While some of the bigger production companies and manufacturers like Steam and Sony may be dominating the virtual reality market with headsets like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, the availability of the technology has opened the door to other tech firms as well – most noticeably, those behind your smartphones. Even before the Rift was on the market, VR games for Android and iOS were being showcased, including everything from abstract kaleidoscopic scenery to emulated roller coasters. With the Android VR game technology only getting better and better with each incarnation, and so many studios dedicated to producing high quality 360 degree full-dive videos, both Android and iOS are no slouches when it comes to staying on top. Riding the wave produced by other VR game studios’ like Steam, Sony, and Microsoft’s big splash in the industry, a few exciting and innovative apps and games for your Android are just on the horizon. Below, we take a look at some of the more promising VR games for Android.
InCell Shrinks You Down And Puts You Under The Microscope
Topping our list of new VR games for the Android is a gem from Luden.io that actually takes you inside the human cell. Available now on Google Play, this unique game prides itself on bringing a �?scientific’ edge to the VR experience but still manages to incorporate a very fluid gameplay and interesting storyline, something they demonstrated in their previous PC platform games like Blitzkrieg and Heroes of Might and Magic V. With their newest and eponymous InCell for Android, you’ll be swept into the microscopic cellular VR world and some of the game visuals are both bizarre and stunning as you attempt to race through a variety of a different courses, all of them of course centered around human physiology, in an attempt to stop an invading viral infection. A few things really make this Android VR game stand out though, one of them being the immaculate attention to detail – in an effort to make the experience as realistic, and educational, as possible the developers have incorporated actual cell functions and aspects of microbiology into the narrative. As you explore the cellular world you’ll actually be learning about the different organelles. At the same time, it is also very stylized and the game relies heavily on its visual appeal and otherworldly immersion into an environment that is unlike anything else you’re likely to find.
As the game speeds up, the gameplay takes on the form of a trial-race in which you have to try and outrun the viral infection that is spreading behind you. The beauty of InCell on the Android is that there are a number of skill levels, so you can very easily boost up the difficult settings to add a new dimension to the challenge. Nevertheless, it is one of those Android VR game titles that you might find yourself getting close to rage quitting on – and then, just as quickly, wanting to try again. The addictive quality of the racing/action element definitely works for the sort of experience that Luden.io is trying to recreate. One of the major drawbacks to the VR game though, and something that Android users have noticed in abundance, is the annoying nature of the narrator of the game. Manifested as a sort of computer AI interface, the clunky and robotically computer-generated woman’s voice that instructs you on how to play the game and updates you on events can be a bit grating.
Although InCell is by one of their finest Android VR games, it comes on the heels of a previous game which had a similar focus but on the biology of the brain called InMind. A second VR game for Android titled InMind 2 is slated for release, and will pick up where the last one left off. You’ll be introduced to the teenager John and be involved in the chemical and biological processes that contribute to him growing up and experiencing emotions. This Android title has a very strong scientific background to the game, involving among other things Lövheim’s theory of emotions, but you can expect it to still have the same stellar graphics and next-gen VR game visuals that have made Luden.io’s games one of the most anticipated for Android.
Visuals: 8.7/10 – Gameplay: 7.5/10 – Story: 7.6/10 – Overall: 8/10 – Release Date: Already available.
Sisters Brings An Immersive Horror VR Game For Android Just In Time For Halloween
Aside from flight simulators and FPS games, a number of VR game studios have quickly picked up on the fact that the medium is great for scaring the living daylights out of people, and there are several slated for release on Android that will definitely make you scream. One which attracted our attention was Sisters. A lot of these horror VR games for Android and other devices tend to be more cinematically inspired, and this one takes that to heart. The graphics are pretty reasonable even on an Android, and is one of a several that involve you mostly sitting in one place while the narrative unfolds. But that doesn’t mean it’s a boring VR game by any stretch of the imagination – there is a very layered and tempered pace to the action as things begin to unfold, and with the creepy sound of children laughing and other noises it creates a very surreal VR game experience. We really liked this one because it utilizes the audio element of the VR experience in order to convey the atmosphere, an element that is often overlooked in more visually complex or interactive game types. Even on the Android, this VR game is sure to spook.
