In the last few years, several companies have released virtual reality products to capitalize on a market that is only going to continually grow these last few years. Being able to feel as though you have stepped into a different world is a whole new level of emersion when it comes to video games. That’s why so many people were excited a while back when Sony, a long time leader in the video game world, was preparing to launch the Sony Playstation VR. Now that it has been out long enough to give it a test, here are my thoughts on how it performs.
The Future Out Of The Box
For most people considering the Sony Playstation VR, this is going to be the first true experience with virtual reality. I personally have tried and owned a few different headsets, but I understand that is not a luxury most people have. The initial setup was easy, like any other setup with a new Playstation game.
After the initial setup, I was very pleased with the way the headset felt and how easy it was to adjust. Sometimes I am wearing glasses, and sometimes I’m not. It was easy to adjust and the headset never felt heavy to me.
Calibrating is a little tricky at first, but don’t worry, that’s pretty normal. Everything else is pretty plug and play. It is a nice touch from Playstation to include a variety of virtual reality demos, games and videos to try and get familiar with how things work. It is like an introductory course to this whole new world.
Performance: 8/10
The goal for any virtual reality headset is to convince the user that they are completely immersed in a video game. They do this by producing two images at the same time, sending them to a headset that is only a few feet away. Playstation VR does all this with the Playstation 4 built-in GPU.
Playstation keeps the cost down thanks partly to the fact that they only use a single Playstation Camera for tracking. After using Playstation VR for a while now, it actually does a great job by itself. Is it the best out there? No, but it does track nine different points of light on the headset, in addition to the Move controllers in a person’s hands.
It’s a single camera, and most novice VR users are going to have trouble at first always being in the right place for the camera to properly track everything. That was probably one of the more annoying things with Playstation VR. Maybe I was a little too excited at times, but the camera lost track of the controllers quite a bit.
The single camera is also a bit restricting because walking around and wandering is difficult to track. With another camera, it would be easier to take more than a few steps in an area before getting warnings that you are too far away from the camera.
One tip that worked for me with the camera is to set it up so that as much of the room I was in was covered. This allowed the most amount of moving and flexibility in general. Nothing ruins virtual reality more than constantly having to recalibrate or move within a restricted area on a consistent basis.
Playstation VR works best when you stay in one position, or perhaps two at most. That means if I was sitting down, it worked best if I stayed seated. If I was standing up in the beginning, it could handle me standing up the entire time. I do recommend that all first-time players begin play sitting down if possible, just because there is a chance of motion sickness or a loss of awareness. Games, in general, are more enjoyable standing up, but it is better to be safe than sorry the first time around.
Despite the camera issues, once I realized the limitations, it wasn’t that big of a deal. All the games I played worked well, and they were immersive in their own ways. Virtual reality, in some capacity, has been around for quite some time, but this was the first truly affordable video game option I’ve tried that actually felt like how it was meant to. This is certainly not the virtual reality that was pushed at one point in the 1990s to be something that could really change the world.
Visuals: 8/10
Visuals are only going to be so good on one of the cheapest virtual reality devices on the market in its class. Sony definitely had to cut a few corners to make sure performance was strong, but for a first generation product, this is a great start. No matter what game you end up playing, chances are you will see some weird visuals from time to time, but it does not take away from the immersion too much. Jagged edges in particular will show up, but fortunately not enough to be too distracting.
Some people have complained about the visuals making them a bit nauseous, but I personally have not had that issue. The lack of super sharp visuals might play into that some, but there are just going to be some people who don’t feel well when first getting into virtual reality. If that is the case for you, take it off and gradually work your way into using. The same goes for anyone who owns the headset and has friends over. If someone scares easily or is jumpy overall, maybe playing a game for an extended period of time right away is not the best idea.
The screens on the Sony Playstation VR headsets have great contrast, thanks to the AMOLED screens used. These screens allow for true black levels and helps to really make certain scenes stand out. I was very impressed with the contrast in all the games I tried.
Visuals will also come down to how well the particular game is put together. Some of the initial offering that were optimized for Sony Playstation VR look somewhat outdated compared to new releases. It is just something to keep in mind when really trying to get the most out of the new toy.
Movement Tracking: 8/10
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of space I was able to move around in using the Sony Playstation VR. The camera tracks very well, and if you do fall out of the picture, it is easy to jump right back in by simply pressing the options button. The camera does seem to be a bit sensitive, so make sure it is placed somewhere securely, because even a little bump can throw everything off. It just takes a little bit of playing around to find the perfect amount of space and that sweet spot, but overall it’s a positive experience.
If Sony could just eliminate a few more wires this would really be a great experience. I understand that removing some of the wires would present new problems like a higher overall price and latency issues, but it does make moving around a little restricting. I felt that could also help with immersion.
Considering the limitations, Sony does movement tracking well. More cameras and less wires would make this a perfect setup, but probably a costly one as well. My guess is one if not both issues are addressed whenever the next version is released.
Pricing: 10/10
To cut right to it: there is not a better value out right now for virtual reality than the Sony Playstation VR. This is especially true if you already own a Playstation 4, but even if you don’t, that is pretty inexpensive as well. I was actually pretty shocked that the headset alone is going for just over $200.
