Every now and then, virtual reality reveals its potential
My first big VR surprise of the year let me look beyond Meta Quest, and I'm glad it did.
It's been a quiet week for virtual reality, eerily quiet. As a journalist who covers the VR industry on a daily basis, I notice when almost nothing happens for a week. Especially when so much has been going on for weeks and months that it's hard to keep track.
In the absence of exciting news, I wanted to tell you about something that has given me great pleasure over the past few days and continues to do so.
Last week, I tried a VR game that I liked so much that I've been playing it almost every day on my Playstation VR 2. I have to say that I'm not much of a gamer anymore and often lose interest in games after a few hours. Real life keeps me too busy.
I've also hardly used my Playstation VR 2 since it came out. In my spare time, I usually reach for the Quest 3 because it's more comfortable, has a sharper image, and is easier to use. My new favorite VR game has turned these habits on their head and reignited my enthusiasm for more technically demanding titles.
An exceptional game
But enough of the mystery: I am talking about the sci-fi adventure Arken Age for Playstation VR 2 and Steam, which was released yesterday.
I wrote an enthusiastic preview of Arken Age last week, and the detailed review by my colleague Sönke Siemens confirmed that I'm not alone in my love for this game.
I like the visual style and graphics, the dynamic combat, the strong weapon modifiability, the epic music, and the fact that I am rewarded for my exploration.
But what makes Arken Age special is more than just the sum of its parts. It's the subtleties of the VR implementation that combine to create a wonderfully fluid and natural gameplay experience. And all of this would be worth nothing if Arken Age lacked what many VR games lack: polish. What the small team at VitruviusVR has accomplished here is remarkable.
I've been playing Arken Age for an hour almost every night since last week, taking my time to explore every corner and complete every side quest. I'm up to about ten hours now, and I haven't even seen half of the game. The journey is the reward, and I'm in no hurry.
Beyond standalone VR
Arken Age also reminded me what a beautiful experience more technically advanced VR titles can be. A dimension of VR gaming that standalone VR lacks.
Since my computer is now too old, I can participate in this world with the Playstation VR 2. The game made me optimize the Playstation VR 2 with accessories so that I can play longer at a time without discomfort.
If you like VR games like this that are made specifically for higher-end platforms like Playstation VR 2 and PC VR, and if you want to see more titles like this in the future, then support the developers and consider buying Arken Age.
You can purchase Arken Age from the Playstation Store and Steam.
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