My VR diary: does the dizziness ever go away?

I actually knew that I don't tolerate virtual reality very well. I had tried out models on several occasions, always with the same result: I felt dizzy after just a few moments. Not that I had to throw up straight away, but it wasn't a real pleasure.

After hesitating for a while, I finally bought a pair of VR glasses, namely the Playstation VR. I didn't want to put 800 francs on the table for a bit of fun, but I didn't want to miss out on all the hype either. Above all, I wanted to find out whether you can get used to it over time. Will the queasy feeling disappear completely at some point so that I can enjoy VR to the full?

Day 1: A gentle introduction

Dear diary

The PS VR has finally arrived and of course I started using it straight away. A cable here, a processor unit there, additional power and I also need headphones. There are quite a few cables involved, but it's actually relatively quick and easy to connect.

Since Sony kindly provided me with games to test and there are also various titles available for free in the Playstation Store, I had more than enough to try out.

The first thing I tried out was "VR Worlds" - a collection of five mini-games. Before I could get started, however, I first had to calibrate the goggles. As soon as I put them on, I felt a very, very slight discomfort. Not really annoying, but not like sitting in front of a monitor.

I chose to start with "Ocean Descent", in which you dive down to the bottom of the sea in a metal cage. It's a passive game that's primarily about observing fish and glowing jellyfish until a shark provides some action. I actually endured it without any problems, as you hardly move and just look around. Time to shift up a gear. Next I tried "London Heist", a short gangster adventure with chases and shootouts. Here, too, the character remains stationary. You shoot with two controllers, can duck and look out of the window while driving a car. It's really great fun and I felt virtually no negative effects.

Day 2: A first setback

Contrary to my previous experiences with VR, the first attempt in my own four walls was quite pleasant. Next on the menu was "Battlezone". A science fiction tank game in the style of "Tron". You control the polygonal tank with the Dualshock controller.

Uiuiui, that made my stomach much less comfortable. I didn't like sideways movements in particular. The graphics and gameplay were great, but I couldn't really enjoy the game.

Day 3: Horror yes, rollercoaster, no thanks

Let's see what happens with "Until Dawn Rush of Blood". The spin-off to the brilliant PS4 game only has the shock moments in common with the main game. Otherwise, it's a shooting gallery game in a ghost train. You sit in a carriage and shoot at everything that moves.

Even at walking pace, I could feel myself getting hot. My body was visibly confused by the fact that I was squatting on the sofa, but my eyes signalled: "We're moving". Although it's the same principle as the car chase in "London Heist", it was still a lot more uncomfortable. But that was nothing compared to the short rollercoaster interludes that connect the various sections of the game. This is where my stomach did somersaults. If the cries of my mate, who also wanted to try out the PS VR, are to be believed, he "liked" it just as much on his first attempt.

Day 4: Fast action doesn't have to be wrong

I wasn't put off by "Until Dawn Rush of Blood" and tried "Tumble VR" next. I remember it from the PS3. The game is similar to Jenga. You try to build a tower as high as possible or stack pieces without them falling down. I'm usually more of a destructive gamer, but the controls work extremely well in VR and the gameplay is fun. With the Move controllers, you can place the building blocks on top of each other with a lot of feeling. As virtually nothing moves in this game and you remain stationary, I didn't feel any discomfort at all.

Now I wanted something a little more action-packed, so I started "Rez Infinite". It looked like it could be exhausting. In it, you play a person flying through colourful cyberspace, which you control with your head. Despite the hectic pace and fast movements, I only felt a slight discomfort. Bobbing along to the beat of the groovy soundtrack seemed to help somehow. Nznznznnz. Ou Yeah.

On the other hand, I noticed the annoying cable of the PS VR more and more. With the remote control attached to the cable and the headphones also plugged into it, it's a real drag, and I don't mean literally. A simple clip that you could attach to your trousers would have helped. But never mind.

Day 5: At least others are having fun

My mate came to visit me today and of course I had to show him the Playstation VR. In the three hours, most of which he spent immersed in virtual reality, we played "VR Worlds", "Job Simulator" (also a stationary game), "Eve Valkyrie" and "RIGS", a multiplayer game with mechs. His conclusion after the intensive gaming session: "Totally awesome". Nausea? None. However, as someone who wears glasses, he complained that his eyes hurt more than after a hard day at the office.

