

Resident Evil 4 VR, despite it being a completely different format, has moved me in ways a normal remake never could. Revisiting classics through remasters and remakes definitely induces nostalgia, and they have the power to trigger all manner of memories and feelings from the past, but a fresh coat of paint just isn’t enough to truly bring me back. No matter how much Mass Effect Legendary Edition or Spyro Reignited may look like how we remember them, they’ll never be able to capture the experience of playing games as a kid. It does something that a remake or remaster can never do. Seeing RE4 on a screen is incomparable to seeing it in person, and experiences like this have the potential to sell VR to even the most reluctant players. RE4VR feels like the difference between looking at a picture of the Parthenon versus traveling to Greece and standing in the center of it. I know every inch of RE4’s village, castle, and underground mines, but I never felt like I’d been to these places until now. As soon as the opening cutscene ended and I took control of Leon, I was instantly transported. There are better-looking, more immersive, and higher quality games out there, but none have ever given me as much joy and nostalgia as playing Resident Evil in VR has. I’ve played close to 100 VR games, and I’ve never had an experience like Resident Evil 4. Related: Japanese Resident Evil 4 VR Ad Is Even Better Than The Game Itself Now that I’ve got my hands on it, however, I firmly believe that remakes are the future of VR. Is there anything that can save VR? Before I played Resident Evil 4 VR, I probably would have said this is as good as it gets for the Quest 2. If you ask me, the Quest 2 ought to be as ubiquitous as the equally-priced Nintendo Switch, but as of this past July, the Quest 2 has only sold four million units to the Switch’s 89. Resolution and high refresh rates have virtually eliminated the disorientation of early VR, and even if you’re especially squeamish, every game has plenty of settings built in that help eliminate any discomfort. I don’t think it's an accessibility issue either - at least not for the vast majority of potential VR players. There are even more if you have a decent computer to link to, like Half-Life: Alyx, Star Wars Squadrons, and my personal favorite, Insomniac’s Stormland.

There are hundreds of games on the Oculus store, and at least a dozen I would consider must-plays. It’s not due to a lack of content either.
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It’s not a matter of cost: the Quest 2 is half the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X and less than a third of a 30-series GPU, and unlike all of those, is widely available.

As a VR enthusiast, it’s hard to understand why the Oculus Quest 2 still hasn’t hit critical mass.
