This past April, I had the chance to check out VITURE’s new top of line Beast XR Glasses, and walked away being remarkably impressed. From their comfort to their clarity, they were a whole new experience for me, allowing me to take my gaming on the go and not having to leave the big screen experience behind. So, when VITURE reached out with an opportunity to check out the Phantom Beast XR glasses, a collaboration with S-GAME’s latest hit, Phantom Blade Zero, I enthusiastically said yes.
Phantom Blade Zero, at the time of this writing, is my current front runner for Game of the Year. It is an action spectacle that is unmatched, with incredibly fast and fluid combat, thrilling exploration, and a collection of bosses whose encounters still remain in my head today. I thoroughly loved it, and my appreciation of that title and its design also seems appreciated by VITURE themselves, given the style and substance to not only the glasses themselves, but the immaculate attention to detail in its mere packaging.
Priced at a $50 premium over the standard Beast XR glasses, I’ll state this right now, it is worth the extra. From the moment I glanced at the packaging alone, I knew the glasses inside were going to impress. This isn’t just your standard brand collab, where you simply stamp their logo on your product, no, this is something that feels crafted to supplement the game, not just be a mere echo of it.
However, I will point out that this is technically the exact same hardware as the Beast XR glasses, albeit with some parts of its software being tailored to match the aesthetic of the source material. It still features the same displays, built-in head tracking, and a screen that can reach up to 174 inches. For a deep dive into just exactly what the Beast XR glasses can do, check out this review for all the stats and numbers that make these things a work of art.
So, let’s start with the initial experience of opening that shipping box and just exactly what you get. The box is a rather impressive piece of art itself, A rectangular box decked out with Soul, the game’s protagonist, about to unsheathe his blade, surrounded by fire, with the Phantom Blade Zero logo in a shiny and reflective silver, matching the reflective nature of the bright red fire. At the end of the box is a red ribbon, allowing you to slide the interior box out.
Secondly, you’ll then encounter the cover slip, that doubles as a holder for a replica of Soul’s sword, and an Quick Start Guide for those who want to immediately try them on. Then, there is a small black box with the game’s logo on it. This includes the additional nose-pads, instruction manuals, as well as the Soul ‘wanted poster’ from the game as a decorative cleaning cloth, as well as a host of stickers, one of which is now present on my laptop’s keyboard.
However, the real focus of this package is the carrying case, which is similar to a sword’s scabbard, which houses the glasses. This triangle case is awesome. There is a silver coin-shaped piece of art on one side, resembling one of the bosses from the game, with the other end having a pull string that allows you to unsheathe the glasses and grant them freedom.
The appearance of these glasses puts the Beast XR to shame (Sorry, VITURE), as the style and vibrancy of these glasses are incredible. The black, red, and silver aesthetic is eye-catching, and is built to resemble Soul’s sword, the Mó Sanguine. This gives the glasses a very unique look for the type of hardware it is, given that most tech glasses are trying to achieve that look of being indistinguishable from your average everyday glasses. These stand out, and for good reason.
There is also a detachable strap, one that I thought I had set aside and protected, but my cat seems to have made it their new toy. Regardless, they have plastic holders that attach to the back of the glasses and allow the glasses to hang around your neck, when not in use. I personally wouldn’t use this sort of thing, but the decorative nature of it is still pretty cool, especially the black and red nature of it matching the design. My cat would agree.
When it comes to the collectible nature of this device, the presentation of the glasses, and the going above and beyond for its packaging, indicates, at least to me, how much of an honor it was for VITURE to work on this collaboration. The attention to detail in the glasses, the absolute craftsmanship to the case and its packaging, is superb. This is one of my favorite collaborations I’ve ever seen.
Again, for a dive into the glasses themselves, including all the details regarding its clarity, nits, and resolution, check out our Beast XR glasses review here. And while the Phantom Beast XR glasses are priced at $599.99 USD, being $50 more than the Beast XR standard, I still strongly suggest getting this set while it’s available, as well as Phantom Blade Zero, as you won’t be disappointed with either.
The Phantom Beast XR glasses were sent to the reviewer by VITURE for the purpose of this review.
Any thoughts and opinions on the product are that of the reviewer.
