Looking for a PlayStation VR2 review? You are where you need to be. Once again, I'm excited about VR games and decided to write a review of the PlayStation VR2. In an age where we've seen it all, when an average game manages to impress with its visuals and new game ideas seem to run out, it's not as easy to be surprised by video games as it used to be. There was a time when every new release seemed to move the industry forward in some way, and the future seemed unbelievable. It's common to hear people like may say, "You'll never get that feeling when you first play Mario 64 after growing up on the SNES" again, and I think that's mostly true.
The generational leap has gotten smaller - and I know we get incredibly beautiful games these days before someone hits me on social media - that means I appreciate what we have, but I don't mumbling constantly something like “Lord Jesus!”. With the PlayStation VR2, I muttered this and more. It's hard to see Sony's newest entry into the VR market as anything more than a niche product that would sell well if sold to 5% of the end PS5 user base, but if you can afford it, you'll get those "wow" moments that getting harder and harder to find.
Before I start talking about how much I love PSVR2, a few things that annoyed me - some directly related to the hardware itself, some to VR in general.
Space
It may seem obvious, but using the PlayStation VR2 (and VR in general) requires a large open space free of obstructions. There are several game modes (supported modes vary from game to game), but the most space-hungry is Room Scale. This playstyle allows for greater freedom of movement (actually walking around the room), but requires a space of at least 2m x 2m.
My living room, where there is a TV and PS5, is quite large at first glance. It is 4,8 m x 3,3 m. Add here a few sofas, a TV, a table shifted to the side, and ... it turns out to be cramped. I was able to get Roomscale to work, but I had to tweak the room settings a bit (where you tell the VR device which space you're allowed to roam in) to make it think the sofas don't exist.
In most games this isn't a problem, but one of the best games needs Roomscale to run. It's a bit of a hassle, but I would seriously suggest getting a tape measure before handing over the £530. Other styles of play, sitting and standing (where you have to stay still but move your head and arms) require much less space (1m x 1m) and should be doable for most people unless you live in one of these hotels. with sleeping pods, or something like that.
Controllers
These devices look fun, they are nice to hold and use, but charging them is such a hassle. The VR2 Sense controllers return the feedback you get in the DualSense, which is great, but I found myself needing to charge them more often than would be ideal. If you can budget £40 for a charging dock I would recommend getting one as you can easily make sure the controllers are always charged and ready to go. Without a docking station, you have to remember to connect each controller, which I forgot to do on numerous occasions.
Motion sickness
I can't think of anything more frustrating than getting a new VR kit and finding yourself feeling sick minutes after experiencing the wonder of Horizon Call of the Mountain. Perhaps the review of the PlayStation VR2 should have started from this moment. A few years ago, I was practically unable to play VR games because of this, but I was able to overcome this problem, and now it only occurs with very sharp and fast movements. Many games allow you to tweak how you feel to reduce this problem (vignetting around the screen, slow walking speed, etc.), but I still have moments where I feel like my brain has been pulled out of my head.
I would say good VR is absolutely worth the effort, and for some people it's not a problem at all. Just don't be in a hurry to play a game where you can move around freely with a controller, as this problem will be the cause of your death. First, try using alternative movement options, such as teleportation, if the game supports it. The tactile nature of the PS VR2 headset and controllers helps a lot, at least for me, but I've been using VR for a few years now and after one long session felt a little worse. If you start to feel unwell, stop immediately, take a break, and then come back. This is the end of health in this review!
There's a wire
This PlayStation VR2 review could have been more positive if not for the cable. Maybe I'm a little spoiled Meta/Oculus Quest 2 and no wires at all, but going from years of use and being able to take it and wear it anywhere to being physically tethered to a PS5 isn't ideal. I've never had a problem with the cable, which is very long, but I've noticed that sometimes it catches my leg, and part of my brain decided I needed to check the room to make sure I wasn't going to accidentally snag my legs. One press of a button on the headset lets you peek out of the headset's camera, so it's pretty easy to check for security, but I never felt the need to do that with the Quest 2.
