Attempts to completely immerse players in the computer universe have been made since the late 70s: Atari even briefly created its own laboratory for the study of virtual reality.

After that there were many more bold experiments: from wildly expensive slot machines to exotic home consoles like Nintendo's Virtual Boy and counterintuitive gadgets like the Power Glove.

An error occurred while loading.

In short, everyone has wanted virtual reality for a long time. However, conditions have only recently developed: the quality of graphics on PCs and modern consoles has reached such a level that editors of serious news companies constantly confuse them with reality.

PlayStation VR: how it all works

Installation of PlayStation VR, a virtual reality kit for the gaming console of the same name from Sony, takes 20-40 minutes (depending on experience). There are no special difficulties, just a lot of wires.

The PlayStation 4 connects to the TV with a regular HDMI cable, but virtual reality is more complicated: the helmet comes with a processor module that looks like a splitter, but with not one, but two HDMI inputs - one for each “eye” of the helmet.

The helmet has a cool futuristic design and is comfortable. It attaches in one motion and does not interfere with your enjoyment.

Bogdana Serebriyan

The adapter is powered by a separate cable, and to work with PlayStation VR you will need to connect a separate stereo headset to the helmet.

In addition, some games will require two more Move controllers with a camera to boot. And, of course, all this must be correctly calibrated in the PlayStation menu itself.

It's breathtaking at first

The first few seconds inside PlayStation VR you experience a mixture of sacred horror and childish delight. Moreover, you feel delight even in cases when we're talking about about a non-interactive scene from Resident Evil 7 where the player is eaten alive by a female demon.

I really want to feel like an astronaut on the ISS: to see what sunrises and sunsets look like in orbit. It would be awesome to have a game like this!

Dmitry Shveenkov

There are no longer any obstacles between the player and the game, the common journalistic cliche about “immersing yourself in the game headlong” becomes literal: you can still turn away from the monitor, but here the picture is transmitted directly to the brain, and two screens create an exciting stereo effect.

PS VR accurately reads the tilt of the head and, as a result, the feeling of presence is not destroyed by either the slight blurriness of the picture or the silly animation of the characters, which inspires parodies on YouTube.

This is especially noticeable in the example of Eagle Flight, an eagle simulator from the creators of the latest Far Cry games. The graphics in this game look more like a 3D cartoon and are far from photorealism, but inside the eagle head you don’t even remember this. Instead, I want to selflessly soar over Paris, abandoned by humanity, to catch fatty fish in the green Seine and sort things out with the daring bats at the Eiffel Tower.

Virtual reality makes you sick

Virtual reality gracefully balances out most of the accompanying shortcomings. The slight clumsiness of controllers with motion sensors is masterfully played out in the satirical Job Simulator.

Even games of very conservative genres - like virtual shooting ranges and tank simulators - look fantastically believable and realistic inside the helmet. Unless, of course, the vestibular apparatus fails: many people begin to feel dizzy.

One of my friends even decided to return the device to the store: his body refused to adapt to the conditions of virtuality. Another acquaintance is a licensed racing driver, but this did not save him: the overloads inside the PS VR turned out to be more nauseating than a trip along the most difficult Nurburgring track.

After the game, I felt like I woke up in a bad phase of sleep. I played for 40 minutes and spent the entire evening feeling slightly nauseous.

Bogdana Serebriyan

I managed to maintain intervals of about twenty minutes, after which I had to take a break - about the same as those who peer at the smartphone screen in the passenger seat of a car get motion sickness. People who are stronger can hold on for hours: for example, gaming journalist and lover of wild recreation Alexey Makarenkov managed to sit inside the helmet for 7 hours with two breaks, but then he had a sad time - “he felt dizzy, had a stomach ache, in short, he almost died.”

Game developers seem to have prepared for this and sought to mitigate the effect of seasickness. In some games, the hero’s body turns jerkily, and it’s not a matter of hardware limitations: even a relatively smooth forward movement begins to make you feel sick, and a sharp turn of the entire virtual body to the side could lead to trouble and an upset stomach.

That same feeling when they are trying to deceive the brain. The first minutes when you, say, “learned to fly” are very inspiring!

Dmitry Osadchuk

However, such effects are mainly typical for games where you need to move using a controller. Where you just need to turn your head, you get motion sickness less often or not at all. Therefore, Eagle Flight turns out to be an ideal game for PS VR: the smooth movements of a soaring bird not only does not cause a feeling of rocking, but is also somehow calming.

Is it worth taking?

Everything indicates that gaming reality is the future of the entertainment industry. A future that is not just standing on the threshold, but has stuck its foot between the door and the jamb, and does not plan to leave: serious companies like Facebook, Sony, Samsung and many others are investing in technology.

The results of a questionnaire from the organizers of the largest industrial conference, GDC, indicate that interest in the topic among game developers has grown one and a half times over the past year, and this year GDC itself will host a separate two-day VR forum.

Secondly, many nice games have been released for PS VR, but most of them are far from first-rate: the first major blockbuster with headset support was Resident Evil 7; projects of comparable scale are not expected in the coming months.

When you are offered to try new things in gaming VR from PlayStation, you never expect to get graphics at the level of five years ago. It depends a lot on the game, but none of them impressed me with their visualization and picture quality.

Dmitry Osadchuk

Each game costs an average of one and a half to two thousand rubles, and the PlayStation Move with a camera is sold separately. The helmet itself costs 35,000 rubles, which is much cheaper than the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, but only if you already have a PlayStation 4, and your interest in virtuality is limited to games available on PSN.

