The world of gaming has a bright future thanks to Oculus Rift, virtual reality headset whose commercial version should hit the market in 2015.
Although Oculus for consumers isn’t released yet, thousands of development kits are already sold, so studios and individual designers could prepare original games. That process, though, facing some problems, because game publishers are not ready for investment into development of games for new platforms before hardware is available to a customers. On the other hand, game lovers won’t buy software before they put their hands on Oculus Rift kit.
The first family of VR games will give extraordinary experience to new consumers, and by the time, as programmers learn how to build VR games, they will become more realistic than ever. For now, designers are mostly developing first-person games with lot of exploring. With Oculus Rift one could wander about without actually navigating the physical world, accessing to wide range of experiences.
Playing VR games its possible to shoot at attackers, explore fantastic landscapes, meet unreal creatures… And the best of all, VR doesn’t have to be limited to games.
Here will be presented some of games already developed for Oculus Rift.
AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaCULUS!!! (shortened to Aaaaa!)
In this game players can enjoy jumping off a building and trying not to splat against a wall on the way down. Oculus Rift kit accompanied with pair of headphones gives great sensation of falling down. This game is available in free demo version, and requires minimal setup.
This game isn’t too complex and you just have to jump off a building without hittin things. Game is perfect to get used to the Rift, though it’s a bit disorienting. During game player is sitting or standing and moving just thumbs.
Alone in the Rift
This horror game is based on good sounds and visual effects, ment to frighten the player, which works great. It’s supposed to use the Razer Hydra motion controller in this game, but it can be played with the mouse and keyboard as well. Game story is set into dark forest,looking terrifying by virtue of 3D effect.
Half Life 2
Half Life 2 is best example that the Rift can do great for a first-person shooter. The movement is controlled with the keyboard, and looking around is provided by moving head. Player can aim with the mouse, using center of the display, so player shoots where is looking. Half Life 2 gives lot of diferent environments one can enjoy using Oculus Rift.
Quake 2
This game makes player a bit nauseated, because everything is just too fast. Playing a video game on the monitor gives impression that characters are not moving as fast as it feels like in Oculus Rift. The game have some changes, like replacing crosshairs with a laser sight.
Star Wars: Battle of Endor
This game lets player participate the famous space battle, controlling X-Wing Starfighter with the mouse and keyboard from the cockpit. Its possible to see the ships “controls” or look around the cockpit. The gameplay is simple but fun and using VR technology gives a real sense of the relative size of objects.
Upcoming Games
Eve: Valkyrie
– space shooter including dogfights.
Lucky’s Tale
– 3D platformer that recalls of Mario 64.
The Witness
– features 440 puzzles to go through deserted island.
Doom 4
– instalment of the space-shooter franchise.
