There's an argument to be made that Islanders is one of the best city building games out there. It is, at the very least, one of the most relaxing. This minimalist strategy game from developer Coatsink is all about good lo-fi beats to chill and build to, where you're able to sit back and gradually establish small cities on colorful islands. Well, now you're going to be able to do it in virtual reality.
Islanders VR popped up in the Future Games Show Gamescom 2023 showcase and it looked utterly delightful. Better still, Coatsink confirmed that Islanders VR Edition will release on September 28, 2023 for Meta Quest platforms. Honestly, the thought of strapping on a headset and just disappearing into another reality for a few hours, just slowly building entire islands by hand, sounds like the sort of decompression I need right now.
If you didn't play Islanders the first time around back in 2019, all you really need to know is that it's a really fun, and intuitive city builder made by a team of three. What it lacks in scope it makes up for with heart and positive vibes, and it's truly the sort of experience that can calm a worried mind after a long day at school or work. It's the sort of thing you want to dip into every now and then, with procedurally-generated islands ensuring there's always some new space to build upon.
Islanders VR Edition will launch September 28 and it could be the perfect little antidote to all of the noise being generated by the AAA productions out there. So if you're looking for a new best Meta Quest 2 game to play, it's well worth keeping this chill city builder on your radar. Deep breath, sit back, relax – it's time to get building.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
