Sony PlayStation VR review | Digital Foundry

The challenge facing Sony with PlayStation VR is immense. The firm doesn't just have to make virtual reality work on a system with nowhere near the same level of horsepower as the PC minimum specification, it has to bring in very expensive hardware at an affordable price-point and it has to integrate VR into the living room - the natural home for the core console. The end result is a masterpiece of hardware design with nips and tucks in (mostly) the right places, backed by a wide range of software that effortlessly propels Sony onto level-footing with established players in the VR field. PlayStation VR isn't perfect, but it works.

[UltraNova]

Ok so in a nutshell, the hardware works, its by far the most well made HMD out there. Move and PS camera have their limits (of course they would but there are milions already out there so its a compromise that benefits the consumer in the end) and we need some VR killer games.

Its seems Sony has got it right the first time. Now bring on the games!!

[badz149]

Damn! Even /s can't save me from being flagged inappropriate. lol

Can't wait to get my hands on this actually. I'm already getting the Pro. This is gonna make me broke!

[S2Killinit]

Lol its ok bud, people are just excited for VR, we still love you.

[Kingthrash360]

No we don't!
/s
;^}

[freshslicepizza]

Doesn't matter how great the hardware is, software is key and because it is a peripheral I don't expect it to get the same treatment the console will. Which is a shame considering PSVR actually costs more than the game console it goes with

[Errorist76]

Quit the fake concern Moldy ehm Rookie.

[S2Killinit]

@moldybread
I wouldnt worry, the support is already there. There is literally FIFTY games coming before Christmas. And hundreds of developers are working on titles. I think the important thing is whether consumers will adopt PSVR in a show of interest which would prompt even more developers to spend resources on development. From the looks of thing Sony is about to inject VR with a big boost in interest. PSVR shuld prove quit popular during the holiday season.

[IamTylerDurden1]

PSVR is the same price as PS4 at launch. It's akin to a new console launch, not a peripheral.

PSVR has a great launch lineup/window. Arguably better than PS4/xb1's.

These are all day 1 releases.

Rigs
Driveclub VR
Eve Valkyrie
Here They Lie (1st person survival horror via Sony Santa Monica)
Battlezone (campaign, 4 player co op, mp)
Rez Infinite
Loading Human
Until Dawn RoB
Arkham VR
VR Worlds
Super Stardust VR (new fps mode that has you in the cockpit)
Bound
Volume
Thumper (Amplitute meets Wipeout)
100ft Robot Golf
Job Simulator
Wayward Sky (interactive 1st person point n click)
World War Toons (free to play fps)
Eve Gunjack
SuperHyperCube
Headmaster (extremely fun in the demo)
Playroom VR (6 free multiplayer focused games via Japan Studios)
Hustle Kings VR
The Assembly

There are more, but this was off the top of my head. Rigs, Driveclub VR, Eve Valkyrie, Battlezone, Arkham, Loading Human, Here They Lie, and Rez make this 20+ day 1 lineup legit. Then RE7, Farpoint, GT Sport, Dreams, Ace Combat 7, Ark, Tekken 7, Robinson the Journey, Psychonauts, Brookhaven Experiment, P.O.L.L.O.N., Dead Secret, How We Soar, Pixel Ripped 1989, Tethered, Faited, Megaton Rainfall, Get Even, Golem, Xing. There are so many intriguing PSVR games right around the corner.

http://blog.us.playstation....

[freshslicepizza]

that list of games still pales to how the ps4 gets support. most of those are smaller games and very few are actually big budgeted titles to get people to buy hardware (console sellers). and if they are big budgeted aaa games most can still be played with psvr. thats what happens to all peripehrals because now you have divided the community and developers will never fully support it like they would for the regular ps4.

the playstation move is a prime example, developers dont want to risk alienating regular customers so they made move an option. most of the time to fully experience the potential games should be made soley for that device. that wont happen very often, not with big games.

[vegasgamerdawg]

You forgot the part about making you nauseous, no small omission. It's not for me, I've motion sickness, jealous of those able to play it, enjoy. So far, out of the 3 reviews I've watched, 2 reviewers have gotten sick, gamespot and DF, IGN said it had no problems, so it's not just me.

[SniperControl]

I've been gaming with VR for over two years with the DK2, i was green to the stomach at first, but over time your body will adapt, i now spend hours at a time racing in Project CARS in VR.

