Cave Crave

Cave Crave earns an 8.0 out of 10: a finely tuned VR spelunking sim that nails atmosphere, tactile climbing, and authentic cave design. Its faithful recreations, satisfying physics‑first movement, and the new Arcade Mode deliver both contemplative exploration and high‑intensity runs. Difficulty spikes and limited seated/controller options hold it back from perfection, but steady updates and the promise of multiplayer make this a compelling pick for explorers, climbers, and speedrunners.

To be honest, before installing the game, I wasn’t sure it would be my thing. I couldn’t see how the premise could make for an enjoyable experience. As a VR enthusiast, I really should have known better. This game simply wouldn’t work as well on a flatscreen. It thrives on atmosphere and immersing the player—things that just aren’t possible with a TV or computer monitor. But that’s exactly where VR shines. It’s a completely different medium and as such, needs developers to take risks on new ideas for gamers to experience something truly different and Cave Crave VR does that exceptionally well. I award Cave Crave the Thumb Culture Gold Award.

Cave Crave is a great example of how VR can allow players to experience something that they may not be able to experience in real life. If you have always wanted to dive into claustrophobic caves and experience what it is like deep down in the world of cave diving, but are too afraid to do it in real life, Cave Crave can satisfy your cave exploration needs. Featuring great gameplay mechanics and a haunting atmosphere, Cave Crave brings the intense feeling of actually being in the down under without the actual phobia. It is a great, polished release that does not feel incomplete at any level. It is a great addition to any VR library that loves extreme sports, daring world adventures, or is just curious to explore some caves.

Cave Crave is a solid VR caving simulator. The story is rather functional and, unfortunately, still feels a bit unfinished at this stage, but otherwise it provides a nice backdrop. The crawling mechanics work well for the most part, and the climbing hooks in particular feel substantial. However, there are a few minor bugs, and hand-tracking isn’t always reliable. Furthermore, the scope of the game is rather limited at present, and many of the crawling sections feel rather pointless.