LOS ANGELES—We first tried Oculus' hand-tracking Touch controller at E3 2015 . At this year's show, we had another chance to use the company's crucial new control solution before its planned release later this year (We're hearing a possible November date through the grapevine but nothing reliable enough to be certain).

Overall, the latest prototype feels pretty similar to the controllers we first tried at last year's E3, but a few small refinements make it feel closer to a retail product. The triggers are especially easy to push now, requiring a very light touch compared to the thick, springy resistance on something like the HTC Vive's triggers. The thumbsticks seem improved with additional resistance and a rubberized grip.

I also noticed a random grill on the flat, top surface of the controller. I initially assumed this might be for a built-in speaker (as I mention in the video), but it seems more likely this is just a tactile resting place for your thumb when it's not being used for the thumbstick.

Tracking felt incredibly precise with the two camera setup in Oculus controlled demo rooms, though the demo was confined to a space of about one square meter for tracking purposes. The games on display didn't require much in the way of turning 180 degrees away from the tracking cameras (which were mounted on a wall behind the monitor). The player's body may start to cause occlusion problems in that situation unless the cameras are somehow set up differently.

I still appreciate how the Oculus Touch controller lets you open your fingers while the controller rests in the crook of your hand. It's a nice change from the constant, solid clench you need to maintain on HTC Vive or PlayStation Move controllers. I also like how the controller can detect not just trigger presses, and it also registers a "finger lift" when you move you move a digit up from resting on top of the buttons or triggers.

Our Sam Machkovech felt a little differently about the controller. Throwing fireballs as a dueling wizard in a game like Insomniac's The Unspoken, he said he didn't quite have a natural feeling for when and how to release the attack during his throwing motion. Using your hand as a hand (rather than as a kind of poking stick) in the VR world will definitely take some getting used to.

For a closer look at the latest Touch prototype, check out our video impressions above. We'll have some thoughts to share on the two Touch-enabled games we got to try soon.