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We Are Floating In Space: Spacewalk


My application to be an astronaut was turned down because it was written in crayon, and now that I read it back in the cold light of day I notice it appeared pretty threatening. Sorry, NASA! My aluminum hat must have slipped and enabled an alien to take control of my writing arm. If, like me, you've been rejected for astronauthood on petty and unfounded claims of bad penmanship and terrorist activity, then there's another route. All you need is Spacewalk, and an Oculus Rift. And, frankly, the Rift's optional.

There's not a lot of game here, yet. You're in control of an astronaut on a jaunt outside a wonderfully well-realised ISS. Without much to do, you're left to appreciate the gentle movement of the spacesuit. The feeling of a body wrapped in a thick, deadening space suit, moving with gentle thruster boosts, is really satisfying. You have to tame your instincts, slooooow down. I know because I ended up spinning head over arse and whacked off one of the shiny solar panels. I'm kind of lucky that I don't own a Rift, or I'd have been rifting into a sick bag. Do as I say, not as I do.

There's a multiplayer option as well, and although I've not found anyone online to join me in my EVA, I had it running on my LAN. In circumstances this trying, there's a lot of enjoyment out of just trying to meet up with a fellow astronaut in space. We space jousted.

Watch on YouTube

Oh and don't go looking for your Gtalk window. That noise is in the video.

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