I got to try the Vive twice this past weekend. It was really amazing. I'll definitely be purchasing it.
I got to try TheBlu, Job Simulator, Tiltbrush, and the Portal Demo. The Secret Shop was not an option probably because of the uncontrolled amount of time it takes (is my guess).
Let me know if you have any questions, but here is was my experience.
It was not mind blowing or life changing, but definitely game changing. The field of view needs to be increased just a little bit for it to be more immersive, but presence is easily achieved.
TheBlu is fun, but doesn't really make use of the controllers. You walk around and wait for the whale to come. The space I was in was a little limited in size, so there were only two points that I could get to where I could look off the bow of the ship. It's a diorama, it's beautiful, and it's a perfect into to VR since you don't have to think about your hands or doing anything at all, but there's no other reason to play it. But any reason I have to criticize it is thrown out by the fact that it's a tech demo.
Job Simulator is really fun. There's a moment when I remembered what the devs had said about it, that some people go about the tasks, and others throw stuff around. As soon as I started throwing stuff across the room I laughed out loud. Picking things up in VR just feels right. It's something we do every day. It's easy. And it feels like magic when you get to do it in a virtual space for the first time.
Tiltbrush is really compelling. Making things in VR is incredibly enjoyable. I could play Tiltbrush for hours. I see art and creative games/toys as being a really powerful VR concept. I'll be looking for more of those experiences after getting my Vive.
The Portal demo is super high fidelity. I wished I could just pause and look at everything up close. [spoiler] When Atlas walks in I moved out of the way for him. My brain knows it's fake but it's just habit, you just move when stuff is coming toward you. There's also a psychological trick going on where the Valve guys must know that people make way for people who are hurt. There's also a moment near the end when the floor drops out from beneath you. I stood at the edge of the void and looked over the edge. I know there's a floor there, but it's just instinct.[/spoiler]
The Portal demo makes me realize that VR is a bit like a thrill ride. Thrill rides make your lizard brain say you're in danger, but your conscious brain says you're fine, so the fear becomes outright fun. VR does that same thing. You can look over a void and get vertigo. Things can fly past your head, but you still know it's safe, so you giggle and smile.