Half-life: Alyx

from £41 / Oculus, Vive, Valve Index

Announcing Alyx as not only a ‘midquel’ but a VR exclusive got some Half-life diehards riled up… but in classic Valve fashion, the end result is utterly brilliant. Alyx succeeds because its universe just happens to be a perfect fit for the format. It’s also larger and much more robust than most VR games, at a meaty 12-15 hours. And though it unfolds at a different kind of cadence to past Half-life games, it feels like a fully fledged solo campaign and a key part of the franchise narrative. Stuff says ★★★★★

Valve’s beloved series returns… and offers one of the strongest arguments to date for VR gaming

Beat Saber from £23 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR

Gleefully swing your twin lightsabers to chop blocks that are flung your way to the thumping beat of a song. This game has reinvented the rhythm genre for VR and it’s glorious, especially on the cable-free Quest.

Stuff says ★★★★★

A mesmerising musical melee Star Wars: Squadrons from £16 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR

Suit up and enter the cockpit in this dazzling dogfighter, a robust Star Wars sim that you can play fully in VR across the entire experience – campaign missions and online shootouts alike.

Stuff says ★★★★✩

Spacey fun… and even better with a joystick Pistol Whip ★★★★✩ from £20 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR

Like John Wick meets EDM, this rhythmic blaster makes you feel like a master assassin. Population: One ★★★★✩ from £23 / Oculus, Vive

Not as polished as Fortnite, but still a ripping battle-royale shooter with chaotic action.