Learning to Better Appreciate The Worlds We Wander

Over at UploadVR, there's something my Editor-in-Chief, Ian Hamilton, has occasionally discussed with me across the last three years. It's not often you find him doing traditional reviews these days, but he sometimes views VR games like Walkabout Mini Golf and applications as locations you can visit. Travel destinations in a sense without subjecting yourself to airports.

I'll admit that I didn't fully understand this at first, particularly with games. Where there's an open world, sure, that's one thing, and I've always admired carefully crafted environments. That's before you touch upon social platforms like Resonite/VRChat. Or the more specialised experiences like Lushfoil Photography Sim, ones that directly require you to observe these virtual worlds and capture their essence. Maybe it's the word “travel” that threw me off, but I think I'm gradually understanding his point.

With VR in particular, there's a sense of presence that you simply can't match when playing a game off a flatscreen monitor or TV. To actually be “transported” inside these locations and embody these characters, using them as your avatar to explore the world around you. I've only truly learned to appreciate those details when playing like this; the flicker of grass against the wind, leaves blowing across the floor, the sound of your footsteps, objects on your coffee table, everything. You feel much more aware of it all, and the intricacies of how these worlds were designed.

When done well, this can heighten already strong environmental storytelling or signposting. Metro Awakening is a great example where its tense, creepy atmosphere is further elevated through spatial audio. One level has you listening to the underground pipes, trying to decipher which direction you need to go to find the exit. Trust the pipes, you'll find the way, and the sound design is excellent.

That perspective shift is key, even with more traditional first person games. You're no longer a mere observer that controls the protagonist, you are the protagonist, and that difference is hard to truly understand without directly stepping inside. This may seem like an obvious thing to point out, especially if you already follow me on UploadVR - I'm saying this on Rewinder because this would be preaching to the choir on my other site. But you don't truly grasp what that means until you're using the headset, its one reason why trailers rarely capture this feeling well.

It comes to mind because James Tocchio summed it up beautifully recently in his Syberia VR review, a wonderful exploration of a broken adaptation. When a game's not up to scratch, any flaws like low-resolution textures or visual pop in become deeply apparent too. Still, it's an unmatched sensation when done correctly, and it's helped me better appreciate the idea of these worlds being “travel destinations.” When done well, that feeling still blows me away.