- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Many Oculus Quest 2 games with Rift versions support cross-buy, so you can use Oculus Link to get better graphics and even new game modes for popular titles you already own. But there are also Rift or Rift S games with no Quest ports that are absolutely worth playing once you've bought a VR-ready PC. Below are the best Oculus Rift games on Quest 2 using Oculus Link.
★ Featured favorite:
Asgard's Wrath
As a Norse god guided by the famous trickster Loki, you must possess various mortal warriors to guide them to their glorious destinies. In practice, that means you'll switch between different fighting styles and powers for each mini-campaign, keeping things fresh for a campaign that'll last you dozens of hours. Across dungeons and quests, you'll learn tidbits about Norse mythology, recruit animal companions, and generally have a blast. It's worth the full price, but Oculus may still be giving it away for free to new Quest 2 owners.
Zero-G with zero drawbacks
Lone Echo
Staff Pick
Echo VR is one of our favorite multiplayer VR games on the Quest simply for the controls. Still, that multiplayer experience is just a spin-off of Lone Echo, making you feel like an actual astronaut surviving the terrors of space. As a synthetic AI named Jack on a station orbiting Saturn, you and your human companion will try to save your home from a mysterious disaster. Lone Echo mixes some of the best movements of any VR game with interesting puzzles and dialogue. We're excited for the sequel to arrive in 2021, but this 2017 game's still worth playing today.
Breath of the Wild meets Ratchet & Clank
Stormland
That tagline isn't random: Stormland is made by Insomniac Games (Ratchet & Clank, Marvel's Spider-Man), which reportedly designed the game to mirror the latest Zelda game's focus on unrestricted exploration instead of a linear narrative. As an android moving through an alien world on a mission of revenge, you'll augment yourself with new abilities and unlock new ways to fight robotic enemies and overcome obstacles. While you can shoot your way through the game solo, you can also play it in co-op or replay it in Cycling World mode, where locations and missions are procedurally randomized.
MMO space sim
Elite Dangerous
Though it's a massive sandbox designed to mirror the Milky Way Galaxy, Elite Dangerous isn't just Microsoft Flight Sim but in space. It's filled with other players engaged in interstellar conflicts, and the choices players make actually change the course of the world. There's a huge amount to do and a steep learning curve, and slower-paced gameplay than other VR experiences. With the new, free Horizons expansion, which lets you land on planets in an all-terrain vehicle, Elite Dangerous is a safer purchase than ever.
Save humanity's jobs (and lives)
Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency
In a world filled with robots, letting humanity keep working became inefficient. As the last human worker about to be deprecated, you'll stealthily travel through different environments with your futuristic bow and teleportation gun, physically ducking behind cover to keep the element of surprise. The original game is enjoyable but more limited in mechanics and level design; the sequel can stand alone and is more of a complete world with better environments to explore, making it perfectly fine to start here.
Half-Life-esque physics shooter
Boneworks
In Boneworks, you travel through an in-game virtual world armed with various weapons, from guns to swords to gravity guns, plowing through enemies on a mysterious quest. The game takes a realistic approach to physics, allowing you to easily pick up and throw smaller things but making larger objects more difficult; you can use just about anything in your environment to solve puzzles or beat back enemies. Along with a confusing main story, there's a post-game sandbox mode where you can keep making your own fun with a ton of tools at your disposal.
Intense, strategic combat
Blade & Sorcery
With a variety of spells and weapons, you'll fight waves of medieval fantasy enemies. You'll parry and strike with your sword, deflect or redirect magical attacks back at your foes, blast them off parapets or fling them into other foes, or really do whatever you want with your abilities — the physics engine doesn't hold you back at all. While currently in early access, Blade & Sorcery has tons to do, including some downloadable mods to add new weapons and powers like a Star Wars mod with lightsabers. It has some of the best VR combat to date!
Get the best Oculus Rift games on your Quest 2
Now that the Oculus Rift S is discontinued, many VR developers understandably focus on the Quest 2 for higher sales. But there are still PC VR exclusives that can't work on a mobile headset: games that are so long or have such dynamic game engines that they would need to swallow up half of your Quest 2's storage and overclock its processing power just to run. That's where Oculus Link comes in, letting you rely on your PC to run and store everything.
Your natural starting point should be Asgard's Wrath since Oculus gifted it to new headset owners to encourage them to use Link! With its long, compelling story, gorgeous graphics, and varied combat, it will more than justify figuring out how to make Link work. Yet if it doesn't speak to you, there are plenty of other options. If you're seeking replayability above all else, either Elite Dangerous or Blade & Sorcery will give you hours upon hours of enjoyment. For a more linear but compelling experience, Lone Echo is regarded as one of the best VR games for a reason.
If you're excited to try the best Oculus Rift games on your Quest 2, but your PC isn't up to the task, we have a guide on whether your computer is Link-compatible; if it isn't, then consider buying one of the best prebuilt PCs for Oculus Link that will run these games with absolutely no graphical hiccups. If it is compatible, you have two options: invest in one of the best Oculus Link Cables for a consistent wired connection, or follow our guide on how to stream games wirelessly to your Oculus Quest 2.
by Michael L Hicks