PlayStation VR2, we tested the new PS5 headset at TGS 2022

Developing PlayStation VR was not difficult. The first virtual reality title to launch on PlayStation 4 was a huge success, with sales of over five million copies. Still, the PSVR has always been a peripheral since its launch, with legacy hardware, conservative specs, and requiring a set of cables, boxes, and external cameras to operate. The icing on the cake is the use of PlayStation Move instead of specially designed controllers – now deprecated.

After that Tokyo Game Show tried out PlayStation VR2 in 2022It seems clear that Sony’s intention this time around is to offer more advanced hardware with some solutions that can only be adopted by others. PlayStation 5 headsetbut also from all future commercial headsets.

Before continuing, a clarification is needed: Unlike the press event held in the United States a few days ago, which was dedicated solely to the American press, at TGS 2022, PlayStation VR2, along with the Resident Evil Village VR demo, was only playable at the Capcom booth. . It’s certainly an intense test, but useful for getting an idea of ​​the gaming experience with the new Sony viewer.

audience

Rather than adopting a radical design change, PlayStation VR2 offers a familiar look to anyone who’s worn the old version of Sony’s peripheral at least once. Headphones are extremely light and the fit and adjustment of the head is almost the same as on the first PSVR. Good news for glasses wearers, then, because – despite the bulky frame – what we wore easily entered the audience without snagging during use, as in Meta Quest 2 or even the previous PSVR model. .

impressive breakthrough for OLED display which one now comes to one resolution of 2000×2040 pixels per eye (compared to PlayStation VR 960×1080). Several times in the Resident Evil Village VR demo, we found ourselves in the middle of the corridors of Dimitrescu castle, admiring the details of the paintings, armor and furniture hanging on the walls. If with the first PSVR you could almost count the pixels of the screen, now the image is sharp, clear and with excellent contrast between dark areas and outdoors.

It’s too bad the outside light keeps filtering in, especially near the cheeks and nose: it’s true that the image isn’t so noticeably dirty, we didn’t notice any annoying reflections, and we tried a helmet for VR in the middle of a video game fair which is different from doing it in the living room all the time.

We are not yet at the point where we feel completely surrounded by a virtual environment, and this is also Field of viewDespite increasing it to 110° (compared to 100° on the previous model), it’s still not enough to hide the dark bezel at the ends of the screen.

Tactile vibrations and sensations

One of the characteristic elements of PlayStation VR2 is, in both the controllers and the viewer, tactile vibration sensors Similar to the ones found in DualSense. While we were initially skeptical about the true usefulness of these vibes, the few moments we spent with the Resident Evil Village VR demo gave us a taste of its true potential. When Ethan’s hand is traumatized after meeting Lady Dimitrescu, the left controller vibrates slightly, simulating a slight tingling and sudden twitching. Similarly, at one point in the demo, Ethan’s head is surrounded by a swarm of insects, and the slight shaking of his head helped make the scene more believable (and unpleasant).

But not everything was equally believable: the helmet began to vibrate persistently as we found ourselves being dragged upside down, dragging our feet through the corridors of the castle, but in this case it seemed more of a distraction than an added value. queue up.

It’s still the first time we’re seeing this kind of feedback in a headset, and so it will be interesting to learn how developers learn to apply these haptic vibrations in games designed immediately for PlayStation VR2.

too bad for its existence cable Connecting PSVR2 to console. Don’t get me wrong, moving from PlayStation VR hell to using a thinner cable is definitely an important step forward, but those who are used to the freedom of movement Meta Quest 2 offers will know what it’s like to play without a cable. constantly hanging from our shoulders or wrapping around us and getting between our feet at the most inopportune moments of the match.

Installation and cameras

A button at the bottom of the viewer lets you activate the screen. pass mode: Much like in Meta Quest, the cameras outside the headset are used to have a black and white view of the surrounding environment. It proved quite useful at the show, especially for spotting the controllers at the front desk or communicating with the attendant at the booth by looking them in the eye… more or less.

The same cameras are also used to more precisely monitor movements in space. The old PlayStation VR relied on a single front-facing camera, and as such, it often tended to overlook the position of the headset or PlayStation Move. Now in theory you can crouch or have an obstacle in front of you without risking the game going crazy. Theoretically, there were at least three or four situations during the Resident Evil Village VR demo where the hands were not tracked correctly or even Ethan’s body was positioned in the opposite direction from ours. Again, the chaos of the fair may have negatively affected our body tracking.

The cameras used for this are equally interesting. eye tracking when playing. This can only be applied to focus on the area where the screen is focused, but it is also crucial for correct setup. Before playing Resident Evil Village VR, really set the interpupillary distance and aligning the lenses to the eyes to find the precise spot that will allow you to see a clear and sharp image. The procedure took only a few seconds and required first the use of a small ring in front of the audience and then a test in which you are asked to follow a red dot with your eyes. Forget those thousands of tries and constant adjustments to find a good location with the old PlayStation VR.

controllers

We said goodbye PlayStation Move. this new controllers They are so light and comfortable that you forget to hold them after a few minutes in the game. The only exception is when the hands cross and the springs collide, perhaps when changing a pistol magazine. Those accustomed to Meta Quest controllers will need a few tries before they can absorb the position of the square, triangle, cross and circle buttons, but after a few moments, throwing knives and reloading weapons in Resident Evil Village VR became simple and straightforward.

The only doubt concerns the buttons placed near the handle; Unlike what happens on Meta Quest controllers, they are simple buttons rather than analog triggers. On the one hand, it is better distinguished from the rear trigger (usually used for firing), but the grip is less firm, and several times accidentally dropped the blade in your hand. Maybe it’s just a matter of habit, but it’s not the best when surrounded by bloodthirsty enemies.