Review Fix Exclusive IndieCade East Coverage: Hands-On with Oculus Rift

Review Fix was given a hands-on demo with developer CCP’s upcoming multiplayer dogfighter shooter “EVE: Valkyrie” — set in the EVE universe — using the Oculus Rift virtual reality gaming headset this weekend during IndieCade East 2014 at The Museum of the Moving Image in New York.

Let’s start off by saying the Oculus Rift is an extraordinary piece of hardware. It’s lighter than we initially thought and fits comfortably on your face, even with glasses — though maybe not those hipster ones.

From the moment you correctly position the headset and headphones, you are no longer where you once were, in this case, with “EVE: Valkyrie,” you’re in outer space. In an instant you become a spacecraft pilot ready for an epic three-on-three battle.

While waiting for the match to begin you’re able to look around. If you face down you’ll see your virtual body wearing a spacesuit, with its hands on the ships controls. You may forget for a moment that you’re actually holding an Xbox 360 controller.

Your objective is simple: destroy the enemy ships to rack up points for a victory. In the beginning, however, the real challenge you’ll face is not in your opponents, but in the controls; the left analog is used to maneuver the ship up and down and also controls the tilt, the left and right triggers command the missile launchers (left) and machine guns (right), the bumpers turn the ship and the A button starts the boosters.

While these controls may sound simple for your average console experience, on the Oculus Rift, when you can almost feel yourself in space, this can completely baffle you. It requires a lot of using your head… and we mean that quite literally. In order to lock-on to an enemy ship with your missile launcher, you must turn your head and focus on the ship for a few seconds.

When the match starts, your spacecraft launches out what we would assume is the mothership. You can make out your opponents in the distance but they’re too far to immediately engage in battle. If you’re smart, you’ll make use of the few seconds before the encounter to get accustomed to the controls, though most players might not get used to them until the match is over — especially since we were only allowed up to three minutes of playtime — and feel forced to jump back in line for a second chance.

Once you get the hang of it however the gameplay is a lot of fun, the best part has to be the locking system because it gives the game this totally realistic feel. Just flying around in “EVE: Valkyrie” is a blast, even when you make a quick turn or loopty-loop and feel the sudden motion sickness (which may or may not happen). When you’re killed your ship will explode and your screen goes black, add the sound effects from the headphones and your first death is sure to make you jump.

It feels a bit strange to be back in the real world after playing “EVE: Valkyrie,” it’s as if you’re body is back on Earth, but your mind is still lost in another universe. This game is revolutionary and not because of its gameplay, nor graphics, but because of the technology it’s created for. While it might stand a chance on it’s own, the Oculus Rift takes it to another level, one far beyond our original expectations.

The Oculus Rift is a huge step forward in the future of gaming and we’re excited to see which other developers decide to take advantage of its technology.