Well, I guess I'm a VR guy now

I’ve always had a weird relationship with VR games. I always enjoy watching the technology advance and checking out what kind of wild VR hijinks developers have come up with. Despite this, I couldn’t comfortably put on the headset, find a suitable game, come back and continue spending cash.

However, I recently got an Oculus Rift S and, realizing that technology and gaming have come a long way, decided to give VR gaming a second try. And after 7 years of not taking VR seriously, it’s safe to say I’m a believer, especially now that we’re past our only VR ‘experience’ and are hooked on it. . actual game.

The issues I’ve had with many VR headsets, including the first Rift, HTC Vive, and later the Valve Index (aside from being very expensive), were mostly setup and comfort related. Before inside-out tracking became the new normal for VR headsets, you had to deal with base stations that helped map your play space and track your controllers. It had to be placed at the proper height and distance for optimal tracking. Otherwise, you run the risk of having to calibrate the controller every time your hand goes out of sight.

This meant sticking them to desks and window sills, or sticking them to walls with gaffer tape. When I started playing around with VR, I had enough spare and emotional bandwidth to play games like SuperHot VR and RoboRecall, hoping I wouldn’t accidentally slam my fist into the TV or kick my dog. was .

Due to the classically inconsistent framerate, the game was often jerky and caused major headaches after about 30 minutes of use. Then the glasses would often be pressed against my face, which was actually painful. When I had press invitations to check out VR games, I historically turned down those assignments because of how awful I felt after playing them.

However, the Rift S headset has more room to accommodate a 4-eyed gamer like me. Coming from a place where I’ve spent more time setting up in VR than actually playing it, I can imagine how weird it felt to set it up just by calibrating the controllers and faux painting around the office floor. .

One advancement I’m really starting to appreciate is a pass-through camera that lets you see the real world without taking off your headset. This has proven to be great for checking the occasional missed text message or a crying toddler on the baby monitor.

A wired tether to my PC still feels a bit cumbersome, but only noticeable when playing games like SuperHot VR. Indeed, there is a recipe for comical entanglement. This has made going wireless a more attractive option, assuming you can afford it. Some of these options are very expensive, such as the HTC Vive XR Elite.

Thankfully, VR games are also optimized. The hardware is simply more powerful than it used to be, and the developers have found many clever tricks. And the best bit? I had missed games for almost a decade, so it was easy to find new ones I wanted to try.

being a huge sci-fi nerd, Battle Group VR Looked like something out of my alley. It’s a real-time strategy game in which you can control a fleet of starships via a holographic display on the capital ship’s bridge. It feels good to give orders to support ships, manually control mine, and watch all the action unfold around you outside my window.

I also fell in love with The Walking Dead: Saint and Sinners. This is a survival game set in the world of The Walking Dead, with solid action and a truly upsetting atmosphere. Survival-horror games, in fact, make the most of the isolation and creepiness of wearing a headset.

I also loaded up No Man’s Sky and was blown away by the scale of the game in VR. I enjoyed the view inside the hazy fighter cockpit while marveling at the alien world basically hollowed out for space station gold.

Of course, next on my VR journey list is to check out multiplayer games like Rec Room. Finally, we get to see all the fuss about Half-Life Alyx and the game’s star, Jeff. I’m sure the BeatSaber and Pistol Whip are fun to try, but I’ll wait until I have a little more space to allow for more chaotic movements. I don’t want to break the

Really, don’t listen.

Modern VR headsets have improved fidelity and wireless options. It has become lighter and is now comfortable to wear even when stretching for long periods of time. I also fell in love with VR again after seeing headsets like the Rift S (which unfortunately are no longer available). In that case, I can only imagine what our favorite headset, the Meta Quest 2, has in store for me if I decide to upgrade. lead to ruin.