Just dont go mental at first and take regular breaks.

[LackTrue4K]

Getting motion sickness is a personal issue.
And I'm on the same boat. I still have yet to try it out. I'm interested in horror/racing and story drivin fps games.

[Red_Renegade]

many thousands of people have tried it over the past few years, and a small handful got sick. don't make it out to be a big deal.

[Bigpappy]

It will be a very long, long time, before I even try on a VR headset to do a demo far less buy one. Zero interest at this point. I am not your average gamer though, so I don't expect a lot of agrees. My reason is simply because of possible eye strain and the effect that can have on my well being.

[morganfell]

@onyoursistersback,

Not necessarily true. Some titles induce it far more than others. I have had no issues with VR on my DK2...except Quake VR. That game has affected a lot of people. The speed, the rapidity of aspect changes which occur, at a far greater pace than standard FPS titles, has affected many people that have otherwise had no issues with VR. Your eyes, your brain are telling you your body is doing something boggling when it actually is not and the title has a quite clear affect on the CNS. Over time I became more used to it. And as I said, it has only been that one title.

[frostypants]

Plenty get nausea the first time they try an FPS, too. I know I did. It's not a big deal. Most will adapt to it.

[IamTylerDurden1]

I suffer from motion sickness but haven't experienced ANY discomfort playing numerous demos on PSVR. You really should try it for yourself. Plus, they say that even the ppl who do experience discomfort it's only temporary. Usually ppl's bodies quickly adjust.

[kneon]

I've been doing Gear VR demos all week, and out of well over 100 people, no more than 5 or 6 had any issues. And that's showing some pretty extreme stuff on Gear VR running at just 30fps.

Most people will get used to it.

[SniperControl]

Yeah, a positive review from the guys at DF, i trust their opinion the most, always tell like it is.

[XanderZane]

When was the last time DF gave a Sony product a negative review?

[XStation4pio_Pro]

Most comfortablely made, not highest quality made.

[SniperControl]

Seriously though, what did you expect from a £350 HMD compared to £550 HMD?

£350 is a really good price for VR.

[Angeljuice]

From Article:
"In terms of overall fit and finish, build quality and comfort level, Sony's efforts here put them at the head of the pack - a great reminder of just how good quality Japanese design can be."

You were saying?

[Red_Renegade]

you didn't even read the article, did you?

[Timesplitter14]

@Angeljuice
....uh... he was saying "most comfortably made" and your quote says the EXACT same thing...?

The whole article pretty much says that PSVR is the best in terms of ergonomy/build quality and the worst in terms of tech quality, but still impressive for the low price. Read it.

[trooper_]

Riiight.

[Timesplitter14]

Your "in a nutshell" left out some pretty important details mentioned in this review:
- Limited FOV creating "binocular effect"
- Lower resolution than competition is noticeable
- "by far the most well made HMD out there" in terms of ergonomic design, but worst in terms of technical capabilities
- Tracking tech is weakest of all three, and is already feeling dated
- Sony's asynchronous timewarp tech to try to double the perceived FPS creates some noticeable ghosting as soon as the FPS changes slightly, and isn't nearly as good as true 120 fps

Basically the reviews so far all seem to agree that PSVR has great build quality and is pretty incredible for the price, but it's also the poorest VR experience of the big 3 due to FOV, tracking, framerate ghosting and resolution issues

[UCForce]

Damn, you got it all wrong.

[RedSalmon]

"Now bring on the games!!"

We've been saying that since Oculus and Vive came out. Still waiting.

[ShadowKnight]

That's right my friend

[Xballicon]

It seems the threshold for evaluating VR has been lowered significantly. When the bar for passing one's expectations settles at the device works, and the plastic headset is made well; this justification should provide sufficient warning that the next frontier of gaming is not quite here yet.

Buyer beware!

[ArchangelMike]

Great Video. Yeah, the motion sickness is going to be an issue the industry and gamers will have to work their way through. The launch line up is pretty good in terms of variety, and the fact that Sony are releasing a bunch of demos is a win win, it means you can see what games makes you sick and which ones don't. I just hope Sony allow us to pre-load the demos before launch, if not PSN is going to crash again....

