Elite Dangerous

Elite Dangerous is an expansive space simulation set in a realistically scaled-down replica of the entire Milky Way, in which the player trades, fights, explores, and builds their own career as a pilot. VR headset support was added shortly after the game's release and allows the player to sit in the ship's cockpit and look around the dashboard and surrounding space with a sense of scale that cannot be replicated on a flat screen, while the player can physically turn their head to check the radar and the view from the cockpit.

The game places great emphasis on simulation elements – piloting the ship requires managing power between engines, weapons, and shields, navigation is done using star maps, and docking at stations requires precise maneuvering through narrow spaces. VR adds a convincing sense of space and depth to this system, especially when approaching large space stations or flying through asteroid fields, where the player can physically turn their head for a better view of their surroundings. The sound design of the ship's systems and the music accompanying long-distance travel further heighten the feeling of genuine piloting.

VR support for Elite Dangerous was well received as one of the best ways to experience the game, and many long-time players say that after trying VR they don't want to go back to playing on a flat screen. The game is still regularly updated today, and its VR mode remains one of the most frequently recommended examples of how virtual reality can enhance the sense of scale and immersion in a space simulation that otherwise requires dozens or hundreds of hours of play. The large community of players, trading factions, and exploration expeditions organized directly by players also give the Elite Dangerous universe the feel of a living, collaboratively built world, which is experienced even more intensely in VR than on a monitor screen. The richly detailed dashboard, with dozens of switches and displays that can be directly touched and viewed from different angles in VR, is one of the elements that most often surprises players with its authenticity when first sitting down in the cockpit.

Why play it: For fans of space simulations who, after trying VR mode, no longer want to go back to a flat screen – it enhances the sense of scale and immersion over dozens or even hundreds of hours of play.