How was Virtual Reality in 2021 for YOU?! Also, favourite VR Moments?

[MouldyK]

I know two threads talking about the "Year of VR" it have been has been locked due to posting dubious chart data, but I don't care about data here!

What I want to know is about your OWN personal impressions about Virtual Reality this year.

Did you enjoy what VR had on offer this year, or was it a let down compared to other years?

If you don't have a VR Headset this year, are you more or less likely after seeing what this year had on offer?


And what was your favourite experience which VR gave you this year?


I think Walkabout Mini Golf proved VR to me and while I know it's not a 2021 game, the added content this year put it in a league of it's own.

 

[Valcrist]

All I've really gotten out of this year in VR is RE4 VR which was an amazing experience. I wish there was more out there on that level of quality, but I'll probably have to wait until PSVR2 comes out.

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

Only headset I have is PSVR which seems to be winding down in the lead-up to PSVR2 so it was a disappointing year for me. RE Village not having VR after it was RE7's defining feature was a let down, then RE4 VR was Oculus exclusive. Nothing else really grabbed me either.

 

[Deleted member 9972]

Walkabout Minigolf with friends using a cordless headset has sold the entire concept for me. This is the future

 

[BeI]

This year just made me interested in the future of VR, rather than the current reality of early 2000s graphics, low resolution, and limited interactivity. To me, VR isn't good enough without the expected varifocal lenses with foveated rendering in the future, or without the myriad of facial and full body tracking sensors, or without an omni-directional treadmill.

My standards are a bit high tbh.

 

[JustinH]

Eh...

I have an old Oculus Rift. I hooked it up once and messed around with it a day.
I do what I always do when I hook up VR and watch (edit: Oh! some FLASHING LIGHTS WARNING) this youtube video in some virtual theatre, lol.
That's pretty much all the interaction I had with VR this year.

 

[gothi]

This year just made me interested in the future of VR, rather than the current reality of early 2000s graphics, low resolution, and limited interactivity. To me, VR isn't good enough without the expected varifocal lenses with foveated rendering in the future, or without the myriad of facial and full body tracking sensors, or without an omni-directional treadmill.

My standards are a bit high tbh.

Click to shrink...

If you're waiting for all that to land, be affordable and widely adopted you may as well not bother with VR at all. Wireless VR today is both amazing and affordable, there's no better time to jump in. Waiting for perfection means you'll miss out on so much joy, I mean it's obviously your choice but don't wait for something that might never happen in your lifetime and not experience something that is already really good.

 

[afrodubs]

I know two threads talking about the "Year of VR" it have been has been locked due to posting dubious chart data, but I don't care about data here!

What I want to know is about your OWN personal impressions about Virtual Reality this year.

Did you enjoy what VR had on offer this year, or was it a let down compared to other years?

If you don't have a VR Headset this year, are you more or less likely after seeing what this year had on offer?


And what was your favourite experience which VR gave you this year?


I think Walkabout Mini Golf proved VR to me and while I know it's not a 2021 game, the added content this year put it in a league of it's own.

Click to shrink...

What threads were locked?

 

[yyr]

I only have PSVR1, and meant to hook it up several times, but never got around to it this year. Eventually, though, I'd like to spend more time with it. Of course, nothing came out on it this year that made headlines, as far as I know, but I've got a backlog.

I know that Neko Atsume VR finally came out in North America so I've been meaning to buy it.

 

[Teppic]

Decent. I haven't used it much yet (explained below.) I've played walkabout minigolf briefly. It's okay, but the light weight of the controllers makes the experience nothing like the real thing. I also want more traditional courses. This is more like adventure golf than mini golf. I also don't like that you can just put with the club through solid things behind you.

Beat Saber is kind of fun, but the music sucks.

I still need to order lenses to actually be able to use the Quest 2 without destroying my face from the glasses. Elite strap didn't help, it only made it worse.

 

[marc^o^]

I will post several links through this thread. VR is amazing, people have no idea.

