VR Review: Moss 2


A mouse in a clockwork puzzle.

Did you enjoy the game Moss? This is a sequel which is identical to the original. The graphics are identical, the gameplay is identical, the puzzles are identical. There are a couple of slightly new mechanics and a new playable character (also a mouse). But it is fundamentally more of the same. So I suggest […]

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Beat Saber is gaming without the bullshit


Beat Saber logo rendered in neon lights.

Several years ago, at the start of the pandemic, I tried using Nintendo's Ring Fit as an exercise method. It didn't last long. I felt I was spending too much time earning in-game currency, making choices on what to spend it on, crafting, managing inventory, choosing power-ups, and all sorts of other tedious nonsense. In […]

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VR Game Review: Labyrinth deLux – A Crusoe Quest


In game graphic show lots of lasers flying around.

I love single player VR puzzle games. Especially ones with no timers, baddies, or jump-scares. I just want to play against myself. Labyrinth deLux is brilliant. The puzzle is simple enough - point lasers at mirrors, then align mirrors until they point at the target. You've almost certainly played a 2D version of this. But […]

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VR Game Review: Vader Immortal


Point of view shot inside a cave with a lightsabre in the foreground.

I'm a sucker for anything Star Wars. So when my Oculus Quest told me I could fight Darth Vader in VR, I leapt at the chance. I kinda wish I hadn't bothered. There is very little "game" here. It's barely an interactive movie. Walk forward until you step on a trigger, watch a very slow […]

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Let's (not) share our VR headsets


Tall retail unit with a CRT TV on top - it has Sega Dreamcast branding.

It is hard to get people excited about VR. Even at its best, it is an isolating experience - that's why Zuck is pushing the social features of The Metaverse so hard. But, worse still, it's hard to show people what the VR experience is like. If your friend buys a 4K laser projector, you […]

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Rejected Sci-Fi Ramblings from my MSc


VR view of a room. A graph floats in midair.

It was only after I started editing my MSc down to its prescribed word-count, that I finally understood the phrase Kill Your Darlings. I spent ages writing florid prose, only to realise it was needless verbiage. The delete key was hammered mercilessly. But... As all fans of Jasper Fforde know - there is a "Well […]

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MSc Dissertation: Exploring the visualisation of hierarchical cybersecurity data within the Metaverse


VR view of a room. A graph floats in midair.

Well gang, I did it! After two years I've finally finished my MSc! My final project was a 10,901 word epic about... The ✨Metaverse✨. Have I gone a little bit peculiar? No. I don't think so. I was advised to pick a project which would sustain my interest for 6 months. So I chose something […]

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Gadget Review: Meta Quest 2 replacement headstrap


A VR headset strap with lots of questions.

The headstrap which ships with the Meta Quest 2 is shit. It is a cheap piece of fabric, held together with velcro. It's fiddly to adust and uncomfortable to use for longer than a few minutes. Zuckerberg likes causing you pain. So I purchased the cheapest upgrade strap I could find - £15 on special […]

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Zeno's Paradox and Why Modern Technology is Rubbish


Robot faced Mark Zuckerberg is wearing a VR headset - it digs painfully into his smiling cheeks.

Amazon Alexa is losing billions of dollars. Self Driving Cars are losing billions of dollars. The Metaverse is losing billions of dollars. Are we about to witness the biggest crash in technological progress? I'm particularly fond of the Rule of Credibility which states: The first 90 percent of the code accounts for the first 90 […]

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Game Review: Red Matter 2 for VR


A cosmonaut stands in front of a glowing orb.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first Red Matter VR game, so I leapt at the sequel when it was on offer. What's it like? Exactly the same as the first. Lots of creepy corridors, a range of puzzles, and a sedate-ish journey. You're exploring an abandoned space-station, looking for clues and trying to figure out what […]

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