Review: Oculus Rift Touch controllers make huge difference

The Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset debuted earlier this year to much fanfare, but it was missing something that would have made playing around in the digital world even better: the ability to move your hands independently.

Oculus has released a pair of new controllers, called Touch, which give you a controller to use with each hand. It's hard for me to overstate how much of a difference this makes in terms of immersion. Everything feels different when your arm and hand movements are reflected into the digital world - pointing at objects, reaching for handholds and even pulling a trigger is much better with dual controllers. It's much easier to lose yourself in a world when you're using your own limbs. (Oculus, like its competitors, has put in a collision-warning system of sorts to deal in case you get too immersed.)

Looking beyond games - something that is vital to the future of virtual reality - the addition of individual controllers for each hand is a big step. Some of the most compelling Touch experiences are not traditional games. Quill, Oculus's own drawing and painting program, lets users really get close to their art - inside it, even - and shows just one way that virtual reality can move beyond gaming into other creative ventures.

Overall, I still think that the $200 Oculus Touch controllers are not as good as the HTC Vive's, which come with that headset. As a matter of personal preference, I found that the HTC Vive's controllers tracked with my hands more effectively than the Touch. It wasn't a huge difference, but it was noticeable.

This also doesn't change my recommendation that the top virtual-reality headset to fit most people's needs will be the PlayStation VR, if only because the people most likely to want a gaming headset are likely to have a PlayStation already. And while the Touch is far superior to the PlayStation Move controllers used for the same purpose on PlayStation, the Rift requires a high-end computer and more space than every person can manage.

Still, there's no denying the addition of Touch makes the Rift more attractive to those looking for a more in-depth virtual-reality experience. The games that Oculus has gathered to work with Touch also suggests that there will be no shortage of developers who want to get on board - at least laying the groundwork for virtual reality to avoid the same fate as the once-hot but somewhat disappointing motion-gaming fad.

And if you already have an Oculus Rift - or if one is hiding on a high shelf in your house to be someone's gift - you should definitely consider getting these controllers to complete the package. While the Touch is technically an optional accessory for gamers, it really isn't. While you can get a lot of use out of the headset without the controllers, they go a long way to help you convince yourself that you're fully in the digital world.

Oculus Touch controllers go on sale Dec. 6; Oculus has provided The Washington Post with a VR-compatible PC, Rift headset and pair of Touch controllers for reviews.