PlayStation VR is an incredible experience, but using it at this stage of development is almost the same as buying it mobile phone in the mid-90s: bulky, expensive, plus nausea and dizziness.

The future has arrived: electric cars are driving on the roads, you can pay for Rollton using your iPhone, and entertainment takes place in a different reality. After a series of transfers, all three headsets (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR) have finally appeared on the market. People waiting for a miracle were faced with a brutal truth: virtual reality is not nearly as good as the imagination imagined.

Wanting to quickly escape from our reality with its unstable exchange rates and cheap oil, we began to unpack PlayStation VR. If you look at the presentation photographs, and then at the contents of the box, you will notice striking differences: in the advertising images there are either no wires at all, or they are carefully hidden. But the cables haven't gone away. And you can’t even imagine how many of them there really are.

As you remove all the bells and whistles from the box, there are more and more cables. One HDMI, the second, microUSB, then a long wire, this time double. And at the bottom there is finally the helmet itself - believe it or not, it also has a cord. There is also a large hardware console with an external power supply. Also, do not forget about the branded PlayStation Camera, which must be purchased separately (120 rubles). It is, of course, wired.

Your room will resemble a system administrator's closet: twisted cables everywhere, which are so easy for your feet to get caught in. If you're allergic to cords or have a nice interior, don't even think about PlayStation VR: cords are everywhere, there's nowhere to hide them.

The module through which the wires are connected

The connection is simple. Firstly, the cables are numbered, and secondly, there are clear instructions. The helmet is not connected directly to the PlayStation 4, but to a separate module that transmits a signal to the TV. This way, others see what you see. It is to the block that so many wires go.

The helmet looks cosmic. The musicians from Daft Punk would probably wear it too. The design seems rather flimsy: the front part is attached to the rim in only one moving place, and the plastic crunches dangerously when adjusted. You can play without taking off your glasses: there is enough space for them. But the PlayStation VR must fit tightly to the face, and the lenses sometimes press on the lenses of the glasses - this quickly causes marks on the nose.

In general, the device fits well on different heads, although one problem was still found. When looking down, a strip of light is visible - no matter how much I adjusted or tightened the helmet, I couldn’t completely block the view. Other people have not found such a deficiency (you have to eat off your cheeks, that means). But during the game this does not interfere at all. The helmet needs to be adjusted as precisely as possible. Blurred images and “fog” appear precisely because the device is not placed correctly on the head.

When you first launch it, PlayStation VR surprises and disappoints at the same time. It’s surprising that this is the future. The helmet is not available in some testing laboratories or at presentation exhibitions, virtual reality has now become a technology for home use. Objects and environments in VR really look three-dimensional - it seems that you can touch them. In the Driveclub race, bending over feels like putting your chin on the steering wheel, and in the rail horror Until Dawn: Rush of Blood you always want to look behind you: you never know who will sneak up there. The effect of presence is not one hundred percent, but very strong.

The football arcade game Headmaster is interestingly made. Flying balls must be scored with your head, gaining points for hitting the marks. The helmet is light, the neck does not get tired from movements, but the force of the impact is not felt. For some games - for example, the office worker simulator Job Simulator and Until Dawn - it is advisable to acquire PlayStation Move controllers (approximately 80 rubles each, not included).

It is important to understand that PlayStation VR, as well as HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, are the first mass-produced devices of this kind and there are too many compromises in them. Remember the first smartphones: Android was incredibly slow, the iPhone couldn’t shoot video. With each new generation, gadgets became more and more advanced. The same thing awaits VR helmets, so you shouldn’t give up on the technology itself in advance.

Specifically regarding PlayStation VR, the complaints are as follows.

Firstly, the resolution is disgusting (960x1920 for each eye). The pixels are visible, and you don’t need to look closely: the display is close to your eyes, the squares cannot be hidden.

Secondly, here, in addition to the resolution, the graphics in the games are also terrible. The regular PlayStation 4 does not have enough power to produce high-quality images, and the projects have not yet been adapted for the PlayStation 4 Pro. At the moment, it doesn't matter which console you play VR on.

Thirdly, a helmet greatly affects your well-being. Even if you calmly ride a roller coaster and don’t get off the swing for hours, you can eyes closed ride on circular rides, then in PlayStation VR you will most likely still get very motion sick after half an hour of play. The speed of onset of unpleasant symptoms and their strength depend on the project: the more dynamic it is, the faster signs of nausea will appear.

You can easily spend 30-40 minutes playing a Tumble VR puzzle, but after a couple of fights in EVE: Valkyrie or the tank action Battlezone, you want to immediately take off your helmet and get some fresh air. Gradually, the body gets used to the new sensations, allowing you to play a little longer.

Another one serious problem virtual reality helmets, including PlayStation VR, are games. There are practically none. The Driveclub race, the Until Dawn: Rush of Blood shooting gallery, the horror Here They Lie, a couple of arcade games - all this is fun, but not worth the money. Likewise, there is no point in buying a helmet for such games. All you have to do is download a free set of demos to experience the capabilities of PlayStation VR.

How do you usually play games on a console? We returned home after work (training, meetings, dates), wanted to relax - turned on a shooter or racing game and sat down for an hour and a half to two hours in front of a huge TV. This scenario will not work with PlayStation VR. Put on a helmet, look at the pixels, squint at the light colors that almost burn out your retina, and just in case, put a basin on your knees. Playing in virtual reality does not allow you to relax; it only puts more strain on your body, which is tired after a busy day.

