This generation’s console war is still in the arms race phase, but the PlayStation 4 has found its big guns. At Sony’s press conference on Monday, the crowd roared with approval when SCEA president Jack Tretton announced that the new console would allow used games, disc sharing and not require any sort of online check-in.
It’s all excellent counter-programming to Microsoft’s Xbox One, which has presented a confusing message as to its daily internet check-ins, used games policy and loaning out discs. The PlayStation 4 also launched one more potentially devastating strike: a $399/£399 price tag that makes it $100 cheaper than the Xbox One, thanks to selling its non-integral PlayStation Eye separately.
On the show floor at E3 2013, we had the chance to scope out the PlayStation 4’s angular design, put our hands on the redesigned DualShock 4 controller and play some of the titles for Sony’s new system.
We’ll continue to update this article as we spend more time playing games and learning about the new console’s features.
PlayStation 4 design
Since its initial announcement event, Sony has taken its sweet time showing the PlayStation 4. It took some ribbing when the event turned out to be more of a proof of concept than an actual unveiling of the system.
Now that we’ve finally laid eyes on the final product, the design smacks of the good old PlayStation 2, and its chief rival, the Xbox One, surprisingly. Both systems are matte black and composed of hard angles. It’s an interesting contrast to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which both had sloped designs.
The PS4 looks sharp, and we mean that in the sense that it’s attractive, and seems as though you could cut yourself on one of its corners. It looks a bit like two separate slabs of plastic fused together asymmetrically.
The system’s USB ports as well as its power and eject switch are both well disguised. It gives the system a sleek, modernist look.
PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 controller
Personally, we’ve always considered the Xbox 360’s controller to be as close to perfect as we’ve experienced, and we think Sony would agree. It seems to have taken some cues from Microsoft’s in revamping the classic DualShock design.
Like a 360 controller, the new DualShock has handles that are ergonomically curved. It also has a grippy, contoured pattern that makes it easy to hold onto.
Also like a 360 controller, the thumbsticks are dimpled, and feel good under your thumbs. They’re responsive, as always, but now even more comfortable. The PS3’s DualShock didn’t have these depressed thumbsticks, and we imagine these new sticks will be easier to keep a grip on.
Its biggest and most original change has been integrating a touchpad into the design. It’s a lot like the one you’d find on your laptop, it even clicks when you press it.
During our play time, we didn’t see any games integrating it in truly meaningful ways. Shooters like Warframe and Blacklight: Retribution basically turned it into a D-pad; swiping upwards did one move, swiping down did another, etc. It feels like Sony put the pad there so it could make use of it down the road, which is not a bad strategy at all.
PlayStation 4 games
On the E3 show floor, we tried out several of the PlayStation 4’s upcoming titles. The first was Blacklight: Retribution, a “free-to-play” first-person shooter with a futuristic cyberpunk look.
Blacklight featured rather run-of-the-mill FPS action, and while its graphics were sharp and clean, they weren’t mind-blowingly next gen. That’s not surprising, since it’s essentially a port of a PC title that’s been around since April of last year.
However, the game’s framerate was strikingly smooth. We couldn’t confirm that it was sixty frames per second, the ideal promoted by the Call of Duty crowd, but we’d be shocked to hear that it was any less than that.
The next game we tried was Warframe, a third-person action title that felt like Mass Effect 3 with some sci-fi swordplay thrown in. Like Blacklight, it’s another free-to-play title being ported from PC.
All these PC ports of “free” titles were surprising, and speak to the different business models being embraced by this console generation. Now even Microsoft, which previously never allowed free titles on its console, is bringing free phenomenon World of Tanks to the 360.
Early verdict
With its cheaper price point and less restrictive DRM policies, the PS4 already seems to have the Xbox One on the run. We still think it would be naive to consider Microsoft’s system down for the count, though.
Exclusive titles, and maybe even some backpedaling on its internet connectivity demands, could right the Xbox One’s ship. A new Halo and the Call of Duty with mechs titles Titanfall have already peaked a lot of interest.
Also, Sony’s supposed DRM-free policy is unraveling a bit. It may actually be up to third-party publishers to set resale limitations, while Sony has promised first-party titles will have no restrictions.
Lastly, Sony still hasn’t given gamers a precise release date and a firm list of launch titles. Its still saying “holiday 2013” and has only confirmed a handful of day one titles, like Warframe, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and Drive Club.
If the Xbox One and PS4 do end up going toe-to-toe in November, this holiday season will be a battlefield fit for a video game.
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