【Anime Archives】

For many of us,Anime Archives thinking about the arcade brings back memories of old school shooter games. But kids of the future may have a very different experiences.

StarVR -- from IMAX, Taiwanese PC maker Acer, and Swedish games studio Starbreeze -- is deluxe VR like you wouldn't get at home.

The system promises 5K resolution, with a wide 210 degree field of view, for an extra immersive experience.

At the Computex show in Taipei, I had the chance to test this immersion with first-person shooter game John Wick Chronicles, based on Keanu Reeves' shooter movie franchise.

With its wide screen, the head mounted display (HMD) feels a little heavier than most VR headsets. But I soon forget about that after you're handed a pistol and assassins are coming at you.

You can easily turn your head up, down, left or right to see people running at you in almost every direction -- and the screen filled up my entire field of view.

The graphics are so clear you almost believe those are real people coming towards you too -- my heart was racing and sweat was starting to break out in my palms. At one point, I almost broke out into a run -- almost.

The only thing reminding you of the real world? Thin blue lines that emerge every time you walk too close to a wall.

Sadly, my experience as a hitman ended far too soon at the hands of a bomb thrown in my direction.

The concept may be new to arcades, but it's not a stretch to imagine this in the mainstream in the nearer future.

IMAX has already reported that its StarVR experimental arcade in Los Angeles has been selling out tickets, reaching tens of thousands of excited participants in its first three months.

Here's hoping it comes to an arcade near us, real soon.

Stay tuned for more news from the Computex 2017 in Taipei, as we cover it from the showfloor.

kjw

Expert writer and contributor. Passionate about sharing knowledge and insights on various topics.