Sony has released an interesting attraction. The device may captivate you for a week or a week and a half, but then you just want to sit down in front of a regular TV and play normally or watch a movie. The revolution has not happened yet. I wonder what will happen next with VR and what applications developers will find for this technology. Now the flight of fantasy is being crushed by technical limitations: there are few interactive objects in the games, the picture is from the debut of the PlayStation 3, and the gameplay is meager.

When problems with resolution, graphics, motion sickness, kilometers of wires and games themselves are eliminated, then we’ll talk about a breakthrough in the entertainment industry. In the meantime, VR is akin to 5D cinemas: for the sake of curiosity, you can go into one mall, but no one buys this booth for their home. Let's assume that the PlayStation VR headset will be popular at the box office. It's worth trying out virtual reality. Buy - no. Especially for 1040-1050 rubles - that’s how much a helmet costs in Belarus.

Onliner.by rating

Fun for a few days. It won't really drag you in, but it will give you fresh sensations. We need to wait for key deficiencies to be corrected, and this will take at least 2-3 years.

Like

VR has become publicly available

Lower price compared to Oculus Rift and HTC Vive

New experiences guaranteed

I do not like

Strong effect on well-being

Lots of wires

Weak graphics

Low resolution

PlayStation Camera not included

It is highly advisable to buy a PlayStation Move

Cheaper than competitors, but still expensive

PlayStation VR came to the editorial office with PlayStation 4 Pro. One of the arguments in favor of consoles instead of gaming computers has collapsed: you can no longer buy a console and forget about upgrading the hardware for 6-7 years. Or is it still possible?

Sony and Microsoft are well aware of the difficult situation in which they find themselves. On the one hand, consoles have barely reached the halfway point of their life cycle (Xbox One and PlayStation 4 appeared at the end of 2013). And almost immediately it became clear that, to put it mildly, they were “not cake” in terms of hardware. Yes, you cannot directly compare the characteristics of computers and consoles. It's like figuring out which is more powerful: a truck or a supercar. Powers can be comparable in terms of horsepower, but the purpose will be completely different. However, one fact is not in doubt: neither the Xbox One nor the PlayStation 4 can handle Full HD resolution at 60 frames per second in games, and this is a problem. The situation is especially depressing given the advent of televisions and monitors with 4K resolution.

Therefore, the Japanese and Americans decided to release more powerful versions of consoles. With the condition that all games must be played both on regular consoles and on their improved versions. The key advantages of the new systems are support for 4K, HDR and increased performance, which will increase the number of frames per second and make the graphics more beautiful. Microsoft will release the mysterious Project Scorpio by Christmas 2017, and Sony has jumped in and is already selling the PlayStation 4 Pro.

During the presentation, many users did not like the updated console because of its appearance. The decision to “glue” another panel is a little strange (there were jokes that the PS5 would be four-layer), but in reality the console looks quite nice. Sony can’t play enough with the power and disc eject buttons: in the original PlayStation 3 they were touch-sensitive, in the Slim they were made normal, in the PlayStation 4 they are again touch-sensitive, and in the PS4 Slim and Pro they are again physical.

The ports are standard: at the back there are HDMI, LAN, an interface for the PlayStation Camera, an optical output and an additional USB connector - now there are three of them. Sony again hasn't solved the USB problem. The front ports are recessed inside between the narrow halves of the console, and thick flash drives do not go in all the way. The power cable has become more massive. The connector is like a computer power supply - you can immediately see that the console is more powerful than a regular one and requires more energy (310 W versus 165 W in the PS4 Slim).

The changes inside are much more serious. The processor was overclocked from 1.6 to 2.1 GHz, the graphics were also improved - 36 computing cores instead of 18. The frequency was raised from 800 to 911 MHz. Overall performance has more than doubled: from 1.84 teraflops to 4.2. Both Slim and Pro finally get support for 5GHz Wi-Fi routers.

It is planned that new games will immediately support additional features of the PS4 Pro. A number of already released projects have received significant patches that improve the resolution and make improvements to the picture. It’s possible to notice this on a Full HD TV, but sometimes you have to try.

The picture is more detailed in some places, although there are no fundamental differences. For example, the difference between the original PlayStation 3 games and their remasters on PS4 is much more pronounced. There, the updated GTA 5 and the Uncharted collection look much better.

When you launch a game on PS4 Pro, you subconsciously expect the same technological leap. However, a new console is not a new generation, and this must be remembered. The PlayStation 4 Slim, whose hardware is identical to the “fat one,” arrived in stores in September, and Sony is not abandoning the basic console. It should also bring money to the company.

The big difference in the picture between PS4 Slim and Pro is not particularly beneficial for the Japanese. So it’s too early to write off the regular PS4. For a Full HD TV, a PlayStation 4 is sufficient, although the Pro brings its own advantages. Some games will run at 60 frames per second on Full HD screens. But with 4K it was a bummer. The resolution is supported, but it is not native 4K, but simply upscaled from 1080p. There is no need to make a tragedy out of this. The picture will still be excellent on Ultra HD TVs, but true 4K still requires too many resources. At the same time, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End runs in true 4K, but at 30 frames per second, or in a stretched resolution of 60 fps.

Another important innovation is HDR technology, which allows you to squeeze more detail out of the dark areas of the picture. But this again requires a TV that supports this function. It is not vital, but the image actually becomes nicer - more vibrant and detailed.

