Barcelona-based VR studio VirtualAge has unveiled Guardians Planetfall, a tactical co-op extraction shooter that throws players into an intense galaxy-wide conflict. Revealed during the UploadVR Showcase, this new VR experience promises squad-based combat across hostile alien worlds when it launches in Early Access next year on Meta Quest 3/3S and Steam VR.
The game centres around four-player squads battling for humanity’s survival across diverse planetary environments, from scorching deserts to frozen outposts. Players operate from their own customisable strike ship, selecting drop zones and coordinating extraction missions that directly impact the wider galactic campaign. Each successful mission shifts planetary control in humanity’s favour, with the ultimate goal of pushing back two enemy factions: the advanced Void Empire and an evolved alien bug race.
VirtualAge has designed the game specifically for VR, incorporating natural movement mechanics like antigravity gloves for climbing any surface and an arm-driven jetpack system. Combat revolves around tactical teamwork, with players able to call in orbital strikes using throwable beacons whilst navigating high-risk operations behind enemy lines. The studio, known for previous VR titles including Guardians Frontline and Gladius, has focused entirely on PvE extraction missions rather than base-building elements.
Between missions, players can upgrade their strike ship using resources and blueprints collected during operations, unlocking new orbital abilities and customising weapons for different playstyles. The game also features a comprehensive in-VR map editor, allowing the community to create and share custom missions that can appear in the broader galactic campaign, potentially expanding the available operations over time.
Guardians Planetfall will enter Early Access in 2026 for Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, and Steam VR platforms. Players can already add the game to their wishlist on both the Meta Quest Store and Steam, with development updates available through the existing Guardians community Discord server.
SOCIAL POST: New tactical VR shooter Guardians Planetfall drops squads into galactic warfare! Co-op extraction missions across alien worlds coming to Quest 3 & Steam VR in 2026 #GuardiansPlanetfall #VRGaming #MetaQuest3 #SteamVR
AstroBeam is preparing to launch what they’re calling the first voice-powered VR adventure game, Stellar Cafe, which arrives on Meta Quest platforms on December 11th for £11.99. The title promises to let players have unscripted conversations with robot characters using advanced AI technology that responds to natural speech in real time.
Created by Devin Reimer, who previously co-created the popular Job Simulator, Stellar Cafe takes place in an intergalactic cafe filled with quirky robot patrons. Players use only their voice and hands to interact with these characters, helping solve their problems through tasks like writing resignation emails or appearing as guests on robot podcasts. The game’s AI system uses large language models to understand context and generate unique responses based on what players actually say, rather than relying on traditional dialogue trees.
The experience is built entirely around voice input and features hand-tracking technology from Owlchemy Labs, allowing players to navigate without controllers or menus. This means you can physically grab objects, pour coffee, or gesture naturally while having conversations. Each robot character has been designed with distinct personalities and goals, creating what the developers hope will be genuinely dynamic interactions.
“For the first time in VR, players can talk and gesture freely to see what emerges when characters truly listen and respond,” said Reimer, who sees this as pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in VR gaming. The studio positions Stellar Cafe as just the beginning for voice-first gaming experiences, with plans to explore how authentic conversation can become a core gameplay mechanic.
Stellar Cafe will be available on Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest 3S from December 11th. Players can already add the game to their wishlists on the Meta Quest store ahead of its launch next week.
Virtual reality gaming is about to get a cyberpunk twist with Xploit.zero, a mixed-reality tower defence game that transforms your entire room into a digital battlefield. Developer AAA Game Studios has announced the title will launch exclusively on Meta Quest 3 on 28th January 2026, following its reveal at today’s UploadVR Winter Showcase.
The game casts players as human firewalls defending against waves of computer viruses in a neon-soaked digital world. Your mission is to protect the NeuroGate, described as the only link back to reality, from incoming threats including crawling DDoS attacks and flying enemies called Malworms. The mixed-reality technology means these digital nasties will appear to invade your actual living space, creating what sounds like a properly immersive experience.
