At least I can say I have lived.
Sony's award-winning 1999 commercial hinged on one simple, indelible message: PlayStation has the power to transform you into someone you're not; the capacity to transport you to places that you've never been to before. And in the near-two decades since that promise was made, the Japanese giant's pushed forward with its pledge of providing players with a so-called "double life"; technological advancements have not only enhanced the way that we interact with games, but also the fidelity that we see on the screen.
But somewhere along the way, that double life's slowly started to lose its lustre.
As development budgets increase and team sizes bloat, the PlayStation 4 has thus far proven itself to be a generation of evolution rather than revolution. We're still seeing the exact same brands dominate the bestsellers lists, and while the games are more polished than they've ever been, there's very little underlying innovations anymore; we're essentially enjoying better versions of the titles that we previously played on the PlayStation 3. Many of you will be satisfied with that, and that's fine – but PlayStation, being a brand that's defined by forward-thinking, must always be looking intently to the future.
And PlayStation VR is the next big step.
PSVR Review: What's Virtual Reality Like?
But why is it such a big deal? Games, as you play them today, are limited by the television screen that you're seeing them on. It doesn't matter how good – or, indeed, big – your display is, because it'll never be able to replicate the experience that PlayStation VR provides. And if you haven't tried it yet, then we're going to try and paint you a picture of what it's like.
PlayStation, being a brand that's defined by forward-thinking, must always be looking to the future
Imagine sitting in a bubble, where the game world is not restricted to the screen in front of you, but instead surrounds you. Now envisage being able to look around you in every direction, leaning in and out to examine every texture in intricate detail. Consider also that this 3D world is employing stereoscopic images to add depth to the picture that you'd only previously get on select screens.
This is PlayStation VR.
It's a challenge to describe with words, but its power becomes immediately apparent when you experience it for yourself. Despite the lower-resolution of the headset, worlds feel real in a way that they never can on a standard display, and the sense of scale is unlike anything that you'll have ever experienced before. In, for example, PlayStation VR Worlds' flagship The London Heist demo, when a thug attempts to intimidate you in an East End lockup, he towers over you – looking every inch the six foot meathead that you'd encounter in real-life. Environments, too, appear enormous – Battlezone's introductory hangar being a particularly potent example.
Pair all of this with binaural audio which responds to the position of your head and lag-less motion tracking, and what you end up with is "presence" – the idea that you're so immersed in the game world that it actually deceives your brain into believing that it's real. This means that, when the aforementioned brute flicks a cigarette in your face, your body will automatically recoil; it means that when you look down from a towering height, you'll feel the same pangs of vertigo that you would in the real-world.
It's incredible.
PSVR Review: What Are PlayStation VR's Technical Specifications?
But as with any burgeoning technology, it's not yet perfect. PlayStation VR's primary feature is its 5.7-inch 1920 x RGB x 1080 display. This means that it's running at a lower resolution than both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, and the result is a blurrier image than you may be used to when sitting at a safe distance away from your high-definition television. In the Sony headset's defence, it does employ nifty screen technology, which enables true RGB per pixel – something that the other two devices don't yet possess. This reduces what's known as the "screendoor" effect – the idea that your eyes are pressed so close to the display that you can actually see the grain of the pixels – and while it's still present in low-light areas, it actually does offer a fairly comparable experience to its aforementioned competitors, which is an incredible achievement given its much lower price point.
PlayStation VR offers a comparable experience to its competitors, which is incredible given its much lower price
The display is capable of refreshing at 90Hz or 120Hz, which is essential to keeping latency as low as possible. This means that you when you turn your head to look around, the screen moves instantaneously, giving the illusion that you're examining a real space rather than a virtual one. Sony's also concocted a clever reprojection technique, which essentially boosts the framerate of games from 60 frames-per-second to 120 frames-per-second. While developers will obviously have the option to develop their software at a locked 120 frames-per-second – The Playroom VR is one such title that employs this – reprojection essentially takes the mean image between two frames and inserts it in the middle. The end result, if you're lost, is a very smooth, lag-free experience.
Again, it's not flawless, though. Text suffers the most when your head's in motion, as the sharpness of the font tends to lose its clarity if you whip your head around at pace. This is particularly problematic when a game demands you read information while in active motion, though this seems like something that developers simply need to be more aware of; the issue can easily be designed around in order to mitigate it.
Perhaps the other issue with the headset is that it doesn't quite fill your peripheral vision; it's a bit like a pair of goggles, and if you peer off to the side, you will see the blacks of the rubber where the screen doesn't reach. This isn't a problem when you're focused on what's occurring in front of you, but future iterations will probably improve this area massively.
The headset is light and roomy, with space for spectacles and several very simple adjustment controls
At least it's comfortable, though. The headset is light and roomy, with space for spectacles and some simple adjustment controls. The mask uses a band to distribute weight across the entire head, and you'll forget you're wearing it at times. It also employs nice rubbers and plastics to prevent the headset from chafing or rubbing your skin. The front of the unit can be moved in and out in order to best focus the lenses, while there's a wheel towards the back of the device which allows you to tighten it around your head.
PSVR Review: How Does PlayStation VR Work?
While the PlayStation Move isn't considered one of Sony's greatest success stories, its technology is at the beating heart of PlayStation VR. Working in tandem with the PlayStation Camera – which you'll need to own in order to enable virtual reality – the headset is decorated with nine LEDs which are tracked by the camera. These – in conjunction with accelerometers and gyroscopes – allow the PlayStation Camera to read the position of the headset, thus ensuring that you're able to physically look around the game world.
The tracking is very good in both low light and intense light conditions – though it prefers the former
As with the PlayStation Move (or the DualShock 4 controller) the tracking is very good in both low light and intense light conditions – though it naturally prefers the former. The only instances where it struggles is if you cover one of the lights on the headset, perhaps by holding up a controller or hand in front of it. This causes the image to temporarily jitter until the obstruction is removed.