What to buy: regular PlayStation 4 or Pro? If you have a 4K TV, it’s definitely worth taking a top-end set-top box: the console was created for this resolution in the first place. If you don’t have a fancy screen, but want a slightly improved picture and more frames per second, then Pro again looks more interesting. If you already have a PlayStation 4, then you can do without the flagship system.

At least in current games there is not such a significant difference. The shooter Battlefield 1 has changed the most; the differences in other projects are not so serious. In the PlayStation + VR combination, a powerful console is almost necessary. A regular PS4 is barely enough for virtual reality, but the Pro will be able to further unlock the potential of the technology.

Like

Power has doubled

Additional USB port

Wi-Fi support in the 5 GHz band

Acceptable cost

I do not like

4K resolution is not native

90% of flash drives never fit into USB slots

We thank the Gamepark store for providing the PlayStation VR helmet and PlayStation 4 Pro console for review.

Virtual reality is finally here, but until recently it was limited to the world of PC hardware, with consoles left behind. PlayStation VR review more...

With average PC performance well above the average console, we were worried that VR wouldn't make it to consoles, at least without losing quality.

Luckily, that's all changing with the arrival of Sony's PlayStation VR, a very capable and relatively affordable headset that could be the simple introduction to virtual reality we've been waiting for.

PlayStation VR has its problems - the most notable of which is the need to purchase a PlayStation Camera if you don't have one, and then you'll need PlayStation Move controllers to get the full experience - but ultimately PlayStation VR proves that consoles can be a viable platform for virtual reality.

Our PlayStation VR review took about a week, during which we tried out a variety of console games, from the impressive Rocksteady and Batman: Arkham VR, to the uncontrollably funny Job Simulator and even horror games like Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.

Some of these games offer more fun than others, obviously, but they all point to the same thing: PlayStation VR doesn't flex.

Before we continue talking about PlayStation VR's intricacies (and weaknesses), let's get the basics out of the way.

• Availability;
• Close to the performance of PC headsets;
• Good selection of games;

• Does not have the necessary accessories included;
• The headset seals do a poor job;
• The motion tracking controller is not without bugs;

The headset is sold in two versions: the PlayStation VR Basic Bundle, which includes the PS VR system, headphones and all necessary cables, costing $399 (RUB 26,000), and there is also the PlayStation VR Launch Bundle, which includes the PS VR system, PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move motion controllers, and a copy of the PlayStation VR Demo on disc, which includes a manual and about ten VR-ready games.

If you don't already own a PlayStation Move camera or controllers, purchasing the Lauch Bundle is your best bet at launch - especially since you're getting some of the best PlayStation VR games in the world, for free.

Besides the PlayStation VR device itself and the PlayStation camera, all you need is a PS4 console (or a recent Slim version or the original model), a PS4 DualShock 4 controller, and 2 by 3 meters of well-lit (but not too lit) space.

Setting up the VR headset takes just a few minutes, and the accompanying instructions provide a clear visual guide to get everything working.

How does PlayStation VR work?

Like other virtual reality headsets on the market, PlayStation VR performs the difficult task of completely immersing you in a video game by transmitting two images simultaneously and then beaming them into the headset a meter away. Unlike competitors that require expensive graphics cards to do their job, PS VR can do everything it needs with just a PlayStation 4 and built-in GPU.

The work is achieved using the PlayStation Camera to track nine various sensors headset and Move or DualShock 4 controller sensors, depending on what game you're playing.

This is a surprisingly accurate overview of the situation, given the fact that there is only one camera to monitor everything... but it is not a foolproof solution. We'll take a closer look at the performance of the PlayStation VR headset in a minute, but be prepared for the camera to lose sight of the controllers. Often.

The real bummer is that Sony only uses one camera instead of two, making it harder for the PlayStation VR to track your position as you move, compared to the HTC Vive, which can offer advanced Scale Room technology. However, it can still track you as you get up and move, but you shouldn't expect to be able to take more than a few steps in any direction without the system warning you that you're going too far.

To this end, most PlayStation VR games will recommend that you remain in one of two positions, sitting or standing, stationary. If you are prone to motion sickness, sitting position may be most comfortable, however, some games are definitely better played while standing.

PlayStation VR will be the promised land for virtual reality on consoles.

Depending on where and what angle the camera is placed, switching between lenses may not be the easiest, so it's best to find an angle that covers the most of the room if you want to change positions without having to get up, move and calibrate the camera.

But let's get back to our review of Sony's PlayStation VR. So far, we have tried to reduce the number of words "virtual reality" without offering explanations.

Virtual reality has been around in one form or another for decades, but today's technological version is more immersive and less nauseating than ever. In short, virtual reality is just a virtual world that gives you the experience of being transported to another time, another place, another world, all without leaving your home.

And yes, it's as cool as it sounds.

If you want to get specific, PlayStation VR can render game images at 1080p (1920 x 1080 | RGB) on an OLED panel at 90Hz (meaning the image is refreshed 90 times per second) or 120Hz depending on the game or application .

For those concerned about latency, Sony promises a PlayStation VR response speed of no more than 18ms - which is 0.002 seconds faster than the highest threshold of acceptable latency before you notice latency in the virtual reality world.

These are remarkable and promising numbers that are on par with . Sony's main advantage that Oculus and HTC don't have is the fact that they are a world-class games publisher. And while other companies have been forced to build relationships with developers over the past few years, Sony has everything it needs.

