More expensive than the Playstation itself – IL tested an additional device that immediately gave me chills

Good

Bad

Sony released the new VR2 virtual glasses for its Playstation 5 game console in February. Iltalehti received the long-awaited glasses and tested them.

The glasses have evolved a lot from their predecessor, which was developed for Sony’s previous console. Today, the glasses offer a more accurate picture and the external camera that detects movement has been abandoned. The PSVR2 glasses recognize the user’s movements by themselves.

For pixel geeks, let’s dig for data that the resolution of the new glasses is 2000 x 2040 pixels per lens, and also offers an HDR-quality image. Previous glasses had a resolution of 960 x 1080 pixels per lens.

However, the glasses do not offer cheap fun, because the retailers’ prices for the glasses are more than the price of the console itself. The price of the glasses is currently just under 650 euros.

As a preconceived notion, the idea arises that a wild price must also offer a wild experience.

Introduction

In addition to the glasses, the box contains a pair of wireless controllers – one for each hand. In previous glasses, a controller designed for VR games had to be purchased separately, so this is a big improvement over the previous one. The box also contains earphones intended for glasses, which also come with several adapters.

The use of glasses is well controlled. The glasses sit firmly on the head and the surrounding world disappears completely. The glasses are connected to the console with an approximately 4.5 meter long USB-C cable. However, the cable is stiff when new, and possible twists shorten the usable length.

“Wau!” echoes during commissioning. Through the glasses you can see the outside world in black and white completely in real time! This is made possible by the four cameras mounted on the glasses. When playing games, the feature can also be turned on for a while.

One of the causes of concern in the virtual world, bumping into furniture, has also been taken into account by Sony. When using the glasses, the surrounding room is scanned, whereby the glasses form a virtual model of the surrounding space. After this, the desired game area is painted on the floor virtually using the controls.

During the game, the glasses can give the user a warning if the hands or the player strays outside the game area.

Of course, if you have, for example, a pet or other person who does not understand VR technology, the glasses will not be able to recognize their presence if they end up in your path.

Sony’s recommendation for the gaming area is at least two square meters, but even smaller will do. Glasses can also be used in the sitting pool.

How were the games then?

There are currently not many games developed for VR2 glasses in the Playstation game store. Of course, the glasses have only recently been released, so the biggest surprises of the glasses are probably yet to come.

You are selected for the first test Horizon Call of the Mountain -game. It is a flagship game intended for VR glasses, under the guise of which the glasses are marketed. Retailers also offer special game packages that include the game in question in addition to the glasses.

If you don’t see the embed, you can watch it from here.

The game starts with you sitting in a boat that sails through the jungle. Cold shivers go up your spine and the world that has opened up around you seems amazing. Feels like jumping into the game!

Robot animals scurrying around arouse interest and everything seems wonderfully real – you can splash water and wave plants. A brontosaurus-like long-necked robot walking across brings to mind Jurassic Park – a familiar scene from the movie, where guests taken to the island meet dinosaurs for the first time. This time the glasses didn’t come off.

The gameplay has been implemented as well as anyone could come up with while playing in a virtual world – of course, the small details may seem a little funny. For example, movement within the game is done by waving your hands. In battle scenes, a bowgun is drawn from behind the back and loaded like a real one.

I would like to stay in the game for a long time, but then reality reminds me of its existence.

Biggest problem – Motion sickness

One of the biggest problems with virtual glasses, motion sickness, strikes after standing for more than an hour.

Motion sickness with virtual glasses is common, but does not happen to all users. This arises from a conflict between the eyes and the balance organs.

One of the causes of motion sickness can also be the frame rate produced by the glasses, which does not correspond to the real world.

There are various pop art tricks to reduce motion sickness, such as playing next to a fan and eating chewing gum.

Although the virtual world tempts you to make the most of it, the safest thing to do is just get used to using glasses in the elevator. In this case, you can get rid of motion sickness caused by the virtual world. At least that’s what it says Space.com.

Even for the most acute situations, you can take motion sickness medicine, but popping pills to play doesn’t sound like an attractive option, at least to the undersigned.

Playing in the sitting pool

So you would have to get used to the games in the virtual world, but then the gameplay suffers a little. Action games at least Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge – the game does not prove to be very playable while sitting down. When sitting on the floor, the game character is also at ground level and everything has to be reached.

If you don’t see the embed, you can watch it from here.

When sitting on the sofa, digging the laser gun from the waist is a bit awkward, because the hand constantly hits an obstacle. Sure, motion sickness doesn’t strike nearly as soon, but the oddities of the gameplay eat away at the enthusiasm to continue playing the game.

The game changes Gran Turismo 7 -driving simulator, and Logitech’s G29 steering wheel controller and pedals are dug into the test room.

If you don’t see the embed, you can watch it from here.

Gran Turismo while playing I get motion sickness a little more than Star Wars-in an action game, but not as much as when playing standing. The game itself is already a couple of years old, but for a car enthusiast like me, the virtual dimension of the game brings a smile to my face. The cockpit seems realistic and well modeled.

The charm of speed also hits the eyes, like on a real rally track. Of course, the lack of g-forces is a bit confusing.

The game also highlights the ability of the glasses to track eye movements. You don’t have to turn your head to look at either the rearview mirror or the speedometer.

If the price of the glasses doesn’t slow down the economy, the virtual reality offered by PSVR2 is an incredibly wonderful new dimension to gaming and is guaranteed to give you chills. Even if the experience with VR glasses is genuine, it must be said that it does not beat reality. At least not yet.