I will start with little gems like Cubism:


The amount of content is fantastic, the controls sublime.

TIP: you can now enjoy it with a passthrough mode: go on the oculus app, cubism game page and change the version.

 

[Tailzo]

I told myself I would buy a VR headset again when my kids grow up. I had a PSVR at launch, and it was anazing, but I could only play it at night.

 

[Vex]

Great. So many experiences to sideload on my quest 2 (Shack, DOOM, Ancient dungeons). So many conversion mods for alyx (extra levels, overhauls, etc). Oh and Alyx itself. Also other social worlds kept me happy during peak lockdown times (Vr chat custom worlds, Rec room battle royale or paintball).

Need to play re4vr!!!!

 

[DNAbro]

I got a Oculus Quest 2 this year. I played Beat Saber and hung out with furries on VR Chat. Good year imo

 

[Guerrilla]

My biggest issue right now is that i can barely find time to play. It's super hard to find 100% undisturbed alone time with two toddlers. And if I only have like 40 minutes I gravitate to traditional gaming.

 

[Dragonyeuw]

I mostly used my Quest 1.0 for Skybox/Bigscreen theatre to watch some movies, it's been a pretty serviceable replacement for the theatre ( without having to deal with chatter, popcorn crunching, phone screen lights and the other 'joys' of the real life experience). Game-wise I grabbed Star Wars Pinball and Real VR fishing, pumped a fair amount of hours into both. I would have hopped on RE4 if they hadn't made that a Quest 2 exclusive( yes, I'm aware of 'workarounds' to get it running on the OG Quest).

 

[NeverWas]

Nonexistent. My PS4's harddrive went bad, and I never got a PS5 adapter. When it was working, Beatsaber started reading my wands as being like 50 feet away, regardless of what I tried with space/lighting, so I didn't feel like spending money when the only game I play is borked.

 

[shadowman16]

RE4 VR and HL Alyx. So basically it was the most amazing experience ever, and nothing else came close on any console (even Series X/PS5). Really hoping to see more VR games next year, as its just so damn amazing as far as gaming experiences go.

 

[MouldyK]

What threads were locked?

Click to shrink...

2021 was the year of VR

Quest 2 is selling like crazy this Christmas with no shortage in sight. VR is finally mass market, completely mind blowing, if not life changing with its fitness benefits or meditation apps like Tripp. Things will get crazier in 2022, with the new Meta pro VR set, the unrivaled mobile...

www.resetera.com

Decent. I haven't used it much yet (explained below.) I've played walkabout minigolf briefly. It's okay, but the light weight of the controllers makes the experience nothing like the real thing. I also want more traditional courses. This is more like adventure golf than mini golf. I also don't like that you can just put with the club through solid things behind you.

Click to shrink...

You tried Golf+?




It's got:

- Driving Range
- 18 holes of Putting.
- 1 Course of Full Golf (+1 DLC of Wolf Creek and another Upcoming for Valhalla, Kentucky)

 

[JigglesBunny]

Resident Evil 4, full stop. Unfuckingbelievable.

 

[skeptem]

End of last year was when I really got into HL Alyx so this year has been a lot of other experiences.

• Finally getting to some Expert level songs in Beat saber was really satisfying
• RE4 VR grabbed me A LOT more than I thought it would
• Loved the pistol whip expansion
• Started experimenting with HL Alyx workshop and some of those experiences are something else

There has been a TON of stuff coming out on VR, but honestly nothing has caught me as much as RE4 and more Beat Saber this year. Still need to try lone echo!

 

[LewieP]

The year isn't over yet 😉🤫

 

[MouldyK]

The year isn't over yet 😉🤫

Click to shrink...

I mean apart from Valhalla for Golf+...what else we got? 🧐😜

Really, I just wanted to see how 2021 was for VR for everyone and couldn't wait!

