Stranger Things VR offers a new perspective on the Netflix series. We now know how long you can immerse yourself in the VR version of Upside Down.
Stranger Things VR is now available for Meta Quest 3, Quest 2, and Quest Pro. To coincide with the release, Meta has published an extensive interview with the founders of Tender Claws, Samantha Gorman and Danny Cannizzaro, which answers some interesting questions about the game.
Parallels to the Netflix series
Unlike the Netflix series, which follows the human characters, Stranger Things VR changes the narrative perspective. You take on the role of Vecna, the antagonist from season 3, who is out for revenge on the town of Hawkins. From a first-person perspective, you terrorize the people of Hawkins with telekinesis and dimensional leaps. You will also interact with the main characters like Eleven, Will and Billy.
In terms of content, the VR game occasionally overlaps with the series, but also offers entirely new scenes and narrative threads. “There’s a scene where Eleven is bitten by the Mind Flayer in the cabin, and in the show, you see that all from her perspective. In the game, you’re actually playing as the Mind Flayer attacking the cabin", Danny Cannizzaro explains. The game spans all four seasons, showing different perspectives and revealing new things, such as Vecna's influence on events.
Game length and Mixed Reality mode
The developers also announced the estimated play time for Stranger Things VR. Depending on your play style, you can expect four to six hours of gameplay divided into nine chapters. In addition to the main story, there is also a Mixed Reality mode that brings the Upside Down to your living room.
Here, you open portals to different dimensions from your physical surroundings. As in the VR portion of the game, you use telekinesis to hurl objects at invading enemies. Optionally, you can play this mode with the hand tracking from Meta Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro. To see what Upside Down looks like in Mixed Reality, have a look at the launch trailer below.
The VR spin-off of the Netflix hit was originally set to launch last year. In November, however, the studio decided to delay Stranger Things VR in order to get the game in the best possible shape before release. Tender Claws was founded by Samantha Gorman and Danny Cannizzaro and has been a VR studio for about a decade. Previously released titles include Virtual Virtual Reality 1 and 2 and The Under Presents.
