In these confining moments, the mind desperately searches for distractions with which to forget the monotony at home. Video games are being a very effective solution for some, especially with open world games, although there is another solution that directly transports you to other places. We are obviously talking about virtual reality .
Playing with the Oculus Quest
I am testing the Oculus Quest . A virtual reality glasses manufactured by Oculus (brand in the hands of Facebook, remember) that stands out for not needing any computer or extra element to function. This is primarily the feature that I see in these glasses, as freedom begins right here, in a place where there are no cables to keep you tied to anything.
Starting to use them is as simple as putting them on, logging into Oculus (you can do it with your Facebook account, of course) and enjoy the views. A transparent dome as a luxury hotel resort in the fjords will be your new home. There you can browse the media library and the Oculus store, the place where you can download all the applications and games.
Managing the menu with the help of wireless controllers already makes you feel elsewhere. The monitoring of the controls by the viewfinder is fantastic, and we can move around the room thanks to the positioning it performs thanks to the built-in cameras and sensors. This is very important to mention, since with the Oculus Quest we do not need auxiliary positioning lights .
Just because you don’t need it doesn’t mean it’s better than others that have them, but it certainly helps to make your experience much easier to use, and workable for most users, something the Quest is focused on offering. Easy to use.
Enjoying virtual reality
But the best comes when you run games and applications. I have been able to do physical exercises with BoxVR, a complete Bodycombat-based training that takes you to a virtual gym where you must hit a series of balloons while avoiding obstacles. I have also played ping pong with other users from other parts of the world thanks to Eleven Table Tennis VR . This game is especially spectacular, since the ball responds perfectly, and you can see your opponent as a kind of invisible man with VR visor and controllers in his hands. Playing at the same time that you talk to the other person may seem like something from 10 years ago, but doing it in virtual reality while intuiting his silhouette and seeing his body expression is something amazing.
With The Climb , I have experienced what it feels like to climb a mountain, powdering your fingers with talc and holding your breath against cliffs and rugged areas. The sights and sound teleport you to another place where you probably never wish you had been hanging. The feeling of vertigo is incredible.
Beyond high-risk experiences, available apps also let you go to a movie theater, visit museums, or take in spectacular scenery. All this can be done while sitting (limit mode) or while standing, as you can create a boundary in which to move.
Once again, this configuration is extremely simple, since with the controller you can draw a virtual area in which to set the limits of the game to know at all times how far you can move (and thus avoid breaking the odd home vase).
Later we will talk about the best games that we can play with the Oculus Quest, but for the moment we can only say that it is an incredible exit to the outside world that everyone should be able to try. After several weeks out of stock, the device is again available, yes, at a price of 449 euros for the 64 GB version.