[game4funz]

That would be good... If they allowed a demo for all VR games then I would be fine with it as you'd be able to try it out and see if motion sickness is an issue.

@donthate @s2
Thanks for the suggestions

edit: on a side note. freaking admins here restricted my account when I made a comment about psvr and motion sickness a couple months ago. They called it concern trolling. fanboy admin

[S2Killinit]

Motion sickness will go away after a while anyway. Once you jump in you will not be too worried about it as you will be having too much fun. But you should take breaks once in a while.

Whats funny is that i remember they used to say the same thing about regular video games back in the day. Some people would have epileptic seizures while playing the pixel heavy games. My parents used to worry about me when i would play games for long hours. Lol

[donthate]

Don't listen to S2, he is full of it.

Motion sickness will go away for some, and for others it won't. Also, don't overdo it if you get nauseous, because your body can develop total block for VR. Ease it in, and see how you feel. Stop as soon as you get nauseous or feel ill, and rinse repeat.

That is if you have the patience for it.

[Kingthrash360]

This guy ^^^^
Facepalm.

[Angeljuice]

@Donthate

You make it so hard not to hate.

[2600Thunder]

This is another thorough review from reputable tech guys (Adam Savage's team). https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Hairy Chewie]

Edit: Wrong post.

[Rangerman1208]

One of the VR launch games I'm excited for are Until Dawn, Batman VR, Job Simulator, Tumble, Rez, and Battlezone.

Wayward Sky looks interesting but I'll wait for more information. VR Worlds would have been decent IF it was $20 while it seems that Harmonic VR is shaping up to be the worst one.

[Angeljuice]

DriveClub VR is looking amazing, definitely my pick of the crop.

[cell989]

Do you know if the original until dawn will be compatible via patch,or you have to buy the vr version?

[Hairy Chewie]

@cell
Its a seperate game. Dont know the price though.

[IamTylerDurden1]

I preordered physical copies of Rigs, Driveclub VR, Battlezone, Arkham VR, and Loading Human. I also want the horror game Here They Lie and i want The Assembly, Super Stardust, Until Dawn. I'm ecstatic with the games i'll be playing day 1, VR Worlds comes free. It's a hell of an eclectic lineup and it seems great to me.

Tumble VR, Battlezone, Driveclub VR, and VR Worlds all have Platinum trophies.

[TankCrossing]

It looks like visually the PSVR can more-or-less hold it's own with pros and cons against the PC rivals (and likely even more so with a Pro). That's an astonishing achievement from Sony.

However, I've been reading into many, many Vive vs Rift comparisons, most people seem to give the win to the Vive not because the quality of the headset or display, but because the roomscale functions transorm the experience. Maybe with a couple of extra peripherals Sony will be able to add some roomscale functionality down the line (as Rift will)?

I'm still totally torn on VR headsets. I've no doubt I want one, but none of them are perfect and all of them are expensive.

Can't decide... can't decide... brain aneurysm!

[Taero]

I agree with you about roomscale, it really is a great piece of design/tech integration if you have the space (I tried it in a gaming center in a smaller area and found myself having to constantly step back from the purple mesh 'wall' and teleport further away). But in the end it's what $800 vs $2000 gets you which I think is often understated. If you have a PS4 but no PC then $399 vs $2000, PC no ps4 then $800 vs $800 but which is more likely.

[joeorc]

Exactly I mean if the price point Sony would go to for VR it can be well passed Vive & OculusRift, but it's impracticality for market penetration makes it a real non starter..

Example :

https://www.google.com/amp/...

Full body VR suit $3000.00+ anyone?
LoL, I mean it's awesome, but the cost would pretty much make it a non starter..the gaming console market & PC market are designed separate as markets for a reason, even though one of the current companies want to merger the two markets, and for good reason for their company.

[rainslacker]

It's possible, but I think Sony is going to try and keep it simple until they see how people respond, so any additions wouldn't likely come until maybe next gen.

I could see things like roomscale becoming standard though, as the HMD price goes down, and maybe controllers which would work better than move....like a VR glove or something.

For the time being, I think PSVR will be most impressive with certain kinds of VR games, while others will feel kind of weak compared to their PC counterparts. But eventually I'm sure it'll get to some standard across devices where people come to know what to expect, or at least people will want the same things across the baord.

