ARCADE WATCH
Keeping an eye on the coin-op gaming scene
Virtual reality’s disruptive assault on the amusement business continues apace with the announcement of this new VR cabinet, devised by console publisher Koei Tecmo. At first, it seems as if the Dynasty Warriors maker’s involvement has been marginal, since the cab is powered exclusively by Sony hardware – inside you’ll find a PlayStation VR headset, a PS4 Pro and a pair of Move controllers – but VR Sense, as the name implies, has more to offer than just a place to sit down.
Koei Tecmo has announced three games for Sense – GI Jockey Sense, Horror Sense and Dynasty Warriors VR – and said more will follow if the system’s popular. Yet the real draw is a host of cabinetpowered special effects: a moving seat (for GI Jockey), and fans that blow hot and cold to reflect temperature changes in Dynasty Warriors VR. With Horror Sense, meanwhile, Koei Tecmo promises to replicate the sensation of spiders crawling on the skin, the sort of technological advance that may have you praying for a cataclysm so that we can go back to living in caves. The arcade sector calls these effects 5D, and it’s encouraging to see Koei Tecmo embrace the technologies so enthusiastically. We may well pass on the optionp of a custom-made Dead Or Alive Xtreme, though.