VR escape rooms are escape rooms in a virtual environment with gamepads that allow users to interact and solve puzzles. The primary features of a virtual reality escape room are extreme immersion and sensory stimulation. Examples of these rooms include Conductor, Belko VR, and Statik. VR escape rooms are important because they combine the popularity of escape rooms and the novelty of VR technology to make puzzles enjoyable. These games are also known as “virtual reality escape rooms” or “Quest escape games.”
These games are similar to escape games on the iPad, escape room games on Steam, and digital room escapes.
This article contains:
- multiplayer VR escape room games
- free VR escape rooms
- Oculus escape room games
Here we go!
List of VR Escape Rooms
The following is a list of VR escape room games you can play at home or your next team building event.
1. Belko VR: An Escape Room Experiment
For a movie tie-in game, Belko VR holds up quite well. Game creators developed Belko VR to promote the movie, The Belko Experiment, but the game is fun to play regardless. The player assumes the role of an office worker who has just 15 minutes to complete a series of riddles before a microchip in their head detonates. The timer adds tension to the scenario by generating a feeling of urgency and making it a puzzle or escape room game that gets your heart pounding. Belko VR is not a game for youngsters, and given the concept, adults may not find it attractive, but it makes for a fascinating escape room game.
The time constraint means that there is not much playtime with this game. However, two different endings ensure that there is some replay value. The brief duration, however, makes Belko VR a great VR escape room for employees when players may not be able to play a lengthier game. This escape room is also one of the best free VR escape rooms, making it an excellent choice for players just beginning to explore virtual reality.
Learn more about Belko VR.
2. Conductor
Conductor is a puzzle-adventure VR escape game. The game takes place in several locations, each accessible through the game’s distinctive function of controlling a train to move you around. The game’s gravity cannon can function as a weapon to grasp and destroy or move obstacles. Conductor uses low-fidelity visuals in place of stunning photorealism. This decision benefits the game by decreasing the required resources and allowing players to complete puzzles undistracted. Conductor’s innovative gameplay elements, such as a gravity pistol, make up for the game’s basic visuals.
Learn more about Conductor.
3. Escape the Lost Pyramid
Around February 1928, a group of explorers commanded by Sir Beldon Frye went missing. The crew includes four and a dozen local porters on the hunt for Nebka’s Lost Pyramid. No one has sighted the explorers since.
Your crew will put themselves in the shoes of the explorers using the simulation built from their DNA memories. Your task is to find out what happened on the trip. The game is moderately challenging. The time limit is one hour, but you should try to finish as quickly as possible.
Learn more about Escape the Lost Pyramid.
4. Statik
Statik for PlayStation VR takes the famous fidget cube and transforms it into a challenging puzzle set in a laboratory reminiscent of Portal. Due to its extensive usage of the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller, this game is a PlayStation VR exclusive.
In Statik, you are a test subject in a lab where you must solve puzzles attached to your hands. You can turn the problem over to almost any angle you desire to view puzzle parts on either side. You must figure out the problem with trial and error and observe your surroundings for hints.
The game adds tension and distraction by having scientists watch your every move and take notes on clipboards as you attempt to solve the challenge. You feel like a guinea pig since you have no idea what the scientists want or why they are doing these trials, and this uncertainty fuels your anxiety. If you possess a PlayStation VR and like puzzle games, then you should get your hands on Statik.
Learn more about Statik.
5. Abode
Set in a sci-fi noir environment, Abode fits the description of a typical escape room. While Abodeis an independent game with minimal visuals, the puzzles are fun. You must complete a series of riddles to find keys to solve even more puzzles while you try to get the code that allows you to escape the chamber. Most of the puzzles are simple yet entertaining and require mental exercise.
The game is short, having just one chamber to escape from, but its pricing reflects that. The graphics are lo-fi, but the game is about puzzles, and Abode delivers. The game ends quickly but is enjoyable. If you are interested in supporting an indie developer, then give the game a go.
