EsoTarot VR
EsoTarot VR is an atmospheric tarot card simulator for Virtual Reality. The simulator includes a full 78 card Rider-Waite tarot deck complete with a narrated companion book. Explore the Major and Minor Arcana in incredible detail. Includes interactable tools for each suit of the Rider-Waite tarot deck.
Tarot Deck
Explore the Full 78 Card Rider-Waite Tarot Deck in Virtual Reality. The deck includes 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards. EsoTarot provides a very unique experience to Tarot in that the cards themselves are able to defy physics. Explore new ways to read tarot by suspending cards in mid-air. Free yourself from the limits of a real tabletop. With EsoTarot you can place tarot cards wherever you will. On a tabletop or in any of the space around you. Try placing a card above your head and meditating on the cards features.
Atmospheric Environments
Choose from two carefully crafted environments in which to explore the tarot. Each environment has been designed to provide both comfort and relaxation. Enjoy not only visuals but also a unique auditory experience with our soothing soundtrack and dynamic narration.
The Tower
Inspired by the Rider-Waite Tower, find yourself atop the tower allowing you to explore the tarot underneath the night sky and moon.
The Temple
Inspired by the Rider-Waite Magician, find yourself inside the magicians temple allowing you to explore the tarot from the warmth of a sacred inner chamber.
Environmental Items
Immerse yourself in our environments by interacting with several items. A physical tool representing each of the four suits of the Rider-Waite tarot is included in each environment of EsoTarot. You will find an interactable Sword, Wand, Cup and Pentacle. Other items are also included such as large portraits and candles. The most important of these items being the Book of Tarot titled “EsoTarot The Great and Sacred Arcanum”
The Book of Tarot – EsoTarot The Great and Sacred Arcanum
This dynamically narrated companion book will teach you most of what you need to know to get started in the world of EsoTarot. The book contains a tutorial and instructions on how to interact with the world, the tarot deck and even the book itself. Inside you will find descriptions, depictions and even keywords for each card.
Portraits
Give each card new life by showcasing it as a portrait. Showcasing a tarot card on any of the available Portraits will mirror the chosen card in greater detail.
Physical Suit Items
Wield any of the four physical suit items from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Would you like to emphasize the signifance of any of the suit items? Take hold of it! Use the Wand, Sword, Cup or Pentacle. Bring yourself to deeper and deeper levels of immersion by interacting with these and other items.
Game Discussion
Steam User 2
Totally worth the current $5 price, but must be combined with other tools to get the most use out of it:
1) XS Overlay or the built-in Steam virtual monitor (or similar)- needed to bring up a virtual monitor to access additional resources, context, spreads, and for journaling
2) spreads: this game does not currently feature any, other than perhaps the three card past/present/future. I recommend the "twisting path" and "Shadow of Truth" from www.facade.com and would like to see future versions of EsoTarot include an assortment of spreads. - something more beginner-friendly and full-service for those not familiar with the Tarot.
3) The descriptions in this version are limited. By far, the best Tarot descriptions I have ever seen can be found here:
The two environments feature a paper/illustration theme consistent with the cards themselves, however, I would like to see future photo-real environments for a bit more inspriational epicness.
If the developer is reading this: please allow the desktop monitor window to be minimized with persistent sound as other applications are used through virtual monitors for research and note taking. While the lack of game sound while using other active windows isnt a huge deal, it would be a plus.
The four tools on the back table (sword, coin, cup, wand) can be manipulated, but no context is provided on how to use them while creating and dissolving the subtleties of existence.
Even with these early-access limitations, the game combined with tools noted above provide a secluded retreat for a lifetime of study should one be willing to put in the effort to expand beyond base game content. Highly recommended.
Steam User 9
Experienced on the Meta Quest 2
You can view my review & gameplay here:
So the store page description is pretty accurate and that's exactly what you're getting here. So if you're expecting a game, then you'll be sorely disappointed. This is a tarot card simulator. There's honestly not much to do. However, if you use your imagination (or commune with the dark arts), you can have a good time fortune telling.
You do learn a bit about Tarot card reading. This app tells you about each card & the narrator kind of tells you the basics of each card, along with keywords for each card. This will help you out if you're new to fortune telling, but it's just okay if you're a naturally gifted one like me who doesn't need instructions or anything to read fortunes.
There's some nice VR interactions. You move the pages of the book by magically swiping left or right. You can press button on cards and see some magical stuff. Pretty cool. However, there is no locomotion or turning.
I think the biggest mistake is that there is no multiplayer. This game just begs for online multiplayer where people can join you so you can read their fortune while you're both in this magical place. People could also join via a phone app or maybe with Twitch integration. Getting real people whose real fortunes you can read would be the key to unlocking this app's potential.
It's only $5 and I wasn't expecting much. I think the visuals could be better. I think the voice actor could be better. There could be better music & ambient sounds as well. However, for $5 and given the Steam page description, I pretty much got what I thought this game was so I have no regrets.
Rate 6/10.
If you enjoyed my review, please consider joining my Steam Curator Group. You can join here: