There are some like myself that virtual reality is the next big step in the gaming industry. However like many others, I still had my doubts. That was until I got my hands on PlayStation VR.
My previous experience with virtual reality headsets had been one of sheer excitement, but one that left a nauseous, bitter after taste. Granted that was almost exactly year ago, but I was concerned about the latency issues of the tech and just how long I could stomach it. Not only that, but when I’d used the Oculus, I could feel the headset seriously weighing my head down and it was quite uncomfortable around my eyes.
It’s quite obvious that Sony has poured money into the PlayStation VR and it shows. The headset rests on your head comfortably and securely, with no discomfort around the eyes. It was easy enough for the headset to be moved around with an adjustable strap and after my 10 minutes with the tech, I was almost completely oblivious to the fact I was wearing a large VR headset on my face.
London Heist Getaway was, for me, the perfect game to really demonstrate just what the PlayStation VR and PlayStation Move combination is capable of. I was placed into the passenger seat of a vehicle cruising down a street, a ‘cockney geezer’ next to me muttered on, as I grabbed every single thing in sight. I had been told before my demo that the two PlayStation move controllers were my hands. I used the trigger buttons on the back of each controller to grab items in the car, and released them to let go, simple! I opened the glove box in front of me and carefully picked up fast food cups, moving them around the cabin and getting a feel for how the PlayStation Move controllers replicated my actions in-game. Everything felt incredibly natural, almost as if PlayStation Move had always been meant for PlayStation VR.
After a short while listening to the driver mutter on, gunfire came from a motorcycle speeding in front of us. The driver threw me a gun and the bag of ammo clips next to me became my new best friend. I grabbed the gun in my left hand, no longer having to hold down the trigger to keep hold of it, instead using it to fire rounds. I emptied a clip into the motorbike rider in front of me, grabbing an ammo clip out of the bag to my right, and sliding my right hand underneath my left. This action slid the clip into the gun and once again, there were absolutely no problems with how this was replicated in game, and it was incredibly satisfying.
The demo proceeded to send enemies my way in either cars or on the back of motorbikes, as I leaned, reloaded, and fired my way to safety. Not one point during the demo did the headset, nor the Move controllers lose calibration or have any problem handling the action of the game. No latency, no lag, just a truly enjoyable experience. After I’d shot down a good few waves of enemies, The London Heist Getaway drew to a close. The operators removed the headset off my head, and took away my virtual hands.
The PlayStation VR, despite the rumored price, is shaping up to worth it. This could be the gimmick that finally breaks through and converts even the staunchest skeptics. The PlayStation VR is set to be released in 2016.
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