Hi flotsam,
I own a HTC VIVE, and I must say, I am a huge proponent of VR.
Initially, I obtained the system to test for game development purposes, and I went in skeptical of VR. I thought that it was a lot of hype for little payoff, and I had previously tried mobile VR systems (using cell phones) that I found to be quite unimpressive.
But from the moment I first put on the VIVE, I was blown away. I was completely unprepared for how REAL everything seemed. I quickly realized that comparing a high-end VR system like the VIVE to mobile VR is like comparing a Ferrari to a bicycle. It is truly impressive--and frightening--how quickly your senses adapt to the VR environment. Part of this immersion stems from the fact that you see the controllers you are holding in VR...and sometimes replacement hands, too. Looking down and seeing something that you are holding in reality, only to also see it in the virtual world, really fools your brain. If you are fortunate enough to have an empty playspace that you can dedicate to the VR system, then being able to walk around really increases this immersion even more--so much so that I sometimes forget I cannot bump into virtual objects! In contrast, if you need to sit while playing, that's fine, too--nearly all games support this. Just make sure you have a swivel chair available, as it will make things drastically easier!
I tend to be pretty "tough" when it comes to horror. Horror movies never faze me, and games usually don't, either. I played Outlast with ease, for example. But I quickly realized how wimpy I can actually be when I played my first horror VR title. I felt like an idiot, because I was jumping from every little thing. Being INSIDE the environment, where things can sneak up BEHIND you, is quite different from observing things from the safety of a screen, let me tell you! That is the kind of thing that can only happen from the kind of immersion VR brings to the table.
Regarding adventure games specifically, they work very well in VR and can be quite fun. In fact, my favorite types of VR games are adventures, room escapes, walking simulators, and explorable environments without any specific assigned purpose. There are plenty of games out there. They do tend to be a bit expensive in comparison to their short lengths; but this is slowly changing, as more mainstream titles are beginning to support VR.
So in short--I heartily recommend it and think gaming will never be the same for you once you've tried it!
acebook
witter
