Payday Aces High review: This year’s must-play multiplayer VR game

Payday Aces High is the long-awaited return of the Payday series to VR, available on Meta Quest, SteamVR, and Steam Frame. This title is a welcome revival for fans of the franchise, who may have been disappointed with Payday 3. The new game offers four new characters, a new villain, and VR-specific mechanics that enhance the gameplay experience.

Players can choose from the Ace of Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, and Spades, with a simple visual change, but can customize their own stats throughout the game as they unlock points and earn money. Unique masks for each character are also available as DLC.

The game begins with six unlockable missions and a seventh free mission set to release on December 14. Fast Travel Games, the developer behind Payday Aces High, has a strong track record in VR and hosts community challenges to unlock special loot. The standalone Quest 3 version boasts excellent visuals and performance, with outstanding VR-specific features like on-body inventory, skill check-style minigames, and physics-based gun mechanics.

Hacking computers while shooting in a different direction is another VR-only feature that adds to the immersive experience.

While Payday Aces High captures the essence of the original game with new mechanics, it lacks some bespoke VR features. Players cannot grab characters, break glass with a melee attack, or engage in complex stealth mechanics. Despite these minor shortcomings, the game is incredibly enjoyable and challenging, providing endless fun for co-op multiplayer. Fans of the series and co-op VR gaming will find Payday Aces High to be an exceptional multiplayer VR game of the year.