On the way to work today I started listening to the latest PSVR Without Parole Podcast. Wes Dillon had been on the show floor at CES and tried the PSVR2 for the first time - so far the only game you can demo at the show is Horizon.
Now Wes was unlocky enough that his unit become borked in the latter half of the 30 minute demo (hardware failure or low battery in the controller possibly - other Youtubers he talked with had zero issues). Also, the attendant would not let him turn off comfort and locomotion options he did not need so he will try again to get an appointment today. The other attendants let Wes' colleague turn everything off. But here are some of the takeaways I remember:
Comfort:
Feels like the PSVR1 comfortwise. Materials feel more premium. Forgot all about the cable after he started playing.
Regarding the panels and HDR:
Of all the headsets Wes has ever tried (and he plays with highend PC gear) he's never seen colours this good in VR. It floored him.
Black levels and contrast was outstanding.
The Eye-tracking:
He tried deliberately to break it in order to see how good it was at keeping up. Result: very good. Only in a few cases did he manage to notice the foveated eyetracked rendering by moving his head very quickly and looking straight at a corner of the screen.
The Inside out and controller tracking:
Again, he tried to break it. Kept controller stationary behind his back and then moved it suddenly in view. He thought he actually did catch it out because his hand wasn't there but that turned out to be because the hand was caught under the edge of the boat in the virtual world
.
Regarding the game itself:
Now in some ways this is definetely "baby's first AAA VR" (my interpretation, not Wes's words). People new to VR worried that they might not be able to handle it should have no worries. The dodging in the combat scenes is done by you doing a lunge or pull motion with your hands. Sounded like this could not be changed to sticks. Will most likely be something everyone can handle and strafing in VR can be tough for beginners and even some veterans.
The game looks stunning. Lots of interactive objects and above all, the physics are AAA VR. Now, this one I should probably explain to those of you who are new to VR. In many VR games, your hands only really exist physically when you pick up something, pull the trigger, push a button etc. What I mean is, that when it comes to walls, foliage, scenery, your hands just pass right through them.
In AAA VR titles (and some of the better indies) your hands are constant physical objects in the VR world. If you put your hand up against a wall, your will get haptic feedback - a subtle rumble telling you that you are touching something - and the virtual hand will animate according to the object you are pressing it against.
In Horizon, according to Wes, it's eeeverything that reacts properly to your hands touching things. The boat, foliage, rockwalls, the ground, objects that you aren't picking up. It's like Alyx or Lone Echo in that regard. And regarding the graphics, it's one of the prettiest games in all of VR. The only thing in the same league is Alyx. Also, the depth is amazing. You never feel that stuf in the background are just that - a static background. Even though it's not something you can travel to, it looks real and not just like a pretty wallpaper.