Parents' Guide to Beat Saber

What happens when you take martial arts sword mastery and virtual piñatas, then mix it with a healthy dose of a sci-fi dance club vibe? The answer is Beat Saber, a virtual reality rhythm game that's not like anything you've ever seen and is, hands down, one of the best VR experiences available. The game's simple premise and multiple difficulty levels makes it easy for anyone of any skill level to pick up and play. The challenge steps up progressively too, keeping players interest without ever becoming too frustrating. And there's nothing quite as satisfying as knocking out a monster combo in a particular song and knowing that it wasn't dumb luck that got you there, but real skill and practice.

One of the great things about Beat Saber is the way it pulls you into its world. If movies like Tron imagined the world that existed inside your computer, Beat Saber would be the world inside your MP3 player. Red and blue neon hues and highlights float and fly around, guiding your path through a black abyss to a techno groove, which just feels perfect. It's a surreal surrounding that still feels solid enough to reach out and touch. Added together with the fluid responsiveness of the controls and the VR immersion and it's hard not to imagine yourself as an actual living, breathing part of each track. And even though the game is designed as a single-player experience, the game is a blast to share with others. Swapping out the gear and watching friends chase their own high score while cheering them on is almost as much fun as being the one in the game. It also provides a good break from the action to keep from accidentally overworking yourself, because make no mistake, this is definitely a workout.