Bigscreen Beta

About

Bigscreen Beta is a single player and multiplayer open world simulation game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Bigscreen, Inc. and was released on April 28, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

Bigscreen is a social virtual desktop app for HTC Vive & Oculus Rift that lets you use your computer in VR. Play your favorite PC games, have a virtual LAN party, draw with 3D markers, watch movies with friends in a virtual theater, or hang out by the campfire.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,544 reviews

story10 positive mentions

stability30 negative mentions

Immersive VR cinematic experience with a variety of customizable environments and avatar options.
Allows watching 2D and true 3D movies, desktop sharing, and multiplayer social interactions with friends or strangers.
Free to use with frequent updates and a supportive developer team.
Enables gaming and media viewing on a large virtual screen, enhancing both entertainment and productivity.
Very useful for social distancing, virtual hangouts, and shared media consumption during pandemic times.

Audio streaming and synchronization issues, causing echo, fading sound, or no audio for some users.
Frequent crashes and stability problems, especially when joining multiplayer rooms or using certain headsets and OS versions.
Poor moderation leads to presence of explicit content, toxic behavior, and inappropriate users in public rooms, making it unsuitable for children.
UI can be confusing and cumbersome; lack of easy friend invites and recurring need to enter room codes.
Limited features such as a low participant cap per room, lack of offline use, and region restrictions on movie rentals.
Requiring account creation and linking with social media may pose privacy concerns for some users.