It means, though, that you can play in pretty small spaces, so there's no Kinect-like room restrictions here. While some games will demand a clear area for you to move around, many of the sitting experiences like Battlezone can be enjoyed in very condensed situations; as long as you're in the camera's cone-like viewing area, then you'll be able to play quite comfortably. And should you step outside of that or lose the tracking for whatever reason, Sony's incorporated a universal panic button that basically enables you to hold down the Options button in order to recalibrate in a flash.
PSVR Review: Does PlayStation VR Have Head Tracking Issues?
A popular Giant Bomb stream watched by thousands had serious technical challenges recently, prompting many to ponder whether the headset had tracking issues. We've played through many of the product's launch titles and haven't encountered any problems anywhere near on the same scale – and that's despite our general disregard for the product's set-up guidelines.
Additional Reading: Does PlayStation VR Really Have Tracking Issues?
We've tried playing the headset in both blaring sunlight and pitch black, and we've found the experience largely the same. The device is very good at tracking your position as long as you can be seen by the PlayStation Camera's cone, and we haven't noticed any jittering unless the unit's lights are obstructed by a hand or a controller.
The PlayStation Move, meanwhile, is more prone to shake, particularly in games that make big use of 3D space, such as Batman: Arkham VR. We haven't found this particularly disorientating, however, and while we hope that future iterations of the hardware will mitigate these issues, we've found the experience to work as advertised for the most part.
PSVR: How Do You Setup PlayStation VR?
The one major issue with PlayStation VR, then, is just how much work needs to be invested in setting it up. The package comes with a half-dozen or so cables, all of which link the headset to the Processing Unit (more on that later), which in turn is connected to your PS4 and your television. The instruction manual is easy to follow – Sony's even numbered the cables – and there's some smart use of subtle iconography to ensure that you're plugging cables into the right place, but it still feels overbearing.
The one major issue with PlayStation VR is just how much work needs to be invested in setting it up
To its credit, once you've got everything plugged in, the headset pretty much just works; there are settings that you can twiddle with in the PS4's interface, but we found our experience to be pretty comfortable out of the box. The greater problem is that, if you've already got a busy entertainment centre, then you're going to have to work with several new, pretty thick cables. Even more annoyingly, because of poor foresight, you'll have to attach some cables to the front of the PS4 and others to the back, which just looks messy. The PS4 Pro solves this problem by adding an additional USB input to the rear of the console, but the problem remains on the PS4 Slim.
You do get plenty of cable so length shouldn't really be an issue, but the Processing Unit has its own power brick, and we found that we had to rearrange our entire entertainment centre just to accommodate the influx of new cables. It's a first-world problem without any shadow of a doubt, but it's certainly something you're going to need to be aware of before bringing your headset home.
PSVR Review: What Does PlayStation VR's Processing Unit Do?
Another big problem is the Processing Unit itself. This serves a number of purposes – none of which augment the PS4 with additional processing power, as has been incorrectly reported around the web. Instead, this sizeable breakout box works as an intelligent image splitter, enabling asynchronous multiplayer experiences where headset wearers see different images to what's being displayed on the television screen. It also outputs 3D audio, which we'll touch upon elsewhere in the review.
It's hard to shake the feeling that, with all of the cables and parts required, getting virtual reality to work on the existing PS4 demanded a bit of a bodge job
The issue with the Processing Unit is that it's very loud – more so than the new PS4 Slim, which is practically silent when operational. And the issue here is that, unless you want to swap out cables each time that you want to use PlayStation VR, it needs to be turned on whether you're playing a game in virtual reality or not. For those already annoyed by the volume of their standard PS4 – or who upgraded to the PS4 Slim in order to do away with loud fans – then you're going to be really annoyed by the volume that the Processing Unit brings to your media centre.
In many ways, while the breakout box does augment some necessary features to the virtual reality experience, it's a bit of a shame that Sony couldn't find a way to circumvent it, as it does complicate the entire setup. It's hard to shake the feeling that, with all of the cables and parts required, getting virtual reality to work on the existing PS4 demanded a bit of a "bodge job", and while it all functions entirely as expected, it's not exactly a "plug and play" solution by any stretch.
One additional point of note here is that a PlayStation VR revision has actually improved the Processor Unit. If you purchase the model with the serial number CUH-ZVR2 then it’ll allow for HDR passthrough, which is perfect if you’re a PS4 Pro owner with a 4K television. Unfortunately, if you own the model with the serial number CUH-ZVR1, then you’ll have to find alternative solutions for HDR, which may include swapping cables each time you play. It’s not exactly an elegant solution, and it remains one of the product’s biggest oversights.
PSVR Review: How Do You Control Games with PlayStation VR?
At least the control solutions are much more straightforward. Both the DualShock 4 and PlayStation Move can be used depending on the game, with each option providing 3D motion tracking. While every game has been designed with the standard PS4 controller in mind, you'll almost certainly want to enjoy experiences like The London Heist and Batman: Arkham VR with Sony's wands.
While every game has been designed with the DualShock 4, you'll want to enjoy some experiences with Sony's wands
With these connected, you're able to operate each hand independently, which enables some truly immersive gameplay experiences. Reaching out to pick up an object being offered to you feels completely natural, and while the PlayStation Move tracking is far from perfect, it's good enough to provide that all-important sense of immersion and presence.
The only problem with both of the control schemes is that they rely on their respective light sources to be detected by the camera, and if you turn all the way around and use your body to block the bulbs from view, it can impede the motion tracking. Moreover, the lack of analogue control on the PlayStation Move controller still feels like a missed opportunity – as it did in the PS3 days.
PSVR Review: What Is PlayStation VR's 3D Audio Feature About?