It's no surprise that Sony is promising around 50 new titles for the platform before the end of the year, some of which will come directly from Sony studios. The first and most important product is PlayStation VR Worlds, which puts you in a cage and allows you to watch sharks, and that's just a small part of what will happen to you.

Sony PlayStation VR on PS4 Pro

There's another piece of hardware to consider when looking for and purchasing a PlayStation VR, and that's the brand new Sony PS4 Pro.

With additional processing power, PlayStation 4 Pro is capable of offering immersive virtual reality experiences for games that support VR - there are about 30 of them at the moment, with more than 15 titles coming before the end of this year.

An upgraded PS4 Pro could offer different forms of upgrades to the virtual reality world, from more detailed textures to draw distances and so on. Strengths vary from game to game, but PS4 Pro is currently designed for those games where the developer has enabled "Pro Mode", a hardware acceleration technology that allows the PS4 to harness additional processing power.

When we reviewed the PS4 Pro, we got the chance to try out the upgraded hardware with PlayStation VR, and the results were noticeable, if not overwhelming.

There are definitely clear differences between the PS4 and PS4 Pro in VR gaming, however, most of the changes will remain unnoticeable to the casual (non-techie) user. You can only detect changes if you pay close attention to, for example, how some textures look in game or objects look from a distance. The amount of lag is noticeably lower on the PS4 Pro, although in all fairness this is not a critical issue for the standard model of the console.

Whether the minor improvements are worth the extra cost for advanced hardware is ultimately a decision we leave to you, to our taste, you can use the PS4 without any problems.

PlayStation VR Design and Performance

Sony PlayStation VR doesn't redefine VR, but it's one of the most compelling designs we've seen.

The head-up display screams minimalism with the team tag and black and white touches matte plastic. The final iteration of the headset is punctuated by seven blue LEDs that the PlayStation Camera captures to track your location and head movement. For games that require you to turn around, Sony places two more LEDs on the back of the strap, bringing the total number of lights to nine.

All of this comes back in an elegant and precise frontal tracking solution.

PlayStation VR looks good and, thankfully, is just as comfortable as other virtual reality headsets lack. Sony has used a "halo" shape for the PlayStation VR, with a single white matte strap that seamlessly wraps around the head, connects at the back, and can be adjusted to your liking. The inner surface of the belt has a thick pad with a rubber coating that gently holds the head in place. Once the headset turns on, you can adjust the flaps forward and backward to adjust the focus.

The secret to PlayStation VR's comfort is that the weight of the headset is transferred to top part domes, putting less pressure on the bridge of the nose and forehead. Where other headsets start to weigh on you after an hour or so, I found that I could wear the Sony PS VR for hours on end without suffering from neck fatigue.

To block out light, Sony has installed a rubber flap that surrounds the visor. While it's moderately effective with light coming from the left or right, the headset leaves a significant gap between your nose and the headset's rim that lets light through and can be quite distracting when you're trying to lose yourself in the virtual world.

While the headset can technically be worn over glasses, this solution suffers from light leakage issues.

This is annoying, but not a reason to abandon the headset.

Inside the headset there is a 5.7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. PlayStation VR offers a 100-degree field of view, with a 120Hz refresh rate and less than 18ms latency, meaning you're less likely to experience nausea than with previous headset models that had slower refresh rates and higher latency.

The PlayStation VR control scheme, as reviewed, uses a combination of head movements, along with the PlayStation Move and DualShock 4 controllers that you should be familiar with. Move controllers first launched alongside several Wii-like titles on the PlayStation 3, and while they worked well, they weren't designed for a VR headset at all.

Move felt crude or at least limited on PS3, but the tools that allow you to control the movement of your hands, Move feels great on PS VR. Other games with more complex control schemes will use the DualShock 4 wireless controller that comes with the PS4.

If it wasn't clear enough by now, it's time for the most depressing news: the PlayStation VR headset is not wireless. While Google Cardboard can get everything you need from your mobile device, PlayStation VR needs to be connected to the system at all times.

The cord that runs from the headset to the PlayStation VR processing unit and then to the PS4 itself has a control unit built closer to the headset, allowing you to turn the headset on/off or turn the volume up/down. There you'll also find a headphone jack that works with a pair of quality Sennheisers as well as cheap earbuds.

Sony bundles each headset with a pair of tiny white earbuds, but these are the worst option for a VR experience - they sound quite hollow, are uncomfortable and are prone to falling out. Throughout my PlayStation VR review, I had to use the Creative Sound Blaster H5S due to its excellent volume and sound quality, but really any decent pair of headphones will work.

The last part of the virtual reality design, the Processor Unit, was only briefly mentioned above. Sony has made it clear that this device is not responsible for additional graphics performance in any way.

Measuring 142.2 x 35.6 x 142.2 mm (W x H x D), the unit is responsible for assisting the PlayStation 4 with 3D audio processing, HDMI cable management, Cinematic Mode, as well as the social interface on the TV screen. We'll look at dedicated modes very soon, although they may not be enough to justify having another media box on the shelf.

Performance and content

If we had to sum up PlayStation VR's performance in one word, it would be "amazing."

Competitors in the virtual reality market like Oculus and HTC have set the bar pretty high for what a quality VR product should look and feel like. Considering both headsets require powerful PCs that cost two and three times as much, PS VR makes sense.

With the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, we knew what we were getting. We used incredible powerful computer, capable of running all games at maximum graphics settings. With PlayStation VR, however, we were not so sure that everything would be fine.

