Fresh off the recent Blade Runner 2049 teaser and news of an official virtual reality tie-in to the sequel, there’s a new VR exploration in the replicant universe on the horizon. Though not officially licensed or blessed by the original’s director Ridley Scott himself, Belgium-based software engineer Quentin Lengele has been quietly reiterating and perfecting a fan-made VR recreation of an iconic location from the original 1982 classic cyberpunk film: Deckard’s own apartment.
impeccable details like noir-esque lighting
Blade Runner 9732, the name for the VR experiment, is impeccably detailed. From the noir-esque lighting through dusty ol’ blinds, to the pointed decor on the piano—no surface is left unperfected or movie inaccurate. Though the project first began in 2014, its development in the years since have polished the rougher edges—and Lengele shows no signs of halting production anytime soon.
Blade Runner 9732 happens to be one of two Blade Runner-specific recreations for the virtual, headset-dwelling realm. Though 9732 might be pegged as the first, as it first showed off development back in 2014, another emerged last summer from New Zealand-based developer E’van Johnston, entitled L.A. 2097. Though not a direct scene-by-scene build-up, the tech experiment instead reimagines Deckard’s own balcony and the neon-saturated sights that bestow the otherwise grimy skylines.
In the meantime, hoping no cease-and-desist causes Blade Runner 9732 to evaporate into a smoky nothing, Lengele will remain adding updates. About a year ago, he blogged about implementing a walking, talking, perpetually smoking Rachael to keep your player company (seemingly Deckard—as you are residing in his apartment). And given that this is update 41, and as Lengele explained to Glixel a “hobby job,” we’ll likely have to wait longer until a playable build is ready. In the meantime, I’ll chain smoke on some dimly lit balconies and ponder if Blade Runner 2049 will end up being good or not.
You can watch a video walkthrough of Blade Runner 9732 below, and read Lengele’s ongoing devlog here. Also, you can look forward to the release of Blade Runner 2049 on October 6th, 2017, along with its exclusive Oculus Rift experiences that tie-in with the film.
