When I was younger, I played a really grainy VR game in an old seaside arcade in England, and it seemed like the best thing in the world. I can still remember being immersed in this virtual street, rifle in hand, but I couldn’t wait until the smell of cotton candy and saltwater around me would become part of the experience.
Now, I have a Playstation VR setup in my home, and my sister asked me for VR game recommendations for her two boys. My nephews might not be able to smell the digital cotton candy just yet, but there are plenty of immersive games for them to enjoy. The question is, which games help keep your child safe online, and which contain hidden pitfalls and dangers?
Games on the PS Store My Nephews Should Avoid
Sony is on the cusp of releasing the PSVR 2 (Playstation Virtual Reality 2 Headset), which makes this tech a lot more accessible to casual gamers. What perfect timing, as my sister’s kids are getting a little older now, and they’re starting to venture into the world of gaming. When asked to recommend some games for her 5 and 9-year-old boys, I was stumped. For sure, there’s a whole bunch of flashy VR games now, from full-on space exploration flight simulators (No Man’s Sky) to chopping fruit with a sword (Fruit Ninja). But what else is out there? I decided to take an evening, put on my PSVR headset, and explore some of the titles that Sony’s PS Store had to offer. Unfortunately, this is the internet, and where there are anonymous online strangers, anything can be turned into an NSFK (not safe for kids) experience. That’s why social VR apps can be so dangerous for kids. I very quickly stumbled upon a handful of VR games that I wouldn’t want anywhere near my nephews, for various reasons. These fairly innocuous-looking games wouldn’t trigger any alarm bells, but have dangers lurking under the surface.
1. Everybody’s Golf: Who needs Tinder?
It’s a little ironic that this game is called Everybody’s Golf, while here I am questioning how appropriate it is for kids. On the surface, this game was a lot of fun. I don’t really need to dive into specifics here; it’s a golf game. You swing a virtual club and try to snag the best score you can. There’s zero interaction with other players, but you do get to talk to the virtual golf course staff, including your very own caddy. This game was produced by a Japanese company, and the characters tend to have similar personalities to those seen in lots of anime shows and movies. They’re all female, have pretty ditzy personalities, and in my opinion, their scripted lines occasionally feel like they’re veering into soft porn territory.
Not to mention, some moments feel like they were designed to let you bond with the staff that accompanies you on the course. In one of these, the caddy wears a short dress, eats chocolates, and makes some very satisfied sounds.
Sounds more like a date than a game of golf, right? That was my impression, coming away from Everybody’s Golf. This game felt a little bit like a dating simulator at times, especially with the lack of any other players or NPCs (Non-player characters) around. It’s not a huge problem, but I know that my sister’s boys aren’t quite old enough for the unspoken innuendos that seem to exist on this golf course.
2. VR Chat: Just… don’t
VRChat isn’t so much a game as a virtual reality social media experience. And boy, what an experience this was. It has been around for a while now, and it was the subject of a bunch of memes in the 2010s that, I’ll admit, escaped me. I’d never downloaded this app before, so I figured I’d give it a go. It was pretty tricky in hindsight. The platform was designed for PC, so I had to download some third-party apps for the Playstation first. Once I was in, things got a little weird. Cue characters of all kinds, creating a chaotic mix of different art styles. For kids though, I can see the appeal. You can play as pretty much any character you want.
The problem is, you can play any character you want. This, coupled with voice chat, can be dangerous. According to user reviews, your avatar can be on drugs, they can have sex with other users, and more. Some avatars were basically wearing virtual lingerie. One quick skim of the parent reviews on various gaming websites should tell you all you need to know. No matter how cutesy it looks on the surface, the user freedoms allowed by this game mean that your kids might see some pretty unsafe stuff in here.
