To VR or not to VR: The perpetual question of price
The first time I encountered “VR” was at a county fair in the ’90s. It was for a racing game demo, and basically amounted to putting a TV on your head…I think I lost some of my eyesight that day. It was an absolutely fascinating experience all the same, and I’ve kept my eye on the tech ever since.
Oncethe first consumer-grade Oculus Rift headsetlaunched, I was there, and saw all of the advancements of the subsequent two decades since the TV-helmet at once: but there was so much more work to do. For the past seven years or so, VR has struggled to balance power and comfort.The Oculus Quest 2is comfortable, but not super powerful. Other headsets focus on power at the expense of clunk, like multiple finnicky tracking devices. The PlayStation VR 2 is a good compromise combined with great tech: with the obvious hurdle of the price point. Let’s talk about it.
Product: PlayStation VR 2Manufacturer: SonyInput: USB-CMSRP: $549.99 (base PSVR 2 unit with two Sense controllers)
Unboxing the PSVR 2
Let’s get the specs out of the way first:
Having unboxed every major consumer-centric VR headset since the original Rift, I was shocked at how dead simple the PSVR 2 unpacking process was.You get the headset itself with a USB-C cable to plug it in (more on that later), a USB cable for the controllers, earbud headphones, and two PSVR Sense controllers. That’s all you need. There are no sensor towers (like several other headsets, that’s baked into the device itself), and there’s no gigantic converter box likethe original PSVR.
The PSVR 2 is a paragon of VR setup experiences. To really hit home how much easier it is to setup the PSVR 2 is compared to its predecessor, just take a look at the comparison photos I shot below.On the left is the PSVR 2(one USB-C cable),on the right is the original PSVR(with some jumbled cables for dramatic effect). Quite the contrast! After plugging it in, the headset took roughly 30 seconds to initialize fully on my PS5: adding about 30 seconds to sync each controller (which need to be plugged in at first).
The room scanning feature is incredibly slick, showing off the exterior cameras of the PSVR 2 unit with a cool sci-fi pixelated overlay. To create your play space you’ll just look at the floor, ceiling, and all of your walls: which can take as little as 15 seconds. In my experience the tracking is more accurate than the Oculus Quest 2, and the floor (which sometimes needs to be synced by tapping a controller on its base) always scanned perfectly every time. I also found that the amount of light needed for the sensors to work was far less finnicky than the Quest 2. Although it does technically still have a cable (the lack of one still makes the Quest 2 stand out), it’s not a nuisance.
How the PSVR 2 feels after hours-long sessions
As you might imagine I spent a lot of time in VR trying out the PSVR 2: fiddling with menus and trying out multiple games. Initially, it took me a bit to find the comfort setting that worked for me, but I got there.
On the base of the visor is a button which can be used to slide said visor in and out (glasses are accommodated if you wear them, as is the case with many modern VR headsets). On the back is a dial, which can be twisted to cinch the visor to your head (the dial can also be pressed to release the headset). It’s similar to the original PSVR in terms of comfort tweaking, but the design itself is sleeker and feels better to wear for longer periods of time.
The sound situation could be a hang-up for some, but there are plenty of solutions for it. The packed-in earbuds are a tad annoying as they don’t always stay in the sides of the device (there’s little holes with ridges to stick each bud in): but it’s one of the few hardware snafus that actually came up in my many hours with the device. In fact, I ended up subbing out a PS5 Pulse 3D headset, and it almost conforms with the headset, creating a better seal to silence the outside world. No speaker support (read: built-in audio) on the device is a bummer, but it’s a very small concession to make; and one of the only big concessions on the deviceat all, tech-wise.
The PSVR 2 Sense controllers
When I first experiencedthe Oculus Touch controllersa little over six years ago, it felt like a true VR hardware revolution. I was hooked playingSuperhot VRandRobo Recall,and found myself completely entranced by the tech. To be honest, I’m still kind of in that trance. When a game really utilizes that dual-hand control scheme to its fullest extent, it creates an experience that’s completely different from traditional gaming. I’m pleased to say that the PSVR 2 Sense controllers continue that legacy.
The PSVR 2 Sense controllers are multiple generations ahead of Move. It’s such an obvious statement, but if you’ve ever played a game with a Touch/Valve Indextype controller before, you’ll know what I mean. The Sense controllers sport a six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope + three-axis accelerometer), and are incredibly responsive, with a fantastic sense of haptic feedback and finger tracking. It’s a little confusing at first to have to relearn the Sense-specific PlayStation buttons (especially if you’re also using Oculus Touch or the Valve Index controllers), but it only took me a day or so to acclimate, and most games have visual indicators when tutorializing new inputs.
Like the headset itself the Sense controllers are comfortable, even after all-day sessions. You’ll also charge them the same way as the DualSense controllers (via USB), or you may opt for a $50 Sense charging station that plugs into the wall and takes care of charging them both.
The PSVR 2 launch game situation
The big star this time around isHorizon Call of the Mountain: a VR spinoff from theHorizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden Westfranchise.Thankfully, it’s pretty good, and you can read all about it here.
How starstruck you’ll be at the rest of the lineup really depends on how much VR you’ve consumed already. For me, roughly a fourth of the PSVR 2’s initial offering is filled with VR games I’ve already played on the Index, Oculus Quest 2, or eventhe Rift. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just might limit your options. That said, I actually replayed several higher profile multiplatform VR games on the PSVR 2 (likeThumper) and had a great time. A lot of these games are completely different from their state at launch, with multiple quality of life and content updates: as well as some technical enhancements in tow to account for the PS5.
If you’re coming in fresh, or even as a lapsed VR player, you have nothing to worry about. You can get started on modern VR classics like bothMossgames, as well asRez Infinite, Tetris Effect,the aforementionedThumper, Pistol Whip, Job Simulator,and delve into more flawed-but-fun games likeJurassic World AftermathandStar Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.
Short term, I’m looking forward to trying outResident Evil Villagein VR (if it’s anything likeRE7I have a full playthrough on the horizon) andThe Dark Pictures: Switchback. Long term, Sony will need to convince more studios (internal and third party alike) to add free VR updates to existing heavy-hitters like the ones coming forResident Evil VillageandGran Turismo 7. Those will help smooth out the longer waits between big original VR projects likeHorizon Call of the Mountain.
Here’s the full PSVR 2 launch window lineup:
Should you buy a PSVR 2?
For those of you who haven’t bought intoanyVR platform at all, the PSVR 2 is a decent place to start. It already has a handful of VR classics on its storefront, the Sense controllers are on par with the best consumer VR tech available, and the PSVR 2 itself is powerful enough to coast you through this generation. From a technical perspective the PSVR 2 absolutely brings it, and the Sense controllers will sell VR to folks far beyond Sony’s wildest Move-related dreams. Giving things another go is often unusual for Sony, but they’ve done it with the PlayStation VR 2. For now, there is enough there where VR newcomers and veterans could keep themselves busy for a while.
If you’re an early adopter of any tech, you likely know the risks. The thing is, the PSVR 2 feels less risky than its predecessor as Sony has already spent the cash developing some games for the platform for years, and likely won’t abandon the VR industry in the very near future.
[This review is based on a retail build of the hardware provided by the publisher.]