[UltraNova]

"For the time being, I think PSVR will be most impressive with certain kinds of VR games, while others will feel kind of weak compared to their PC counterparts. But eventually I'm sure it'll get to some standard across devices where people come to know what to expect, or at least people will want the same things across the baord."

Yes VR will be the exact same story as Console Vs PC gaming. You could compare them but in the end its not the right thing to do since they cater to a different crowd with different expectations, budgets etc.

They will simply have to co-exist.

[FunAndGun]

The D!

[Neonridr]

unless Sony can introduce at least a second camera into the equation roomscale will always be limited.

[Salooh]

Easy decision for me, go with the headset that offer(Will be offering) more solid games. For me that would be PSVR, yes HTC releasing early means it already have a collection of games, HTC in hardware and the fact that it is in pc indicate a good support and better experience but i am talking about high quality games not indies.

If you want VR for PC go with HTC.

If you are a tech guy, in a hurry to try this new experience and you are already convinced of the quality of games that released and will be releasing in few months than i would i advice you to buy a VR headset. If not and you want day 1 high quality full games (whether they are small or big) than i would advice you to wait, it is hard to predict how developers will support such tech. It is unrealistic if you expect it to evolve or keep releasing hits, hoping is cool but expecting far more (even if the tech can produce AAA games) is unhealthy. Take it for what it offer. Otherwise you will be disappointed and it will be your fault :)

[Salooh]

In summary, if you have both PS4 and PC, both HTC and PS VR are worth it if you are into VR because both offering different type of experiences. It is like ps4 vs pc, you can live with both. Both focusing on different things.

[TankCrossing]

Why do you think Vive over Rift? Most feedbackI've seen from forums and such suggests Rift will be the better headset once the Touch controllers release, but I'm very much open to as many opinions as I can get.

[Salooh]

You are making me doubt my study xD. From my point of view, from headset tech and support, i heard and saw the opposite, HTC is far more better and more appealing in overall.

Except for rift motion controllers, it looks more natural to use. :)

But if you have a rift and you buy that too than i don't see it's price as a positive. That's one point you shouldn't ignore too.

Take it as an opinion, i didn't study everything, check what i say too by looking for more feedback.

[MRMagoo123]

"Can't decide... can't decide... brain aneurysm!" that was a tenacious d reference there wasn't it ? it's gig time what shirt am I gonna wear

Can't wait for psvr I'm gonna go missing for days.

@red

I have the power to kill a yak from 200 yards with mind bullets or how about the power .....to move you ?

[Red_Renegade]

you must be some kinda wonder boy to figure that out. tell me the secret of your powers.

[IamTylerDurden1]

PSVR has the best framerate and the least screen door effect of the 3.

[S2Killinit]

Probably the most trusted reviewer. I personally cant wait to have one in my home.

[Blank]

I feel the same way plus the extra details on how it worked was pretty insightful.

[_LarZen_]

Agree. There are basically two groups I consider reliable when it comes to the technical side of things. And that's DigitalFoundry and Tested. And both are giving the thumbs up but with a warning about the tracking that should get improved. But at the same time as they mention it's not fair to compare it to the high-end motion controls the high-end PC competition have.

[DigitalRaptor]

Damn son......

PSVR is lit. 🔥🔥🔥


Software library will continue to grow and I'm excited for its future!

[Xavy]

Yup Sony nailed it and the haters are crying =D

[XStation4pio_Pro]

So my fears were justified. The specs were skimped on to hit their beloved price point, just like the pro which it def sounds like will be better than the standard PS4 to run this on due to its own low spec. Unfortunately seems like a pretty budget experience to me once you translate DFs surprisingly softball critiques on what seem to be some glaring issues they'd no doubt be more critical of from a different studio and comparing that with my own personal experiences with vive and oculus (which were amazing with real 90-120fps rates and fantastic graphics).

I think if you want good vr you're gonna have to accept that it's pricey and requires some high spec gear, but that experience is fantastic if you do.

[Red_Renegade]

oh, stop it.

[Angeljuice]

Yes, I remember you saying that the only reason the Pro was being launched was because PSVR would be crap on PS4.

I don't see how your fears were justified though (quite the opposite if you ask me).

Still I won't rub it in (you were wrong).

[uth11]

Do you want a reasonably-priced VR unit that gets good software support because it sold well

Or a high-end unit that developers stop supporting because it isn't selling well ?

