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Desert Bus is now available in VR, if that's a thing you want

News by James O'Connor Contributor
Published on

Desert Bus, the infamously tedious bus=driving sim, now has a free VR version.

The original game, which was originally a sub-game within the cancelled Penn and Teller's Smoke and Mirrors, is now best known for its charitable use. The Desert Bus for Hope charity plays the game because it's such hard going that playing through it is an ordeal - an ordeal that you can now experience with an expensive headset wrapped around your face.

Desert Bus VR has just launched, fulfilling the promise of an eventual sequel we heard nearly two years ago.

desert bus vr 4

The game doesn't cost a cent, and, like the original, it's basically a big ol' trollfest. From the Steam page description:

    Add your content...Put the Pedal to the Metal
  • Show everyone who rules the road as you take the wheel of a commercial passenger bus. With blistering speeds of up to 45mph and a prominent passenger side misalignment, only the hardest drivers can make it to Nevada and back!

    • Getting Towed Has Never Been More Fun

  • Experience the realistic consequences of driving off the road with a tow service that takes you back to the start in real time!

    • Play Non-Stop for Hours of Amusement

  • Enjoy the action-packed eight-hour road trip from Tuscon to Las Vegas. When you make it to Nevada, turn around and do it all again!

    • Fill the Crushing, Oppressive Silence

  • Tune in to a variety of engaging radio programs, including one featuring the dulcet tones of Penn Jillette himself. You can even turn the radio on and off!

    • Get the Authentic Bus Driving Experience

  • Learn what it’s like to be a REAL bus driver with exciting gameplay that allows you to honk the horn and open the bus door! Tap the fully-interactive air freshener for some hardcore, pine-scented* action!

One thing it has over the original, though, is multiplayer - meaning that friends can join you for the long drive, and, apparently, throw wads of paper at you.

The game is also playable outside of VR, so if you don't own an Oculus Rift or a HTC Vive you can still play. We'd expect to see this iteration of the game feature heavily in future Desert Bus for Hope charity events.

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