Why ‘Embodiment’ Takes Precedence Over ‘Immersion’

In our Inside XR Design series, we dive deep into standout examples of exceptional XR design. Today, let’s turn our attention to the game Synapse and delve into the intriguing concept of embodiment, exploring why it’s critical for creating compelling VR experiences.

A quick note: It’s amazing to think it’s been a year since this article first graced our readers, yet its insights remain just as pertinent in 2025. We’re bringing this to the forefront again to keep the dialogue going about embodiment—a vital design principle in engaging VR content.

Feel free to watch the full video below, or stick around to read a detailed text adaptation.

### Defining Embodiment

Welcome to another installment of Inside XR Design. Today, we’re diving into Synapse (2023), an exclusive PSVR 2 title from nDreams. However, we’ll focus specifically on viewing this game through the lens of embodiment.

You might be wondering, what’s embodiment, and why am I prioritizing it over calling out all the fantastic shooting mechanics, explosions, and ingenious designs in the game? Trust me, understanding embodiment will shed light on why certain elements in Synapse resonate so profoundly.

Embodiment is about feeling as though you’re genuinely present within a VR setting. It’s the sensation of actually standing within that virtual world.

Now, you might think, “Don’t we already describe this as immersion?” While it’s commonly used in casual conversation, there’s a nuanced distinction between ‘immersion’ and ‘embodiment’ that’s worth noting.

When we talk about ‘immersion,’ we are referring to the full capture of your attention. Think about being engrossed in a movie, where you forget the world outside the theater. However, no matter how immersive, movies don’t convince us that we’re physically inside them, right?

That’s where ‘embodiment’ steps in. It’s more about a tangible sense of presence—the feeling that you’re physically part of the world in VR.

Most VR experiences offer immersion as soon as you don the headset—they commandeer your sight and sound. However, only select games go the extra mile to create an embodied experience. They instill that feeling where you believe your entire being has entered the virtual space, where reaching out might result in physically touching something within the game.

To sum up, immersion captures your attention, while embodiment gives the sensation of truly being present.

It’s crucial to understand that embodiment isn’t an absolute state. It’s more of a spectrum, and what sets games apart on this spectrum is precisely what we’ll be dissecting in Synapse.

### Cover You Can Feel

Synapse might initially strike you as a typical VR shooter, but it has several deliberate design choices that nurture a profound sense of embodiment. Let’s start with its cover system.

Most VR shooters integrate cover—you can step behind a wall to shield yourself from bullets. But usually, these walls don’t physically interact with your body since you’re not doing more than just using them as static barriers.

Where Synapse shines is in making these walls interactive. You can grab them, using your hand to pull yourself in and out of cover. It’s a dynamic interaction that feels intuitive and elevates the gameplay.

By physically maneuvering your body in relation to the wall—rather than just swaying with a joystick—the walls begin to feel lifelike. This happens because when you grab a wall and shift your body, it subtly integrates into your proprioceptive understanding.

### Understanding Proprioception

Let’s talk proprioception, a key player when it comes to convincing your senses that you’re elsewhere. The best demonstration of proprioception in action can come from an unlikely source—a cat clip! Observe as a cat gracefully navigates around a table, instinctively moving its ear just in time. That’s proprioception—your body’s intrinsic understanding of its position relative to surrounding objects.

Applying this to Synapse, when you grab a wall and shift your hand, you inherently grasp that your body will move in the opposite direction. The wall transcends being a mere visual—it transforms into a tangible entity you actively engage with, resulting in your brain being more alert to your spatial relationship with it, enhancing that embodied feel.

### Mags Out

Walls in Synapse aren’t just for shielding. They also come into play when managing ammunition.

Here, let’s step back from embodiment for a moment—this is a brilliantly executed design nuance. In a previous Inside XR Design episode, we talked about the intricate weapon mechanics in Half-Life: Alyx. But while Alyx veers towards realism, Synapse opts for a fast-paced reload system that fits its run-and-gun nature.

Magazines hover in place for you to slot them back into your weapon, a design that complements the game’s space-faring theme by keeping reload sequences engaging yet nimble.

This reloading system integrates seamlessly with the game’s cover dynamics. Using a wall with one hand while reloading with another is made possible by placing the magazine against the wall, letting you use both simultaneously.

By needing to know the wall’s proximity to reload effectively, walls once again break the boundary of simple visuals and become components incorporated into your proprioceptive awareness. You genuinely start to feel the gap between your avatar and the wall.

Ultimately, the ability to use walls for engaging cover actions and tactical reloads makes these structures feel tangible. As the simulated world starts to feel authentic, you start to truly believe you’re residing within it—that’s the magic of embodiment. And while virtual realms inherently captivate your attention, embodiment is about what you physically believe you’re engaged with, beyond mere sightlines.

Next, I’ll reveal how Synapse elevates this further using an impressive telekinesis mechanic.

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