During PlayStation State of Play, Vertigo Games, in collaboration with Eidos-Montréal and Maze Theory, proudly unveiled Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, a fully immersive stealth experience set to launch later this year.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow brings back the iconic Thief franchise and reintroduces players to The City, where danger lurks around every corner and secrets are hidden in plain sight.

Experience the world of Thief for the first time in VR, blending classic stealth gameplay with next-gen immersion. Use your body to sneak past guards and your hands to pickpocket, pry open hidden compartments, and bypass locks through tactile interactions. Wield an array of arrows and tools to distract, disable, or eliminate threats with immersive VR archery as you climb rooftops, sneak through back alleys, and uncover secrets in a dark, steampunk-inspired world. Every heist offers multiple paths and playstyles, whether you sneak past guards unseen or take them down from the shadows.

The City is a place of shadows, ruled by the tyrant Baron Ulysses Northcrest. You are Magpie, a cunning thief orphaned by Northcrest’s brutality and shaped by the streets, who steals as the only means to survive. That is, until you uncover something greater: a legendary artifact holding a legacy from the past. Use immersive VR mechanics to steal, evade, and outsmart the forces controlling The City. Unravel its darkest secrets and expose a sinister conspiracy that looms over its very foundation.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is brought to you by Vertigo Games, the award-winning creators of Metro Awakening and Arizona Sunshine, in close collaboration with Eidos-Montréal, and is currently in development by Maze Theory.

Richard Stitselaar, CEO of Vertigo Games: “We set out to create a VR experience where players don’t just play a thief; they become one. It’s a privilege to work alongside Eidos-Montréal and Maze Theory on such an iconic franchise and bring it to life in a way that’s never been done before. This is the kind of immersive storytelling and interactivity we believe defines the future of the medium.”

Steven Gallagher, Creative Director at Eidos-Montréal: “Thief has always been about mastering the shadows, using a mix of tools and wit to navigate its dark and dangerous world. Whether you’re sneaking through or taking a more direct approach with arrows and blackjack, it’s a place full of intrigue. Seeing it reimagined in VR is incredibly exciting, bringing a whole new depth to Thief’s atmospheric world, and we can’t wait for both longtime fans and new players to experience it in virtual reality.”

Phil White, CEO of Maze Theory: “It’s been tough keeping this one in the shadows—literally. We’ve been in full stealth mode, but now it’s time to step into the light and finally unveil Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. The team has worked tirelessly to stay true to the spirit of the series, delivering a level of immersion unlike anything you’ve seen. This is what stealth feels like when you are the thief.”

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is now available to wishlist on PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest, and Steam VR.

The post THE THIEF FRANCHISE RETURNS IN VR! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The PlayStation VR2 brings high-fidelity VR gaming to the PlayStation 5 (PS5).

In the PS5, we finally have a console powerful enough to deliver AAA VR games and experiences without the technical limitations that faced the original PlayStation VR headset. There are still compromises, but you’ll still find similar compromises in premium PC VR headsets that are more than twice that of the PlayStation VR2.

Whilst there have been complaints about a dearth of games, especially first-party titles, the PSVR 2 launch library is still pretty healthy in my opinion. I’ve spent the last few weeks getting to grips with some of the games currently available for Sony’s new VR headset.

Gran Turismo™ 7_20230223014021

Grand Turismo 7 has just got a free PSVR 2 update. Of all the PSVR 2 games I’ve sampled, Gran Turismo 7 is one of the real standouts. It’s an already great game that looks that much better in VR. I drove the Japanese Mazda Axela, a Mazda 3 in Australia, almost the same as the one I have in the garage, and it really felt like I was driving my car around Bathurst. I did find that the distant cars were a bit blurry, but that is to be expected as you are, in fact, looking at flat panels with far objects made up of fewer pixels.

VR takes a competent racing simulator and makes you feel like you are driving a real car, looking into turns. You get an added bit of precision to your driving, as afforded by depth perception granted by the immersive 3D view. With the addition of a racing wheel (which doesn’t have to be mounted in front of the PS5), the experience is absolutely wild.

GT7 is an amazing game in both 2D and VR, and worth the price of admission into the PSVR 2 club if you are a keen racer.

Horizon Call of the Mountain is Sony’s tentpole PSVR 2 launch title. Guerrilla has done a great job of expanding their post-apocalyptic Horizon franchise into VR. Having played and enjoyed both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West it was pretty amazing to step into the game world and be completely immersed in it.

The game cast the player as Ryas, a captured warrior from the Shadow Carja, the antagonists in the Horizon games. As penance, he is sent on a potentially dangerous mission to investigate a potential threat to the Oseram people.

It was great to finally “meet” Aloy, the player’s character from the two other Horizon games, in the flesh, as it were. I was pretty impressed by the character models, which were not only very well modelled, but also seemed of a better proportional and realistic size compared to many other VR games.

The gameplay is all about exploration, solving puzzles, combat, and climbing. Lots of climbing.

