PlayStation VR Review: 8 Early Reactions You Need To Know
Is it worth half a grand? Well...
At this stage you've probably heard countless, "VR is upon us! The future is here!"-type soundbites reverberating around the techno-sphere, but until now (or rather, October 13th, which is the street date), such things were resigned to those who owned high-end PCs and fancy hardware configurations.
Sony are aiming to change that with the PlayStation VR; a headset that works with the standard PS4, the Slim, and eventually, the PS4 Pro. It means that for half the price of something like Valve's VIVE headset, you can jack into everything from Gotham City as Batman, to scaring yourself silly whilst exploring a mansion in Resident Evil 7.
At least, that's the pitch.
The reality is by no means virtual, as with the embargo lifted, tons of outlets are posting their thoughts on Sony's 'revolutionary' headset, and although they skew towards positivity overall, reveal a handful of important negative factors that need to be addressed.
After all, PS VR is ostensibly a new console, and if you're dropping shy of half a grand, there are a handful of things you need to keep in mind.
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8. The Price Is Misleading
"PS VR costs £349 in the UK, making it cheaper than either of its competitors, the Oculus Rift (£499) and HTC Vive (£689), although that initial price doesn't take into account either the accessories needed or the hardware required to run it." - Katharine Byrne, Expert Reviews.
Something that's being slightly skirted over - despite it being incredibly important - is that forking out the base cash for a PS VR doesn't actually mean it works out the box.
Why? Because you need an additional PlayStation Camera. No joke, the system won't even function without one, as if the Camera can't track your headset, all you're left with is a black screen. You can hear the outcries from Christmas morning from here.
So to clarify, throwing down $400 gets you the PS VR headset and all its required cables, but it doesn't come with a PS Camera, which is an additional $50. Many launch titles also need a pair of PlayStation Move controllers (which launched back in 2010), setting you back another $70-$80.
So in total, the PS VR doesn't really cost what it's advertised as. Even if you can track down a bundle deal that'll get you everything in one go, sadly there's no way to "Enjoy virtual reality for just $400!".