Forgotten VR Gems That Need a Remaster

Remastering old games is a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down, with the likes of flat-screen titles like Silent Hill 2 and System Shock just some of those modernised. When it comes to VR, what we tend to get are VR ports instead, where older games such as Resident Evil 4 VR receive an immersive makeover. But with modern VR gaming now over a decade old, XRSource feels there are some forgotten VR gems that deserve a remaster.

Forgotten VR Gems Remaster

Now, let’s be clear, some of the reasons for remastering the following games are different for each. Sometimes it’s as simple as offering wider support for newer platforms. Other times, it’s because while the game was good, it hasn’t aged well and needs a new lease of life. Many PSVR 2 owners who owned the original PSVR could quite easily name ten or more games that should’ve been ported over.

That’s a whole different conversation and one that would be a great deal longer than this. Of course, some games like Arizona Sunshine have received a remake, as well as a sequel. But these are a very rare breed.

So, dusting off our memory banks for some gentle reminiscing, here are some of the VR games we’d love to see given a new lease of life.

Battlezone

This was actually the game that started this whole trip down memory lane in the first place. Way before Sniper Elite VR and Zombie Army VR, British studio Rebellion entered the world of VR with Battlezone.

Originally released back in 2017 for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and eventually PSVR, Battlezone was a futuristic tank combat title. Offering a solo campaign as well as online multiplayer battle, the gameplay was fast, furious and most importantly (for the time) comfortable. Because in that era, most devs were still experimenting with locomotion to avoid the dreaded VR nausea. And one of the ways to do that was to make a seated experience.

Battlezone was a blast, with striking visuals matched by fluid gameplay. You had several tanks to choose from and an arsenal of weapons to tailor your combat style. Whilst still available on Steam and PlayStation Store, it would be great to see Battlezone revamped, upgraded and brought to Meta Quest.

Robo Recall

10 years ago, everyone knew the potential that VR had to usher in a new era of first-person shooters. However, those early years (around 2016) saw an influx of stationary wave shooters – think Space Pirate Trainer – because, once again, locomotion was an issue. However, Epic Games – when it still had an interest in VR – thought differently and released the seminal Robo Recall.

Unlike any other game at the time, Robo Recall took what Epic learnt from Bullet Train and greatly expanded upon it. Quick teleportation, guns that didn’t need reloading (just grab a new one from your holster), Robo Recall was built for non-stop action. And it was incredibly fun juggling robots in the air with each shot or ripping their heads off. These mechanics have inspired many games since then, but we feel it’s time for a sequel (or a remaster at least!). If you want to relive it, Robo Recall: Unplugged is available for Meta Quest.

Defense Grid 2: Enhanced VR Edition

Tower defence games have proven to work very well in VR, with Defense Grid 2: Enhanced VR Edition one of the early pioneers – it was a launch day game for Oculus Rift. Created by Hidden Path Entertainment, the original Defense Grid 2 had already done exceedingly well for the studio, released a couple of years earlier.

Defense Grid 2: Enhanced VR Edition really allowed players to get into the action. Not only did you have a traditional god-view to place your turrets, but you could get into a tower for a ground view of the action. And to make use of VR’s ability to easily inspect every area in detail, Hidden Path hid golden cores to collect. Still available on the PC VR section of the Horizon Store, needless to say, we want a new version of this.

Syren

Okay, so this might be a bit of an unconventional choice considering how many VR horror games there are out there. Especially as Syren had a very mixed reception at launch in 2017. Developed by HammerheadVR – the folks behind ABE VR – Syren took place underwater, in a deep-sea station, where a scientist has been conducting horrific experiments to recreate a lost species called ‘Syrens’. Naturally, this has gone terribly wrong, and you play someone sent to investigate.

The story was passable, and the atmosphere was very tense and creepy. But there were issues, such as simple AI and occasional bugs. There was also the fact that the game was split in two, essentially two episodes. The first was purely stealth-focused, while episode 2 was purely action. So it felt a bit mismatched.

Even so, the overall idea had great potential, and a remaster adjusting for these issues could make for a terrifying game.

Fantastic Contraption

There’s been quite a lot of action in our forgotten VR games list, so now let’s slow things down. In 2016, for the launch of HTC Vive, Northway Games released Fantastic Contraption, a showcase of the headset’s Lighthouse-based tracking.

This was a wonderfully inventive puzzle game for the PC VR headset, a surreal building game where players had to build stuff that could move and complete a puzzle once they set it in motion. While it does look a little dated by today’s standards, the mechanics are still sound. It’s one of those games most will have forgotten about, but a remaster would allow a whole new audience to enjoy Fantastic Contraption once again.

What do you think of our selection? What game would you have chosen from 2016? Let us know in the comments.