Platform reviewed: PSVR 2 Available on: PSVR 2, Meta Quest, Steam VR Release date: December 7, 2023
Some of the best sequels feel familiar but with everything amped up, dials turned Spinal Tap-style up to 11. Arizona Sunshine 2 is one of them, and nearly everything about the VR zombie shooter is remarkably bombastic, from its varied arsenal of guns and environmental synergy all the way to its crude sense of humor. The Walking Dead, this ain’t; if you’re looking for a high-octane zombie shooter that doesn’t take itself even remotely seriously, then Arizona Sunshine 2 is very easy to recommend.
Arizona Sunshine was a trailblazer in virtual reality, and so is Arizona Sunshine 2. Plenty of VR-centric mechanics are present here, and all work incredibly well. Expect manual reloading, climbing, dual-wielding, and a highly interactive environment. It’s all just pushed up a notch thanks to the impressively large hordes of zombies (or Freds, as our plucky hero affectionately coins them, bound by the standard video game agreement to never, ever, ever call them zombies), intense chase sequences and a wealth of stunning set pieces that never failed at making me crack a smile.
Some universal VR frustrations do show themselves here; you’ll most likely need to fiddle with your utility belt’s positioning, and the busy inventory system is at odds with the breakneck pacing of Arizona Sunshine 2’s combat. But these small irritations don’t take much away from the excellent experience Vertigo Games has crafted here.
Fred’s (un)dead, baby
(Image credit: Vertigo Games)
Your adventure in Arizona Sunshine 2 begins straightforwardly enough. A relatively easygoing first level introduces you to shooting and reloading with a simple handgun while peppering in opportunities to explore your environment for extra goodies.
Arizona Sunshine 2 instantly does a brilliant job of teaching the player to be keenly aware of their surroundings at all times, and constantly incentivizes you to explore beyond the critical path. Not just because zombies can emerge from a shadowy nook at a moment’s notice, but it’s also how you’ll find the bulk of ammunition, crafting items, and - crucially - new weapons to try out.
Curiosity is strongly encouraged, which is great (banned word), because poking around the arenas highlights how much care and attention has gone into crafting the game’s environments. You’ll be finding all kinds of resources under stairwells, in fridges and desk drawers, suitcases and car seats. Basically, if you’re looking at an area and thinking to yourself, “I’d probably hide something there,” chances are the devs are way ahead of you.
Best bit
(Image credit: Vertigo Games)
Your canine companion, Buddy, is easily the best part of Arizona Sunshine 2. This adorably vicious pup can help fetch items, explore smaller crevices, and tear zombies to shreds all with one context-sensitive button. Oh, you can give him head pats and play fetch, too!
Onto gunplay, Vertigo Games has nailed it with a wide variety of weapons - of the ranged and melee variety - that feel universally fantastic to play around with. There’s a strong sense of realism here, especially in regards to accuracy and recoil. Continual firing will knock your aim off-kilter, and that’s nowhere more apparent than with the AK-47, which appropriately kicks like a mule. That feedback is brilliantly realized in the PSVR 2’s Sense controllers, too, with their haptics lending weapons a tactile feel.
Actually fighting zombies in Arizona Sunshine 2 is a joy. When met with a bullet, their heads pop like watermelons with the sound design to match. Dealing with faster zombies? You can shoot out their legs as an effective means of crowd control. If you’re careful, you’re also more than a match for larger hordes; a well-placed grenade can immediately blast them into orbit and the flamethrower is an efficient method of sowing fiery chaos in their ranks.
It’s all brought together by how you’ll manually handle each gun in the game. As mentioned, reloading is tactile and involved; you’ll need to eject the clip, reach to your utility belt for a fresh one, load it in and cock the weapon all by hand. It sounds like a lot - and it is - but it quickly becomes second nature and adds no small amount of tension to combat. You can also hold weapons with both hands, enhancing accuracy and stability and something that’s practically required for the larger, more unwieldy guns.
And Buddy was his name-o
(Image credit: Vertigo Games)
By far my favorite addition to Arizona Sunshine 2 is Buddy, the protagonist’s dog companion freed from a downed chopper in the game’s first chapter. Not only is Buddy beyond adorable, but it’s clear that so much care has gone into animating him realistically and having him act, well, like a dog really would. So much so that you could almost class Arizona Sunshine 2 as a dog-walking simulator. Just one with guns and Molotov cocktails and nasty bitey zombies. Sorry, yes… Freds.
Buddy’s fantastic when it comes to crowd control, as he’s able to eviscerate basic zombies and keep more threatening ones away from you for a while. He’s also fitted with a utility belt of his own; you can fit extra weapons and items to Buddy if you’re fully loaded. And while you never really feel godlike or invincible in Arizona Sunshine 2, Buddy’s versatility does lend an element of power fantasy as you carve your way through the encroaching hordes together.
Also noteworthy is Buddy’s AI, which seriously impresses. Buddy feels extremely intelligent and is very responsive to commands. Between telling him to explore the surroundings and attack zombies, I never once encountered any delays or ignored commands. If I told Buddy to do something, he did so almost immediately every single time.
By comparison, the zombies’ artificial intelligence isn’t quite as sharp. To a degree, you’d expect that; they are zombies, after all. But I did encounter zombies snagging themselves on scenery or shambling, not towards the nearest source of brains, but into a wall. In larger hordes, it was also quite common to see zombies clip through each other, which did temporarily harm the game’s otherwise phenomenal level of immersion.
Ultimately, though, oddities like this do not detract from the fantastic experience Arizona Sunshine 2 puts forward. Its relatively lengthy campaign is loaded with variety, from intense firefights to plenty of over-the-top setpieces like driving an airplane staircase through an infested runway or interrupting an undead pool party with a flamethrower. Arizona Sunshine 2 is essential for VR headset owners, and it’s a much-needed addition to PSVR 2’s library, especially after a rather concerning drought.
Accessibility
(Image credit: Future)
Arizona Sunshine 2 is very accommodating for VR players of all kinds. The game supports both standing and seated modes of play and includes helpful motion reduction features like teleport movement, vignetting, and the ability to skip climbing sequences. UI and utility belt calibration are also here, allowing you to set in-game elements to best suit your needs.
