The Best VR Games On PC In 2022 - PCGamesN

The best VR games set themselves apart from anything you've ever experienced in traditional games before by putting you directly in the world to make your adventure as immersive as possible. Since the release of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive back in 2016, the VR market has exploded in popularity, and it's only going to get bigger in 2026 when the Steam Frame launches.

While there are many VR experiences out there, we're going to be more choosy, handpicking the top PC VR games that you can play as long as you have Steam installed. After all, we only have room for the best VR games, and there have been some fantastic ones in the past year alone.

The best VR games in 2026 are:

1. Half-Life: Alyx

A new Half-Life game has landed in our virtual laps, and though it's not Half-Life 3, it fits into the series chronologically between Half-Life 1 and 2. You are Alyx Vance, fighting against the Combine alongside her father, Eli. Though fans questioned the decision to develop the game for VR exclusively, Valve has undoubtedly taken a pioneering leap with Half-Life: Alyx, crafting an experience that showcases what VR can do for the gaming experience without compromising what makes the Half-Life series so great.

In his Half-Life: Alyx review, Dustin describes how Alyx "deliver[s] on two sets of overwhelming expectations", with a "vibe that sits somewhere between the intimate exploration of Gone Home and the frightening resource management of Resident Evil". He praises the satisfaction of rummaging around, nudging doors, and catching grenades - and the last few levels, he says, are "immensely creative as both a culmination of the game's mechanics and a wildly varied presentation of new stuff".

Whether you're a stalwart fan of the Half-Life series or don't know your crowbars from your (head)crabs, it's safe to say Half-Life: Alyx is a must-play for VR gamers eager to experience the latest innovations of the genre.

2. Beat Saber

Beat Saber is, basically, Guitar Hero with lightsabers. In this rhythm game, you use your controllers to slash oncoming glowing cubes that fly towards you in time with its slick music. Each cube also has a directional arrow symbol indicating which direction to cut, adding that extra level of challenge.

The color and light in Beat Saber give the game its futuristic feel. Each hit gives off satisfying sparks on impact, and your colorful targets glow gloriously in the surrounding darkness. The cubes are synchronized to the beat of the song, so you'll want to pair your VR gear with a great pair of headphones to experience Beat Saber's pounding electronic soundtrack properly.

3. Superhot VR

Superhot shot to indie fame on a simple but ingenious premise: time only moves when you do. Feeling overwhelmed? Stay motionless, and the ravages of time are frozen as long as you need to catch your breath. A barrage of bullets might be ready to tear into you, but you can see them coming and plan your escape. Essentially, it is gaming's answer to the Matrix. Dodging bullets and attacks physically rather than with a keyboard or controller increases the immersion, reinventing a simple mechanic into one of the best VR games around.

4. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Have you ever wanted to sit in the cockpit of an airplane without the risk of suddenly ending your life with one wrong move? Microsoft Flight Simulator allows you to safely take to the skies and land on the runway like a proper pilot. Pop on a VR headset, and suddenly, it's as if you're there, looking out of the side window as clouds pass you by, without the steward trying hard to get you back to your seat.

However, while the whole world is navigable thanks to Microsoft Azure technology, the purposefully created DLC locations truly shine. Climb aboard a helicopter while flying over the Grand Canyon, weave a small jet plane between skyscrapers in New York, or take a seaplane across the Serengeti. The world truly is your oyster. Read our Microsoft Flight Simulator review for a deep dive into why this is a must-play for even the non-aeronautical among us.

5. Skyrim VR

Bethesda helped to push VR when it was making its first real leap into the mainstream space with the release of great games like Doom VFR, Fallout 4 VR, and Skyrim VR. The only problem with these games is that they were all released right as VR was taking off, meaning if you go back to them in 2024, there are some obvious quality-of-life tweaks that could be made to drastically enhance the experience. Fortunately, Bethesda included one crucial component to ensure Skyrim VR could live forever: mod support.

Some people consider Skyrim VR with mods to be one of the best virtual reality experiences you can have. There are mod lists you can download that take all the headache out of modding, installing everything in a precise order to ensure you don't run into any problems. The mods improve the visuals, refine some mechanics to make them more suited to VR, and add even more missions and quests to an already massive game.

