The five coolest games from Upload VR’s E3 2021 showcase

Upload VR returned to E3 with its third annual showcase of the most inventive and intriguing games coming to VR. As the medium continues to mature year after year, it continues to be a platform for developers to innovate. While not all of the games shown were brand new announcements, we picked five of our favorites from the showcase that you can look forward to immersing yourself in soon.

Song in the Smoke

First announced for PSVR earlier this year, Song in the Smoke is a VR survival game and a departure for developer 17-Bit, better known for cartoony indie games like Skulls of the Shogun and Galak-Z. In a new developer diary, studio CEO Jake Kazdal explains how VR made him want to create not just a game but a fully living and breathing world. It’s coming to Oculus Rift and Quest, and PSVR, this summer.

Unplugged

VR is home to many terrific rhythm games, but Unplugged may have the coolest hook. It’s a game about playing air guitar, and by that, it means you really do only play with your hands thanks to hand-tracking technology on Quest and other supported PC VR. Better yet, the new trailer shows you can play The Offspring’s ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright.’ It’s coming this fall.

Nerf Ultimate Championship

Who remembers playing Nerf? The reveal trailer admittedly doesn’t give too much away but it looks stylish, those Nerf guns look terrific, and it’s from Emmy-awarding winning VR studio Secret Location. It’s an Oculus exclusive coming in 2022.

Sushi Ben VR

This stylish cel-shaded game sees you trying to save your favorite sushi bar from going out of business. However, instead of serving up sushi, your task is actually to convince other people to come eat there, so there’s much more of a narrative focus, brought to life with some vibrant manga-style comic book panels. It’s coming in 2022.

A Township Tale

Coming to Oculus Quest on July 15th, A Township Tale is an open world RPG designed specifically for VR, which wonderfully acknowledges how you and everyone else don’t have any legs. You’ll be able to forge a new identity, whether as a blacksmith, minter, woodcutter, warrior or archer, in an immersive fantasy world.