But to say that Horizon Call of the Mountain is a climbing game is the same as saying that the Uncharted games are climbing games or even Aloy’s adventure in the regular Horizon games. But as you are physically doing the work, it is more apparent.

Being able to interact with everything that’s not nailed down, throwing stuff, and checking things out, all with realistic physics is amazing. When climbing, I touched some little blades of grass, peeking out of the rock face, and it moved as my virtual hand brushed against it.

That’s some incredible attention to detail. Seeing the huge metal beasts of the Horizon games in VR is at once exhilarating and terrifying.

The bow and arrow mechanics work well. Using a bow and arrow in VR has been something I’ve enjoyed since the very dawn of PC VR. You also unlock a host of other equipment that’ll be familiar to fans of the series. My favourite is the grapple, especially if you have to jump over a chasm being swinging to safety. A breathtaking experience.

The game is a great showcase of the PSVR 2’s technical ability, even if it does seem to push the PS5 to its limits. There was a bit of reprojection going on and blur in some areas, especially if I moved quickly.

Horizon Call of the Mountain is rare in that it is a true dedicated VR triple-A game.

Tetris Effect: Reconnected on PSVR 2 takes the classic puzzle game that was already reimagined for the 2D version and thrusts it into an immersive, encompassing 3D space. It’s a far cry from the monochrome version I first played on the Gameboy.

The classic gameplay remains but with each level introducing variations to keep things interesting. Levels are half-filled with blocks and with blocks falling at varying speeds. There’s even an online multiplayer option.

The surreal backgrounds that looked so awesome in the original Tetris Effect envelop players with images and lights swirling all around them. The pulse-pumping soundtrack thumps in time with the visuals with the sense controllers vibrating in time. Tetris Effect: Reconnected is as much a VR experience as it is a game. This is the most immersive Tetris I’ve ever played.

It is still Tetris, so if you are that one person in the world that has never been hypnotised by tumbling shapes made from four squares, you may wonder what the fuss is all about. But there is a purity to Tetris that transcends all other game design. Deceptively simple, incredibly stressful the next, and yet at the same time absolutely enthralling.

Tetris Effect Reconnected may sound pedestrian compared to many of the other PSVR 2 titles out there but it shouldn’t be overlooked. The game’s inherent purity and hypnotic audio-visual design make it a zen-like VR experience.

Dyschronia: Chronos Alternative is a very Japanese anime-inspired RPG mystery game. Players step into the boots of Special Supervisor Hal in the domed city of Astrum Close a place with a nigh-on zero crime rate. That’s until Professor Albert Rumford dies in suspicious circumstances. As Hal, players are charged with solving the case via investigation-stye puzzles.

This is a game for fans of the genre. Players used to more traditional action games may not gel with the sometimes-convoluted conversations.

It’s probably worth playing just for the bat-shit crazy anime-style intro sequence that looks amazing in VR. I found the actual gameplay a bit on the slow side. It’s an odd, but nice-looking game, but perhaps too strange for me.

Jurassic World Aftermath Collection is a VR game based on the movie franchise, ported over from Oculus Quest 2 for the PlayStation VR2. Originally in two parts, the PSVR 2 version combines them together into one adventure.

The game starts with the player crashing on Isla Nublar after the events of the Jurassic Park movie. Hunted by dinosaurs, players must use stealth and distractions as they make their way through an abandoned reassert facility. There are plenty of puzzles and doors that need opening.

The cell-shaded design style is interesting if a bit old-school. But it does make for a clean and uncluttered VR experience even if it takes away from the terror of being confronted with a dinosaur. The cartoon look also makes the game a little more palatable for young or less squeamish players.

Even though the game is a couple of years old, the design style makes it still feel fresh. It is also available for the Nintendo Switch, but you can see that it has obviously been made with VR in mind. Players are teased and subjected to jump scares that would lose all effect in 2D.

Jurassic World Aftermath Collection is a fun way for a virtual reality dip into the Jurassic Park franchise and is worth a look.

Demeo mixes up a table-top role-playing and real-time strategy with a sprinkling of Dungeons and Dragons, throwing in card-based abilities for good measure.

The game is not a PSVR 2 exclusive. The VR role-playing game has been available for various PC VR headsets as well as for flat monitor play for a while. It’s a gameplay idea that’s really suited to VR and the PSVR 2 does a great job with it.

The premise will be familiar to anyone that’s played a game of Dungeons and Dragons or its ilk. Up to four adventurers, either controlled by the player or others, in online multiplayer, must make their way through a dungeon, defeating monsters and collecting treasure. Each dungeon has a locked exit door and the party needs to find the key.

As all the action takes place right in front of you, I didn’t get distracted by the PSVR 2’s grainy OLED mura pattern. Demeo looks crisp and clear, and I should think so too, as VR and AR is the developer, Resolution Games’ bread and butter.

Players can choose to populate (or control in MP) their party from several different characters, each representing a different class. I chose a bard, an assassin, a sorcerer, and a barbarian for my first party. There’s also a guardian, a hunter, and a warlock. They are all pretty standard fantasy RGP archetypes.

