video game
Our PS VR2 test: Between fascination and cyber sickness
The second generation of Sony’s virtual reality headset for the PS5 corrects the shortcomings of its predecessor. However, the ticket price remains high.
Posted Feb 26, 2023 10:16am
The PS VR2 headset and its two controllers.
ICE
Unlike the previous generation, the “Sense” controllers were designed for the PS VR2.
ICE
Note that the PSV2 headset is wired. It must be connected to a PS5 which is responsible for running the games and applications.
ICE
New: a setting by physical wheel of the distance between the lenses and a line of sight detector.
ICE
The unpainted helmet on the ground. Note that the in-ear headphones have been placed in their case at rest. This standard audio set can be removed to make room for other wired or wireless headphones.
DR
On Wednesday February 22nd, Sony Interactive Entertainment launched PS VR2 (PS for PlayStation and VR for Virtual Reality). The entertainment device, which connects to a PlayStation 5, succeeds the name’s first PS VR, which was an accessory for the PS4.
We were able to start in Ready Player One mode using a test device provided by Sony. We came back unscathed, but torn between fascination and cybersickness.
Hardware: from DIY to the finished product
On the hardware side, the PS VR2 package consists of the headset, two “sense” controllers that act as hands after dipping, a USB-A to USB-C cable, and a pair of in-ear headphones. We won’t go into the technical specifications here, which are fully detailed there on the PlayStation Blog. We note that the headset is wired, meaning it needs to be plugged into the PS5 to work, the controllers are wireless and drain fairly quickly (between 4 and 5 hours). Classic shot, Sony has designed a double charging station to make charging easier, but you need to buy it separately.
The PS VR2 headset disassembled by its main designer.
YouTube/PlayStation France
When it comes to installation and configuration, the bottom line is satisfaction. Even the helmet is pretty pretty, Sony is no handle on the design side. Plug it in, turn it on, put it on, it’s light and convenient, the instructions are shown on the screens (on the headphones and on the TV), everything is ready to use in minutes. At this stage we discover two major innovations compared to the first PS VR, the ability to physically adjust the distance between the lenses and the gaze tracking device, a fairly high-quality system that allows you to identify at which point exactly where you stand before, our eyes stare. Useful for optimizing graphic rendering and selecting an option in a menu without having to move your head. We also discover a very well-designed room volume detection system that allows you to choose between a seated or standing game mode, with the optional ability to move around a space of at least two by two meters. The referee plays for the maximum length of the cable (about 4.5 meters).
Another engineer disassembles a “Sense” controller.
YouTube/PlayStation France
Another novelty is the ability to view the real world without having to remove the helmet, simply by pressing a physical button at its base. A clear representation, although in black and white with quite a lot of image noise. We also applaud the disappearance of the point of light detection system that required the first PS VR to be connected to a camera and two pistachio strawberry cones, PS3 accessories that were already obsolete even for the time. It was tinkered, it’s forgotten, and then the PS VR2 doesn’t need to point at the PS4 to work well. It’s a liberation.
Like a gauze veil
The result? A sharp, bright, high-contrast and fluid image. If it doesn’t leave a very slight grainy effect, a bit as if there were a thin gauze veil in front of our eyes (this has to do with the nature of the lenses), we could speak of an image comparable to that of a good monitor or even a 4K one -TV. But in order to achieve an optimal look, the helmet must still be adjusted very precisely to the head, with the ideal point (sweet spot) being within a relatively narrow range.
We still see excellent haptic feedback (the headset and controllers vibrate, the triggers can stiffen) and perfect recognition of head and hand movements… except when the game space is bathed in too dim light: we had to come at our expense Press the light a little to make the system stop reminding us that something is wrong.
Once this obstacle is removed, there is an undeniable “wow” effect as soon as you launch the first experience: finding yourself at the heart of a three-dimensional image animated at 90 or 120 frames per second marks the mind. No particular comment on expanding the field of view from 100 to 110 degrees, but certainly too weak to feel it: there are better ones elsewhere, but they are more expensive.
In the final hardware consideration, Sony engineers were able to show creativity even in the small details: an insulating bellows, cheap in appearance but impressive in comfort and efficiency against external stray light, two small compartments to store in-ear headphones and ear cups and thus prevent them from hanging near the ears when not in use, and finally a ventilation system that prevents fogging of the lenses. All three elicited an admiring whistle from us.
A note on the suggested retail price of the headset and its two controllers: around 600 francs. It’s significantly more expensive than the retail price of the first PS VR, but if we factor in the accessories we had to buy separately, we’re pretty much in the same paddling pool. And compared to existing hardware, the PS VR2 is value for money. Still, we understand in absolute value that it can cause coughing.
“Horizon – The Call of the Mountain”
For our first content test, credit where credit is due: “Horizon – Call of the Mountain”, the only one exclusive to Sony’s new headphones so far. This is THE showcase of PS VR2 and the game confirms it from the first few seconds. We are prisoners on a canoe, someone takes the bag that blocked our view and boom, the big 360 degree show begins! But when you get to the interactive part (climbing, lots of climbing, archery and especially fighting mechanical beasts), comparing the experience to that of Horizon – Forbidden West – both games set in the same universe – is unfavorable to that.
