‘Meeting Rembrandt: Master of Reality‘ is so far about my best, most ‘wholesome’ experience of VR in terms of intention and execution.

It’s relatively short (a good idea) and yet it provides a real sense of presence and ‘spending time’ with an enigmatic figure of history, yes that devious old master painter.

First Steps into a Larger World…

The use of VR has been well planned here to allow for the following: a sense of transportation through time to the everyday life of Rembrandt, to convey a sense of scale and presence before his actual paintings (as we stand in their vicinity) whilst illuminating it all through an entertaining, even emotional interaction that resonates.

The developers Force Field have realised that a VR experience is seldom re-played. They’ve made the most of your visit. In fact, if there were a whole host of experiences as good as this right now so readily accessible then VR today would have no trouble taking off.

The scenes and the 360 space are utilised really well, interwoven with the dialogue and well timed via the various actions that populate the scenes. Quite simply, art history lessons and art galleries across the globe would be proud of this!

I should hope to find many more experiences as promising as this and report back on them.

VR is a new medium of experience that can teach and illuminate the pages of history and the (art)works, stories and people that populate them. The sky is the limit. It goes without saying we will surely see it provide a powerful platform for artists and painters, who may walk next to us around a gallery exhibiting their works, and take us ‘inside’ their oeuvres. Greater interactivity could allow us to ask questions, take notes and all kinds of stuff. Just an idea!

Available at Oculus Store for Rift and GearVR (2017+)