooter made by Epic Games that is less about story (though it does have one) and more about destroying robots and having a blast doing it. The game has so many varied attack options that you'll feel super powerful and right in the action.

Armed with a pistol, a revolver, a shotgun, and plasma rifle, you can easily blast apart baddies however you choose — and sometimes it's more fun to ignore your guns altogether. You can tear robots apart, deflect bullets, grab enemies and point their weapons at other enemies, and other creative destructive techniques. Certain levels have bonus objectives that give you higher scores if you kill robots in certain ways, so you have an incentive to replay levels and top your past performance.

There are positives and negatives to the Unplugged version of Robo Recall. Epic Games had to severely limit the graphics to port the game to the Quest, but aggressively fighting robots is more fun when you're untethered from your PC. While the game may look slightly better on the Quest 2, we don't have any news on an enhanced patch to the game, which still runs on version 1.0 for now. —Michael Hicks

Robo Recall: Unplugged

$30 at Oculus Store

Defective, violent robots are trying to overthrow humanity. As a Recaller, you must destroy them all by any means necessary. A robot apocalypse has never been this fun!

Space Pirate Trainer

The most fun arcadey VR shooter available, even if you're not really a pirate.

Space Pirate Trainer is a fast-paced arena shooter styled after an 80s arcade cabinet, and it'll give you a serious workout without ever feeling like work. Colorful enemies swarm in the sky around you, so pick up a gun and shoot them as fast as you can. Dual-wield pistols and switch between attack types to wreck enemies that much faster, or use a shield in your off-hand and reflect lasers back at them while shooting from behind cover.

There's no story to be found here, only more and more enemies that appear from a wide arc to your front, sides, or top, plus the occasional mini-boss. While there are different modes, these only add or remove perks, such as healing you between rounds or removing the auto-slow motion that triggers when a laser gets close. The latter perk temporarily turns Space Pirate Trainer into the Matrix meets SUPERHOT, encouraging you to contort your body to avoid damage. Some players ignore the shield and rely entirely on their reflexes to improve their scores.

SPT is more affordable than a lot of Quest games and is endlessly replayable, feeling just as exciting after hours of play — and it recently got a big graphical boost for the newest Oculus headset. You'll take time to master different gun modes, like one that lets you catch and slam enemies to the ground, and eventually feel like a real space pirate (whatever that is). We just hope a sequel is on the way that either adds a story or pays homage to other classic arcade games. —Michael Hicks

Space Pirate Trainer

$15 at Oculus Store

More and more enemies fly at you in waves, and you must aim on the fly to shoot them down while blocking or dodging their attacks. This is one of the most popular Quest 2 games today!

SUPERHOT

It's like the first time you saw The Matrix, but you're Neo

Chances are if you're a gamer who loves first-person shooters, you've probably played one of the two SUPERHOT games. Our SUPERHOT: Mind Control Delete review conveyed just how much better the SUPERHOT formula is with the replayability of a roguelike, but if you thought that was amazing, you won't believe what SUPERHOT is like in VR. This isn't just some ordinary shooter in VR; it's a game that's been redesigned from the ground up with VR in mind, all while utilizing a concept that's wholly unique to SUPERHOT.

SUPERHOT VR takes place in the dungeon-like computer room of a hacker — you — who utilizes floppies and a VR headset to hack into some obfuscated system. While it's not directly explained, the story looks to be a direct extension of what you'll experience in other SUPERHOT games, and, indeed, the developers consider this game the second in the SUPERHOT series (and the fourth may be in VR, as well).

When you play it, you immediately understand what physical presence can lend to a concept like SUPERHOT. Sure, the base mechanics are the same — time moves when you move, so choose your movements wisely — but extending this concept to your actual body is what makes all the difference. When an enemy shoots at you, you can completely freeze time to make your next strategic move by simply not moving your arms. This doesn't just make you feel like Neo from The Matrix; it makes you feel utterly invincible.

There's nothing quite like mastering the ability to toss weapons to the next story area, only to catch them mid-air and take out enemies in an unexpected way. It's truly super hot — and super required to play if you've got an Oculus Quest 2. —Nick Sutrich

SUPERHOT

$25 at Oculus Store

When you stop moving, time stops moving. Use that tactic to achieve greatness the likes of which you could never before have imagined in this unique first-person shooter.

The Best Music and Rhythm VR Games

The best Oculus Quest 2 games

  • Shooters
  • Music and rhythm
    • Audica
    • Beat Saber
    • Pistol Whip
    • Rez Infinite
    • Synth Riders
    • Thumper
  • Exercise
  • Multiplayer
  • Action
  • Horror
  • Family-friendly
  • Puzzles and relaxation
  • Oculus Link

Music and rhythm VR games are probably the best for both virtual beginners and VR experts. They're often bright, flashy games with catchy music and simple gameplay. You often just have to point or swipe your controllers at bright objects flying towards you, quickly and accurately. As you improve your personal rhythm and up the difficulty, you'll slowly get more and more of a tough workout while you're distracted by the fun time you're having! Here are the best music and rhythm VR games for the Oculus Quest 2.

Audica

Giving target practice a whole new name (and a theme song)

When Audica was first announced in early 2019, my first thought was "Sweet! Beat Saber with guns!" Turns out that's not a really accurate description, as it stands wholly on its own as a game that defines the "rhythm shooter" genre. After all, developer Harmonix is responsible for creating Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance Central, and many, many more music games.

So what makes Audica so good? Think of it as the ultimate target practice game, but one where the targets appear to the beat of dozens of killer songs. Watching the trailer above will give you a cursory glance at just how badass playing Audica will make you feel. That's particularly true of the hardest two difficulty levels, which will challenge not just your speed and your aim, but also your rhythm and your ability to multitask like never before.

The one downside is that Audica hasn't gotten any new official songs in over a year. Luckily, it's similar enough to Osu!, a rhythm game on PC, that somebody made a mod that converts Osu songs to Audica with no need to modify anything. —Nick Sutrich

Audica

$30 at Oculus Store

Audica's pumping soundtrack will get your pulse pounding while you shoot targets to the beat, all while feeling like the most badass gunslinger ever.

Beat Saber

It's a VR icon for a reason

Beat Saber hardly needs an introduction. It's become a pop culture icon the way no other VR game can even claim, boasting sales numbers and user install bases that most VR developers can only dream of. The game receives regular updates and new songs, including free song updates and tons of DLC packs from the likes of Imagine Dragons and BTS, as well as plenty of original music.

The addictive block-slicing gameplay will have you coming back again and again until you, quite literally, can't move your arms. There's even a way to add custom songs to Beat Saber if you're willing to do a little bit of legwork — something that will pay off when you've all of a sudden unlocked the path to thousands upon thousands of new songs for the game.

I remember the first time I saw the original Beat Saber trailer over three years ago. Holding lightsabers laser swords and slicing blocks to the beat of a song, all in VR? Talk about a dream come true. Little did I know what simply looked like a ton of fun would become the defining reason that so many people would jump into VR. Beat Saber is for anyone and everyone, with skill levels and songs to please all sorts. If this one isn't already in your library, fix that mistake this instant. —Nick Sutrich

Beat Saber

$30 at Oculus Store

Beat Saber is one of the most iconic music games of all time, and one of the best ways to get an incredible workout at home in VR.

Pistol Whip

For all the John Wicks out there

From the moment the first trailer dropped for Pistol Whip I was fully on-board. John Wick in VR? What's not to love about that?

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04/05/2021 08:00 PM