How we reviewed Arizona Sunshine 2
I played through Arizona Sunshine 2’s campaign on PSVR 2. Exploring each level thoroughly as I progressed enabled me to finish the game in just over eight hours. I also mixed up my playstyle between sitting and standing, while also toggling features like vignetting and climbing skips to aid in reducing motion sickness.
Want more excellent VR games like Arizona Sunshine 2? Consider checking out our guide to the best PSVR 2 games and updated VR modes you can play right now.
I’ve not spent a lot of time with the Meta Quest 3, but my roughly 30-minute demo with the new headset has given me a taste of what it has in store for users when it launches on October 10 – and I’m already hungry for more.
The improved performance and graphics provided by the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, the slimmed-down design, and the superior mixed reality experience it offers combine to create a VR gadget that feels like an excellent successor to the Oculus Quest 2.
Yes, the Quest 3 is pricier than the Quest 2 was at launch (coming in at $499.99 / £479.99, Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta) for its cheapest model instead of $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.99) but its improvements certainly seem to justify the higher cost.
I’ll need to spend more time with the headset to get a proper feel for how it stacks up against the competition, but I already feel this may be the best VR headset out there; maybe finally replacing the ol’ reliable Oculus Quest 2, which has been my go-to headset recommendation for people looking to try what VR has to offer.
Meta Quest 3: Price and availability
Meta Quest 3 preorders went live on September 27 – the same day as Meta Connect 2023 – ahead of the official release date on October 10. You can choose between two models: a 128GB model at $499.99 / £479.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta) and a 512GB option for $649.99 / £619.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta). The only difference between the two is the on-board storage, so which one is best for you will depend on how many VR games and apps you want to have installed at any one time.
(Image credit: Meta)
Based on my experience with VR the 128GB model should be sufficient for most users. VR apps are generally fairly small in terms of file size, which means you should be able to download a lot before you fill up the headset. If you somehow do fill up the storage it’s also fairly easy to delete and redownload software quickly, as long as you have a decent internet connection.
That said, VR games are going up in scale, so 128GB might not go as far in the Quest 3 era. If you don’t like swapping out digital games, and you plan to use the Quest 3 a lot, you might need to invest in the larger model.
It’s also worth noting that the Quest 3 is pricier than the Oculus Quest 2 – which currently starts at $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$509.99 for the 128GB model – although as you’d hope for from a newer gadget the Quest 3 does offer some solid improvements that seem to justify the price.
Meta Quest 3: Performance
The Meta Quest 3 owes most of its performance improvements to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset that powers it – which Qualcomm describes as a literal “game changer” for XR. Other upgrades are the new 2064 x 2208 pixel displays (one per eye) and the bump to 8GB of RAM, from 6GB on the Quest 2.
According to Qualcomm and Meta, the new XR2 is able to deliver two-and-a-half times better graphical performance compared to the Gen 1 chip found in the Oculus Quest 2, while simultaneously delivering 50% better GPU efficiency – which should help to keep the headset from overheating, and the battery from draining too quickly.
Speaking of which, Meta says the Quest 3’s battery can last for two hours and 12 minutes on average – that sounds about right for a VR headset, but I haven’t yet been able to test the Quest 3’s battery for myself to see how long it lasts. With the included 18W charger the headset can reportedly be charged from 0% to 100% in roughly two hours.
Mixed reality is very impressive on the Quest 3 (Image credit: Meta)
Numbers are one thing, but seeing the Quest 3 headset in action has sold me on the improvements Meta and Qualcomm claim the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip brings.
Text is notoriously difficult to read in VR, but the usually blurry letters had crisp defined edges that were clearly legible in the experiences I tried, such as Red Matter 2. As a matter of fact, all objects looked sharper, and free from the slight haze that outlines VR objects, causing them to blend together. Shadows and reflections look much more realistic too, which helps to bring VR and MR worlds to life.
In one demo for Red Matter 2, I was able to swap back and forth between the Quest 3 graphics and a Quest 2 emulation, and the difference in the visuals was striking. It was like going back to play one of my favorite PlayStation 1 games and realizing that the graphics are significantly worse than my nostalgia will let me remember. And in Assassin’s Creed Nexus, while the graphics weren’t on par with Red Matter 2, I was impressed by how busy the world felt, with large numbers of responsive NPCs and interactable items filling the space.
I’ll need to spend more time with the Meta Quest 3 to fully test how well it performs, but it does indeed appear to live up to Meta’s promise that this is its most powerful headset yet.
Meta Quest 3: Design
The Meta Quest 3 takes many of its design cues from the Quest 2, albeit with some enhancements that will be greatly appreciated by users.
The headset is a little heavier than its predecessor at 1.14lbs / 515g (the Quest 2 was 1.10lbs / 503g), but it’s a fair bit lighter than the 1.59lb / 722g Meta Quest Pro. It’s 40% slimmer than the Quest 2 though, and with the weight sitting closer to your face it does feel a little easier to wear (this is something I’ll only know for sure after using it for a few sessions that are longer than my 30-minute demo).
A more minor improvement (but one I love) is that IPD adjustments (how far the lenses are apart) are now managed by a little scroll wheel found underneath the headset’s visor. Unlike with the Quest 2, you don’t need to remove your headset to change how far the lenses are apart with the Quest 3, plus you’re not limited to three predetermined presets – you can scroll between a much wider range of options, so you can set the Quest 3’s lenses to suit you perfectly.
You’ll also see from the images that the Meta Quest 3 doesn’t just come in white; you can swap the strap, and some of the plastic casing, for orange and blue options. Unfortunately, these color options cost extra, but if you fall in love with your Quest 3 and want to personalize it they could be fun add-ons to pick up in the future.
The Meta Quest 3's left controller (Image credit: Meta)
Before trying out the Meta Quest 3 I was concerned that the controllers would be an issue. They don’t use a tracking ring, but unlike the Quest Pro’s controllers, which also lack tracking rings, they don’t have internal cameras to replace it.
