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Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars

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$19.99Maze TheoryMixed Reality • StoryQuest 3 • 3S • Pro
Mixed reality space adventure • Released 12 November 2026 • Meta age rating Everyone

Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars

A new mixed reality story set during the mission from Andy Weir’s novel and this year’s film. You play Ryland Grace, fixing a failing starship in your own living room with Rocky at your side. Rocky is a delight and the presentation is strong, but early reviews say the repair jobs are repetitive and the controls fiddly.

Developer: Maze Theory
Price: $19.99
Platform: Meta Quest 3, 3S, Pro • PICO • Android XR
Subject: Astronomy • Science
5.5
/10
XR School Score
For Fans First
Lovely Rocky • Rated Everyone • Repetitive tasks • Needs a big clear space
3.5 out of 5 • Meta Horizon StoreFrom around 25 player ratings
Based on published information, not hands-on play
Overview

Journey Among the Stars is a mixed reality game from Maze Theory, the studio behind Doctor Who: The Edge of Time and Thief VR. It launched on 12 November 2026 for Meta Quest 3, 3S and Pro, with versions for PICO and Android XR headsets. It is based on Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, which became a major film in 2026, and Maze Theory says it worked closely with Weir early on to shape the story.

You play the science teacher turned astronaut Ryland Grace in an original chapter of the mission. Systems on the Hail Mary keep failing, and you work with Rocky, the much loved alien engineer, to keep the ship running and deliver its cargo. Because it is mixed reality, the ship is built around your real room: you need a clear play space of about 2.5 by 2.5 metres, and you use your bare hands rather than controllers to press buttons, turn cranks and grab tools. A free update adding a full VR mode has been promised, but no date has been given.

The jobs are practical: swapping blown fuses, finding lost memory sticks, fixing short-circuiting panels, sealing air leaks, unscrewing panels and tracing hidden wiring with a scanning tool. There are also manual flying sections and quieter moments where you can simply play with Rocky. Space.com, which tried an early demo, says the science is explained in a simple, grounded way without heavy formulas. The developers estimate three to four hours to finish.

Reviews so far are mixed. UploadVR gave it 2.5 out of 5, praising the voice acting, music, visuals and Rocky himself, but calling the repairs repetitive and the physical interactions jittery and unreliable, with flight sections that felt unclear. Quest players currently rate it 3.5 out of 5. This review is based on the store listing, the developer’s information and that published coverage, not on hands-on play.

The Key Idea The heart of Project Hail Mary is problem solving with science, and this game puts that in your hands: notice something is wrong, work out why, then fix it with the tools you have. That cycle of diagnose, improvise and test is exactly how engineers and scientists work.
See It in Action

Official launch trailer from Maze Theory, showing the ship in mixed reality and Rocky.

How It Plays
🏠
1. Set Up Your Room
Clear a space of about 2.5 by 2.5 metres and the ship forms around you.
🚨
2. Spot the Fault
Warning lights and broken systems tell you something needs attention.
🔧
3. Fix It by Hand
Swap fuses, seal leaks and trace wiring using hand tracking and tools.
🚀
4. Fly On With Rocky
Steer through flight sections and spend time with your alien crewmate.
For Parents: Safe Content, Busy Living Room Journey Among the Stars is rated Everyone on the Meta Horizon Store, it is single player and it does not need an internet connection. The comfort rating is Comfortable. The main practical issue is space: children will be walking around and reaching out, so clear furniture, pets and breakables from a 2.5 by 2.5 metre area first. At $19.99 for a three to four hour story with mixed reviews, it is worth waiting for player feedback on the promised updates if your child is not already a fan. Our guide Is VR bad for children? covers sensible limits, and Meta’s own age guidance for the headset still applies.
Science Links
Space travelLife support on spacecraftElectrical circuits and fusesEngineering problem solvingFault findingTeamwork and communicationScience in fiction

The game frames its science through the story and keeps it simple, so we could not confirm how much real physics or astronomy it actually teaches.

Curriculum Value
Problem solving
5.5
Science content
4.0
Engagement for pupils
6.0
Comfort for younger players
7.5
Classroom practicality
3.0
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
  • Rocky is charming and well voiced
  • Strong visuals and music
  • Original story shaped with Andy Weir’s input
  • Rated Everyone, single player, no internet needed
  • Hand tracking, so no controllers to learn
  • Free full VR mode promised
Considerations
  • Repair tasks reported as repetitive
  • Reviewers found interactions fiddly and buggy
  • Short at three to four hours for $19.99
  • Needs a clear 2.5 by 2.5 metre space
  • Light on real science detail
  • VR mode not yet available, no date given
For Teachers: Better as a Talking Point Than a Lesson The room space it needs and its three to four hour length make this hard to use in class. Its value is as a talking point for older pupils who know the book or film. Show the trailer and ask what a crew would need to stay alive on a long space journey, or use the fuse swapping and wiring jobs to introduce circuits and why fuses protect equipment. Weir’s books are full of characters solving problems step by step, which makes them a good model for writing up an investigation. For a stronger space science experience in the headset, see our Mission:ISS review.
$19.99
Meta Quest 3, 3S and Pro • Also on PICO and Android XR • Check store prices in the UK
Get on Meta Quest →Developer Website →
Quick Facts
Developer
Maze Theory
Released
12 November 2026
Price
$19.99
Platform
Meta Quest 3, 3S, Pro • PICO • Android XR
Age rating
Everyone (Meta Horizon Store)
Players
Single player
Comfort
Comfortable • room-scale
Space needed
About 2.5 m by 2.5 m
Length
3 to 4 hours (developer estimate)
Verdict
Journey Among the Stars gets the look and sound of Project Hail Mary right, and meeting Rocky in your own room will thrill fans of the book and film. But early reviews describe a short game of repetitive repair chores held back by fiddly controls. Families who love the story may enjoy it; everyone else should wait for a sale and the promised VR update.

Sources: UploadVR review, Space.com, Mixed News, Maze Theory and the Meta Horizon Store listing. Details checked 14 November 2026. Looking for more? See our Mission:ISS review and best education VR apps.

Gareth Griffiths

Gareth Griffiths is a scientist and the founder of World of Teaching, a free library of over 1,000 teacher made PowerPoints. He set up The XR School to help teachers, schools and parents find virtual and augmented reality apps that genuinely help young people learn, and to give an honest view of what each app teaches, which headsets it needs and what it costs.