New technology is always going to be on the pricy side, and VR just has not been out for long enough to see prices dip too much. There were fears that Sony was going to price the Playstation VR out of a lot of people’s price range when it first launched, but that is not the case. A person can get their first taste of virtual reality at a high level without really having to spend all that much. Not only are some of the other higher end VR headsets, like the Oculus Rift for example, cost more, but they also only run well on pricier, high end computers. Playstation 4 has been out for a while now, so getting a system new or even on the secondary market is not hard at all.
For this reason, the Playstation VR just makes sense in a lot of ways. Most people who play games on PC regularly tend to take video gaming pretty seriously. That means they either already own a VR headset, or they are not really that interested at this moment. Playstation hopes to catch the attention of serious gamers for sure, but the low cost of entry allows casual gamers to get a taste of this new type of gaming.
Another positive for long time owners of the Playstation 4 is that, the price can be reduced if you own the Playstation Camera or Move Motion controllers already. These are peripherals that are needed for the full experience, There are a number of bundles for people to consider if they don’t own anything yet, but that is the cheapest option if the only thing to purchase is the headset.
More savings is there if a person wants to purchase a bundle. Some of the most popular bundles currently available include the Sony Playstation VR Borderlands 2 and Beat Saber Bundle, Sony Playstation VR Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Moss Bundle, and Playstation VR: Creed: Ride To Glory and Superhot Bundle.
Game Selection: 8/10 (and rising)
It’s crazy to think that Sony Playstation VR first launched in 2016, but really, 2018 has been the year it has really taken off as a major player. A big reason why? The game library has grown, and developers know what all it is capable of. That means that the library is growing and growing, and with more options and competition, the games are getting better.
Things always develop slowly with new tech in the gaming world. When the Playstation 4 first launched, too many games were just similar to Playstation 3 releases because developers just did not have the time to fully utilize everything. After about two years, the game library was there to justify making the jump. This same type of time table has been the case for Playstation VR. At first, it was somewhat of a gimmick, because there were a handful of games that actually mattered that were out. Now? Sony Playstation VR is worth it.
Batman: Arkham VR, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Doom VFR and even The Playroom VR are just a sampling of some of the best games out there for the platform right now. A good place to start for a lot of people is The Playroom VR, because there are a total of six games to compete in. It’s fun for either a single player, or as a family, although just one person at a time will have the headset on (up to three others can play using traditional controllers.
There has been some video game technology that has had promising starts, only to fizzle out. Think about Playstation Move on the PS3. So many big name companies are behind virtual reality that Playstation VR is only going to get more and more releases as time goes on. Sony understands that there is a lot of future money to be made in virtual reality, so of course they are going to pour resources into it.
Playstation vs. The Competition: 9/10
Any person who knows a PC gamer knows that those gamers are quick to point out how much better their games look and perform compared to Playstation or Xbox. The same is true for virtual reality. Let’s get this out of the way for anyone who might not know: PC virtual reality can be much better. However, it comes at a price, which is where Playstation seems to be stepping in.
Firs timers with virtual reality don’t need to drop potentially over a thousand dollars just to get a taste of it. Those are for the really serious gamers who already know how much they enjoy this way of playing games.
The HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are just two high-priced headsets that need a solid gaming PC to run smoothly. Oculus has lowered the price on their unit a bit to close the gap, but a Playstation 4 is more affordable than a good PC. Sony and the Playstation VR stands up to the competition well, as long as consumers know that they can’t get the superior tracking and highest quality visuals in such an affordable package.
Things I Don’t Like
There is a lot to like about the Sony Playstation VR. With that being said, it’s not perfection. While these are all legitimate gripes, they are not huge problems. There are bound to be some issues, especially when comparing this to much more expensive options.
The first issue is that light comes in a little too easily. It is something that most will only notice if they have used a higher end headset. It does help to adjust the headset as much as possible to have the best fit, but even then, the lighting from outside the headset is noticeable.
Motion controller tracking could be better, as I mentioned a bit above. There are certain limitations with Sony Playstation VR and they do what they can trying to get through it, but I would like it to be a bit better. They also offer the ability to use a standard controller if a person wishes, which is a nice touch, but the motion controller is really the only way to experience the entire setup.
Finally, a bit of a nuisance is that you can feel like you are spending a little bit here and there for all the accessories to go with the Sony Playstation VR. I wish it was a more complete package at times, but it always seems like I need to buy another accessory, another charger or some other small thing. It is still overall a cheap option, but try to buy a complete package if possible upfront.
Final Thoughts: A Great Introduction To Virtual Reality
This is the future, and many companies are heavily invested into virtual reality. The Sony Playstation VR has been out for a while now, and in many ways, that makes it the perfect time to buy. It is not hard to find in stores or online right now, the game library is strong and we are still a ways away from a new version to be released. To get into virtual reality, I really can’t think of a better way to go.
No one knows what rumors to believe at this point, but many feel as though the first big update to Sony Playstation VR will not come until the Playstation 5 becomes a reality. There has been no formal announcement of any kind for either product. There should be no fear in buying now.
To shop the Sony Playstation VR and all current bundles available, click here.
Born and raised in Chicago. Former high school teacher who became sick of getting summers off so I took on a 12-month a year job.