Reviews of PS4 games. Sony PS4 - first look Sony playstation 4 game review

Just a perfect day
you made me forget myself
someone good ...
Lou reed

Oh no, what am I talking about! The day was beautiful. Well, there, the birds were singing, the sun was shining on the blue, like the eyes of the inhabitants of Arrakis, ** the sky. The translucent rays of the luminary bathed, together with the cheerful gray-brown sparrows, on the puddles left by the recent warm rain, making their surface wavy and iridescent, as if it were not a puddle at all, but the sea of ​​some unknown micro-universe ...

What is there! If you have electricity in your wall outlet and the next-gen PlayStation 4 console on your desk, every day is great! Drink sangria on a bench with a friend ***? Well, if we are with him - soldiers of the special forces "Ghosts", and this shop has beautiful textures, then we can do that. And then, having rested properly, blow up this shop and observe the beautiful drawing of the smallest fragments of fiery flashes, the metal frame and wooden chips scattering to smithereens, followed by the settling of unbearably realistic dust and burning ...

The editors would like to thank the Pspmarket.com.ua store for the wonderful days we spent with the Sony PlayStation 4 console.

Just a perfect day
you made me forget myself
I thought I was someone else,
someone good ...
Lou reed

The day was beautiful. It was pouring downpour, at times turning into wet, dirty gray snow, falling on the sidewalks of the gloomy streets of the city and on the heads of bystanders. The incessant squall wind periodically intensified, and howled like a wounded werewolf on a full moon, trying to get into my cozy den through the cracks left on the window openings by the bloodthirsty time and no less bloodthirsty masters of the Komuokna-Doors company ...

Oh no, what am I talking about! The day was beautiful. Well, there, the birds were singing, the sun was shining on the blue, like the eyes of the inhabitants of Arrakis, ** the sky. The translucent rays of the luminary bathed, together with the cheerful gray-brown sparrows, on the puddles left by the recent warm rain, making their surface wavy and iridescent, as if it were not a puddle at all, but the sea of ​​some unknown microverse ...

What is there! If you have electricity in your wall outlet and the next-gen PlayStation 4 console on your desk, every day is great! Drink sangria on a bench with a friend ***? Well, if we are with him - soldiers of the special forces "Ghosts", and this shop has beautiful textures, then we can do that. And then, having rested properly, blow up this shop and observe the beautiful drawing of the smallest fragments of fiery flashes, the metal frame and wooden chips scattering to smithereens, followed by the settling of unbearably realistic dust and burning ...

Background, smoothly flowing into technical specifications

Picture from the site http://www.gameranx.com/

In the background, let's start from the end. In it, as in the prologue, there were wonderful days. The very ones that the press has once again labeled "judgment", "fateful" or simply "X" days (the coincidence with the beginning of the name of one of the consoles of generation eight, please consider it a pure coincidence).

They were named the world's strongest games at the end of November. It was then that gamers in most countries saw the two most powerful consoles of the new generation (eighth). We saw it, at least via the Internet, and some especially nimble ones managed to become the happy owners of the coveted boxes with mega-filling and a couple of games of starting lines (each line had more than two dozen positions).

We will not talk about Microsoft Xbox One here, after all, we are not talking about it. Let's just note that at the start Sony PlayStation 4 cost 100 conventional units cheaper than its direct competitor. However, the set-top box, created by the Redmond Giant, has such a nice bonus as the second-generation Microsoft Kinect. The developers call it a contactless touch game controller, and in fact it is a camera that recognizes and processes human movements, and a device for transmitting the received data to the console. The second generation of the Motion Gaming gadget also acquired the PS4, but the PlayStation Camera (aka PlayStation 4 Eye) will have to be purchased separately. Officially "with them" - for $ 60.

Sony remembered very well the controversial start of the previous console, the PlayStation 3. First, it was expensive. Secondly, with a non-standard and complex architecture, the main element of which was the Cell processor. This hybrid computer used the POWER core and eight more SPEs, synergistic processing elements ... difficult to program, but easy in battle: this very Cell performed well in GRID networks, taking on large computational loads.

