Take up the adventure again, this time on Quest headsets.
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger has hit a new platform thanks to Incuvo (TRACKED: Shoot to Survive).
Releasing first on PCVR then on the PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2), the game has now hit Quest – rounding out the big three.
“Split Light Studio wanted to expand the Pirates VR game portfolio by releasing it on the three VR largest platforms. The final step was the Quest platform and the potential it offers. It is currently the most popular VR platform, and we wanted to give these players the opportunity to play,” said a member of the development team.
For those who do not know: the virtual reality (VR) puzzle adventure – releasing today, Feb. 5 – takes you through an island in search of treasure. You’ll get to embody the life of a pirate – as much as possible – as you climb, explore and make your way through different settings.
The gameplay overeall has not changed since the PSVR2 release in May 2025. This means that everything discussed about gameplay and mechanics from that time still rings true. However, the development team says the game on Quest will be seeing some improvements including:
- Improved enemy AI (enemy’s sight range, combat, flanking system)
- Very high quality graphics (hi-res textures, anti-aliasing, smooth animations)
- Partly open world on the island, which was a bit challenging and it’s quite unique among other single player titles on Meta Quest
- Enhanced haptics on controllers (even more immersive gunplay and gameplay)
The game is engaging, and the puzzles expect about the same out of players, but mostly you’re simply wandering around until you find what you need. Alternatively, if you’re fighting enemies things haven’t changed, as you’ll just have to move around and avoid until you can take them down.
The focus on exploration and finding all the hidden treasure is the goal, as you’ll be able to unlock side-challenges – which aren’t enough to bring you back.
Being a port of the game already released across other VR platforms, the only thing which changes here is the graphics – and buttons which you press to access certain context items.
Getting the updated mechanics out of the way, you’ll use the ‘A’ or ‘X’ buttons to open the inventory – on top of the usual grip buttons to grab and triggers to activate the lantern or shoot.
With not much else in terms of changes let’s talk graphics – because this really is the only difference in the game across platforms.
Visually the game looks good. Up close as you wander around things are crisp and you’ll notice settings which draw you in; even in the distance sorta look better than they should – which is a credit to the work done by the developers at Incuvo.
“The hardware potential of Quest 3 has been maximized compared to previous versions of the headset, allowing the game’s visuals to closely match those of the Steam and PSVR2 versions.”
Besides everything mentioned above, Pirates VR: Jolly Roger is about as middle of the road as an elderly driver who misplaced their glasses.
If you’re looking for something new to do on the Quest, then the game is certainly an option which will let you experience the life of a pirate – even if for only a while. There still are not that many pirate games available, and this once certainly gives the most bang for your time.
“The game gives you a unique opportunity to become a pirate and learn about their everyday life, but from a slightly different perspective than most pirate movies and games show. The life of a pirate also involves brawls in taverns, trade, and gambling. It’s full of burying and discovering treasures, exploring caves, searching for ancient artifacts, and defeating supernatural enemies such as skeletons and ghosts of former great pirates. Add to that climbing, DIY zip-lining, close combat, environmental puzzles, diving, and… dramatic escapes from deadly animals (if you like cats you can change your mind after facing a cougar). Well, the life of a pirate isn’t easy, but it sure is fascinating.”
If you want to experience this game, focus less on any one aspect and allow the overall game to draw you into the life of a pirate. There’s certainly a lot to like if you go in without setting your expectations too high, but most VR veterans will need to do some extra work to set aside any prejudice they might have, in order to make it through to the end.
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger was reviewed on the Quest 3 after receiving pre-release access.
