Best VR Co-Op Games

OUR TOP PICK

POPULATION: ONE

Widely regarded by critics as one of the best VR games ever made, POPULATION: ONE is a great way to kick off our list.

The game takes on the very popular first-person shooter, battle royale format that we’re seeing more and more often with big name titles like Call Of Duty. However, the magic of this game is in its implementation of VR technology.

This game uses a really unique movement system, using a vertical combat system (VCS) to allow players to battle on a whole new dimension.

All throughout the in-game environment, there are structures that players can climb and jump off of to fly around the map. This is a super cool movement system that you won’t often see in any FPS games, let alone one in VR!

You can even build structures in this game, customize your character and play solo or with a team of friends. It really does combine all the best features of the biggest battle royale games into one.

Of course, with a premise like this, POPULATION: ONE lends itself very well to co-op and multiplayer. You can load into a game with a squad of your friends and try to survive and take out the enemy until you’re the only team left.

Some people might find the battle royale format a little repetitive and, whilst it’s true that each game will follow the exact same format, the environment and randomness of other players online means no two games will ever be the same.

You can play this game sitting down or standing up as you only really need to move your arms a great deal to control character movement.

A lot of functions can be done with your fingers, using the handheld controller so you don’t have to worry too much about getting worn out!

Pros

• Critically acclaimed - This game has been heralded as one of the best VR games ever
• Vertical combat system - This unique way of moving through the map makes this game super fun just to navigate through
• VR exclusivity - You won’t have to worry about facing other players who aren’t using a VR headset, as this game exclusively works through VR
• Battle royale - This is the format used by some of the biggest and most popular games in the world

Cons

• Lack of depth - The only real issue with this game is that it only has a single format and that could get repetitive for some players after a while

EDITORS CHOICE

Pavlov VR

Pavlov VR is another first person shooter game that uses a variety of different game modes and a focus on community to differentiate it from the competition.

FPS games are obviously very popular across the world because they make players feel immersed in the environment of the game.

The implementation of VR in this game is, therefore, an even more immersive experience for players and it really does feel like you’re in a WWII warzone as you battle through various game modes.

For this game in particular, the variety of game modes is what sets it apart from others in the VR category. You can choose to play a standard deathmatch which is one of the most common in FPS games.

You can also play against a team of bots, king of the hill, practice range, killhouse and many more.

There are plenty of different game modes to keep you entertained whether you’re playing on your own or with a group of friends.

Another super cool feature is the realistic tanks that you can drive and operate with multiple players on your team. You’ll have to work well together and have one player driving the tank while others operate the guns all around it.

As well as the WWII themed maps, there are some modern settings too, with more that can always be added in the future as the game is updated.

Even communicating with your team is realistic in this game. It uses proximity voice chat and radio communication, meaning you won’t be able to hear other people in the map, regardless of where they are.

You can only communicate with teammates if they are close to you or if you speak to them over a radio.

Similarly, you can spy on enemies and overhear their conversations if you get close enough without them seeing you. This feature really does make this game feel like an actual battle!

Pros

• Variety of game modes - It would be very difficult to get bored of this game with the plethora of different game modes you can try out
• Multi-crew operated tanks - This is a really fun feature that forces you to communicate effectively with your teammates
• Proximity voice chat - Just another feature that makes this game feel realistic
• Moddability - This game supports the use of mods, meaning you can download user generated content from the internet

Cons

• Mature content - Unfortunately, because some of the content in this game is so realistic, it might not be appropriate for young children to play

BEST VALUE

STAR WARS: Squadrons

One of the biggest names in the cinematic universe, Star Wars is one of the best concepts to base games around.

The likes of the Battlefront series have been popular across a variety of consoles for decades so it seems only right that a game should be made for virtual reality.

There are a few different game modes you can enjoy solo or with a group.

The single player story mode uses all of the storytelling techniques that makes the Star Wars movies so captivating.

If you feel like chilling out and playing a game on your own, playing through this story is the perfect way to do it.

However, the best game mode for co-op play is definitely the 5v5 multiplayer dogfights.

This mode sees you team up with 4 other players- either a group of friends or random other players online- and battle against another team in outer space. 

You can even modify your ship and improve its speed or gun power to give your squad a better chance in dogfights.

Of course, this game is perfect for VR technology as it makes you feel like a character in a Star Wars movie. It might take some getting used to flying a spaceship with a VR headset on but once you do it will feel very cool.

The main appeal of this game is the Star Wars universe. It’s a well known and beloved set of locations, characters and vehicles that make this game perfect for a hardcore Star Wars fan.

