I bought the Oculus Quest5 instead of the Ps2 — and I have no regrets

I bought the Oculus Quest5 instead of the Ps2 — and I have no regrets

I have been in line for a PS5 for almost a year now, despite the fact that it has been restocked numerous times. So my partner and I decided to hold out for the good old Xbox One. Sadly, our cat dropped the Xbox One off the shelf and broke it. We had to buy a replacement, and that's where we came across the Oculus Quest 2. I had never tried VR before, but the idea of being immersed in a game sounded fantastic. Also, comparing prices, the $299 Oculus Quest 2 was much more affordable than the $499 PS5, so we took a gamble and bought it. Over the past few weeks, we have learned a lot.

First of all, the straps on the Oculus Quest 2 are difficult to fit correctly on the head. There is one strap that uses velcro, but the other two that go around your head are tricky to thread and replace. If you are the only one playing on the console, this is fine because once set up, it stays securely in place and you don't have to look at it anymore. However, if you are using it with more than one person, it can be cumbersome.

Once in place, the Oculus Quest 2 fits snugly on the face and is comfortable to wear. Previously, there were complaints of rashes on the face from the foam interface, but our model came with a silicone cover issued to solve this problem. The only complaint about the fit was that the outside world could still be seen through a small gap when looking down toward the nose.

At 1.1 pounds, the Quest 2 headset is fairly lightweight, but it takes some getting used to. My partner no longer notices it, but I still feel it when starting a new session.

A small but important point is the way this gaming device is stored. It is awkwardly shaped, and with two controllers it does not look good to display, so drawers need to be emptied. A case could be purchased separately, but the case should really be included to protect it from damage.

We purchased a variety of apps to see what the Oculus Quest 2 could actually do. We watched a few virtual videos of Jurassic World and loved the ability to literally see 360 degrees in all directions and capture hidden details. When the dinosaurs approach or back away, it really captures the imagination and makes you feel like you are there with them.

We also tried "Zombieland: Headshot Fever," which became my partner's favorite game. Once you get the hang of the controls, such as releasing the clip and reloading from the harness, the gameplay becomes more exciting while using two guns at the same time. Another game we particularly liked was "Death Wrap," where you can race, drift, and destroy other drivers.

Resident Evil 4 VR is another great Oculus Quest 2 game, and The Mercenaries mode will be added in 2022 with free DLC.

The only game we weren't too keen on was Warplanes WW1 Fighters. While the simulation looked great and the controls were perfect, this game made each and every one of us immediately sick. I was only able to play the game for about 10 minutes, and my partner had to quickly remove his headset. Nevertheless, if you suffer from motion sickness, some games compensate. Some games offer the option of more relaxed play, so you won't be throwing your body around as much.

Moving on to sound, the sound in Oculus Quest 2 is very impressive. You can hear every detail, from birds chirping to the wind shaking the bushes. If the noise bothers others, there is also a headphone jack available.

A full charge of the OculusQuest2 provides 2-3 hours of battery life, which doesn't sound like very long, but it is not recommended to play for long periods at a time as it starts to affect your eyes.

The only downside to this battery life is that it cannot be used continuously when used by multiple people. There is not much warning if the battery runs out of power in the middle of play. It flashes that the battery will run low in about 5 more minutes and that's it. I think there should be more warning.

In summary, we are happy with our purchase of the Oculus Quest 2. It is, of course, very different from the PS5, but we are happy with the completely new immersive experience and the on-demand enjoyment. While we can't play as long as we can on a traditional console, we feel more involved.

The only downside is that sharing Quest 2 is not easy. The strap must be constantly adjusted and the battery life is quite short, making it impractical. However, this can be solved by purchasing a secondary headset. That way, you can play the same game at the same time. Otherwise, you will feel a bit antisocial if there are other people in the room.

I certainly still want a PS5, I won't deny that, but for now this is more than enough for me. I couldn't be happier with the quality of the games and the overall experience with this headset.

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