There are a couple of things I need to make sure I say before I dive into this article. First, if you haven't seen Ready Player One there might be some spoilers ahead. Second, a disclaimer, I'm not a doctor. I'm a health coach able to see the possible health benefits of VR. I have no concrete studies to prove so. Yet.
Mythic Saber's Match Quest is an exciting new game in the Gear VR store. Contrary to popular belief, VR is more than gaming. VR is a tool that still needs refinement but over time can improve our learning capabilities. While Match Quest happens to be a game, it also has the potential to improve our memory. What's better than exercising our brain while having fun?
According to Think Health:
As we go through life, our habits not only affect our physical health but can also play a vital role in building better cognition and lessening the chances of mental decline. We normally associate brain development with babies and young children. However, research has shown that the adult brain is not stagnant; it is constantly at work, producing new cells and forming neural connections through a process called neuroplasticity. This is good news because it means that you have the ability to influence this process. In essence, whenever you challenge yourself to learn something new or try a new activity you are harnessing your brain’s ability to rewire itself in response to the stimulation we give it.
Mythic Saber's Match Quest challenges players short-term, long-term and spatial memory. It might seem easy at the beginning but the levels get harder trust me. Your brain will thank you.
What does this have to do with Ready Player One?
Stick with me for a moment here.
I was extremely disappointed to see how VR is portrayed in this movie. My expectations were high and were crushed by the end of the movie. Yes, I got the spirit of adventure but there were too many hiccups. Could Ready Player One damage the VR industry in the world's eyes? Possibly. Long rant longer, we are moving into an era where reality is not only the real world. So how is it that in 2045 the virtual world (Oasis) needs to be shut down twice a week just to remind people to live in the real world? Why the VR experiences showed in the movie are only racing cars, fighting wars or dancing in a nightclub? Why is VR portrayed only as an escapism of reality instead of a tool to improve humanity's quality of life? What about the health benefits of using VR or showing the redefinition of education? So many things that I'm realizing I might need to write a whole other article about.
So bringing this back around, if you watched Ready Player One then Match Quest might not look like an exciting game. There are no thrills or explosions. But the kind of VR that Match Quest is bringing to us is the one we can implement in our lives and help improve them.
Key features:
No language barrier
Hands-free experience
Anyone can play
No internet connection needed once downloaded
Smartly crafted, makes you think beyond the game
Are you afraid of flying? Play during taking off. Are you stressed? Use it to relax. Want to increase your memory capabilities? Use it as a tool. It's a VR experience that allows for multiple levels of engagement. This is the kind of VR that I want to see thrive.
One of my favorite things has to be that if you spend time in VR experiences such as Rec room and VR chat you might actually get to play alongside Mythic Saber. Which brings me to something that Ready Player One and Match Quest might have in common. When Match Quest officially releases across all platforms, it may or may not possess a path to a valuable easter egg.
It's currently available for the Gear VR at the affordable price of $2.99