Hitting a price point is very important for success. Having tons of horsepower doesn't help is the device becomes too niche and doesn't get proper support

[_LarZen_]

Feeling the need to justify your investment much?

[trooper_]

...Stop with the FUD.

[S2Killinit]

its so good to see PSVR is well received. It confirms my personal impression of it. I cant wait to see whats possible.

[DigitalRaptor]

It's funny you say this though.... PSVR is the absolutely ONLY chance VR has at a future.

You should be grateful that Sony has done what NEEDS to be done, despite the nature of the PC.

And by future I mean something that will get a great flow of game content from big publishers in ways that sell the systems. Oculus and Vive are not looking too hot on that front now and I don't hold hope that it's going to get better in the future. PSVR looks to propel VR as it needs to, with a view to it being better with future iteration.

PSVR is already being projected to sell far, far more than either PCVR counterparts and it's unsurprising to see that. Hardware success is what buys future support from bigger publishers. That alone trumps any kind of elitist attitude that it needs to be priced like a MOFO to be worth it or to be strong step in the right direction. It's a shame about Oculus and Vive but they are doomed to enthusiasts in ways that PSVR has the potential not to be.

[LordJamar]

This is why Microsoft just invest in oculus this VR FAD yes a fad will not last I really don't see it catching on like Sony is expecting in a sense it will be the Kinect of ps4. Sony will push and push and push it but it won't span out like they plan unless they got tons of investments and games NOT side additions but ganes made for VR. I don't see it and they will lose a crap Ton of money. VR is a trend I don't see it prospering like people are expecting with the casual crowd.

[Pandamobile]

Meanwhile, back in 2004:

"HD is a trend I don't see it prospering like people are expecting with the casual crowd"

[LordJamar]

That doesn't prove anything to not mention both are very different pieces of tech I wold say televisions were already established unlike this VR I just don't see it panning out

[amiga-man]

LordJamar have you any idea whats happening with VR?

Every major tech company (and I mean Every) are investing billions into the tech, anylysts are predicting it to be worth 100's of billions in as little as 5-10 years, It's uses go far beyond gaming, the film industry among others are already experimenting with the tech.

China, love VR and there are numerous headsets being developed, VR has a long road to travel, but it is no fad.

[King_Lothric]

😂

The way you exposed that troll was awesome.

Clean and simple.

[Xavy]

HAHAHA he got owned hard

[LordJamar]

It's not like I want VR to fail I just don't see it being are predicting I guess we just hit to wait and see

[Xavy]

yeah yeah, whatev. You trolled and got owned =D

[LordJamar]

Um are you 10 years old no one is trolling

[S2Killinit]

Difference of course being that you CAN ACTUALLY TRY VR for yourself, as opposed to Millo telling you kinect is great. People have ALREADY TRIED virtual reality BEFORE it releases and its great.

[ocelot07]

So can't wait to get one of these. I only have enough for this or the PS4 Pro this year since Christmas is only 2 months away. I have decided to go with the PS4 Pro as I will get more use out of it once I get it. But my plan is to buy PS VR early 2017. By that time there will be a lot more reviews out. More VR titles and of course some of the launch VR titles will be cheaper.

[cbuc1125]

Time for everyone that said this wouldnt work to eat crow! Eat up lames. Sony not only has a VR solution that MS doesnt have...they also have a 1 year head start on 4k gaming. Those are the facts.

[DivineAssault]

I want to know which game to buy with it because im going to gamble on buying it..

[uth11]

These games seem to get the best previews from what I've read

Driveclub VR
Battlezone
Farpoint
Rez Infinite
Batman Arkham VR

[S2Killinit]

Also:
Ace Combat 7,
Valkyrie,
Drive Club,
RE7,
GT:Sport
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood

[King_Lothric]

Get There They Lie, is an horror game.

[Jayszen]

I like the fact that Sony is using older peripherals like the Move combined with modest tech like the Camera and yet has still designed the best headset (in terms of comfort, ease and looks) of the three major VR brands of which only Sony is on a console. There is usually a tendency with a new cutting edge product to focus on having peripherals that end up be over-designed and costly. The recycling mindset has served Sony well here allowing the price to be kept relatively low so as to ensure that the product meets a popular price point. What is also a bonus here is that the quality appears to be much better than this price would normally allow but this is a testament to the heritage of Sony as a hardware manufacturer, in my opinion, allows Sony to achieve greater returns in the quality to price ratio than HTC and Oculus.

