PSVR 2 reviews went live at various outlets around the world last night, and we thought we’d take a quick look at the critical consensus here in Australia and abroad.
Overall, the vibe does seem to be fairly positive.
Editor’s note: In the interest of complete transparency, Kotaku Australia has not yet received its PSVR 2 review unit. While disappointing to not be in a position to have coverage ready for the PSVR 2 reviews embargo, we’ll bring you our thoughts on the device and its launch lineup once our unit arrives. — David.
Overwhelmingly positive reviews
In the overwhelmingly positive category, Android Central stressed its accessibility, saying that “if you want a VR experience you can share with friends and family, I guarantee the PS VR2 will feel more inviting than a Quest or PC headset.” GamesRadar felt that though the price of admission is high, the device clarifies itself in ways that justify the expense. IGN called the PSVR 2 “a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion.” PC Mag feels that if you own a PS5, then the PSVR 2 becomes “an essential purchase.”
Positive reviews
In the overall positive category, CNET felt “the Quest 2 offers more value and freedom of movement for its price, but the PSVR 2 shows glimpses of how good the future could be.” Dexerto wasn’t satisfied with headset’s overall ergonomics, and complained that the lenses felt like they had too small a sweet spot for focus, but nevertheless felt that “the eye-tracking, Foveated Rendering, and strong launch lineup make the PlayStation VR2 a serious contender in the industry.” Digital Foundry liked it fine but expressed several concerns, saying that the “specs differential against Quest 2 is vast, but the cost of the new hardware leads me to wonder whether or not the install base will grow fast enough to warrant producing big games for the platform.” The Verge admired the PSVR 2’s strong ease of use, but lamented its lack of exclusives, pointing out that almost all of its launch titles are available on other platforms. Despite this, it felt “the PlayStation VR2 might be the very best place to play them.” Vice Games felt the same, saying that though it feels the PSVR 2 is ” the most spectacular way for a newcomer to experience virtual reality”, but the because the device is “chained to a PS5, it’s also chained to Sony’s ability to convince (or pay) developers to port their games to a platform with a brand-new, unproven user base.”
Mixed reviews
In the mixed category, Kotaku US (whose review we’ve featured in our top stories this morning) felt that device’s future is bright, but urged readers to “keep that wallet closed until you’ve had a think about all the pros and cons, as well as alternative VR platforms competing for your attention.” Ars Technica doubted Sony’s commitment to Sparkle Motion, saying “the PSVR2 still feels like a by-the-numbers, too-little-too-late attempt by Sony to keep its foot in a niche it might not be fully committed to.” Game Informer felt the device left it wanting, saying “PlayStation VR2 is a good piece of well-made hardware, but it is not the revelation I was hoping to have for the virtual reality medium.” Wirecutter also felt the library of games just wasn’t there yet, and felt that “(at) launch, the PS VR2 simply doesn’t justify its cost—even if you already own a PlayStation 5. … I can’t recommend it over a Meta Quest 2 until more games, especially more compelling exclusive titles, arrive.”
At the time of writing, I haven’t been able to find a single truly negative take among any of the published PSVR 2 reviews. Even with the device’s major flaws drawing fairly uniform critique, it’s still been able to win over a remarkable number of the industry’s hardest markers. It seems the PSVR 2 may have passed the critical pub test, but how will punters respond? We’ll find out when it launches on February 22.
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