PlayStation VR hands-on

PlayStation VR made its public debut in South-east Asia at GameStart 2015. We’ve got photos and hands-on impressions of this hotly-anticipated virtual reality PlayStation accessory here!

Note: This entry is part of GameStart 2015 coverage.

This is the PlayStation VR prototype exhibited at GameStart 2015. Six demos are available, and they are:

• The Deep
• Kitchen
• The London Heist Getaway
• SEGA feat. Hatsune Miku Project: VR Tech Demo
• Summer Lesson
• Playroom VR

The PlayStation VR is an accessory to the PlayStation 4. Think of it as an extra screen, and controller.

Is this.. the future of gaming?

Working together with the PlayStation Camera and PS Move controllers, the setup tracks the player in a 3D space for accurate motion controls, whether it’s the player’s hand movements or head movements.

Depending on the games (that make it to retail, not necessary these demos), the TV screen can display the same visuals as the PlayStation VR, or something different entirely.

Prior to visiting the demo rooms, I wanted to try London Heist, as I saw from outside that it needs two PS Move controllers to play. But the nice people at PlayStation suggested picking Kitchen. Okay, what is with this kitchen?

Turns out it’s a horror/thriller demo and it’s the demo to leave a lasting impression on the unaware and faint-hearted. Too bad they didn’t know.

Anyway, Kitchen is a short horror experience in… a kitchen. Expect some jump scares and unsettling moments. When I felt footsteps around me and it synced with the game’s audio.. I thought the experience extended into the room. (No it was just people walking around the booth)

What is it like wearing the PlayStation VR? Well, it felt more comfortable than the Oculus Rift. The headset can be adjusted quite easily for comfort, including the shifting of the lenses for the display. There’s soft rubber padding the wearer’s face, and the headset is properly weighted so it balances nicely on the head.

The display, despite being full HD for both eyes, looks a bit pixelated. It’s probably because of the lenses used to alter the display to surround our vision completely and realistically. It distorts and enlarges the gaps between the pixels. The good news is the refresh rate looks really good on these. Head tracking is swift.

The guy who went “WAHHHHH! WAH!! WAH!!” at The Deep demo, an underwater adventure experience.

Sony has touted new 3D positional audio tech designed for the PlayStation VR, but seems like it’s not integrated with the headset here – or anywhere for that matter. Headphones were used at the show, probably for hygiene reasons. It’s not an ideal setup for long sessions of gaming, but I’m sure consumers will be able to use whichever earphones they wish with their kits.

Attendees at GameStart 2015 were certainly impressed by this technology. Now when would it be ready?

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