Lionsgate and Samsung teamed up to bring us the Insurgent – Shatter Reality experience and its an event you do not want to miss.
Insurgent – Shatter Reality powered Samsung Gear VR
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
If you spent any amount of time on the We So Nerdy website you can gather that we are quite fond of The Divergent Series. As was previously mentioned, to prepare for the upcoming release of Insurgent, Lionsgate and Samsung teamed up to provide fans a 3D, virtual reality (VR) experience titled, Insurgent – Shatter Reality. The experience powered by Samsung Gear VR allows fans to virtually set foot into the Divergent world, providing them with an immersive 3D/360 degree spectacular.
The first stop on the tour was the Samsung Galaxy Studio in New York City. Since I live in New York City I was game to see what goodness the Insurgent – Shatter Reality had to offer. Upon walking up to the Samsung Galaxy Studio I see this massive truck trailer that is tricked out with The Divergent Series: Insurgent promotional images throughout and on it and friendly and enthusiastic Samsung event staff members welcome me to the Insurgent – Shatter Reality experience. As I’m giddy with anticipation to get started another fellow fan is going through the experience and he is screaming with joy and a bit of fear for all that he is witnessing. Seeing his delight makes goosebumps appear on my body. I’m NOW beyond ready.
Upon sitting in the chair, I’m outfitted with a Samsung Gear VR headset and headphones. I’m told that once the images begin to appear to look around because it’s a 360 degree experience and it truly is. The opening scene I meet up with Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) and another Erudite faction member who are tasked to put me through a series of simulations to weed out if I’m Divergent. I test the 360 degree theory and move my head around and I’m able to see inside the simulation room and other Erudite faction members working. As I move through to the next scene, the chair I’m sitting in rumbles to stimulate the movement of the visuals that are all around me. In the second scene, I’m approached by Max (Mekhi Phifer), before I encounter a fear that Tris has to overcome in her trials right before the Chicago skyline crumbles around me. This was truly magical to experience because the detail put into the architecture and landscapes was quite realistic. And if you have a fear of heights, you might panic for a millisecond in this portion of Insurgent – Shatter Reality because the graphics truly have you believe you are miles above the ground. However, don’t fret, your mind will realize this is not real because your bum is firmly planted in a seat that begins to vibrate.
Then an unexpected turn of events happens and I’m no longer within the Chicago city limit, I’m beyond the wall and Peter (Miles Teller) comes into the scene. I’m not a fan of Peter’s because I can do without his sarcasm, but the way he’s presented in Insurgent – Shatter Reality I’ll admit I’m now a bit smitten. My time swooning over Peter was short-lived because I decided to pay more attention to the train that was barreling my way in the Insurgent VR world. As the train approaches the chair I’m sitting in comes to life again with intensity and stops as the train implodes before me and I’m brought back to the Erudite simulation room and my Insurgent – Shatter Reality experience comes to an end.
I had a lot of fun doing the Insurgent – Shatter Reality experience and I highly recommend you take the time out to witness the Insurgent virtual world. The graphics are utterly amazing! My only complaint is since the immersion is only 4 minutes long you may have to decide whether you want to focus your attention on the characters or try to see the world that was created. If I was given a bit more time, even 2 minutes, my 4 stars out of 5 stars rating would have been a perfect 5.
Below are pictures from the Insurgent – Shatter Reality event that I participated in at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in New York City.
Check out the Insurgent – Shatter Reality VR Tour when it visits a town near you!
If you happen to not live in or near one of the cities that the Insurgent – Shatter Reality VR Tour is stopping in, then you can visit select Best Buy stores across the United States of America and experience Gear VR from March 7 – 8, 2015. Get a detailed list of the Best Buy’s providing the Gear VR experience here.