 

[marc^o^]

Best passthrough experience award goes to Blaston:

Such a fantastic competitive arcade game. Playing a duel against a close friend with voice chat on is epic. And with this highly stylised passthrough, no risk to hit objects in your room.

TIPS: mastering movements in blaston

 

[LewieP]

I mean apart from Valhalla for Golf+...what else we got? 🧐😜

Really, I just wanted to see how 2021 was for VR for everyone and couldn't wait!

Click to shrink...

I guess we'll see.

 

[WhtR88t]

Pretty much abandoned my Quest this year after the Facebook account requirement.

Really excited for PSVR2 and the Apple headset though!

 

[MouldyK]

I guess we'll see.

Click to shrink...

RE5 VR Shadow Drop!

Now YOU will punch the boulders!

 

[Vex]

I guess we'll see.

Click to shrink...

Im gonna hold you to this. You've committed and there's no way out now. If you let me down, I dont know what Im gonna do.


No pressure tho! :')

 

[Paquete_PT]

Very disappointing. I have a psvr since launch, haven't used it once this year and didn't even request the new adapter for the ps5 :/ But I'm probably changing that in a few weeks tomplay Walking Dead that was offered with ps plus.

 

[Damien1990]

Only got the PSVR and didn't play it for most of the year as I didn't have the adapter but got it recently and started playing TWD after trying to figure out where all the cables went and charging move controllers up and it is really good.

Looking forward to future iterations more, so given my limited usage this year I'm an "eh"/"disappointing"

 

[marc^o^]

Personal favorite free Quest 2 games:

Paradiddle, or how you can practice drum for free: https://www.roadtovr.com/paradiddle-vr-drums-virtual-reality-drum-practice/

Gorilla Tag: hilarious with friends




V-Speedway alpha: a racing game with great gameplay, don't be fooled by graphics it's awesome


Moonrider: amazing game to launch from the Quest 2 brower. Who knew a mere website could offer a great beat saber clone, with hundreds of great songs to choose from… for free?

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Pokerstars VR: can it get better than that?

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Been a great year for VR and Quest 2 has been going from strength to strength.

 

[jotun?]

I have a Vive and PSVR but I barely used them this year. Not for a lack of games, but with two young kids I'm always exhausted by the time I'd be able to actually do any VR, so I never feel like it

 

[WonderingRogue]

I had an I credible experience with half life Alyx but haven't touched my quest since then.

 

[nicoga3000]

I recently bought a Quest 2 and it's been an absolute joy. Cannot wait for the future of VR.

 

[Dr. Mario]

Alyx was fantastic last year. This year there wasn't really anything for me. Except that I've been doing VR research for years, and all this metaverse talk was the first time my bosses took notice, so it's probably good for my career lol.

 

[LFMartins86]

Got a Quest 2 in October, been having a blast with it.
I like PSVR but it's such a hassle to set up.
Just grabbing the headset, turning it on and you're good to go is so much better.
Grabbed a bunch of games and I've been enjoying them all.
The Room VR is a great puzzle game, Eleven Table Tennis is so damn realistic, Pistol Whip is a blast, Thrill Of The Fight is a decent workout.
Really happy with my purchase.

 

[Fonst]

I have a few new games I need to play on my PSVR but I don't know if I really turned it on this year. Pistol Whip is disappointed with me.

 

[CGriffiths86]

I haven't played a ton of VR this year, but my brother just got a Quest 2 so I've been showing him the ropes. We have a lot of fun with Golf+ (formerly Top Golf) and VR Chat continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. Also, Eleven Table Tennis continues to be wonderful.

 

[Nameless]

I was using PSVR a PS4 Pro screen/VR station in my office (which was actually a neat little setup), but once I sold the Pro it didn't seem worth bothering attaching that mess of wires to my PS5 since there's very little actually taking advantage of all that extra horsepower. I did almost pull the trigger on a Quest 2 after getting a VR capable PC this year, but I feel like the Quest 3 or a Quest 2 refresh will drop next year as well as PSVR 2.0 , so I decided it against it.

