We tried out Sony’s PS VR2 headset and can say that playing Gran Turismo 7 on the PS5 is a new experience. The VR headset’s high-resolution OLED screen can run 4K 120fps games HDR. The PS VR2 headset and the two VR2 sense controllers can be purchased for $549 and are exclusively compatible with the Sony PlayStation 5. The computers, wiring harnesses, and carbon-fiber bodywork of Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid Le Mans HyperCard are all neatly set up on the floor using a variety of stainless-steel fasteners. We’re watching from the couch, but until recently, the engineers of Toyota Gao Racing had to work on the race team. Through Sony’s brand-new PS VR2 headset, these more minor details are so bright that you have to squint to see them. Gran Turismo 7, the company’s only driving simulator, feels brand new thanks to the PlayStation 5’s virtual reality experience. Even the most expensive and lightest racing helmet made of carbon fibred weighs more than a pound than the headset. Even though the PS VR2 only covers your eyes and forehead, the way the hardware locks you into a vision-blocking aura makes it feel like you’re looking out of a Snell-approved enclosure. As you cross the Inner Loop curbing at Watkins Glen, the headset vibrates, which adds to the illusion. Even glasses you need to see can be used in the viewing area. With the PS VR2 headset, Gran Turismo 7 becomes three-dimensional. Whether competing online against real people, trying to complete licensee challenges, watching replays, or touring every car at the dealership, the game is all about you. Dramamine that tastes like Mountain Dew Polyphony Digital made the interiors of Sony’s driving simulator very detailed. Exploring them is like watching color TV for the first time. Without it, Gran Turismo 7 is quickly forgotten after someone says, “Oh my God.” This is how good it is. When you use the PS VR2 headset, your view changes significantly. Even though it’s fun, it doesn’t feel like a game. Instead, it feels genuine. Be careful and take things slowly because sometimes things can get too real. Especially if you are starting with VR, put on the headset, but don’t think you can drive a GT3 race car around the Nürburgring for an hour. When we tried that, we almost had to eat our Taco Bell lunch all over again. Kazunori Yamauchi, the CEO of Polyphony Digital, says to start slowly and in a convertible. In an interview, he said that the best thing to do is drive usually and build up your tolerance over time, as you would when you first start going on a real race track. Even though we had warmed up after hours of playing, we had to take a break during rally races because the terrain changed and the cars moved. After 15 minutes, we sat down and finished the race. Costly but well worth it When playing Gran Turismo 7 with the PS VR2 headset, we dispensed with the traditional steering wheel in favor of the PS5 Dual Sense controller. To play Gran Turismo 7, you don’t need to use the two VR2 Sense controllers needed for other virtual reality games. With adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, the PS5 Dual Sense tries to simulate how the brakes wear down and how the pedals feel. The dynamic view helped us improve our lap times even though we didn’t have a racing wheel. The PS VR2 force feedback and PS5 Dual Sense adaptive triggers are great for gamers who need more money or space for a bucket seat and steering wheel in their living room. It’s not cheap to get this better simulation experience. The PS VR2 can be bought for $549 right now. That costs $150 more than the PS5 console you need to use it, or $50 more if you buy the most expensive PS5 with a disc drive. With a bundle, the price could go up by hundreds of dollars. This is a cheaper alternative to a sim rig with a direct-drive steering wheel and pedals if spending that much money on video games makes you feel sick. Another cool thing about the PS VR2 headset is that you don’t have to face the TV even when using it entirely. Just stretch out the headset’s 14.7-foot cord to make a racing area, then start racing. Excellent hardware, but not many choices Even though the PS VR2 headset is used in the Gran Turismo series, it is not the first VR experience in the competitive world of sim racing. Asset to Corsa, Asset to Corsa Competition, racing, factor, and Dirt Rally 2.0 had virtual reality before Sony’s new hardware came out earlier this year. Each racing simulator has its virtual reality headset options, most of which are played on a computer. Aside from our favorite, Sony’s selection of PS VR2-compatible games leaves much to be desired. Horizon: Call of the Mountain makes the most of the OLED screens on the headsets by having beautiful environments and a plot full of action. No Man’s Sky is a different and fun adventure game that uses the controller and headset haptic feedback. We still have more than 4K car interiors to look into for now.
