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One of my worst experiences in VR was when half-life: Alex was completed and the list of developers appeared. Don't get me wrong, the game itself is truly unbeatable. I felt bad at the end because I knew that a phenomenal AAA VR gaming experience was over, and I don't know when and when this level of VR would come.
Everyone who wears a VR headset will tell you that the technology has a promising future, but everyone who has purchased a VR headset will also tell you that the VR industry is moving very slowly to realize this vision. I love creative games like Rhythm Lightsaber, Hot VR, and Pistol Whip. The pastime they bring makes me glad I have a VR device, but they only provide an experience. I'm still eager to play more story-driven VR adventures. For example, Half-Life: Alex and... Well, there is no comparable work on the market.
Some of my favorite games of the last year were Death Loop, Mitterrod: Fear of Survival, and Ricky & Jingle: Time Jump. Unfortunately, there are not many similar games in VR. But this should not be the norm! Thankfully, Sony's recently unveiled PlayStation VR2 has revived my expectations, and maybe we'll see high-budget VR blockbusters soon.
At CES 2022, Jim Ryan, president of PlayStation, revealed the details of the PlayStation VR2. Its configuration is very powerful. The PSVR2 will feature a single-eye 2000x2040 resolution OLED display that supports 90hz or 120hz refresh rates, which is a bit higher than either the Quest 2 or the Valve Index. Sony's new device uses fixation rendering technology, which means it uses eye tracking to provide the best picture detail for your direct field of view. After all, any scene outside the field of view doesn't need to be very clear. Theoretically, this allows the PSVR2 to provide better visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. What's more, Sony said the device will use HDR technology to make the game look better and brighter.
In addition, Sony's device is also equipped with haptic feedback, so the headset can make vibration feedback for virtual explosions or sword-wielding beheadings. I'm not too bullish on this technology. Theoretically, this could really increase the player's sense of immersion in the virtual world. But I suspect that these vibrations are likely to aggravate the motion sickness of some players. However, if this technology has little potential, Sony will not develop it at a lower cost.
I also have a few complaints, such as the PSVR2 still needs to be wired with the PS5 (don't get tripped over), or the field of view can be wider (although 110° is already higher than most VR devices on the market), but I'm not going to complain. At least not yet. I want to be positive about this product because Sony has invested a lot of money in VR and I hope other developers will follow suit. In addition to these hardware parameters, Sony is also developing high-budget games with some of its big IPs, such as the new Horizon game jointly developed by Guerrilla Games and Firesprite. This is the only PSVR2 game to be public to date, but I'm sure we'll hear more blockbusters in the coming months.
After all, Sony already has a lot of IPs that can enjoy the fruits of VR. I wanted to play the new Uncharted game, where people could feel their fingers clinging to the edge of a cliff. Or while playing God of War, throw Kratos's axe out with a wave of both hands and watch it fly back into your hands. Or swing through skyscrapers in the Insomniac version of Spider-Man. Finally, imagine how you swing to the rhythm in the new VR game of "Dynamic Kid". Well, the last example may not be quite appropriate, but I don't mind the launch of Dynamic Kid anyway.
We still don't know the price or launch time of the PlayStation VR2, but this technology product is still waiting for it, and it should help more developers make a wonderful VR experience, which is my whole wish. Maybe by this time next year, I'll be able to find more VR masterpieces that fascinate me. Before that, I thought I'd replay Half-Life: Alex.
P.S. Hey Sony, Half-Life: Alex will give players more reasons to buy if it lands on PSVR2!
Translated by 丨 Stark Young
Edit 丨 Tonkotsu Ramen
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