While the control and lag-free motion detection is a big part of virtual reality's immersion, a moment must be spared for the 3D audio. With the uprising of ASMR on YouTube, many of you will be familiar with binaural sound already; for those of you who aren't, it's essentially relates to sound being captured exactly as you hear it, with positioning taken into account.
PlayStation VR's audio processing takes things to the next level, by adapting the way in which sound is processed relative to the position of your head
But while many binaural recordings restrict you to being seated in a specific place, PlayStation VR's audio processing takes this to the next level, by adapting the ways in which the sound is processed relative to the positioning of your head. This means that, for example, if you turn your head right around, sounds that you would have predominantly heard in your left ear will now come through your right ear.
PlayStation VR does come with a pair of stereo headphones, but you can hook up your own as long as they have a standard jack. And if you have a really good pair of cans, then you're going to find the immersion is increased ten-fold – it's amazing how much this feature adds to the sense of presence, especially when the audio work is of a high-quality like in The London Heist.
PSVR Review: Does PlayStation VR Support Wireless Headphones?
As mentioned, PlayStation VR can be used with any headphones – as long as you have a means of connecting them to the devices 3.5mm jack. This includes Sony's own PlayStation Gold Wireless 2.0 Stereo Headset, which comes bundled with the cable that you need to hook it all up.
Additional Reading: Does PlayStation VR Work with Wireless Headphones?
While it may seem annoying adding another wire to the already complicated cable set-up, the reality is that the PlayStation VR headset itself will need to be wired at all times, so the added cable is not going to irritate. More importantly, your headphones plug directly into a control unit built into the PlayStation VR's primary cable itself, so it's all discreetly done.
PSVR Review: What Are the Best PlayStation VR Games?
PlayStation VR has a ginormous selection of software already, but which games should you actually buy? So far, we're preferring the shorter, tailor-made experiences over the more traditional titles, but there's a little something for everyone, and you'll find our favourites in the video embedded below:
You can also find our list of The Best PSVR Games so far through here, which includes must-own titles like SUPERHOT VR and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Alternatively, you can find all of our PlayStation VR reviews through the link.
PSVR Review: Is PlayStation VR's Cinematic Mode Any Good?
Honestly, there's so much to say about PlayStation VR that we could be here all day, but we'll just quickly go into some of the bells and whistles before we exhaust our word limit by a dizzying number. The headset comes with a built-in microphone, which can be used for both gameplay purposes – in The London Heist you can puff on a cigar and blow the smoke back out – while it can also be employed for communication in multiplayer games. There's a toggle on the cable of the headset that allows you to control volume, as well as to turn the headset on or off.
Additional Reading: Playing Non-VR PS4 Games on PlayStation VR
You can play any game on a simulated cinema screen using PlayStation VR, but the lower-resolution makes it a poor option
It's also worth mentioning that you can play any game on a simulated cinema screen using PlayStation VR, but while the scale that this enables is nice, the lower-resolution of the headset screen means that it's not the best way of enjoying your non-virtual reality PS4 games to be honest with you. It's fine for when you need to navigate menus, though.
Speaking of which, the new Quick Menu which was introduced as part of PS4 firmware update v4.00 really shines in virtual reality, as it allows you to glide around the system's user interface without exiting the game – or turning off your PlayStation VR headset. At the time of typing, there are no notifications in-game, however, which means that you'll only get audio prompts for things like Trophy unlocks and messages. Amazingly, all of the Share functionality remains intact, however.
PSVR Review: Do You Need PS4 Pro to Play PlayStation VR?
You don’t need a PS4 Pro to play games with PlayStation VR, as outlined in our full PS4 Pro vs PS4 comparison. However, supported software is improved if you choose to play on Sony’s supercharged system. Typically, these enhancements are achieved via a method called supersampling, which means that the visuals are rendered at a higher resolution than what the headset can actually display, and then scaled back down to provide a cleaner image. Other games also improve texture quality and draw distance, though your mileage will vary depending on the title.
Ultimately, though, all of the features and functionality of PlayStation VR are available on both the PS4 Pro and PS4, so you can be guaranteed a great virtual reality experience whichever console you own.
PSVR Review: Should You Buy PlayStation VR?
PlayStation VR is not perfect, but you could point to much, much worse first-generation products than this. Sony's headset is light and comfortable, and for the price that it's being sold for, it offers a very good virtual reality experience on consumer-grade hardware that you already own. The motion tracking is excellent, the visuals good enough to provide that all-important sense of presence, and the game library already fairly large.
Yes, there can be criticisms levelled at the resolution of the screen – an issue which the more expensive masks on the market also share to a lesser extent – and the sheer number of cables and items required to get the experience running correctly can be headache-inducing. But once you've got it all hooked up – and the noisy Processor Unit placed out of the way – the rewards are unquestionable; the ability to be somewhere else, to be someone else a gigantic stride forward in this industry's capacity to provide true escapism.
Looking far into the future, virtual reality will get better as screen technology improves and processing power increases. But already, in its formative stages, it's an incredible experience. And PlayStation VR, with its low barrier of entry, is achieving things that we could only have imagined a decade ago.
To borrow another famous PlayStation marketing phrase: this is living.
Updated: 15th November, 2017
Are you a fan of PlayStation VR? Have you decided to buy a PSVR headset based on this review? What are your favourite games for the peripheral? Enter a different dimension in the comments section below.
Comments 115
Hey everyone! Any questions, please do just copy me in. This is coming in hot so I'm still formatting the article a bit — the text is in place, but please wait a few minutes for all of the pictures to appear.
Great review Sammy, comes across very balanced and fair IMO. One thing I'm curious about - and I saw someone ask this on the YT comments - is how well the 'cinematic' mode works for regular games?
Great Review - I felt it was pretty balanced. I have concerns about the additional cost for Move controllers (optional but really needed by the sounds of it to get the best out of VR experience) and the various cables.
Still, I have my demo booked for this week!