Players will need to strategically place defensive turrets around their room, taking into account both the weapons’ field of vision and the physical layout of their space. The game promises to make full use of room-scale VR, requiring players to look in every direction to spot incoming flying enemies that can be swatted away with hand gestures. Defeated viruses drop Memory Cores that can be used to upgrade your defensive capabilities.
Two game modes are planned for launch: Countdown Mode offers a series of increasingly challenging timed levels, while Infinite Mode lets players see how long they can survive endless waves of digital threats. A global leaderboard will track the best defenders, adding a competitive element to the cyber warfare.
According to Antonio Marín, CEO of AAA Game Studios, the game explores themes around humanity’s relationship with rapidly advancing technology. More information about Xploit.zero can be found on the developer’s official website and social media channels.
Buffalo Buffalo has announced that their cozy birdwatching VR game Birdseed will receive its full 1.0 release in March 2026, bringing with it online co-op multiplayer and a host of new features for virtual nature enthusiasts.
The standout addition is online co-op functionality, which will allow players to explore the game’s relaxing forest environments together. Friends will be able to chat whilst photographing birds, tackle daily challenges as a team, or simply enjoy the peaceful virtual wilderness side by side.
Alongside multiplayer features, the 1.0 release will introduce Scout’s Shop, a premium cosmetics store offering camera skins, viewfinder charms, and other customisation options. Buffalo Buffalo has emphasised that these items will remain purely cosmetic, with no impact on gameplay mechanics. The update will also include new telephoto lenses for capturing distant birds, additional bird species to photograph, and the foundation for future seasonal events featuring themed cosmetics and challenges.
Birdseed VR is currently available in Early Access on Quest 3, allowing players to experience the core birdwatching gameplay ahead of the full release. The game positions itself as a relaxing escape into nature, focusing on the meditative aspects of wildlife photography without competitive pressure.
Ahoy there, VR adventurers! Pirates VR: Jolly Roger is preparing to drop anchor on Meta Quest 3 and 3S on 29th January, bringing swashbuckling action to standalone VR headsets. The immersive pirate adventure, originally developed by Split Light Studio and now being co-developed with Incuvo for Meta Quest, promises treasure hunting, skeletal combat, and tropical exploration in full virtual reality.
The announcement came during today’s Upload VR Showcase, with Incuvo (the studio behind Green Hell VR and TRACKED: Shoot to Survive) revealing their latest VR port. Players who’ve already experienced the title on Steam and PlayStation VR will soon be joined by Meta Quest pirates ready to search for Davy Jones’ legendary treasure. The game drops players onto a sun-soaked tropical island filled with mysterious shipwrecks, cursed pirates, and undead skeletons lurking in dark caves and rocky cliffs.
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger focuses heavily on physical interaction and coordination-based mechanics. Players will need to manually reload their flintlock pistols, hold lanterns to illuminate shadowy corners, and grip tightly to ziplines whilst navigating the island. The experience includes puzzle-solving elements that require genuine physical movement, with traps that might force players to duck, dive, or leap aside. Every pirate adventure needs a feathered companion, so players will be accompanied by a sarcastic parrot throughout their journey.
Both development teams express enthusiasm about bringing the pirate fantasy to Meta Quest players. Andrzej Wychowaniec, CEO of Incuvo, highlights their excitement about channelling their immersive adventure experience into “a whole new story about exploration, mystery, and the search for treasure.” Meanwhile, Przemysław Turski from Split Light Studio notes that combining their Steam and PlayStation VR experience with Incuvo’s approach to immersive experiences gives them confidence that Meta Quest pirates will “hoist a full sail on this adventure.”
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger launches on 29th January for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, priced at $14.99. Early birds can secure a 13% preorder discount, bringing the price down to $12.99 for those ready to set sail ahead of launch day.
