Sensory fun
The PlayStation 5 is becoming a drool-worth piece of tech even after two years after its launch. However, only now Sony has managed to meet restock expectations. It’s still measly available over the counter but life’s slightly easier than two years ago if you want to purchase a PS5.
However, this is not about the PS5 but the PS VR2. The virtual reality gaming headset for PlayStation 5 users. We’ve got fresh new information before the anticipated launch of the headset. Let’s head on…
Strictly speaking the new VR headset from Sony PlayStation is looking like a colossal upgrade over the PS VR. Firstly, it has haptics built into the headset and not just the controllers. That means you’ll sense an itsy-bitsy vibration on your noggin every time a bullet or an arrow whizzes past you or you take damage and your character is huffing and puffing for dear life.
Secondly, there’s eye-tracking and foveated rendering in the PS VR2. According to PlayStation, eye-tracking will let you interact with objects just by looking at them. Depending on the developer, this feature might add another layer of sensory interaction. However, we’re more interested in how the foveated rendering will affect our gaming experience. Thanks to eye-tracking, developers can change the rendering resolution of things in the line of sight thereby reducing the burden on the hardware to produce quality graphics.
At 560g, the PS VR2 is lighter than the previous PS VR headset but packs in more tech. The Inside Out cameras on the PS VR2 mean you don’t need an external camera to track your movements. It uses all sorts of sensors and cameras within the headset to track your position. The PS VR2 will also let you see your surroundings in real-time thanks to those cameras embedded in the PS VR2 and there’s a dedicated button for the See-Through View feature.
The See-Through View feature also lets you customise the size of your play area. However, you can also play the games in three different VR play styles. Roomscale allows for more movement and needs a minimum play area of 2m × 2m (6 ft 7 in × 6 ft 7 in) in the room. In this play style, you can go about moving and flailing your arms. Sitting is for exactly how it sounds and requires a minimum play area of 1m × 1m (3ft 4in × 3ft 4in) so that you can move your arms freely. The third is the Standing play style which needs a minimum play area of 1m × 1m (3ft 4in × 3ft 4in).
The PS VR2 is not completely cord-free. You get a single 4.5m (14.7ft) USB Type-C cable that connects directly to the PS5. It’s a pretty long cable so you don’t have multiple cables hanging from your head like the Predator. The headset also has in-built microphones for chat and a headphone jack.
The PS VR2 also supports Tempest 3D audio but you cannot use the TV speakers or your home theatre for audio while the headset is connected. It’s a shame because Sony’s own HT-A9 and HT-A5000 speakers are truly good for 360 audio immersion with PlayStation games.
Yes, folks sitting around you can easily watch the games you’re playing on the telly but the telly doesn’t need to be turned on to use the PS VR2. After the initial set-up, you can just use the PS5 with the PS VR2 and not have the telly on at any time. You can also play PS5 games with just the PS VR2 and also watch movies in Cinematic mode. The Cinematic mode is like a virtual theatre that lets you play non-VR games or watch movies at 1920x1080 HDR with 24, 60 or 120Hz refresh rates. However, you can’t output the same content on your telly while in Cinematic mode.
There’s also Finger Touch Detection which means the PS VR2 Sense controller can detect the exact location of your fingers for some natural hand gesture controls.
Can you adjust the headset? Can you adjust the viewfinder/scope area between your eyes and the lens? Can you wear glasses inside the headset? Are there vents to minimise lens fogging? Does the headset have tiny PlayStation logos like the PS5 Dual Sense controller? The answer to all these questions is a big fat yes!
Is there couch multiplayer? Can a buddy come over with their PS VR2 headset and play multiplayer offline? Can you play PS VR games on PS VR2? Can you buy the PS VR2 Sense controller separately? The answer to all these questions is a big fat no!