Instead, the Quest 3’s handsets rely entirely on the headset’s cameras, IR LEDs in the controllers, and AI for tracking. I wasn’t convinced that this would be a suitable alternative, but having used the Quest 3 controllers I can report that they work just fine; in my demo I noticed no differences between using them and using the Quest 2’s controllers, save for the fact I no longer had to worry about a tracking ring bumping into something.
Meta Quest 3: Initial verdict
Like Meta’s previous Quest headsets, the Meta Quest 3 will support every single game and app currently on the Quest store. So if you own an Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, or a Meta Quest Pro you’ll be able to bring your entire software library to the new headset.
You won’t just be enjoying old VR experiences, however – there are new and exciting mixed reality apps to explore with this headset. The Meta Quest 3’s standout feature is mixed reality with full-color passthrough. This isn’t new to Meta headsets – it first launched with the Meta Quest Pro – but the Quest 3 is the first headset in the affordable Quest line to get the feature. Plus, the Quest 3 does it better than the Pro.
The picture quality is significantly less grainy, and the colors look more vivid than what the Quest Pro’s passthrough produced. While the real world still doesn't look exactly true to life, the Quest 3’s video feed does make it look a lot more so, which I found helped to sell the mixed-reality experiences.
A recreation of what mixed reality looks (Image credit: Meta)
Another boost to MR is the improved AI provided by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, which in collaboration with the headset’s depth sensor and other external cameras can not only automatically map out your floor, but walls and other objects in the room as well. This allows mixed-reality experiences to interact more realistically with the space around you, and I found this made the feature feel a lot less gimmicky than on other headsets I’ve tried. Usually I ignore MR, but on the Quest 3 I can see myself turning it on as often as games and apps allow – I can’t wait to return to the mixed-reality Stranger Things and Samba de Amigo experiences I played in my demo.
I haven’t yet had the chance to use them, but the Quest 3’s new Augments sound like they’ll be great uses of mixed reality too. These mixed-reality widgets can be used to decorate your real-world space, and offer a range of different features. You can set up portals to your favorite games, get live weather updates for your local area, or just place a pretty-looking sculpture in the space. Best of all, Meta says these Augments will stay where you put them; so if you decorate your space with Augments during one session and then enter mixed reality in the same space on another day, everything will be just how you set it up before.
It’s also now a lot easier to swap between virtual reality and mixed reality – you just double-tap the right side of the headset to change your view.
Meta Quest 3: Initial verdict
The Meta Quest 3 is an impressive VR headset that takes mixed reality very seriously too. While it’s not as affordable as Meta’s Quest 2, it offers enough improvements that I feel it’s higher launch price is justified.
There are a few features I want to spend more time with before passing a final verdict on this new headset, but based on my early impressions this could be not just one of the best standalone VR headsets Meta has made, for most people, it might just be the best VR headset that money can buy.
The Pimax Crystal VR headset’s mission statement is to deliver the “ultra VR experience” for enthusiasts looking for the next step in immersive gaming. Armed with an exceptionally high pixel count, glass lenses, external tracking cameras, and even the option for an all-in-one mode, in theory, there’s enough under here to rival some of the best VR headsets. However, this one isn’t quite ready for prime time just yet.
However, factoring in the high price tag and the slow roll-out of promised features, the Pimax Crystal currently feels like a product that’s still in development to beta testers rather than the be-all-end-all PC VR and standalone solution that it could be.
Price and availability
The Pimax Crystal is available for $1,599 / £1,699 (around AU$2,500) which positions it as one of the most expensive consumer PR headsets available. As a frame of reference, this is around the same cost as the Meta Quest Pro when it launched and comparable to the HTC Vive Pro 2 with its controllers and base station.
Design and features
(Image credit: Future)
Marketed as having the “highest pixel amount of any consumer VR headset”, the Pimax Crystal’s unique selling point is all about the display: it offers a whopping total resolution of 5760 x 2880 with 35ppd (pixels-per-degrees). For context, that’s significantly higher than the likes of the PSVR 2 and the HP Reverb G2, but considering the jump up in price tag here, that’s also something you’d hope for. It makes for an incredibly high resolution of 2880 x 2880 per eye which can also run at either 90 or 120Hz depending on the supported software.
The build quality of the headset is solid and it’s constructed primarily of black plastic finished in an angular design. It’s very iterative on the company’s previous flagship, the Pimax 8K X, and overall looks and feels appropriate. However, at 960g / 2.11 lbs, it does feel a little heavy when you’re wearing it. There’s a cog wheel at the back which can be tightened or loosened to strap you in, and there’s also a large foam insert for glasses-wearers if you need the extra space.
Where the Pimax Crystal stands out from other PC VR headsets is in its dedicated all-in-one mode that can be activated with the flick of a switch on the device. Powering that is a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 as well as the PC VR Engine Dual-processor chips. The included 5m / 16ft braided cable plugs into the Pimax Crystal and then has DisplayPort, USB 3.0, and USB 2.0 which goes into the back of the PC.
There are two sizable battery packs (6000mAh) included which can be charged with USB-C, and you can swap batteries painlessly enough, using a sliding mechanism that lands with a satisfying click once in place. There’s also the standard power button, volume rocker on the right, and an interpupillary distance slider on the left top side of the headset with an autofocus range between 58-72mm that can be manually adjusted.
Adding to the premium nature of the Pimax Crystal are the high-fidelity DMAS off-ear headphones built into the headset itself, and the four external depth-of-field cameras inside the headset - which means there’s no need for a base station. A base station is traditionally used in high-end PC VR headsets such as the Steam Index to accurately track hand and eye movements. These stations can take up a fair amount of space in your setup or room, so it’s a big plus that this manufacturer has built the cameras into the model itself to negate that.
The two controllers that ship with the Pimax Crystal are similar to what you’ll find on the Meta Quest Pro with a stick and two face buttons on each one, combined with a bumper, trigger, and menu buttons. They are sleek and lightweight, with a good feel in the hand, and charge via USB-C.
