Can virtual reality help get you through lockdown? - MW

Right now, it felt like there was no escape. We've been stuck at home for most of the day, our only rest comes from the quirky walks around the block.

But make a list of the things you remember most from your previous life and you can probably do some of them in virtual reality. From traveling abroad to exercising outside, and even visiting friends, it's all possible if you can wear headphones.

Consumer VR technology, though not perfect, has improved greatly over the past few years. The most advanced headphones are the HTC Vive (or more living-room variant, Cosmos, from £ 500), Valve Index (£ 920) and Oculus Rift S (£ 400), all with high-definition screens. They are very high, have quick response and complex controller tracking - but they are very expensive, quite complicated to set up and they need to be attached via cables to high-end PCs.

There are alternatives. PlayStation VR (£ 260) plugs into the PS4 console and offers a relatively low-resolution experience with a wide range of really large games, including the Astro Bot Rescue Mission platform and diagonal space exploration sim No Man Man Sky coated.

Our favorite, though, is the Oculus Quest (from £ 400), a powerful standalone headset that requires no connection to a PC and feels as comfortable and unintrusive as the tech currently gets. It comes with two wireless controllers that track your arm movements accurately, and the setup process is intuitive: you simply use the controllers to draw out the usable space in your living room, and an external camera makes sure you don't get carried away and trip over your coffee table.

Being freed from a bulky PC opens up VR capabilities as a regular home entertainment option. That means you can sit on a sofa (or in bed) and explore the space or climb a mountain while your partner is watching TV. For the past two weeks, I've been having fun tracking YouTube, Amazon and Oculus for short 360-degree VR movies (most available for free) and have spent many fun minutes swimming with sharks and joining parties at the LA swimming pool. Quest has also made energetic games like Beat Saber excellent and SuperHot feels safer because you don't have to worry about tripping cables that get out of your head. Apps like AltSpaceVR also allow me to meet strangers with strange avatars in virtual hangouts, which is annoying like sound.

Recently, I might have been interested in VR technology a bit by accepting a Roto VR Chairman on loan from UK tech startup Roto VR. It looks like a sports chair mounted on a round tube, but it comes with an ingenious head tracking device that you attach to the VR headset so the chair rotates in the direction you look.

At first, this movement was quite worrisome, but once you get used to it, it adds a great sense of presence in a world, great for virtual travel applications as well as games. multi-dimensional like Robo Recall. Head-tracking rotation is also meant to reduce VR motion sickness because it reduces the difference between screened activity and our body feeling about its position and what it does. (There's also a pedal to control forward and backward movement, though there are currently very few games that support this feature.) It's expensive at $ 999 (£ 800) - Roto VR says most Its pre-orders are from universities, businesses and palaces - but perhaps if the lockout is much longer, many living rooms will have one.

Even without a swivel chair, VR games and experiences are now giving a true sense of Cam's presence, a holy grail of technology - and for a few minutes every day, I really forgot that I was standing alone in the living room in my pajamas brandishing my arms.

Here are some of our favorite lock apps for VR:

Everest VR: Journey to the top of the world (Oculus TV; Oculus and Samsung Gear VR)

Jaw-on-the-floor VR documentary with sharp images. An emotional journey to watch from the Alps to the Himalayas, according to climbers. If you only see one 360-degree video, make this one.

Supernatural (In; Mission Oculus)

Bored with indoor exercise? This cardio exercise app takes you to stunning views to work out. Set a fan to feel the breeze, when you start the daily routine rhythmic, each one comes with energetic music. We tried it before launch - it was so much fun and so much sweat. Similar to Peloton, Supernatural has a library of on-demand fitness programs. New sessions are released every day, each with a virtual coach hovering in front of you.

VTime XR (VTime Limited; multiple headsets)

The simple but convenient application that will go in a way that solves problems for many people is the most challenging aspect of locking the phone - not being able to visit friends and family in their homes. Upload 360 photos of your dining room and you can recreate a dinner party for up to four people.

The Climb (Crytek; Oculus Quest and Rift)

A thrilling rock-climbing simulator, which feels surprisingly similar to the real-life experience, with players having to select the best route and regularly apply chalk to their hands. Best to do short sessions as you might get a little queasy. Oh, and don't look down.

Ultrawings (Bit Planet Games; multiple headsets)

Surprisingly decent flight simulator considering the current limitations of VR graphics. Island-hop from airport to airport in a microlight, glider or aerobatic plane.

Bigscreen Cinema (Bigscreen; Multiple major VR headsets)

Several VR apps offer the option of playing films, but none recreate the full experience of heading to the movies like this one. With several blockbusters playing at any one time, enter a cinema lobby with friends and see what’s on. Spillable popcorn and soda included.

Rec Room (Rec Room; multiple headsets)

Rec Room is your go-to app for fun group activities. The visuals are undoubtedly cartoonish, but when I spent splurting off rounds in a paintball game or playing virtual dodgeball with others around the world, evaluated soon forget. Also included are escape rooms, although maybe lockdown is already claustrophobic enough.

Job Simulator (Owlchemy Labs; multiple headsets)

Some of you might even be missing the office by now (ahem, parents?) Job Simulator goes some way to recreate the experience of pre-pandemic employment. Don’t be put off, though, that's not for workaholics. If you like, you can spend your time throwing coffee mugs at the boss.

Nature Treks VR (GreenerGames; multiple headsets)

A nature exploration and relaxation app recommended to us by VR developer Sam Watts of Make Real: "It has a series of calming interactive scenes you can chill out in and influence, with a yoga breathing mode."

Sansar (Sansar; Multiple headsets)

Basically, the VR version of experimental virtual world Second Life, now sold by Linden Lab but still in development by much of the same team. “Great if I looked for more realistic graphics,” says Dan Page of VR firm Opposable Group. "Its major focus right now is music, but there are all sorts of socials and podcast recordings that regularly take place on the platform."

The Room VR: A Dark Matter (Fireproof Games; multiple headsets)

A brilliantly designed and truly engrossing VR take on the award-winning smartphone puzzle game series, where you explore an archaeological museum deciphering hidden codes and unlocking intricate devices.

Half-Life Alyx (Valve; multiple headsets)

The long-awaited new addition to the legendary sci-fi shooter series is an absolutely stunning showcase of virtual reality technology, putting you right in the middle of humanity’s fight against alien invaders.

Other games to try
We also recommend: ridiculous comedy romp Accounting +; surreal wildlife adventure Paper Beast; Moss heartwarming action puzzler; the atmospheric Star Wars demo Vader Immortal; and the frenzied multiplayer co-op experiences, Star Trek Bridge Crew, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes and Spaceteam.