Vertigo Games, collaborating with Maze Theory and Eidos-Montréal, has launched Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow today for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 2/3/3S, and PC VR at €29.99. This immersive stealth experience brings the legendary Thief franchise to virtual reality for the first time, returning players to the City where dangers lurk around every corner and countless secrets await discovery.
New Protagonist in Established Universe
Players assume the role of Magpie, a cunning thief raised on the streets who steals for survival until discovering something greater: a legendary artefact bearing a legacy from the past. This fresh protagonist provides entry point for VR newcomers whilst maintaining series continuity through the tyrannical Baron Ulysses Northcrest’s oppressive rule.
The City setting retains the dark, steampunk-inspired aesthetic that defined the franchise, now rendered with VR presence enabling spatial exploration impossible in traditional flatscreen perspectives.
Physical Stealth Mechanics
Legacy of Shadow blends classic stealth gameplay with next-generation immersion through real physical movements. Players physically bypass and pickpocket guards, open secret compartments, and pick locks using hand motions rather than button presses.
This embodied interaction transforms abstract mechanics into tangible actions where lock-picking requires manual dexterity and pickpocketing demands careful hand positioning avoiding guard detection. The physical requirement creates genuine tension beyond watching on-screen failure states.
Arsenal and Traversal Options
Arrow and tool varieties enable distraction, incapacitation, or enemy elimination whilst climbing across rooftops, sneaking through narrow alleys, and uncovering secrets throughout the steampunk world. Multiple paths and playstyles accommodate different approaches—complete stealth avoidance or striking from shadows.
This player agency respects franchise tradition where observant players discover alternative routes rewarding environmental awareness and creative problem-solving beyond prescribed linear progression.
VR-Specific Immersion
Experiencing the Thief world in VR for the first time leverages spatial audio for guard positioning awareness, peripheral vision for monitoring multiple threats simultaneously, and physical crouching for stealth positioning. These VR advantages create immersion impossible through traditional controllers whilst introducing accessibility considerations for players unable to perform extended physical movements.
The €29.99 price point positions Legacy of Shadow competitively within premium VR releases whilst remaining below AAA flatscreen pricing.
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow targets stealth enthusiasts seeking physical immersion when it launches today across all major VR platforms.
Cave Crave, the spelunking VR adventure available on Meta Quest. PSVR2, and now SteamVR with hardware enhancements delivering advanced lighting and shadows, dynamic water reflections, sharper textures, and richer atmosphere. The release includes a meticulous VR recreation of Utah’s sealed Nutty Putty Cave built using official maps and rescuer data.
Four Distinct Game Modes
Story Mode provides narrative journey with free-roam option, Tourist Mode offers safe guided exploration, Horror Mode delivers dark claustrophobic experiences with optional spider-free settings, whilst Arcade Mode arrives on SteamVR shortly after launch following its Meta Quest debut. All Meta Quest free updates will maintain parity with SteamVR versions.
This mode variety accommodates different comfort levels and experience preferences, from players seeking therapeutic relaxation through safe exploration to those craving psychological tension through horror elements.
Nutty Putty Cave Recreation
The historically accurate VR recreation of Nutty Putty Cave—sealed in 2009 following tragic circumstances—enables exploration of a location no longer physically accessible. Built using official maps and data from rescuer Brandon Kowallis, the Tourist Mode experience provides respectful educational context through voice notes explaining the cave’s history.
Players navigate freely through walking, crawling, crouching, and climbing whilst learning about the infamous Utah cave’s geological and historical significance.
Physical Awareness Mechanics
Cave Crave emphasises physical problem-solving beyond typical VR gameplay through chalk path marking, controlled breathing during tight squeezes, and maintaining calm under pressure. These mechanics create embodied experience leveraging VR’s spatial presence for realistic spelunking simulation.
The mud-covered gloves, tight squeezes, and total darkness combine to deliver immersive claustrophobia appropriate for cave exploration without actual physical danger.