Performance
(Image credit: Future)
The company promises a five-minute start-up time from when you plug everything into getting into a game - and in my experience, that’s not too far off the mark. The Pimax Play app itself is easy to use and as well as depicting the headset, controllers, and tracking on screen, also allows you to make further alterations from room settings, to configuring things such as floor calibration, and starting the device remotely.
For the bulk of my time spent with the Pimax Crystal, the eye and finger tracking functionality did not work, however, that’s now been corrected in a recent firmware update, which has also added the standalone mode. Inside the Pimax Play app, I was able to calibrate my eyes and then look around in a virtual space and it worked well, and the same can be said of finger tracking which, while originally glitchy and imprecise a few weeks ago, is now smooth overall.
The standalone mode features its own suite of games available on the Pimax storefront and, while I can commend the fact that it works and looks solid enough, there’s a real lack of compelling, must-have software right now. It feels like an afterthought, and an ultimately odd inclusion in practice for a high-end PC VR headset aimed at the hardcore crowd who aren’t going to want to use this mode, ultimately adding both bulk to the headset and inflating the price to what it is. It’s more of a novelty than something you’ll get any real use out of.
When it comes to PC VR, though, the Pimax Crystal truly shines in supported software, especially when booted up in Steam VR. While the headset essentially emulates the Valve Index for usability, the user experience overall is truly top-tier. The resolution of 2880 x 2880 per eye means that the games tested, including the ground-breaking Half-Life: Alyx, were exceptional. Where I’ve previously had tunnel vision or felt disconnected from VR environments using the likes of the Meta Quest 2 and the older Oculus Rift S, this was not the case with the Crystal due to how sharp and detailed the textures were. There were times when I was left speechless reaching out into the world.
This is bolstered by the excellent audio quality of the DMAS off-ear headphones which added an immersive and accurate surround sound experience. I could hear everything from the whirling of space-age ships flying through the sky right down to more subtle noises such as a can being kicked over or footsteps from behind a closed wooden door - it all sounded incredibly real. I have never experienced audio of this quality from VR, and it would even rival some of the best gaming headsets.
Ultimately, the Pimax Crystal is incredibly powerful and offers the best visual and audio fidelity you can get right now, but you're paying a premium for the privilege. It's why it is a hard sell to all but those enthusiasts who want top-end performance, as for everyone else, you're better off with something with a more aggressive price-to-performance ratio like the Valve Index or something standalone like the Meta Quest 2.
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if…
You want leading image quality in VR
The Pimax Crystal features an incredibly high resolution with each eye running higher pixel counts than many other models on the market.
Stellar audio in VR is a must
The DMAS off-ear headphones are some of the best I’ve used compared to other PC VR gaming headsets available now.
Don’t buy it if…
You want good value for money
The Pimax Crystal is one of the most expensive VR headsets that you can buy right now. The Valve Index and Meta Quest 2 are both better options in terms of price-to-performance and also come in at a cheaper starting price.
You want compelling standalone software
While the Pimax Play now offers its standalone mode, the lacking game support leaves a lot to be desired despite good functionality compared to the likes of the far cheaper Oculus Quest 2.
The Pimax Crystal will be able to play some of the best VR games, and you'll want to make sure you've got one of the best graphics cards and the best CPU to make the most of it.
Owning games on a physical format – be it a disc or a cartridge – is falling out of fashion (at least console makers would like you to believe that). Owning games at all may also be going the way of the floppy disk as subscriptions are becoming more common.
The latest is Meta Quest+, a service aimed at owners of the Meta Quest 2, the upcoming Quest 3 and the pricey Quest Pro (sorry, original Quest owners). Long story short, this is similar to PlayStation Plus.
Quest+ costs $8 a month or $60 if you pay for the full year (that’s $5 a month). Note that if you sign up before the end of...
Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is confident that Apple's highly-anticipated AR/VR headset will be unveiled at June's WWDC. He notes that Apple is 'well prepared to release' the new device.
He also notes that the headset's release will greatly benefit Apple's supply chain partners, boosting the entire VR industry. The more expensive bits of an AR/VR headset are the assembly (a Luxshare exclusive), the micro OLED display (exclusive to Sony), the dual processor (exclusive to TSMC), the chassis (mostly supplied by Everwin Precision), the 12 camera modules (exclusive to Cowell Electronics), and...
2022 was a tough year for the AR/VR market as global shipments dropped sharply to 8.8 million units for the full year – down 20.9% compared to 2021, according to data by IDC. The analysts say that the drop was expected as this is a fledgling market and certain global events have massive effects on it (both positive and negative).
In 2021 the pandemic had a lot of people stuck at home with disposable cash, which was an opportunity for VR and AR headset makers. It also helped that increasing prices of electronics components and logistics hadn’t hit with full force yet, so the likes of the...
2022 was a tough year for the AR/VR market as global shipments dropped sharply to 8.8 million units for the full year – down 20.9% compared to 2021, according to data by IDC. The analysts say that the drop was expected as this is a fledgling market and certain global events have massive effects on it (both positive and negative).
In 2021 the pandemic had a lot of people stuck at home with disposable cash, which was an opportunity for VR and AR headset makers. It also helped that increasing prices of electronics components and logistics hadn’t hit with full force yet, so the likes of the...
Meta is initiating price cuts on its VR headsets. Starting March 5, the premium Quest Pro will be retailing for $1000, instead of its previous price of $1,500. The rather significant price drop was announced by Mark Zuckerberg himself on an Instagram channel. He says the move is meant to help “more people get into VR”.
The higher-end 256GB Meta Quest 2 is getting cheaper as well and will be retailing for $429 instead of the previous price tag of $500. All the while, the base 128GB Quest 2 will retain its price tag of $400, which means that a double storage upgrade will set you back...
Resolution: 2,000 x 2,040 per panel Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz Display: OLED HDR Field of view: 110 degrees Audio: Dedicated headset audio via 3.5mm headphone jack Connection: USB-C Tracking: IR camera with Tobii eye-tracking Requires: PS5
PSVR 2 is finally here, and it’s got a lot of expectations to live up to. Sony’s first-gen PSVR headset was a mixed bag: affordable, but poor per-panel resolution and serious visual compromises on PS4 left many wanting a better experience. Nearly seven years on, PSVR 2 has vastly improved on pretty much everything that the original headset set out to do.
