As most of us know, Virtual Reality (or just “VR”) has come a long way from its roots in the 80s and 90s. The road has been rocky, and there have even been times when faith in the idea diminished, but the grander idea of futurism has scooped up VR in modern days and seen to it that the concept survives and thrives. What began with mere toys like the ill-fated Virtual Boy has recovered from a long dormancy in the form of innovations like the Oculus Rift. Even smartphones are getting in on the deal, and the idea of fully immersive video gaming has begun to coalesce into something truly valid.

Synth Riders, a fresh new entry into the modern VR library by L.A. developer Kluge and publisher RetrowaveVR, not only calls the ante among its contemporaries but raises it. Combining familiar ideas and styles with new and inventive elements of play, this game has a lot in store for synth lovers, gaming fiends, and technophiles alike. The plot keeps things simple but engaging, and fits like a glove; in the year 2066, in a cityscape right out of one of Philip K Dick’s fever dreams, you are taking the fight to your mechanical overlords by battling them inside their electronic network, the “slipstream.” To dethrone them and win freedom for humanity, you must be fast, focused, and in harmony with the beat!

I’ve taken a good look at what Kluge has in store for us in Synth Riders, and it didn’t take me long to decide that I liked what I saw – and heard! For starters, this game bears an authentic and sincere retrowave aesthetic. The entire presentation, both visually and soundwise, drips delightfully with the theme of that 80s’ future we all yearn for. Talk about dreaming while awake! Awash with color and darkness side by side, Synth Riders has been lovingly and tastefully built as a virtual doorway into the world we were so often shown in 1908s science fiction media. The soundtrack features names you’ll recognize and who stand out in the synthwave genre – Waveshaper, Deadlife and more! It is a solid set of tracks, and definitely a highlight of the experience.

Gameplay in Synth Riders takes the core concept of things like Guitar Hero or Rock band, intensifies that idea, and gives you more than just some measly buttons to push! To the beat of the insanely sick soundtrack, you must catch notes that whiz by you in this data-stream, some with both hands, some with only one. Tricks and twists abound, and you will need two things to succeed: reflexes and rhythm. Become one with the synth and topple the machines that have taken over. Become the ruling body!

The game is currently on sale for the Oculus Rift, and it can also be found on Steam VR for the HTC Vive. Don’t worry, though… more platforms will be supported very soon! At $9.99, the price is more than right for what you’ll be getting. If you’re after an intense, thrilling, fast-paced retrowave cyberpunk VR experience (come on, we both know you are), go get Synth Riders.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality was once just a phenomenon discussed in retro movies giving a vision of the future, much like flying cars. However, that vision has become a reality with the development of Virtual Reality headsets. Although VR took off properly in 2014 with the release of the Oculus Rift, it actually began back in the 1990s when Nintendo released their own VR gaming headset called Virtual Boy. This device used a VR headset connected to a Nintendo controller. However, it didn’t get the level of popularity expected and was branded a failure, so VR was shelved for another two decades. Nowadays, Samsung has the monopoly on VR technology, with the Samsung Gear 360 being one of the most immersive and realistic devices to play games on. VR has made games much more realistic and entertaining, and with so many games optimized for the VR experience, it is exciting to see what the future holds for it.

Source: Pixabay.com

Casino Gaming

It was in 1994 when online casinos first appeared, and if you wanted to play you would have to acquire a CD ROM from the gambling company to install their games to play on your computer. Installation took quite some time due to slower computers, and dial-up internet meant it took ages to establish a connection. Furthermore, the graphics and quality of online casino games were incredibly primitive and we likely wouldn’t consider playing them today. Fortunately, there have been a lot of advancements in the online casino industry over the last 20 years, and now there are hundreds of thousands of online casinos to choose from. Microgaming is an online casino game developer who has been around since the very beginning way back in 1994 and they have made sure to evolve all of their games to be high quality and entertaining without the dull graphics and long waiting times. Slot machines are their specialty, so make sure to check it out!

Source: Pixabay.com

Online Gaming

Back in the day, playing multiplayer games meant plugging in an extra controller for your friend to play. Playing with people without physically being with them had never crossed our minds, never mind playing with hundreds of people all around the world. However, the past two decades have seen many changes, and now eSports are taking the gaming industry by storm. eSports are multiplayer games which are played competitively online to an audience of hundreds of thousands, and not only are they fun to play, but sponsorship deals mean that successful eSports players could make a fortune just by playing video games! Games such as DOTA 2 and League of Legends are hugely popular among online gamers, and sites such as Twitch TV have huge subscription numbers for people who wish to host and spectate online gameplay. Online gaming has gone global, and it is exciting to see what the future for eSports will hold.

Source: Pixabay.com

Technology has changed the face of gaming drastically since the 1990s, however, there is always room for improvement. With so many exciting advancements being made each year, it is exciting to see what the future has in store for the gaming industry.

Escape Code, is a glitchy, neon-soaked dystopian experience, built exclusively using the Unity video game engine.
Virtual Reality version (Youtube 360, Google cardboard, and Vive) Coming August 2016.

To find out more about this incredible virtual experience, please visit the link below.

http://www.escapecode-vr.com