VR continues to offer developers plenty of room to experiment, whether through mind-bending puzzles, physically demanding extreme sports or imaginative worlds that put a new spin on familiar activities. This roundup takes a closer look at three Meta Quest releases that demonstrate just how varied these experiences can be. Shil challenges players to question their surroundings while solving inventive puzzles, VMX brings BMX, mountain biking and scooter tricks into the virtual skatepark, and Walkabout Mini Golf’s Escape from Planet Xylodon DLC introduces an alien course filled with bizarre plants and unpredictable obstacles. Each has its own approach to immersion, with varying degrees of success, but all offer a glimpse of what makes VR such an interesting platform for developers willing to think beyond traditional gaming.
Shil review (Quest)
Shil, developed and published by OSM Games, is a psychological puzzle adventure for Meta Quest that explores what happens when reality can no longer be trusted. Trapped inside a damaged mind, players must recover lost memories while following guidance from an artificial intelligence that might not have entirely innocent intentions. The narrative gradually unfolds through audio recordings, giving players reasons to question what happened and whether their supposed ally deserves their trust. It is an intriguing premise that benefits from withholding answers, although much of the storytelling takes a back seat to the puzzles themselves. With seven possible endings and branching paths to discover, there is also a worthwhile incentive to revisit earlier areas rather than simply reach the conclusion and move on.
The real star of Shil is its puzzle design, which uses contrasting colors, silhouettes and perspective to make seemingly empty spaces surprisingly deceptive. Players begin with a launcher that reveals or alters parts of the environment, gradually acquiring additional tools such as a slingshot and a magnetic weapon. These can activate switches, manipulate platforms, overcome obstacles and deal with enemies. The cleverness lies in how familiar mechanics are continually repurposed, with individual rooms introducing fresh ideas instead of repeatedly recycling the same challenges. One moment, a seemingly solid surface conceals a path; the next, survival depends on identifying the right route through an arrangement of lethal traps. Although the puzzles are generally approachable, some can be frustrating when the minimalist presentation obscures information needed to solve them. Experienced puzzle enthusiasts might also find the overall difficulty a little forgiving.
Visually, Shil makes a strong case for less being more. Its predominantly black environments, vivid accent colours and stark silhouettes create a distinctive aesthetic that works particularly well in VR, where players must judge depth and distinguish objects from their surroundings. The lack of conventional detail can initially make the world difficult to read, but that uncertainty is central to the experience rather than merely a technical limitation. Environments also vary considerably in theme and layout, helping the 27 stages feel like a collection of different challenges rather than one extended exercise. Audio is equally important, with environmental effects, carefully placed sounds and the AI’s voice providing clues and building tension without relying on constant musical stings or obvious horror imagery. The result is an unsettling atmosphere that gets under the skin through anticipation rather than conventional jump scares.
Controls and comfort options help make the unusual design accessible, with both teleportation and smooth locomotion available alongside snap or smooth turning, a movement vignette, and seated or standing play. Checkpoints also make failure relatively painless, encouraging experimentation instead of punishing players for taking a wrong step. Still, Shil demands patience: its visual tricks will not always be immediately readable, and players who prefer straightforward objectives or more traditional action may find the experience repetitive. Nevertheless, its inventive puzzles, unusual presentation and branching progression make it a distinctive addition to the Meta Quest library. Shil may occasionally leave players scratching their heads for the wrong reasons, but its willingness to experiment makes the journey worthwhile for anyone seeking a puzzle adventure that genuinely takes advantage of VR.
VMX review (Quest)
VMX is an extreme sports game from Break Free Interactive that brings BMX, mountain biking and scooter riding to the Meta Quest, using physical gestures to recreate the sensation of pulling off tricks in a skatepark. Rather than relying on conventional button combinations, the game asks players to learn its movement-based controls, making successful landings and elaborate trick combinations feel genuinely rewarding. With five environments to explore, ranging from urban locations to dirt tracks and a stadium featuring a massive ramp, there is a decent variety of places to practise. However, the emphasis on ramps and aerial tricks means street riders may miss features such as grinding, while the selection of locations and available tricks can start to feel limited after extended play.
