Want to explore the ocean without getting wet? The Great Ocean can let you do that in VR

Even if the Vision Pro has gotten a lot of enthusiasts into MR, VR still has its strengths. Some of the best VR headsets on the market are capable of letting you go where it is impossible — or at least, quite improbable — for you to actually go, at least not without some risks being involved.

And that, certainly, has its benefits, because I — much like a lot of you — love to explore, but sometimes it’s cold outside and you literally can’t do that in real life. And other times, it involves deep sea diving, which you can’t get me to do, regardless of weather conditions.

But you know what? It takes a lot for me to actually forgo my thalassophobia and say “Hey, this game really looks serene.” And to my surprise, this is something that I can actually say about the Great Ocean’s trailer. But is it up your alley?



So, this game comes from Actrio Studio and it was showcased during the recent Steam Next Fest. The game is currently in Early Access and I’ve got to admit: for a game that’s practically still in Beta, it looks great and it feels like there’s a lot to see and do.

And while on that topic: what can you do in the Great Ocean? Well, from what I gather, here are the highlights:

• Swim around in a submarine
• Complete quests and rescue animals
• Investigate and scan underwater life
• Scavenge and gather resources
• Chill out amongst the seafloor's beauty
• Learn about all sorts of aquatic flora and fauna

But where can the game go from here? Well, after a successful crowdfunding campaign, the developers have stated that they’ve got a lot more plans for the title. For the foreseeable future, the coast of California seems to be your next diving destination.

What impressed me a lot with the Great Ocean is that the game’s creators have partnered with WDC — Whale and Dolphin Conservation — which is a charity all about protecting these magnificent creatures. And what that means is that your decision to support this title might make some impact on the real world, which is always sweet.