PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2)

I have been tempted by VR for some years now. Years ago I looked into it for the OC but was put off by the specs needed to run the games and latterly lost a little interest due to the lack of AAA titles. I was tempted by the PS4 PSVR but never got around to getting a PS4 and once again the interest waned. After a VR day with friends, my interest was reignited. The whole experience was fantastic but the graphics on the VR day were a little disappointing and I was excited to see virtual 4K gaming via the PSVR2. First and foremost, the whole set up is straightforward. Having never dabbled in Meta Quest etc, I was a little apprehensive, and the box lay unopen for a couple of days as I convinced myself I'd need a full day to familiarise myself with the equipment. I needn't have worried. There's not much in the box. The headset itself and the two lightweight controllers, plus a USB C cable to charge the controllers, one at a time. There's also earphones and 3 pairs of sizes to fit all earholes. The one thing to note is the controllers came uncharged, and needed charging before setup could proceed. So if you're planning on getting this as a gift for someone who is impatient, bare this in mind. Once charged, set up was a doddle. Each stage from putting the headset on, to mapping to your eyes and mapping out your room is done with short animations. The buttons on your headset are shown in front of you if you're worried where to press on your head, and then you're away. One thing you may have read about is the "sweet spot" of the headset. Unlike my virtual reality day, the tilt of the headset is critical as even a degree or two up or down will result in a slightly blurred image. At first I thought this was the resolution, but it's simply fixed by tilting up or down and then tightening the headset. I've got Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and Gran Turismo and I'm blown away. The visual fidelity is unreal and I will review those games separately. It's hard to believe you have 360 degree reality around you with a home set up. Of course the whole hardware costs are £1000 so you need to ask yourself how much into gaming you are. For me as a casual gamer I have no regrets. So far i'm asking myself whether to invest another £200 into a steering wheel and pedals, and this is from someone who has previously had no interest in driving games. So far the catalogue is pretty sparse, to my mind. I'm looking forward to The Walking Dead and the VR version of Resident Evil 4, which alone may make it all worthwhile. As a virgin at all this, I'm very impressed so far and I think a steering wheel and Gran Turismo alone would make me feel like a I have full simulator at home.

Fantastic. Super fun and a great purchase for the ensuing winter nights. Amazingly entertaining. Don't wear for too long though. Definitely causes Nausea. Special on high motion games.

Not had the PSVR2 for long, but I can say it’s definitely better than its predecessor. Some of the games are visually ming blowing, Kayak VR Mirage & Red Matter 2 are two games that are absolute stand outs in terms of visuals. I am still to try Resident Evil, GT7 and Horizon, but have heard these are also very good. There are currently just over 200 games that support the PSVR2, so there are plenty of games to pick from. The set up is nice and easy, just one cable feeding into the PS5, and once the controllers are set up, you’re good to go. Eye tracking is great, your surroundings are blurred out and it focuses solely on what you’re looking at directly, which I think is a good feature, as the image sharpens, making what you’re looking at, pop. The rumbles you get in the headset and in the controllers are a great feature, definitely adds to the immersion. The controllers are a lot better than the move controllers, these are a huge upgrade. The headset itself isn’t comfortable, I might need to mess around with the settings more to fit my face better, but currently I am struggling to keep it on for more than 20 mins. The only major drawback is the lack of video apps, as this would make the machine complete. I feel like Sony is missing a trick on this one. Their focus is lacking on the PSVR2, they need to put more effort into the software, as the hardware is fantastic. If you’re new to VR games or a big VR gamer, go for it and buy, you won’t be disappointed. If you want it for video content, DO NOT buy, there is not one app that supports video content, and from the looks of things, there won’t be one, certainly not in the near future, which is incredibly disappointing. Just to add, there is also no VR feature within the YouTube app on the PS5. Overall - fantastic, the price reduction was the deciding factor for me and if you want a high end VR gaming experience without an expensive PC gaming rig, this is the one for you.

The PSVR 2 is a massive step up from the previous model. The screen is incredible. Sharp and vibrant, it really makes games pop out with the bigger titles like Horrizon looking stunningly beautiful. Everything is as responsive as you'd like and with it's really simple USB-C connection, there's no jumper box to mess around with. It's very much "plug and play" once it's set up. It's worth spending the time to set up properly too as the eye tracking is an impressive feature and works better than I ecpected. I wear glasses and even with those (I can't see VR without them), the tracking still works as intended. My only real gripe is a lack of games and what there is is all very samey, but that's to be expected. The real let down is the lack of backwards compatability with the original PSVR games. I get that they use different controlers, but I'm sure that could be easily fixed. The few games that have been reworked for PSVR 2 usually require and "upgrade" fee, which I think is a bit cheaky to be honest.

