Five Emotionally Draining VR Films
ARDEN’S WAKE: TIDE’S FALL
We can’t talk about emotionally draining VR storytelling without mentioning Arden’s Wake: Tide’s Fall. Released back in 2017 on the festival circuit, Arden’s Wake: Tide’s Fall is an absolutely jaw-dropping experience that blends captivating visuals with an equally enthralling story.
Developed by Penrose Studios, the story follows Meena–voiced by Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider, Ex Machina)–a strong young woman living in a post-apocalyptic world in which the seas have swallowed the entire Earth. After an unexplained accident befalls her father–voiced by Richard Armitage (The Hobbit Trilogy, Castlevania), Meena ventures into the unknown depths on a daring rescue mission, discovering various sea life scattered among sunken remnants of the old world.
What follows is a heart-wrenching journey about love, regret, and acceptance. Sufficeth to say my time with Arden’s Wake: Tide’s Fall was some of my favorite spent while in a VR headset. The Pixar-style visuals and unique viewing format hooked me within the first 10-seconds, while the well-crafted story kept me captivated for the duration. In fact, the only negative I can find in the project is the fact that it’s still unavailable to the general public.
See the full list in VR Scout
