Last month, I took some time to reflect on the past year, discussing my favorite titles of 2015. Though it might be more comfortable to rest in the past, this month I am taking a peek at the future – one that is dominated by the idea of virtual reality.
Long have gamers dreamed of an all-inclusive, complete virtual reality experience. Up until recently, the most that game development companies have produced are sub-par, seemingly half-baked attempts at virtual reality.
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