6. Tetris Effect

If there's one thing that separates Tetris Effect from countless other Tetris games, it's the music and gorgeous particle effects. Each level of Tetris Effect is based on a different musical track, with the rhythm represented by how swiftly the blocks fall. As the music track progresses, you must react to the changing tempo, changing how quickly you place each tetromino to keep up with the music. It's not just a case of keeping pace, though, as the beat reacts to every tetromino movement and placement, layering new elements to the soundscape.

As this unfolds, you're treated to a light show that forms the backdrop of the Tetris board, from slow-paced pop framed with blue bursts of particles that form the outline of a dolphin to a jazz track set to the backdrop of a city at nighttime, with beams of light streaming across the board like a steady flow of traffic. The visuals are striking, and playing Tetris Effect in VR allows you to immerse yourself as they surround you.

7. Arizona Sunshine Remake

Arizona Sunshine is one of the games that helped shape virtual reality games when it launched back in 2016, but things have changed drastically since then, and now you can feel how dated it is in 2025. That's where the remake comes in, modernizing the controls, enhancing the visuals, and rolling in all the DLC content to create the perfect version of the original game.

Placed in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, you and a friend can group up together as you tackle the co-op campaign, where you'll blast away waves of zombies with over 25 weapons to pick from. There's also a horde mode where you can play with three of your mates, letting you put your survival skills to work as you attempt to stay alive for as long as you can.

8. Metro Awakening

Few VR horror games nail post-apocalyptic dread like the Metro series, and Vertigo Games has managed to take 4A's already-harrowing jaunt through the Russian metro system and dial up the suspense.

If you're after an atmospheric VR experience, this is the one. In our Metro Awakening review we note that the new, unique Metro experience "nails its predecessors' atmosphere, narrative elements, and tense combat." In fact, we reckon it's the de facto way to experience Metro.

9. Pavlov VR

Pavlov VR is one of the most popular shooters on the platform, featuring crossplay on all the major headsets. Fighting soldiers in VR changes the way you approach combat compared to regular, pancake shooters. If you're a nervous person, you might struggle in Pavlov as you need to remain composed in this fast-paced shooter.

When it comes to reloading your weapon, you need to manually replace each clip, and that can lead to disastrous consequences if you're feeling anxious during combat. If you can find a group of friends to play Pavlov with, you should have a great time with the variety of game modes and weapons on offer.

10. Metal Hellsinger VR

Metal Hellsinger VR is what you get when you mix the demon slaying action of Doom with the thrill of landing combos in Guitar Hero. As a half-demon warrior known as The Unknown (oh, the irony), it's your job to travel through the depths of Hell, destroying every demon you lay your eyes on.

Set to the rocking original soundtrack featuring metal legends like System of a Down's Serj Tankian and Trivium's Matt Heafy, this first-person shooter requires you to slay to the beat, requiring you to shoot in time with the rhythm of the music. If you're a fan of metal music and killing demons, Metal Hellsinger VR is a no-brainer.

11. No Man's Sky

It's time to take your protein pills and put your helmet on as you journey across the universe in No Man's Sky. Explore uncharted planets, face off against hostile enemies and creatures, and complete your journey toward the center of the universe. No Man's Sky has been slowly upgraded over the years to become one of the best VR games out there. You will need a beefy computer to experience the game in all of its glory, but it's well worth it, as there aren't many space games like this one.

12. Phasmophobia

There's no feeling quite like being scared in a horror game, and in VR, there are many spooky options out there. But, for our money, we can think of no better experience than Phasmophobia. Team up with three other paranormal investigators as you explore haunted locations, discovering clues to reveal which one of the many ghastly ghouls you're up against.

Playing Phasmophobia in VR makes the game more immersive, especially if your microphone is turned on. You can use gadgets like the Spirit Box to interact with the ghosts as safely as possible before they try to stop you. With more big updates on the horizon, now's the time to jump in and solve these paranormal mysteries.

13. Blade and Sorcery

Become a master of the blade and study the arts of destructive magic simultaneously in Blade and Sorcery. After six long years of early access development, Blade and Sorcery is now finally a finished product. On top of the excellent support from the devs, Blade and Sorcery has a thriving mod scene that has taken the game to new heights. Fighting with swords is cool, but modders have added lightsabers and Force powers to let fans live out their Star Wars dreams.

And so concludes our collection of digital worlds that you can have beamed into your gelatinous eye spheres via the glorious medium of VR games. You can also check out the best VR horror games if you're after something spookier, and if you're searching for regular pancake games, our best PC games list will sort you right out.