Despite shipment problems and an expectedly slower start to consumer virtual reality adoption, E3 2016 is full of impressive experiences. We've rounded up some of our favorites, including original creations and games adapted or otherwise based on other source material.
We'll be updating this throughout E3, so check back for more of VR's best during the week.
Volume: Coda
Developer: Bithell Games
Platforms: PSVR
Release: Fall 2016
After making a name for himself with the adorably angular Thomas Was Alone, Mike Bithell and his team switched gears to deliver a futuristic Robin Hood tale. Volume was released to acclaim, and it is about to get a free expansion.
Volume: Coda will be out during the PlayStation VR launch window, bringing 30 new missions and some simple but effective virtual reality implementation. Players can tilt, zoom, and rotate the map to get a better perspective on patroling enemies.
The Coda add-on also brings every existing level, all user-generated content, and a VR level editor with it. For more on Volume, check out our review of the original.
Batman: Arkham VR
Developer: Rocksteady
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Platforms: PSVR
Release: October 2016
Rocksteady's Batman games have always been about delivering the fantasy of putting on The Dark Knight's cowl. In Batman: Arkham VR, you'll do exactly that as you suit up and take to the streets to investigate a mystery in Gotham.
A brief demo shows off Arkham VR as a visual novel experience. After discovering a grisly murder, you'll need to investigate the scene and figure out exactly what happened.
The short build was clearly a slice of something larger, though don't expect a full-length Batman game. You can read our in-depth hands-on for more.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Developer: Red Storm
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Rift, Vive, PSVR
Release: Fall 2016
If you've ever played Space Team or Artemis, it's likely you noticed the Star Trek influence. In those games, players are responsible for manning their posts and coordinating with other members of the team in order to successfully complete missions about a starship.
Ubisoft and Red Storm are delivering the concept of being on a Federation ship's bridge, with players taking posts as Captain, tactical officer, helmsman, and engineering. With unique information, the captain provides mission details to the crew, which must not only listen and execute, but remain aware of what is going on around the bridge.
In the demo available at E3, our team had to quickly shift gears between rescuing survivors in life pods and fending off a vicious Klingon attack. Since you can't beam people aboard with the shields up, each rescue was a tense, tactical moment.
When it launches this fall, Star Trek Bridge Crew will feature a story campaign and procedural mission generator. You can read more in our in-depth hands-on preview.
Wilson's Heart
Developer: Twisted Pixel
Publisher: Oculus Studios
Platforms: Rift (Touch Required)
Release: 2017
Imagine waking up in a classic Twilight Zone episode and you've got the underpinnings for Twisted Pixel's horror adventure game, Wilson's Heart. The game begins as you wake from surgery in a ruined hospital. There is no one else there, you have pain in your chest, and you need to investigate to figure out what's happened to you.
As Wilson (voiced by Robocop's Peter Weller), you must poke around the increasingly terrifying environment to discover what's happened. Wilson's Heart isn't for the timid. During my brief time with it, there were a number of jump scares and tense moments.
However, because this is an adventure game, there is a cinematic feel that gives players an emotional break after tweaking them with frights. Movement is handled with a variation of the increasingly popular teleportation mechanic. However, you can only zip to specific silhouette locations.
This keeps the story guided, though there are exploration opportunities off the critical path. The highlight of the demo was the appearance of a stuffed animal that reminded us of an evil version of Seth McFarland's, Ted.
The cackling creature escapes from a portrait and climbs up the back of a nurse who doesn't realize it's there. The bear gleefully tosses the poor woman around before killing her off-screen. Twisted Pixel seems to be making smart choices for VR by implying a lot of the violence.
Wilson's Heart is likely to be too much for some people, but even without a deep love for horror, I was captivated by the story's introduction. Peter Weller is joined by Rosario Dawson and Alfred Molina, giving the game star power. The full game will be eight to ten hours, so we have much more to explore next year.
For more VR highlights from E3, head to page two.