REVIEW: Irusu Cricket VR (2026 Video Game) on MetaQuest VR

Review by Jon Donnis

Cricket has always been a sport that relies heavily on timing, patience and instinct, so bringing it into virtual reality makes a lot of sense. After spending time with Irusu Cricket VR, the biggest impression is that it captures the feeling of being at the crease better than many traditional cricket games can. Picking up the bat, watching the ball come towards you and trying to time the perfect shot creates a genuine sense of involvement.

That does not mean it is a perfect cricket simulation. As an early access release, Irusu Cricket VR still feels like a game with plenty of room to grow. There are moments where the experience feels convincing and immersive, but there are also areas that need more polish before it can truly compete with the best VR sports experiences.

The strongest part of Irusu Cricket VR is the simple enjoyment of batting. There is something satisfying about physically swinging the "bat" and seeing the results of your own movement.

(You will need an attachment so your controller feels more like a bat. See https://amzn.to/4yBuTiI)

A well-timed shot feels rewarding, especially when you connect cleanly and watch the ball race away. The motion controls work well for creating the feeling of actually being involved rather than just pressing buttons and watching an animation play out.

The stadium environments also help make the experience more immersive. Being surrounded by a cricket ground, with the atmosphere and crowd reactions around you, adds to the feeling that you are actually participating in a match. For cricket fans who have wanted a more active and physical experience, this is where Irusu Cricket VR has its biggest appeal.

The game is also easy to pick up and play. You do not need to spend hours learning complicated controls before enjoying it, making it accessible for both experienced cricket fans and people who are simply curious about trying a VR sports game. The different match lengths and practice options provide a good starting point, while the customisation features give players something to work towards.

However, there is still a noticeable gap between what Irusu Cricket VR is now and what it could become. The batting physics need further improvement, with more consistency needed in how the game interprets swings and contact with the ball. When it works, it feels great, but there are times when the experience does not quite match the realism it is aiming for.

The AI also needs more development. Facing different bowling styles adds variety, but the bowlers, fielders and overall match behaviour need to become more intelligent to make games feel less predictable. Improving these areas would make every match feel more competitive and rewarding.

The biggest issue at the moment is replay value. While the core batting experience is enjoyable, more modes and additional ways to play would help keep players coming back. A deeper career structure, more challenges and greater variety would help turn Irusu Cricket VR from a promising VR experience into a complete cricket game.

At this stage, Irusu Cricket VR feels like a strong foundation rather than a finished product. The developers have created something that gets the most important part right, making cricket feel fun and physical in VR. There is genuine potential here, but the final quality will depend on how much further development and refinement the game receives.

For cricket fans with a Meta Quest headset, there is already enjoyment to be found, but this feels like the beginning of the journey rather than the finished article.

Score: 7 out of 10

A promising early access cricket experience with great potential. The foundation is there, but it needs more polish, more content and further improvements to reach its full potential.

Out now on MetaQuest for about £7

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/irusu-cricket-vr/35374249182188461/

REVIEW: Virtual Hunter (2026 VR Video Game) - on MetaQuest

Review by Jon Donnis

Virtual reality has often struggled to find the right balance between realism and entertainment, particularly when it comes to simulation games. Virtual Hunter takes a bold approach by leaning heavily into authenticity, delivering a hunting experience that values patience, observation and skill over fast-paced action. The result is one of the most convincing hunting titles currently available on Meta Quest and a game that understands exactly what audience it wants to serve.

From the moment you step into its expansive wilderness, it becomes clear that Virtual Hunter is aiming for immersion above all else. The landscapes are impressively detailed, with dense forests, open fields and rolling scenery that create a genuine sense of being outdoors. The map feels substantial in scale, encouraging exploration and rewarding players who take the time to learn the terrain. Combined with the dynamic weather system, which adds further atmosphere and unpredictability, the environment often becomes one of the game's greatest strengths.

Unlike many shooting games on VR platforms, Virtual Hunter refuses to rush the player. This is a deliberate and methodical experience where every decision matters. Animal behaviour plays a major role, with creatures reacting to sight, sound and scent. Careless movement can easily ruin a hunt before it begins, while a poorly placed shot may result in a lengthy tracking session. The game consistently encourages players to think ahead, study their surroundings and approach each encounter carefully.

Weapon handling is another area where the developers have clearly invested considerable effort. The realistic ballistics system and stabilisation mechanics make shooting feel satisfying without becoming frustrating. Landing a clean shot at distance requires concentration and practice, but the sense of accomplishment when everything comes together is rewarding. It captures the challenge of hunting while remaining accessible enough for newcomers willing to learn.

