Memory recall is a fundamental cognitive function that can be shaped by environmental context and user engagement. In order to investigate how these factors interact in immersive settings, this paper examines how narrative preconditioning and cognitive overload within immersive virtual reality (VR) environments influence object recall performance. Sixty subjects were randomly assigned under 4 condition groups, ie, Preconditioning dark, Preconditioning Distraction, Non Preconditioning dark and Non Preconditioning Distraction between encoding and retrieval. In the first setup of Study Room, subjects explored everyday objects within a controlled VR environment. Thereafter in the Buffer Room, where each group viewed one of two distinct video sets designed to assess differences in retention intervals and in the Recall Room they identified previously seen items among distractors under time constraints. Objective metrics—including recall accuracy, precision, mean average precision (mAP), interpolated precision–recall curves, mean reciprocal rank (MRR), and subsequent-recall streak analysis—demonstrate that, contrary to traditional findings, VR-based distractions can enhance short-term recall. Narrative preconditioning improved serial recall but led to reduced exploratory behavior. Subjective measures (Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and post-task surveys) revealed mild increases in discomfort and varying cognitive engagement across conditions. These results suggest that, in VR, cognitive overload may transiently boost memory activation, and that narrative cues modulate recall strategies.