The island of Tsushima stands as one of the most stunning representations of a real-world time and place in gaming history, overflowing with cultural detail and rich, atmospheric worldbuilding. Everything, from the soundtrack to the way Jin runs his hands through the flowers, is crafted to draw players in, and it does so flawlessly. Valhalla showcases Ubisoft and Assassins Creed at their best, and fans of recent entries like Shadows will want to check it out. The combat feels heavy and brutal, perfectly capturing the spirit of a Viking, while the stealth is crisp and satisfying, delivering the experience of a true assassin.
Airbnb experiences (various locations)
A distinctive immersive experience found at Futuroscope in France is Aquascope, a water park with immersive zones powered by digital technologies. These include projection mapping and lighting, spatialised sound, interactive elements, and choreographed water effects. Airbnb may have officially expanded into the experiences business, but the holiday property rental company has been offering unique overnight (and sometimes day-only) stays for some time now.
From the camps full of fellow Stalkers playing the guitar to finding a group of soldiers patrolling outside, the worlds of Call of Pripyat feel tremendously immersive. There’s also such a foreboding atmosphere permeating through the entire thing, which helps to build the incredibly tense atmosphere. Luckily, all of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R games are on Nintendo Switch, so players can take the many immersive open-worlds of Call of Pripyat on the go. Shenmue is the parent of the Yakuza franchise, doing much of what it did years before. It has a small open world with NPCs, each with its own routine, with which players need to familiarize themselves in order to complete quests in a timely manner. It’s also chock-full of unique minigames, an arcade full of playable machines, and a cast of hilarious characters.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Then you’ll need to install a popular VR mod called Vivecraft. Gearbox’s 2012 FPS RPG would be higher on any other list, but with a semi-open world that features a string of massive areas separated by loading screens, it only just counts. With billions of guns and a great story, anyone who likes shooting things will love this, but it’s not a true open world. Players find it relaxing to stroll without a particular purpose into an area and just work on life skills such as fishing and gathering. One’s love for Lord of the Rings is enough to keep them going in LOTRO.
There is no other open world game where moving around is this satisfying, and that is entirely thanks to the fantastic city design. Another Ubisoft game, the RPG style Assassin’s Creed titles were all great, but it’s the ancient Greek Odyssey that’s the best of the bunch. Run around as an assassin, doing assassin things, in this epic open world that is truly massive.
Based on the John Wick film franchise starring Keanu Reeves, the John Wick Experience features cinematic rooms, live interactions and interactive gameplay. It’s set in the John Wick Continental Las Vegas hotel and includes two themed bars and a retail outlet. Ubisoft has a reputation for crafting detailed environments and offering varied traversal options, and Frontiers of Pandora is no exception. Exploration feels fluid and engaging, with players able to trek through dense forests, scale floating mountains, soar above the clouds, and ride a variety of mounts. It’s an immersive, memorable experience that fans of the franchise shouldn’t miss.
More Social VR
When it comes to open-world games that you can truly immerse yourself in, Bethesda’s epic RPG proves an awesome fit for VR. The lush and expansive worlds of Skyrim truly enthrall the senses when experienced with a VR headset. Simply wandering through the vast landscape proves awe-inspiring, with the headset enhancing the atmosphere of this already rich adventure into a gripping cinematic experience. Platforms like Tabletop Simulator and Demeo let you gather with friends and play games in 3D virtual spaces. You can roll dice, draw cards, and even talk across the board like you’re physically together. Las Vegas is swiftly becoming a city for immersive experiences and casinos, and is home to the world’s first Sphere, a $2.3 billion attraction.
Much of your time is spent navigating the Moscow subway system and conversing with your fellow inhabitants. The original Half-Life sees you step into the hazmat boots of one Gordon Freeman, right as an experiment goes wrong. As you play through the game, final fantasy you’ll discover more about the Black Mesa research facility at which you work as the situation unfolds in front of you.
Some of these games have been developed from the ground up for virtual reality, while others have had VR added sometime after launch. All of these games provide loads of fun and adventure and are well worth your time. I’ll also provide information on the headsets you require and where the games can be bought. There’s so much going on in Red Dead Redemption 2’s world that all kinds of players will find something to enjoy. The S.T.A.L.K.E.R series isn’t traditionally open-world, with the first entry being a far more linear affair. However, Call of Pripyat, the third game in the franchise, offers players three small open worlds to explore and incredibly advanced AI that patrols them.
To grasp the impacts of Top 10 Virtual Travel Experiences You Can’t Miss, it really ties in with society’s move towards digitization and tech, making travel more accessible and diverse. Fly smoothly from deep space to planetary surfaces, with no loading screens, and no limits. In this infinite procedurally generated universe, you’ll discover places and creatures that no other players have seen before – and perhaps never will again. An epic voyage to the center of a shared universe awaits, allowing you to explore, trade, fight and survive alone or with friends. Underwater gameplay has proven difficult to create realistically but Subnautica has delivered plenty of immersion in the unending ocean of planet 4546B available in Subnautica’s VR mode.
It’s the most immersive Assassin’s Creed entry to date, with exceptional worldbuilding that truly makes it feel like stepping back in time. Truly immersive games are becoming harder to find in the modern gaming landscape, even within the open-world genre. However, the ones that do manage to draw players in and keep them hooked, like Hogwarts Legacy and The Witcher 3, are worth playing again and again. “I’ve been to quite a few immersive experiences but Phantom Peak has by far been the best. The quests are so well thought out and fun.” A procedurally-generated sandbox located in a charming fully simulated noir city.
Sky Camp is a simple VRChat world consisting of a bright and cartoon-like campsite, set on a floating island. You can sit by the roaring campfire while enjoying a warm drink and the company of your friends. The art style of this world is what really attracted me to it, and it’s a cool place to meet up.
Our final destination sees us plunging into the mesmerizing depths of Aquarius. This captivating world brings the beauty and mystery of underwater ecosystems to life. Artfully designed, Aquarius immerses you in a vibrant, aquatic biome where stunning visuals are just the beginning. This is a VRChat world that is themed on Mondstadt cathedral from Genshin Impact and is stunningly well-made. It is primarily an avatar world and has a great selection of really well-made Genshin Impact avatars. They are allowed to give you one clue in each round to help you get as close to the center of the target as possible.