As I was making my list of things to see and do at Fan Expo, I knew I had to try out PlayStation VR. PlayStation has their own Virtual Reality gear that connects with the PlayStation 4, which I just so happen to have. I have read a lot about Virtual Reality and even played some VR games at a local business in my hometown, but what makes me most interested about VR is the Star Wars connection.
On Star Wars: Battlefront, with the VR gear for PlayStation 4 gamers have an option to play some levels in virtual reality. You can sit in and feel like you are piloting an X Wing fighter on the attack of the Death Star. The only problem is that in addition to owning a PS4, you also need to pay for the VR headset, headphones and all the other odd and ends, which is quite expensive. Before I spend the money to buy the VR components, I wanted to try the experience out.
PlayStation had this very popular section of the convention floor well organized. To book a playing time, I needed to download their app and then chose a slot. Within a couple of minutes, I had secured a time for the afternoon, and I could enjoy the rest of my day. I much preferred this method to waiting in a long line with no end in sight.
When I returned, my virtual pass was scanned and I was sitting in a chair, waiting for my VR headset to be placed on my head so that I could dive into another world. The game I chose was Bravo Zero. Even though there were thousands of people around me, the moment the game queued up, I was on a bridge in the middle of a war zone. I couldn’t believe how clear and realistic the scene I was in. I felt like I was physically transported out of Toronto and landed in the middle of a battle zone.
I was a soldier trying to make my way across a bridge infested with the enemy. In the cooperative mode, I made my way across the bridge taking cover from enemy fire, and then as my partner was dying, I rushed back to save him, only to have our game time expire. I had fifteen minutes of pure escape and it was glorious.
This leads me to why VR games are a change that is good for gaming. VR is an affordable option for gamers. Ever since I was a small boy, I always wanted to pilot an x wing fighter on the attack of the Death Star. Thanks to PS4 and PlayStation Virtual Reality (PSVR) this is a possibility and not a dream. I own Star Wars: Battlefront, now all I need to do is buy the PSVR gear.
But virtual reality gaming is also coming to Disney Springs in Walt Disney World. I have no doubt that the new Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire will be a phenomenal hit. From a company called The Void, this fully immersive movable VR experience will allow guests to actively move about in a virtual Star Wars world. The PSVR experience is from a seated position, and that was fantastic. I can’t imagine how thrilling it will be to interact with and walk around in the Star Wars world through the upcoming experience.