PC VR Enhancement Focus
SteamVR edition specifically leverages PC hardware capabilities unavailable to standalone headsets, creating visual distinction beyond simple resolution improvements. Dynamic water reflections and advanced lighting systems enhance atmosphere appropriate for underground environments where illumination dramatically affects spatial perception.
Cave Crave targets VR enthusiasts seeking physically immersive exploration when it launches on SteamVR next week.
Coffee Moth Games has launched Neon Overdrive today on VR with 20% limited-time launch discount. This fast-paced procedurally-generated roguelike VR shooter delivers 1980s-inspired chrome-drenched action against Exo Bot legions, with Meta Quest store release following soon.
Neon Overdrive specifically targets Meta Quest hardware, ensuring optimised performance for standalone VR gaming without PC tethering requirements when the native Meta store version launches. The Steam VR availability provides immediate access for Quest owners through PC VR streaming whilst the dedicated Quest store release finalises.
This dual-platform strategy maximises early adopter accessibility through Steam whilst preparing proper native Quest implementation that leverages the headset’s standalone capabilities without performance compromises.
1980s Sci-Fi Homage
Inspired by Terminator, RoboCop, and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Neon Overdrive embraces chrome-soaked aesthetics, synth-heavy soundtracks, and arcade energy from the decade that defined action sci-fi. Coffee Moth Games fills the experience with cheeky references, satirical megacorporation nods, and easter eggs that 1980s enthusiasts will instantly recognise.
The licensed music from Jeremiah Kane’s album All or Nothing combines with original developer tracks, blending thumping synthwave, shredding guitar, and arcade-era energy designed to maintain flow state whilst bullets fly and neon burns.
Roguelike Build Variety
Seven unlockable character classes feature unique weapons and playstyles, whilst over 40 stackable perks range from statistical boosts to game-changing power shifts. This combination creates extensive build crafting possibilities where players experiment across runs to discover optimal synergies.
Procedurally-generated levels ensure freshness across repeated attempts, whilst Dynamic Overdrive difficulty grants enemies enhanced appearances, improved statistics, and upgraded abilities as player capabilities increase.
VR-Optimised Combat
Whether dual-wielding lasers, raining missiles from above, or tanking entire swarms, the VR implementation leverages spatial combat advantages unique to virtual reality. Boss battles test developed builds whilst cosmetics, challenge unlocks, and new classes reward progression through play rather than external purchases.
The power fantasy execution through VR presence presumably creates satisfying feedback loops where successful runs feel genuinely heroic through immersive first-person perspective.
Demo Availability
A free Steam demo provides pre-purchase evaluation opportunities, allowing potential players to assess whether the neon-drenched chaos suits their VR preferences before full game commitment.
Neon Overdrive targets VR enthusiasts seeking roguelike replayability with 1980s aesthetic appeal when it launches today on VR.
Today we’re finishing up our traditional countdown of MassivelyOP’s weirdest MMORPG stories of the year, that year being 2025! Coming in at #1 on our list is… Oh come on, you knew it was War Thunder again This award has been a tradition since 2021, when it first became mainstream news that military nerds were […]
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On yesterday’s MOP Podcast, Justin was rattling off the immense list of MMORPGs with big launches this week, and among them was EverQuest, whose Shattering of Ro expansion formally launched last night. This is Classic EverQuest, mind you, and it has a long list of its own: Shattering of Ro is the game’s 32nd expansion, […]
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HIGH Tutorials that help me get better at Lumines.
LOW Visual overload can make it hard to focus.
WTF How is the soundtrack this good?
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi everyone, Eugene Sax here with another review from GameCritics.com.
I haven’t played a lot of Lumines, historically.
