The Oculus Rift has no shortage of great games arriving: It’s just announced a launch slate of 30 titles compatible with the headset, ranging from platformers like Lucky’s Tale to murder mysteries like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. What it doesn’t seem to have, however, is the game that will make it something bigger.
The Oculus technology is undeniably impressive. Despite the high price tag, you get a lot of bang for your buck and the team has solved some technical issues that have, before now, limited VR to an industrial technology. The issue is that Oculus is facing what’s increasingly a common problem for Nintendo: They have a great idea, but developers can’t figure out what to actually do with it. The WiiU’s gamepad is a great idea that only Nintendo has managed to effectively develop for. The Wii’s VR-like controls were clever, intuitive, and easy to use, and only Nintendo really delivered the smartest use of them.
Similarly, Rift games break down into two categories, by and large; first-person games and games where the player uses the headset as a sort of in-game camera. Here’s Lucky’s Tale, to give you an idea of the latter:
Where you look determines where the camera is, which is a neat idea that solves a problem many platformers struggle with. But that’s about the limit, so far, of innovation with the Oculus Rift. That’s a shame not least because the technology is impressive, and it’s launching with not one but two of that old VR standby, the spaceship dogfighting game.
Oculus has always been clear that they know they’re a niche product, and that they want to get a toehold in the market to push VR further. It’s strange how many recent video games, such as The Witness and Pneuma: The Breath of Life, are a good fit and yet aren’t mentioned in this collection of launch games. Still, both are easily playable in 2D, and that’s the whole problem.
What the Oculus needs, more than anything, is a game that exploits the technology to the hilt, a game that you could only play on the Oculus. Virtual reality is an entirely different type of gaming and it needs to be treated that way. Much of the launch slate is games that can easily be played in 2D, if you so prefer, and there’s certainly room for those who just want a more engaging experience. But there needs to be a game that exploits the unique properties of VR to do more than be “immersive.” Otherwise, the Oculus is effectively little more than a TV you strap to your face.
One suspects, much like Nintendo, Oculus will have to lead the way. Until then, though, one hopes developers realize they have a chance to not just make the same games, but pioneer an entirely new form.
(via Facebook)