Don't let Go!

Probably the most exciting thing about the incoming VR boom is the fact that game developers have the opportunity to come up with entirely new concepts. Thus, we should see innovative ideas when it comes to gameplay and the use of perspective, because headsets like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have the capability to render pretty much anything.

Don't let Go! is a great example of this, because the concept it uses only works with a virtual reality headset. As such, the main idea is that you have to keep pressing two buttons on your keyboard at all times and get through all the challenges that are thrown at you. It’s a very rudimentary gimmick, but it works wonders under the right conditions.

The whole thing takes place in a regular office somewhere, and you are seated at a desk in the game as well. Thus, your body posture mimics the one from the video game, which makes the illusion that much more convincing. The buttons you have to hold down can be either both Controls, Shifts or Alts, so that your hands must be held like the character holds his in the game.

There are a couple of challenges you have to power through, such as seeing a swarm of insects flying around you, touching noses with a hungry dinosaur, or seeing knives fall down right near your hands. They can be pretty disturbing, especially if you have a weak spirit, so maybe you should take into consideration before jumping into the game. On the other hand, the whole thing stops if you take your hands off one key even for a millisecond.

As far as the graphics are concerned, it’s worth noting that the game is pretty basic in this regard, but it’s not ugly either. Hence, the object models are quite low-poly, and the textures are not very impressive either, but the overall quality is more than decent. This means that almost any PC can safely run the game at an appropriate frame rate.

All things considered, Don't let Go! is indeed a very clever use of the VR technology, even if the actual game is as basic as it gets. However, the perspective and the smart choice of gameplay mechanics make the experience a lot more engaging.