What is PSVR?

I have been posting a lot of my recent experiences with PSVR, and despite it being available for a while now, many still have no idea what its all about. So I thought I would post something about the hardware itself.

I did post a review when I first had the headset, this is a catch up for anyone interested.

VR offers a unique experience, putting you inside the game, you are free to look around and interact in that world, moving your head not only gives you a 360 view of the world, but you can also move your head forward to get a closer look at something, the world has depth, it is not like watching a TV screen. Movement is limited to the gaze of the camera, so maybe as far as you can lean from side to side in a sitting position, and a metre or two from the camera, So you don't need that much space for it to work, you are not going to be wondering around the room.

The price has fallen to as little as £180, with the camera, which it uses to track movement, So you do need the camera for it to work. the headset on it's own would be pointless.

I would highly recommend getting the Move controllers as well, for most games the DS4 is an option, but VR is about immersion, and the Move controllers feel much more natural when handling a gun etc. Tracking is okay, it does it's job, but can suffer a few issues, I'm sure Sony will be using something more reliable in PSVR2.

The Headset itself is somewhat bulky but not heavy, and Sony have done a great job of balancing the weight distribution to the top of your head, so is pretty comfortable to wear, even for those wearing glasses. although you can certainly work up a sweat in there, especially in a more physical game like boxing.

The PSVR connects to the PS4 via a breakout box A small box that sits close to the PS4, and from that there is a long tether, that connects to the headset, It is not wireless and there are more than a few cables, so any neat freaks beware.

The headset has an Oled 1080p screen shared between two eyepieces, It is adequate, and some games like Astro Bot look great, But the more taxing games can look a bit soft, but for the most part, games look decent enough. think something like PS3 graphics, but don't expect the sharpness of a modern TV. and nothing close to 4k

Sony have mandated PSVR games have to run at a minimum of 60fps, and a refresh rate of between 90 up to an impressive 120hz. This is important to help combat motion sickness. I only mention these things because It still amazes me this can be achieved using a standard PS4.

Talking about the PS4 and Pro, the differences in VR are surprisingly minor, and most wont notice any major difference unless you know what you are looking for, so anyone with a standard PS4, PSVR will work just fine.

A quick mention about the lenses, nothing technical, just that they are easily scratched, I found this out using a lens cloth that must have have been holding the tiniest piece of grit, after cleaning I had scratched small swirls into the lens, Luckily the lenses are so close to my eyes they aren't really noticeable, but you have been warned.

Be careful about motion sickness, those with a strong constitution, seem to have no problem, but if you find yourself susceptible, and trust me you will know. Don't try and push through it, play for say 5 mins, and leave it for a day or two, go back and try again, slowly building up the time you spend. you will soon gain your VR legs, but again if you are starting to feel sick, come out and don't try and push through, it won't help.

Motion sickness is not a problem in all games, basically Only where movement is involved, so any game where you are standing still, shouldn't be a problem, although developers use many tricks to help with movement.

Lastly I will mention games, there is quite a choice building up on the PS store, if you are interested in PSVR, check out whats on offer, there is all sorts to choose, and something for pretty much everyone. developers have learnt a lot about VR do's and dont's and the games are making much better use of the tech.

One thing often overlooked is the ability to watch video inside the headset, I enjoy exploring Youtube, and there are plenty of 360 videos to check out, also if you have a 3D Movie, You will be able to watch them in 3D.

PSVR will be compatible with the PS5

PSVR is far from perfect, But for a first attempt it is a pretty fine effort, I was going to mention some of the things Sony is apparently working on for PSVR2, but I'll leave it at that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNT96dcD40c

Anything you are not sure about, just ask