The merger of game-based approaches and Virtual Reality (VR) environments that can
enhance learning and training methodologies have a very promising future, reinforced by
the widespread market-availability of affordable software and hardware tools for VR-environments. Rather than passive observers, users engage in those learning environments as active
participants, permitting the development of exploration-based learning paradigms. There are
separate reviews of VR technologies and serious games for educational and training purposes
with a focus on only one knowledge area. However, this review covers 135 proposals for
serious games in immersive VR-environments that are combinations of both VR and serious
games and that offer end-user validation. First, an analysis of the forum, nationality, and date of
publication of the articles is conducted. Then, the application domains, the target audience, the
design of the game and its technological implementation, the performance evaluation procedure, and the results are analyzed. The aim here is to identify the factual standards of the
proposed solutions and the differences between training and learning applications. Finally, the
study lays the basis for future research lines that will develop serious games in immersive VRenvironments, providing recommendations for the improvement of these tools and their
successful application for the enhancement of both learning and training tasks.
