It probably wasn’t a cute yelp, either
The next Paranormal Activity isn’t a film. It’s a virtual reality game — one I felt compelled to check out when I spied its demo booth GDC. I just had to know what the heck it was like.
I have a dopey soft spot the “found footage” genre, you see, and enjoyed the first three movies, despite their divisive reputation. While I skipped the next few (as I haven’t heard anything good about them), I still harbor enough interest in the universe to pretend I’m in a spooky house in the canon.
Though I played Narcosis with an Oculus Rift, Paranormal Activity VR was the first straight-up horror game I’ve played in virtual reality. After being strapped into an HTC Vive, I found myself in a cramped room with a table. It allowed me to maneuver a bit in real time, but pressing forward on the controller also propelled me in whatever direction I looked. While having two options seems helpful, it actually led to some spatial confusion. I bumped into a couple walls, thinking I was still in the middle of the room.
I was supposed to pick up a flashlight and place batteries inside it, but this too proved difficult. VRWERX reps informed me the controls weren’t final, which is good because using the directional buttons to select items in the inventory isn’t intuitive in the least. Once I finally settled in, I ambled down a hallway to track down what sounded like a music box. A door slammed shut behind me, not unexpectedly. As I began wandering into another room, a ghastly figure appeared directly in front of me and screamed. I physically recoiled and yelled something like “GWUHHH?!” Vaguely aware of some chuckles around me from on-lookers, I went to another room, where the demo came to an abrupt conclusion.
I say the following not to prove my machismo, but to make a point: jump scares usually do not phase me. Sure, a loud noise might make me shudder, but I’ve been playing horror games and watching horror movies long enough to anticipate these types of shocks. However, with Paranormal Activity VR, the juxtaposition of feeling like you’re in a physical space and having something appear directly in front of you is incredibly jarring. On one hand, a ghost appearing out of nowhere should be shocking, but on the other, I’m not sure I’m looking forward to studios playing this card repeatedly. Jump scares have always felt like a crutch to me, and re-use of this trick might undermine VR’s potential in the horror genre.
Also of note: This is the first time the Vive has made me feel physically ‘off.’ After finishing the demo, I found a restroom, where I sat for a good fifteen minutes, straining to gauge the distance between my face, the floor, and my phone. It all seemed to blend into one plane, until I eventually recovered and felt well enough to get up from the toilet and walk to my next appointment.
With some refinements, I hope Paranormal Activity VR will be worth playing when it launches this summer.
