Phantom: Covert Ops

With games like Boneworks, Half-Life: Alyx, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners this year, the bar for VR games has risen exponentially. There's an exhilarating VR experience struggling to break the surface of this title. Phantom is holding itself back from breaking loose and taking the excitement to the next level. Hopefully nDreams has enough success with this game to carry its vision into a sequel.

While it seems strange at first, Phantom: Covert Ops has been one of my best experiences with VR to date. Despite playing the entire game from within a kayak and a formulaic narrative, the meat of the game comes from its impeccable mechanics and immersion. Phantom: Covert Ops uses realistic water physics for its locomotion in a way that lets the player avoid any feeling of nausea or discomfort. The layout of your gear is convenient and easy, and the control scheme takes minutes to master. It’s an exciting experience that puts you in the shoes of a special agent and you feel empowered while playing. For fans of stealth games who are just getting into VR this is an essential experience, and one that sets the bar for stealth in VR.

It’s easy to see why Phantom: Covert Ops received the commendations it did at E3 2019, and it’s now taken the second spot on my personal recommendation list of must-have VR titles. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last we’ve seen in the Phantom line.