5 Best Games Like Rec Room

Rec Room is an online platform that's absolutely bursting with freshly built innovations and interactive content. It's no wonder, then, that the VR entry has onboarded millions of users since its 2016 launch—all of whom have used the platform to channel their inner creatives and conjure worlds only the likes of video games could ever comprehend. And that's the beauty of it; it hosts an ever-evolving community that dreams big and builds even bigger.

Let it be said that there are a few quality alternatives outside the confines of the beloved Rec Room, though. In fact, both consoles and PC have a multitude of recreational kingdoms for you to explore and build in. But if you're simply interested in delving straight into the best ones, then look no further. Here are the best games like Rec Room money can buy.

5. Roblox

Ah yes — Roblox, the blocky empire that never ceases to amaze us, regardless of how many shovelware games it spits out on a weekly basis. Without a doubt, the collected community hosts some of the best online multiplayer games on the planet, and what's more, it does a pretty remarkable job of engaging with gamers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels, too. A unicorn-themed RPG? Check. A full-fledged adaptation of Netflix's Squid Game? Check. A blatant rip-off of Slender, but with SpongeBob SquarePants as the antagonist? Check, check, and check.

As it stands, Roblox employs over 40 million user-created games, all of which can be explored and experienced without having to fork over any additional fees. From action-adventure to survival-horror, city-building to RPG — chances are, Roblox will have something of the sort to cater to your needs. And if by chance it doesn't, then hey, just give it a week or two and let the community work their magic.

4. Dreams

Dreams, much like Rec Room, is a virtual haven that fosters a wide range of community-built creations, all of which come bundled in with the base game. And while it may be locked to PlayStation as a first-party exclusive, it doesn't mean the volume it moves on a daily basis is lacking in any way. On the contrary, it actually supplies millions of custom worlds—some of which have the tools and mechanics to rival even the biggest triple-A games on the modern market.

Whatever it is that takes your fancy, chances are Dreams will have something of the sort in its archive. A beginner-friendly platformer? A superhero-inspired open world RPG? A clone of Dark Souls? It's all there, and then some, and it goes without saying that, if you're looking to save a pretty penny and have an infinite amount of words to soak up, then look no further.

3. Gary's Mod

For as long as we can remember, Gary's Mod has been churning out absurdly unique creations on PC. And while it may be the ultimate playground for building memes or skits, the fact is, the tools it provides to build worlds are actually rather useful. What's more, the sandbox title has no predefined objectives, which means you can quite literally go gallivanting about and bend the world to your will without the added consequences.

There's a lot to unearth in Gary's Mod—even more so in 2023, roughly seventeen years after it first launched under Valve's wing. In spite of the game being a little dated, its community is still alive and kicking, and it continues to role out both updates and playable experiences on a regular basis. So, if you're one for getting lost in an bottomless pit of questionable cinematics and indie creations, then be sure to make Gary's Mod your next stop.

2. Horizon Worlds

In a bit to stay up to date with the metaverse, Meta Quest developed Horizon Worlds, an adult-only VR game that aimed to mesh the likes of Roblox with Minecraft. Its purpose, much like the two, was to bring a community together in order to establish a nexus of custom-made worlds, events, and hangout spots. And that's exactly what it went on to achieve, with hundreds of thousands of users logging in and transforming the platform the moment it found its feet back in 2021.

Granted, there are still a number of tweaks Facebook can perform to be able to maximize Horizon Worlds' potential. But as it stands, it's still a pretty solid alternative to Rec Room, and it serves its purpose surprisingly well, given the fact its active user base has faltered in recent months. Nevertheless, it's a far cry from a lot of subpar recreational clones out there, and one that just so happens to have the support of Zuckerberg and the entire Facebook brigade, too. So there's that.

1. VRChat

If you was to compress the likes of Roblox down into a VR-focused domain, then you'd find yourself in possession of VRChat, an all-in-one collection of user-created words and experiences built for virtual reality. And that's really what it is — an enormous library of playable features and virtual hangouts for players to visit, customize, and ultimately tamper with for the sake of adding new flavors to an old dish.

Right now, VRChat hosts a staggering amount of independent titles, many of which have gone on to become global beacons for avid VR fans. Bottom line is, if you enjoy creating custom avatars and rummaging through wave after wave of rooms, worlds, and theatrics, then boy, you're going to be questing for quite some time. As it currently stands, you can access VRChat on Meta Rift, Meta Quest, HTC Vive, and PC VR.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up any of the above five games? Are there any alternatives you can think of? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.