But as it turns out, the PS4 is more than capable of delivering two amazingly sharp images that may not offer the most amazing, mind-blowing precision, but are more than enough for the vast majority of games. As the PlayStation VR review showed, the headset plays games in simple graphics, instead of showing a realistic picture.

Likewise, head tracking was almost as accurate on PlayStation VR as it was on Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, with the only minor caveat being that the system would lose touch controllers from time to time, simply due to the fact that the tracked space is quite limited.

Despite having a smaller field of view than the Oculus Rift by about 10 degrees (110 vs. 100), PlayStation VR rarely causes nausea, with a very low 18ms latency that delivers a smooth experience without lag or stuttering. I remember a time when field of view was a major stumbling block for me, however, Sony's latest unit eliminates the problem entirely.

As for the games themselves, we got to enjoy a significant selection of PlayStation VR as part of our review. During the review week, we played Batman: Arkham VR, Battlezone; Harmonix Music VR, Job Simulator, PlayStation VR Worlds, SUPERHYPERCUBE, Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Wayward Sky, EVE: Valkyrie, Driveclub VR, RIGS Mechanized Combat League, and many others.

The gaming experience ranged from lighthearted to incredibly intense combat and even horror games to cover the whole picture. The system and its features are more prone to leisurely paced gaming, as high-intensity games are much more prone to nausea rather than excitement.

Luckily, virtual reality is not a solitary experience. Friends and family can watch you play thanks to a special "social screen" that reflects a 2D version of what the player sees in 3D, while some titles, including Battlezone, actually support online multiplayer.

Another useful feature is Cinematic Mode, which allows you to view 2D content inside a virtual reality headset. Cinematic mode doesn't convert 2D content into 3D content, but it will let you watch your favorite shows - or even play PS4 games on an extra-large virtual screen.

Speaking of movies and TV shows, there are currently a number of short cinematic VR videos on the PlayStation Store that are worth checking out. The quality is certainly not Oculus Studios, but we had a chance to laugh out loud while watching Invasion! and even tears welled up while watching Allumette.

However, all these experiences, be it games or films, according to the results of the review, cannot be called realistic - believe me, you will never forget that you are in a virtual reality headset. Some character models have jagged edges, and even the best animation technologies cannot yet fully handle virtual reality.

At this stage, at least, it is easy to distinguish the virtual world from the real one. If you're considering a purchase, the PlayStation VR headset is more of a novelty than a groundbreaking innovation on the market.

Negative consequences

We talk about this in almost every VR review, we apologize if you've read about it before, but it's important to note that VR will make even the most seasoned gamer weak in the knees if you play for too long

Sony recommends taking breaks every 15 minutes or so, and stopping the game if you start to feel dizzy. We will add to this that you should slowly acclimate to the world of virtual reality and not jump into it head first. Try gaming sessions for a few minutes, preferably using Move motion controllers, while sitting. As you feel more comfortable, you can increase the amount of time you spend in the virtual world “without coming up for air” to achieve a fully immersive experience.

I admit on my own that my first virtual reality experience was not without success. side effects, and it was only after I spent some time with the virtual reality headset that I was able to finally overcome this feeling and enjoy playing in the VR world.

Our bodies are simply not used to the disconnect from visual stimulation that comes with a headset. Even if you play for several hours a day, you remain in the real world, periodically looking away from the TV to look at your mobile phone or interact with another person. In virtual reality, you only see what's reflected on the headset's screen and objects from the virtual reality, but you can't physically interact with them. This leads to a feeling of disconnection from the real world, which causes nausea.

Another interesting symptom that appears after prolonged use is a terrible headache. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep brought on by the PlayStation VR review or the strict diet that coincided with it, but most evenings ended with bloodshot eyes and a throbbing pain at the temple.

There are other users who felt the same way without playing for hours on end and without suffering from lack of sleep, other users did not experience any problems, enjoying the game without side effects, playing even longer. This is exactly the situation where the experience differs from person to person, you can only test it with your own virtual reality unit.

I'll end this section of the review on a good note: the Sony PlayStation VR is one of the best virtual reality systems I've had the pleasure of working with. Thanks to motion controllers and low gaming space requirements where you only have to stand up if you're tired of sitting, PlayStation VR is actually less likely to make you feel bad than, say, Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear VR.

FuturePlayStationVR

Let me point out that no matter how hard I try, I can't predict the future, and I can't claim to know Sony's plans for the PlayStation VR headset we reviewed. But it seems likely that the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset will become a very popular accessory that will become commonplace for the future of the platform. There is a chance that the headset will sell as well as the game and software developers will work. There are some financial benefits to creating content for a developing environment in the first few years of life.

But there is another possible route for PlayStation VR - one in which the system receives a lot of hype and active support in the first six months, and then, for the next two years, gathers dust on a shelf, like the PlayStation Vita or Nintendo Wii.

From everything we've seen and heard so far, both at shows and in conversations with developers, there is a ton of excitement around virtual reality and PlayStation VR specifically. Everything rests on the idea that PlayStation VR will be well supported by third-party developers and publishers, whose activity will determine the success of the platform. However, for the user, the situation looks like this: we shell out for technologies that we think have a good chance, only to be disappointed when they fail to reach critical mass and developers abandon them. This is a stone in the garden for Kinect from Microsoft, 3D TVs and so on.

To sum it up, VR has a lot of potential, Sony wouldn't spend millions of dollars on research if the potential wasn't there, and once we become habitual VR users, the technology will only get better. But if you're wary of diving headfirst into raw technology, no one will blame you for waiting a few months to make sure the developers are still supporting the platform before spending a significant $30,000.