This is also related to the issue of required space. If you don't want to move your TV and PS5 around the house every time you use VR2, you'll practically be stuck playing where they're rooted. In every other way, the PlayStation VR2 loses Quest 2, but I think I'll still use a separate device when I want to play in a spare room.
That's the bulk of the problem, but I think it's more of a thing to note, to be honest. Given the high cost of PS VR2, it is worth knowing about the pitfalls in advance.
Either way it's cool
As you can see from the beginning, this PlayStation VR2 review couldn't end on a bad note. These remarks aside, I can say without a doubt that the PlayStation VR2 is incredible. The introduction of this article talks about this, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. VR is not yet a perfect, polished thing, so there are problems, but most of them can be overlooked when you look at the big picture. And this painting is basically Mario 64 paintings, and you jump into them.
If you've already come across some of the heavyweights of the VR space on PC (Half-Life: Alyx, for example, which I'd love to watch on VR2), the sense of amazement might be somewhat dampened here, but I don't believe anyone will be able to finish watching. Horizon until the end and feel that he is experiencing the future. In one of the first moments, I almost ate dirt, so great was the feeling of presence at the dramatic moment that played out around me.
It is worth mentioning the clarity of the image on the PS VR2. If you're new to VR, this might come as a surprise to you, as while Sony's new headset is vastly superior to the original PS4 device, you'll notice that the image isn't as crisp as it would be on your 4K TV (if you have one). It's the best image I've seen on a VR headset (although I haven't used the latest PC VR kits), but you're still pressing two tiny displays against your eyeballs, which means everything looks softer than you might expect. You get used to it and after a while you do not pay attention. Despite this, when you switch to Quest 2, you can easily understand that you have used an excellent product.
The sound deserves special mention. The included headphones are decent enough and attach to the headset so they don't get in the way and deliver solid 3D surround sound. It's best to use your own headphones, although if you have a USB set you'll have to plug them into the PS5, so be aware of the extra cable and make sure it's long enough to run from the PS5 to where you'll be playing.
Like other VR headsets, PlayStation VR2 also allows for a cinematic experience when the big screen appears in front of your eyes - just like in a virtual cinema. This is very convenient, allowing you to play PlayStation games without VR and use video applications. If you're comfortable being in VR for extended periods of time, this is a great way to watch movies on a screen that can be compared to your own personal cinema.
The main thing in VR is to be transported into the virtual world, and the PlayStation VR2 does a great job of this. Most of the value will come from games designed for it, but even at launch (which, admittedly, isn't teeming with big hits), there's plenty to choose from. Horizon has the wow factor, Gran Turismo 7 is the main game, but in VR, Resident Evil Village follows the tried and true path that Resident Evil 7 did so well, and smaller but equally impressive VR offerings come in the form of Rez Infinite , Tetris Effect: Connected, What the Bat?, Job Simulator, Pistol Whip, Moss 1 & 2 Remasters and more.
But what about the future? Will we get God of War in VR? Spiderman? Big game franchises aren't everything, with the fancier titles from indie developers often being the best, but since this is a Sony headset, it's only fair to expect its biggest titles to appear. How about a new Astro Bot? Please! I'm sure games will come and they should come to sell PlayStation fans hardcore peripherals that cost more than the PS5 itself.
Verdict
I know I spent most of this PlayStation VR2 review trying to convince you not to buy a PlayStation VR2, but I think you should know what you're getting. I think VR is incredible and the PS VR2 is the best VR experience I've had in terms of hardware, but it's not a cheap toy to risk - at least not for most people. It is also difficult to properly explain (or show) what VR is. You can talk about how exciting it is, how much of a generational leap you feel you are a part of, but you can't know until you take the leap yourself. VR isn't going to replace traditional games, but it can exist on its own path alongside them - a path that, for me, is built with excitement.
In a sense, not buying a PlayStation VR2 is an easy choice. It's impossible to know what you're missing until you experience it, so it's easy to close your eyes and ears to what the VR world has to offer. While VR offers a more immersive experience than the PS5 (or any other console), it's hard to sell. However, if you want to be part of a cool gang that doesn't just look at virtual worlds, but lives in them, £530 could be the best money you'll ever spend.
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