Hands-on with VR games at Zero Latency Auckland
There have been many VR sets released over the years, but all of them require you to stand or sit still. Although some VR games can be very fun to play, the only time you can move your character is by using a controller. If you play VR games at a new location called Zero Latency Auckland, you are in for a truly new gaming experience.
Zero Latency Auckland is located at 62 Cook Street in the CBD, and it is, without a doubt, the best VR gaming experience I have ever had. This is a huge statement coming from me, considering I've previously played on an HTC Vive, PSVR and, more recently, the PSVR 2 from earlier this year.
Have you ever imagined a time when you can actually use your legs to walk inside a video game? Well, the special folks at Zero Latency Auckland have built a unique facility where you can do just that. Instead of using an old-school controller, in this facility, you can actually move your own legs to control your own character!
I do not know the scientific reasons for the technology, but when you go to Zero Latency Auckland, you are placed in a special room that can track your movements in real-time. This special room can allocate up to eight players at one time, and the VR headset you wear can tell you if you're about to bump into another user.
Another cool thing about playing at Zero Latency Auckland is that you don't play with a miniature controller. These guys go all out, as you can play using a huge and cool-looking plastic machine gun. Most of the games they offer for you to play are first-person shooters, and the controller feels cool when you are shooting lots of bad guys.
FutureFive NZ was kindly invited to play at Zero Latency Auckland, and I managed to play two fun games with my brother. The two games that we got to play included a co-op shooter called Far Cry VR, and a PvP game called Sol Raiders.
In Far Cry VR, you and a mate (or many mates) are on an island occupied by Far Cry 3's Vaas. In this game, you pretty much have to shoot waves and waves of bad guys that have invaded the island. You can either shoot enemies using a machine gun, or you can change your weapon to a crossbow for long-ranged combat.
The cool thing about Far Cry VR is that you can use your own legs to move around the levels. If you are getting shot or are about to be killed, you can simply move away or crouch so the enemies cannot hit you.
Don't worry if you suck at video games because Far Cry VR offers you infinite respawns. That being said, the game itself isn't very hard, so you shouldn't have trouble completing its 30-minute runtime. I was glad I didn't get too sick playing the game since some VR games give me motion sickness.
Sol Raiders is a team-based PvP game where you need to transport some special orbs into your team's goal. There are only three maps included in this game, but matches can get really intense if you are playing with lots of other players.
Sadly, we weren't able to play with lots of players because it was just me and my brother playing. The game can give you a real workout because you can walk around the levels avoiding and/or hunting enemy players. It's recommended that you don't run in this facility, but you will be moving around a lot in this game!
While this technology is way too expensive to install in your own home, I absolutely loved playing VR games at Zero Latency Auckland. The fact that I was able to use my own legs to walk around a virtual environment for the first time was mind-blowing to me. It is much better than current VR experiences you can have at home.
If you want to try this yourself, each session costs $60 per player. If you want to know more about Zero Latency Auckland and how it works, you can visit the official website. Bookings are essential as times are limited. Zero Latency Auckland is only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