The chapters are presented in the style of vintage Dungeons and Dragons campaign books. A wonderful touch that shows attention to detail.

This is an incredible game that would likely be fun even in 2D. In VR, it’s your own tabletop fantasy RPG adventure. I can absolutely recommend this game.

The above is just a sampling of some of the titles available for the PlayStation VR2 headset. Come back soon, for Part 2, as I take a look at some more virtual reality games for Sony’s PlayStation 5 VR headset.

The post PlayStation VR2: Games Round-up Pt. 01 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Horizon Call of the Mountain is the must have PlayStation VR2 game right now.

With rich detail and explosion of the colourful world that Horizon is, you are smack bang within the live and hazardous environment with the ultimate goal of surviving.

Shane from STG was invited to have a virtual chat with Jan-Bart van Beek, the Studio Director and Studio Art Director at Guerrilla Games, the developers of the Horizon series of PlayStation exclusive games.

Jan-Bart van Beek (Studio Director & Studio Art Director, Guerrilla)

Shane: When Horizon Zero Dawn was first released, had there been the initiative to make a PS VR2 version back then, or is this a totally new concept?

Jan-Bart van Beek: The first suggestion to make a VR game based on the world of Horizon actually predates the release of the first game. We had shipped RIGS on the first PSVR back in 2016, and we immediately thought that we should start making plans towards another VR game. It took quite a while before we really started working on the concept. We asked our developers for their initial concept pitches, further developed those concepts and prototyped, and then we went into full production around 2019.

Shane: For PlayStation gamers that have played through the story of Horizon Zero Dawn, what can they expect from Horizon Call of the Mountain?

Jan-Bart van Beek: It’s an incredible experience immersing yourself in the world of Horizon in VR. For players of the original game there will be some familiar places and characters, but of course the stars of the show are the massive machines you will be battling. And that’s really something that players won’t be prepared for. The size of the machines is just incredible seen from your own perspective.

In terms of story, we wanted to lean into the concept of seeing the world from a different perspective as well. So a new main character was developed that would allow players to see Aloy’s world from a different point of view.

Shane: We see characters from the original game in Horizon Call of the Mountain, what can you tell us about Ryas?

Jan-Bart van Beek: Ryas is a disgraced former Shadow Carja soldier. But there is a plot afoot that might be able to throw the Carja empire in disarray, as well as put thousands in harm’s way. Marad, the spymaster of the Carja, knows there is only one person who can take on the job, and that is Ryas. And so, we’ll see him take on a dangerous enemy, while also confronting his own dark past and hopefully finding some form of redemption.

Shane: Myself having played Horizon Call of the Mountain I’m in awe of the vast heights and scenic scapes experienced in VR. What experience do you hope the players receive?

Jan-Bart van Beek: That is exactly what we had hoped. Horizon is all about being in awe. Being in awe of its majestic landscapes, the rich tribal cultures or the fearsome machines. It’s one of the key goals for any of our games. And we feel that VR is a great fit for that. There is something very magical about VR and I hope as many people as possible get to experience that.

We also understand that there will be many players who will be new to VR, so we’ve worked hard to make this a great experience to VR players of all experience levels. We’ve also included a more passive theme park-style experience with the riverboat ride, so you can even put the headset on your granny and give her a thrilling experience.

Shane: Last question – will we see more Horizon in VR?

Jan-Bart van Beek: That’s a great question for another day 😉

The post Interview w. Jan-Bart van Beek (Studio Director & Studio Art Director, Guerrilla) appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony’s recently released PlayStation VR2 has welcomed players, both old and new, into virtual reality on the PlayStation 5.

But is this new bit of kit worth the money, and how does it fit into the current line-up of VR devices out there? STG’s Darren Price cuts through what’s being said about the new Sony VR headset separating the great from the not-so-great.

In 2016, consumer virtual reality, for the first time, offered me a magical window into incredible places. Instead of just being an observer on a flat screen, I could actually step into and be immersed in game worlds. But there were limitations. The images were a bit blurry, I could see the pixels, and the headsets were a bit too bulky and uncomfortable. But none of that mattered as I was no just longer playing games, I was experiencing them as if they were real.

And it was awesome.

PSVR (2016)

It’s now 2023, seven years later and, to be frank, many of the same problems exist. Just as it was back then, virtual reality is still all about compromise.

With the PlayStation VR2 available in the shops, Sony’s second stab at virtual reality gaming is now out in the wild. This new device, which needs to be hooked up to a PlayStation 5, promises players a next-generation VR experience. And, up to a point it does.

I’m no stranger to VR, my first experience with it goes way back to the 1990s Virtuality arcade machines. Looking back, it was pretty bad, but, even then, I could see the potential. Fast forward some 25 years to 2016 and I finally had my own VR headset in the HTC Vive. A few other headsets later and I’d progressed to the pinnacle of consumer PC VR, the Vive Pro 2. But, as fun and amazing as it is, PC VR still isn’t what I would exactly call consumer-ready.

