Mixed reality games are more sophisticated than ever, and these new releases attest to that.
In his weekly piece, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich explores all aspects of VR, encompassing new hardware, fresh games, forthcoming technologies, and much more.
I’ve been captivated by the concept of mixed reality gaming since the Meta Quest 3 launched nearly two years ago. I can’t believe this device is already two years old, but it has taken this duration for me to gather a considerable number of genuinely compelling mixed reality games that are setting the stage for gaming on smart glasses.
As we anticipate the debut of the first significant commercial smart glasses with a display this month, the latest rumors suggest that the Meta Quest 4 is likely to resemble a pair of tethered smart glasses more than a VR headset. This is fantastic news for mixed reality games, which will become even more enjoyable with lighter, more streamlined headgear.
Developers for Meta Quest are crafting mixed reality applications tailored to gamers now and in the future. Once smart glasses possess the displays and capabilities necessary for gaming, they will support many of the same types of games we currently enjoy on Meta Quest 3, all without the heft of a VR headset.
Banners & Bastions
Banners & Bastions is a new compact roguelike real-time strategy game from the creators of Airspace Defender. Like that title, everything occurs in a “half snow globe” style, conveniently situated on your lap. You can position this half-globe anywhere you desire, making it equally suitable as a tabletop board game and a compact game for laps that you can play on an airplane.
The gameplay shares similarities with Steam hit Bad North, while incorporating various contemporary roguelike trends. Each level starts with a preview of the number and type of enemies that will appear, along with the estimated movement direction of each spawn point (helpful for setting up walls).
Players select units from a random assortment of cards displayed on the screen, aligning with the roguelike aspect of the game. You have a limited budget to spend on units, making it unusual to buy more than 1-2 cards each turn. Units can be deployed anywhere on the map and moved at any moment, so while it’s essential to strategize ahead, you can always adjust placements during battle.
Levels progress in a linear manner and receive the standard 3-star mobile scoring system. Stars may be used to unlock a substantial skill tree, and you’ll gain new cards and units as you advance. Additionally, emergency abilities like summoning meteors or calling for reserve soldiers can aid in keeping your units intact between rounds.
The primary attraction of playing this in mixed reality is the level of control you possess over the action. The game relies solely on hand tracking, making it far more convenient to engage with compared to most VR games, since you only need to wear the headset and start the game. Hand tracking has become exceptional lately. Even my son, who previously disliked hand tracking due to its past unreliability, found Banners & Bastions’ hand tracking to be remarkably effective.
Creating a mixed reality game that depends on hand movements instead of controllers guarantees that, in a few years, smart glasses equipped with displays and capable hardware can effortlessly run this kind of game on the go. It’s a significant improvement over squinting and trying to tap the right unit on a phone screen. I also greatly appreciate the game’s quick levels, which usually take just a few minutes to finish, making it an ideal choice for portable gaming.
Mythic Realms
Mythic Realms is among the most developed mixed reality games I’ve experienced thus far. While it begins as a seemingly straightforward mixed reality game where you fight monsters in your own physical space, you quickly discover that this title is more than merely a combat simulator.
Instead, it’s a comprehensive roguelike RPG akin to The Elder Scrolls: Blades. In fact, the gameplay loop is strikingly similar to that title, including the idea of embarking on quests to collect resources and funds to restore your hometown. From blacksmiths ready to enhance your gear to daily random events that will keep you returning to see what’s happening, there’s never a shortage of entertaining activities.
I genuinely gasped when I grasped the game’s depth, as many comparable mixed reality titles with fantasy combat and randomized room layouts tend to focus solely on combat with little else.
The town itself exists in full virtual reality, so while that segment would need modification to function correctly on mixed reality glasses, I can envision the company adjusting the town concept to a diorama scale that feels more manageable in mixed reality. I really enjoy experiencing the town in VR, though, so it currently feels excellent in its configuration for Meta Quest 3 and 3S headsets.
The way Mythic Realms transforms your plays
