In virtual reality one can immerse into various environments, and not only can you engage in some activities you never could in real life like killing nazis or being Batman, but also in some simple everyday life activities, like tourism or meditation using your VR device.
The great advantage of virtual-reality is that it provides a safe way to experience something that you may find too dangerous to tackle in real life. This makes VR a perfect place for facing your fears in a controlled environment, like fear of heights for example.
A company named Revresh made a rig that, in symbiosis with the Oculus Rift game, makes a realistic parachute simulation – Para Parachute, so who knows, in future we may be training astronauts before their space walks in virtual reality. Until then, these are the top heights VR experiences currently available.
Richie’s Plank Experience
Richie’s Plank Experience is a short demo game designed as a VR showcase for first time users. You enter the elevator, go to the 80th floor of the building, and then you can walk to the end of Richie’s plank, if you dare!
Besides walking the plank, in this game you can fly around the city using your motion controllers, and be a superhero that extinguishes raging fires. Additionally, you can use your rocket hands as a paintbrush and the sky as a canvas, making Richie’s Plank Experience also a sky writing simulation.
The Climb
The Climb is a first-person rock climbing simulation from Crytek which will provide a realistic cliff-hanging experience. The Climb is an Oculus Rift exclusive, is regularly updated and supports Oculus Touch controllers. This is hands down one of the best looking games you can play in virtual reality.
Besides a truly impressive heights experience in VR it offers, The Climb has few probable side-effects. A player may suffer of vertigo, but most likely strained neck too! Game mechanics dictate that have to turn your head around constantly in order to find a suitable grip, therefore after longer gaming sessions this can even cause chronic neck pain. Stay safe!
The Walk VR Film
This isn’t a game but a digital recreation of The Walk movie’s climax scene from 2015. You step into the shoes of Philippe Petit, who walks the tight rope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The short VR film is available for both Android and iOS phones and is completely free.
While title ‘The Walk’ may lead you to think you are in for a calm and soothing experience, instead you start off looking at a steel beam leading to a tightrope, stretching over 1300 feet above the New York City. At first you will probably appreciate the stunning view of the surroundings, but as you start walking along the rope, looking down takes some courage, even though your feet are on a firm ground.
The urge to throw the headset away and abandon the genuine terror, may become very strong as you gaze down at the dizzying drop, but Philippe Petite had already done this amazing feat in real life back in 1974, so the least you could do is relive his experience in perfectly safe virtual-reality setting.