I got PSVR1 on release day and I played several VR games over its lifespan. Many games released for the PSVR1 were very gimmicky, but there were also games that were a real experience that wouldn’t have been the same without VR.
Not it is time for the successor PlayStation VR 2 and I’ve gotten one again on the release day. I’ve unpacked it, set it up and played a couple of demos and I’d like to share my experience with you.
The Headset
First of all the headset it so much easier to setup compared to its predecessor. The PSVR1 had an external processing unit that you connected to your PS4 and it required so many cables. I still set it up for my son to play at times and it takes me about 15 minutes to setup. PSVR2 is one cable that you connect to PS5 and that’s it. It is very unintrusive and I haven’t really thought about the cable during play.
The headset it very light and it fits quite comfortably. Much more so compare to the previous one. They have thought about how to fit the sound, so the sound cable is now integrated in the headset and not another cable hanging loose from it.
The most irritating thing about the PSVR1 was the camera. You needed to have an external camera pointed at you at all times and if it couldn’t see you then you couldn’t play. This camera was very sensitive to bad lighting conditions, like direct sunlight and it was frankly a pain to get VR working at times.
PlayStation VR 2 doesn’t need an external camera. Instead it has 4 cameras integrated on the outside of the headset which both is used for positioning, but also lets you see through the VR headset which is a godsend. You press a button and at once you can see what’s going on around you, and easily find the controllers which was a pain with PSVR1.
Setting up the headset, the improvement of quality is very noticeable. Where the PSVR1 was tricky to get a sharp picture, the PSVR2 is sharp almost immediately. The PSVR1 was always quite fuzzy in the image and always in the corners, the PSVR2 is mostly sharp all over the image.
After setting it up I actually had to put it down because I didn’t have any games downloaded. So it took a couple of days until I got time to try it out again. Here are some of the games/demos that I tried out.
Cosmonius High
You get dropped into a classroom looking like the Swedish children’s cartoon Babblarna where you are going to perform a couple of science experiments. This game feels very much like a demo of what the VR headset can do, and not so much like a game.
It felt really awkward as you are required to do things with your hands (which are the controllers) and I had trouble getting the viewpoint and play area right.
Not a fun experience, but I think it was good enough for struggling with the new headset and controls. It didn’t ruin anything for me as I was unused to this new gear.
Song in the Smoke
This seems to be an older VR game that has been updated for PlayStation VR 2. You are a caveman in a prehistoric jungle. You learn to make weapons by combining things, make up a fire and hunt some birds. The graphics are quite basic and the movement is awkward. I didn’t play this demo until the end because I didn’t like it. Felt much more like a technical showcase than a real game.
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
This was cool. You get dropped into a Star Wars bar where you get to meet some characters and you get a mission to go out and collect … something. First of all, I had trouble understanding what to do in this game. I walked around the bar aimlessly for about 15 minutes before I figured out how to exit.
Once you get out in the “real world” the game looks gorgeous and it doesn’t take long until you can shoot some clones. This was fun! It really show off how much better PlayStation VR 2 is for shooting games compared to the previous iteration.
The demo was quite short, but I had a fun time with it. I don’t think I’ll get the full game.
Resident Evil Village
This demo was setup in two parts. First you learn the controls. Move around, and you go to a shooting range where you get to practice shooting, loading, reloading and such. I think the game leans too much on the VR gimmicky parts, where you are picking up clips and pushing them into the rifle and such. It is not fun, but then it offers an “automatic reload” and all is fine.
Once the game comes out of the tutorial it looks gorgeous and is super spooky. I played most of the demo but had to turn it off because it freaked me out too much. Five stars, will never play again.
Puzzeling Places
This is a puzzle game where you solve 3D puzzles. You get an object that is split into 25 different pieces and in VR you pick up the pieces and put them together. This reminds me a lot of Tumble VR for PSVR1.
It works well and feels really rewarding when you manage to fit two pieces together. The demo contained two puzzles, but I could really imagine getting the full game and work through them all. It was very relaxing and I do enjoy a brain teaser.
My next VR game will be Horizon: Call of the Mountain, but that will be a full review once I’m finished. I’m also planning on getting the Tetris Effect PSVR2 upgrade.
Replay 