Sony kept its Cyber Monday deals going on some of its most popular items, like the PS5 Pro, DualSense controllers and this PlayStation VR2 headset that comes with Horizon Call of the Mountain. If you’re looking for a great VR headset, the PS VR2 is now at its lowest price ever on Amazon: $299, down from its usual $399.
You need a PS5 console to use this headset, but if you already have one, this is one of the best ways to play VR games without spending a lot of money on a high-end PC setup. The package comes with a full AAA game that was made just to show off what the hardware can do, so you’ll want to strap in right away when it arrives.
Immersive Technology
The PlayStation VR2 has eye-tracking technology that keeps track of where you’re looking in real time. This lets games show more details in your focus area while using less processing power on your peripheral vision. This foveated rendering method keeps frame rates smooth to avoid motion sickness while making the most important parts of the image look sharper. Headset feedback makes VR experiences feel more real by vibrating when you feel wind rushing past your face in a racing game or rumbling when explosions happen near your character. The headset’s subtle haptic feedback, along with the sound and visuals, make you feel like you’re really there, which flat-screen gaming can’t do.
The 4K HDR display covers both eyes and has a total resolution of 4000 x 2040 pixels. This makes images look very clear compared to older VR headsets that had screen door effects. Text is still easy to read, things that are far away are still clear, and the overall visual quality is closer to what you’d expect from a high-quality monitor than the blurry mess that earlier VR attempts had. The 110-degree field of view naturally wraps around your peripheral vision, which cuts down on the telescope effect that made some VR headsets feel like looking through binoculars.
Sony’s 3D audio technology makes soundscapes that put audio sources in three-dimensional space around you in the right places. In Resident Evil Village VR, you can hear enemy footsteps behind you, hear creatures skittering overhead in horror games, or follow the direction of friendly callouts in cooperative games. The spatial audio works through the headset’s built-in headphones, which keeps cables from getting in the way and gives sound quality that makes most players not need external headphones.
The VR2 Sense controllers have haptic feedback that changes texture and resistance depending on what you’re touching in games. Adaptive triggers change their tension on the fly, so bows feel like they’re actually drawing back, and triggers give you realistic resistance as you pull them. Finger touch detection can tell when your fingers are resting on buttons without pressing them. This makes hand gestures and interactions in VR spaces feel more natural. These controllers are a huge improvement over the Move wands from the last generation
Horizon Call of the Mountain is the best way to get to know VR2’s features: The climbing mechanics show off how accurate the controllers are, and the bow combat shows how adaptive trigger feedback works. The game runs well and looks great. It offers hours of fun gameplay that makes the bundle more than just a tech demo. The library is bigger than just the bundled game, with more VR2 games like Resident Evil Village, Gran Turismo 7’s VR mode, and other exclusives.
A $100 discount on hardware that lets you play real console VR games in your living room is a drop from $399 to $299. The VR2 costs money to buy a PS5, which limits its audience compared to standalone headsets but if you already own Sony’s console, this deal gives you high-quality VR experiences for a fraction of what similar PC setups would cost.