Here we go folks, the opening salvo in the next-gen console wars have begun in earnest - this is no warning shot, the first reviews of the PS4 are in. But those reviews are long man. They take time to read, time you don't have. Time you could using to do something else.
But don't worry, we've done the leg work for you. We've read through a number of the longer reviews and collated some of the more commonly held opinions:
- The console itself is light (6lbs) and sleek, making it easily portable to a friend's house.
- It's really quiet, thanks partially to mandatory installs meaning you don't have to listen to the disc spin while in-game. The loudest it gets is around 45 decibels if you get up close.
- The controller is slightly heavier, has better sticks and can output all game audio through your headphones.
- Gaming on the PS4 is very social. Expect reams of updates from your friends and what they've been doing everytime you go online.
- The sharing via Twitch features work well, letting your friends and fans connect, post comments and chat among themselves while they watch you play.
- You can start playing most games after about 30 seconds of installation.
- If you want to play completely offline, you'll need to turn off WiFi. There is no offline mode.
- Menus are streamlined and look good. There's also a lot less clutter in the interface. However you can convert to a more traditional, busy style if you want.
- The internal hardware is really powerful, but it can get quite warm during extended gameplay and it draws upwards of 110w of power at the busiest of times.
- Web browsing on the PS4 has received some criticism, partly because using a controller to do so is difficult. There's also no support for a mouse at the moment.
- Voice commands and facial recognition with the PlayStation camera are excellent.
When it comes to the games, things aren't quite so glowing, with most reviewers suggesting that the best ones are games you can get elsewhere already. Killzone Shadow fall and Knack have both taken a beating, with reviewers suggesting that while very pretty, the mechanics and gameplay are tired and repetitive.
Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin's Creed 4 and Lego Marvel Super Heroes have all been quite well received, but not much has changed between generations of hardware.
The only real stand-out title is Resogun, which was described by one reviewer as the only PS4 launch game that truly feels next-gen.
But what do you guys think? Do these reviews make you want to buy a PS4, or get you more excited for your pre-order to arrive?