Review originally published on 16 February 2023. This review is brought forward since the device is available for purchase this week.

From PlayStation’s point of view, the future is white, immersive, accessible and not cheap. This edict is definitely evident in the company’s gaming hardware future: the PlayStation VR2. At what price immersion and fidelity? Well, stick around and I’ll tell you.

Sense & Sensibility

Clearly the offspring of the original PlayStation VR back in 2016, this revamp features a new VR headset and two special “ring-shaped-and-designed” Sense controllers (see above) with straps all in one fancy box. I’ve said earlier that they look sleek and futuristic from the get-go. What I can now mention is that I really, really like the feel and tactile input of the new Sense controllers.

If you ask me to just use the VR controllers for everything PS5 related from now on, I’m down with this idea. So far with the games I’ve played, the VR controllers are implemented really well and track close-to-accurate. We were given the following games to playtest and review using the PS VR2 – flagship title Horizon: Call of the Mountain, Moss: Book Two, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Kayak VR: Mirage, and Thumper. I’ve played the first two to completion, with the other games taking up an hour or less just to get the feel of how PS VR2 is implemented in the previously-out titles. And they work great, with near-flawless tracking, responsive inputs and controls, and just better fidelity from the headset’s viewpoint.

Speaking of the kit, the setup is very, very easy. You just plug in the headset to the front part of the PS5, snap on the stereo headphones (with built-in microphone) to the back headband, charge the controllers for a bit (an hour would do), and then follow the on-screen instructions after wearing it. Fiddling with the headset and making sure it’s snug on your head while your view isn’t impaired is a piece of cake; there’s a button and knob-combo to adjust the horizontal width of the headband so that it fits the back of your head.

The VR set also has a front scope adjustment button and lens adjustment dial so that the front part of the device fits your face and aligns with your viewpoint. Once you’re locked in, you just have to press the power button, and you’re in! After some easy calibration options, you get to adjust the virtual play area. There’s a really cool floor tracking and wireframe option that shows off the wireframe boundaries of the play area.

You can set it up and adjust the size by just pointing at the floor and play area using the Sense controllers, and then pressing the correct inputs to expand or enclose the space. Plus it looks really, REALLY cool when you start it up.

As someone who wears glasses, I feared my experience might be stifled compared to those without eye accessories. Not so with the PS VR2: short of cleaning my own glasses from time to time, the experience is really sublime and comfortable compared to using other VR devices like the Oculus or HTC Vive.

Perhaps the biggest issue for VR gaming -space- is also circumvented with the PS VR2’s build and tech. While the device did recommend having a 6×7 space minimum for the gaming experience, I purposely tried out a slightly smaller playing area (ie: my workspace where I do all my video editing) where there’s ample room to move my arms, but not move my feet and body.

The PS VR2 executes this really well with the tracking and limitations given. As long as the game you’re playing doesn’t require much walking or getting out from the spot you originate from, you’re golden. Just make sure you don’t have breakable objects and drinks nearby.

The Money Symbol-Plastered Elephant In The Room We Need To Address…

The PS VR2 costs as much as a PlayStation 5 console. That’s the make-or-break statement for would-be buyers.

That price point is a very, VERY huge ask for anyone and everyone. But at the same time, I really cannot see how its price tag can scale down further given how well-made the tech and tracking are, as well as its ease of use for VR tech dummies like yours truly. The non-backwards compatibility aspect of the PSVR 2 doesn’t help matters either. You have to rebuy certain games just for the PS VR2.

Still, if it’s VR power you want, and if you already have a PS5 to run it, you might as well go for broke with PlayStation’s answer to the tech. If anything, it’s very impressive and shows there’s hope for the future of VR if they make more games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and keep them exclusive. Tech and VR enthusiasts with spare change to burn definitely need to apply.

Pros

• Best VR tech we’ve used and played in a while.
• Great tracking tech.
• Controllers feel good to use.
• Setup is intuitive and even works in smaller-than-usual spaces.
• First-party game is a worthy app to highlight PS VR2’s strengths.

Cons

• Very expensive.
• Old PS VR games aren’t backwards compatible with PS VR2.

Final Score: 80/100

Review unit provided by PlayStation Asia.

Vital Statistics

PlayStation VR2 Screen: 2000×2040 per eye
Sensor: 6-axis motion sensing system (3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer)
Cameras: Tracking camera x4 (for VR headset, controller tracking)
Input/output: USB Type-C connector
Audio: Input – Built-in microphone, Output – Stereo headphone jack
Input power rating: 12V – 0.6 A
External Dimensions: Approx. 212x158x278mm
Mass: Approx. 560g (excluding cables)
Price: RM2,799. Horizon: Call of the Mountain PSVR2 bundle costs RM2,999.

Games List

• After the Fall (Vertigo Games)
• Altair Breaker (Thirdverse)
• Before Your Eyes (Skybound Interactive, launch window)
• Cities VR (Fast Travel Games)
• Cosmonious High (Owlchemy Labs)
• Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition (Survios, launch window)
• The Dark Pictures: Switchback (Supermassive, launch window)
• Demeo (Resolution Games)
• Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate (MyDearest Inc., Perp Games)
• Fantavision 202X (Cosmo Machia, Inc.)
• Gran Turismo 7 (via free update to PS5 version of GT7)
• Horizon Call of the Mountain (Firesprite, Guerrilla)
• Job Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
• Jurassic World Aftermath (Coatsink)
• Kayak VR: Mirage (Better Than Life)
• Kizuna AI – Touch the Beat! (Gemdrops, Inc.)
• The Last Clockwinder (Pontoco/Cyan Worlds)
• The Light Brigade (Funktronic Labs, purchase includes PS VR and PS VR2 versions)
• Moss 1 & 2 Remaster (Polyarc)
• NFL Pro Era (StatusPro, Inc., free PS VR2 upgrade)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games, launch window)
• Pavlov VR (Vankrupt)
• Pistol Whip (Cloudhead, free upgrade)
• Puzzling Places (Realities.io, free upgrade)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom, via free update to PS5 version of RE Village)
• Rez Infinite (Enhance)
• Song in the Smoke (17 Bit)
• Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition (ILMxLAB)
• Synth Riders (Kluge Interactive, free upgrade)
• The Tale of Onogoro (Amata K.K)
• Tentacular (Devolver)
• Tetris Effect: Connected (Enhance)
• Thumper (Drool LLC)
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners: Ch. 2: Retribution (Skydance, launch window)
• Vacation Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
• What the Bat (Triband)
• Zenith: The Last City (Ramen VR, free upgrade)