Ugh, I really want one but still can't justify the purchase... Thank you for the very informative article. The comments on cinema mode were probably enough to keep me from buying one at this time. I was hoping I'd be able to use the headset as a display replacement. I have a decent TV and all, but the color/brightness of an OLED sounded promising. I'd still really love to get my hands on one to test, but for now it seems like PS4 Pro is still a better use of my money.
@SegaBlueSky Thanks for reading. On the simulated cinema screen:
"It's also worth mentioning that you can play any game on a simulated cinema screen using PlayStation VR, but while the scale that this enables is nice, the lower-resolution of the headset screen means that it's not the best way of enjoying your non-virtual reality PS4 games to be honest with you. It's fine for when you need to navigate menus, though."
@Rudy_Manchego Let me know how you get on with your demo. While I've tried my best to explain everything, this really is technology that you need to try!
@get2sammyb Hi Sammy, is there any chance you could let me know how it plays with one eye covered please? I'm blind in one eye and wondered if it has a great effect. I tried the Samsung vr but there wasn't any games available to try
Great review sammy Just a question I have the original ps4 camera that came out when the ps4 first was on sale - there is a new one being released next week see Amazon would I need to buy this one or just use the one I have
Sorry don't know how to copy you in
great review! it is bugging me because iv'e had the psvr on preorder since march but i'm debating whether i should wait and see what it is like after launch before picking it up
@NathanUC That's fair! Cinematic mode was always the least interesting part of this package to me, but future iterations with much higher resolution screens may make that mode more worthwhile. If you haven't tried the actual VR yet, though, do give it a spin once you get the chance.
@Timewarp87 I don't think you'll get the 3D effect, but I don't actually have the answer to this question right now. Leave it with me and I'll try it out for you later today.
@Bernardp66 No, I'm using the same camera that you've got and it works perfectly!
@Dannyboy1996 We'll have lots more reviews and coverage building up to 13th October, so keep checking back for much more!
Thanks for this. Can't wait to pick up mine on next wednesday...
Great review Sammy. Can I just use PSVR headset without a tv? I'm moving to a new place temporarily but can't be bothered lugging a 42" plasma tv around!
@bbq_boy Yeah, you should be able to — I don't see why not! I mean, obviously you're going to have to navigate all of the menus in VR and you're not going to get the social screen, but I think you should be fine.
Job, The Lawnmower Man, says hello from 1992.
I'll probably end up getting it but I'm in no rush. I would much rather have the Pro to go along with my new TV first.
It would be nice to get them all at once but it's just too much money.
Awesome overview, Sammy. A bit disappointing that you can't properly turn all the way around, 360 degrees. That's something I find really cool and immersive about my cheapo Gear VR, so it's kind of awkward that the far superior headset is missing something that seemingly simple.
Still need to try it first but I would wait on it anyway. NX has priority for me.
Dang... I was really looking forward to playing terrifying PS4 games like Outlast and P.T. again with the headset to see if the sense of immersion is increased... but given the drop in resolution, I might not bother picking up VR just yet. Also, was hoping some horror games would have you constantly looking over your shoulder to see if something was following you ... alas.. no! Was also hoping this would be my new preffered remote play device... Bit disappointed.
@get2sammyb : the article covers the tech well, but doesn't get into the most essential question - will it make games more fun? Kinect was a great technology but failed to produce interesting games that required it. The same could happen here, and obviously install-base will play a factor in AAA companies producing those games. PS4 pro is directly inhibiting that initial install base.
PC has had vr for a while, and I haven't heard of really any major must-play titles for it (could be me).
Anyhow, I'd like to read some editorials on this subject.
@get2sammyb great detailed review! one thing I was wondering about is motion sickness. There are some reviews out there saying it is a big problem on PSVR even with seated games like Driveclub VR. Did you find this? Does it vary massively person to person?
@get2sammyb
Great article mate, thanks!
I've got just one question where no one seems to be able to give me an answer to concerning the use of a wireless headset (audio): is it possible to use wireless headphones, like the Sony PS4 wireless headset 2.0 (It's also known as the "Gold headset" for some reason I believe), without any wires going into the PSVR headset itself?
I've played on the PSVR on several occasions and I never really paid attention to the fact that the headsets they were using were all wired. I just assumed it would work but that they've chosen a wired solution because of possible interference. But with the processing unit handling 3D audio, it would actually make sense that wireless headphones won't work properly. I've heard people saying it works, that it doesn't work and a befriended journalist even claims you need the NEW wireless Sony headset, which I find hard to believe.
I'd really like this question answered because I've bought me that wireless 2.0 Sony headset on the cheap (£40 - £45 if I'm correct) specifically for VR. But if I need to connect it anyway I rather just return it or sell it to someone who actually needs it since I've been using my Hypercloud X 2 after my TB died on me and I'm quite content with it.
TL;DR: Can I use wireless headphones without having to use cables going into the PSVR?
@Splat It's definitely a lot of money and you need to prioritise what's important to you first. On the plus side, while I think the launch lineup is quite large, waiting will guarantee there being more games for you to play on day one.
@naut You definitely can turn all the way around, you just need to be careful you don't block off the Move controllers for too long.
@sinalefa Definitely give it a go when you get chance.
@fluggy You're going to want native VR experiences anyway — those are the ones that will really frighten you. I haven't played it yet, but Here They Lie is looking pretty messed up.
@Mega-Gazz I'm working through all of the game reviews, so keep checking back to the site. I'll also cover your question in an editorial. My opinion is that VR makes the mundane interesting again. I really like the experience of being embedded in other worlds.
Having said that, I think the most fun games thus far are the more arcade ones like Headmaster and Superhypercube. I definitely think this tech is sticking around.
@aric201812 I've only experienced it in Scavenger's Odyssey, which is one of the demos you get with PlayStation VR Worlds. Everything else I've been fine with. It will vary per person, though!
