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The challenge facing Sony with PlayStation VR is immense. The firm doesn't just have to make virtual reality work on a system with nowhere near the same level of horsepower as the PC minimum specification, it has to bring in very expensive hardware at an affordable price-point and it has to integrate VR into the living room - the natural home for the core console. The end result is a masterpiece of hardware design with nips and tucks in (mostly) the right places, backed by a wide range of software that effortlessly propels Sony onto level-footing with established players in the VR field. PlayStation VR isn't perfect, but it works.Principally, it captures the essence of 'presence'. Don the headset and the sensation is very much like you have been transported to another place, whether it's the GCPD rooftop view over Gotham City in Arkham VR, the interior of an Aston Martin Vanquish in DriveClub or the more stylised Tron-like world of Battlezone VR. Of course, base visual quality isn't on par with your existing PlayStation 4 library: compromises are required, but they don't intrude too much on that awesome feeling of 'being there'.
At a technical level, Sony's engineers have ticked all of the boxes, and in many ways, PSVR is an example of how clever thinking and smart design overcomes what some might consider a sub-par spec. The 120Hz 5.7-inch OLED panel has the required real estate to provide a compelling experience, but it does have a significantly lower resolution - 960x1080 per eye - than both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Indeed, even Samsung's smartphone-based Gear VR outstrips PSVR in terms of the core pixel count. Also curious is that PSVR has a reduced field of view - a distinct 'binoculars' effect on the periphery. It's not distracting or intrusive, but it is noticeable.
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