Skip to main content

HTC changed the Vive’s bundled games, check out the new titles

HTC is shuffling the software that comes with its virtual reality headset, replacing two games.

The esoteric Job Simulator is gone, and so is Fantastic Contraption, Engadget is reporting. In their place is Call Of The Starseed: The Gallery, an immersive puzzle game inspired by 80’s fantasy movies, and Zombie Training Simulator, a shooting gallery with faux-cardboard zombies. Google’s Tilt Brush remains bundled with the Vive.

Recommended Videos

The Gallery, one of the first VR games designed by Cloudhead Games, looks like a fascinating addition. It makes great use of the motion controllers offered by the Vive, and features a soundtrack by Jeremy Soule of Elder Scrolls fame. The science fiction 3D adventure game comes in six episodes.

Zombie Training Simulator Trailer

And Zombie Training Simulator seems just plain fun, with a barrage of cardboard cutouts, that look ripped from Plants Versus Zombies, coming right at you. Shoot to kill!

We have to say, though: it’s a shame to see Fantastic Contraption go. This VR take on classics like The Incredible Machine is straight-forward, and also makes great use of VR. It had us leaning down to adjust pieces, and felt uniquely tangible in a way only VR can deliver.

And Job Simulator, while a little weird, is also a great little game. In theory it’s a point-and-click adventure game, but it’s also fun to fire this game up and attempt to set fire to a convenience store (there’s no way it’s just us who tried that).

Google’s Tilt Shift, which lets users draw in 3D, remains bundled with the Vive. This simple art tool is great for quick 3D sketches, and is well worth firing up to play around with. We’re glad to see it stay.

After spending $800 on a headset, let alone whatever you spent on the PC you plug it into, it’s nice to have even a little bit of software to play around with. It seems like HTC is committed to changing those games up now and then, which can only be a good thing as VR continues to evolve.

Justin Pot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Justin's always had a passion for trying out new software, asking questions, and explaining things – tech journalism is the…
VR gaming appears to have hit an all-time high
Meta Quest 2 makes virtual reality affordable

VR gaming seems to have reached an all-time high, with a notable report suggesting a nearly four-times increase in users in the past month. Those figures come from a survey and might not be exact, but do indicate an ongoing trend of more and more people joining the VR gaming revolution.

It's really not surprising since very affordable and solid VR systems have been around for several years. As early adopters help work out the bugs and introduce new players to the experience, virtual reality will undoubtedly continue to grow until it becomes another mainstream option.

Read more
MSI’s new gaming laptops are cooled by a ‘phase-changing’ liquid metal pad
MSI presenting its CES 2022 gaming laptops.

MSI unveiled its roster of laptops for the new year at CES 2022, including updates across the entire range and changes to specific models. The most striking change is a Phase-Change Liquid Metal Pad included in models with an unlocked Intel Core i9 processor, which melts when the CPU heats up and solidifies when temperatures are low.

It's a cross between traditional thermal paste and liquid metal. MSI tells us that liquid metal presents too many problems -- it's hard to apply, it can short out components, and it needs to be replaced much faster than traditional thermal paste. The Phase-Change Liquid Metal Pad, as MSI is calling it, solves that problem and can result in up to a 10% boost in overclocking performance.

Read more
The most common HTC Vive problems, and how to fix them
amazon prime day htc vive cosmos vr deal

 

Virtual reality (VC) headsets are all the rage these days. They offer a more immersive experience to the gaming world and the chance to move around -- if everything's working properly. HTC's latest Vive headsets, including the impressive Cosmos and new Vive Pro 2, are more stable than ever, but sometimes things can still go wrong. 

Read more