The Virtual Reality game is now available Contagion Origins in the room of Madrid Virtual Arena and we have tested it in Cinemascomics
Virtual Arena is a Free-Roaming Multiplayer Virtual Reality room, located in the center of Madrid, where you can enjoy games between 8 and 12 players maximum, without cables and with free movement through the 500 m2 of total surface. Specifically, to play Contagion Origins, we will move through a total of 280 m2, being able to be up to 8 players in the same game. The game, a shooter with an escape room touch, has been available since October 8.
What is the game about?
Due to its premiere, we went to the Virtual Arena room, located on Tomás Bretón street number 52, within the Arganzuela-Delicias neighborhood of Madrid, to try its latest game, Contagion Origins; which consists of a cooperative survival game, which has up to 8 different environments and with games that last around 30 minutes. The dynamics of the game is that players have to investigate the origin of the spread of a biological disease in a large city, which has unleashed chaos and caused the infected to attack the survivors fiercely. The objective of the game is to find the source of the infection, kill as many creatures as possible and finally evacuate the city in time, without getting infected or dying in the mission.
Freedom to move around the stage
Among the great advantages of the Virtual Arena proposal for Contagions Originis is that the player can move quite freely around the stage, unlocking doors, collecting ammunition and weapons and interacting with the environment; having multiple lives if you end up dying during the game. Along with this, it is also appreciated that all the limits of the stage are duly marked with red light warnings, to avoid colliding with the walls. However, it will be more frequent to accidentally hit another player, so from the beginning, together with the basic tutorial of the game’s operation, it is clearly advised to avoid bending, jumping, kicking or punching or any sudden movement, to avoid own blows and strangers.
If the instructions are respected, the gameplay is enjoyable and fun, with a pleasant feeling of full immersion, where the equipment consisting of HP Reverb Headset – Pro glasses, backpack with equipment (computer), noise-canceling headphones and game rifle (made of 3D printed plastic) they are not heavy, although at the end of the game you may notice your tired arm for a long time, having it under tension for half an hour. The equipment and design of the game and its graphics is similar to other virtual reality games such as those offered by Zero latency, which use the same glasses and biopack.
Once you have passed the tutorial and immersed in the post-apocalyptic setting offered by the experience, you will put yourself in the shoes of an elite soldier and cooperation between players will be vital to survive the incessant zombie horde, distributing tasks among the players to overcome the different levels, such as solving puzzles, defusing bombs and ending the continuous attacks of the infected. Weapons and ammunition will be limited, so they will have to be put to good use, while enemies are increasing in difficulty and number, eventually ending up with powerful creatures that function like the usual final bosses in classic video games. To collect objects, it will be enough to go over them, while to reload it is enough to lower and raise the weapon.
Game for adults
Due to the theme, with violence, blood and gore, this game is intended for adult audiences, especially to groups of friends, but also to birthday celebrations, bachelor parties and even work events; working well as an alternative and original leisure vehicle, the game offers a simple but very fun proposal, where the level of graphics and gameplay has enough quality to make it worth playing and enjoying it with friends, but it should not be compared much less with the graphics or the mobility of the characters offered by the latest generation video consoles; Although, to be honest, it doesn’t aspire to that either, at least for now.
Despite the latter, it can be said that the immersion is quite complete, with isolation from sound and light from outside, although some messages are heard too many times and too loud (such as reloading ammunition), and sometimes it is difficult to hear colleagues if they do not speak loudly, due to the noise generated by the game; While the sensitivity of the trigger is also something to take into account, being able to hook and empty the magazine at once, so to avoid it it is enough to not tighten it too much and raise your arm if you notice that this or another problem occurs to you, helping you a member of the technical team to fix it. Along with this, it should also be noted that offers several alternative endings, allowing you to replay it and re-enjoy it like the first time.
All of the above without forgetting that it maintains sanitary measures in accordance with the pandemic times we are living in, so it can be enjoyed without greater risk of contagion to Covid-19 than that which can be assumed when enjoying other similar leisure alternatives.
Besides this game, Virtual Arena, open for just one year, offers 5 other different gaming experiences, where in addition to three more shooter-type games, we have two other games for families and children (from 10 years old), being able to play up to two groups at the same time, having two different rooms fully equipped and operating independently.