Listen, not everyone has the ability to plan and execute a proper summer vacation. Good thing we have virtual reality to help us at least attempt one, right? Here’s a few games that I pulled together to plan a relaxing fun time, well, kind of.
The good thing is, if you’ve got VR on your PC, most of these games are available there as well! You won’t be left out. Perhaps I’ll do one for non-VR folks as well, but as of this piece — let’s take a look at the kind of chill good times you can spend with your VR.
Catch & Release | Metricminds – $19.99 on PSVR and PC VR
Now, of the games that you could be playing that have a relaxing summer feel — Catch & Release is probably the most chill moment you’re going to find. You start in a little rowboat with a radio, a fishing pole and a few sandwiches. That’s about it. Row around, master how to cast your line and soon enough you’ll be catching fish and earning money that can get you better items. Now, this game is so low-key that you can choose to do those little quests but it doesn’t nag you or even bother you about it. Your to-do list is in a notebook resting comfortable in the boat and you can decide to take a peep at it or not. Check out the radio stations for some relaxing music while you just snack and fish the day away. With such beautiful and colorful Firewatch-esque scenery, it’s worth a trip.
Everybody’s Golf VR | Clap Hanz – $29.99 on PSVR
Now, Everybody’s Golf is already the quintessential fun golf title on PlayStation 4 and it hosts a handful of awesome activities and not even just golf related. Think of this place like a golf resort and you can enjoy even other smaller activities. However, Everybody’s Golf VR takes that and draws you into something I haven’t seen since playing golf on the Wii all those years ago. There’s nothing too taxing here and if you’re interested in a beautiful bit of scenery and the relaxing kind of low-fuss golf that other more serious golf games forget — grab this up. Make sure to stretch a bit though because those knees will need it.
Virry VR | Fountain Digital – $9.99 on PSVR and PC VR
While this isn’t a game in the traditional sense, it’s still a wonderful experience to just sit in and experience. Made by Fountain Digital and the team at the LEWA Wildlife Conservancy group, Virry puts you in an interactive space to learn more about animals that most people never can get this close to. I admit that I was lost in this one for a few hours and loved learning more about animals than I had known before and getting close enough that I could see and practically feel them breathing on my neck as they nosed around. Sure, there’s not any gameplay or massive amounts of stuff going on but if you think about the kind of safaris and zoo trips you could go on for hundreds of dollars and still not get that close to — Virry really is pretty great. If you’ve got kids who can handle VR, this would be a lovely one to sit them with and watch and listen as they coo in absolute awe at these amazing creatures.
Vacation Simulator | Owlchemy Labs – $29.99 on PSVR and PC VR
Now, if any of you played Job Simulator — you know this one has to be pretty comical and perhaps Bots don’t really understand relaxing as much as we’d like. However, Vacation Simulator is pretty dang great because it really isn’t that intense of a game and has just enough activity to remind you of those trips your Mom would prepare that kept you busy the whole time. I spent a decent amount of time hanging in the Forest, making s’mores while listening to Bots tell stories, painting pictures with Bot Ross up in a treehouse and catching fish in the middle of a stream. Honestly, it was full of activity but I had a great time playing and perhaps that’s the sign of the best kind of vacation, right? It was a good way to round out a four-day venture into vacation-esque games and is possibly the best one for a well-rounded time this summer. Just crank up the AC and let these Bots do all the heavy lifting! I’m itching to get back in as we speak, but that could be the bugs…
There you go! Four PSVR titles to get your summer vacation vibes started. I definitely have a handful of non-VR games that I think would be a blast to get people in the same kind of mood and I’ll be sharing those ASAP. For now, I have to head back to the Vacation Simulator because those dragonflies need catching and I’m still trying to figure out where the batter went so I can make waffles in my hotel room. Have a great summer!
