Playstation 4 me

I recently gave in to my inner child and became the owner of the PlayStation 4. I walked into the store, chose two games, that online pass, dipped deep into my pocket paid and left. Set it up to my TV relegating the ps3 to the second port and got under way. Since then it’s been around a month, so I thought I would share my experience, and maybe help you to make a decision on if you should fork out your hard earned pounds.

An accurate representation of how the deal went down

Pretty, pretty

In my opinion there is quite a difference in the graphical quality of the games. I was massively sceptical before I took the plunge as to how much better the graphics could really be and I have to say, based on the early games I’m pretty impressed.

Games so pretty, you no longer need eyes

The screen shot comparisons do not do justice just how pretty things looks, how smooth they play just how good they feel. The jump from 720 – 1080 can be seen and all in all the games I have played look great and I am excited to see what Watch Dogs will look like, But I will be more interested in the re-mastering of the Last of Us a game which went to great lengths to look amazing on the PS3. I do hope there is more to it than the Tomb Raider update of slightly more hairier hair….

Tyrone Biggums gets it

Beauty is only skin Deep.. yeah yeah yeah 

Game play wise, games to certainly seem smoother and faster. I haven’t experienced any lagging, jumping or any other unpleasantness while playing infamous Second son even with powers galore shooting around the screen like sonic on speed.

Games start up quicker than on the PS3 which is nice for a quick game of anything, and would probably be even faster if I used the stand by feature… Which I don’t because… I… I don’t know I just turn things off. In reality though it won’t feel all too different than the PS3. The controller feels odd at first, with its narrower grip and that strange smooth touch pad but you get used to it. You will however hit share when you want select I can Guarantee that.

R.I.P the simple select button

PlayStation Plus..you
If you are or were a PlayStation 3 kinda person you were no doubt quite happy that online for us was born free and were shocked and disappointed with the news that we would have to pay for the online services by way of the PS+ Subscription. I was.

But, I’m slowly coming around to the Idea that it might just have been the icing on the cake. Without the PS4 I wouldn’t have purchase a PS plus subscription I just didn’t see the point but since it was thrust upon me I have had the privilege of free games. And not bad games either, good games, games I was happy to play. Tomb raider, Payday2, Sly Racoon, Uncharted 3 and Bio shock Infinite…all for free as part of the subscription with new games every month.. Much Excite

is nice

Granted with every silver lining is a brown turdy one. These games are on the PS3, so I have been moved away from my PS4 onto my PS3 by the addition of Free-ish content. But it does give hope for what the PS4 may soon bring to the table

Bobby

All in all I am Very happy with my purchase. Yes it was a lot of money and yes there are like 3 games. But it’s an investment in something I hope to have for many years. Hopefully. So if you’re on the fence, un sure what to do I say this. If you have the Money, and spending it won’t hurt you too much then take the plunge, enjoy what’s out there and grow with the console, keep your PS3 ( if you have one ) and Take advantage of the PS+ and all in all just have a good time.

This guy had a good time on his D**k

 

 

PlayStation 4 the win?

E3 this Month reveled that Sony’s Playstation is currently bending Microsoft and the Xbox one over a small probably square chair and spanking it with a paddle. So what were for me some of the more interesting things about the PS4? well lets take a looksie shall we ? yipiee.

Cheap as the box is came in

Perhaps for a lot of people, me included the cost of the console will prove to be a huge factor. Last time Sony decided to create a console they put a price tag on it that led many to believe  that it would dispense diamonds once a game was complete. They seem to have learned from this mistake and set far more realistic price of around £350 around the same as a decent laptop so not to bad at all. Expensive but not insane.

Then the console was £500 and people will buy it…

The XboxOne however is price at around £420. This has gone on to annoy yet more people and push the balance of power over to Sony. Microsoft are targeting the people with money, who can spend money on new games( as most will have to be) and  have a great solid fast internet connection so in that respect perhaps the price tag makes sense. premium prices for what is considered to be by Microsoft to be a premium product for premium people.

Just the one console for me thanks mehehe

Microsoft have today taken a massive U-turn  and removed not only the need for an internet connection to play disc based games but also allowed people to trade in games maybe the price will also change leveling up the playing field.

Cmon cmon its not hard to learn cmon cmon its called the U turn

PlayStation Plus… you want? tough you need

Microsoft have for ages had the passes for Online play. charging people a monthly/ Yearly price in order to play games online so on so on. And for this they received a what is a great service. Sony had a similar scheme but it was only an extra if you wanted it. Games online were free FREE woo but, for that the online service was about as stable as a one legged drunk man on an old wooden walking stick.