The one downside to this Android VR game however is that it is quite short and that the graphics can be a bit clunky and low res on an Android device, even with the game settings amped up to max. Nevertheless, the developers have clearly put a lot of time into developing the VR for Android, and where they may be lacking in technical expertise they more than make up for with a foreboding sense of eeriness. If deeply unsettling animated dolls is your thing, then Sisters is your Android VR game of choice and will not disappoint and is available on Google Play.
Visuals: 6/10 – Gameplay: 6/10 – Story: 7/10 – Overall: 6/10 – Release Date: Already available.
Shironeko Brings Classic RPG To The Android
For fans of the roleplaying game genre, the Android has got you covered. With a distinctly anime-esque feel to the game, it will definitely appeal to those who’ve already cut their teeth on games like Final Fantasy but want to experience the same sort of dynamic on their Android device in a VR setting. There are a number of characters to choose from that each have their own special abilities and the setting is what you would expect from an open-world sandbox style VR game. For Android players it definitely helps to have a controller for this one. While it is possible to use your Android as the controller, it’s very glitchy and difficult to maneuver, so having an Xbox controller to supplement your Android is recommended for this VR game. Shironeko is quite unique in one other respect: while most VR and augmented reality games tend to put the player in the first person perspective, the developers behind Shironeko – white cat, in Japanese – have still managed to maintain the third person point of view in VR by allowing you to look down on your miniature avatars. The real risk in this, however, is that in VR (and especially on the Android) when you turn your head it affects the characters, and takes some getting used to (you’ll be using your peripheral vision probably more than you want).
It has all the feel of an early Dreamcast game as well. While advocating the linear sort of game questing that makes RPGs so iconic, the fact that it’s been rendered in 3D VR on the Android does help to keep the feel of it being open, and there are plenty of enemies to fight. Later in the game a degree of strategy is required as well in terms of leveling up, and some players have found that you could just as easily skip ahead several different game levels, which made for an awkward and weird transition in VR – still, as far as graphics go it’s not as hyper-realistic as some other Android VR game titles on the market, but it’s clear from the outset that they are trying to achieve a cartoony aesthetic. This is compounded by the fact that when the screen gets full and there’s a lot going on in the game it can tend to lag, however slightly, something that is a bit unfortunate given the scope of the VR technology. Nevertheless, the in-game design of the characters and villains themselves as well as the ability to play with others makes this a great standalone and free game, just don’t set your RPG-standards too high for Android game (there’s no shop, and limited items, etc.). Shironeko is available online now at Google Play, but unfortunately it is only in Japanese at the moment – there’s no indication when, or if, they’ll release an English version, so short of brushing up on a second language, you might find this a frustrating game to blindly figure out.
Visuals: 6/10 – Gameplay: 8.7/10 – Story: 7/10 – Overall: 7/10 – Release Date: Already available.
Space Flight And Asteroids In Vanguard V
One of the more impressive looking VR game types to be advertised for the Android, this Kickstarter VR production also features a third person perspective and looks like it will be available for all devices (the Android version, if true, should really push the boundaries in terms of what its capable of). The narrative is simple for an Android VR game, and puts you in the pilot seat as Qu, a space pilot who is trying to stop the invasion of a parasitic menace along with her co-pilot AI interface BiT. Some of the initial previews for this Android VR game are stunning, and really captures a stylized sense of space flight as you navigate through asteroid fields, dip up and over terrestrial environments, and skim over oceans and atmospheres alike.
The beauty of this Android VR game is representative of the independent nature of the VR studio producing it, Zero Transform. The eight person team who has done everything from music to graphics. It will be interesting to see how well they can adapt the third person flight simulator experience to VR though, however the fact that they’re trying – and from initial reviews and trailers – definitely hallmarks them as one of the most ambitious indie VR game developers to enter the market.
Their Kickstarter campaign actually ran out, but Zero Transform is hoping to try and bring Vanguard V up to spec in time for some of the early 2017 release dates from other studio and VR headset producers.
Visuals: 9/10 – Gameplay: 8/10 – Story: 8/10 – Overall: 8.5/10 – Release Date Early 2017.
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