@Boerewors No, you need to hook your headphones up with wires because the Processing Unit renders the 3D audio and it has no way of receiving a wireless signal. The Gold Headset does work (I've been using them) but you need to plug it in with the wire that comes with it.
Great review sammy. I'm one of those nut cases that dropped £100 deposit to secure a day 1 unit, but I know it'll be worth it. I enjoy gaming, but I'll be honest, I don't feel about it the way I did 10, heck even 5 years ago. It's like the article says I'm playing the same game just better, years later. This is fine, but where is that sense of excitement & adrenaline?
I'm aware that first gen PSVR is going to be far from perfect. But this is NEW. This is EXCITING. It isn't a fad it's a new way to PLAY.
Nice one, Sammy. First review I've read and it's good to highlight a few of the potential issues going forward.
Sounds like you're still enjoying the VR experience overall though which is good to hear.
Great review, and getting pretty positive ones elsewhere (part from Gamespot and Kotaku) too.
But no-one seems to have a DriveClub VR review yet. Any news @get2sammyb ?
Can't wait for next week!
@get2sammyb
Thanks!
Anyone wants to buy a Gold Headset for £45??
Thanks for the great review. I was curious to read about PS VR and worried that Sony would botch things up and go broke chasing VR hype. I'm so glad to hear it's a solid product, even if it's not for me. My gaming setups are clutter-free and designed for family/social situations. Playing on a large TV is still fine for us.
@get2sammyb
Hey Sammy great review, couple of questions first one relating to the HDR passthrough issue on the processing unit covered yesterday, I can't for the life of me work out how a splitter would work in the psvr connection diagram you have posted. Second question do you know of any advantages when it comes to psvr being hooked up to a PS4 Pro like being able to do away with the processing unit or improved game performance ect, I think there is a usb on the back of the Pro so at least thats one less bit of cable mess.
Regardless of all this can't wait to the 13th gunna be awesome!
@Fight_Teza_Fight Couldn't agree more. I'm glad I'm not the only one!
@roe Yeah, there's plenty of room for iteration and improvement, but even with the issues taken into account, this is a good product.
@Drawfull DriveClub VR reviews are under embargo until next week. Sony's allowing a double whammy of coverage. This is wave one, there's more next week.
@GamerDad66 Awesome, thanks for giving it a read.
@HeisenbergBlue It may be that a splitter won't work. I'd need to investigate more. There will be advantages for PS4 Pro but impossible to say what until I'm able to try it for myself; all of this was written using PSVR with a standard PS4.
@HeisenbergBlue brings up a good point about possible Pro advantages. I'll be looking forward to reviews, and seeing if all the launch titles run smoothly on the standard PS4 hardware, without the aid of Pro.
@get2sammyb Cheers Sammy
It's a bit of a shame that the 2.0 headset doesn't work wirelessly as I was looking to use that as well like @boerewors
I guess one more wire to spaghetti junction shouldn't be too bad
@get2sammyb Nice write up, sounds a lot like what I expected. My only worry would be that, as pointed out in the review, this is a first iteration sporting problems that should be fixed in future revisions of the device. Many may wait for the second generation of VR, but Sony aren't known for supporting their hardware that performs poorly regardless of hype (I mean, didn't this site used to be Movemodo?).
I know you've touched upon not experiencing nausea with PSVR before, but just a couple of questions about it from someone who can suffer from motion sickness in a car/boat/plane etc. Have you tried out Oculus/Vive and experienced nausea with them (especially the games that are rated as more likely to make people uncomfortable)? Have you heard of anyone who has found PSVR makes them feel sick after prolonged use? It is likely to be my biggest concern when deciding whether to pick one of these up, so it is a pretty important problem for me.
@roe There are conflicting reports. It will work wirelessly according to erm, Verge, I think - but you get only stereo audio.
Yes, it's Verge where I read that: http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/5/13167954/playstation-vr-review-ps4-psvr-virtual-reality-headset-controllers - cmd/ctrl f for 'stereo' if you don't want to read it all.
@get2sammyb Great read. It certainly sounds like an interesting prospect although I'm not personally keen on it. I hope all you guys that have it on order enjoy it very much.
@roe The headphones plug into the wire on the PSVR headset so I actually don't have a problem with that one. It's quite elegantly done.
@Dichotomy I mean, I've seen impressions on the web from people who've felt ill using it, but it's really hard to say. I'm generally quite good with stereoscopic 3D and stuff like that, so I'm probably not the best person to answer this question for you. Do you know a friend who's buying it? I ask because you're probably best extensively using someone else's to see how you cope with it.
@Drawfull Yeah, which you really don't want to do, because the 3D audio is a big part of the experience.
@crippyd Cheers for reading through!
@Boerewors no but I'll sell you the cable for £10
@get2sammyb I know someone who had it on preorder, so hoping they still get it. Only problem for me though is I couldn't call at their's and then spend the next 2 hours isolated in VR (I'd feel a bit rude doing that), instead I'll wait until I get a chance to borrow it for a night or two. Most things don't make me ill, for instance stereoscopic 3D is fine for me, I've never had a headache using the 3DS for example. I do suffer from motion sickness in moving vehicles though and wonder if that will have any effect on me.
One other weird thing that crossed my mind was, as a kid, I had some Tomytronic games and, being a kid, I never thought I was seeing them differently from other people I just thought everyone saw the two men you controlled. For whatever reason, instead of merging the left and right eye image as was supposed to happen to give a 3D effect, I saw both sides separately. I hope that isn't an issue for me with VR (I doubt it will be, but I found the memory a little funny).
Considering I had zero interest in VR when it was first announced and wouldn't of even read an article on it,the more hyped people are getting the more interest I'm taking in it and now finding myself read everything you write about it.Such a shame I can't get to try it anywhere otherwise I may or may not of been convinced to buy one.
I'll definitely be taking an interest in how the launch goes
@get2sammyb Will you be adding a PSVR segment to your PS4 Pro review. I've both on pre order and am very curious to see how the new hardware and processing power will help the VR experience.