Enter the PS4’s PlayStation VR. Sony’s original PSVR kit was a breeze to set up compared to VR on a PC, even with its link box and dodgy Move controllers. It offered a reasonable resolution, decent lenses, and a range of interesting VR games.

But the PSVR’s ease of use couldn’t compete with the sophistication and fidelity of the HTC Vive and its successors. Sony’s VR device gathered dust whilst I played Elite Dangerous and Microsoft Flight Simulator with my Vive headset on PC.

Through all of the fun I’ve had with PC VR, I’ve fought with inter-pupillary distance (IPD) settings, tiny sweet spots, screen door effects, heavy headsets, glare from Fresnel lenses, poor in-game, performance, and configuration issues. It’s been a rough ride. The dawn of consumer VR has been all about compromise, the rewards being all those magical worlds that we can jump into. This, and the promise that it’s only going to get better.

And it has, but not quite in the leaps and bounds that I thought it would.

Seven years later and I am delicately positioning Sony’s new PlayStation VR2 headset on my head, lining up the sweet spot through Fresnel lenses, whilst desperately trying to focus through a speckled pattern that looks like a dirty window. As it always has been, VR is still all about compromise.

Sony has actually done a really good job with the PlayStation VR2, in balancing many variables and design choices, to give players a relatively affordable, and relatively high-end, VR gaming experience.

The PlayStation VR2 has quite a few features that put even the latest PC VR headsets to shame. The eye-tracking, for instance. This opens up foveated rendering, allowing games to concentrate on providing the highest fidelity image where the player is actually looking as opposed to wasting processing power in the player’s peripheral vision. The haptics in the headset are genius as well, adding that extra little bit of feedback. Also, displays are a higher resolution than many consumer headsets, offering a 2K HDR screen for each eye (which, despite the marketing, does not equate to 4K).

But you don’t get all that in a sub-AU$1000 VR headset without some of that compromise that I mentioned earlier, although you wouldn’t think it from many of the reviews out there. I found many of the reviews are packed so full of hyperbole that they may have been written by Sony’s PR team. Apparently, the colours pop (whatever that means), and the display is so crystal-clear that you’ll never want to use your TV again, the “4K” cinema mode offering a massive VR screen, running at 120Hz to play all your games on. And the OLED screen has blacks that are just so deep.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I can understand someone getting caught up in the thrill of new technology, it’s easy to do. But the PlayStation VR2 asks players to overlook some, albeit understandable, technical limitations that I feel they have not been properly warned about. Instead, many reviews focused on complaints of “not enough games”, the connection cable, and the device’s high price.

I’ve got about twelve PPlayStation VR2 games on my list to review. That’s not a bad haul for launch-day titles, with more on the way. Some of the PlayStation VR2 reviewers would do well to be careful about what they wish for. 99% of the games available for the PC VR are a load of rubbish. The Steam store is so full of mediocre VR titles that it is practically impossible to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Unfortunately, some of these questionable titles did make their way to the original PSVR, but not many. Sony would do well to carefully curate the games available for their new VR headset as, so far, seems to be the case.

It’s worth noting that some of the original PSVR games are getting patches and updates for the PlayStation VR2, both for free and as paid DLC.

Most of the PSVR library has, sadly, been abandoned and will not work with the new VR headset. I realise that there’s work that needs to be done to make them compatible with the new hardware, but the likes of Blood and Truth, and Farpoint ought to be ported to the PlayStation VR2. Saying that, though, should we really be buying reheated OG PSVR games?

The next common complaint is that the PlayStation VR2 is connected to the PlayStation 5 via a cable when many VR headsets are now wireless. That’s understandable, to a point, but in the world of VR, this has become commonplace only very recently and has technical limitations and issues of its own. Many wireless VR headsets rely on low-powered integrated processors (such as those used in mobile phones) to provide only casual VR experiences. They can be wirelessly connected to a PC allowing for more high-performance VR games and applications. But this often means streaming compressed content to the display, sometimes with artefacts, lag, and connection issues. Wireless headsets also need rechargeable battery packs.

The obvious added expense aside, I can understand Sony wanting the PlayStation VR2 experience to be as trouble-free as possible and wireless VR is just something else waiting to go wrong. It is, however, a shame that the PlayStation VR2’s USB type-C connection cable seems to be hard-wired into the headset, precluding any wireless upgrade from Sony in the future.

The cost of the PlayStation VR2 is another factor that, again understandably, the gaming press seems to have collectively latched on to. Yes, it is expensive. It retails at more than the cost of the PlayStation 5. But, when you realistically break it down, if this was a PC VR kit, the PlayStation VR2 controllers would be worth $250 each, and the headset at least $1000+.

HTC’s premium consumer PC VR headset, the Vive Pro 2 costs AU$1200. That’s just for the headset. The full kit with controller and the required tracking stations costs AU$2300. That’s on top of the cost of a decent gaming PC that will need a graphics card that alone costs at least two grand to get the best out of the headset. Even at that price, it’s still not without its faults, either. Compared with a PC VR kit, the PlayStation VR2 is budget priced.

