Flying is a dream that most of us tend to have, but with VR, this dream can come true. From soaring the skies like an eagle to controlling your own plane as you sit in the captain’s chair, there are plenty of flight VR games to choose from, all with different, yet equally exciting experiences. We reviewed the best flight games for Oculus Rift, based on quality, user popularity, usability, and overall rating. We’ll go over what each game has to offer to make your search for a VR flight game easier.
Top 10 Best Flight Games for Oculus Rift in 2018
Below, we compare the top five best flight games for Oculus Rift, looking at their genre, supported controllers, platform, RAM, and rating.
Product Name | Genre | Controller | Space required | Platform | Our rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone | Action/Shooter | Gamepad, Flight stick & Touch | 29.3 GB | PC / Oculus Rift / HTC Vive / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation VR | 5/5 stars |
EVE: Gunjack | Arcade/Shooter | Gamepad & Touch | 1.06 GB | Oculus Rift / HTC Vive / PlayStation VR | 4.8/5 stars |
Elite Dangerous | Adventure/Exploration | Keyboard, Mouse, Gamepad & Flight stick | 16.26 GB | Oculus Rift / PC / Xbox One / PlayStation 4 | 4.8/5 stars |
Eagle Flight | Adventure/Action | Gamepad & Touch | 5.33 GB | Oculus Rift / PC / PlayStation 4 | 4.7/5 |
War Thunder | Action/Simulation | Gamepad, Keyboard & Mouse | 17 GB | Oculus Rift / HTC Vive / PC / PlayStation 4 / Shield Android TV | 4.6/5 |
10. Final Approach
If you want to fly planes while being outside of the cockpit, Final Approach takes a different approach and lets you navigate airplanes by tracing a path for them in the air with your motion controller. Situations such as emergency rescues, military exercises, and aircrafts on fire all need your attention as you manage your airports and planes in “God Mode.”
You can also fight other planes and take on risky missions in “Toy Mode,” although there is no option to play with other online players. Final Approach lets you take control of the skies for less than $15 in the Oculus Store.
9. DCS World
DCS World places you on a battlefield to experience the realistic flight dynamics of the plane’s cockpit as you progress in the game, eliminating the enemy. There are many different missions to play through, and you have the option to choose from a range of vehicles and jets that are similar to the actual aircraft of WWII.
The gameplay fully immerses you in its unbelievable level of detail, and you can play in either single player or multiplayer mode. The cockpit tends to take up most of the screen, but DCS World is a top contender in the flight simulator category, and is available to play in the Steam store for free.
8. Aerofly FS2 Flight Simulator
Aerofly lets you choose from a variety of aircraft, and features gorgeous types of terrain such as mountains, cities, and sparkling lakes, for comfortable navigation. The 3D cockpits are highly interactive, as you can adjust the cockpit lighting to your liking, and view worldwide aviation and aerial images.
Aerofly contains over 150 images of different airports for a realistic VR experience. The game is only in single player and has a relaxed gameplay, but the detailed graphics and assortment of planes to pilot are worth trying for less than $60 in the Steam store.
7. Lunar Flight
Known as one of the best flight games for Oculus Rift in terms of graphics, Lunar Flight sports a realistic atmosphere, with jaw-dropping details and resolution. You are to complete tasks such as transporting materials to the moon. and completing survey and lost cargo missions.
Within the comfort of your own room, you can play on different levels as you make your way through multiple missions to earn points and rank up the scoreboard. It’s more relaxed and less fast-paced than other space flight games, but you can enjoy the game’s amazing graphic detail for about $15 in the Steam store.
6. Firma
Although a little different from being in a cockpit and constantly shooting at enemies, Firma has you play as a lunar delivery personnel who makes pickups and drop-offs. Your boss soon starts to make some risky orders, but you have no choice but to follow them. The ship you pilot is a cube-like lunar lander that has smooth controls and side-mounted cannons for protection.
Your tasks consist of racing through canyons in a certain period of time, delivering toxic materials to a drop site, and fighting off enemies that try to disrupt your work. Unfortunately, there isn’t a multiplayer option, but you can carry out exciting lunar missions in Firma for about $13 in the Oculus store.
5. War Thunder
War Thunder feeds your competitive side as you sit in the cockpit of a WWII or Cold War airplane, and dogfight other players to your heart’s content. You can also battle within tanks, ships, and other vehicles to triumph over your enemies. If you don’t feel like playing online, War Thunder also has a solo PVE mode with missions available to practice your aim and flying skills.
Because of the intense turns and loops you make while flying, some players might get motion sickness after a certain amount of gameplay. Nevertheless, War Thunder is a popular flight simulator for VR enthusiasts, and is free to play in the Steam store (about $29 if you want the Steam Pack).
4. Eagle Flight
In a world where humans have departed from Earth years ago, the biggest cities have given in to natural degradation, leaving nothing but beautiful abandoned sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame cathedral to explore. Eagle Flight lets you see the world through an eagle’s eyes as you hunt, fight, and play in the skies above Paris and in the tunnels below La Ville-Lumière.
The controls are as simple as leaning your head to maneuver and look around for a truly immersive flying experience, and you can even engage in dogfights with other players. Although the constant leaning and tilting of your head can make your neck sore the next day, Eagle Flight provides players with the joy of flying freely in VR, and it’s available in the Oculus store for less than $40.
3. Elite Dangerous
Not only is Elite Dangerous an outer space-oriented shooter, but you can also bounty hunt, mine, and trade resources, and explore over 400 billion star systems in whichever ship you choose. For these reasons, it ranks third on our list of best flight games for Oculus Rift. In the confines of your cockpit, you must navigate your starship through a rough galaxy full of intense encounters and open-world adventures.
You can play either solo, with another player, or with multiple players, as you play through an evolving narrative with the entire Milky Way open for you to explore. The controls may be a lot to absorb for new players, but once you master them, you can fully enjoy the gorgeous graphics and immersive ambiance of outer space in Elite Dangerous for about $60 (Deluxe Edition).
2. EVE: Gunjack
As another extension of the EVE universe, EVE: Gunjack is a high-resolution virtual reality arcade shooter where you play as a gun turret operator on a mining vessel occupied in the Outer Ring region of space. It’s your job to protect the rig from sticky-fingered enemies that wish to steal from the company by taking on massive waves of enemy ships.
Multiplayer isn’t available, and the action is a bit more moderate, which may not be up to par for those looking for an adrenaline rush. Other than that, you can still experience the enhanced audio, improved textures and effects, and jump up the leaderboards in EVE: Gunjack for less than $5 in the Oculus store.
1. EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone
EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone is known as one of the best flight games for Oculus Rift, especially if you like seeing all the action in the cockpit of a spaceship. This game is all about intense dogfights and tactical dodges, and you get to pilot one of three ship classes while progressing in rank to unlock upgrades for your ship and more.
With its full cross-platform multiplayer features and immersive maps, the EVE universe brings a whole new experience to players that want nothing but to take their enemies down. EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone is a bargain for less than $30 in the Oculus store.
Conclusion
Flight VR games let you experience the feeling of soaring freely through the skies, just as you would in your dreams. Above, we picked out some the best flight games for Oculus Rift, ranging from flight simulators to spaceship action shooters. If we missed any flight games, feel free to recommend some and share your thoughts on the games we mentioned in the list.
Recommended Read: Best Oculus Touch Games in 2018
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