Take the blue pill. HTC's Vive weaves a VR fantasy you'll never want to leave.

Incredibly immersive; Hardware works well; Decent launch library; Precise; intuitive controls; Easy to set up

Headset cord can get in the way; Field of view isn't wide enough for full immersion; Headset can get sweaty

Aside from impressive hardware, the Vive is launching with an impressive suite of complementary software. There are dozens of games available now, and we're told another 100+ should be available soon. A majority are designed to take advantage of room-scale VR, too.

Incomparable experience; 6DoF controllers; Room-scale tracking; Comfort; Intuitive interface

Price; Bulky cable; Hard on neck and back; Potential tripping hazard

Since the announcement of Vive in March last year, we've seen unprecedented levels of interest and excitement across the globe," said "Vive offers a level of immersion and presence that is so different to anything else out there, giving you the ability to move around a virtual world you can truly...

HTC Vive provides the VR experience I've been dying to have at home. If you feel like splurging, have the space for Room Scale and are invested enough to drill holes into your walls, by all means, it's a truly immersive experience that you can't miss.

Incredibly immersive; Room Scale VR; Comfortable headset; Superb tracking; Front facing camera

Very expensive; Need lots of room for Room Scale; Set-up may involve holes in walls; Slight stuttering; Games aren't polished

Video games have been one long journey towards realism. First, it was more realistic 2D graphics. Then realistic 3D graphics, from the earliest days of ray-tracing (think Atari's Star Wars arcade game) to the PS1/N64 to the incredible virtual environments artists assemble nowadays.

Seeing and touching virtual worlds is an incredible VR experience.

Amazing VR; Room scale; Motion controllers; Comfortable

Tracking issues

But it's also completely amazing. Along with its rival virtual reality (VR) headset - the Oculus Rift , which began shipping to customers last week - the $800 (roughly Rs. 53,000) Vive carries with it the promise of a new generation of gaming, as well as the promise of new frontiers in...

It asks more of you than Oculus does, but Vive also rewards you with an even more immersive, transformative VR experience

Room-scale is the best kind of VR; Motion controllers make you feel even more immersed; Steam support means it's easier to get games

Heavier; less secure on your bonce than Oculus Rift; Fiddly firmware and a mess of cables; Currently lacking fully formed games

Despite some drawbacks with its hardware, the HTC Vive is an avenue to incredible VR experiences.

Valve and HTC have worked together to provide the most comprehensive virtual reality solution on the market today, capable of astonishing results that pave the way in revolutionising the way we play games.