Virtual Reality: The 4th Dimension of Gaming

Virtual Reality has been something every gamer has dreamed of, something on the levels of Sword Art Online where we lie in bed, stick a helmet on, and we're in a whole other world doing whatever we please. And I'm happy to see that something similar is close to coming along within my lifetime.

I told my dad about how far VR has come in recent years, he argues however that it's nothing new or special

"We've been going on about VR for decades" He says. "They always think it'll take off but it never does."

"He doesn't get it" I tell myself. "He just doesn't understand."

And in fairness, I don't think he does understand. The extend of his experience with VR is using one of those headsets to fit your phone in. He has never used PSVR or an HTC Vive with functional hand controls and 3D tracking.

I thought the same thing he did when the Oculus Rift came along. At the time all it did was track the users head movements, and it was more for visual experiences than for any real, immersive gameplay. I really didn't think it would be anything more than that. Then the HTC came along with the Vive. Full 3D tracking of the head and controllers for your hands, allowed for some amazing VR ideas to come to life. It was as if humans had transcended to the 4th dimension of games, a whole new world of possibilities had been opened up.

But only for the people that could afford it, alongside a very powerful computer that could run games at a constant, smooth 60fps in two monitors (Which, right now, does not include me). But hey, here comes Sony with their PSVR headset. A VR device for the masses, at a low low price of just £400 (ish). And now Oculus have made a comeback with their own version of the Vive, also complete with hand controllers.

For the first time, we have a VR version of the ever-lasting console wars.

And it's these competing companies that reassure me that VR is finally here to stay. It's at a level of quality that really does immerse you in the game, and I can't get enough of it. And at this age of the Indie Dev, so many incredibly creative games have been released for VR, the kind of games that I could never have come up with in a million years (apart from a Star Wars type of game, because that's what we REALLY all want). I can't wait to see what the future holds for VR, but what I really can't wait for, is the mad, amazing and downright weird games that developers will make.