Learn more about Abode.
6. Nevrosa: Prelude
Gamers who grew up playing Resident Evil and Silent Hill often prefer puzzle games horrifying rather than creepy. Some terrifying games and films try to scare, but Nevrosa: Prelude takes that challenge to another dimension. The creators instead escalate the consequences of solving a puzzle incorrectly to make you sweat. By thinking about the SAW film series, you may get an idea of how effective this VR game is in inducing chills.
Nevrosa: Prelude is an introduction to the game rather than the entire experience. The game is free to play, and if you enjoy it, you can purchase the entire Nevrose: Escape game on Steam.
Learn more about Nevrosa: Prelude.
7. The Gallery, Episode 1: Call of the Star Seed
Part puzzle game, part mystery with escape room aspects, The Gallery, Episode 1: Call of the Star Seed is a must-play for escape room lovers. The objective of Call of the Star Seed is to locate your sister. You begin on an unknown island and use clues from your sister’s audio cassette recordings as a guide. The creators describe the game as “a built-for-VR game inspired by gloomy 80s fantasy flicks.”
This game has the same sort of creepy, island-based research lab vibe as the TV program Lost. Many of the riddles are tests of logic. HTC Vive included this game as one of its package options partly because of the great immersion created by the meticulous attention to detail in the settings.
Every element in the game is carefully thought out and well-executed. The teleportation mechanisms are a huge plus if you have limited room for your virtual reality setup. This game is a must-have title if you like VR puzzles and adventure games. The game’s landscapes are rich and complex, and the backpack inventory system represents the future of inventory systems in adventure games.
Learn more about Call of the Star Seed.
8. I Expect You to Die
I Expect You To Die is one of the popular Oculus escape room games that adopt the entire secret-agent-caught-in-a-trap story premise for an entertaining game. You play as a covert spy with telekinetic talents. Your assignment is to end a bad arms and drug corporation. In one of the scenarios, you drive a high-tech Bond-style automobile in an airplane. Your mission is to escape the aircraft by starting the car and somehow getting it out of the airplane. If you prefer having to solve riddles as if your life depended on it, then this game is for you.
Learn more about I Expect You to Die.
9. SVRVIVE: The Deus Helix
SVRVIVE is an alien-themed VR exit game. The game starts like a standard escape room, but soon the players get transported to a setting where alien masters demand that they solve riddles before they can return to Earth. If you like puzzle games with an extraterrestrial theme, then you may want to check out SVRVIVE. You assume the role of a recruit whose objective is to collect helix parts by completing puzzles in diverse extraterrestrial locations. The aliens will restore your life if you can complete all the challenges. If you cannot figure out how to solve the puzzles, then you will face the consequences.
The first mission is an easy “escape the room” scenario designed to ease you into the game, while later missions will take you to ever bigger and more complex alien environments. If you are searching for complex yet low-pressure puzzles, then this game is worth a try.
Learn more about SVRVIVE.
10. Beyond Medusa’s Gate
You should consider Beyond Medusa’s Gate if you want multiplayer VR escape room games. The story takes place in Greece in 445 BC amid an era of brilliant philosophers, harsh gods, and death-promising oracles. An antique item is hidden somewhere on the Peloponnese peninsula, in a big Aegean seaside cave. The item might be the famous ship of the Argonauts.
The game will take you back to Greece using the Animus simulation software and a database of recorded genetic memories. Your mission is to find the ship if it exists. The game is extremely challenging, and you have a one-hour time limit. However, you should try to finish as quickly as possible.
Learn more about Beyond Medusa’s Gate.
11. Fantastic Contraption
Fantastic Contraption is a puzzle game that forgoes traditional horror tropes in favor of puzzles based on the rules of physics. This title is a game for all ages in which players must transport puzzle pieces from one spot to another while avoiding various perils and difficulties. For example, the path from A to B may include an elevation, a set of stairs, or some other wacky obstacle.