Therefore, this time Sony went for simplification, more precisely, standardization. The eight-core AMD Jaguar central processor is based on the familiar x86-64 architecture, and its graphics counterpart is roughly equivalent to the Radeon HD 7850/7870. So what we have in front of us is, in fact, a powerful home computer with certain specifics in the operating system and games tailored for the system. The Xbox One, by the way, is in a very similar situation.

Appearance, connectors, convenience

Only the laziest gadget lovers have not seen photographs of this beautiful non-rectangular black box, as if divided into four other boxes by means of stripes. If Sony PS3 of any revision has a streamlined, slightly inflated shape, then the "four" is chopped, aggressive, dynamic. The design of the "troika" invokes the traditions of home appliances of the last two decades, PS4, with the exception of the glossy insert - something expensive from the late eighties or early nineties. Either a good VCR or a laser disc player.

The surface of the console is mostly matte, and only one part of it, let's call it a quarter, is glossy. This gloss, alas, literally instantly becomes covered with micro-scratches, and this can be annoying for a neat person (whoever it may be!).

image from the site http://insideplaystation.com/

A shiny quarter isn't just a quarter; its surface is a cover, under which the hard drive is hidden. Now it can be removed without losing the guarantee: the manufacturer allowed himself an unprecedented generosity!

The case can be placed on the table not only "lying", as in this photo, but also "standing", as in the official photo below. I tried it: the position is stable, but nevertheless, if the console is inaccurately touched, it will fall, and ... I do not want to voice a disappointing forecast. I am not saying this to dissuade you from such a spectacular position of the console: you just have to wait for the release of a special stand, which is designed to protect an expensive toy from accidental falling from a vertical position. Come on and buy it.

PS4 weighs like a large laptop, just under three kilograms, and its thickness is about 5 centimeters. That is, you do not regularly pull such a colossus with you, but going with it to your friends is a small problem. Tested to fit easily into a 15-inch laptop backpack.

There are two USB ports on the front, HDMI, LAN and S / PDIF connectors, and a PlayStation Camera jack on the back.

Forget about the keys, you won't find them on the console, no matter how hard you try. Since I am usually inattentive to details of this kind, before a personal inspection, I did not know where the PS4's drive was, and therefore, an inconspicuous gap on the front panel and, in fact, the touch key, was not immediately detected. The disk grabber works fine, although I didn't really like the fact that to eject I had to go into a special menu and answer the question "eject a disc?"

But how good the glowing strip is, cutting through the console with a beam similar to a Jedi weapon! ...

Gamepad or controller or joystick

I'll start with one important note: I find the PS3, Dualshock3 gamepad convenient, although most adult male gamers disagree with me. Almost always the joystick is too small for them, short, the angles of the "wings" of the grip are too sharp, the sticks are located incorrectly, "this is for the Japanese," "this is for children," and so on. Obviously, large brushes of experienced gamers get tired of playing with Dualshock 3 for a long time. Therefore, the PS3 joystick was losing in terms of ergonomics in all imaginable and inconceivable ratings to its reference and universally praised competitor: the Microsoft Xbox 360 controller.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft didn't bother too much with the shape of the new Xbox One's manipulator and made it very similar to the previous model.

Whether the case criticized by all in a row Sony! Attention to the photo: in front of you is the joystick of a normal person and smoker's joystick the same "wrong" Dualshock 3.

So, the new gamepad has become larger, its wings have grown (grown, more precisely), moreover, they have become smoother, which means less stress on the wrist. Finally, hollows appeared on the sticks, which is also better suited to the representatives of the human race. And the movement of the sticks is felt more clearly, and they themselves have become somewhat smaller and are located a little further from each other.

The changes don't end there. The almost obsolete Start and Select keys have disappeared. Instead, Options (in fact, the same Start) and Share appeared, the true daughter of their social network time, which allows you to transfer screenshots and videos recorded during the game to the network (Facebook, Twitter, Twich, Ustream).

