Yeah it's just a matter of subjectivity. I got Rift CV1 at launch and played Echo Arena, it was more like going IRL paintball or bowling or playing laser tag to me than a video game. I felt like I was really doing an activity. Not just laying back on a couch moving my wrist in millimeter increments lazily to play Elden Ring. I like both but I prefer VR experiences that don't require full body movement.
If I'm going to do a full body experience I for the most part just prefer real life activities with the ability to feel and physically touch things. The one big exception I had was Windlands.
Absolutely it's different from a typical video game experience, I didn't mean to say that it was a replacement for a traditional video game. It's something that really does combine elements of video games and IRL activities into a wholly new kind of experience, and to me that's a more compelling argument for VR gaming than a regular video game but more immersive. Even if Echo Arena in particular doesn't tickle your fancy, I think it shows what category of experience is possible even with current VR technology.
Thanks for the Windlands recommendation, I will have to check it out.
If I'm going to do a full body experience I for the most part just prefer real life activities with the ability to feel and physically touch things. The one big exception I had was Windlands.