A hand without an arm is ours.
ICE
With our little arms triggering movements that no haptic force feedback could transmit, with our useless legs because we only have a few square feet to stretch them at best, with a joystick or hand movements confusing our inner ear with movement against advice our brains an avatar whose passenger we are, Call of the Mountain never fails to surprise while showing that translating the traditional action game into VR is a frustrating experience. And it stays that way even when the so-called “convenience” tools are activated, trying to circumvent all the hassles associated with travel. This is not the least of his paradoxes.
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo update trailer for February 7, 2023. Introducing driving with the PS VR2 headset.
YouTube / PlayStation France
Another Sony exclusive, the car racing simulator released almost a year ago, saw its PS5 version patched to make it compatible with PS VR2. For us it was the ultimate virtual reality experience as immersion seemed ideal… until we hit the third lap of our race and the first chills, dizziness and mild nausea started to appear. . The cyberkinetosis that we are obviously prone to has struck so far that we abort our session early. Later we saw a YouTuber who advised us to first drive a small, slower, open-top vehicle (Mazda MX5 type) to train our brains. we will do that
Quick, some other experiments
Moss: Book II. Still one of the most compelling immersive experiences in our opinion.
DR
“Moss” and “Moss: Book II”: We are a “reader” poring over an interactive moving picture book. We have to help a little mouse to save a threatened kingdom. Developed for PS VR1 but adapted for PS VR2, these two episodes of Moss offer VR entertainment at its finest. Cute, spectacular but with real gameplay, impossible to translate into a flat version… If there were only two, they would be.
tentacle: We are a tamed giant octopus with our feet in the water and two tentacles in the air. Nice residents want us to pack things… It’s a Devolver game, a somewhat idiosyncratic publisher that doesn’t lack character in certain titles. This one not too much as it looks like other nice little VR games of the same ilk.
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition: We are somewhere in a galaxy far, far away. We are first in a spaceship and we have to move and do things with our hands. Born at Oculus (now Meta), improved for the PS VR2… same ambitions as Call of the Mountain (less spectacular but same) with similar qualities and equally undesirable effects at times.
Knocker: in the “The Best Soups Are Made in the Old Pots” series, “Thumper” is a very small esoteric rhythm game adapted to be played on PS VR2. The door was open and the light on, we just went there to see what it was like. We went back there several times.
ground infinite: Always in the “The best soups are made in old pots” series, this timeless music shooter has never stopped fascinating us from generation to generation (born on Dreamcast and PS2). Reaching a pinnacle of maneuverability, this PS VR2 evolution is the best to show off the motion detection quality of the headset and its controllers.
Kayaking VR: As the name suggests, “Kayak VR” offers to sit in a kayak to discover realistic nautical environments day and night. More simulator than game, “Kayak VR” would be very anecdotal in a flat version. Virtual reality is a game changer.
Altair crusher: Designed by Japanese developer Thirdverse, Altair Breaker looks like a multiplayer RPG focused on stabbing. It’s difficult to say more about their current code, which the publisher sent us is still lukewarm. But the online gamer dating lobby is pretty.
Resident Evil Village: Capcom’s triple-A horror game has also benefited from a patch that makes it compatible with the virtual reality headset. First observation, it’s visually great. Second observation, the immersion is terrifying, the fear generated by the game is increased tenfold. Third observation, our avatar needs to move: therefore, people sensitive to motion sickness may not necessarily be able to identify the origin of the cold sweats that occur. We encourage you to try the free demo that has just been launched on the PlayStore. They will be fixed quickly.
The PS VR2 in home theater mode
An often-overlooked feature, Sony’s virtual reality headset can replace your standard screen by being able to display all the console’s content, be it the user interface, the standard games, the applications (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video…) and also Blu -ray and UHD Blu-ray discs.
The helmet then displays what looks like a cinema screen, which is adjustable in size. This gives the user the impression that they can choose their rank. The image produced is of high quality, with deep blacks and a high color range enhanced by HDR. But the aforementioned “gauze veil” effect, subtle as it may be, remains noticeable. Some will be able to forget it, the maniacs of an unchanged image probably not.
For our part, we regret the PS VR2’s refusal to display 3D Blu-ray discs as the PS VR performed very well when paired with a PS4. We can hope that Sony will produce a patch for the PS5 that would allow the console model equipped with a disc drive to become compatible. Nothing at the moment suggests that Sony has the project or even the possibility. Basically designed for the display of stereoscopic images, the PS VR2 still seemed to us to be the ideal instrument for digging up the few 3D cakes that are gathering dust due to the lack of a compatible screen.
Finally
At the time of tying the sheaf and taking stock of our intense immersion sessions, our conservative stance on virtual reality video games is reinforced by the PS VR2. The quality of the experience may have taken a giant leap, but the price of the ticket (and we’re not just talking retail price) remains high. The experienced gamer who is not at all affected by cyberkinetosis will be able to dive without getting his neck wet. The newcomer has to go from the children’s pool to the pool and it’s not necessarily wonderful. For this reason, we believe that virtual reality will remain a niche business in 2023.
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