And in the middle of the joystick there is a touch panel-button. So far, only a few games use its capabilities. Of the ones I've seen - Killzone: Shadow Fall, where a light touch to the panel led to dire consequences in the form of a change in abilities.

I really liked the presence of a motion controller with six axes. This means that the system "knows" at what angle you are holding the controller and where it is turned, which allows it to replace the PlayStation Move joysticks. The triangular LED indicator will light up blue, white or green. Well, if your alter ego is about to die, then red. This highlight has caused a mixed reaction from gamers. On the one hand, it's great, a kind of "revitalization" of what is happening. On the other hand, the eyes, already pretty tired of the game, require rest, and here - a bright, to the point of pain, glow. Sony heeded the reviews, and in the next (at the time of the review) firmware implemented the ability to reduce the backlight to a minimum, although it will not be possible to turn it off completely. The LED does not consume much power, so you shouldn't blame it for the fact that the gamepad is discharged in about 7 hours. It's about the touch panel, speakers, perceptible vibration and other joys ...

Finally, the speaker is above the PS button. Note that this is not the first joystick with a speaker, there were also Nintendo Wii / Wii U before it. By default, chat voices, additional dialogues, and so on are heard from this speaker. It's funny. By the way, you can connect headphones to the joystick. And in general, all the sound can be sent through the joystick. At the beginning of my acquaintance with PS4, I injured my hand, so it was difficult for me to assess its convenience adequately. In the sense that Dualshock 3 in two healthy hands is prohibitively more comfortable than Dualshock 4 in one healthy and one not very good. Nevertheless, experience, gamer friends and logic will help me, and here are their conclusions about the gamepad of the new Sony console.

Pros:

• The Dualshock 4 is larger and more comfortable than the Dualshock 3 (PS3 joystick): the grips are longer and more "anatomical" in shape;
• the Dualshock 4 has small, non-slip sticks with a firm grip. The main thing is that now they have hollows for the fingers;
• excellent three-axis gyroscope and three-axis accelerometer, good vibration;
• the speaker and headphone out are great, you can play without wires going to the TV if you need silence.

Minuses:

• The experts agreed that, despite the efforts of Sony, the XBox One gamepad is still out of reach in terms of convenience;
• 7 hours of autonomy? What is 7 hours for a hardcore gamer ?? Give four times as much as in the case of the PS3!
• Slightly awkward Share and Options buttons.

Interface and fun features

After updating the system at the first start, you can log into your PSN account or create a new one and launch the console. I had no problems with Wi-Fi, although when switching to a new network, the PS4 completely "forgot" the settings of the previous one and did not pick them up. However, it’s not a big deal for a stationary device.

New PS4 menu. Ready to play right away!

Those familiar with the interfaces of previous Sony game consoles will immediately notice both the changes and the related features. In Sony PlayStation 3, the main "desktop" was a horizontal scrolling bar, each icon of which was a main menu item. The items of each of them were turned over by means of vertical scrolling.

Analogue of the traditional PlayStation menu

PS4 also has a main menu bar, in almost the same form, but it faded into the background. The main thing is now a bright horizontal strip with new events and all the games that are in stock. They can be called directly from here, without going into the "Games" menu, as before. And this is correct, and it is logical! After all, games prevail in such a device. Moving around the menu is fast, but the speed of launching games depends on the "severity" of the game itself. Although, compared to the PS3, the new console is much more careful with the nerve cells of impatient gamers, and launches games much faster.

I also liked the intelligibly implemented multitasking. No, you will not run two games at the same time, but downloading several games from the PS Store (which is still slow, by the way) at the same time and at the same time playing - the console is quite capable. But there is one thing that I absolutely do not like in both PS3 and PS4: when you go into sleep mode, paused games are unloaded from memory. Sony, hear us: you can't do that! I was sure that the new console will fix it, but for now - alas. But the gamepad during the quiet hour of the console can be powered. A natural consequence of a world immersed in the Internet is the ability to share a screenshot or 15 minutes of gameplay on social networks (this is done using the Share button). Or you can not distribute them, but simply save them in the PS4 memory.

