My reaction is: WOW!
NFL PRO ERA is the first fully licensed NFL virtual reality (VR) simulation game that lets players experience what it’s like to compete as the QB of their favorite NFL team.
This is one of the best football games I have played so far. When they say you are IN the game, you are definitely IN the game!
The game was pretty easy once you get acclimated to handling the ball with the VR controllers. You get the feel of being an NFL quarterback. I selected the Titans as my team and edited the quarterback name and numbers for my own. I played my first game in Nissan Stadium as I led my team against the New York Giants. I won’t lie - it was pretty awesome. I played well and did not throw any interceptions in my first game and the Titans won 38-17. You are in the game on offense and on the sidelines with your clipboard when the defense is on the field. With the clipboard I could review the previous possession or sim past the defensive series. I choose to watch the defense from the sidelines. The simulated gameplay is not very complicated but still pretty cool to watch.
Your plays are selected by your virtual offensive coordinator and appear on your left wristband which you can continue to refer to so you will know what route your receivers are running. The open receivers will be highlighted in green. There are some running plays but not a lot. I did have a missed exchanges with Derrick Henry a couple of times which caused a fumble. My bad. You can also call an audible to switch the plays.
You can play the game sitting down or standing up. Don’t worry, you don’t have to run around and worry about hitting things. When you take the snap from under center, the game automatically drops you back to pass and only your arm motions are necessary.
The game also features training camp, 2-minute drill and practice so you can improve your skills before playing an actual game. So don’t worry, you have opportunities with learning the mechanics of using the controls and improve your timing.
I can’t emphasize enough how much I love this game. Even though you don’t have to run around, I did work up a sweat in the stand up mode which could be due to the stress of playing quarterback and defenders coming at you. I did feel like I was going to get hit and braced for impact. It was very realistic.
There are plans to add more features to the game later by allowing you to play other positions. I would like a feature where you could be the coach and call the plays. That’s probably not as exciting as actually being in the game though.
If you have a VR system and you love football, you must get this game. It will cost you $29.99 and you can get it here: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/4193975210678121/
