When Sony embarked on the conquest of virtual reality more than six years ago, the format was still at a very early stage of implementation and exploitation. Enthusiasm and skepticism were equally palpable, so the lines were clearly drawn between those who had “seen the light” and those who, for the most part, saw PSVR as a gimmick that drained screen gaming resources. dish they were playing. would rather Sony spend time developing. It was a time when you could impress people with relatively little because technology could bring you physics and scale completely unlike anything you had seen before. And because it worked, which seemed to surprise more people than you might think.
However, in 2023, the situation is somewhat different, because neither skepticism nor enthusiasm are on the same level. VR systems have become commonplace and few doubt that they really work and can deliver different experiences, but conversely many will continue to say that the technology is still too rudimentary and the headsets too expensive. There is a widespread perception of virtual reality as a slightly exotic niche product in video games that will probably never catch on.
Advertisement:
This is not the best time to launch a 600 euro accessory on the market, especially given the global economic situation. Rumors that PS VR2 production would be cut in half from what was originally planned (a rumor Sony denies though) haven’t helped, nor has a relatively low-key marketing campaign, and the fact of having only a few first-party games announced painfully reminds us of the defunct PS Vita.
But instead of dwelling on the comparisons between the two machines, I prefer to remain optimistic and focus on another parallel: namely, the superior quality that both have compared to their predecessor. The PSVR was, in many ways, a half-baked solution. The headset itself was comfortable and well-designed, but connectivity was a mess of cables that could drive even the most patient gamer to the brink of insanity. Eye tracking was flawed, and then there were the outdated Move controllers, which helped tax both developers and gameplay (it’s no coincidence that the best games on the headset are controlled by the DualShock 4 plus than reliable).
The PS VR2, on the other hand, is a much better designed product. It’s comfortable, easy to connect and set up, the new controls are great, new features like eye-tracking and in-headset haptic feedback work great, and the much-improved specs make for a nice, crisp image. .
As I also mentioned in my impressions, the commodity This is a significant factor when it comes to virtual reality glasses. The weight of a Oculus Meta Quest 1, for example, is poorly laid out, which can cause neck pain during prolonged play. The PS VR2 is a surprisingly comfortable headset, there’s no doubt. The weight distribution is reasonable, there are good options to adjust its placement on the head front and back (which should also be a benefit for eyeglass wearers), the IPD can be adjusted, and the materials that come into contact with the head are soft and comfortable. I also loved the included in-ear headphones that clip onto the headphones. Once in place, they blend in naturally, and their short cables keep them out of the way as you play. If you prefer to use your own, that’s also an option, but there are reports that not all headphones fit equally well. However, we also have to mention the elephant in the room: the cable. Is this a big problem? No, I don’t think so, but I feel it all the time, and I had to move it sometimes so as not to force it. Of course, a wireless headset would have been better, but if wired results in a better picture and lower latency, that’s a trade-off I’m fine with and can give it a pass.
Advertisement:
Another strong point of the PS VR2 is its installation. The headset plugs into the front of your PS5 with the aforementioned cable. Then just turn on the console and headset and perform an incredibly simple setup. PS VR2 has reverse tracking, so to my delight, there are no cameras to install here. This part has always been one of the Achilles heels of high-end headsets, like those from Index and Vive, because it’s cumbersome to have to fill the camera room. VR is already a form of gaming that demands a lot from the consumer in terms of economy and space, so the console upgrade that PS VR2 brings is a welcome one. It’s also something the Quest can do, but as far as I can tell the PS VR2 is the first high-end headset that makes it really easy. For example, it automatically scans the room. I would go so far as to say that the setup is foolproof, and I can only applaud this progress.
Comfort and ease of setup are definitely a good start, but if the gaming experience isn’t great, it’s a wonderful waste of effort. The PS VR2 is equipped with an OLED display with a resolution of 2000 x 2040 per eye and a field of view of 110 degrees. The latter can’t quite match the index’s 130 degrees, but it’s still reasonable, and taken together the specs, with the PS5 of course, paint a pleasing picture. There may still be a slight screen door effect, but it is minimal.
While the visuals are fantastic, it’s the PS5’s tactile feedback and adaptive triggering features that set the gaming experience apart from the competition. Specifically, the incorporation of haptic feedback into the headset itself increases immersion, as the vibrations of a Thunderjaw loadout in Horizon Call of the Mountain travel from the hands to the head. It’ll probably become a feeling you’ll get used to over time, but for now it’s an exciting addition. Another interesting new feature is eye tracking. I haven’t tested any games that make meaningful use of it yet, but I can say it works impressively, and I can’t wait to see a game like The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR make use of this feature.
We can’t talk about gaming experience without talking about the new controls. The Move controller is finally dead and has been replaced by ergonomic controls with an intuitive and modern button layout. Of the VR controllers I’ve used, they’re some of the best, aided by the aforementioned features. The tracking is also good. Sometimes I managed to mess up the system a bit (which usually happens by crossing my hands, for example), but it wasn’t very often, which is impressive when you consider that a game like Horizon Call of the Mountain, with many climbing sequences in particular exposes tracking to this challenge. I’d estimate battery life at around five hours, which is acceptable without being flashy. Long gaming sessions are rare in VR, which is a mitigation, but on the contrary, you can’t charge controllers while you play.
As you can see above, I’m very excited about Sony’s new VR headset. It may not have as solid a design as say the Index, just as the field of view could be even wider, but the great comfort, ease of setup, good image quality, Great controls and the cool new features like eye tracking and haptic feedback on the headset itself helps make this a very capable piece of hardware. The question now is to what extent Sony will support PS VR2 with exclusive titles, as we haven’t heard much about it yet. Obviously, this sort of thing requires a large install base to be viable, but somewhat ironically, we know it will take system vendors for such an expensive niche product to reach all but the most enthusiastic.
But I bet on PS VR2, really. Because it is an exciting product that revived my interest in virtual realitySo I sincerely hope Sony leads the way with games that really show what the headset is capable of. And to dream, they could start with Astro Bot: Rescue Mission 2. I’m ready for that.