My Experiences With PSVR

I’ve been on the fence about purchasing a VR headset for a while now and finally made the decision to purchase a PSVR. I’ve had the headset for a little over a month now and I’m ready to share my detailed thoughts.

I was always hesitant to get into VR, but intensely interested at the same time—how could I not be? After all, I’m a kid that grew up in the 80s and 90s, and VR has been a constant staple of science fiction and various fantasies. For anyone interested in video games the possibilities seemed endless, and the idea of this suddenly being in my home made me feel like the future was finally here. The catch? I couldn’t quite justify the price of VR with the amount of games on it that I actually wanted to play, not to even mention the fact that getting a PC well equipped enough to run the headset and then the VR console itself was far too much money to be involved.

PlayStation’s VR then was always of more interest to me—mostly because I already had a PS4 on the shelf I knew could run it–but also due to constantly seeing VR games I couldn’t play in various press conferences.  Once I started really wanting to play games

I’ve been on the fence about purchasing a VR headset for a while now and finally made the decision to purchase a PSVR. I’ve had the headset for a little over a month now and I’m ready to share my detailed thoughts.

I was always hesitant to get into VR, but intensely interested at the same time—how could I not be? After all, I’m a kid that grew up in the 80s and 90s, and VR has been a constant staple of science fiction and various fantasies about our future. For anyone interested in video games the possibilities seemed endless, and the idea of this suddenly being in my home made me feel like the future was finally here. The catch? I couldn’t quite justify the price of VR with the amount of games on it that I actually wanted to play, not to even mention the fact that getting a PC well equipped enough to run the headset and then the VR console itself was far too much money to be involved.

PlayStation’s VR was always of more interest to me—mostly because I already had a PS4 on the shelf I knew could run it–but also due to constantly seeing VR games I couldn’t play in various press conferences.  Once I started really wanting to play games like Moss and Astro Bot the future of me owning VR seemed all but set in stone. Oddly enough it was Nintendo’s Labo VR that made me make the final jump as I just had so much fun with the toys that I couldn’t help but dream of what having a more full-fledged VR in my home to play whenever I like. Finally I found the headset at a fantastic price of $269 as a bundle with the newest version of the headset and those two aforementioned games—I just couldn’t wait any longer.

I was worried about my purchase the whole way home from the store. Would I get enough playtime out of it or would it be more like Nintendo Labo VR—fun for a distraction, but discarded for “real” games within a week’s time? Turns out I had very little to worry about as I’ve played it nearly daily since its purchase, and currently my fervor shows no signs of slowing. Enough with the narrative of how and why I came to own a headset, let’s get into the nitty gritty of it.

The setup of the system itself was a relatively easy process, though I’m also accustomed to hooking up a variety of complex AV equipment, so bear that in mind. For those of you curious, the headset comes with a small box that plugs into your PS4 via two included HDMI cables that allow the system to charge it, but also allow it to output through the TV. That box has two USB ports at the front of it to plug in the headset itself and from there the set-up is as easy as following the on screen instructions.

I have to take a moment here to comment on the quality of the experience of opening and setting everything up, as well as the attention to small details on the headset itself. On the bottom of the box that powers the VR system the little leg nubs are actually the four buttons—Circle, Square, X, and Triangle—that you’ll find on your PlayStation controller itself. It is a little touch, but it shows a level of caring for the product and attention to detail that I appreciate. There are little details like that throughout the packaging, instructions, materials, and even a nice inset logo on an included cleaning cloth that I thought was a nice touch. All of these little things combine to make the entire thing feel like you’ve just purchased a high quality product, which is a very good thing when you just dropped a decent amount of money on an unsure purchase.

The headset itself is very comfortable. I’ve tried all of the VR systems out during various gaming conventions, but this one is by far the best fitting. Out of the box it is very easy to put on once you know where the buttons are located, and my wife and son whom both wear glasses were very happy that Sony made the depth adjustable so that glasses fit comfortably on the face while having the headset on. There is an elastic piece along the back that makes sure the system can sit comfortably on your head no matter your size, as well as a dial that lets you tighten it for people that might not have melons as big as mine. There are soft padded areas for your forehead and the back of your head, and then a nice soft rubbery bit for your nose and tissue surrounding your eye. Overall it is comfortable and can be worn for longer stretches of time without any discomfort, which is good considering how easy it is to get absorbed while playing in VR.

What makes it even more palatable to get set-up and start sharing with friends and family is the wide variety of free things there are to do with the headset from the outset. With a connection to the internet you can download free VR cartoons, slightly interactive programs, a wide selection of demos, and a completely free experience called Playroom VR that has such an immense amount of charm and is one of the few inclusive experiences in VR. My kids absolutely adore it, especially my youngest, and it is a constant staple in the house now.

Speaking of games I’ve played a lot of the best out there now and I have to say that I’m impressed with what I’ve participated in so far. I got a game called Eagle Flight on sale last week and I was really worried about motion sickness, but this Ubisoft game where you soar, dive, and generally fly around a post-apocalyptic Paris is delightful and didn’t make my stomach do barrel rolls at all. Moss is a really well done third person action adventure game that draws on the fantastic nature of Redwall books or Mouse Guard, and it expands it into a fantastical world that you are a part of. Experiencing that world in VR took the entire game to another level for me as it made me feel like a part of the world rather than a casual participant from the outside and it went a long way to making it special.

Astro Bot has frequently been called the Mario 64 of VR when it comes to gaming, which is meant to indicate that in the same way that Mario 64 revolutionized how we play in 3D, so does Astro Bot prove that a long form, standard platforming game can absolutely work in VR. It is engaging, fun, and utterly charming in every aspect—it feels like if Nintendo made a full-fledged game for a PlayStation platform. The VR elements ARE gimmicky, but in the best possible way in which it improves and enhances what would otherwise just be a really good platformer.

Most of my time though has been spent slashing through boxes in the ever engaging experience of Beat Saber. After picking up a couple of Move controllers for dirt cheap, my next task was clear—I had to get this game where I could pretend to swing lightsabers in VR. I love rhythm games, I love the physical act of swinging a sword (or any martial art), and I adore Star Wars, so this game was meant for me. I’ve dedicated so many hours now to staying up late and slowly improving my scores while moving my skill ever upward. When I first started playing, Expert mode looked supernaturally hard to me and I knew that there was no way that I would ever get good at Hard, let alone move forward from there. Now I’m regularly conquering some of the most difficult songs on Expert, and have my eye fixed on the next tier of Expert+. It almost makes me see what all you hardcore Dark Souls fans are always talking about when it comes to challenge…almost.

The only downside to the system that I’ve found as of yet is the way that it inevitably separates you from the people around you. Unlike a normal video game or TV show you can’t simply pause and pay attention to others, or multi-task. It is absorbing in a way where, often, I’ll be swinging around my Move controllers and have no idea someone else is in the room because I’m blasting music through my earphones. I’m a father of two children, and married, so I often only play when it is a game we are all playing together, or they’ve all gone to bed so as not to alienate anyone.

That being said I was also surprised in the way it brought my family together. My wife, typically not into the games I play, regularly takes her turn with the system and my older mother recently played through a Shark cage dive and was utterly amazed. More than anything though Playroom VR surprised me, and though of course everybody wants to play the VR portion when we play, everyone still gathers around together to play VR as a family.

I’ve been absolutely thrilled with PSVR so far and my enthusiasm is showing no signs of slowing–it is like owning a super affordable, customizable arcade experience in your home with application beyond just playing the latest and greatest VR games.  Overall I think that if you own a PlayStation, and have even a passing interest in VR, you owe it to yourself to find a way to get a headset.