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Acer has a new stereoscopic 3D monitor on the way, and while I thought I’d had my fill of 3D screen shenanigans, I’m actually pretty excited. Weirdly, it’s not even down to the fact the panel uses glasses-free tech or its 4K 165Hz abilities, I’m actually just stoked about the fact I’ll be able to try out Dark Souls Remastered on it. Not that FromSoftware’s brutal RPG is the only compatible game on Steam, but the idea of rolling around Anor Londo with a popping view of its perilous landscape has me fully invested.
Stereoscopic 3D certainly isn’t something I’d normally associate with the best gaming monitor, and I’d be lying if I said the tech had crossed my mind before now. I reckon the last time I even gave it much thought was when I tried it out on the New Nintendo 3DS, and I swiftly turned it off after five seconds of novelty-induced eye strain. That may sound dismissive, but it’s worth noting that my setup included a premium Sony Bravia 3D TV and a pair of active 3D glasses back in 2010. That same display helped me complete a full playthrough of Shadow of the Colossus with visuals that likely induced a migraine.
But hey, it’s 2024, and if Acer is to be believed, stereoscopic 3D screens are ready for a comeback. Specifically, the company hopes to reopen an immersive can of worms with its Predator SpatialLabs View 27 monitor, which offers up a fuss-free way to enjoy a bunch of 3D games at 4K 165Hz. By that, I mean you won’t have to wear a pair of glasses or worry about additional setup, as everything should just leap out from your screen.
Naturally, you’ll need to stick with compatible releases to use the screen’s stereoscopic 3D feature, but the list is far chonkier than you’d think. Back in 2010, my only options were a small selection of 3D games with support, so you can understand why I was delighted to see a whole bunch of adventures both old and new over at the SpatialLabs website. That said, I haven’t actually sifted through the rest of the collection to see what I’d actually play, as I immediately clocked Dark Souls Remastered and started looking into its ‘Ultra 3D’ mode.
To clarify, I have no idea if playing Dark Souls Remastered in 3D will actually be enjoyable, nor do I have any hands-on experience with Acer’s SpatialLabs tech yet. However, in principle, I reckon the extra spatial awareness and visibility could really enhance the experience. In my quest to validate my hypothesis, I happened upon an eight-year-old Reddit thread that delves into playing the original game using 3D, and user Alexsama says encroaching enemies were easier to spot. The player even apparently managed to beat Artorias without taking a single hit, something they attribute to an elevated sense of scale and distance.
I’ll hopefully be able to put all of the above to the test soon, and our eventual Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 monitor review will help determine whether stereoscopic 3D is truly back. Technically, the idea has been floating around since the the days of the Sega Master System, so it’s probably about time it tried to win over immersion chasers once again.
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