As an early adopter of virtual reality gaming, I’ve always found it hard to recommend to anyone but the most hardcore of nerds.
And even then, it’s not like there was a wide array of quality games and experiences to make the many frustrated afternoons troubleshooting computer settings, drilling holes in drywall to mount the tracking hardware and navigating rat-nests of cables feel worthwhile.
Much of that changed with the advent of standalone headsets that ditch the cables in favor of an all-in-one experience. While they don’t pack the same oomph as a high-end PC, they benefit from having a standard set of specs that developers can aim for, ensuring games play smoothly, which is a must for comfort.
Those changes, which remove much of the guesswork and hassle from virtual reality, have made it so that, in my opinion, pretty much anyone who wants to give it a shot should.
My go-to recommendation for most is Meta’s excellent line of standalone headsets in the Quest, which is capped off by the Quest 3 ($500) and the slightly more affordable 3S ($300). The older Quest 2 is also still impressive and can be found used for less than $200.
Simply put, they offer the most accessible barrier to entry for virtual reality. They’re easy to set up, surprisingly comfortable for a wide range of head sizes and have the most comprehensive and fastest-growing range of games and experiences.
You’ll find several games that I’d consider to be VR classics, such as the arcade-y “BeatSaber,” as well as new, exclusive games like “Batman: Arkham Shadow,” which are much more fleshed out games akin to what you’d find in a regular console release.
The Quest 3 and 3S have mixed reality, combining the VR with a live video feed of your room to create some neat experiences. There are some board game-style games and a genuinely freaky zombie game — the not-so-subtly named “Home Invasion” — that will have zombies bursting through the windows and doors of your room.
The big difference between the Quest 3 and the 3S is the optics. The screens in the Quest 3 are sharper, and the lenses are also a bit lighter, which helps with the overall comfort. They have the same internals, which means they can play the same games just as well, but with the 3S, you’ll have a bit narrower field of view, and it’ll be a little more blurry.
As a big-headed gamer, the Quest lineup is also the most comfortable headset I’ve tried, including the $1,000 Valve Index, which frankly seems tailor-made to inflict pain.
The Quest lineup is less like a peripheral and more of an entire standalone console with its own ecosystem of games and services, which has its drawbacks in that it doesn’t have the same sales you’ll find on other platforms, and your purchases on other platforms won’t cross over. However, if you have a PC, you can still connect it using Quest Link, though beware that it also takes a bit of effort to get working perfectly.
But the great thing about the Meta Quest headsets is that there’s plenty to experience without having to get tangled up in troubleshooting.
Matt Buxton is a freelance writer and gamer. He can be reached at matt.a.buxton@gmail.com.
