Press Care
Level up your kindness with this VR selection
£9.99 LIGHT TRACER
The only way is up for this pint-sized princess. In a unique twist on the platformer, you’re given indirect control of the princess on her ascent. With your shining rod, you provide a light that shows her where to go and what to do. Your tiny charge is perilously squishy, prone to falling from precipices, and a one-hitpoint wonder in the face of enemy attacks, so you’ll need to keep an attentive eye on her.
The control system takes some getting used to and can be frustratingly fiddly, especially as you’re constantly trying to adjust your view of the stage with your free hand. But the visual direction is strong throughout and the boss fights are particularly memorable for their old-school puzzle sensibilities. While this adventure is Lilliputian in proportion, we can’t argue with its bite-sized price tag for what’s on offer here.
£11.99 KONRAD THE KITTEN
This virtual pet simulator sets you to work caring for its titular kitten. You can wash, feed, play with, and even customise the itty bitty kitty. You’ll need to keep an eye on how your feline is feeling as each action or minigame will drain a portion of their energy and they won’t be able to play again until the following day.
Very arcadey in its interpretation of animal handling, there are gimmicky features that I can’t help smiling at. The option to strap your motion control to a plushy for a VR cuddle warms all of my hearts, and the minigames where you hurl poor Konrad through the air in the name of a high score are worthy of a laugh. Unfortunately, I was turned off by the rough visuals, lightweight gameplay, and contrived, daily demand on my time. Perhaps I’m not cut out for parenting…
£11.99 DINO FRONTIER
It’s probably bad form to have a favourite geologic period based on the oversized reptiles that were stomping around back then, but dinosaurs are never not going to be the coolest thing ever. For many the only thing that comes close is cowboys, and Dino Frontier casts a wide net that unites the two.
This settlement sim looks and feels joyful to play though is painfully brief. From resource farming and dino and settler training to bandit showdowns in the quarry, I’m hungry for a main course follow up that expands on the delectable hors d’oeuvres I hoovered up over the four-hour play time. While raising my own dinosaurs to do my bidding was a lot of fun, the game isn’t ultimately built for multiple playthroughs. I’m definitely keeping my fingers crossed for an expanded sequel with an endless mode.