When PSVR2 launched, I demoed a couple hours of Horizon Call of the Mountain because it was a great showcase for the tech advancements since the original headset. Eye tracking, resolution, foveated rendering, yadda. But since firing up Gran Turismo 7, I’ve played nothing else while newer games keep arriving. Sheer coincidence, the feature film was announced right after I started playing, which added to the excitement.
Though I don’t experience motion sickness from VR, it’s fatiguing in general, so I often limit gaming sessions to 30 minutes … except GT7 for some reason. Maybe it’s the simple controls: steer, gas, brake, paddles—all while seated. It’s also the only game that’s ever inspired me to invest in accessories, namely a racing wheel and adjustable stand (which someday will make a storied addition to my tech-museum closet). I continue to be amazed how unique and authentic they’re able to make each car feel with a combination of wheel resistance, sound, height, space, and of course physics.
Being able to turn your head and check that blind spot is a huge advantage in such games. It also makes for some shiny distractions when trying to capture environmental gameplay details like the tracks and weather and lighting. (Seriously, check out the way the cabin interior blooms when headlights hit your rearview.) I started recording a few of my collected cars once I realized I’d have to sell some to afford the (multi-)million-dollar supercars needed to unlock game progress. Otherwise it would take weeks of grinding through races to earn enough credits. I ended up capturing all 36 tracks using the most coveted (and expensive) cars in the game as well as some personal favorite classics. Once you reach the highest collector level, you can swap high-performance engines into smaller cars for thrilling results … assuming you can handle them. The quickest concept cars outperform my own human reflexes.
Most videos feature the VR headset output followed by a cinematic replay, and all are in a playlist below, from most- to least-powerful.
Or enjoy this supercut of the best moments, in reverse order.