Definitely keeping a list though since there's lots I want to ry.

 

[gothi]

I was using PSVR a PS4 Pro screen/VR station in my office (which was actually a neat little setup), but once I sold the Pro it didn't seem worth bothering attaching that mess of wires to my PS5 since there's very little actually taking advantage of all that extra horsepower. I did almost pull the trigger on a Quest 2 after getting a VR capable PC this year, but I feel like the Quest 3 or a Quest 2 refresh will drop next year as well as PSVR 2.0 , so I decided it against it.

Definitely keeping a list though since there's lots I want to ry.

Click to shrink...

Next year is Project Cambria. It's going to be packed with cutting edge advancements and will be priced accordingly, it's not aimed at you and me. It's a test platform for features that will eventually make it into the Quest line. Buying a Quest 2 right now is a no-brainer in my opinion.

 

[rewkol]

Got my first headset at the beginning of the year and played Half-Life Alyx. All in all pretty good, though I have a hard time playing for more than an hour at a time. The heat the headset generates sometimes makes me feel like I'm sick and feverish which just throws the rest of my body off

 

[DarthBuzzard]

This year just made me interested in the future of VR, rather than the current reality of early 2000s graphics, low resolution, and limited interactivity. To me, VR isn't good enough without the expected varifocal lenses with foveated rendering in the future, or without the myriad of facial and full body tracking sensors, or without an omni-directional treadmill.

My standards are a bit high tbh.

Click to shrink...

I think those standards are fine, minus the treadmill. We'll get there in 5 or so years.

It would be like if someone in the 80s wished for a Windows 95 PC instead of a Commodore 64. All within the realm of practicality, just further down the line.

It only bothers me when people bring up the whole "If it's not a Nervegear, I'll never care" argument.

 

[Pellaidh]

Only got a headset this year, so relative speaking it was a good year. I don't really see this as the future of gaming, but it was worth the price I paid for it.

But in terms of actual 2021 releases it was kind of underwhelming. The standout was probably RE4, and even that doesn't even come close to last year's Alyx.

 

[Dremorak]

I will post several links through this thread. VR is amazing, people have no idea.

I will start with little gems like Cubism:


The amount of content is fantastic, the controls sublime.

TIP: you can now enjoy it with a passthrough mode: go on the oculus app, cubism game page and change the version.

Click to shrink...

can you do passthrough and hand tracking at the same time? That would be super cool to try

 

[furfoot]

I just use it for racing games and some re4 but apart from those the games have been disappointing.

 

[Hale-XF11]

All I played this year is rec room and dreams in VR. There just hasn't been anything new that I wanted. Kind of a dead year honestly.

 

[Crayon]

Decent! I've just had psvr for a few years, so no exciting hardware for me. Unless you count the performance bump from a regular PS3 to a PS5. That was nice!

Star wars squadrons and walking dead came free on PS+. Oh and the persistence. I'm screwing up having not played walking dead yet, I know.

The perfect VR opportunity only comes up like every two months because I like to GO IN. I like long sessions, alone in the home. So the library has enough to suit whatever mood I'm in when the opportunity comes up.

I don't mind that I don't have more time to do it. When I do it's a bit like going to a theme park and I don't need that most of the time. But when you want VR, it's gotta be VR. For me the feeling is that I want to be GONE. Highlights this year were paper beast, going back to wipeout, and ace combat 7.

 

[marc^o^]

can you do passthrough and hand tracking at the same time? That would be super cool to try

Click to shrink...

It works :)


I love this game.

TIP: you can listen to Spotify podcasts (or music) while playing this game (and any quest 2 game):
1. Open spotify in quest internet browser.
2. Keep it opened and launch Cubism
3. Open spotify on your phone and stream what you were playing in the chrome browser
4. Enjoy :) I love listening to podcasts while playing this game

 

[Soundchaser]

I bought a Quest 2, upgraded my PC, and played Half-Life Alyx, so it was amazing for me.