Of course, high-end PC VR headsets are more than game accessories. They are more versatile and are designed to be used for serious applications in commercial environments as well as just play games.

Both Sony and much of the gaming press see the PlayStation VR2 as a PS5 accessory. But it’s not really. The PlayStation VR2 VR experience is so radically different from that of a regular flat game as to be an entirely different platform. When you view the PlayStation VR2 as a console in its own right (albeit one that required the PS5 to function), the price point makes more sense. You are getting new hardware that provides an entirely different experience from that of the PS5, and also includes new controllers.

In the PlayStation VR2 box, you get a pair of new Sense controllers, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable (for charging the controllers), a stereo headphone bracket, with spare earpieces, and the headset, itself. There’s also a refreshingly comprehensive instruction manual with detailed PlayStation VR2 set-up and care advice.

Checking the equipment out for the first time, I found that the PlayStation VR2 suffers the same way that I’ve found some recent headsets, and even mice, in that the devices are so lightweight that they feel fragile and cheap. Of course, this is not necessarily the case, as designers are engineering these peripherals to reduce weight to improve user comfort levels. It still doesn’t stop me from feeling that the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers are made of eggshell and likely to fracture into a million bits if dropped or manhandled.

Comparing the Sense controllers to the very dated wand controllers still used by HTC’s premium Vive PC VR hardware, you are getting some elegantly-design next-generation equipment. The buttons are even touch-sensitive, detecting that your fingers are on them even if you are not pressing them. This with the haptics and adaptive triggers make them some of the best VR controllers on the market.

Plugging the headset’s single cable into the PlayStation 5 was a breath of fresh air compared to both the OG PSVR and my Vive Pro 2. A single cable USB connects straight to the console. No link boxes, no HDMI cables, and no power cables. For a wired headset, it’s pretty a good design.

The “inside-out” tracking system is leaps and bounds better than the iffy camera and lights used by the OG PSVR. The PlayStation VR2 scans your play space creating a 3D representation that it uses to locate the headset in via a system of cameras. The same cameras then track the Sense controllers which are illuminated by an array of invisible infrared lights. The tracking accuracy is excellent and about as good as you are going to get without using an expensive arrangement of wall-mounted tracking stations like the Valve Index and HTC Vive.

There’s also a passthrough camera that can be accessed with the touch of a button. This allows you to see your surroundings through the headset. Whilst it is a bit low-res and black and white, it’s adequate. It would have been nice to have had a better camera, allowing mixed reality, but maybe that’s for the PSVR 3 (or perhaps the inevitable PlayStation MX).

The PlayStation VR2 user onboarding is comprehensive and easy to understand, taking players through the process of pairing the Sense controllers, setting the inter-pupillary distance (IPD), calibrating the eye tracking, and setting up the play area. I felt that my introduction to the PlayStation VR2 was truncated by my opting to “check out the demos in the PlayStation Store” as, after that, I was on my own. But never mind.

As with the OG PSVR, the new headset is designed in a manner that allows you to easily wear your glasses whilst using it. Other headsets state the same, but you risk bending your glasses, scratching the lenses, and having the arms cut into the side of your head.

My first experiences with the PlayStation VR2 were breathtaking.

Grand Turismo 7 looked amazing, I was able to sit in the Japanese version of a Mazda 3 and it felt like I was driving my car around Bathurst. Horizon Call of the Mountain blew my mind, placing me right in the post-apocalyptic world of the Horizon games, even allowing me to “meet” the series protagonist, Aloy, face-to-face. I tried a few other games that were similarly impressive that I’ll write about in-depth another time.

With my VR fan-boy moment out of the way, it was time to cast a more critical eye on the PlayStation VR2. This is where my thoughts differ from a majority of the reviewers out there.

At first glance, the display is very nice. Unlike the OG PSVR (which had clearer pancake lenses), the new PlayStation VR2 has Fresnel lenses. The concentric ring construction of Fresnel lenses is designed to keep weight down and let more light through. But they can create God rays and reflections. Fortunately, they are not the problem that I thought they would be with the PlayStation VR2, with little or no “God ray” artefacts. Also, the “sweet spot” is huge compared to the Vive Pro 2, but a lot smaller than that of the OG PSVR.

Gran Turismo 7 – PSVR2

In my opinion, though, the lenses are not as good as those of the OG PSVR, and neither is getting the PlayStation VR2 headset properly positioned on your head. Failure to correctly position the headset results in blurry images and chromatic aberration, which is a red / blue fringe around the lighter part of the image, especially text (some of which is present regardless). The PS5 does offer an interactive set-up process to help align the headset and sort out the IPD (inter-pupillary distance), but one knock and everything is out of whack again.

