Hands-On: HTC Vive Vs. PlayStation VR - 7 Key Aspects Compared

5. Controls

This is a tough one to pin down, because both headsets will offer a wide range of options for controlling your VR experience. At EGX, I used a pair of Move controllers for PlayStation VR (finally, they've found a purpose!), and a pair of Move-like controllers for the Vive. Both controllers were perfectly functional and ergonomic. In all the VR demos, gameplay entailed simply grabbing things (or, in the case of The Kitchen, helplessly holding your hands together), and the trigger buttons on the back of both controllers did their jobs flawlessly in carrying out this basic action. What's intriguing about the Vive controllers are the haptic feedback pads on the front, which act as mouse pads in the VR world for selecting options and so on. It also has a satisfying 'click' when you press it. But those controls are just the tip of the virtual iceberg for both headsets. The PlayStation VR has already been shown off with a PlayStation Sharpshooter gun and even an exercise bike game in which you fly a Pegasus (though I hate to think of how sweaty the headset would get after a session on that). Both headsets will, of course, also be playable with ordinary gamepads. The big selling point of the Vive is the fact that your physical movement in the real world is accurately mimicked in the VR world. This really imbues the Vive with a level of immersion that takes it beyond being a virtual experience, to a true Virtual Reality. Of course, most people sitting at their PCs might not have the real estate (or the motivation) to utilise this feature, but it's reassuring that it can be done in a space the size of two yoga mats.