Viveport Review: Nature Treks VR

Explore 15 unique environments and chill out with some dinosaurs in this improved relaxation sim.

By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content

The power of presence in VR is such an incredible opportunity for creators to transport users into surreal and impossible worlds, but they don't all have to be filled with chaos and explosions. There are a growing number of experiences built for relaxation and meditation in virtual reality, providing a soothing escape not just from reality, but from a lot of intense stimulation found in virtual reality entertainment itself.

Apps like Guided Meditation VR and Perfect are great examples of 'wellness' content, and in Nature Treks VR,  we have one of the best examples available in the medium.

Independent developer John Carline of Greener Games has carefully crafted 15 gorgeous, soothing and ethereal places to relax and escape into. Stripping away all stress of competition, difficulty, and danger, Nature Treks VR offers you a raw sense of wonder that seems to dilate time as you explore over ten square kilometers of breathtaking scenery across the heavens and Earth.

From a hillside nature trail surrounded by the crisp leaves of fall, to a lush and vibrant jungle full of wild elephants and tigers, Nature Treks VR has plenty to show you. You’ll even have a chance to explore the bottom of the deep blue see as you observe the sea life in their natural habitat.

The latest 'Animal Kingdom' update to the app adds a wide range of additional content. There are now over 60 different animals across the experience, including dinosaurs! Unlike some other VR games though, these are dinosaurs (and animals) that pose no threat to you at all. This is the ultimate wildlife safari, bringing life to the environments and allowing you to get up close and personal without fear of getting hurt, and conversely without harming the animals. Nature Treks VR offers that rare opportunity to find communion with both wildlife and the very environments you’re exploring in order to slow down and find some peace in your day.

Another thing that sets Nature Treks VR apart from anything else is the ability to change and influence the weather and environment by using the 'creator orbs' that hover in front of you at all times. Want the sun to come up across the vast ocean horizon? Simply switch on the orb. See an empty field and fancy a few trees and flowers to fill the grassy landscape in front of you? Toss some orbs and watch your forest grow right before your eyes. It's an interesting and welcome twist on the 'relaxation' genre that caters to anyone who might feel a little restless in all that nature.

Nature Treks VR is a virtual relaxation sandbox that holds nothing back to create the perfect place for you to slow down, relax, and just enjoy the scenery before heading back into the real world.

Whether you spend just ten minutes trekking across the mountains or two hours sitting alone on a desert island listening to the waves, Nature Treks VR offers a wider variety of ways to 'do nothing' than any other app. For those looking for that kind of escape, this one should be right at the top of the list for years to come.

Nature Treks VR is available on Viveport.