Sony’s PlayStation VR2 whitethorn not beryllium coming retired until adjacent year, but aft months of drip-feeding news, the institution yet fto property spell eyes and hands-on with the VR headset. Even aft conscionable a small spot of clip with the device, it seems similar the caller headset volition beryllium a large upgrade from the archetypal PSVR successful astir each way.

Let’s commencement with the hardware, which we already cognize a batch about. For 1 thing, it has a overmuch much modern look that intimately matches the PS5’s plan language, and you’ll lone request to plug it into your PS5 with 1 USB-C cable. The headset itself has an OLED screen, offers a 110-degree tract of presumption and 4K HDR, and supports framework rates of 90Hz and 120Hz for smoother gameplay. Unlike its predecessor, you won’t request to acceptable up outer cameras to travel your movements; instead, the headset has 4 cameras built into the beforehand of the display. The caller orb-shaped PSVR2 Sense controllers see adaptive triggers and haptic feedback (like the DualSense) and tin besides observe digit touches. 

But what does it consciousness similar to really play games connected the PSVR2, with each of its caller bells and whistles? The existent PSVR2 hardware was a joyousness to use. Like astir modern VR headsets, it lets you set the caput strap to marque definite everything rests comfortably connected your noggin, and you tin tweak the inter-pupillary region (IPD) truthful that the existent lenses wrong the headset are the close region for you. The screens looked great, though things sometimes felt conscionable a small spot hazy astatine the edges, which could besides hap with the archetypal PSVR.

Sony’s caller Sense controllers were a marked improvement. The archetypal PSVR relied connected Sony’s Move controllers — which, you mightiness remember, looked similar funky wands with glowing balls connected the extremity — and they had a fewer issues. The archetypal PSVR setup sometimes had occupation tracking the glowy balls, which could ruin the immersive acquisition of VR, and the archetypal mentation of the Move controller utilized a Mini USB larboard for charging. Sony thankfully fixed that past ailment by switching to Micro USB (so possibly it wasn’t a immense upgrade). 

The Sense controllers, connected the different manus (pun intended), look similar they’ll beryllium acold better. The haptics were excellent, which whitethorn not beryllium excessively astonishing if you’ve felt Sony’s fantabulous haptics successful the DualSense. The interaction detection was a truly useful mode to interact with VR worlds. Sure, you tin prime up weapons, but it besides allows you to flex your fingers and interact with objects successful a much earthy way. It wasn’t perfect, nor was it disposable successful each crippled we tried, but erstwhile it worked, it added an other furniture of immersion.

The PSVR2’s single-cable setup was overmuch appreciated. The archetypal PSVR required an other container and a bevy of cables to work, truthful conscionable plugging 1 cablegram straight into a PS5 is simply a mode little analyzable solution. (Though it’s not arsenic bully arsenic a afloat standalone no-wires headset similar the Meta Quest series.) And usually, VR games necessitate you to instrumentality a interruption each present and past truthful you don’t make a pounding migraine. But that wasn’t arsenic overmuch of an contented with the PSVR 2. You tin spell for a decent chunk of clip without feeling the strain.

Horizon Call of the Mountain was the astir technically precocious — astir apt due to the fact that it was built from the crushed up for the PSVR2. The consciousness of standard successful the crippled is amazing, and watching a gigantic mechanical dino locomotion straight overhead felt similar visiting a post-apocalyptic Jurassic Park. Rock climbing was besides incredibly fun, provided you resisted the impulse to look down astatine the chasms below. The caller Sense controllers vibrate erstwhile you interaction objects, truthful it added an other furniture of physicality erstwhile you gully your bow and sprout an arrow. We were besides immensely impressed astatine however overmuch thought went into gathering an interactive world. Can you just… interruption plates and flip boxes disconnected a cliff? Yup! Can you prime up a hammer and bang a gong, adjacent though there’s nary crippled crushed to bash so? Also yes! 

The different games were fun, too. Resident Evil Village had a spooky vibe, and it’s legitimately terrifying erstwhile the undead get each up successful your face. (Poor Ethan Winters, helium truly does spell done it.) Meanwhile, you tin get originative successful precisely how you whack walkers successful The Walking Dead: Saint & Sinners Chapter 2. Sure, mowing done them with chainsaws is fun, but we highly urge making zombie shish-kebabs with a katana.

One happening we don’t cognize yet? The cost; Sony didn’t stock that arsenic portion of the hands-on event. But with Meta’s caller high-end Quest headset connected the skyline (of which a prototype leaked this weekend) and Apple’s long-rumored “Reality” headset seemingly adjacent to launching, hopefully, Sony prices the PSVR2 headset competitively (maybe astir $400?) to promote PlayStation gamers to prime 1 up.

We can’t hold to acquisition Sony’s caller instrumentality connected VR erstwhile again. The “early 2023” merchandise window makes it look similar we won’t person to hold excessively agelong into adjacent twelvemonth to yet play much — and we’re crossing our fingers that buying the hardware won’t interruption the bank.