My experience with "Eve Valkyrie" in particular was a little different. As long as I just flew straight ahead in the space shooter, everything was fine. However, if I started chasing enemy spaceships while staring out the window at them, it wasn't just my spaceship that was spinning. For some unknown reason, I still came first in a short online game. My fellow players probably fared even worse than me and staggered around their living rooms between potted plants and the TV.

Day 6: Straight from hell

Crytek's new game "Robinson The Journey" has arrived. It's a mixture of "Jurassic Park 2" and a puzzle game. You control a young boy from a first-person perspective with the Dualshock controller. Uuuuah. After the very first movement, I felt like immersing the lush vegetation in even more green. That really didn't work at all. My body heated up to what felt like a hundred degrees and even when I opened the balcony door in winter temperatures, I was still too hot. My body was clearly resisting what it was seeing. The visuals are pretty nice by VR standards. The worst part was when I turned round with the controller. In the settings, you can switch between a free camera and one that only rotates step by step. The free camera is definitely the worst and probably has to be set manually for a reason. Goodbye dinosaurs, I don't think I'll be Sam Neill any time soon.

Day 7: Still from hell

I gave Robinson another chance after all. I'm not going to be put off by a few pixelated dinosaurs. Oops, too much to say. The feeling remained the same on my second attempt. Nevertheless, I bravely fought my way through the first sections and despite the amusing gameplay, it was just too exhausting for me. I definitely prefer games that leave me standing still.

Day 8: A little film to relax

I started the short film "Allumette". You look down on the action like a giant. While the film is playing, you can look around or peer into the airship that serves as the main characters' home. Really amusing. And a real relief compared to "Robinson".

Day 9: Fear of heights before stairs

"Here They Lie" is another game in which you control yourself remotely, so to speak. Here too, you can tell that the developers are aware that the left/right movements in particular cause complaints from the stomach. They have tried to solve this with black fades when you tap the left analogue stick. Better than in "Robinson", but walking is no walk in the park here either (haha). It warmed my heart again, but not in a good way. In "Here They Lie" you regularly have to climb down stairs. I felt like I had a fear of heights and felt slightly dizzy after just a few steps. I can play the game for 30 minutes to an hour at most, but as soon as a save point suggests I take a break, I gratefully accept.

Day 10: A little fling

The Google Daydream has finally arrived and this gave me another comparison of how the different VR glasses behave. In a nutshell: The higher resolution and the consistently static experience make games on the Daydream a lot more enjoyable, but they are usually also simpler to play.

You can find the full test here:

Day 11: My body slows me down

I felt like playing something with mechs, shooters and basketball again. Strange mix you think? "RIGS" sees it differently. That's exactly what the multiplayer game is all about. It's certainly one of the best titles for PS VR, but also one of the most intense. The hectic movements and constant looking around were only moderately good for me. Better than expected with the fast-paced action, but never as relaxed as when I was chasing TIE fighters upside down in the X-Wing in "Star Wars Battlefront".

Day 12: PS4 Pro brings some relief

Yeah, what do we have here? Are you the PS4 Pro? Today I got acquainted with the new PS4. Of course, I immediately had to find out whether it brings an improvement to PS VR. Various games claim to be able to display better resolution, details and frames per second with the PS4 Pro. So: glasses on, here we go. It could be that it's all just a placebo effect, but I think you can see a clear difference. Rez Infinite in particular looks much sharper and either I was getting the hang of it or it was down to the better performance of the PS4 Pro, but for the first time ever, I didn't feel the slightest dizziness. Hooray!

Conclusion: a tough road

Although I haven't quite reached my goal yet, my brain seems to have slowly come to terms with the fact that it is now regularly confused by two individual images that it has to combine into one. And if even VR drone pilots can get used to it, then surely I can too when playing much more relaxed games.

Some titles like "Robinson The Journey" are still practically unplayable for me. The novelty wears off quickly when you're constantly dizzy. The PS4 Pro has helped somewhat, but I probably wouldn't buy it just for that. The lesson I learnt from my little experiment is that I simply pick the games that suit me and are enjoyable to play. I'm definitely getting used to it and maybe I'll get used to "Eve Valkyrie" and the like at some point.

You need this to form your own opinion

VR headsets

Sony Playstation VR Starter Set (incl. PS4 Camera) (US version)

1

VR headsets

Sony PlayStation VR (US version)

1

Game consoles

Sony PS4 Slim 500GB + Uncharted 4

VR headsets

Sony Playstation VR Starter Set (incl. PS4 Camera) (US version)

1

VR headsets

Sony PlayStation VR (US version)

1

Game consoles

Sony PS4 Slim 500GB + Uncharted 4

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