La Peri
- August 19, 2016
- InnerspaceVR
Get on Steam"La Peri" is a 15-minute, interactive musical experience in VR, based on Paul Dukas' classical music and ballet. As Prince Iskender, you seek the flower of immortality and interact with enchanting characters and creatures. Your journey culminates in a dance with the mesmerizing La Péri, deciding between immortality and letting her live. The game features narration by John Rhys-Davies and requires Vive hand controllers for direct interaction.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Visually stunning with impressive motion-capture ballet performances that create a sense of presence.
- A unique and beautiful experience that serves as a great introduction to VR for those unfamiliar with the medium.
- High production values with excellent narration and a captivating story, making it a memorable artistic experience.
- Extremely short experience, lasting only about 10-15 minutes, which many feel does not justify the price.
- Limited interactivity and gameplay, often leaving players feeling more like spectators than participants.
- Distracting elements and scene transitions that detract from the overall enjoyment of the ballet performances.
- story74 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "La Péri" is a modern retelling of a 1912 ballet, presented in a VR format that immerses players in a theatrical experience where they interact with the narrative by performing simple tasks. While the visuals and artistic presentation are praised, many users find the 17-minute story too short for its price, leading to mixed feelings about its overall depth and engagement. Despite its brevity, the experience is noted for its unique approach to storytelling in VR, with hopes for longer and more interactive narratives in the future.
“This modern retelling of La Péri's story with modern technology remains stage-bound, which is where the scene opens when you put on your headset.”
“Not a game but a VR theatrical presentation which the developers state was inspired by Walt Disney's 'Fantasia' and I feel they have more than succeeded in matching the combination of music, storytelling, dance, and art that Disney was aiming for in his groundbreaking film.”
“La Péri is a beautiful story with great visuals and it is very unique as VR titles go.”
“Unfortunately, in my opinion, the story is not written very well.”
“I felt like I was chasing the story, rather than the story capturing me.”
“There are too many transitions back and forth from the stage to the story scenes.”
- music42 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the VR experiences is generally praised for its beauty and interactivity, particularly during dance sequences, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall presentation. However, some users noted that the use of specific musical scores, like Dukas', is minimal, with the focus shifting more towards narration and visual effects. Despite its short duration, the combination of music, storytelling, and dance is seen as a successful homage to classical art forms, reminiscent of Disney's "Fantasia."
“The music is not only beautiful but interactive, especially in the dance sections, as you try to grab objects and it reacts to you.”
“The final dance overwhelmed me, with its swelling music and ballet routine and the peri's sensuous whispering, and had me batting at my headset trying to get some tears out of my eyes.”
“Not a game but a VR theatrical presentation which the developers state was inspired by Walt Disney's 'Fantasia' and I feel they have more than succeeded in matching the combination of music, storytelling, dance, and art that Disney was aiming for in his groundbreaking film.”
“Few also are the moments that Dukas' music accompanies this presentation - in fact, we can only recall a few short minutes worth, with the rest of the production focusing on narration and far too many scene transitions.”
“Minimal use of Dukas' musical score.”
“"The Firebird" is an ongoing series of VR experiences (I wouldn't really call them games) that I thought at first would be based on the music of Stravinsky (since the experiences are designed around classical music and ballet, and one of Stravinsky's works is titled The Firebird).”
- graphics32 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in "La Peri" are widely praised for their stunning, unique, and polished quality, creating an immersive experience that feels like a beautifully crafted piece of art. While the visuals are highly professional and captivating, some players noted that the intricate details can be easily overlooked due to the overall style. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a standout feature, enhancing the storytelling and engagement within the VR environment.
“The most perfectly crafted and polished piece of artwork I have seen so far in VR - the concept/idea as well as the realization.”
“On one hand, the visuals are stunning, unique, and crisp.”
“La Peri is a beautiful story with great visuals and it is very unique as VR titles go.”
“But because of the style of the graphics, it's really easy to miss out on the intricacy.”
“The visuals are highly professional - no hasty VR game there.”
“The addition of the book (love the gold foil effect) and the enhanced graphics make the whole experience seem longer (probably is now).”
- optimization30 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its strong optimization, with smooth frame rates even on older hardware like the GTX 970, enhancing the immersive experience of the VR ballet performances. However, while the motion-capture and interactions are praised, the visual design of the stage itself is criticized for being unattractive and clashing with the overall aesthetic. Overall, the game demonstrates significant potential for VR as a medium for performance art.
“Frame rates and performance were great on my GTX 970; the game seems well optimized.”
“I hate conventional theater/movies/concerts where I have to be glued to a chair to take in a stage performance; here, you are in the middle of the action, and with simple interactions, dictate the pace and are involved in the story.”
“As a fan of ballet and other performances, I think this demonstrates that there is a huge potential here for using VR as a new medium.”
“They tried to make it like you're on a stage as the performance goes on, but the stage itself is somewhat ugly and clashes with the rest of the look.”
“As a customer, I was expecting multiple dances, and getting to either view the performance as an audience member or up on stage.”
“I didn't care much at all about interacting; I just wanted to see the performance.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game is visually stunning but criticized for its short length and lack of replayability, with most players feeling it can only be enjoyed once or shown to others. While it offers a beautiful experience, many reviewers suggest looking for alternatives if replay value is a priority. Overall, it serves more as a brief artistic demo than a game with lasting engagement.
“If you want a fun game with replay value, go get something like Space Pirate Trainer.”
“I can see the potential in the developers of this game, so I really hope that they bring something more playable, or at least a bit longer.”
“Unfortunately, there is no replay value beyond showing someone else.”
“It takes 15 minutes to be completed and is not 'replayable' (unless you want to see the same thing again), and of this 15 minutes, only 4 or 5 are great; the rest is just okay.”
“Not the greatest replay value, but as a demo to anyone with even a mildly artistic bent, this is beautiful.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the experience is highly praised, with users noting its artistic execution and ability to evoke deep feelings. It serves as an excellent introduction to VR, engaging users both visually and emotionally, often leaving them introspective after the experience. Overall, it is described as a beautifully crafted piece that resonates on multiple levels.
“It was an emotional piece, and was well done from an artistic standpoint.”
“After experiencing this performance, I had to sit down and be introspective for about 10 minutes just to regain my emotional grounding.”
“It's a perfect intro to VR for friends, family, and VR-curious guests, because it eases a user into the basics of looking all around them, and using the controllers to interact with objects, all while offering a high-quality experience that looks and sounds gorgeous and is emotionally and physically engaging.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is largely criticized for being minimal and underwhelming, with only a few short moments of interaction that total around 8 minutes instead of the advertised 15. While the construction and overall experience are enjoyable, the lack of substantial gameplay detracts from the overall engagement.
“The first 3 are incredibly short (10-15 sec) moments of gameplay, and the final part features the actual dance.”
“Beautiful construction but underwhelming gameplay.”
“The first 3 are incredibly short (10-15 seconds) moments of gameplay, and the final part features the actual dance.”
“The description states that there is 15 minutes of gameplay, but there's actually only 8.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game to be amusing, with some comments highlighting a sense of irony or absurdity in the game's production quality compared to other titles. Overall, the humor is perceived as entertaining and engaging, contributing positively to the gaming experience.
