Cool. I have a Sony store in my Mall too. It wasn't listed on http://experienceplaystation.com/ but I'll go down there sometime and see.
Hands On With The PS4 - My Impressions
|
 On 10/17/2013 at 02:23 PM by gigantor21 See More From This User » |
So I just got back from the mall, where our Sony store got a PS4 demo unit just yesterday. Spent about a half-hour playing through some games. Here are my thoughts.
The console itself is very svelte in person. It's amazing seeing how something so small could be ten times more powerful than the PS3. The matte side of the top was already smudged up, which looks to be as much of a problem as it was on the fat PS3s, but it's quite lovely as long as it's kept clean.
The controller is amazing, and addresses every problem I had with the Dualshock 3. The triggers feel great, and my fingers don't slide off anymore; the analog sticks are grippy and tight, offering far more precision and comfort. The weight is just right too--it's not heavy, but doesn't feel inconsequential like the Sixaxis-only controller did.
I played 3 games while I was there:
FIFA - Runs at a pristine 60fps, and has very convincing, subtle player animations that make the game pop. I'm not sure how it compares to current-gen since I've haven't played any FIFA games in years, but it looks great on it's own. Didn't spend that much time with it as I only played it because the PS button got stuck, LOL.
Octodad - This game is HILARIOUS. The controls are just crappy enough to be a riot without being so bad that they're frustrating. The demo I played through had you getting ready for your wedding; I never imagined that simply opening doors and walking down the altar could be such a goofy thrill. It runs at 60fps, but visually it's nothing special beyond that.
Knack - Actually sitting down with the game and playing it first hand totally changed my view of it. Playing the game is a lot of fun; the combat, while simple, has a wonderful heft and impact to it that keeps it satisfying throughout. The game runs at 30fps with some frame dips, but plays smoothly throughout in a way that few games on current-gen do. It's nowhere near as bad as other impressions made it out to be.
Overall? Much as I thought, there is no big bold paradigm shift here from a technical standpoint. It's supposed to be 10x more powerful than the PS3, but while games definitely look and run better than current gen it doesn't seem THAT much better. In light of that, I don't see the Xone being that much farther behind in practice, outside of the parochial terms that the web revels in overanalyzing.
Granted, I didn't play all the games that are slated for launch--I'm particularly keen on trying Battlefield 4 and Killzone, but the rep said they don't know when they'll get more game demos. Plus it's still early goings, so they'll be able to draw more power out of the system over time. But as far as the first round of games, it didn't have the same impact on me as trying 360 and PS3 games for the first time.
Rather than being some bold new visual benchmark, the differences are in subtle things. Animations look smoother and more organic. The controls feel more responsive. There are clear improvements in specific areas, like textures and poly counts. Having been infuriated with current-gen consoles to the point that I sold my PS3 and switched to PC, the PS4 is a big enough improvement to where I definitely want to pick one up--even if it's not right this instant.
Comments