Every aspect of PSVR 2 seems tailor-made to both address the first headset’s shortcomings and capitalize on the power of the PS5. Higher texture quality in PSVR 2 exclusives like Horizon: Call of the Mountain really stand out thanks to the headset’s 2,000 x 2,040 panel resolution. It also helps that there are significantly fewer hoops to jump through to get PSVR 2 set up in the first place: just one USB-C cable is all you need to get it up and running on PS5.
It speaks volumes that PSVR 2’s only major drawback is its price. Being more expensive than the PS5 console may turn away many. But in the grand scheme of things, it beats many of the best VR headsets on the market when it comes to specs and price, even the Valve Index.
So while PSVR 2 is absolutely a luxury purchase, I’m confident in saying those who do take the leap will be getting their money’s worth and then some.
PSVR 2: price and availability
Undoubtedly the biggest hurdle to overcome with PSVR 2 is its price. At $549 / £529 / AU$879. The fact it’s more expensive than the PS5 could well turn away many potential buyers. The headset can be pre-ordered from the PlayStation Direct store and should arrive within its launch week (February 22 - 28).
You won’t get very far with PSVR 2 without some compatible games. Sony knows this, and has created a PSVR 2 bundle that includes its marquee launch title, Horizon: Call of the Mountain. The bundle will set you back $599 / £569 / AU$959.
PSVR 2’s pair of Sense controllers are included in the box, but spare pairs can be bought from PlayStation Direct for $49 / £39 (around AU$70).
PSVR 2: design
(Image credit: Future)
Similar in look and feel to original PSVR
Blissfully simple setup via a single USB-C cable
Fits comfortably with adjustable headband
Sony’s clearly taken much care in its design of the PSVR 2. Both aesthetically and ergonomically, it’s similar to the original PSVR, but the kit’s overall design has been refined for a more comfortable experience.
The most immediately noticeable improvement with PSVR 2 comes in how you set it up. And thankfully, it’s as easy as connecting a single USB-C cable (included) into your PS5. That’s it. Unlike the first PSVR, you don’t have to worry about making room for a mess of wires and adaptors. PSVR 2, aside from a very quick and easy first-time setup, is plug-and-play in its purest form.
That initial setup will walk you through almost every aspect of PSVR 2’s design. It’ll introduce you to the slider that adjusts the headset’s distance from your eyes, as well as the rear headband’s dial that helps secure the device on the back of your head. You’ll also be given a chance to adjust PSVR 2’s focus slider, which helps minimize image ghosting and provide sharper image quality.
Another big plus is that little to no outside light is let in when the headset is fixed on, an aspect that's key to immersion on PSVR 2 and a clear improvement over the original device.
Despite being relatively light, the headset doesn’t feel cheaply made
The PSVR 2 headset is also relatively lightweight, meaning it’s unlikely you’ll cause your body any undue stress during play both seated and standing. Mileage will vary from player to player, but I clocked in a two-hour session on Horizon: Call of the Mountain without any kind of neck strain. It was the rest of my body that needed a rest, of course, given the physical nature of standing VR sessions.
Despite being relatively light, the headset doesn’t feel cheaply made. The adjustable headband is cushioned and should provide a comfy fit for most users. Meanwhile, on-headset sliders like the rear headband adjuster feel sturdy and tactile.
If I have any gripes with the PSVR 2 headset’s design, it would be the placement of its on-board buttons. Both the power button and camera function are located on the underside of the headset, and thus can be a little fiddly to press, especially as they’re slightly concave. It’s a minor inconvenience, though, and one that muscle memory will soon sort out.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
PSVR 2: features
(Image credit: Future)
Headset camera is a welcome inclusion, if a little grainy
Eye tracking works almost perfectly
Console dashboard can be unresponsive at times
One fantastic addition PSVR 2 borrows from other top headsets, such as the Quest 2, is a passthrough camera that’ll pause the action to give you a look at your surroundings, without needing to take it off. Activated by an on-device button, the camera displays in monochrome and is quite grainy, but extremely useful for when you need to pick up your Sense controllers and do a final check of your VR playing space.
Many PSVR 2 games also support the headset’s new eye-tracking feature. It’s largely used to browse menus simply by looking at your desired option, and calibration for the feature is introduced to you upon initial setup.
For the most part, it works great, though it can feel a little skittish when looking at menu items that are fairly close together. Overall, though, eye tracking feels like a promising feature that I’m looking forward to seeing implemented for wider gameplay purposes.
As with the previous PS4 headset, PSVR 2 can seamlessly bring up your PS5’s dashboard at the press of one of the Sense controllers’ Home buttons. Well, almost seamlessly. The dashboard itself, displayed through PSVR 2’s lenses, is relatively low-resolution. There doesn't appear to be a big improvement over the first PSVR in this area, and thus it's difficult for me to recommend Cinematic mode as a result.
On top of that, it can be slightly unresponsive depending on if you have a game open at the time, updating at a sluggishly low refresh rate. It’s certainly jarring going from a 120Hz experience in-game to sub-60Hz on the dashboard, and may disorient you slightly.
Features score: 4 / 5
PSVR 2: performance
(Image credit: Future)
Excellent image quality
Headphones provide strong immersive audio
Image ghosting an occasional issue
I can’t speak highly enough about the leap in image quality between PSVR and PSVR 2. The original’s 960 x 1,080 per eye resolution – paired with the visual compromises games like Skyrim VR had to take to run at 90-120Hz – meant that PSVR games had a rather smeared look. It was a particularly bad experience if you’re like me and suffer from motion sickness easily.
PSVR 2 has largely solved this issue. Panel resolution has jumped up to 2,000 x 2,040, allowing for a much greater level of clarity. This is especially evident in games like Horizon: Call of the Wild and Kayak VR, where the impressive texture detail is allowed to stand out thanks to that higher resolution.
Despite these vast improvements, you may still encounter a degree of image ghosting. This creates a slight afterimage akin to a delayed motion blur, and can be quite distracting or immersion-breaking. However, this will depend on the visual quality of any given PSVR 2 game, as well as the setting of your lens slider.
