There is no clear way to approach this analysis, as our experience with VR headsets and the personal experience that each of us obtains with them is one of the most subjective things out there. I, myself, have had two completely different experiences with the PSVR2 , with a difference of just 30 hours. For context, my usual HMD is an HP Reverb G2 with an RTX 3090 as its engine.
During my first attempt, the operation and strange way of setting up the headset lasted a good 15-20 minutes. Accustomed to velcro straps and pads, it felt strange to become familiar with the procedure of the headband and the extendable optics (which can be used with glasses) that this PSVR2 possesses. It also requires configuring the controllers, defining play zones, configuring pupil tracking, and a few other things.
With these steps taken, one is supposedly ready to face their first gaming session, which can be done with recommended free demos or diving straight into the VR version of Gran Turismo 7 . I decided to jump right in, not paying too much attention to the configuration time, and after the initial moments of discovery, I began to feel sick. Despite using slow cars, going at very low speeds, discovering the circuits or looking at the details of the interiors, something was not working as expected in this first session with the controller and my brain started to emit warning signals. Something is wrong with the image, and I feel slightly dizzy. It may be the first time something like this has happened to me in… five years?
After talking briefly with Óscar, who also had access to the PSVR2 , he tells me that much of the visual spectacle is filled with synthetic FPS to alleviate the lack of power of the Playstation 5 in this field. It is normal and understandable, and some people are more sensitive than others to this type of graphical “tricks”, so I will have to go slowly, aided by a steering wheel and pedals, where there is less mismatch between what is perceived and what is real.
The following sessions go much better, and I can increase my playtime. The use of suitable peripherals helps to bring coherence between what I see and what I feel, so whatever happens with the image, I barely feel it. At least for the first 30 or 40 minutes where I can appreciate the many virtues of Gran Turismo 7 using PSVR2 . All the good things we have been saying about the game take on another dimension when you can appreciate the cars in real size, when you can ride the circuits with all kinds of details, and when you can compete with a bunch of rivals without any performance drop throughout the journey.
I do not want to look too deeply, because I know there is an obvious graphical cut from what I see on a monitor to this. I am not so naive as to think that Polyphony Digital has discovered something that Kunos, iRacing or Reiza have not found out in over five years of working with VR. There are textures with less resolution everywhere, synthetic FPS, much less detail in the elements outside the track, and even less contrast, but the overall appearance and feeling are so good that it makes you want to keep driving and enjoying the variety of machines and locations in the game. However, with caution, because the brain is not easily fooled and needs to get used to these fake 90Hz.
As someone who has used a VR headset before, I can say that we are still far from the moment when what we see in the lenses closely matches what’s on the monitor. This is not the case with high-end HMDs, and it’s not the case here either. In this particular case, the image quality is compromised by what is called the “mura” effect, associated with the OLED technology of the glasses’ screens. This effect causes a very annoying grain in the entire image, giving the feeling of watching an old movie or a nighttime photograph. It depends on your headset if you have more or less of this effect. This is the sacrifice for more realistic blacks.
This effect can be reduced by using glasses with a green filter, but it would be better to improve it through software, just like the reprojection algorithm. With these two things, the experience would be even better without having to worry about discomfort.
On the other hand, one of the outstanding points of PSVR2 is the significantly reduced weight of both the glasses and the controllers. They are incredibly lightweight, which makes them quite comfortable to wear even during long sessions. However, despite the comfort, it is not easy to find the sweet spot, and you may find yourself squeezing them too much to look for that lost definition.
We have been enjoying VR for many years now, but for many, this will be their first experience with glasses using this technology. I have no doubt that the first impression will be impactful for them, but they will also discover everything that is missing. In this sense, Sony’s bet seems very brave because it is a risky move, given the exclusivity, questionable ergonomics (the headband), and personal choices in both hardware (OLED) and software (reprojection), making the flaws particularly visible. It is a bet that only a company of this size can afford and explains the low sales and massive returns they are experiencing in these first few weeks.
If we can overcome these obstacles, there is no doubt that the sensations are much better than when we use Gran Turismo 7 on a monitor, and everything takes on a new dimension. However, the adaptation time may be something that not everyone understands.