I appreciate the technological achievement, & it looks impressive.. But am I the only one who just wants to sit with a gamepad & TV when I play games?
@chazaroonie I'm sure I'll mention it, yeah!
@FaultyDroid Haha, judging by some of what I've seen on Twitter/YouTube/Facebook today — absolutely not. I don't think there's any danger of "traditional" gaming going away, though.
Great review! Those cables are an absolute mess though, took me a while to figure it out from looking at the picture.
I don't think it's going to do bad just aint gunna do amazing, I know quite alot of people on PS4 but I don't know anyone that's getting the PSVR on launch day. Only in forum's and on media site's it seem's popular. Hope you all enjoy it but i'm leaving VR gaming until I get Scorpio, i'd only be intrested in the PSVR if the Cinema Mode was the same quality as my moniter as it's the mode I would use the most, but it isn't, so I aint getting it.
@get2sammyb Thanks the review Sammy, can you tell me about the camera FOV restrictions. My gaming set up is my PS4 and TV is on a computer desktop in the corner of a room but my chair is probably no more then metre away if that due to the nature the room layout. Do you think I would have potential problems with calibration etc?
Nice review, I'm definitely in no rush to get this but I might get it one of these days once there's a game that catches my attention with VR. I do want to try it out too.
@get2sammyb What other VR game reviews can we expect this week? Are there a lot under embargo until launch? I am specifically curious about Here They Lie, Loading Human, Rez Infinite, and Battlezone.
excellent review. it is not perfect or as high tech as rift or vive but it gets the job doen, does all the important stuff right wile being somewhat affordable.
@Octane It's far from ideal!
@xMEADx I think it's fair enough to not be sold, but you're not going to find anything wildly better on competing platforms. Microsoft's barely acknowledged VR thus far, so I'd be very surprised if they came out with something so much better that you're all of a sudden interested in what the tech has to offer.
@adf86 You should be okay if you're a metre away, just keep in mind that standing experiences that require lots of movement will demand more space.
@shonenjump86 Definitely give it a go if you get a chance. It's hard to describe the experience to be honest.
@Bluetrain7 Batman and potentially Battlezone this week. We'll be reviewing all of the games, though.
@WebHead Yeah, that's basically the product in a nutshell. Worth mentioning that PSVR does have some advantages over its more expensive competitors, too, though — screendoor effect is less pronounced, for example, and it's much more comfortable.
@Bliquid
It does say in the review that it's lightweight & theres plenty of room for glasses, so you should be fine
@FaultyDroid @Bliquid I don't personally wear glasses, but it is very roomy so I think you should be okay. It's a surprisingly comfortable bit of kit to be honest with you — stuff like this should be really horrible to wear, but it's actually great.
Great review, my worry is the peripheral vision is cut down from vive and the rift. Hopefully psvr mark 2 will have that covered. Still want one, this review has me even more convinced this will eventually be the future of gaming.
@Bliquid Eurogamer gave more details those wearing glasses, seems like it's thumbs up all round.
can I watch youtube on the PS4 through this thing?
Great review, really hope sony puts some marketing muscle into psvr or it'll became like the vita/wii u. So far i have seen no ads/billboards and that's my main concern.
@KingofSaiyanZ I'll do an article on that closer to the time. My favourite stuff so far, though, is The London Heist, Battlezone, Headmaster, and Batman.
@Neolit Thanks!
@Kamikaze_Krunch Anything you can do with the PS4 you can do with the headset on.
@N4LIFE I think they know it's going to be a sell out so they're letting word of mouth do the marketing for now.
@get2sammyb
I understand it's meant to be immersive so moving around the room is part of that but where I have my console setup with a bed infront of it theres not much room.
Can most games still be played sat infront of the console, using s controller and just turning your head to look around or do you need to be up and mobile?
@get2sammyb
When you say cinematic mode is not ideal because of lower resolution, are you saying the PSVR is sub-1080p then?
edit
I see in the article it clearly states the goggles are 1080p. But that's not lower resolution. That's the same resolution my 1080p HDTV has.
@Omnicron Yeah, you should be fine for most games.
@JaxonH Yes, but it's 1080p split across both eyes. And also, I'm guessing you don't play your TV with your eyes pressed against the screen.
@get2sammyb
Oh it's split even for movies? I get it being split for 2 images to make a VR image- that makes sense, but for a non-VR I expected it to not be split.
"I'm guessing you don't play your TV with your eyes pressed against the screen"
Of course I dont... but that still doesn't change the resolution. I understand ppi will appear less but, that's the cost of having a giant screen in front of your face
@JaxonH Well even in cinematic mode you're technically in virtual reality because you're seeing a screen in 3D space.
@get2sammyb
Ah ok. I was thinking it was straight up 2D.
But if that's the case, that might almost be worth it. As long as they don't make silhouettes of heads to mimic sitting in a theater or something lol. I know it's cinema mode but I don't think anyone wants it that literal.
Cinema mode sounds like a really interesting concept and it's something I'm looking forward to trying one day. I imagine it being a bit too gimmicky to use on a regular basis and the image quality compromise not being worth it compared to a good 1080p regular tv.
@get2sammyb how does this work with a Home Theater system, I keep hearing about the headphones but nothing about your own 5.1 home audio system. Can this not be hooked in at all?
Great review. Not for me though. I'd never trade the comfort of a comfy couch, controller in my hand and a huge nice flatscreen for sub-par pixelquality and "virtual" reality. My real reality is immersive enough, when I'm in my sparetime I wanna "chill"
@get2sammyb Excellent review mate. On the subject of cinematic mode, I'm a tad bit confused about Sony's stance on 3D movies/games being displayed in 2D. I own an abundance of HSBS 3D movies that work exactly the same as PSVR in as much as it uses an image per eye. So surely a HSBS movie would slot nicely into PSVR's set up. Or am I missing something? Don't get me wrong, this isn't a deal breaker as I am purchasing purely for VR. I just looked forward to watching my 3D films in my own private cinema
@MadAussieBloke thanks, answered my question perfectly, great review too
@hadlee73 I can only say that I haven't really had that problem much at all. Some drift on the Move controllers and very minor jitter on the headset itself, but I haven't seen anything as bad as what was in Giant Bomb's stream.