PSVR 2's headphones greatly benefit from the console’s proprietary 3D audio
Adjusting this to create a sharper image minimizes this issue greatly, though this does mean that the lenses can start to press firmly against your nose. It’s worth experimenting with the slider with each game to find your perfect balance of comfort and image quality.
Thankfully, in my testing, I found that all PSVR 2 games were able to maintain a locked 90Hz or 120Hz experience. That’s not just great news for gameplay, but when paired with some games’ implementation of vignetting (darkening the edges of the display) really helps to reduce motion sickness and improve immersion overall.
The PSVR 2 experience is made even better by its headphones, too. Much like PSVR, these headphones are wired to the headset itself. PSVR 2's headphones greatly benefit from the console’s proprietary 3D audio.
Spatial audio is an especially great feature in VR, and gaming on PSVR 2 is all the better for it. I especially loved this for Kayak VR, a game with a wide dynamic range, which led to a fantastic mix of satisfyingly sloshy paddling and distant chirps of various fauna. Tetris Effectand Rez Infinite are standout audio experiences here, too; their layered, immersive soundtracks really come to life thanks to PS5’s 3D audio.
Performance score: 5 / 5
PSVR 2: Sense controllers
(Image credit: Future)
Superb motion accuracy
Haptics feel a little understated
Poor battery life
PSVR 2 includes its bespoke Sense controllers in the box. You’ll get a pair of these, one for each hand, and each acts like two halves of a DualSense wireless controller. The Sense controllers evenly split face buttons, analog sticks, and triggers between one another, while both have a Home button for easy access to the PS5 dashboard. Meanwhile, the Options/Pause button is found on the right controller, and holding the button for a few seconds universally realigns your display.
The Sense aren’t the best VR controllers I’ve ever used, lacking the quality feel of Valve Index’s pair. But they certainly get the job done. Motion accuracy is pinpoint, and the circular design ensures you’ll be able to pull off more specific motions with ease.
The Sense controllers themselves are on the cheaper side in terms of cost, which is great if you fancy picking up a spare pair. However, this does mean that some of their features take a step back. The controllers support haptic feedback, but in testing multiple games, the feature did feel a little flat, especially compared to the excellent implementation on DualSense and DualSense Edge.
Battery life is also a slight issue. I clocked in five to six hours on a full charge. And given that they are two controllers, you will have to charge them separately via USB-C. And with PS5’s USB port already being taken up by the PSVR 2 unit itself, you may find this impacts the length of your VR sessions if you don’t switch to a DualSense pad while they charge.
Sense controllers score: 3.5 / 5
Should I buy PSVR 2?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a premium VR experience PSVR 2’s specs are among the best on the market, and the headset sets an impressively high bar for future console VR devices.
You want games you can’t play anywhere else PSVR 2 will grow even stronger as more exclusive games roll in. Horizon: Call of the Mountain is certainly a strong start and undoubtedly the headset’s killer app.
You’re looking for ease of use PSVR 2 is blissfully easy to set up, and with just a single wire connecting it to PS5, eschews the need for a complex array of cables and adapters.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a tight budget PSVR 2 is an expensive piece of kit, and thus has a very niche appeal. If you’re even slightly unsure, avoid picking it up for the time being.
You’re after a PC headset PSVR 2 won’t work on PC out of the box. If you’re interested in PC-based VR, consider a headset like the Quest 2 or Valve Index.
The PS4 Pro was Sony’s most powerful console before the launch of the PS5, but even then, it doesn’t take away from the fact the Pro is still a significant bit of gaming kit. Its slick design and 4K capabilities mean it still performs incredibly well, even when compared to its next-gen equivalent.
Now that the PS4 Pro has been discontinued finding a brand-new one may pose a challenge. Luckily, a pre-owned one isn’t out of the question, and there’s always a chance you may find a decent standard PS4 bundle, but if you’re looking for the latest specs and gaming experience, looking for PS5 bundles may be a better alternative than just a PS4 pro.
Our review of the PlayStation 4 Pro below details everything you need to know about Sony’s 2016 mid-generation upgrade. We've covered the specs, outlined the capabilities and listed some of the games that are great to play. There are other important things to mention too, like whether you should grab a PSVR headset to go along with the PS4 Pro.
The PS4 Pro has the same impressive back catalogue of titles as the standard PS4. The titles released for the PS4 Pro will continue to work on the original console (as well as the PS4 Slim). While the PS Now service is now defunct, you can still get a wide library of games with a PS Plus Extra or PS Plus Premium subscription.
The big question is: should I get a PS4 Pro? That largely depends on what kind of TV you own, and what kind of console you have at the moment. If you don't yet have a PS4 console, then the PS4 Pro gives you 4K capabilities (on some titles) and extra power over the PS4 Slim, in return for paying a bit more money.
You should also note that Sony's PS4 Pro system has a few deficiencies in the home entertainment department: particularly in not having an Ultra HD Blu-ray player installed. If that's important to you, you might need to look elsewhere. Keep reading for our full review of the PS4 Pro.
PS4 Pro: FAQ
Image credit: TechRadar
What’s the difference between the PS4 and the PS4 Pro?
On one hand, there’s isn’t much difference. Both consoles allow you to play the same games, use the same peripherals, and give you access to the same PlayStation Store – but when it comes to the look and feel of the games you play, you're getting a completely different experience.
The PS4 Pro is Sony’s more premium PS4 console. It plays games in a higher resolution (4K) and often in High Dynamic Range (HDR). It's a little more expensive than the regular PS4 was, but that's because it uses slightly different hardware to get better results in terms of performance. Check out our guide to the main differences between the PS4 Pro vs PS4 for more.
Is the PS4 Pro true 4K?
Yes, but games will need to receive a PS4 Pro patch to enable these more detailed resolutions. We only point that last part out because it's up to game developers themselves to issue those patches and ultimately utilize the more powerful hardware. No PS4 Pro mode, no PS4 Pro performance.
Now, it's worth noting that should you want to see what games in 4K HDR look like, you're going to need a 4K HDR TV - your old 1080p screen probably won't see a benefit outside of a few extra frames.
