Sony is set to launch the PlayStation VR 2 (PSVR 2) on 22nd February. The date marks the biggest VR consumer launch in a while, so needless to say everyone’s excited. Naturally, media outlets around the world have been given early review access and their reports are in. Sony should be happy as the majority gave a glowing PSVR 2 review, only finding the odd caveat here and there.
The PSVR 2 retails for £529.99 GBP and connects directly to the PlayStation 5 console via a single lead. Therefore, no faffing around with multiple cables like the original PSVR. There are going to be over 30 PlayStation VR 2 launch games available, with many more to come. So let’s take a look at what each PSVR 2 review has to say.
Specialist VR Press
With PSVR 2, Sony is not just improving on the prior headset, it’s also raising some bars for consumer headsets overall as the first device in its class to bring eye-tracking, HDR, and new haptic capabilities to the market.
PSVR 2 is all around an impressive headset. While a small sweet spot and a bit of motion blur hampers the headset’s visuals, the complete package is not just a huge step up over the original PSVR, but it easily stands among the most capable VR headsets currently available.
Sony clearly learned its lessons from the original PSVR and PlayStation VR2 feels like a major step for console VR, bridging the gap for those who want high-end features in a package that’s easier to manage than a PC VR setup.
For the asking price, PlayStation VR2 offers incredible quality, especially if you’re already in the PlayStation ecosystem. It arrives armed with deeper and more interesting exclusives than its predecessor’s launch in 2016, alongside hardware features that deliver greater immersion and give developers much more to build on.
Let’s start with the big downside. Comfort can be a problem for some people. Why Sony didn’t think of an interchangeable cushion for the front head support is a mystery to me.
That being said, the Playstation VR 2 is an excellent VR headset that has the chance to finally bring VR gaming into the living room on a bigger scale. While Quest 2 does not allow for graphically complex games, and PC VR is clearly too expensive and often far too complex for the average consumer, high-end VR games are now possible for around $1,000, including a Playstation 5.
Virtual Reality Oasis
Gaming Press
…it’s clear that PlayStation VR2 is an impressive package. It competes with more expensive PC headsets in terms of specs, it’s far more comfortable to use than PSVR1 and has a lot of potential. The problem here is that regardless of price comparisons with its predecessor, it’s very expensive in a world where the Oculus Quest 2 delivers an all-in-one experience that’s a lot cheaper.
If you were a PSVR player and you’re looking for the next step, the new hardware delivers in spades. This is a vastly superior VR experience that brings all the advances seen in other areas of the market to PS5, along with some key improvements including a phenomenally good HDR OLED screen.
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible.
The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features.
PSVR2 improves on all of the flaws of its predecessor, while still retaining the positives, like how comfortable it is to wear. The Japanese giant’s done an outstanding job streamlining the setup procedure and overhauling its input methods, incorporating many of the headline features from the DualSense to provide an unprecedentedly visceral experience.
If you have any interest in virtual reality, then PSVR2 should be on your radar without any shadow of a doubt. And if you’re a sceptic, we’d recommend trying it out if possible, because we can’t envisage anyone coming away unimpressed. But at $549.99, with all of the promise and praise outlined on this page, we appreciate the headset is a hard-sell in the current financial climate.
Gamespot
Tech Outlets
The PlayStation VR 2 is a fantastic VR headset, with all the specs required to deliver wonderfully immersive experiences. The streamlined setup process and more intuitive controllers also make it a massive upgrade on the original headset.
But the PSVR 2’s success will depend heavily on its game library – if PlayStation can keep launching games to the standard of the Horizon Call of the Mountain, then there’s no doubt in my mind that it will become the best VR headset on the market.
As much as I enjoyed my time with the PS VR2, playing many of these games felt like being thrown back in time. Seriously, I’ll play Rez Infinite at every given opportunity…But fundamentally, it’s the same game that was released back in 2016 on the PS4.
Asking gamers to spend $550 on an accessory just feels like punishment after they shelled out almost the same amount on the PS5 itself.
If you’re a PS5 owner that’s been dying to see what PC VR enthusiasts have been enjoying for the past few years, the PS VR2 is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Everyone else should just sit tight until the price drops and more new games arrive.
There are a lot of factors that suggest you could, and maybe should, wait on PSVR 2. The price is high; at $550, it’s more than the PS5 alone, so the $1,050 total cost for both components without any games at all makes this a crazy-expensive proposition compared to a Quest 2.
Finally, consider that there are other VR headsets expected this year: the Quest 3, the Vive XR Elite, and Apple’s possible entry to the space. The PSVR 2 won’t be the only one. But, with the PS5 as its engine, it feels like the best doorway to PC quality VR games without needing a PC at all.
Adam Savage’s Tested
Did you enjoy this PSVR 2 review selection? Let us know about any that we missed.