The control system is VMX’s biggest strength, but also its most demanding aspect. Learning to build momentum, launch into the air and execute tricks through physical movements takes practice, and combining manoeuvres into longer sequences requires both coordination and timing. Once the controls begin to click, however, landing a complicated trick feels considerably more satisfying than simply pressing a sequence of buttons. BMX bikes, mountain bikes and scooters each offer a different riding experience, providing welcome variety. The custom physics will not suit everyone, particularly players who prefer a more forgiving arcade approach, and the game’s convincing sense of movement can cause substantial motion sickness during repeated flips and rotations. Comfort options help make the experience more approachable, but VR newcomers should still ease themselves into it.
Visually, VMX makes a strong impression on the standalone headset, with distinct environments, clear interface elements and fluid movement helping maintain the illusion of riding. The presentation is not equally impressive everywhere, but the varied locations and detailed customisation options give the game plenty of personality. The workshop allows players to spray-paint their bikes with different colors, gradients and patterns, while clothing and protective gear can be unlocked through normal play. Audio also contributes to the experience, with tire skids and environmental reverberation lending weight to the action. Particularly useful for players who enjoy sharing their achievements, the adjustable camera tools make recording tricks and replaying footage in VR another appealing feature.
Multiplayer rounds out the package, letting friends explore the parks, practise together and compete for high scores. This social element suits the pick-up-and-play nature of extreme sports games, although small connection problems made the experience not entirely smooth. Public lobbies can also expose players to disruptive behavior, making the available mute and block functions worth knowing about. Nevertheless, VMX offers an appealing alternative to traditional extreme sports games, particularly for players who want their own movements to drive the action. Its limited selection of tricks and the steep physical learning curve prevent it from being an all-round recommendation, but the satisfying controls, customisation and multiplayer potential make it a compelling option for VR riders willing to put in the practice.
Walkabout Mini Golf – Planet Xylodon DLC review (Quest)
The latest course for Walkabout Mini Golf, Escape from Planet Xylodon, sends players to an alien world where a research team has disappeared after investigating its unusual plant life. Across 18 easy and 18 hard holes, Mighty Coconut uses that premise to build a colorful sci-fi environment filled with strange creatures, glowing vegetation and unsettling remnants of the missing researchers. The story mostly serves as a backdrop rather than a compelling mystery to unravel, but the environmental details give the course a welcome sense of place. On Meta Quest, the vibrant colors, moving alien wildlife and atmospheric vistas make exploring between shots almost as enjoyable as playing the holes themselves.
The course’s biggest strength is how its alien ecosystem becomes part of the golfing experience. Plants can swallow, crush or propel the ball, while unusual surfaces and gravity-defying routes create opportunities for inventive shots. Steep ramps, winding paths and environmental shortcuts reward experimentation, and the hidden balls and hard-mode foxhunt offer additional reasons to explore. The soundtrack also complements the otherworldly setting, balancing the relaxing pace of mini golf with a slightly eerie atmosphere. However, the unusual physics can sometimes undermine the precision that makes Walkabout Mini Golf so satisfying. When a plant sends the ball flying in an unexpected direction, the result can be funny, but repeated unpredictable bounces can make certain holes feel more dependent on luck than skill.
As with the rest of the game, putting is intuitive and works well in VR, with the physical swing making each shot feel direct and tactile. The challenge comes from adapting that familiar control scheme to the course’s stranger obstacles. Unfortunately, not every layout makes the most of its ideas: some holes feel relatively straightforward despite their elaborate surroundings, while awkward ball positions can interrupt the flow. The difficulty also fluctuates, with some risk-and-reward decisions on various holes. The course is generally at its best when players can deliberately use the flora to plan a clever route, rather than simply hoping an unpredictable interaction works in their favor.
Escape from Planet Xylodon is another visually distinctive addition to Walkabout Mini Golf, particularly for players who enjoy discovering environmental details and sharing a relaxed round with friends. Its alien world feels alive, and the combination of collectibles, alternate routes and hard-mode secrets gives the course more to offer than a single playthrough. Nevertheless, the design does not consistently match its striking presentation, and the reliance on disruptive plant-based gimmicks may frustrate players who prefer courses built around clever geometry and precise putting. The final holes provide a satisfying progression for some, although the overall climax may feel less spectacular than the setting promises. For fans of the series, Xylodon is well worth exploring, and it is the atmosphere and playful experimentation that stand out most.