We are not referring to economic terms (not yet), but to how much of the experience the player receives from a title is thanks to the virtual reality glasses and how much to the game itself. We asked him during all the time we were playing Edge of No
where , and in the case of the title of Insomniac, the answer is quite clear: almost all his soul is thanks to virtual reality and without it he would stay in a game that could to pass perfectly by technology of the previous generation contributing little value with its mechanics.
But inside Oculus Rift, things change a lot and it is inevitable to think about all those fantastic games and virtual worlds that you have covered on a flat screen since the invention of the 3D game. Visiting them in VR is a completely
different experience, impregnating the atmosphere of the place even with the limitations that these devices still have in terms of pixels per inch compared to a good monitor or television, and the own graphic limitations of In
somniac’s work. Sometimes, it does not matter. When you enter one of the mysterious caves of the most remote of Antarctica, where the remote mixes with the impossible, the cynic in you, if there is one, wants to disappear and simply be fooled without thinking more in technical terms.
And all this makes you think that if a game like Edge of Nowhere is able to create that feeling with a really basic game in both the playab
le and the graphic, the future that awaits us could be promising, but tremendously expensive. In fact, the three, three and a half hours that Edge of Nowhere lasts are sold at the price of gold, but it is the price to pay right now for an experience that is not available to anyone.
During most of the game we will travel through the frozen wastelands of Antarctica and explore their caves, something that may end up being somewhat monotonous.
We emphasize immersion, because merit or demerit is a direct consequence of what the player is capable of feeling within the adventure,
since the Edge of Nowhere mechanics would be insufficient in the current times, fragmenting into three main areas , which deals in a very basic way. The exploration , which consists of a single path to travel with the possibility of collecting the odd n
ewspaper ; the platforms , where we will take a simple jump or we will climb with our ice ax to the Tomb Raider; and stealth / combat, the most interesting sequences (but also basic) where we will have to get away from creatures that dwell in the darkest corners of these icy caves.
The future that awaits us could be promising, although extremely expensive
At this point, we can not delay the obvious anymore. Edge of Nowhere follows the wake of the stories and the horror of the writer HP Lov
Unable to look away
Now, to the own way of developing of the game the one that contributes the own Oculus Rift is added to him, and here it is necessary to admit that Insomniac has been quite intelligent and, mainly, enough agile when creating forms of playing
The stealth sections are where we will most have the feeling of being in a video game, with an entertaining system of distraction or direct combat.
But beyond the camera, other functions such as the flashlight itself , which, while being placed above the head of the protagonist
, does not entirely obey the movement of his head but to ours, or the same with our shotgun , where we will have the precision of our own neck at the time of aiming, they are very intuitive mechanics and they work exceptionally well.
A pity that the guys from Insomniac have not tried to surprise us with more variety and more ideas like these instead of making us climb the umpteenth ice wall with ice axes, reintroduce a section of platforms that fall or introduce a new sequ
ence Stealth simply with more enemies, once you have already introduced the third type of monster. By the way: Fear? Rather “jump scares” although rarely, but nothing compared to the amazement of touring the majestic caves, with its roots increasingly clinging to the incomprehensible.
The freedom of vision posed by virtual reality glasses is what creates the good atmosphere that Edge of Nowhere achieves.
And yet, despite its duration and taking into account its approach, it was absurd to extend the game further. Much better to have shortened the price. When it does, Edge of Nowhere is and will be one of the best experiences currently to give
you a good idea of what virtual reality is for traditional video games. How much is the VR experience worth? A lot, in every way. If a g
ame in the background as simple (but careful) as Edge of Nowhere is able to surprise us at this level, we can not imagine what would happen if someone were to develop, beyond the patch of rigor, a profound, innovative and exclusively focused on virtual reality.