Whilst the PlayStation VR2 uses the same “halo” design as its predecessor, Sony seems to have made some adjustments that meant that the headset tended to slip forward after a few minutes of use. I never had this with the OG PSVR. So, I found myself having to really tighten up the headset, which goes against what the instructions say. On closer examination, the pad that rests at the back of your head doesn’t have the same level of cushioning as the OG PSVR, like it’s missing a foam insert. That being said, like other headsets with use, putting them on correctly does get easier in time.

Another reason to make sure that the headset is properly positioned is an issue that I had (and, it seems, many others have as well) with adjusting the IPD and the position of the lenses. The original PSVR had no IPD adjustment (likely because pancake lenses are a lot more forgiving). A few times whilst wearing the PlayStation VR2 headset I found that it was putting pressure on my nose. On closer examination, I realised that, due to my eye distance, the protruding lenses were pinching the bridge of my nose. Ensuring that the headset cushion was positioned higher on my forehead (as it should be) stopped this from happening.

The most glaring issue for me about the PlayStation VR2 is the grainy effect that overlays the display. Like a film grain, this very light, random pattern of pixels can be seen pretty much all the time. And once you notice it, it’s very difficult to ignore. It’s worse with some shades than others, but it is there. Many PlayStation VR2 owners have returned their devices for replacement believing this to be a fault.

It is referred to as a display artefact called mura, and it results from Sony’s decision to use OLED display panels instead of LCD panels. It’s a compromise. What we gain in deeper blacks, we lose in visual clarity. Using the device without my glasses and the grain all but disappears. It’s also more noticeable if your head is stationary, the more you move your head about, though, the more the pattern blurs into non-existence.

Scanning the Internet, it seems that many players are seeing the same issues, some to the point that they are seeking to return their PlayStation VR2 believing it to be faulty. And that’s understandable as most reviewers haven’t mentioned it, and nor has Sony.

I don’t think that the pattern that people are seeing is the actual mura effect, but a corrective technique that Sony has employed to reduce its impact. I believe it is a feint image of random noise that overlays the displayed image to correct, or more likely defuse, the OLED mura artefacts, which should be blotchier than the “uniformly” random pattern observed across the whole display. If the above is correct (a similar correction is used for the OLED OG Vive), then it is something that could be adjusted in the future possibly as the screens “burn in” and the mura becomes less pronounced. This is just speculation on my part in place of something official from Sony.

I know some players are concerned that they may have a “bad one”, that the PlayStation VR2 is a panel lottery, and that the pattern is more apparent on some headsets than others. I don’t think this is the case. I’ve tried two PlayStation VR2’s and they both had the same “mura” pattern.

Whilst I do find the pattern irritating, depending on the level of immersion that you get in a game, you do start to ignore it. It’s one of those things, like a dead pixel, if you look for it you will see it. But your eyes can focus beyond it, so to speak, filtering the pattern out, the same way you do with bugs on your car windscreen.

As I’ve mentioned a few times, VR is all about compromise. This is as true with a PlayStation VR2 as it is with a high-end PC VR set-up costing nearly three times as much.  Sony has pushed the envelope right up to the inherent technical limitations of current, affordable VR technology. That’s not to say that Sony hasn’t employed a few questionable design choices, but no real deal-breakers.

The reality of the PlayStation VR2 is that it is what it is. Whilst it may be an improvement over the first PSVR, by today’s standards it is still an entry-level VR headset built on older technology with a few- innovations thrown in for good measure. Were it any better, that price tag would be a lot higher. As expensive as the kit may be perceived, even taking in the compromises I’ve highlighted above, you are at the very least, getting what you are paying for, though in reality likely getting even more for your money.

With the PlayStation VR2 Sony has thrown it all into creating a gaming VR headset that, for the most part, ticks all the boxes.

There are some glaring issues and the price point is rather high, but the device still offered me a reasonably high-fidelity, immersive, and rather magical virtual reality experience.

The post PlayStation VR2 – the Technical Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Following its critically-acclaimed launch on both PC and VR devices, Resolution Games today unleashed the fun and excitement of Demeo’s fantasy tabletop strategy onto the PlayStation Store.

Inviting the more than 30 million PlayStation 5 owners around the world to join the epic adventure, as well as those looking for a fully-immersive tabletop gaming experience in the PlayStation VR2 games library at launch.

Available on home consoles for the first time, Demeo for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 challenges players to survive across five unique turn-based strategy adventures, each exploring a different setting in the fantasy world of Gilmerra.

The game features classically styled solo and cooperative dungeon-crawling, as players build a four-character adventuring party from seven available hero types, then set out to explore corrupted lands while they battle monsters, leverage class-specific abilities, search for safe exit on their quest to uncover each adventure’s greatest evil, and discover the tactics that can lock it away for good.

“Bringing Demeo to the latest PlayStation hardware is a testament not only to how quickly the Demeo brand is growing, but to how wide and enduring an appeal that digital-first tabletop gaming experiences can have,” said Tommy Palm, Founder and CEO of Resolution Games. “We’re thrilled to be a part of the PlayStation VR2 launch line-up, but we’re just as excited to bring Demeo to PlayStation gamers who prefer the feel of a DualSense controller in their hands!”

