PSVR2 Review Three Months Later
Image: Push Square

PSVR2 launched just over three months ago at the time of writing this article. Sony's second foray into the potentially wonderful world of virtual reality, the headset itself has been praised as a great bit of kit, providing some impressive technical specs and being relatively easy to actually use — a common complaint in the current VR space.

However, now that the honeymoon period is more or less over, we wanted to take a minute to evaluate life as PSVR2 owners so far. With that goal in mind, we've gathered the Push Square editorial team for a review of sorts. You can read on to find our positives, negatives, and everything in between.

Gran Turismo 7 VR

Aaron Bayne, Video Producer - "I'm left wanting more"

I think I’m going to be in a very similar boat to my colleagues when talking about the PSVR2. It’s a technical marvel and the must-have piece of tech for VR enthusiasts. However, after ravaging my way through the massive launch line-up, I’m left wanting more. With a very sparse looking 2023 release schedule it’s hard to imagine that Sony is going to convince anyone that’s sitting on the fence to shell out for this thing, and that’s a really worrying prospect.

I will say that personally I am far more inclined to chuck on the PSVR2 for a few rounds of minigolf with a pal than I ever was with the PSVR. With the simple single cable set-up, it’s a far better user experience and feels a lot more consumer friendly as a result. Not to mention that I’m continually impressed with the Sense controllers and the tech of the headset itself, which even make playing PSVR classics on the PSVR2 a dream.

That makes the last few months incredibly frustrating because Sony has what could be a bona fide hit on its hands, but it hasn’t done anything to sell it to anyone outside of the enthusiasts. And while I would love for the passionate few like myself to keep the PSVR2 afloat, it’ll need a lot more attention if it is to have a successful future. Or any future at all.

Half Life Alyx

Liam Croft, Assistant Editor - "Almost dead in the water"

I've already voiced my thoughts on PSVR2 once before, and as a layer of dust begins to set in on the headset's packaging, I only feel more confident about what I said in March: this thing is one step away from being dead in the water. I can't remember the last time I hooked it up and played a PSVR2 game, and there's genuinely not a single title on the horizon that interests me. If I hadn't received the device for work purposes, I would have already traded this thing in.

The recent PlayStation Showcase really solidified it for me. A platform doesn't live or die based on its first-party output — the Nintendo Wii is proof of that — but boy does it help the enthusiast crowd get on board, which we are all a part of. Sony doesn't have a single game out of PlayStation Studios confirmed for PSVR2, and its only effort up until now was a slightly above-average Horizon Call of the Mountain. Sales of the headset around release might have been slightly better than expected, but I genuinely have no idea how Sony expects to sustain them. Without any announced software from bigger developers, you're relying on smaller studios and indies. They cannot support an entire platform. Half-Life: Alyx is never getting ported to PSVR2, and if Sony can't put any of its own VR games in its biggest livestream of the year, that might tell us it doesn't have any in development at all.

I really, really don't understand what Sony was thinking with PSVR2, because this thing is going absolutely nowhere.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

Sammy Barker, Editor - "Largely successful so far"

I must admit, there’s a part of me that ponders exactly what people expected from PSVR2: an avalanche of first-party software was never happening this early – if at all – as it’s not like the more viable pancake PS5 has been subject to back-to-back exclusive bangers either. Sony was always going to rely heavily on ensuring the most popular third-party and indie titles were available for its headset, and with the recent release of Beat Saber and Walkabout Mini Golf, I’d argue it’s largely been successful in that regard.

The question – and it’s a legitimate one – is whether that’s enough to cultivate an audience for an admittedly expensive accessory. I certainly think it’s going to be an enormous challenge, but I can’t say I’m particularly disappointed with the experience thus far; as my esteemed colleagues have already noted, the hardware is exceptional and the more straightforward setup makes me more likely to plug in than the previous headset.

It’s the roadmap that concerns me the most: I think PSVR2 can coast off having the best versions of multiformat releases, but it’s still going to need a few tentpole exclusive titles to truly anchor itself, and we’re yet to see any kind of commitment on the scale of Astro Bot Rescue and Blood & Truth, two releases which made the original PSVR worth owning.

Beat Saber

Stephen Tailby, Assistant Editor - "We just need more games"

To be completely honest, I kind of burned myself out on PSVR2. Without getting too inside baseball, the sheer number of launch games meant I ended up playing a lot of virtual reality games in a short span of time, and while I enjoyed all of it, I've had almost no drive to return to PSVR2 since. I've not played Horizon Call of the Mountain yet for this reason. That's not to say I dislike PSVR2 or think it's bad — quite the opposite — I've just been taking a breather from it. Actually, one game has convinced me to don the headset lately, and that's Beat Saber, which remains a real delight. I think, when the right games come along, I'll happily play PSVR2, and I'll remember that I very much enjoy virtual reality experiences.

Of course, that's what it ultimately comes down to: the games. I think most would agree that PSVR2 is technically very strong, and the PSVR2 Sense Controllers are immeasurably better than the PS Move wands, but it's the software that keeps people coming back. Sony banked on a huge launch lineup consisting of new titles and ports of old favourites, but in hindsight I think some of them should've been spread out. We had a tidal wave hit us in February, and since then it's been relatively calm waters; dispersing some of those launch games throughout 2023 would've given PSVR2 less at launch, but a better long-term push. New games are coming along slow and steady, but there's definitely a feeling among enthusiasts that the momentum has dropped, and it's hard to argue against that.

For me, I definitely still see the potential in the hardware, and, as with Beat Saber, all it takes is a great game to reel me back in. We just need more of them.

Well, we've had our say on PSVR2 so far — but we want to know your thoughts on Sony's current-gen headset as well. Be sure to vote in our poll, and then explain yourself in the comments section below.

Three months later, how would you rate PSVR2 as a whole? (1,675 votes)

  1. Excellent, no complaints8%
  2. Great, but always room for improvement27%
  3. Okay, it's been hit and miss14%
  4. Disappointing, it hasn't been good enough10%
  5. Bad, I regret buying one5%
  6. I don't own PSVR236%