Review: PlayStation VR – launch titles unspectacular, but this is the future
Sony’s virtual-reality headset is more accessible than competitors – it’s cheaper and doesn’t require a high-end PC – but none of the opening slate of games really stands out
Working as a convenience store clerk is cool. It’s not like I’m doing anything super interesting. I fill up slushies. I serve hot dogs sitting on those rollers. I sell newspapers.
No, I didn’t pick up a second job. I’m playing Job Simulator, a video game launching with PlayStation VR, Sony’s long-awaited virtual reality headset for PlayStation 4, which will be released worldwide – including in Hong Kong – on October 13.
Having spent several days experimenting with games on PlayStation VR, it’s hard not to walk away impressed. Once you get set up and work out some of the technical details, PlayStation VR delivers some exciting experiences, from manning tanks or spaceships to working as a chef to taking an ocean plunge involving a scary encounter with a shark.
Although Sony’s VR headset steps into the future, its launch feels like that of your traditional video game console: potential is high, but we won’t know where the bar is set until we see more VR ready experiences well beyond launch.
With PlayStation VR, Sony officially enters the increasingly competitive virtual-reality market, with the likes of Oculus, HTC and Samsung, and now Google. Sony brings some unique advantages to the table, though, specifically the 40 million PS4s in homes capable of running a VR headset.