Mike Oldfield Tubular.net
Amazing the comebacks people can make. Mike Oldfield only ever made one serious impact on the music biz with his conceptual Tubular Bells album. Some 30 years later, it pops up in an ad for VW and the man is now an icon again.
Music VR was first conceived by Mike Oldfield back in the early 90's. It had to wait until PC power caught up with the idea, but essentially, it is the world's biggest computer-generated music vid, to accompany his new album.
It isn't a game, it's a graphically-lovely Myst-like exploration of the landscape. There is no point scoring, certainly no nasty aliens and absolutely no shooting. This is a warm and fuzzy kid-friendly walk in the park that is the inside of Mike Oldfield's head.
Swim with dolphins, visit other planets, encounter canyons, walk through strange landscapes - fly, if you like.
Music VR relies on the computer being able to make each frame of the animation in a fraction of a second, so you can go anywhere seamlessly and the computer builds the landscape as you progress.
Episode One is well-named. Mike will go back and achieve the photo-realism he craves when the PC evolves to match his vision again.
Until then he's about to record.....yes Tubular Bells again, for the 30th anniversary.
3 stars out of 5