In recent years, the creative media landscape has witnessed growing interests surrounding the utilization of virtual reality (VR) as a novel visual narrative approach for both filmmakers and audiences. This trend is accompanied by an increase in studies aimed at scientifically examining the characteristics and principles of immersive visual storytelling. This paper intends to contribute to this growing field by offering a comprehensive review on the current research development in cinematic virtual reality (CVR), which employs VR technology to produce immersive, cinematic experiences for audiences. While extant research has focused on the content generation techniques and human performance implicated in virtual environments, such investigations may not fully explain the medium adaptation differences or emotional dimensions of narrated immersive experiences. These aspects are especially crucial in the context of visual storytelling through VR film, 360-degree video production, or other narrated experiences. The proposed study systematically categorizes CVR-related research, revealing the field's current state by narrowing the focus to specific topics and themes within CVR literature and highlighting key subdomains of interest centered on viewers’ experience measurement techniques. The findings of this review are expected to establish formal categories for implementing visual CVR to achieve immersive visual storytelling and provide a comprehensive analysis of current viewer experience measurements.

Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies offer unparalleled opportunities for embodied presence in immersive digital environments. While these platforms are primarily discussed regarding their technological capabilities for simulating fictional scenes or enabling interactions with virtual entities, their profound implications on storytelling and narrative comprehension remain underexplored. The narrative dimension is instrumental as factors like interactivity, stereoscopic displays, and user mobility define what details become available and in what sequence, generating each user's unique vantage point and experience. In order to address the limited theoretical and methodological accounts on immersive virtual storytelling, this special issue brings together multidisciplinary perspectives spanning engineering, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and digital activism. With the proposed novel conceptual frameworks, technologies, applications, and inclusivity initiatives, the contributions examine immersive visual narratives in an expansive manner. Thereby, this special issue aims to provide a novel understanding of how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality platforms can be leveraged to craft and experience narratives in profoundly immersive ways. By providing insights into how immersive qualities transform narrative comprehension, this special issue advances our knowledge of the complex relationship between story, technology, and the human experience.