PlayStation users will join the hundreds of thousands of existing players in Demeo’s community, and thanks to cross-platform support that enables play with Demeo adventurers on other devices including Meta Quest headsets, Steam PC and VR users, and PC players on the Epic Games Store, there’s never a shortage of new friends to make.

“We designed Demeo around the classic, social experience of gathering a group of friends around for tabletop game night as our touchstone,” added Palm. “And that goes well beyond aesthetic choices like dice and miniatures and seeing other players around the board. While it’s also a great single-player experience, we designed Demeo to foster communication and cooperation — making it a much-loved online alternative to in-person game nights.”

Intrepid adventurers who venture into the world of Demeo on PlayStation will find no shortage of tactical fantasy action.

Demeo is available now and is playable on both PS5 and PS VR2.

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Indie developer studio, Pontoco is thrilled to announce that their peaceful sci-fi adventure, The Last Clockwinder is out now for PlayStation VR2.

The award-winning title offers boundless mysteries to uncover wrapped within an evocative story on PS VR2 launch day.

Awards for The Last Clockwinder include Meta Quest store’s Best Game of 2022, Hardcore Gamer’s Best VR Game of 2022, Upload VR PCVR Game of the Year 2022 and being a finalist at the DICE Awards in both VR categories.

The Last Clockwinder is a puzzle automation game about making synchronized contraptions out of your own clones. Players take on the role of Jules, a young woman determined to repair an ancient clocktower shrouded in mystery. Upon discovering a unique pair of gloves, you are bestowed with the power to create clones that can be directed to achieve various tasks that automate. Orchestrate a humming, intricate network of robotic clones to help with things like growing plants, harvesting resources and synthesizing new seeds, all of which lead to the eventual reinstatement of the Clocktower.

Working with your newly-created assistants to save the Clocktower, discover voice memos from childhood to piece together your complex past and protect your home.

Will you take on the great responsibility of restoring the Clocktower and uncovering the boundless mysteries within?

The post The Last Clockwinder is Now on PS VR2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

XR Games and Sony Pictures VR (SPVR) are pleased to announce that Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is out now for PlayStation VR2.

Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is a premium version of the hit VR game, rebuilt to take advantage of PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2.

Fans will experience the action, characters and humor from the hit movie franchise with a brand new cel-shaded art style, new character models, new animations, new lighting, ragdoll physics, new music, completely re-designed progression system, a new game hub, a whole host of brand-new gameplay content, and PlayStation VR2-exclusive features.

Additionally, players can also look forward to a new story level, three new remix levels, new Gun Range challenges, new guns, new perks and new gun skins to enhance the fast-paced, heart-pounding zombie horde gameplay.

“Zombieland looks and feels better than ever on PlayStation VR2.” said Jake Zim, SVP, virtual reality, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “The hardware’s unique features such as controller haptics and adaptive triggers help to deliver an immersive arcade VR experience that players will love.”

“We have put everything into making Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded the absolute best version of Zombieland imaginable.” said Bobby Thandi, Founder and CEO of XR Games. “I can’t wait to see a whole new audience experience a truly next-generation Zombieland VR that uses the power of PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2.”

Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is out now.

The post Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded Released appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Vertigo Games, the VR publishing and development arm of the PLAION Group, is thrilled to celebrate the launch of the PlayStation VR2 headset by releasing the award-winning titles After the Fall and Unplugged: Air Guitar for the new platform, and by bringing Hellsweeper VR to the PS VR2 in Q2 of 2023.

Vertigo invites players everywhere into the immersive virtual reality world through the co-operative shooting action of After the Fall, the headbanging rhythm challenges of Unplugged: Air Guitar, or the intense demon-slaying combat of Hellsweeper VR.

In After the Fall, team up with a maximum of three friends to take on a snowbreed, post-apocalyptic environment filled with chilling zombie attackers. With intense four-player co-op and cross-play at its core, After the Fall offers action-packed gameplay that has been refined and enhanced to match the technical capabilities of the PlayStation

VR2. For players already owning the PS VR1 digital version of the game, upgrade for free to the digital PS5 version of the game and get the PlayStation-exclusive Road warrior skin, valid for both the regular and deluxe editions.

Additionally, the Descension update will launch simultaneously with the launch of PS VR2 for all platforms. As the title’s biggest update yet, Descension adds two new maps (Hospital and Subway Station), and a range of quality-of-life fixes. After the Fall: Complete Edition is now available on PS VR2, which includes the Frontrunner Season, Reclamation update and Descension Update.

Currently available now, Unplugged: Air Guitar is the critically-acclaimed VR guitar game and Quest VR Game of the Year 2021 winner, produced by the lead guitarist of the celebrated Guitar Hero franchise.

Featuring hit songs from rock legends like Weezer, The Offspring, and Ozzy Osbourne, Unplugged: Air Guitar invites you to shred your way into rock and roll history, with integrated VR support and global leaderboards to showcase your skills.

