Here at Pebble, the abundance of VR apps available brings us comfort and joy. With so much new content being produced, it’s hard to identify the best virtual reality apps. Luckily, you’ve got this guide to our top VR apps – you’re sure to find something to help you get the best out of your headset. Relax, kick back and soak up that sweet blue light as we run down our top 10 Virtual Reality apps.
1. Within
Created by the award-winning filmmaker Chris Milk and infamous technologist Aaron Koblin, Within is an app for everyone and a contender for our top VR app. From worlds of pure imagination to powerful insights into the real lives of those around the globe, Within can transport you anywhere you desire.
Let nature’s giants tower over you as you join Garamba’s National Park Rangers in their battle against ivory poachers, or, view the effects of war and displacement through the eyes of a Sidra; a twelve-year-old girl fleeing Syria. Within have jumped on Virtual Reality’s ability to bring to life untold worlds.
2. A Chair in a Room: Greenwater
“In a brightly lit hospital, the bracelet says patient no. 6079, John Doe; this is all you know when you start your story in The Greenwater Institute…”
Disclaimer: Not for the faint hearted. A Chair in a Room is a Virtual Reality, heart pumping, scare fest. Step into the shoes of a horror film protagonist and follow a six-chapter story of abuse, drug addiction and mental illness. Best used in room scale VR, this app will have you delving into your own psyche. Do you have the guts to answer that ringing phone, or go down in to the basement? Only you can answer that.
3. PolyRunner VR
Next up on our list is indie developer Lucid Sight, who are masters at serving up straight to the point runner games. There’s not much more to it than steering your ship through obstacles in various environments. Nevertheless, this VR application is as addictive as they come. Free to download and suitable for tracked motion controllers, gamepads, keyboards and mice (the tech version); hop on board and take flight.
4. YouTube
Not to state the obvious, but you can’t chat VR apps without mentioning YouTube. Available for all devices, the YouTube VR app is most people’s go-to place for pretty much anything. With an extensive catalogue of 360 degree videos and VR content, you can easily find yourself watching two middle aged men blow up a postal van for no apparent reason – something we all want to see.
5. VR Noir: A Day Before The Night
VR Noir: A Day Before the Night, is an interactive crime thriller with a difference. Playing the part of Veronica Coltrane, a burnt out private detective with a troubled past, you can immerse yourself in the murky waters of P.I. life. Delve deeper into the story, by making difficult choices and solving puzzles or use your powers of observation to propel the story along in this world of mystery, intrigue and danger.
6. InCell VR
For those of us out there (basically everyone), who are 2 parts Marie Curie to 1 part Vin Diesel, this is the app for you. Get your action hero, mad scientist on and help fight in the never ending war against viruses.
InCell VR is a racing action game, that takes place in the micro cellular structures of the human body. Developed by indie studio Luden VR, this app transports you to the year 2134, in which mankind has developed a technology that allows you to shrink down to microscopic size. Once teeny tiny, you can enter the human body, all whilst being assisted by a friendly surgical robot. As you race down microtubules (Wikipedia it… we did), you have to fight off a cornucopia of viruses, that are relentless in their efforts to overrun your very own Homosapien-Silverstone.
7. RYOT VR
“RYOT is a citizen, not an enterprise”
RYOT VR is a true example of immersive journalism. Bought last year by Huffington post, this app sees itself as a social movement first and a VR app later. RYOT has covered presidential elections, highlighted the plight of Syrian refugees with Susan Sarandon and has been on the frontline of countless protests.
With an emphasis on being a global citizen, RYOT have utilised VR’s immersive nature to inform with greater impact. These VR experiences aim to get a conversation started on issues effecting many people across the globe, that may be overlooked by mainstream news.
8. Relax VR
With all the frights, live gigs and running around mindlessly, it’s about time we all took a moment to catch our breath and take it easy. Relax VR will let you sit back on a beautiful sandy beach and watch the clouds float by. Featuring guided meditation, prepare to get your zen on. While the rest of the apps in this unruly bunch have focused a lot of their attention on entertainment, Relax VR seeks to help you on your journey improvement. Ohmmm…
9. Sisters
“Be careful where you look, because someone or something doesn’t want you here…”
Hold your loved ones close, there’s another horror based app on the scene. Sisters brings you a VR experience that will have you running for the virtual hills. This room escape style app is set in a haunted house, terrorised by the ‘sisters’. You must discover clues and unravel the mystery of the sisters’ past in order to save your own dear sis. Pluck up some courage and see if you’re made of sterner stuff than we are.
10. DinoTrek VR
This family friendly app will let you travel back in time to when giants roamed the earth. Walk or run around this prehistoric playground at dino-height and marvel at the landscape that once was. Thanks to those pesky meteors, it’s probably as close as you’re going to get to a Diplodocus, that’s not hung from a museums rafters. So, get stuck in to some dino-tastic fun, available on iOS and android.
Well, there you have it! We hope you’ve enjoyed your wander into the world of VR apps as much as we tech-nerds at Pebble. With so many new companies making waves, you should definitely keep an eye out for even more exciting VR experiences on the horizon. Happy Apping!