I have been following the progress of VR devices for a long time. Ever since the advent of VFX-1, this direction seemed very, very interesting to me. But in Lately The phenomenon is also becoming widespread.

We are accustomed to the fact that the “virtual” exists. Everyone who wanted to has already tried Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear VR, fortunately there are plenty of demo zones everywhere. But after watching the Sony Playstation VR demo, I realized that this particular product could change everything and bring virtual reality to our world. However, first things first.

Surely everyone remembers these spectacular renders of Sony Playstation VR, which we have been feeding for more than a year now. The device I looked at was almost final. A company representative argued that if there are changes in mass production, they will be minimal. You can see how the device looks with the light on the head in the photo above, and when turned off and on the table it looks like this.


You shouldn't pay attention to the cracks; this is still a pre-production sample. The quality of the plastic is very high. The headband is soft, does not rub anything, and is widely adjustable. Compared to the angular oculus - very approx. Of course, people still need to get used to it, but it looks interesting.

By the way, I realized what this helmet reminds me of. Do you recognize? :)

But let's get back to our sheep. In order to put on the helmet, you need to press this button on the back of the headband and pull the device over your head. If you are going to actively shake your head, you can fix the position using a twister.

There is no adjustment of the distance between the lenses, however, the lenses themselves are very large, with a margin, suitable for almost any person. But I'm afraid Dory the fish will be unhappy. The “muzzle” itself is made of very soft rubber, fits tightly and does not rub.

The image is transmitted via a wire (alas, fast enough wireless transmission has not yet been invented), the kit includes switching boxes for connecting controllers and a TV via HDMI (so your guests can watch you jump around virtual worlds), as well as a headphone extension cord.

By the way, the included headphones are quite pathetic; it’s better to immediately find something better. It is advisable to wear overhead ones, as they make the feeling much better.

You can control your movement in VR using a standard gamepad, or using sticks like these. They have all the necessary buttons, movements are caught quite clearly.

And, of course, you will need the Playstation 4 itself.

Okay, let's move on to the demos. I put on my helmet and pick up the sticks. When I move them, you can see how the pistols in my hands move back and forth. I'm sitting in some kind of hellish trolley, and I'm moving forward. Dead girls are attacking me! DEAD PIGS pour out rivers of blood from all sides. Then they try to pierce me with some kind of hooks. And I involuntarily dodge, shooting back along the way. Here is the trailer for the game (but it doesn’t show dead pigs or hooks, and in general it looks somehow not scary in the Youtube window).

I understand that my fear will look naive in a few years. And you can laugh at him. Just as they are now laughing at people running out of the hall where the Lumiere brothers demonstrated their “arrival of the train.” In the meantime, despite the fact that the demo is short, I can’t stand it and take off the virtual reality helmet ahead of time, without finishing the demo. Dima Lazarev, who is conducting the demonstration, chuckles quietly in the corner.

Is there anything that isn't horror? - I ask.

The thing is, I'm cool with horror films. In the cinema, for example, and at home in the dark. But here everything is somehow too unusual.

Certainly! - Dima says and turns on Job Simulator.

It's even scarier in Job Simulator. We play as an office slave who drinks coffee, turns computers on and off, and puts some documents into folders. Brr, a shiver down the back of my neck. After a couple of minutes I get tired of throwing donuts at my neighbors, and I ask for new demos.

This time they give me London Heist. Everything is great here. I'm off shooting targets from a fast moving car. It’s very interesting that you have to reach into the bag to get the clips, and not reload the pistol with a click. It's a shame the demo is short - I'm going through the whole thing.

Well, everything, in general, is clear to me,” I say. - Let's have one last thing.

Dima smiles sadistically and launches the next demo. Here I am tied to a chair. A dead girl appears out of nowhere and starts stabbing me with a knife. I can only spin helplessly. A disgusting sight. And there is no video to show you.

It’s clear that horror is the best way to engage. But I hope the developers will not focus only on horror films.

Total

All that is available now are demos. But the demos have a very good level of immersion. I have strong nerves, but horror films made me really uneasy. The Playstation VR helmet is currently the most convenient and most comfortable. The image quality is normal - the resolution certainly let us down (1920x1080 for both eyes), but no one else offers it, and thanks to the OLED panels, the colors are rich and the picture looks good.

And, by the way, this kit turns out to be the cheapest - its stated cost is about $400 (in Russia at the start there will be about 37k RRP, and you can find a cheaper one). Add another 20-25k on the console itself and you've got a VR kit for under $1000. You will have to spend incomparably more on an HTC Vive or Oculus Rift, especially considering the price of a gaming computer.

There will be 15 games at the start. It is already clear that they will be realistic, this can be judged from the demos. But how interesting will they be? You can't understand this from the demos. And developers, screenwriters - everyone needs to learn how to make games for VR. As the practice of the same Oculus Rift shows, most developers have not yet learned how to do this (I’m not even talking about helmets with Android smartphones inside). It's encouraging to see that Sony has gotten the hang of gaming and can take good development teams under its wing. However, you still can’t be 100% sure - as is the case, for example, with 4K television. They promised it to us so many times, including Sony, but things are still there.

By the end of the year we are promised at least 50 games, including AAA ones. The release is expected in October 2016. We are waiting, sir.

Most people have not experienced virtual reality or purchased VR headsets, despite the fact that Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have been on the market for a long time. VR headsets are likely underselling due to their high price tags and few compatible PCs, but Sony's PlayStation VR could reverse the trend.

