Fireproof Games' VR entry in The Room puzzle series: investigate an Egyptologist's disappearance in 1908 London by unlocking intricate mechanical puzzles.
The Room VR: A Dark Matter is a puzzle adventure from Fireproof Games, the British studio behind The Room series. It launched on March 26, 2020, for Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, SteamVR and PlayStation VR. A PlayStation VR2 version followed in July 2023, and it is also sold on the PICO Store and Viveport. It is the fifth game in the series and the first made only for VR.
Story
London, 1908: an esteemed Egyptologist has vanished from the British Institute of Archaeology, and you are the police detective sent to investigate. The case leads through cryptic locations and into an otherworldly space where the line between reality and illusion blurs.
How it plays
Like the earlier Room games, the focus is on elaborate puzzle boxes and strange devices. You pick up objects, turn them over, push levers and open hidden compartments with your hands. A special eyepiece reveals details that are invisible to the naked eye. Each location is a self-contained set of linked puzzles, with a hint system if you get stuck, and the tone is mysterious rather than outright horror.
Comfort
Meta rates the game as comfortable. You move between fixed points instead of walking freely, and it can be played seated or standing; PS VR2 asks for a room-scale play area.
What to know before buying
- It lists for $24.99 on the Meta Horizon Store and the PlayStation Store, and $29.99 on the PICO Store.
- Quest and Rift are cross-buy, and owners of the PS VR version get the PS VR2 version at no extra cost.
- It runs on Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S, Quest Pro and PICO 4 Ultra.
- Single-player, uses controllers (no hand tracking) and is rated PEGI 7 for fear. Voice acting is in five languages, with text in nine on Quest.