Is it worth buying a PS4 Pro without a 4K TV?
That depends. Without a 4K TV, you won’t be able to take advantage of the superior viewing offered up by the PS4 Pro. But the Pro does offer plenty of other benefits for those with 1080p screens. For example, many of the games with Pro patches do boast a sharper image while many also run at higher frame rates compared to the standard PS4.
What games are native 4K on PS4 Pro?
Loads of games run 4K natively on the PS4, including Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man and No Man’s Sky. You can check out our full guide to the best PS4 Pro games to see them all.
PS4 Pro: design
(Image credit: Sony)
Slightly bigger than standard PS4
Additional 3.1 USB port on the rear
Upgraded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
We wouldn't say the PS4 Pro's design is a complete copy of the original PS4's, there are a lot of similarities – the first being the decision to keep the console a flat parallelogram.
When Sony first unveiled the PS4 Pro, there were jokes that the system felt like two PS4s stacked on top of one another, but the second you pull the system from the box that observation becomes less of a joke and more a fair observation.
Compared to the original PS4's 27.5 x 30 x 5.3 cm package, the PS4 Pro takes up a bit more shelf space at 29.5 x 32.7 x 5.5 cm (W x L x H). It's both a little wider and a little taller than the original PS4, and a fair bit heavier, too (though unless you carry your console around a lot, that's unlikely to matter).
The system is encased in a matte black shell, similar to the one used on the PS4 Slim released in September 2016. However, this time around you won't find rounded corners along the edges – the PlayStation 4 Pro is sharp in every sense of the word.
Image credit: TechRadar
Another design difference is the silver PlayStation logo that sits in the center of the top surface, adding a nice touch of elegance. The PS4 Pro also uses a bulkier female connector on its power cable to draw more power, instead of the generic two-prong cable Sony has traditionally supplied with every PS4.
On the front of the console, you might notice that there are no touch-capacitive buttons: Sony has decided to ditch the accident-prone pads for more traditional plastic buttons, but they do the job just the same.
Image credit: TechRadar
Next, let's talk inputs and outputs. You've got two Superspeed USB 3.1 ports on the front of the PS4 Pro and one on the back, used for syncing and charging controllers, as well as connecting your brand new PlayStation VR, should you buy one. HDMI 2.0a, Ethernet, optical audio and PlayStation Camera ports line up along the back next to the power connector.
You won't find an HDMI input port here like you would on the Xbox One, but Sony's workaround to its cable conundrum, PlayStation Vue, is an arguably effective one.
One final point here: while the exterior is nice, Sony has spent more time working on the inside of the console. Inside is a larger 1TB hard drive, which is 500GB more than you'll find on the original PS4 or the base model of the PS4 Slim. There's also an improved Wi-Fi antenna that uses dual-band 802.11ac wireless and Bluetooth 4.0 instead of 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1.
While the swapping out of a Wi-Fi antenna may not seem like a big deal, it helps the PS4 Pro download games faster: a 160MB game (Pac-Man 256) downloaded in under a minute on a 15Mbps connection, something that should have always been the case but wasn't on the original PS4.
PS4 Pro: controller
Image credit: TechRadar (Image credit: Future)
Minor changes made
Can be used in wired or wireless modes
Light bar added to the front
A new system needs a new PS4 controller, and Sony obliges here – the controller that ships with the new PS4 Pro is the same one that will also ship with all PlayStation 4 Slim systems going forward.
It is, essentially, a very small iteration on the DualShock 4 controller you've probably been using for years. There's now a light bar built into the touchpad – a nice feature when you don’t want to turn the controller over in your hand to find out what player you are – but more importantly the triggers have been tweaked and it feels a bit lighter in the hand.
Plus, as we pointed out in the PlayStation 4 Slim review, the controller can also switch seamlessly between Bluetooth and wired mode when it's connected to the system via USB cable. While that might not sound like a huge addition, for a pro gamer it can mean the difference between a win (and a pot of esports prize money) or a loss.
Once you have your new PS4 Pro hooked up, it's time to turn it on and get it set up, and thankfully setting up the PS4 Pro is lightning-fast. You can cruise through the menus without breaking much of a sweat, inputting the basics like which time zone you're in, your Wi-Fi network ID and password, and which language you'd like to use.
Transferring data from an earlier iteration of the PS4 is relatively straightforward: hook both systems up to the same Wi-Fi network, connect them to one another via an Ethernet cable, and you're good to go. We had about 158GB of data on our old PS4, and that took about an hour to transfer to the PS4 Pro.
We really like how easy Sony has made it to transfer the content from one PS4 to the next – and even though we had to wait nearly an hour and a half, when the process was complete we had everything from our old console set up in exactly the same way on our new machine.
Image credit: TechRadar
But let's get to the meat and potatoes here: actual performance. As you might know, the PlayStation 4 Pro's biggest draw is that it offers "enhanced performance" for a growing pool of your favorite titles – including all games released on PlayStation VR – as well as 4K HDR streaming from Netflix.
Increasingly, games built for the PlayStation platform in the future will be taking advantage of the enhanced processing power as soon as they've been released.
Enhanced performance can manifest itself in different ways – one way might be that games will play at 4K resolution at 30 frames per second; another might be more detailed textures, or even the option to choose a higher frame rate at 1080p resolution. It's up to developers to choose how they want their games to take advantage of the upgraded processing power of the Pro in a feature Sony calls "Pro Mode."
There are now tons of games that support Pro Mode in some way, shape or form. You can read our top picks in this PlayStation 4 Pro Games roundup, but some highlights of the list include The Last of Us Remastered, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Special Edition, Titanfall 2 and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
So what can you expect when you pop in some of these games? We've broken down the performance based on what screen you'll be potentially viewing it on.
PS4 Pro performance for 1080p TVs
Let’s start with the 1080p TV owners. Admittedly, the biggest draws to Sony's mid-gen upgrade are 4K and HDR functionality, both of which you'll be missing out on; but you will see a benefit in the frame rates of some of your favorite titles. In Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, for example, you can expect increased refresh rates that make the action feel a whole lot smoother, while textures get a bit of extra detail as well.