PlayStation VR virtual reality helmet - Reviews

PlayStation VR is the first non-mobile version of a VR headset that costs 63,000 rubles, and there are many more PS4 users than VR-compatible computers.

Is it worth it?

In a word, Yes. Although PS VR has limited power and capabilities compared to the Rift and Vive, the headset provides a full virtual reality experience. With it, you can look from the edge of a cliff, dive to the bottom of the ocean, and even fly while remaining in place.

Setting up PlayStation VR

Setting up a PlayStation VR headset via PlayStation 4 is relatively easy. The helmet comes complete with a processor module that serves as a hub for the PS4, TV and headset.

You must connect the PlayStation camera, which is inserted into a special port at the back of the console. In the PS VR box you will find detailed instructions, but much is intuitive in the equipment itself. The PlayStation camera is not included in the basic VR model and you will have to buy it separately, or buy a set for 32,000 rubles that includes a headset, camera and 2 PlayStation Move controllers.

Most games use the DualShock 4, but others have Move controllers available or even required. The virtual reality experience is enhanced by using motion controllers instead of a standard gamepad. All this requires space, which will be taken up by the devices and the cables connecting them. It is also necessary to keep Dual Shock 4 and 2 Move controllers charged, which means a charged station is also added. It turns out to be a whole virtual reality system that takes up a lot of space and creates a mess.

PS VR Design and Construction

The PS VR headset is made of durable plastic, with soft stripes on the front and back where it attaches to your head. The headset weighs 610 grams, which is almost unnoticeable during games. External light is blocked by the tight fit, but this can make the inside of the helmet feel hot.

You'll have to try hard to put on the PlayStation VR. You need to adjust the headset to the back of your head and face, and also decide on the vertical angle. Stereo headphones are included, but if you have a better option, you can use your own. They need to be connected to the connector on the power panel in PS VR.

All this ensures a stable position of the headset on the head; it should not fall off, even when the player turns his head during the game.

The instructions describe everything in more detail, so you shouldn’t be afraid of buying a helmet and not being able to use it. However, such a complex sequence of actions will have to be performed every time, otherwise, something will not be ideal: games will become blurry, text will be difficult to read, and eye strain will increase.

Virtual reality PS VR

With a resolution of 960xRGBx1080 and 100 degrees of viewing, the PlayStation VR device is inferior to its competitors, but still provides a feeling of complete immersion in virtual reality, unlike smartphone-based gadgets like Google Cardboard.

Games on PS VR can make the user really worried and even afraid. But don't expect this headset to give you unparalleled realism in every PlayStation game. For example, Batman: Arkham VR suffers from Screen-door effect (“mosquito net effect”) and extreme graininess. Those games that do not suffer from pixelation are smaller in scale. It takes time to get used to virtual reality, but you still probably won't be able to play games with VR for as long as you could on a console.

VR can really make you sick, as we found out when testing more than 10 games in a row, but this problem not just this headset. First-person games and games with fast movement especially cause discomfort.

Travel restrictions

The PlayStation camera has a very small area to effectively track the movement of the PS VR headset and Move controllers. You'll be able to sit or stand, but if you lean too far forward or spread your arms too wide, the camera will lose you.

In motion-oriented games like Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives, which are more suited to the HTC Vive's room-scale VR experience, PlayStation VR creates a feeling of being stiff and unable to move. However, this is the advantage of PS VR. All VR systems need some free space, but PS VR only requires about 6 square meters. To use the headset, all you need to do is sit and not move, so we won't need to allocate as much space as other VR devices.

TV turns into a social screen

The most distinctive feature of PlayStation VR can be considered the “social screen” - the display on the TV screen of what the user of the headset sees. The Rift and Vive can display images on a computer monitor, but the PS4 is more geared towards gaming, so a TV screen is more suitable for this.

The video on the social screen will be in lower resolution than in games on PS4, but the quality is close to what the user sees.

PlayStation VR - only for those familiar with PlayStation

It should be taken into account that PlayStation VR is a peripheral device for PS4, and not a separate platform, therefore, the developers assume that users are familiar with the console and controller.

Rift and Vive require a PC and have dedicated control and store input menus. PlayStation VR, on the other hand, is fully integrated into the PlayStation Network, and most games require either DualShock 4 or PlayStation Move controllers. There is no dedicated PS VR menu, or even differences between the display of games with and without VR.

This may seem like a minor difference, but we think most people looking to buy PS VR already own a PS4. But those who are not familiar with PlayStation products will find it difficult to navigate the menus and play games in general.

Guarantee

PlayStation VR comes with a one-year limited manufacturer's warranty. The warranty does not cover damage incurred by the device due to the user's fault.

Bottom line

Despite all the efforts to make virtual reality more accessible, the PlayStation VR is still not a device for everyone. Not everyone will spend tens of thousands of rubles for a few decent working games, but you need to have a PS4 and connect and adjust the equipment every time.

The HTC Vive remains the best VR headset for home use, with a higher display resolution, more advanced motion tracking, and features not available on PS VR. But the HTC Vive costs about twice as much, so if you want to spend less for a fully immersive virtual reality experience, PS VR is your only option.

The PlayStation VR headset doesn't allow you to freely walk around the room in virtual reality, but for anyone who hasn't used a VR headset before, the experience will still be amazing.

Advantages

• Good library of games;
• Secure headset;
• Full virtual reality experience;
• More affordable than Rift or Vive.