However, if you aren’t a huge fan of the movie franchise, this game doesn’t offer a lot more for co-op and multiplayer modes than some other VR games.

Pros

• Star Wars universe - Of course, the best feature of this game is the use of real Star Wars locations, characters and vehicles from the actual movies
• 5v5 dogfights - Being able to fight with futuristic spaceships above a foreign planet is one of the coolest things you can do in a video game
• Single player story - This isn’t necessarily important for those who only want to play co-op modes but it’s definitely a fun way to spend time on your own

Cons

• Lack of depth - Sadly, there aren’t many different game modes and the game lacks some of the variety you get from other Star Wars games

RUNNER UP

Sprint Vector

We’re taking a break from the adrenaline-fuelled first person shooter games now, with Sprint Vector being a slightly more arcade-style multiplayer game.

The premise is simple: players have to race through a crazy, obstacle-filled course to get to the finish line first.

It seems simple enough but the game show atmosphere means there are plenty of challenges that come in your way when racing through.

The movement mechanics are top notch in this game as it uses Survios’ Fluid Locomotion System which makes every move feel satisfying and has a whole race flow together seamlessly.

There are so many ways to progress through the track, including drifting, climbing, flying and shooting.

What makes this such a good co-op game for VR is the ability to play the game with and against your friends in real time.

You can have up to 8 people racing through a track simultaneously, giving you all the thrill of seeing your opponent ahead of you and desperately trying to catch up!

However, you can also play in time trial modes and compete on leaderboards with the best players in the world for the fastest times.

Whilst this might seem like quite a simplistic game at surface level, there are plenty of different courses, challenges, weapons and power ups to keep each race exciting and leave you plenty to do.

Pros

• Graphics - There’s nothing too complex about this game’s graphics but the whole world seems vibrant, colorful and is great to look at
• Variety of tracks and challenges - This keeps the game fresh, even after months of playing it
• 8 player simultaneous racing - You can have up to 8 friends playing with you at the same time, racing through one of the courses
• Suitable for everyone - This game has really simple mechanics and features, meaning any one of any age or ability can pick it up and enjoy playing

Cons

• Lack of depth - Despite the range of courses and challenges, there isn’t much more to this game than racing through pre-determined tracks

RUNNER UP

SculptrVR

This is another simple game that provides a more relaxing experience for you to enjoy with your friends, rather than shooting at each other!

Let your creative energy burst through in this game, as it allows you to sculpt and create any kind of artistic masterpiece you can come up with. The artistic tools in this game really are perfectly designed for use in VR.

The ability to step inside your creation, modify from up close or far away, and zoom up to 10,000x means you have full control over how your creations end up looking.

You can invite your friends into a canvas and create some artwork together and explore each other’s work with a hang glider.

One of the most fun features of this game is this notion of flying through an environment you’ve just constructed. What’s even more fun is the fact that you can blow up your creations with rockets once you’re done!

Pros

• Relaxing experience - This isn’t a competitive game and can therefore be enjoyed at your own pace
• High level of creative control - The mechanics in this game mean you can control every aspect of your masterpiece in minute detail
• Hang glider exploration - Fly through the world you’ve just created as if you were a tiny insect exploring its surroundings

Cons

• Lack of depth - Again, the main issue with this game is that it’s limited to your own imagination and doesn’t provide much of a prompt to stimulate any action

RUNNER UP

No Man’s Sky

This game caused a huge stir online when it was released in 2016.

The premise revolves mainly around exploration, putting you in the shoes of a galactic explorer with a whole universe in front of you.

The main unique feature of this game is its infinite procedurally generated universe which literally creates endless possibilities for exploration.

The game is coded to produce new, randomly generated planets and ecosystems and you move through the universe.

That means you’ll be treated to a completely new experience every time you travel from one planet to another. Literally, the only limitation is how much memory your PC or console can handle!

Naturally, this game is great for VR and co-op play.

Much like the previous game we looked at, there is no aspect of combat or competition necessary in this game and the main focus is to enjoy exploring aesthetically beautiful landscapes.

Being able to do this through a VR headset makes each planet feel even more immersive and gorgeous.

Pros

• Infinite procedurally generated universe - You can, quite literally, never run out of new things to do in this game
• Perfect for VR - This game was initially released without VR adaptations but playing this from a first person, immersive perspective is an incredible experience.
• Graphics - One of the best things about this game is its aesthetic appeal and the graphics are top notch, even in the VR version
  
  

Cons

• Lack of features - The main criticism people have had for this game is that there is little to do other than explore the infinitely generated planets.