Arca’s Path Is a Breath of Fresh Air for VR

E3 gave us a multitude of games this year, most centered on shooting, dodging, or blowing up environments. While I’m obviously a fan of all of that, I found relief in Rebellion Developments‘ latest title called Arca’s Path. This was easily the most relaxing game I played at this year’s conference. As soon as I sat down and placed the PlayStation VR helmet over my eyes, I was a bit perplexed when I wasn’t handed a controller. The woman demoing the game explained to me that this game uses gazed-based mechanics throughout. I was immediately intrigued.

There are no characters to control in Arca’s Path. No platforms to jump. No enemies to dispatch. You simply movie a three-dimensional sphere through a labyrinth to an endgoal. While that sounds minimalist in its approach, the experience is an absolutely pleasure. With no DualShock 4 in my hands, I merely pointed my head in the direction that I wanted the ball to move. The further my gaze moved past the sphere, the more momentum it gained. Conversely, if I gave it a bit too much gas, I could backpedal and slow down by reversing my gaze. It’s truly a brilliant concept.

My time with the demo as very short, but it left me wanting to play more. I was eager to attempt more complex courses coupled with the beautifully serene music. This feels like a “moment of Zen” experience that I highly recommend. That is, unless you simply have to shoot something in every game. Arca’s Path uses the PSVR technology in a very clever way that makes me hopeful for the future of VR. Look for this one to release on PSVR, Oculus, and Steam VR later this year.

Check out the video below to see footage of me playing Arca’s Path behind closed doors at this year’s E3. Additionally, if you’d like to hear me discuss the game further, don’t miss our “E3 2018 | Day One Recap” podcast episode around the 1:00:45 mark.