Oddball duo Rick and Morty, amid their frenzied travails moving from one bizarre realm to another, have now entered virtual reality, under the aptly named Virtual Rick-ality app.
There's no surprise too that the titular characters' entry in the VR space is just as weird, childishly enchanting, and ridiculous as its TV adventures. It's no secret that Rick and Morty is one of the funniest and critically acclaimed shows on television, and quite honestly, it's also probably one of the weirdest — awash with Adult Swim blood, no less.
But Adult Swim isn't the only one to thank. The team behind HTC Vive megahit Job Simulator, Owlchemy Labs, is also due its deserved accolade for its work on Virtual Rick-ality. It makes sense if you think about it: Job Simulator has sentiments of uninhibited exploration. This, lavished with intergalactic travel and the charming use of sophisticated — yet still childish — weapons, is a perfect fit for Rick and Morty.
Rick And Morty: What Is It About?
For the uninitiated, Rick and Morty is an animated series thought up by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, airing on Adult Swim. The show's headlined by Rick, an alcoholic mad scientist, alongside his grandson, Morty, a timid 14-year-old whom Rick always ends up dragging along to his oft-traumatizing misadventures. From the get-go, it's clear that the unlikely duo is breeding ground for top-rank comedy the likes of classic Hollywood pair Abbott and Costello, although more psychologically damaging, to be sure.
There's a loyal fanbase for the show, that's a fact. So anything spun out of the show will be heavily criticized. Fortunately, Virtual Rick-ality doesn't disappoint. The game lets the player assume the role of Morty — not the real Morty, but his clone, created solely to do one job: do Rick's laundry.
Eventually, it gets more complex. The player soon gets to hopping in other dimensions while also exploring environments more frequently. The developers say, however, that this freedom wasn't always the case in the beginning. Owlchemy Labs eventually decided that players should be the ones to dictate when to advance the story.
"We have these very specific points where Rick and Morty stop and say, like, 'Whenever you're ready, you know, continue!' And you can do whatever," Andrew Eiche, project lead, told Polygon.
How 'Virtual Rick-ality' Compares To The Show
The world-building in Virtual Rick-ality is impressively detailed, and Owlchemy Labs did a great job of mimicking popular locales in the series and turning them into interactive sandboxes. Players can pick up objects and examine them, which often leads to jokes and series gags the fans of the show are bound to appreciate.
The only possible downside to the VR app is the fact it's obviously made in service to the fans. It's littered with a trove of jokes, references, and callouts to the show, and while Rick and Morty fans will savor each one, those new to the series might completely go past the little details without thinking twice. But that aside, Virtual Rick-ality is an accomplishment of the VR platform and the show itself.
Virtual Rick-ality is available to play on the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift for $29.99.
Anyone out there who's a fan of Rick and Morty? What do you think about Virtual Rick-ality? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
