Whew . . . ok team, I need to catch my breath here. I just got done playing a few rounds of PowerBeats VR and I'm all hot, sweaty, and tired. Oh man . . . did I tell you I mostly lead a sedentary lifestyle over here? I mean, yeah, I go walking with a little Pikmin Bloom and some Peridot, but this is cardio I just got done doing! *catches breath*
Ok, check it out. So, PowerBeats VR is another game I got in a bundle about a year ago, and I've never fired it up, UNTIL TODAY! WHY?! I'VE GOT A BLAUGUST POST TO WRITE! I told you all a couple days ago that I'd go delving into my un-played VR games, and so here we are.
The rhythm game slash workout is a perfect game for VR. Ever since humans could swing a beat saber, we knew it was a thing. PowerBeats VR is an ok rhythm game, but an absolute knock out of a work out. Instead of swinging a saber effortlessly to the beat, you are punching balls that come flying at you, ducking under and to the side of pillars, and following a golden rope up and down on a path.
(Btw, the balls that come flying at you are a bit of nightmare fuel for me since it channels an old childhood reoccuring dream of pushing back giant balls ala Sisyphus.)
If you'd like to laugh a bit, watch me trying this expert level for the first time. I get a B-. :(
The game comes with three environments and a leveling system where you can unlock new hands/weapons as you play. I've put about an hour on the game now, and I think I'm about halfway through level one. Next level I get a hammer. If only I unlocked the song Hammer Time when it happened . . .
Probably the coolest feature of this game is its completely open music library option. You can pick any song in your computer's library, and PowerBeats VR will generate a workout for you based on the parameters you set. Of course, being a songwriter type myself, I had to play a couple songs of my latest release: Rotted Leisure Rooms.
Here's a swing at beginner level workout with my song Wyrd Beard using the Egyptian desert environment.
. . . then I take it up a notch to an Advanced workout with my song Clear Plastic Game Boi, which actually works pretty well as a workout song.
If I were to spend an additional $3 for the DLC to this game, I could also open up a whole slew of new backgrounds to play in, and the ability to load in my own 360 photos to view while I work out. I was actually tempted by this since you know how I love to take 360 photos. There's working out, and then there's working out with some fun 360 photos from Meow Wolf in the background.
Anyway, glad I tried this. I prefer the stylized drumming found in a game like Ragnarock or swinging sabers in the one and only Beat Saber, but this was still pretty fun. I was really happy to find that there actually is a level editor for the game if I wanted to truly make something that matched my songs.
Who knows, maybe this could be my new workout when I'm not walking my Peridot. Glad I delved into my VR Game Library to give it a shot.
Happy Dueling!
2 comments:
What's the deal with the silver balls? The rest pretty much made sense to me but wasn't sure what those were.
I've been playing some Pistol Whip the last couple days and if you want some leg exercise it's pretty good for that because you have to squat down to get under obstacles pretty frequently.
Both Audio Trip and Synth Riders are also good to get the sweat flowing!
And of course for arm work, there's this title Battle Bows.... :)
The silver balls are balls you have to punch harder.
I own Pistol Whip, but not Audio Trip and Synth Riders!
What is this Battle Bows game you mention?! ;)
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