Jumanji VR: Reverse the Curse is the newest experience from The Void, the location-based virtual reality company known for STAR WARS: Secrets of the Empire and the exceptional Avengers: Damage Control. Jumanji VR is a 20-minute walkthrough experience where you and up to 4 friends must reclaim the red jewel of Jumanji from the evil Haka'ar and return it to a temple before it's too late. Jumanji VR improves on The Void's past experiences in a number of ways, including giving players distinct roles and a legitimate sense of danger. It's clear that The Void is evolving in their approach to location-based VR, despite Jumanji VR still demonstrating the immersion-breaking issues present in Avengers: Damage Control.
The Movie About A Game Is Now A Game Based On A Movie
Jumanji is such a natural fit for an experience like this. In the new Jumanji film series, each character is transported into the game and transformed into 4 different in-game characters with unique abilities and stats. Jumanji VR follows the same path: after a video introduction to the game by the affable Rhys Darby as Nigel, each player will suit up in custom Oculus VR headsets and vests and transform into one of the film's characters. I played as Jack Black's Professor Sheldon Oberon and my partner played as Kevin Hart's Franklin "Mouse" Finbar. The character models were convincing enough, and hearing voice lines from the original actors throughout the adventure was a genuine treat.
I really loved the way each character has a specific ability just as they do in the film. When we came upon illegible hieroglyphics, I was able to read them clearly and relate the message to my teammate. When we encountered dangerous (and sometimes helpful) animals, my partner (playing Finbar) was able to talk to them and relay their message back to me.
This kind of cooperative puzzle-solving gives the experience an escape room-like quality that I absolutely adored. When I played Avengers: Damage Control it barely seemed like there was any difference at all between playing solo or with a group. With Jumanji VR, the best experience is definitely with a full group. It's been a bit since I've seen the movie so I can't recall exactly what the other character's abilities are, but I assume the Rock's character is good at punching, which would have really come in handy considered the combat sequences in the game.
The Lack Of Feedback Makes Combat Feel Pretty Bad
Twice throughout the game, you'll have to box some enemies. Without the Rock on your team, I assume, they were pretty difficult and frustrating encounters. I blocked, dodged, and jabbed an enemy for what seemed like an eternity, landing at least a dozen hits on his face. Eventually, the enemy managed to get a cheap shot in and I instantly lost a life. I looked over at my partner, and she had suffered the exact same fate.
In my Avengers: Damage Control review, I noted how the inside-out tracking on the headsets works against the immersion of the experience. In that game, if you held your hands out of your field of view they would cease to exist. In this game, the problem is holding them too close to your face when your block punches: your arms will just disappear. I don't pretend to know the engineering that goes into designing these experiences, but I wish there was some sort of outside tracking solution with cameras and sensors that could make the hand tracking more reliable. Perhaps the Oculus technology just needs some time to catch up.
Real Threats Makes Real Fun
In Avengers VR, the game moves you from set piece to set piece where you basically stand still and fire energy bursts from your hands at robots flying around. You get a scored at the end based on the enemies you defeated and the hits you took, but there's never really any danger or risk of failure. It's an almost purely cinematic experience and, while I adored the adventure, I found it underserved the potential of VR to some extent.
Jumanji VR presents threats and challenges that serve the medium so much better. Throughout your adventure, you'll walk on narrow planks between throngs of hungry alligators, dodge lions as they leap across a path at you, avoid death traps in a tomb, and fight your way through enemies. You're only given three lives at the start of the game and, while I don't exactly know what would happen if you lost all your lives, the threat of "losing the game" adds a layer of stress to the experience that really amps up the action. You're never in any danger, of course, but that doesn't stop you from totally wigging out when a Lion leaps at your face. It's a lot of fun.
Definitely Take A Full Group
Jumanji VR is a fantastic step forward for The Void, and while I can't help but chuckle at some of the low-tech solutions they use (like your guide handing you objects that you appear to grab off a wall) I'm overall really impressed with it.
I think this game really needs a full group with all four abilities to appreciate the cooperative elements. The most fun I had in this game was translating text for my partner so we could solve puzzles together, and I think the best thing about this is experience is that everyone has a role and everyone can have their own hero moment. That, and getting to be Jack Black again for the first time since Brutal Legend.
You can check out The Void's locations and schedule on their website.