Unedited footage of Batman and Battlezone where you can see I have no real technical issues at all:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wJo9zzVuBU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ypLC0daqAU
These were done in one take, with no processing or cuts.
I am close to being on the fence with this but for now I am firmly over the 'not for me' side. I'd had a preorder but cancelled long time ago and this review is not giving me confidence that I should shell out this amount of cash for a VR experience yet. I think I'll wait for a revision by which point more games will be available that may grab my interest, not tech demos regardless of how great they may be.
@get2sammyb Scorpio is rumored to have Rift support and with the console coming out end of next year (hopefully) is why MS haven't said anything really about VR now is how i'm thinking. Let Sony bring out their underpowered PSVR and then you'll probably hear more about MS's VR closer to Scorpio Launch and if the rumor is true it'll blow PSVR outta the water. Still I really do hope PSVR is everything you want it to be, I don't WANT it to fail at all I hope it's a success I don't want anything to fail it'll just have a negative impact on gaming.
Next year around this time VR is dead. In general. Mark my words.
@xMEADx Even if MS has Rift support, the issue is still cost for many gamers. It is $600 for Rift plus the cost of Scorpio system versus $400 base model ($500 for the bundle) for PSVR for people who are most likely already PS4 owners.
Im counting down the days. We are at the cusp of a gaming evolution. I think PS VR 2 will be the real deal. With crisp HD screens and even better visuals/features.
@naut wait you can't spin around like in the gear?
I loved doing that on an office chair watching invasion etc.
Bet its because of the all those damn cables presumably.
@get2sammyb thanks for clearing that up Sammy. I'm really looking forward to it. As soon as PSVR demos appear in my city I'm gonna test YouTube and movie stuff. This could change console gaming into portableish gaming! I'll be working in another city for 2months next month and bringing my ps4 to the hotel would be ace, chill out after work instead of boring hotel TV!
@get2sammyb Thanks for the great article.
I have my PSVR on pre-order and can't wait to try it out.
As there are no notifications when in the headset, is there any way to communicate with someone who's in a VR world, other than tapping them on the shoulder and giving them a heart attack?
I was wondering, to avoid powering up the processor (and not with HDR in mind), would it work plugging an hdmi splitter into the ps4, connecting it to one hdmi port of the TV (for when you're not using VR) and connecting the other to the processor for when using VR, connecting the processor to a different hdmi port on the TV? And what specifications would the splitter need have?
Can you adjust the brightness of the PSVR display? Sometimes my eyes get very sensitive to light (getting old?), and having a display right against them might be a bit too much... ?
I was wondering one thing: does the display look detachable to, for example, upgrade the screen when a better one comes out? You say the weight is distributed by the headband, which suggests majority of the circuitry being in there, hence asking?
Republished with new information.
Mine shipped this morning for delivery tomorrow. Can't wait! I already have Batman sitting here and Playroom on the hard drive. A few more games are inbound (Rigs, Battlezone, Until Dawn, VR Worlds, going to pick up Job Simulator digital as well). Going to be a good day tomorrow!
@get2sammyb I was wondering how you managed to get 89 comments in 36 minutes.
After re-reading a lot of this, I've decided my take away from all of this is that even though I'm still not personally sold on it for $400 plus a $60 camera, as you said, 10 years ago this was science fiction. I remember 32" flat screens starting out at $10,000. The fact that this tech exists for under $1,000 now, 10 years from now a self contained headset might be $99. VR is the future, not just of gaming, but of all interaction, nobody is ever going to take these things off. Quite scary actually.
Am I right in saying there's no real killer app for PSVR at launch?
Occlus and Vive also suffer in terms of resolution and even more so when it comes to Screen door effect and latency. And they are so uncomfortable especially Occlus. And with the Vive you have to kit outo your whole room with sensors. But because this is a playstation product any flaws will be more scrutinised and the fan boys will exaggerate it to the max. There's no denying that PSVR has the most potential to go mainstream and is the best value for money. Vive and Occulus are dying wich was highlighted by poor sales. My fear is if VR fails now we will never see what it could have become.
@get2sammyb If someone were to get THREE games/experiences for PSVR at launch, what do you recommend? What would wow people not sold on VR the most? Are there any games that are super casual friendly, so I can strap the headset on a friend and laugh at them while they freak out?
@get2sammyb it might be in here somewhere but are there any experiences where you can physically walk around in the game world, even if it's just a little bit? I'm sure I read something about it for Tomb Raider but only can't remember for certain
@carlos82 Tomb Raider you can. There's a development video on Youtube which shows the boundaries appear as they're moving. A green mesh appears when you get to the limits of the camera's tracking area, but it is a very small area as you surmised.
@get2sammyb Great coverage of PSVR here. Thanks!
I am having issues with blurry images and especially text. Readjusted camera and headset several times. Cleaned the lenses. Never had a really crisp image. Any similar experience? Any tips?
Almost hope something is wrong with my particular headset and this is not how its always gonna be.
I've done a bit of EVE Gunjack and The Ocean descent thing. Colour me impressed so far!
I can't find an elegant way, when sitting to deal with the cable from the headset though.
@blourf You definitely shouldn't get blurry text. My advice is hold PS button to bring up Quick Menu, then adjust the position of the headset on your head until all of the text comes into full focus.
@get2sammyb finally could get some clear image in some demo games. But the text still isn't readable in menus. Too bad texts and the home screen are so pixelated. Guess the real deal will come in the second or third generation somewhere down the road.
