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If you want game console virtual reality right now, the PlayStation VR is your only choice. And it's a pretty great one.

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Good on Sony for actually delivering a decent VR headset that comes in much cheaper than the competition. It's even more impressive that it managed to get a decent amount of developers onboard for the initial push. Nonetheless, the PS VR is hard to recommend for most people. Even if you're intrigued by virtual reality, it's worth waiting for prices to go down and for the overall market to settle.

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In terms of recommending a purchase, what's clear is that Sony has managed to overcome most of the principal hurdles, and has handed in a mainstream VR platform for console money that is highly compelling and as much I enjoyed my time with it, there are three significant arguments against investing in it right now, as I see it. First of all, extended gameplay sessions in VR could ultimately prove unsettling on your wellbeing. As relatively inexpensive as it is, will you get the same return from PSVR as a conventional console platform if you're fundamentally limited by the time you can spend using it? And secondly there's the fact that the same financial outlay next month buys you PlayStation 4 Pro. For Sony to release two major pieces of gaming hardware in consecutive months just seems too close.

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PlayStation VR falls under the same argument that has plagued the ongoing war of PC gaming versus console gaming for years. By the technical standards, Oculus and Vive on PC are stronger showcases for VR. However, PlayStation VR is cheaper and does offer a legitimate virtual-reality experience that is more comfortable and easier to use than its competitors. For the console-exclusive gamers looking to enter the realm of virtual reality, PlayStation VR gets the job done. You can enter virtual worlds, get a sense that you’re really there, and have new interactive gaming experiences unlike anything you’ve seen before on consoles. You just might have a little bit of a headache as a result.

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In the end, your purchasing decision should come down to whether you think you fit the bill of being an early adopter. Not everyone can justify spending hundreds on a peripheral, especially one that's still in the experimental phases of delivering state-of-the-art entertainment. But if you've got the money to spare, and want to share in the excitement of VR's infinite possibilities, then PlayStation VR feels like the most sensible choice.

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If you want to experience a VR world beyond what mobile offerings like Google Cardboard and Gear VR provide, then save up your pennies. This is the VR system for people looking to take the next step into a virtual world.

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Price is the major factor with VR. You get what you pay for; the Vive is a superior device but costs a whole lot more. Meanwhile, the Oculus is fractionally better than the PSVR but doesn’t have the catalogue of games already available on Sony's device, one of it's major selling points. For an introductory level VR headset, the PSVR is a fantastic device and an even better introduction to the world of Virtual Reality.

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Should you run out and buy one? That depends. The technology is astonishing but still in its infancy, and VR games that rival current console blockbusters are a long way off, so it won’t be as immediately useful as you might expect for a $400 to $500 price. However, it’s a lot of fun to be on the forefront of something as exciting as VR. Some of the best times I’ve had with my VR headsets are from wowing people who come over and try it for the first time, and that never gets old.

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PlayStation VR is inferior to the competition in several significant ways. It’s also less expensive and easier to use, and for all its flaws it still manages to communicate the goofy, surreal joy of modern virtual reality. Time will tell if that makes it good enough. Best to wait and see.

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But the scarce number of good games available today, combined with the fatigue you will experience after 30 minutes of game play, may drive you back to gaming on your smartphone or television screen

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Easily the most comfortable headset on the market, Sony have found the perfect sweet spot between price and performance. My time with the hardware so far has been a genuine joy, and and whilst I still think that VR will be a novelty for some time to come, this is the biggest opportunity that the technology has to hit the mainstream, and I sincerely hope it lives up to its potential.

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The PlayStation VR and its software provides the wow factor necessary to create the word of mouth buzz something like VR is going to need to become truly mainstream. For gamers, PlayStation VR is a must-have and will no doubt become one of the hottest sellers this holiday season.

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PlayStation VR does have its teething problems, but they are, for the most part, quickly overcome thanks to this being a highly accessible and consumer-friendly VR unit. Whether that will be enough to see it thrive remains a relative unknown, but a consistently-growing library of specifically tailored games and experiences will go a long way to gaining a significant foothold.

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PlayStation VR is not perfect, but you could point to much, much worse first-generation products than this. Sony's headset is light and comfortable, and for the price that it's being sold for, it offers a very good virtual reality experience on consumer-grade hardware that you already own. The motion tracking is excellent, the visuals good enough to provide that all-important sense of presence, and the game library already fairly large.

Yes, there can be criticisms levelled at the resolution of the screen – an issue which the more expensive masks on the market also share to a lesser extent – and the sheer number of cables and items required to get the experience running correctly can be headache-inducing. But once you've got it all hooked up – and the noisy Processor Unit placed out of the way – the rewards are unquestionable; the ability to be somewhere else, to be someone else a gigantic stride forward in this industry's capacity to provide true escapism.

