System: Valve Index, HTC Vive & Oculus Rift
Price at Time Of Review: Free
Comfort Rating: Green
Genre: Interactive Experience
Input: Tracked Motion Controllers, Keyboard & Mouse
Best Playing Position: Standing
Multi-Player: No
Age Rating: PG
VR Shop Score 1/100: 70
Description: ESKO assigns the player the role of an intern who is tasked with fixing the computer’s processor and writing code for the machine to read. These tasks are simplified in a manner that is enjoyable for all ages. The gameplay environment was modelled in co-operation with the Museum of Technology to match 1960’s Finland as closely as possible. All of the models were made by in-house graphical artists and reviewed for authenticity by the museums’ history professionals.
Players are tasked to fix ESKO’s central processor by changing broken electron tubes, writing code on a punched tape and inserting it into a code reader. If the code is written successfully, a miniature cannon will fire upon one of the three targets. The ESKO game incorporates a simplified version of the actual programming, where the players have to pull a lever and play a mini-game instead of actually punching holes in a sheet of paper.
Review: For those who don’t know ‘ESKO’ is the name of the Finnish theoretical computer scientist who come up with Finlands very first computer. This short VR experience kind of puts you in the shoes of that person as you will be tasked with operating and indeed fixing this very old computer. The first main problem most of us will have is that all the narration is not in English which means you won’t really be able to follow along with the storyline unless you speak Finnish. The good news is that the experience doesn’t last much longer than 10 minutes so you don’t have to last long at least. It’s worth a look for a freebie I suppose, but I wouldn’t have wanted even the smallest of fees to pay given the small amount of content you get.
