Blade Runner 2049 Memory Lab
• 3-star rating
• Link
• Free, Movies, Science Fiction
• Comfortable, Roomscale, Stationary
Commissioned as a way to promote an upcoming movie, Blade Runner 2049 Memory Lab is a visual treat that immerses you in a science fiction world of neon noir and artificial intelligence. Utilizing a mixture of scenes from both the 1982 and 2017 movies, you get take to the rainy skies of a future Los Angeles in a flying car and perform some detective work in the streets of the futuristic city.
Fans of the series will certainly want to check this out, and the live-action actors presented in a 3D photogrammetry style are particularly impressive and fit in well with the plot. However, beyond the great visuals we were disappointed by the experience. The storyline built around deconstructing a stored memory is confusing, particularly if you're not familiar with the themes of Blade Runner. Also a futuristic cityscape that you set out to explore is amply detailed, but held back by an uninspired point-and-click mini game made worse by an unnecessarily complex teleportation-based movement system. There also a depiction of execution style gun violence that some viewers may not appreciate.
Folks with a PCVR or Quest Link headset that want to explore a futuristic landscape in a flying car will likely get much more out of AirCar, which is covered by a separate review.
Blade Runner 2049 Memory Lab is the second of a planned series of three virtual reality experiences. The first part being Blade Runner 2049 Replicant Pursuit built utilizing older technology for the now-defunct Oculus Go that cannot be played on modern headsets. The concluding third part of the series was never made.
✅ Excellent visuals.
❌ Confusing and unengaging storyline.
❌ Clumsy movement and uninspired mini-game.
• YouTube: Trailer
• Languages: English