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At the same time, holding out for total perfection is the wrong move. I don’t want PlayStation VR to become the only headset that people build for; it’s just not ambitious enough. But even this early in the game, Sony is providing a home for interesting, low-key experiences that highlight some of the medium’s strengths. More than any single piece of cutting-edge technology, the key to making VR succeed is just getting more people to use VR. And with PlayStation VR, Sony has just made that a lot easier

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It’s a lot of money – you could buy a console and a bunch of good games for the same price – and you need to accept that this isn’t the future of video games. It’s a new direction, and an interesting one, for sure. But it’s not going to replace your console and TV set-up anytime in the next 10 years. At this stage there’s a lot of fun to be had with VR and the games I’ve played so far show variety, with a handful offering up a genuinely new experience. But as with any launch, some games are great and others mediocre.

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Kotaku said:

PlayStation VR is inferior to the competition in several significant ways. It’s also less expensive and easier to use, and for all its flaws it still manages to communicate the goofy, surreal joy of modern virtual reality. Time will tell if that makes it good enough. Best to wait and see.

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Push Square said:

PlayStation VR is not perfect, but you could point to much, much worse first-generation products than this. Sony's headset is light and comfortable, and for the price that it's being sold for, it offers a very good virtual reality experience on consumer-grade hardware that you already own. The motion tracking is excellent, the visuals good enough to provide that all-important sense of presence, and the game library already fairly large.

Yes, there can be criticisms levelled at the resolution of the screen – an issue which the more expensive masks on the market also share to a lesser extent – and the sheer number of cables and items required to get the experience running correctly can be headache-inducing. But once you've got it all hooked up – and the noisy Processor Unit placed out of the way – the rewards are unquestionable; the ability to be somewhere else, to be someone else a gigantic stride forward in this industry's capacity to provide true escapism.

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VG247 said:

It’s a lot of money – you could buy a console and a bunch of good games for the same price – and you need to accept that this isn’t the future of video games. It’s a new direction, and an interesting one, for sure. But it’s not going to replace your console and TV set-up anytime in the next 10 years. At this stage there’s a lot of fun to be had with VR and the games I’ve played so far show variety, with a handful offering up a genuinely new experience. But as with any launch, some games are great and others mediocre.

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Magicman103 said:

CNET Review:
https://www.cnet.com/au/products/sony-playstation-vr/review/

NYT Review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/06/t...tion-vr-review-the-best-of-an-early-crop.html

Gizmodo Review:
http://gizmodo.com/playstation-vr-review-this-is-the-vr-system-you-actual-1787339531

Wallstreet Journal Review:
http://www.wsj.com/video/playstatio...its/CE735828-1203-4248-A3B4-26007B8D6924.html

Push Square Review:
http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2016/10/hardware_review_playstation_vr_-_the_future_of_play

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PlayStation VR does have its teething problems, but they are, for the most part, quickly overcome thanks to this being a highly accessible and consumer-friendly VR unit. Whether that will be enough to see it thrive remains a relative unknown, but a consistently-growing library of specifically tailored games and experiences will go a long way to gaining a significant foothold.

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Vitacat said:

VR doesn't yet have any killer apps. It all just seems like an interesting experiment so far, which is fine. But I personally won't spend money on it until there are compelling games that make the hardware investment feel worth the expense.

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Vitacat said:

VR doesn't yet have any killer apps. It all just seems like an interesting experiment so far, which is fine. But I personally won't spend money on it until there are compelling games that make the hardware investment feel worth the expense.

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robotrock said:

100 point review scale for hardware is pretty funny

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TherealDoge said:

The last time i've played it was during TGS 2015 and the LCD screen was a crap. I'm going to have a Resident Evil 7 preview on it, i really hope they changed the LCD.

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grizzelye said:

I'm waiting till you can play VR games for at least 2 hours straight. Using VR for 30 mins at a time doesn't appeal to me.

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The short version, really, is to say that PSVR is an excellent VR experience. Its shortcomings are the kind you only notice if you’re looking from a critical angle, or have a lot of VR experience, which it’s likely you don’t. If you’re worried that PSVR is an expensive waste of time, don’t be, but do have one thing clear in your mind: no matter how good the actual hardware is, Sony’s VR will live and die by future support and innovative experiences.

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It's less immersive than the Rift or Vive, but it has titles you'd actually want to play.

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Looking far into the future, virtual reality will get better as screen technology improves and processing power increases. But already, in its formative stages, it's an incredible experience. And PlayStation VR, with its low barrier of entry, is achieving things that we could only have imagined a decade ago.

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• PlayStation VR Worlds - 5/10
• Tumble VR - 7/10
• Until Dawn: Rush of Blood - 7/10

DoctorWho said:

I have played VR games for more than 2 hours straight. Your time is now.

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Lacix said:

They've changed to OLED.

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It's like a nut you can play with, virtually.

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