HTC VIVE VR

Buying a Vive felt like something of a gamble. I’ve not had any opportunity to try a VR system so I had no idea if I’d like it or not. Even once I’d ordered the system I had my doubts. I wondered if it would prove to be an expensive mistake.

It arrived just 2 days after my order, so I can’t fault the service. Unpacking and setting up the Vive was pretty simple once I’d sorted through all of the various pieces. I’d already purchased some clamp mounts for the two sensor boxes so I wouldn’t have to worry about drilling any permanent fixtures.

I ordered the deluxe audio strap to go with my Vive and I’m glad I did – despite the extra cost. It really does make taking on and off the Vive easier and having the headphones attached is a very welcome quality of life improvement. If you’re thinking about getting a Vive I’d say the deluxe strap is a must.

The only problem I ran into setting up the Vive was the included VivePort software which got stuck on the install. But it turns out you don’t really need this software at all – all you need is SteamVR. With the hardware set up and the software ready to go, it was time to put on the headset for the first time and discover if I’d just made a very costly error.

As soon as I put it on, I was pretty blown away. It really is quite amazing. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I was so excited by a piece of hardware. It kind of reminds me of when we used to anticipate a new console release and the next leap forward it would offer in terms of visuals. But ever since the 360/PS3 era, we’ve only really seen incremental steps – nothing to get too excited about.

But the Vive – and I guess, VR in general – really does feel like another leap forward. It’s hard to describe unless you’ve tried it for yourself. You really do feel immersed in a virtual environment, so much that at times it’s easy to forget where you really are in reality.

The SteamVR ‘Home’ is kind of like your virtual portal into other VR software. And the Home environment isn’t some static construct – you can customise the environment with props you can unlock by completing VR ‘quests’. And if you don’t like or grow tired of the default home, it’s super easy to download an alternative from a selection of user created environments.

The Home environment is also the perfect place to become accustomed to VR controls and motion. You have a ‘play space’ virtual grid which appears when you move to its edge to warn you that you’re about to walk into something in reality. It takes a few hours to become accustomed to the VR experience, but it’s not long before you’re traversing this virtual world like a pro.

Although I own a few VR compatible titles I decided to begin with something a little more simple. I gave Bigscreen a spin which is a nice, easy to way utilise your desktop within VR, but also watch videos either online or from your PC. I also highly recommend The Lab, which serves as a wonderful demonstration of various VR applications.

I had the most fun though with Belko VR – a virtual escape room. Sure, it’s a short (15 minutes) movie promotional tool, but it’s also a very enjoyable VR experience. And it’s free, so there’s no reason not to give it a go.

I’ve also been playing some of The Forest in VR, which is my first experience of ‘smooth locomotion’ movement and – I’m not going to lie – it can make you a little dizzy at first, but it’s something you slowly get used to. You wouldn’t think a first person game would feel very different in VR, but that’s not the case at all. It really does feel like an entirely unique and separate experience to the regular non-VR version.

Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my Vive and I can’t wait to get stuck into my next VR experience. It looks like I’ll be returning to No Man’s Sky even sooner than I expected. If you can cover the cost, meet the system requirements and have the necessary space then I’d say go for it. It’s easily the best piece of hardware I’ve bought in years.