Honestly, don’t bother. First unit. Dead pixels on arrival. Amazon refused to replace on day of arrival, Only offered a refund even though it was a Black Friday deal and I was told 14 days for refund. Sent back same day and bought another from a local store. Guess what!…….. 3 dead pixels on starting the vr up. Looked into it more on forums and it appears to be a massive problem. QC controls seem to be low with these OLED headsets and Sony feel it’s normal to allow dead pixels out the door. I get you may get one with the amount on the screen. But when it’s out the box and ruins the game with dark screens as all you can see is green or white dots it’s a game killer. Honestly don’t waste your money on these until Sony sort their QC out. No wonder they are going out the door so cheap now. Second one will be going back today and I won’t be bothering with another. Also the amount of VR games available isn’t brilliant. Just not worth the expense! If you do still want one. Do not buy from Amazon! You won’t get a replacement just the faff of waiting for a refund. It’s not like normal items, it has to be inspected first before the refund is issued. Sony! Sort it out! Not acceptable at all!

I loved this thing, honestly, the idea, the design, the whole experience is brilliant. It feels smooth, easy to use, and genuinely next-level. But wow… the motion sickness hit me like a truck. I wanted to enjoy it so badly, but the nausea made it impossible to play for more than a few minutes. It broke my heart to return it, because the product itself is fantastic. If you’re someone who doesn’t get motion sickness, this headset will absolutely shine for you. It just wasn’t meant for me.

I came to this in a panic when I heard about the Reverb G2 losing support in W1124H2. I could have spent 900 on a Pimax but didn't feel it was worth the money, being so clunky and having poor audio as stock. So I bought the PSVR2 as a stop gap solution to tide me over until the next generation of headsets provide a decent upgrade. I play seated sims (DCS World) and comfort during extended play times is important to me. Also, I want to either have excellent audio built in or the freedom to supply my own solution. I don't want to pay for a half solution. So, the PSVR2... Initially I was blown away by the brightness and colour range. Then I noticed the increased field of view and bigger central focus area. I wasn't amazed by the clarity, but with some careful positioning of the headset, it improves. I never did full back to back testing but my requirements are that I need to be able to read all the instruments and cockpit labels in the F14 (with the ridiculously worn/faded stock textures) and I can definitely do that. Comfort was good, but I did decide to go with the Globular Cluster comfort pack which moves this thing to another level. With that upgrade, this is just wonderfully comfortable and I have no pressure points or comfort issues even after 3-4 hour sessions. Audio - I never bothered with the in-ear headphones supplied and went immediately for some clip on headphones which work really well. Overall the cables get a bit untidy but once it's on your head it doesn't matter. Controllers - no basestations required! The hand tracking is perfect when I use it for the occasional session of Beat Saber or HL Alyx. This is definitely a step up from the G2 v1 I had. Headtracking is also improved, I was having some issues with the G2 in my room, but the PSVR2 copes really well and doesn't drift. Is this the ulimate HMD? No, but all it needs for me is an increase in resolution. If SteamVR were to support the eye tracking, Haptic feedback and Triggers that this headset is capable of on the PS5 it would be amazing but you don't miss what you never had. So... I recommend this as a reasonably priced and excellently made HMD for all Steam VR Enthusiasts.,

PSVR2 was my first experience of be, and I’m hooked. I’ve been playing Arizona Sunshine 2 and GT7 for 1 to 2 hours almost every day for the last 6 weeks. The “sweet spot” can be tricky, but doesn’t really detract, you just need to calibrate it properly, then make sure the headset is position is so nothing in direct line of sight looks blurry. The OLED/HDR experience has been great, it feels like being in the sunshine when it’s sunny in a game! The image itself isn’t a 4K pin sharp experience, it’s more like looking at an old CRT screen where you can see the separation of the pixels. None of that has outweighed the fun I’ve had with it though. The sense controllers are phenomenal. In Arizona Sunshine 2 (there’s a remake of the original coming 17/10/2024 btw), I can reload in around a second, eject the old magazine by pressing a button on the controller, inset the new one, then press another button to chamber the first round. I’ve actually accidentally knocked the ejecting mag back into the gun while trying to insert the new one! That’s good physics! I can also pull the gun from resetting on my lap, to making a head shot with no problem at all. They’re so accurate. It’s really weird seeing your in game hands move as you turn the controller! The battery life isn’t huge, maybe a couple of hours, but they charge up in about an hour. I’ve got an astigmatism in one eye, so it’s a tiny bit blurry. You can wear glasses under it, but make sure you set the distance of the headset, otherwise the glasses can rub on the lenses and scratch them. Make sure you don’t tighten the strap too much, just let it rest on your head like a hat. I’m playing 100% sitting in a fairly small room on an office chair and haven’t had any issues. It maps the room so you can see when your hands are going “out of bounds” and you might risk punching something. I have hit a wall a couple of time and wrapped the cable around the chair once. It’s just a learning thing, I haven’t done it in a couple of weeks. I haven’t had motion sickness at all, but playing GT7 with older cars with body roll, was a bit of “Whoa!” Experience. It’s almost completely gone after a couple of sessions. I got them for around £480 after the original price drop and haven’t regretted it for a second. I was worried it would turn into a white elephant, but the only reason I usually stop is when my shoulders get tired from too much Zombie shooting😂. Thankfully GT7 you can just play with a controller or wheel (the PlayStation store tells you what game modes are available btw, whether you can play seating, and whether you need to use the sense controllers) All in all, I’m really pleased I took the plunge. Hey, just my experience.