This past weekend, I had the opportunity to experience something life-changing: virtual reality.
I attended a video game charity expo where I was able to demo Sony’s new virtual reality device, called Playstation VR. This new technology has recently been rising in popularity, and so far, three other headsets have also been released this year.
I had already experienced HTC’s VR offering, the Vive, and it was an amazing experience. This was a technology I had wanted to exist ever since I was a child, watching a show on Cartoon Network called “Code Lyoko”. It followed four kids as they plugged themselves in to a computer world.
Virtual reality could not have come sooner for me. My experience with Playstation VR left me with one single desire — I needed to own one. To say that this technology is enjoyable is an understatement. I sat down in a chair, and the headset was slid onto my face. Immediately, I was transported to another world.
I asked the representative what game he recommended, and he set me up with a demo from Playstation VR Worlds, an upcoming game in which the players will be able to swap between five unique world experiences. The world I chose to sample was called “London Heist.”
The demo started, and I was handed two Playstation Move controllers, which I would use as my hands to interact with the virtual world. The black screen faded, and I was in the passenger seat of a car driving down a highway. I looked to my left, and there was my window. I looked down and there were my hands. I looked to the right and there was the driver. I could not believe what I saw!
The detail of the car was astounding. I immediately opened my door and leaned my head out, looking at the highway behind me. I could hear the wind rushing past my head. I opened the glovebox and interacted with the objects inside. Pulling down the visor, I was impressed with the level of detail Sony had put into it. Everything I could think of doing, from changing the radio station to closing the air vents, I could do.
Then, a motorcyclist drove up in front of us and opened fire, so we sped up and rammed their bike. When the cyclist flew up into our windshield, I flinched because it felt real. I was then tossed a gun and was told to start shooting all the people that were trying to ram my vehicle. It felt so intuitive. Every time I would run out of ammunition, I already knew where the ammo bag was, so I would just reach behind me and grab it.
I didn’t have to look at the bag to interact with it, because I was existing in a 3D environment. The demo ended, and I was left longing for more.
Fortunately, I won’t have to wait very long. Playstation VR will be on store shelves Oct. 13, with prices starting at $400. The price point may seem steep for many people, but compared with other headsets, such as the $600 Oculus Rift and the even costlier HTC Vive, Sony’s VR will be the cheapest alternative on the market. So if you have a Playstation 4 and $400 to spare, I highly recommend you look into buying the PSVR.