Sony servers down again

The PS4  will therefore require the purchase of the playstation plus. Not massive not game changing but to people who are used to having a Sony play station and playing for free it may be a bit of a ball ache. but if it take the one legged drunk online of the ps3 sobers it up give it a leg and stabilizes it then I am in.

is nice

Lets talk generalities 

Looks: The PS4 looks to me like an Xboxone that was hit by strong wind and blew over. I am not sure what the big thing is with thing looking square but it looks like a slick piece of kit.

Controllers: Why a touch pad? Why? its like the useless useless six access. I am not going to move my thumb to swipe a pad. And a share button? what am i sharing ? and with who? who would want to see that?  and also who are these people watching me play games? creepy Sony creepy.

What you playing? can we watch you do it?

Processors: Glad they have gone with a third party processor. using there own made it difficult for third party makers hence the lack of elder scrolls DLC.

Over all I think the PS4 is looking good and it is still my console of choice. Looks price and the extras are making it look like a strong console The hulk of the consoles. Microsoft’s u-turn on all things that had annoyed every gamer in the world have definitely leveled the field and the war of the next gen consoles are definitely more even.

Like, share and leave some love.

Multi-tat, The forgotten joy of single player

First things first this is aimed at games consoles, as multiplayer online games on PC were around much longer what with there ability to naturally get online and so on.

Lets start this!

More and more games are focusing on the multiplayer aspects of games and just the multiplayer aspects. Seemingly ignoring the importance of strong single player campaigns, in depth story or anything that doesn’t involve someone being a noob or blaming lag. with the new Xbox being connected to the net pretty much 24/7 and Sony investing in there own online ventures ( that strange watch your friend play thing) its likely that games are going to become more and more mulitplayer as consoles become social super hubs.Time and time again, I hear ‘ Yes the single player isnt great but the multiplayer is amazing’ and I ask.. is that enough? No is the short answer…. No 

Hey buddy check out the noob

Single console, single player

I’m going to put on my old(ish) man hat on here and go back to the 90’s days of the PlayStation and yeah, even the N64. Back to the days when to play a multiplayer game not only did you need a friend, a relative or a random homeless person next to you, you also needed ( with the playstaion at least) a multitap, taking your two slot, up to 5!. Crazy numbers, like anyone has 4 friends right ha…..ha.. oh.So most people were playing alone trying to relax, take a load off and avoiding the evil that is the outside. ( I joke I love the outside all that green and smog mmm)

Curse you outside….Curse you !!

Developers were aware of this and aside from sports or racing, games were made with the single player in mind. Games like syphon filter or resident evil were focused on the single player experience, the story, the feeling being totally into the game and not wanting it to end. in today’s gaming world however that feeling plays second fiddle to the ability to shoot other players in the groin and T-Bag them.

T – bagging like a boss

Some games in this period did do multiplayer and single player together really well, Golden Eye was amazing but the single player was great and the multiplayer was an incredible extra addition lengthening playing enjoyment, not a multiplayer game with a single player game attached. Now though Resident evil 6 has you running around with friends and the single player leaves a bitter taste in the mouth a lonely bitter taste.

Dial me up for some broadband

During the mid to late 90’s boradband started to roll out. While the PS2 tried to use extras to connect to the internet for games it wasn’t until 2005+ with the 360 and PS3 did online games really take off. Everything suddenly started to develop an online feature and for somethings it was really good. Games like fifa for example are really use the online ability well, playing against real people really add to the experiance and nothing and I mean nothing beats beating some smug guy who celebrated his first goal but is now loosing 3 nil.

Draw me like one of  your french girls

But not all games need this extra, and it should never be put in place at the cost of the single player campaign. I would go so far as to say that the best single player games we have had in the last few years have all practically ignored the multiplayer aspect of the game completely. Sure Far cry had a multiplayer element but it wasn’t sold on the basis of its multiplayer. Fallout 3 and Skyrim were both single player focused and both amazing games.

Multiplayer games are great and done right they can add to the enjoyment and give a game hours of extra life after the single player campaign has been and gone. But, a game shouldn’t be made and marketed souly on the basis of its multiplayer. If  a games single player campaign doesn’t hold up then it isn’t really a good game. A good game needs depth of story and character to engage the audience and immerse them in the story just like a book or a film, and multiplayer does not tick those boxes.