story
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
74%
6%
The story aspect is generally seen as minimal or secondary, with users focusing more on the app's functionality for media streaming and social VR experiences. Some note the narrative is simplistic or "cut down to the bone," suggesting the game prioritizes utility and multiplayer interaction over a deep storyline. Overall, users appreciate the community and shared viewing experience rather than a traditional story-driven game.
- “Best MMO ever made, at least story-wise.”
- “I've spent countless hours in the Oculus Quest version, great app for media in VR, also great for just hanging out with some friends and throwing on the TV.”
- “To start off the review a bit of back story... I was a big VR skeptic in the sense I thought it was a gimmick for the longest time and a hindrance with all of the sensors and such.”
- “You've cut this story down to the bone.”
- “Mods don't listen, don't respond, and don't respect your side of the story.”
- “You know your story's already been told.”
optimization
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
54%
15%
Reviews on optimization are mixed, with many praising the app's smooth, well-optimized performance and crisp visuals, especially given its free price, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, poor streaming quality, and degraded performance after updates. Users note that performance can vary depending on hardware configurations, source resolutions, and recent UI changes, with hopes for future improvements to address bugs and enhance stability.
- “Very optimized, I can't believe it's free.”
- “It outperforms quite a few of the paid varieties of virtual desktops, in performance and in environments which are really nice.”
- “With the amount of customization options, excellent performance, and viability for doing so many different things in VR, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try given its price tag (free).”
- “After a recent update, using these settings decreased game performance drastically, making it difficult and uncomfortable to play games in this way.”
- “Games have become unplayable with crazy stuttering, sad, time to find some replacement.”
- “Now it has been 'improved' by adding a load of features that I don't need or want while destroying performance and making it a pain to use.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The graphics are generally praised for their realism, smooth performance, and immersive lighting effects, especially in close environments and 3D modes. Some users note issues with distant visuals appearing blurry or pixelated, limited graphical customization, and occasional performance drops on heavier scenes. Overall, the visuals are solid and impressive for a free app, with room for enhancements in resolution clarity and advanced graphical features in future updates.
- “The app's graphics and sound design are top-notch, creating an immersive and realistic experience.”
- “Also, graphically, how everything that happens in your video reflects the screen light realistically onto the walls of the room is just *chef's kiss*.”
- “The graphics quality, sound and room lighting is all excellent.”
- “Also, just a graphics opinion, it would be nice to have the stars in the sky and the skyscrapers in the distance be a lot clearer because when you look into the distance it is really blurry and bland and it really doesn't feel like I'm out on a balcony at that point. I think the sky and skyline should be stunning although I understand the whole graphics memory issue there could be.”
- “No more 60fps, no more graphical options (such as dynamic lighting/reflections), hand positioning is now absolutely horrible and is really hard to use the menu with (HTC Vive wands).”
- “No more customization, still no language support, no HDR support, very limited set of scenery, poor performance and visuals at the same time, everything looks pixelated and I can't set supersampling.”
stability
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The stability of the program is generally described as buggy and prone to freezing, glitches, and troubleshooting issues, especially with the UI and controls. However, despite these frequent technical problems, users find the core experience enjoyable and improving over time, with many major bugs reportedly addressed. Overall, the app runs well enough to deliver a fun social and multimedia experience, but occasional instability remains a notable drawback.
- “No bugs to be seen, very nice environments, runs great, looks great.”
- “Runs great for gaming, provides attractive environments, allows multiplayer, and it's free!”
- “Works great, runs great.”
- “Spent 4 hours constantly troubleshooting the desktop streamer so I could use this on a Quest 2.”
- “The whole program has become buggy and even in single player mode is barely usable.”
- “Freezes on initial loading screen, desktop never loads in, screen/video never appears.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The music aspect of the app is praised for enabling shared listening experiences and discovering new bands, creating a social and immersive atmosphere. However, users note issues with volume control limitations and occasional inappropriate content during music playback. Overall, it offers a versatile and enjoyable platform for music alongside movies, games, and social interaction.
- “Bigscreen is a fantastic app that lets you enjoy games, movies, music, etc. in a virtual space such as a living room or theatre.”
- “People within this app often broadcast movies (mostly in 3D), TV shows, gaming, and even music.”
- “And it's within these music lobbies where I found absolute bangers and bands that I listen to daily, which changed my life.”
- “You can't lower or mute audio on a server you join if they're playing music too loud to hear people talk over.”
- “You will be in a room watching a movie when suddenly weird loud music comes on and inappropriate content will be on the big screen.”
- “I have a Turtle Beach headset and either I can't hear and my friends can, or they can't hear or I can, or I can't hear them talking but they can hear the movie, or the other way around. It never works out, we end up using Teamspeak and a music bot to circumvent that mess.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
14%
79%
The monetization is heavily criticized for excessive and intrusive ads, poor microtransaction models, and problematic account linking that can result in lost purchases. Users also find the pay-to-remove-ads options insufficiently flexible, and the advertised features, like VR video playback and controller support, often fall short or are delayed. Overall, ads significantly disrupt the experience, making paid content less enjoyable.
- “You can also watch 3D movies on this thing (good ones, not gimmicky ones) either through in-game purchase options or by owning a 3D movie yourself.”
- “Cons: Meta is connected to Facebook and once I was banned on Facebook it automatically banned me from my Meta account with all my in-game purchases gone!”
- “Has a ton of ads and garbage payment models.”
- “You watch a movie and that's 11 ads for 28 minutes.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users generally find the humor in the game to be charming, funny, and enjoyable, often enhancing social experiences like watching movies or sharing videos. Some mention humorous stories and moments that add to the fun, though occasional technical lag can slightly impact the flow. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's social appeal.
- “Very funny and charming.”
- “It was hilarious!”
- “+ great way to hang out with a friend in VR and watch some sports or share funny YouTube videos.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The gameplay aspect receives mixed feedback, with some users appreciating the immersive, cinematic experience on a large virtual screen, while others criticize the lack of meaningful interactions and engaging gameplay loops. Overall, the gameplay is seen as limited and not fully immersive.
- “You can enjoy your favorite games on a massive virtual screen, making your gameplay even more engaging and cinematic.”
- “✓ It's just gameplay.”
- “There are no gameplay loops in this software, no 'gameplay', no meaningful game-like interaction.”
- “There are no gameplay loops in this software, no 'gameplay', no meaningful game-like interaction.”
- “It’s just gameplay.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere is praised for its immersive and social qualities, combining detailed, relaxing environments with a mature and respectful vibe. Features like the virtual movie theater and the lay-down mode enhance the interactive and comfortable experience, making it both fun and professional compared to other VR social games.
- “The virtual movie theater is another highlight, allowing you to watch films with friends as if you were in the same room, complete with a social and interactive atmosphere.”
- “The lay down feature is a game changer, as well as detailed and atmospheric environments, definitely recommend.”
- “It's a fun social application that is more professional than other VR social games, trading comprehensive customization capability for a laid-back but more respectfully mature atmosphere.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Grinding in the game is described as tedious and often requires multiple live sessions to progress effectively. Additionally, users find the invite and friends systems underdeveloped, adding to the overall inconvenience during grinding.
- “You'll need a second live for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second live for grinding.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect highlights concerns about a pervasive culture of toxic behavior that can cause significant psychological distress, while some users report unexpected and unsettling interactions within the game’s social environment. This duality underscores both the emotional risks and unpredictable player experiences.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers infinite replayability, ensuring players can enjoy it repeatedly without losing interest.
- “Infinite replayability.”