@blourf Hmmm, some games do have blurry text without question, but you should be getting the Quick Menu nice and clear.
@get2sammyb Finally could fix the blurry text issue. Adjusting the eye distance setting in the menu did the trick for me. It cannot be done through the quick menu though, and I never had bothered checking the system settings / devices menu. It worked wonders! Now I finally can read the text on the screen and video descriptions. And graphic quality in games is also better. Wish they would have mentioned that in the tutorial somewhere.
Completely updated the review with new content and information.
@Timewarp87 i have cataracts in one eye, and have no problems, still immersive and sense the 3d depth
I quite literally just had this conversation with a friend... and I am a little drunk so apologies if this reads as a ramble.
I want a PSVR in the worst way; been talking about getting one for a year, but still hesitant to pull the trigger. I am afraid it will end up being a dust collector. Its one thing if its a 3DS that cost me $100, but were talking a $400 investment.
The library right now has some interesting titles (dying to try Thumper) but overall seems weak of anything that will hold my attention. And I worry about motion sickness. I am pretty tolerant in real life but hate to find out after the fact it makes me sick.
But on the other hand its been a while since I've had a new gadget...
word up s ammy
Nice one Sammy. That's a hell of a lot of content you've put into this article. I know you're a big fan of PSVR and its potential.
@WasabiPeanut Some of the great ways (if you get it) is to experience Playstation VR Worlds, Until Dawn Rush Of Blood, Rigs and Farpoint. There's also quite a few freebies on the store side that are fun too. In all honesty, I was very skeptical about it too, with the price being the main factor and if Sony would stick around it for more than a year (ending up like the Move on PS3). It's actually quite worth it. If you have a store like Rentacenter or someplace like that, where you sign a lease to rent it and pay monthly on it, that's the best way to try it...that's how I ended up getting one. That way, if you try it and don't like it, you didn't spend $400 and you just simply return it and get away without purchase price.
Back to the article, I absolutely love the VR. There are some really great games for it, and I'll always have the fond memories of falling down when playing Until Dawn Rush Of Blood. It's truly amazing at how you can look everywhere in the game, and see something at every point, instead of just blackness from nothing. Amazing at how it actually emerges you into the game world! True that the graphics in most of the games could be better, but for the first 'go-around' at VR, Sony did an excellent job! Definitely an investment that was worth it to me!!!
Just waiting for a price cut or a Black Friday bundle/deal.
Still so tempted by one of these, but it was either that or a Switch and I went for the Switch. Between that and my PS4 now I just have too many games to play to justify spending another £350 to access an expanded library I know I'll never make full use of. But I REALLY want one!
@WasabiPeanut Hey up, I would recommend searching round for somewhere that does demos or if you know anyone you could cheekily ask for a demo with to stop the issue with motion sickness.
You will get some motion sickness but what I found is that it varies from game to game and a lot of games have lots of settings to try with. You alsno need to get you VR 'legs'. Several short bursts goes a long way to overcoming it.
I personally don't liken it to a gaming machine but as something you put on for experiences. They aren't as long or as deep as a standard game but they are sufficiently different.
I'll probably get PSVR at some point when it's matured and possibly improved technically or cheaper.
In the mean time I have to make sure I don't have a go on one!
@SegaBlueSky Same, I went for a Switch also. As much as I like "different ways to play", I always want revert to a normal controller!
@get2sammyb It might be helpful replacing the 'PlayStation VR Launch Reviews Round Up' with https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/11/guide_the_best_psvr_games .
Might be more useful to new buyers?
Bought it with very excitement but sold it very soon. Yes the vr is there, Sony made it to offer us that beautiful experience. But just for short.
Unfortunately there are many things that spoil the enjoyment and immersion. From technicals ( low resolution, blurry image, black side boarders) to practicals ( heavy, getting wet, cable mess, tracking limits).
Maybe many can handle all these and get the enjoyment but as much as I love vr and would love to play these second bunch games, it's not ready for me yet.
@get2sammyb Any chance of a full list of all VR games reviewed on the site being added to this article as just the launch titles isn't much to go by.
@get2sammyb what an outstanding piece! Really great, bravo! The words you used to describe VR (the bubble surrounding you in 3D) is beautiful.
People need to try proper VR to experience it. I haven‘t met a single person who tried it and wasnt blown away in seconds.
Although I‘m already a VR veteran, I still get a kick out of new experiences and games. RE7, REZ and Superhot in VR are just completely new ways of entertainment - and the stuff of my dreams when I was a teenager!
What a great time to be there and follow the development of VR and MR.
@Furtin Thanks for reading!
@Simon_Fitzgerald Good idea, that section definitely needs revising. Leave it with me.
@get2sammyb
Is there still no way to get the new headset/processor unit other than through the Skyrim bundle?
@Kogorn733 Not right now but I imagine it will become the standard version as we move into next year.
Awesome review. Loving the improvements on the VR 2nd updated model. I'm saving £50 a month to get meself PSVR. 5 months to go! Can't wait to get in there. Wish I never sold my PS move and camera now. Hopefully a full PSVR bundle will launch in UK like the lucky Americans with the Skyrim bundle. Haha hope we can have funky designed artwork boxes like with the PS4 bundles.
Thanks for this review! Helps a ton while trying to decide whether I want to pick one of these up. Hopefully, you or anyone on here that sees this can answer a question for me.
Say that I want a VR headset, though the main reason I want it is to basically use it as a second screen (dispute resolution with the gf). Is it possible to utilize it as such without the camera? I would fully intend on expanding it to its full capabilities down the line, but for now, I just want to be able to play at the same time my gf demands to watch "This is Us."
@sw1ftbiskitz yes, you can. But I wouldnt recommend it. I also always recommend to try it for yourself before you buy it and above all in this special case!
@Furtin Thanks!
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