2021 brought a myriad of new titles to VR fans, from long-awaited sequels to classic horror VR remakes and breathtaking narrative experiences. With titles such as Resident Evil 4, Lone Echo II, and A Township Tale, along with great updates to VR classics such as Beat Saber, this year seemed unbeatable in terms of releases.
There is no shortage of announced releases for 2022 for VR fans to get excited about, however. Other classic remakes, sequels, and new experiences will fill the coming year, giving VR fans new and improved gaming experiences in a variety of genres.
These are the best upcoming VR games coming in 2022.
Hubris
Hubris is a multi-episode saga set in a unique sci-fi universe where players play the role of a training recruit looking to become an agent in the Order of Objectivity. By using strength and agility to survive harsh environments on a faraway planet, players will have to fight other agents and learn how to craft weapons and vehicles.
The game features a full VR experience with free movement that involves swimming, jumping, and climbing. Players will experience an epic and immersive environment full of alien wildlife, machine enemies, and great characters as they gather resources, craft weapons, and uncover the story and secrets behind the Order of Objectivity.
Hubris has a planned release date for 2022.
Zenith
Zenith is a stunning MMO project for VR developed by Ramen VR and funded through Kickstarter. It was inspired by the team’s favorite animes and JRPGs, and their mission was to build a space where people could fight, craft, explore, and socialize by creating a unique experience together.
Players can forge alliances in guilds, participate in raids, or make their own path, just as in any good MMO. In terms of characters customizations, players can bend the classic MMO builds such as mage, tank, or DPS, and mix them into all kinds of combinations, such as a mage tank. Every character class will be able to fulfill each of these roles. According to the title’s Kickstarter page, the world has been intricately built to make players feel like the game is as close to real-life as possible. “That’s why we’ve invested so much time and energy into crafting the environment to be visually striking, and beautiful.”
The developers’ emphasis on world-building and immersive gameplay has made this title one of the most intriguing and anticipated VR announcements for 2022.
Zenith has a planned release date of “early 2022,” according to its Steam page.
Green Hell VR
Green Hell VR is shaping up to be the most authentic and challenging survival game for VR to date. Scheduled to release in 2022, the game takes place in the Amazon jungle, where the player takes on the role of Jake Higgins, a famous anthropologist who finds himself needing to survive by avoiding wild animals, crafting tools, and learning how to stay out of harm’s way.
A powerful story throws players deep into the Amazon rainforest packed with predators. The main character, Jake, will only have a backpack, a pocket watch, and a survival guide. He follows the voice of a loved one that will lead him through the jungle on a quest to find out how he got there.
Green Hell VR will feature classic survival elements such as crafting, building, and healing, as well as ranged and melee combat, a night and day cycle with weather conditions, and an environmental research system.
Ultrawings 2
Ultrawings 2 is the sequel to a flight simulator that was released in 2017. In Ultrawings 2, you can earn in-game currency by completing missions. You can then spend it to buy new aircraft and islands.
Each aircraft is modeled from its real-life version, although the developers have played around with flight physics to unlock the game’s full potential in VR.
Ultrawings 2 is scheduled to release in February 2022.
The Exorcist VR: Legion (SIN)
This game was announced by developer Fun Train in November. It’s a direct sequel to 2019’s The Exorcist Legion VR, which blended action and mystery to immerse players into a story where they had to search for artifacts, solve puzzles, and survive demonic encounters in a terrifying atmosphere.
The Exorcist VR: Legion (SIN) is an expansion on the original story and adds a multiplayer function to the game, allowing players, for the first time, to band together to face demons.
The Exorcist VR: Legion VR SIN will be available in late 2022.
Wanderer
Wanderer is one of the most hyped VR games for 2022. Developed by M-Theory and Oddboy, the game takes players back in time to change the course of history and prevent the collapse of civilization.
Wanderer is made up of escape room-style puzzles, hands-on interactions, and action arcade sequences that give players the chance to explore a beautifully designed and immersive world. Taking on the role of Asher Neumann, the protagonist searches his grandfather’s apartment for artifacts and finds an unusual wristwatch that has the power to travel through time and space.
The game features a breadth of interactive gameplay elements such as experimenting with crazy inventors, defending ancient civilizations from invasions, and decoding military messages in the middle of a war.
Wanderer is set for release on PC VR and PSVR in January 2022.
Honorable mention: Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell for VR
After a number of rumors and potential leaks, The Facebook Connect conference in 2020 confirmed Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell fans would get both titles on VR in the future.
There haven’t been any official details regarding either title’s setting, story, or release date. That said, 2022 might mark the release of another title in the Assassin’s Creed franchise—earning it a spot as an honorable mention in our list.
In 2018, Ubisoft released an on-site Assassin’s Creed VR experience called The Temple of Anubis, which was installed as part of the Ubisoft Experience in Orlando. The 10-minute gameplay experience took place in a 120 sq. ft area and had guests shoot a bow and arrow at enemies as they made their way out of the temple. However, Ubisoft’s next Assassin’s Creed VR project will likely be entirely different—and more accessible.
