The VR version ofResident Evil 4came out a few days ago for the Oculus Quest 2, and while there have been concerns about some content that’s been cut, it seems to be doing well among the fan base. Admittedly, much of the horror gaming community would ideally prefer anofficial remake or remaster of the originalResident Evil 4, but for now this VR version is placating people in the meantime. Having said that, there are some who have noticed some issues with the virtual reality gameplay which is causing issues for certain fans, specifically female gamers.
In a report which highlights a recent Reddit post, it seems that some female fans ofResident Evil 4have been experiencing some discomfort while playing in VR. User ElleannaTheBold began a thread in which she found herself in a bit of a “dilemma,” adding that items which are at chest height in the game was causing her to engage in what she describes as a “boob punch” as she reaches for said items. She then goes on to post an idea in which developers of VR games implement a body shape and size option that the player can adjust to counter this.
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Others female gamers in the comments have noticed similar issues in which the player is “grabbing” themselves rather than the item due to the way in which the virtual reality has perhaps not taken some body types into account. Given that thedevelopers removed inappropriate content fromRE4 VR, it seems as though this issue is somewhat ironic. While it’s impossible to say whether this was due to the studio not taking female anatomy into consideration when building the game, it may highlight some ongoing issues between gender disparities within the industry.
It’s also not the first time that people have encountered problems with this modern gaming technology. There are oftennumerous accounts of virtual reality inducing nausea in players, with people being advised to adjust headsets, or starting with small sessions first to become acclimatized to VR, not to mention the general advice of taking regular breaks while gaming.
WhileCapcom is preparing for theResident Evil25th anniversary Halloween event, there is perhaps an opportunity for the company to address this issue with VR. Given the sheer number of women who play games, the idea that a significant portion of players may experience these uncomfortable moments when playing in virtual reality is potentially problematic. It stands to reason that something may need to be altered in a future update.
Resident Evil 4 VRis available now on the Oculus Quest 2.