3. Resident Evil: Biohazard: Potentially too scary for kids (and me)
This one didn’t make the list due to virtual caddies wearing tiny dresses, nor for any adult charades. No, this one made number four purely because it’s terrifying. If your kid asks you to buy them Resident Evil: Biohazard, and you ask them what kind of game it is, they’ll probably say something akin to, “It’s a zombie game.” Actually, a more realistic explanation would be, “It’s the closest you can come to being inside AMC’s The Walking Dead.” In fact, there are Walking Dead VR games too, but I wouldn’t recommend those either!
Now, I’m a grown man, and I’ll shamefully admit that I never made it past the front door of Resident Evil: Biohazard. Seriously. In one of the first scenes, you’re expected to walk through a pitch-black door and into a creepy-as-hell mansion. I promptly noped out of there as fast as I could. While I’m a huge horror buff when it comes to movies and regular old video games (Poppy Playtime, anyone?), playing a title in virtual reality is a different experience altogether. I have actually played a gameplay demo of Resident Evil: Biohazard before, in which you’re tied to a chair in the room with a creepy character. So, despite my lack of courage with the full game, I’m speaking from experience. Depending on your kids’ ages, you could be setting them up for nightmares and disturbed sleep patterns for weeks to come.
4. Hotel R’n’R: A potential house-destruction simulator
This is possibly one of the most entertaining games I’ve ever played in VR. I really debated whether I should include it on the list. Rather than telling my sister to keep it away from her kids, this is more of an advisory about what to expect. The concept? You’re a rock and roll star, and you’re holed up in a hotel. The goal? To cause as much damage to the room as possible before security shows up.
You can pick up pretty much anything and throw it through the window. You can rummage through draws, yank everything out, and toss it at vases that line the high shelves. You can even rip towel railings off the wall and use them as a weapon to increase your efficiency (I had fun with that part). Without a doubt, I spent hours repeatedly destroying the same room over and over again, failing to progress to the next one despite my wanton destruction. Before you let your kids loose on this one, it’s best to consider their impressionability. Are they likely to carry any of this behavior over into their real life? While the game is entertaining, these days it feels like it could be a TikTok trend waiting to happen. On top of that, I’d advise moving any valuables out of the way if your kids are playing this (or any) VR game.
5. Beat Saber: A potential risk for any expensive ornaments!
This game is awesome. Imagine dancing to your favorite tunes in a nightclub. Now, imagine you’ve got giant, neon blocks flying at your head, and you’ve got to chop them in half with lightsabers. What kid — or adult — wouldn’t love that? I was all too ready to suggest this one to my sister as a great game for the kids. However, it turns out potential dangers are lurking in the pre-game lobby. See, before you get going, you’re dropped into a round, virtual room with the other players. While you can’t see them, you can see their avatar. An avatar that copies the movement of the person wearing the VR kit. Can you see where this is going?
After playing for a couple of hours on a Friday night, I’d seen it all. Virtual, almost cartoon-like characters were imitating a range of actions, including:
Shooting themselves in the head with finger guns Making questionable hand movements at waist level Tying an invisible rope around their neck, before hoisting their arm up Slapping an invisible entity in front of them, while thrusting their hips
Sure, Beat Saber itself is heaps of fun and pretty safe. It’s the kind of game you’d be happy to let your pre-teen try. However, be wary that your kids may be subjected to a round of adult charades. Also, again, you might want to move any expensive ornaments out of the way first; they’re likely to get chopped, too.
There Are Better Options Out There
Like on other gaming platforms, such as Roblox, the PSVR Store is full of unexpected dangers. Of course, my goal here was to find games that I could recommend to my sister. Luckily, it wasn’t all zombies and date simulators: I found a bunch of excellent kid-friendly options too! As a result, I can recommend Dreams as a top VR game. This virtual sandbox is perfect for creative types who want to explore their artistic side. Astrobot Rescue Mission offers a lot of cutesy platforming fun, while Infinite Minigolf is a perfect alternative to Everybody’s Golf. Fruit Ninja VR makes the list, as does Job Simulator, just in case you want to give them a bout of existential Monday dread. My nephews won’t get bored anytime soon! Have you found any kid-friendly VR games that you think they might enjoy? Feel free to drop a comment below!
