Moscow Night is dark and very dangerous: a 3D thriller in virtual reality

The near future. Moscow, like the whole world, is buried in ruins. Faced with a biological catastrophe of biblical proportions, humanity was on the verge of death. A virus is raging on the planet, turning people into nightmarish ghouls. Survivors dare to come out of hiding only when the sun's rays manage to pierce the sky covered with coal clouds. The night belongs to zombies.

On one of the rare bright days, the Resistance squad, having completed the task, returns to headquarters. Suddenly, blackness envelops the horizon. The only chance not to be eaten alive is to get to the satellite communication system to call for help. The equipment is installed on top of a skyscraper in Moscow City, towering over the destroyed city like a Dark Tower. Four fighters will have to make their way to the roof through hordes of zombies.

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...This is not a new novel by Sergey Lukyanenko, but Anvio VR — a multiplayer 3D action game. Perhaps the most technological entertainment in Moscow today. Someone calls it a computer game, someone - an attraction, someone — a quest. And all this is true. The thriller was created in virtual reality, but takes place in a real room with an area of two hundred square meters.

Players are equipped as if they really are soldiers of the future. Oculus Rift virtual reality glasses, stereo headphones, a powerful portable computer that is attached to the back like a satchel, reflective markers on the arms and legs that allow cameras placed around the hall to read people's movements. The standard armament is an assault rifle with a flashlight and semi—automatic reloading. But if you want, you can rush at zombies with a chainsaw. If you have the courage to let the creatures get closer.

Imagine what prospects are opening up for the entertainment industry. At least on the example of existing games. Words cannot describe what kind of megablockbuster would turn out if you transferred the same Battlefield 1 to a system like Anvio VR. Not everyone will be able to quickly pull himself together, being in the epicenter of hostilities. A tank looking at you from a monitor screen and a terribly realistic tank right in front of your eyes are two big differences. After a while, team games in virtual reality will become commonplace, but until that happens, such an experience brings stunning sensations.

From the outside, the gameplay looks quite strange. People wind circles around an empty room, periodically scream, get scared of something and perform strange gestures. But for the players themselves, everything seems completely different. They climb to the roof of a skyscraper, killing hordes of zombies.

The shooter City Z is made on the Unreal Engine, on which such hits as Mortal Kombat X and Batman: Arkham Knight are worked. You can't call the graphics super-modern, but this is due to the fact that there are no portable computers on the market yet that can provide a higher level of detail.

The whole game world is an almost tangible environment, sometimes even interactive. And unlike the usual VR systems, which for the most part just offer to turn your head, Anvio VR allows players to interact with each other and really wander around the arena, moving from one location to another.

The ascent to the tower begins with the sewer, where there is time to get used to it before the ghouls rush in. But the howling can already be heard through the walls. A minute — and they begin to climb out of all the cracks. With each new location — more and more active. It's good that the cartridges are endless. Having filled up the next portion, you find yourself in front of a board thrown over an abyss. Many, after taking off their glasses, ask what will happen if you step aside. But during the game, no one dares to check, the abyss under their feet is too plausible. Like the big boss you meet on the roof.

Anvio VR has several analogues in the world, but technologically they are not so perfect. Therefore, it is especially pleasant to note that Russian developers are behind this system. The guys say that they consider the arena at the Trekhgornaya Manufactory as a platform for running in and demonstrating their capabilities. Meanwhile, they are poring over updates for City Z and the creation of other games.

While the trial period lasts, the price, despite the high cost of technology, is not bullied. One session for all costs from six to eight thousand, depending on the time when you decide to transfer to the post-apocalypse. Gather a team and go into battle!