VR World, a new NYC virtual reality (VR) hub is bewildering participants with grippingly realistic experiences.
One of the experiences involves participants donning VR gear to ride an elevator taking them to the summit of a 480-foot tower. As the elevator doors open up, players are right in front of a wooden plank that stretches into space forward. Participants are tasked with the challenge of walking all the way to the end of the plank and turning around once they have reached it. The experience is quite thrilling as a single wrong step could lead to one falling to their death.
This gripping virtual reality encounter, known as Richie’s Plank Experience, is one of the about 50 thrills available at the VR World centre. It is the new 12,000 square-foot flagship location of a 3-year-old entertainment location in Midtown. Participants who have walked this VR plank express that the experience seems quite close to reality.
42-year-old Mark, a resident of Westchester, explained that Richie’s Plank Experience is aggravating. He said that although people know it is fake, the hyper-realism can engage their senses completely. Mark was accompanied by Kimberly, his 39-year-old sister, who also participated in Richie’s Plank Experience, found it to be scary. She admitted her fear of heights after taking part in the plank walk herself.
But, it has to be noted that VR World features many experiences that are a lot less intense, and more enjoyable. Some of them include immersive films such as “the Blu,” which brings audiences incredibly close to oceanic lifeforms. Participants can also use the Tilt Brush from Google to paint on a 360-degree canvas or enjoy a virtual reality-based driving experience by grabbing the steering wheel for Project Cars. You will be joined by other drivers sitting in the same gaming arcade.
According to VR World CEO Leo Tsimmer, the concept revolves around grabbing technology, humanizing it and incorporating it to unite people for fun experiences.
One attraction opening soon is Escape the Lost Pyramid that tasks two players with a timed challenge of finding their way out of an Egyptian tomb. Another named Arizona Sunshine lets up to four participants partake in a zombie hunt encounter. Some tedious experiences at the VR centre include ones like Job Simulator. It requires participants to don VR headsets to step into the shoes of a robot or complete the responsibilities of auto mechanics, clerks, and other professionals.
Hayley Griffith, a 26-year-old actress who turned into a chef in the game, expressed that she could play it for several hours. She spent a good chunk of time performing tasks like filling up wine glasses and plating steaks. Griffith was accompanied by her partner Michael Elliot, who played the iPhone game Fruit Ninja. They both played Project Cars earlier in the evening, calling the experience immersive.
The venue also has a ground-level lounge and a drinks bar serving offerings like the Xocolatyl cocktail that costs $17 and features ingredients like chili tincture, Cointreau, cacao, and mezcal. The VR gaming venue offers a great selection of entertainment and adventure options.