Fortunately, those newcomers are well catered for thanks to an excellent tutorial system. Hunting simulations can often overwhelm players with information, but Virtual Hunter introduces its mechanics in a clear and understandable manner. By the time players venture into the wilderness on their own, they have a solid understanding of tracking, weapon use and hunting strategy. It is one of the better onboarding experiences seen in the genre.

Progression is supported by a surprisingly engaging trophy system. Successfully hunting larger animals and using the correct equipment unlocks various rewards, while the detailed trophy lodge allows players to display their achievements however they choose. The ability to position taxidermied animals around the lodge adds a personal touch that makes successful hunts feel more meaningful. Whether placing a prized red deer above the fireplace or creating a showcase of personal bests, the system gives players a reason to keep returning for another expedition.

Multiplayer support allows up to six players to hunt together, and on paper it sounds like a natural fit for the game. Sharing hunts and comparing trophies has obvious appeal. Unfortunately, this is also where most of the game's shortcomings currently reside. Multiplayer can be prone to bugs and technical hiccups that occasionally disrupt the experience. While some of the early issues have already been addressed and further updates appear to be on the way, it remains the weakest aspect of the package at present.

Thankfully, these problems do not significantly affect the core single-player experience, which remains where Virtual Hunter truly shines. Players who prefer solitary exploration will likely find the game at its best when quietly tracking animals through the wilderness and soaking in the atmosphere at their own pace.

Virtual Hunter succeeds because it respects the fundamentals of hunting rather than turning them into an arcade-style shooting gallery. The detailed tracking systems, realistic animal behaviour and thoughtful pacing create an experience that feels authentic without becoming inaccessible. Combined with attractive visuals, a strong tutorial and rewarding progression systems, it stands as perhaps the finest hunting game currently available on VR platforms.

Score: 9 out of 10

Virtual Hunter delivers a compelling and immersive hunting simulation that rewards patience, planning and precision. Despite a few multiplayer issues, its excellent single-player experience, strong realism and impressive presentation make it one of the standout simulation titles on Meta Quest.

Out Now on MetaQuest

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/virtual-hunter/10039970526115789/

REVIEW: Dark Trip (2026 VR Video Game) - on MetaQuest

Review by Jon Donnis

Dark Trip arrives as one of the more unusual virtual reality releases in recent memory, and it wastes no time making that clear. This is not just another horror title dressed up for VR. It leans fully into its concept, building an experience around altered perception, unreliable reality, and the unsettling idea that the only way forward is to deliberately lose control.

You play as a detective investigating a disappearance in a small German town, a premise that sounds grounded at first but quickly spirals into something far stranger. The trail leads to an abandoned laboratory, one steeped in disturbing experiments and fragments of human suffering. Notes, recordings and environmental clues slowly piece together a grim history, one tied to wartime atrocities and occult ambitions. It is not subtle, and it does not try to be. Instead, it embraces a grotesque, almost theatrical tone that feels closer in spirit to Hellraiser than traditional detective fiction.

What sets Dark Trip apart is its core mechanic. Progression depends on the player choosing whether to remain sober or consume pills that trigger hallucinations. This is not a simple visual filter layered over the game. Entire rooms transform, puzzles shift logic, and previously invisible clues emerge only when perception is distorted. It creates a constant tension between clarity and chaos. You are never quite sure whether you are making things easier or more complicated by stepping into a hallucinated state.

At its best, this system feels genuinely inventive. Puzzles are carefully structured so that both sober and intoxicated approaches are viable, encouraging experimentation rather than forcing a single solution. Some sequences demand sharp observation in a stable environment, while others only make sense once reality begins to bend. It keeps the player engaged in a way many escape room style games struggle to achieve.

Visually, the game is strong throughout. The contrast between the cold, clinical design of the laboratory and the warped, organic horror of hallucinated spaces is striking. When the game leans into its more surreal side, it becomes genuinely unsettling. Walls breathe, machinery pulses, and the environment feels alive in a way that VR amplifies effectively. There is a confidence in how it presents these moments, even when they border on the absurd.

The storytelling is handled mostly through the environment, and it works well enough. Fragments of narrative are scattered across the rooms, encouraging players to piece together what happened rather than being told outright. It is not always subtle, but it is effective. The themes are dark, sometimes uncomfortably so, and clearly aimed at an adult audience. There is a deliberate push into taboo territory, which will not be for everyone.

