When a new product is announced, every company claims their product is the best version yet with only minor differences
Yes, I'm looking at you Apple. However, I have not experienced such a new and futuristic feeling from a console like the PlayStation 5. When Sony says it's the "Next Generation of Consoles," it truly feels like something from the future. After months of anxiously waiting, my console arrived on my doorstep on Thursday and the last couple of days have been nothing but glorious.
The PlayStation 5 truly feels incredible. Starting with the overall shape of the console. It's so big, it overtakes any home entertainment set up, but that large size is not just for show. The last console from Sony, the PS4, would sound like a jet engine when running games due to its lack of a proper cooling system. Now the entire console is outfitted with fans allowing a circulating airflow making the console as quiet as a sleeping newborn. There are two versions of the PlayStation 5, the disc and the digital version. It is obvious what each version of the console do; however, I will say that the disc version sometimes hums when trying to read a disc. Once you get pointed out, it's hard not to notice. But unlike the PS4, it is only for a few seconds before the console switches back to a more peaceful silence.
The user interface also feels so advance, small tiles line the top of the home screen and each application has its own set of "activity" tiles that allow near-instant loading into games.
Yes, that's another big highlight – near-instant loading!
Previously, opening an application was not like opening an app on your phone. It would take time to boot up and load all the necessary assets like lighting, characters, etc. Now games like "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" take all of two seconds. And they look beautiful as well, with each game running up to 4k [Possibly 8k] and sixty frames per second with "Performance" mode. Gamers can also take part in raytracing, which is a form of light manipulation in software. Before, artists had to hand paint and figure out how light would reflect an individual item like a tree or water. Now the operation system of the PS5 does that automatically, allowing games to look more realistic than ever before! Along with new and updated skin textures. When I played the latest Call of Duty game, my family could not believe how real the characters looked.
Speaking of realism, the PS5 comes with the Dualsense controller
What makes the Dualsense stand out from other controllers is its haptic feedback. Sort of like your smartphone, the controller pulses and vibrates to certain things that may be happening in the game. In Call of Duty or Fortnite, I have to really push down on the triggers to fire the gun, or I can feel Spider-Man's pulsate when he receives a new text. It truly makes playing the game more immersive because I am no longer just on autopilot. Instead, I have to be focused on my button presses if I want to win. The controller also comes with a built-in mic. Now there's no need to worry about needing a mic – there's even a mute feature on the controller!
If you don't want to use the controller, the Pulse 3D headset is truly a worthwhile investment. Sony went all out with their next-generation headsets, allowing for a much crisper microphone built-in. The headset also allows for the use of 3D Audio, another selling point with the PS5. With 3D Audio, it allows yet again for a more immersive user experience. If an action in the game is occurring behind the character, the headset will simulate that for the player! A great game to test this out with is either Call of Duty or "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" (2020). From enemy footsteps from behind or an angry New Yorker yelling about vigilantes, you'll be tempted to swivel your head to look!
The PlayStation 5 as a whole feels so good, and I love just looking at it sitting next to my television. One of my favorite highlights so far has been their new picture and picture mode I tested out with my friend, Jordy. We both got PS5s and were playing one night and we tested it out. This feature allows me to watch his gameplay and vice versa in High quality while I also play my game. So, Jordy could see me swing around as Spider-Man while I watched him slay monsters in "Demon Souls" (2020). It was truly incredible and reminded me that the Next Generation of Consoles is truly here. I'm not sure when it will be available to others since all the scalpers got the remaining units. However, I still believe that more people will enjoy this fantastic console by Christmas, I hope.