I don't mind that the PSVR is not as powerful as the Rift and the Vive as it is made for a console that is less than half the power of the really good dedicated PC gaming rigs and yet the experience does not appear to be that far off from what we can expect on the other two. There are loads of games coming for the PSVR and it appears that the hardware is well supported by third part game developers as well as, of course, Sony.

Sony has had to work to some limiting targets but appears to have pulled off a difficult balancing act of delivering a viable VR experience at a price point that will prove to be popular and yet achieve a quality factor that rivals the more expensive brands. This is only a good thing and serves us gamers well. I look forward to this version of PSVR and I hope that it is so successful that we get regular iterations that push the technology forward.

[PlayableGamez-]

Great review..

[Wallstreet37]

I cant wait for next week!!

What are they going to do now that the solidified gaming sites are hailing psvr as the real deal? :) so much crow gets eaten here daily lol I love it!!! But but but y need PS pro for it to work gooooood lol smh

[S2Killinit]

Crow Eating VR confirmed.

[keegamer80]

Can't believe it's only 8 days away!

[Mr Lahey]

That's it! Im getting one!

[jholden3249]

Little concerned, debating cancelling preorder.

But no. I can afford it, and I really gotta try DriveClub. Even if that's the only good game PSVR ever gets, it may just be worth it for that alone. Means I need a wheel though. There's another $200, and that means a stand too which is also $200.

But wow, that would be quite a set up. Just killer

[FriedGoat]

I hacked my driving force GT to work with ps4 its fantastic

[S2Killinit]

MS fanboys be like: but but but.... Spencer said... i dont need VR.

[fanboysmackdown]

I'll wait and spend my dough on a new 4k tv, Scorpio and Pro next year......not wasting my money on a Fiat front bumper for my face that makes me wanna vomit. This thing will die a quick death.

[IamTylerDurden1]

This is one hell of a launch lineup.

http://blog.us.playstation....

[King_Lothric]

The first and second time I went to a cruise ship vacation, I faced very hard nausea. Did it stoped me from enjoying the cruise ship vacations? No.

After that, I have been on 3 more cruise ship vacations and never experimented nausea because my body adapted.

If I had the actitud that some people are having here, I would have never enjoyed having a cruise ship vacation. Many times, you have to stop bit ching about little insignificant things in life in order to go beyond and enjoy new experiences.

[P1mpzRuS]

Probably the best thing you can do is save your money and invest on a 4K Tv, VR is another example of an attempt to sell a hardware that doesn't translate, just like I don't think Microsoft will be successful just with Fallout 4 VR with Scorpio.

Until they can really provide a VR experience that doesn't require a cameras, tracker controllers instead of a standard controller, and be able to track your movements with a new type of tech this is going to be something it will die just like Kinectic and PS Move did, lot of empty promises when it came to games compatible with the accessory.

The only reason why the Wii worked was because it was a console that was originally designed along with its long library of games to have have that experience. And it was not only one or a few games compatible with it but almost their entire library.

[RedSalmon]

Much like Oculus and Vive, and 3D, this will just be another expensive gimmick. There is still, after all this time since they came out, not one blockbuster game. Not a single one.

It's all waggling your hands around and shitty graphics. Spare me. So many suckers.

Come back to me when it's at least (at least!!) 50% cheaper and I'm not required to strap a box to my face.

[Elda]

Agreed! I'm not falling for it either.We'll see how long this fad last.

[Bolts]

After trying both the Vive and Rift I learned two things. VR is awesome and only an idiot would buy a headset at this point. In about two years there will be headsets that will leave the first gen Rift, Vive, and PSVR in the dust. The display tech will dramatically improve, the field of view will get bigger and the sets will get lighter.

It'll be like the 1st gen Toyota Prius vs the new Tesla. There's no way in hell Im burning money on VR. If I have $600 to spend on gaming it'll be on a new GPU. FPS and resolution is the truth.

[corroios]

Its great to see Sony moving forward on videogaming, bringing new stuff at a price that the average consumer can buy and the PSVR is really cool.

Lets see if the market is ready, but this could be a hot item for the holidays.