To get your puzzle piece past the impediment in the landscape, you will need to construct a rudimentary mechanism. You can access various machine components, including motors, wheels, and supports. You mix these elements in VR by visually snapping them together. When you believe you have designed the ideal machine, then hit the play button and check whether it works. If the device does not work, you must go back to the drawing board and make some adjustments.
The inclusion of user-created content was a masterstroke that significantly improved the game. Since the game’s levels were so well received, the creators included a level editor so that users could create and share levels online. Therefore, you can still enjoy the gameplay even after you finish the main story by downloading user-generated content. This game is great for virtual reality team building because of its easy learning curve and humorous design.
Learn more about Fantastic Contraption.
12. Prince of Persia: The Dagger of Time
The story happens shortly after the conclusion of Two Thrones. Kaileena, the Empress of Time, has called on the players to foil the schemes of a Mage who wants to refill the sands of the Hourglass and unleash an army of Sand Monsters. Kaileena repairs the Dagger of Time and delivers it to the players so they can get to the Hourglass Chamber and prevent the Magi from accomplishing its goal. The game is for expert players and lasts one hour, meaning you must solve the puzzles on time.
Learn more about Prince of Persia: The Dagger of Time.
13. Obduction
Players who have been into puzzle games for a while may recall Myst. Myst is one of the most widely played games of all time and, at one point, the best-selling video game of all time. The game was available on almost every video game device and eventually inspired a long line of spinoffs. The illustrious Myst development team at Cyan Inc. has created a new game called Obduction. A totally new title, Obduction takes Myst’s otherworldly puzzle game style and spices it up with virtual reality.
Although some game designers have taken the phrase “escape room” somewhat literally, players in Obduction will explore far broader settings as they attempt to escape the dangers that await them by solving puzzles. As a result, the game is a must-play for players with a genuine interest in the genre.
Learn more about Obduction.
Conclusion
Virtual reality has become more popular in the escape room industry recently. Using VR has revitalized the escape room and puzzle game genres. Although physical escape rooms remain popular in city centers, players are beginning to realize that virtual reality technology may provide a more thrilling and realistic experience in the comfort of their homes. More players will eventually utilize VR with these games as VR acceptance among gamers continues to rise, whether for virtual reality team building fun or simply to while away a couple of hours after a hard day at the office.
Next, try the best escape room board games and watch a good escape room movie.
FAQ: VR escape rooms
Here are frequently asked questions about VR Escape Rooms.
What are VR escape rooms?
VR escape rooms are a virtual representation of real-life escape rooms, where players solve puzzles and find hints to ‘escape’ a room. Standard escape rooms use riddles and obstacles made of physical materials. A VR room functions in the same manner, only the puzzles and hints are all part of the digital environment. As a result, the games have no lag, no lost connections, and no need to wait for anybody to finish before moving on. Simply put, the game is an all-out escape room that calls for every player’s cooperation. In addition to the point-and-click teleportation approach, the shared environment enables spontaneous movement in the games.
How does a VR escape room work?
With VR goggles and gamepads, players can fully immerse themselves in action. From the point of view of an escape room proprietor, virtual reality offers the possibility of almost infinite themes with low overhead. Players in virtual reality escape rooms use the same problem-solving skills for puzzles as in traditional escape rooms. In addition, players will discover themselves in an explorable fantasy location like an extraterrestrial planet, a space station, or ancient ruins.
Players can interact with items, decode ciphers, unlock doors, and uncover clues. When participants answer one set of riddles, they may be instantly moved into the next region, ensuring their experience remains new throughout their visit. Regardless of how they fared in previous escape rooms, these clients may return to experience other rooms in the same location.
What are the best VR escape rooms?
Some of the best VR escape rooms include Fantastic Contraption, Obduction, and Beyond Medusa’s Gate.