VRChat's reputation as a kind of chaotic nightmare chatroom isn't entirely undeserved, but the worst of it is largely confined to public worlds—understandably, these very first (and sometimes only) experiences people will have with the game color public perception. Sure, the public side of the game is chock-full of snot-nosed racist children being raised by Meta Quest headsets instead of their parents, but those public worlds aren't where the magic happens. You can't enter any other game's lobby with the worst of its players and expect a good time—this isn't an exception. VRChat starts to shine when getting together with a group of close friends or joining a private group of more mature users. There are a lot of worthwhile worlds with unique experiences to explore, and while solo searching can be fun, it's great to find a group of people who are willing to engage in a bit of world-hopping.

 The worlds themselves range from silly games to cozy hangout spots to artful and atmospheric creations—my personal favorite being the last group. Before delving deeply into VRChat, I really wanted more abstract worlds to explore in VR, but very few seem to really exist on Steam. However, they thrive in VRChat, where they've established themselves as a kind of niche. You have brutalist concrete mazes, working recreations of worlds from Yume Nikki and .flow, ports of levels from LSD Dream Emulator, and unique hand-crafted environments—not to mention the working Jet Set Radio Future fan world, laser light shows synced to music, amusement parks with working rides of varying quality, horror-themed worlds, puzzle-based worlds, art museums, heartfelt memorials, virtual markets, music festivals, and nightclubs that only open once a week. Then, of course, the seemingly endless feed of limited-time promotional worlds that corporations pour actual money into—often to promote their brand or even sell tickets to their digital, in-VRC events... which appeals to me less than the other stuff, but it can be interesting to explore those worlds for the strange sensation that you're existing in an ephemeral space that will cease to exist soon. Point being, for those open-minded digital explorers who are willing to dig, there are a lot of great little gems in VRChat.

 And then there's the avatars, of course. VRChat is the best, most accessible vehicle for seeing myself as, and being perceived as, my fursona. In VRChat, this happens in a very physical-feeling way, like a layer of separation has been removed between my real self and the skull-headed bat monster I depict myself as online. Being able to have that experience with others who are doing the same is uniquely affirming. At the same time, that ability to position yourself in a physical space, to gesture at directions and objects and others, feels like a step in-between an online group call and meeting in real life. It's more "real" than a regular chat over Discord, even if you've found yourself at an interstellar aquarium or an architecturally impossible maze.

 I'd urge those who tapped out early due to bad experiences in the poorly moderated public worlds—particularly people with headsets—to give VRChat another shot, to go solo or get a friend group together, and to let its more unique and interactive worlds have their chance to win them over. Some of the most creative visual and exploratory things in VR are happening in VRChat, and they're well-worth exploring.