That said, Dark Trip is not without its flaws. The use of AI generated artwork in places stands out, and not in a good way. It breaks immersion slightly, especially in a game that relies so heavily on atmosphere and detail. It feels like a shortcut in an otherwise carefully crafted experience.

Length is another issue. The game can be completed in around two hours, which feels short given the strength of its central idea. There is some replay value in revisiting rooms and experimenting with different approaches, but it only goes so far. Once the core mechanics have been fully explored, there is limited incentive to return.

There are also minor technical issues. Bugs do crop up, though not frequently enough to derail the experience. To the developers' credit, updates are ongoing and there is a sense that feedback is being taken seriously.

Even with its shortcomings, Dark Trip leaves a strong impression. It commits fully to its concept and delivers something genuinely different within the VR space. The idea of using altered states as a gameplay mechanic is not just a gimmick here. It is the foundation of the entire experience, and for the most part, it works.

Dark Trip is a disturbing, creative and at times genuinely unnerving piece of work. It may be short, and it may stumble in places, but it stands out in a crowded field simply by daring to do something different.

8 out of 10

Available at

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/dark-trip/27793698076945636/

NEWS: Maestro All Aboard! Conducting Chaos, Classical and Cannon Fire in Virtual Reality

By Jon Donnis

Maestro, the virtual reality conducting game developed for Meta Quest, was originally released in 2024 and quickly positioned itself as one of the platform's most distinctive musical titles. Built around hand tracking and real-world conducting techniques, the base game places players on the podium of a full orchestra, allowing them to shape performances through physical movement rather than traditional controller inputs.

The core experience sees players step onto fully rendered concert stages and conduct interactive orchestral performances with complete visual and audio immersion. Maestro features a wide range of music across thirty tracks, spanning classical composers such as Beethoven and Vivaldi alongside well known cinematic scores from franchises including Star Wars and Harry Potter. Players can also customise performances by unlocking different stages, costumes, gloves and batons. The game was named Meta's Game of the Year for 2024.

On December 17, 2025, Maestro expanded with the release of All Aboard!, a pirate themed downloadable content pack rather than a standalone release. The DLC introduces a nautical setting and a new musical programme inspired by the sea, while retaining the same conducting mechanics as the base game.

All Aboard! centres on a fictional voyage aboard La Cultivée, with players leading a rough-edged pirate orchestra through five new pieces. The tracklist includes Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt's He's a Pirate and Zimmer's Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, the traditional sea shanty Wellerman, Rimski Korsakov's The Shipwreck from Scheherazade, and the overture from Ralph Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony.

The update frames its content with theatrical pirate imagery, inviting players to assemble a buccaneer crew and conduct amid canvas sails and seafaring atmosphere. Despite the change in tone, the DLC is designed to integrate directly into Maestro's existing structure, offering an additional themed experience rather than altering the underlying game.

Out Now on MetaQuest

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/all-aboard/1310468043816380

REVIEW: Reach (2025 VR Video Game) - On MetaQuest

Review by Jon Donnis

When a VR game makes you forget where you are, you know it's doing something right. Reach, from nDreams Elevation, is one of those rare experiences that aims high and mostly gets there. It blends shooting, climbing, and a touch of role-playing into a world that feels alive, dangerous, and genuinely inviting to explore.

The visuals are the first thing that strike you. It's easily one of the most impressive-looking games on MetaQuest, with sharp detail and light effects that give every space a sense of depth. The opening tutorial deserves credit too. It's clever, well-paced, and teaches the core mechanics without slowing the action.

Once you're set loose, the game shines brightest in motion. Parkour feels smooth and intuitive, from leaping across ledges to zip-lining through open stretches. Combat has an arcade feel, more forgiving than realistic, which keeps it fun rather than frustrating. The bow is a particular highlight, giving each encounter a nice rhythm between movement and aim.

Not everything hits the mark, though. Standing play feels unfinished. You can duck and crouch in real life, but the game still wants a button press to register it. It breaks the illusion a little, especially in moments where immersion should matter most. Motion sickness can also be an issue. Even with the comfort settings on, it can catch up with you if you're sensitive to it. Players used to VR movement will likely be fine, but it's something to be aware of.

Despite those small setbacks, Reach gets a lot right. It looks great, plays well, and feels built with care. The story has enough heart to keep you engaged, and the freedom of movement gives it a sense of adventure that few VR titles manage.

Reach might not redefine VR, but it proves how far it has come. It's confident, good-looking, and full of moments that make you glad you took the leap.

Score: 8/10

Out Now on MetaQuest

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/reach/9707487579328855/