We weren't completely blown away with what the PS4 Pro offers for 1080p TV owners – while extra frame rates are a nice bonus, they're just not enough of an advantage to warrant spending the extra cash. But Sony didn’t design the Pro for 1080p, it was designed for...
PS4 Pro performance for 4K TVs
Here's where the PS4 Pro performance starts to heat up a bit. With a 4K TV in your living room, old games start to take on a whole new light – and that's especially true if your TV is HDR-capable. Games like Infamous: Second Son have been given a facelift to utilize both technologies, making particle effects pop off the screen and contrast ratios spike through the roof.
It's worth making especially clear here however, that the PS4 Pro isn't capable of outputting native 4K for all games – many titles that support 4K Pro Mode have been upscaled to that resolution. That doesn't mean games won't look absolutely incredible on your 4K TV, because they most certainly will, but don't expect as many genuinely rendered pixels as you do on a high-end PC just yet.
Image credit: TechRadar
PS4 Pro performance for PlayStation VR
But there's one last area that we wanted to cover here, and that's how PS4 Pro enhances the PlayStation VR experience: even right from the consoles announcement, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Andrew House was touting the PS4 Pro's ability to enhance PSVR games.
We're happy to report that he's absolutely right – VR games run noticeably better on this machine. PS4 Pro Mode titles feel like they're not only better-looking, with more detailed textures, but they also feel a hair faster in terms of frame rate on the new system as well.
The bottom line? If you're new to the Sony ecosystem and plan on buying a PlayStation VR alongside your console purchase, you should definitely shell out for the PlayStation 4 Pro.
The PlayStation platform, nine years on
Continued growth in services, including PlayStation Now, Spotify and 4K Netflix.
One of the greatest pleasures for a tech journalist is watching a platform blossom from a dawdling little toddler, devoid of any serious content and full of big ideas, to a fleshed out, fully functional battlestation. Nine years on, Sony still stands tall as the king of the consoles – even if Microsoft's Xbox One X gave it a fight for the ages this generation.
The PlayStation Store full of great content to purchase – with literally everything from super-niche indie darlings on there to big budget titles, movies and music available – and if feels like there's always something new waiting on the horizon too.
Image credit: Sony
Every month or two brings with it a platform update that will meaningfully change the way you interact with the system – and that's why we feel so comfortable giving it a good recommendation.
Sure, you can find party chats, Twitch integration and apps like YouTube and Amazon on any platform, but Sony seems to always find a few ways to make you feel like you're part of something bigger, and that's true on the PS4 Pro as well. Sony hasn't skimped when it comes to supporting other territories with video content either.
The Australian PlayStation Store is full of most of the major catch-up TV services, including SBS On Demand, ABC iview, 9Now, TenPlay and PLUS7. Foxtel Play is also available, allowing Pay TV subscribers to stream right to their console. What the Pro adds to the conversation is 4K streaming, with major players including Netflix and Amazon supporting 4K video content on the PS4 Pro.
For the 4K/HDR TV owner, the PS4 Pro's benefits speak for themselves. It offers high-resolution gameplay at higher frame rates that you will notice and appreciate.
However, for non-4K TV owners, especially those who don't think they'll end up with a PlayStation VR, the benefits are a bit murkier. Sure, you still get a nice bump in frame rates and better textures in dozens of games; however, by and large the difference you'll see is negligible. At its heart the PlayStation 4 Pro is just a souped-up PS4 after all.
We feel a slight twinge of compunction when we say "it's just a PS4," as that implies that the system Sony has made isn't an already wonderful piece of technology. But because the original was so fantastic, the bar is higher for the PS4 Pro – a bar that I don't feel like is totally met for the majority of gamers out there.
The lack of a UHD Blu-ray player hurts the value of the system, and while we appreciate 4K/HDR capabilities on a select few titles, the system doesn’t scream "this is a must-buy" to us. If someone asked us to summarize our opinions on the PS4 Pro in one sentence, we'd say: how much you'll appreciate the console and its capabilities comes down to your TV.
Image credit: TechRadar
PS4 Pro: we liked
4K resolution gaming, obviously. If you have the equipment, some of your favorite titles are going to look absolutely incredible on the PlayStation 4 Pro. Add to that High Dynamic Range capabilities (again, if your TV has it) and you have one of the best visual experiences on any console, bar none, with the PS4 Pro.
I also appreciated the two minor tweaks to the inside of the console itself – the larger 1TB hard drive and upgraded 802.11ac Wi-Fi antenna. Games are not only downloaded faster on this system, but – thanks to an extra 500GB of storage – you won't have to make the decision which games to keep and which ones you need to uninstall to clear up some room.
PS4 Pro: we disliked
If I ever find myself in a conversation with a Sony engineer, the first thing I'm going to ask about is the PS4 Pro's lack of a 4K UHD Blu-ray player.
I've tried to avoid the direct comparison to the Xbox One S throughout the review, something that's now even harder to do with the Xbox One X on shelves, but it completely boggles my mind that Microsoft – the company that once thought HD DVD would beat Blu-ray – now offers a 4K Blu-ray player while Sony does not.
That said, the growing catalog of games built to take advantage of the 4K power gets more appealing all the time, while a recently-introduced boost mode, giving marginal improvements to all titles on the system overall, is a welcome (if not groundbreaking) addition.
PS4 Pro: our verdict
Let's pick up a car analogy to really drive this point home: the PS4 Pro is truly a marvelous piece of machinery. It's capable of so much and yet the rest of your setup also needs to match its capabilities.
Sure, the latest model of (insert your favorite car here) might be capable of reaching incredible speeds (read: 4K compatible), but if you're limited by the law to stay under a certain speed (read: using a 1080p TV), then what good is all that speed?
Of course many of you will have now made the jump to a 4K HDR TV, and if so – or if you're keen on buying a PlayStation VR too – then we'd say the PS4 Pro is well worth its $399 / £349 / AU$559 price tag. On the other hand, if you're yet to make the jump to either 4K or VR, then you might want to jump straight into the PS5.
