Ghost Town is one of my favorite VR games of all time, here's why

For me, Ghost Town is one of the best VR games in recent years. Here are four reasons why it stands out as an exceptional title.

This weekend, I finally had time to check out the new VR horror game Ghost Town. To my surprise, I played through almost the entire game in one sitting. More than four hours straight in a VR headset? I rarely put myself through that. But the game had a pull I just couldn’t resist.

The story takes place in 1980s London. You play as Edith Penrose, a young woman with supernatural abilities and a connection to the spirit world, who sets out to find her missing brother. She’s assisted by her roommate Rina, a computer genius, with whom she runs a paranormal investigation agency.

I don't want to give too much away about Ghost Town. But here are four qualities that set Ghost Town apart for me, and four reasons why you shouldn't miss it.

A cinematic experience

It may sound like a cliché, but in this case, it’s true: Ghost Town immerses you in an experience that feels like stepping into a movie. The game is so well directed and narrated that I almost forgot I was playing a VR game—or any game at all. Very few VR titles have managed to achieve that.

The story captivated me from start to finish. It’s easy to follow and gave my actions an emotional motivation: to find Edith's missing brother.

Unlike its spiritual predecessor The Room VR: A Dark Matter, Ghost Town is not an escape room game with a thin storyline wrapped around it. It's an immersive, cinematic experience with puzzle elements—and that makes a big difference.

In fact, the plot is so captivating that I wanted to solve the puzzles as quickly as possible, just to find out what happens next. So I was glad the puzzles are light and don’t interrupt the narrative flow for long.

Eerily Beautiful Locations

Over the course of the game, you’ll explore a range of eerie, atmospheric locations that are genuinely awe-inspiring: a fog-shrouded lighthouse island, a creepy cabinet of curiosities filled with supernatural exhibits, an abandoned Victorian-era London Underground station, and more.

I was especially impressed by Edith and Rina’s 1980s London apartment block and home—some of the most detailed living spaces I’ve seen in virtual reality.

While most VR games confine you to a single type of environment or shift between stylized fantasy biomes, Ghost Town offers realistic, varied locations that left a lasting impression on me.

Among the best visuals on Quest

For me, Ghost Town is the best-looking Quest game since Red Matter 2—and that’s saying something.

From the detailed, atmospheric environments to the believably animated characters and varied visual effects, the studio has truly pulled out all the stops. Sure, there are a few blurry or flat textures here and there, but they don’t detract from the overall experience.

By the way, the screenshots and trailers don’t do the game justice—you have to experience Ghost Town in VR.

Two tips: With the Quest Games Optimizer, you can squeeze an extra 33% of resolution out of the game for an extra sharp image. Separately, make sure you have the content-adaptive brightness control enabled in your Quest settings. This will give you better black levels in dark scenes and save battery power.

Subtle Horror Without Cheap Shock Effects

For me, the best horror is always the kind that happens in your mind. Ghost Town is a game that embraces psychological horror and, unlike most VR titles, completely avoids jump scares. You won’t find physical violence, mutilation, or pools of blood here either.

So, if you enjoy being creeped out but prefer to avoid overly violent horror, Ghost Town is perfect for you. However, the game is not suitable for children, though that should go without saying.

Conclusion: A VR Game Not to Be Missed

For me, Ghost Town is one of the most impressive games I've experienced not just in this year, but in a long time: an atmospheric, gripping VR adventure that often made me feel not just like a player, but like an actor in a movie. The high production values and bug-free launch also speak for themselves.

If you enjoy this type of VR game and want to see more titles like this in the future, I strongly encourage you to support Fireproof Games and buy Ghost Town.

You can buy Ghost Town here

Ghost Town has been available on the Horizon Store since April 24th, 2024. Meta Quest 3, 3S, 2, and Pro are supported.

A dedicated version for PC VR and Playstation VR 2 will follow later this year. You can add the game to your wishlist on Steam and the Playstation Store.

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