Introduction to Björk: Vulnicura VR Remastered
Björk: Vulnicura VR Remastered brings the artist’s immersive album experience to Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. However, it has notable technical issues, and far of it just doesn’t delay. The experience originated in 2014 when filmmaker Andrew Thomas Huang filmed Icelandic singer Björk singing Stonemilker, the opening track of her then-upcoming album Vulnicura, with a 360° camera.
The Evolution of Vulnicura VR
As Björk explained, since only a few people owned a VR headset at home back then, her team began by exhibiting the immersive video at physical venues, including record shops, before uploading the song to YouTube in 2015. The team went on to create a panoramic video for Black Lake, then further 360° videos for Mouth Mantra and Quicksand. This range of immersive music videos was exhibited at venues like New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Vivid Sydney.
Technical Issues and Remastering
The remaster includes upscaling and image quality enhancement for the videos, increased fidelity for the menu overworld environment, controller-free hand tracking support, and "enhanced spatial audio". However, trying it out on Quest 3, several technical issues were encountered, including hand tracking problems and low frame rates within the menu environment. The download experience was also problematic, with a multi-gigabyte install that did not include the actual video content, leading to a protracted and frustrating wait.
Content Quality and Variety
Once past the technical issues, the actual content inside Björk: Vulnicura VR Remastered ranges from breathtaking to underwhelming to bizarre. The 360° videos, although improved by upscaling, don’t deliver the sharpness of today’s 8K 360° cameras or the sense of presence of 3D. The two real-time rendered VR tracks, nevertheless, are a highlight, with sharp hypnotic visuals and spectacular lighting that feel like a novel middle ground between a music video and live concert performance.
Pricing and Availability
Björk: Vulnicura VR Remastered is $35 on the Meta Horizon Store for Quest 3 and Quest 3S, and $45 on the App Store for Apple Vision Pro headsets. If you are an enormous Björk fan who owns a Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro, grabbing this experience might be a no brainer. But should you’re not, it’s hard to assume feeling satisfied after dropping $40 on Vulnicura VR Remastered.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Björk: Vulnicura VR Remastered offers some unique and breathtaking experiences, it’s marred by technical issues and content that does not all the time delay. The high price point might also be a deterrent for some. However, for die-hard Björk fans, this experience should be value exploring, despite its flaws. Ultimately, the choice to buy will depend upon individual preferences and expectations.
