This is an Early Access Review and as such opinions and scores are based solely on the state of the game at the time of review and subject to change as development progresses leading up to final release.
Originally reviewed on July 4, 2016
The Grand Canyon VR Experience is a visionary example of the power and potential of VR, not just for gaming, but for educational, travel, and leisurely relaxation experiences. Designed for both the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift, this title offers a slightly unique experience based on your headset of choice. The Vive offers a bit more interaction with its motion controller input, while the Oculus is more of a passive experience that allows you to sit in a kayak and float along a circular path on the Colorado River. While you can adjust the speed of your kayak, the entire journey is complete in around ten minutes.
The game starts off at a campsite and your only option is to jump into the nearby kayak and begin your float down the river. You can use the Oculus controller or Xbox gamepad to adjust your speed and toggle a flashlight – yes, you can float the river at night if you toggle that mode in the option menu. And that’s pretty much it. Look around and enjoy the sights of towering cliffs and arches, cascading waterfalls, and a variety of plant and wildlife both in and out of the water.
While not photorealistic, the visuals are still quite stunning with good textures, transparent water, and gorgeous lighting effects that cast real-time shadows. The 3D effect is completely immersive. Early on a branch extended across the water and I instinctively ducked to avoid hitting my head, and it matched that move in the game. Later in the journey you pass through a waterfall and the effect is awesome. I look forward to future trips down the river, as I try to discover new ways to interact with nature.
Immersive Entertainment seems really good about addressing bugs and glitches and provides good communication with existing owners of the game. They’ve already released at least two content patches to add more “stuff” to the adventure, and their list of upcoming features and additions look to be really exciting. I’ve got my fingers crossed for white water rafting. As I stands, Vive owners will probably get a bit more value from jumping on the Early Access bandwagon, but for those looking for a comfortable and passive VR experience to share with skeptics or those with weak stomachs, The Grand Canyon VR Experience is a great way to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth from the comfort of your home.
Follow-up review on January 13, 2017
It’s been six months since we visited the Grand Canyon on the Oculus Rift and Immersive Entertainment has certainly been busy, not just adding Oculus Touch support but totally fleshing out the virtual world will all sorts of new details, additional flora and fauna and refining textures and special effects. The water has gotten exponentially better – you can actually see fish swimming now – and there is just so much more to observe and discover on your automated journey down the river. A slide control has been added to the kayak so you can adjust your speed, and you can also pick a day or night journey before embarking.
The amount of polish added to what we experienced in July is tremendous and we can’t wait to see where it all ends up going. I’m still holding out for some white water rapids.
