Journey to the edge of the universe, but is VR up to the task? Imagine hurtling through 260 years in the blink of an eye, from a dying Earth to a new home among the stars. That's the premise of Interstellar Arc, a virtual reality experience that promises a trip of a lifetime. I found myself whisked away, courtesy of a soothing-voiced, glowing blue fox, through a VR headset in a Las Vegas warehouse. It's a journey, to say the least.
I'll admit, I'd follow a glowing blue fox anywhere, even if my attempts at interaction left me wanting. It guided me through a colossal space station, a repository of human knowledge, morphing into a woman with perfect cheekbones and a serene demeanor. Of course, neither the fox nor its human form were real; it was all virtual. Everything from the cryo pods and shuttle to the space station was intangible. The only tangible elements were the railings and the orange and white spacesuited figures, ensuring we didn't bump into each other.
This is Interstellar Arc, one of the newest attractions at AREA15, a hub of immersive experiences in Las Vegas, alongside attractions like Universal's Horror Unleashed and Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart. Unlike these other attractions, which rely on physical sets, lighting, and sound, Interstellar Arc is almost entirely virtual. Removing my mask revealed a giant blue room, the illusion maintained only by the guiding network of railings.
But here's where it gets controversial... Interstellar Arc showcases the most impressive use of VR I've ever seen, but it also made me question VR's long-term value. During the hour-long experience, I walked a circular path through the space station, defying gravity in a way that evoked 2001. I followed the fox towards glowing orbs, where, in its human form, it explained the science behind the project and the Earth-like planet we're trying to colonize, while also warning us about repeating past mistakes. A giant Carl Sagan even appeared briefly to explain the cosmos. It's essentially a school lecture inside a video game.
For this reason, Interstellar Arc made me question the long-term value of VR. It's an achievement, but not one I particularly enjoyed—and one that makes it clear VR still has a good way to go to create visions that have any weight or soul to them.
Inside Interstellar Arc, the VR is a bit blurry. There's no physical connection between what I see and what I'm doing, no sense of weight. It's an inherent problem with VR. The most striking moment was seeing a torii with a view of Mt. Fuji at sunrise; walking through the gate transported me to Japan, with the space station visible through the gate's opening. Other than that, the visual delights were limited, with the nondescript style of a generic sci-fi video game.
If a 360-degree video game sounds fun, be aware that Interstellar Arc is serious about its mission. It's an earnest explanation of how we could relocate humanity to a planet hundreds of light-years away, and unfortunately, that earnestness makes it a little boring. It's a dry hour, relying on immersion to keep guests interested, and then hitting them with edutainment so light on entertainment that it makes 1980s EPCOT seem like a joyride. That sincerity is commendable, but the script could use some levity.
Interstellar Arc tries to gamify the experience with collectibles and a photo tool. Silvery blue orbs appear in the distance, and the headset tracks how many you find. There's also a photo tool with a selfie mode. You can take photos of your orange-suited stand-in throughout the space station. These photos are emailed to you, and the experience rewards you with Xbox-style achievements. But none of it provides the hook that Interstellar Arc needs, the thing that would turn it from a tech demo into a human, lifelike world.
Interstellar Arc aims to be educational, entertaining, emotional, and eco-conscious. It only pulls off the first and last, and unfortunately, it's the other two that are most crucial to connecting with an audience. It might focus on humanity's future, but it lacks the humanity of something like its AREA15 neighbor, Omega Mart, not to mention its sense of wonder and other-worldliness. Interstellar Arc aims for the stars, but never really takes off.
What do you think? Does the potential of VR outweigh its current limitations? Do you think the educational approach of Interstellar Arc is a strength or a weakness? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
