Comparative Analysis of Sensory Engagement, User Control, and Comfort in Virtual Reality and non-Virtual Reality Games

Virtual Reality (VR) is rapidly growing as a major gaming platform. This study investigates how VR differs from traditional screen-based gaming through qualitative methods, using a custom stealth-traversal game prototype, "Ascend," with identical game content across both platforms. Each participant played both versions in a balanced play order and completed a semi-structured interview. Interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three key theoretical contributions emerged: a comfort-enjoyment dissociation where participants preferred VR despite recognizing its comfort limitations, VR's ability to transform routine actions into engaging experiences through physical interaction, and a distinction between individual interaction excellence and system coherence.