The game’s signature guitar gameplay has been fully redesigned around the PlayStation VR2 Dual Sense controllers to bring the award-winning virtual guitar experience to the PlayStation VR audience, with over 55 songs to rock and Steel Panther’s Satchel there to help guide you to the heights of fame!.

And lastly from the creators of Sairento VR, Hellsweeper VR is a roguelike first-person combat game where you take on the role of an undead immortal, tasked with entering hell with the sole mission of eliminating its twisted souls.

With its combination of intense locomotion, arcade-style action and semi-realistic physics, Hellsweeper VR allows you to unleash your power like never before. Juggle enemies in the air, rip them in half using psychic powers, use a lopped-off enemy limb as a club, release concussive blasts to smash enemies into a bloody mess of smithereens, no matter your style of play, the destructive possibilities are endless, arriving to the PlayStation VR2 in Q3.

The post Vertigo Games Releases Catalogue of Games for PSVR2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Dive headset-first into the world of survival horror with Resident Evil Village VR Mode.

This immersive new experience is out now alongside the launch of PlayStation VR2 as free downloadable content for all PlayStation 5 owners of Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.

Development has also begun on Resident Evil 4’s VR Mode. This PlayStation VR2 content will be available as free DLC for the highly anticipated remake of Resident Evil 4. Please stay tuned for more information. Resident Evil 4 is now available for pre-order ahead of its fast-approaching March 24, 2023 release across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.

Resident Evil Village VR Mode dials up the intensity of the award-winning eighth core entry in the Resident Evil franchise.

The DLC supports the full story campaign following Ethan Winters’ harrowing journey to rescue Rose, his kidnapped daughter. This adventure is more thrilling than ever in virtual reality, as Resident Evil Village VR Mode takes full advantage of PlayStation VR2’s advanced features to transport players directly into the village.

Prepare to see this world straight through Ethan’s eyes in stunning detail powered by the new headset’s 4K HDR display and eye-tracking technology. The atmosphere is further enhanced by 3D audio effects that add texture to the environment and allow listeners to hear the horrors that lurk around every corner.

The experience is also tangibly more immersive with PlayStation VR2 Sense functionality. The new controllers enable players to interact with their surroundings like never before with natural motions that mirror Ethan’s on-screen movements. These intuitive inputs include blocking enemy attacks by lifting Ethan’s arms, reloading firearms with realistic actions, and exploring while holding up a map.

Players can also dual-wield weapons, store and retrieve items inside Ethan’s coat, and perform a range of other tactile gestures such as unlatching doors, and healing wounds with medicine bottles.

 Resident Evil Village VR Mode also includes VR Tutorial and Shooting Range modes that demonstrate the new VR gameplay systems and provide a place for players to hone their marksmanship skills.

A demo for Resident Evil Village VR Mode is also now available for download via the PlayStation Store.

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in collaboration with Universal Games and Digital Platforms, announced today that an enhanced version of the popular survival adventure game Jurassic World Aftermath Collection is out now on the newly launched PlayStation VR2, and PlayStation VR.

This new version includes both Part 1 and Part 2 of Jurassic World Aftermath in one complete package. The PS VR2’s version takes advantage of its capabilities with a range of enhancements, including a brand new Dino Viewer.

Set between the events of the Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom films, Jurassic World Aftermath Collection begins with players crash-landing on Isla Nublar after the fall of the Jurassic World theme park. In this fully voice-acted narrative featuring Sam (voiced by Laura Bailey) and Dr. Ian Malcolm (voiced by Jeff Goldblum), players find themselves trapped in an abandoned research facility when their mission to recover valuable information goes disastrously wrong.

To survive, players will need to explore and solve puzzles, while evading a menagerie of ferocious dinosaurs, including ravenous Pteranodons, cunning Velociraptors, and the terrifying T. Rex.

This version of Jurassic World Aftermath Collection enjoys enhanced visuals and performance boosts, including improved lighting, better post-processing effects and faster load times, targeting 4K 90fps. Adding to the immersion in a world where players are surrounded by apex predators, the game makes use of 3D audio and the PS VR2’s headset rumble feature to enhance the experience.

This edition also gains a new feature exclusive to PS VR2: the Dino Viewer. A great addition for the dinosaur-obsessed, the Dino Viewer will allow players to take a close look at the variety of dinosaurs encountered in the game.

Featuring a variety of cool locations and dinosaur encounters, Jurassic World Aftermath Collection delivers the wonder and excitement franchise fans want, from venturing to the opulent heights of Dr. Henry Wu’s office, to delving into a secret vault deep beneath the facility, all leading to the story’s thrilling conclusion. Players will feel the thrill of being hunted by ruthless prehistoric predators that roam and dominate the island. They must be weary of noise as you use a combination of stealth and distraction to evade jaws all too eager to make humans their next meal and solve puzzles while trying to survive.

Players who purchase Jurassic World Aftermath Collection will benefit from Dual Entitlement, which allows the game to be playable on both PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2 at no additional cost.

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