The remastered version from 2018 was my first intro to the series, and honestly… well, I didn’t really enjoy that first pass at it. It felt too loud, both audio and visually, and I couldn’t wrap my head around the horizontal puzzle style. Knowing that the people behind Tetris Effect were also behind Lumines, though, I wanted to give it another shot and see if this new entry was a better way to get into this franchise.
Mea culpa, Lumines — I was wrong about you. (At least in some ways.)
Lumines: Arise is a block dropping puzzle in conversation with Tetris, but rather than the classic tetrominos filling horizontal lines, it instead focuses on asking the player to create 2×2 blocks anywhere on a horizontal plane. Blocks drop from the top of the screen, and players need to move them around in order to create 2×2, 3×3, or larger, in order to score points. A “timeline” moves across the screen and erases any complete blocks it comes across, clearing more room for players to create more blocks, and so on. There is also a rare “chain block” that will allow all linked blocks of the same color to be erased from the timeline, even if they’re not in the shape of a square.
The big mechanical addition to this version is “burst”.
As players create blocks, a meter will fill at the top of the playfield. At any point, players will be able to activate the burst, which then stops blocks from falling for a few moments. If players can create a block during this burst period, it will cause blocks of the opposite color to fly above the screen. Players can continue and make more fly up. All of those blocks come rushing back down once the burst is over, then creating a large chunk of squares to combo with.
Gameplay is broken up into a couple of modes for Arise.
Journey takes players through sets of stages (four or five, normally) with increasing difficulty as things progress. Playlist mode allows players to combine their favorite stages together in a custom order to play, or just to watch if they want to take in the visuals and music. Lastly, there’s multiplayer, which consists of some solo leaderboard competition or battle modes.
I also will shout out the tutorials specifically as Arise tailors them to new players and gives small missions that make it easy to understand and learn not only how to play, but also how to grasp more advanced techniques. These tutorials made me better in a way other puzzle titles haven’t.
At this point in the review, it feels a little like burying the lead to only just now mention the visuals and the music.
Since each stage only has two colors players need to match, this mechanical simplicity allows for some creative and striking ways to keep the play field visually interesting, and the developers lean hard into delivering over-the-top sound and graphics, far above what you might expect for a puzzle title.
One in particular that I enjoyed was a food-themed level. Blocks started as red apples and green melons, but then changed to broccoli and tomatoes as I got further in, while classical string music played in the background. Another had orbs of fish and hermit crab shells that changed color to reflect the sun setting on the beach landscape behind the playfield while listening to slow, smooth pop vocals. The visuals and music combine masterfully to pull players into Arise on a level above just block-matching, and it eats up time in a way that hasn’t happened to me in a long while.
With that said, some of the levels do get overwhelming as previous versions of the game. However, there is a moment of pause and the music fades out between each song, giving a welcome break to catch your breath and reset before going into the next stage. There are also a wealth of accessibility options that allow players to adjust any of the visual stimuli including background effects, particle effects on the playfield, and so on. If it’s too much to take in visually, it can be turned down.
While my memories of playing it in the past weren’t great, the masterful music and visual presence combined in Lumines: Arise really turned me around on the series. It’s not one to miss!
For me, Lumines: Arise gets 8.5 blocks exploding into glitter out of 10.
Disclosures: This game is developed by Enhance and Monstars, Inc. and published by Enhance. It is currently available on PS5, PSVR2 and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 6.5 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. Around 1 hour was spent in multiplayer modes.
Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E and contains Mild Fantasy Violence. The blocks will explode into particles on screen, fantasy violence amounts to spiders and snakes that fight each other in the background (but these can be turned off in accessibility menus).
Colorblind Modes: There are multiple colorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Sound is not needed to complete the game. Captions for character dialogue can be resized. The game is fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: The controls are completely remappable.
The war of attrition that is seeing c-suite and games industry leaders continue to pour AI into games and tech in spite of repeated pushback by developers and gamers continues. Today we’ve got a trio of stories from three different companies that are in different stages of AI brainworm infection because this stuff needs to […]
