SXSW: Inside the immersive VR experience Eleven Eleven

Earlier this week at SXSW, SYFY unveiled its new Virtual Reality experience Eleven Eleven as part of the festival's Virtual Cinema exhibit, which showcased the latest in cutting-edge virtual reality. 

The story is set on the distant world of Kairos Linea, and it takes place 11 minutes and 11 seconds before an evil corporation detonates a device that will not only end a bloody rebellion, but also cause an extinction-level event. With the clock ticking, players will have to move quickly through the digital world to ensure their characters do what needs to be done before all life ceases to exist.

Players can choose among six characters, whose stories all weave together in real time during that crucial 11-minute, 11-second runtime. You can play Eleven Eleven via its straightforward Story Mode; a wandering Explore Mode, which lets you roam the island as you see fit; and a Goddess Mode. Each one will give players an entirely different way to experience the full 90 minutes of story.

Regardless of how it's played, Eleven Eleven is a beautifully rendered, immersive world that practically invites you to wander off the beaten path to explore. The character design is reminiscent of Genndy Tartakovsky, giving the characters a slight stylization that keeps the experience from drifting too far into the uncanny valley.

The demo itself originally offered both 20-minute and 90-minute sessions, but had to eliminate the latter due to overwhelming interest. Ted Schilowitz, Futurist at Paramount Pictures, called it "one of those phenomenal glimpses into the future."

The full version of Eleven Eleven will be available later this year on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Playstation VR. A truncated 70-minute version will hit Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR, as well as both a mobile and AR version.