The most unusual feature with a high degree of interest in it is the ability to create a worldwide live stream via Twitch and Ustream services. Imagine, you are playing in your room, and everyone, even from Antarctica, can admire your achievements. Well, or there are mistakes to ridicule.

And if you connect a PlayStation 4 Eye camera to the console, you can demonstrate not only the game itself, but also yourself, your beloved during the gameplay. And not only gaming ... A few months ago, a couple, it seems, from Russia, decided that their personal life was too bright to remain purely personal, and they took it out of their own room through the PlayStation 4 Eye ... I don't know, how many young passionate gamers, watching the act of love, thanked the world for such a gift of fate ... In the same way, I do not know how Sony monitors the adequacy of content. In any case, it makes sense for parents of lucky youngsters with a PS4 to look into parental settings.

Games

At the beginning of the console's life cycle, the issue of the number of games released is quite traditional. Compared to previous years, the PS4 isn't all that bad. More than twenty positions were announced in the starting lineup. The line is heavily seasoned with casuals and re-releases, but there are also exclusive projects among them. I was able to play some of the first phase games.

In particular, Killzone: Shadow Fall. As for me, this is an ordinary shooter with a very good picture and dynamics. It impresses with the liveliness of the actors' facial expressions, sometimes with their dynamism. But not the plot and not the originality. I would not write this exclusive into masterpieces, and there is hardly a person who will buy a PS4 just for the sake of Killzone: Shadow Fall. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag turned out to be very good. However, this is not an exclusive at all, but an adaptation of the game that was previously released on PS3 (as well as on PC, WiiU, Xbox 360 and Xbox One). What to say? Alive, quite diverse, with an open world and a more or less intelligible plot, this game is certainly worthy of replenishing the collection of those who accept this genre.

The original and funny game Knack is a platformer classic in its essence and three-dimensional in execution with the main character able to absorb some "ancient relic" into his body, which makes him grow in size. The hero does not grow linearly, in the sense that from the blows of enemies these relics fall away from him and he again becomes smaller. With skillful play, you can transform into a huge colossus for the brutal killing of goblins and robots. Murders are completely bloodless, wrapped, as is often the case with platformers, in a colorful and cute wrapper of a child's cartoon picture. The game is not bad, somewhat original and funny, but mostly young players are able to appreciate it.

I've also been running re-releases of the free online shooters Blacklight Retribution and Warframe. I can only note the advantages of the PS4, except that the operator's commands, coming not from anywhere, but from the gamepad. Another game that seems to be exclusive, but in fact, converted from a puzzle adventure for the PS Vita called Escape Plan. I think you will remember her original completely black and white picture with two characters, fat and thin, who had to be released, overcoming a lot of obstacles that no healthy brain can think of ... The game is glorious, but the PS4 version is not very enough touchscreen PS Vita. You can't get away from the truth: this game is designed for a portable console, and the gamepad's touchpad does not save the situation with terribly inconvenient controls (it is far from ideal on the Vita!). Fortunately, if you buy a game for PS4, you will also get it for the Vita. And vice versa. However, developers can be forgiven for the strange step of transferring the game to PS4. At least for the opportunity to contemplate the mysterious and crazy black and white world of Escape Plan on the big screen.

The list of console games coming out or coming out this year is quite long and can be found on the official Sone PlayStation blog. If you study it carefully, it becomes clear that there are already games for which you should think about buying a console. For example, inFAMOUS Second Son, which just went on sale. The third part of the superhero action movie impresses with the picture and dynamics of the game, and, in addition, uses the possibilities of the gameplay. Well, as always in this series, the main character is faced with a choice whether to take the side of good or evil. I don't know if the game is really that good, but the first reviews about it are mostly laudatory.

Further. Uncharted 4. It is not clear when, but it will definitely be! I'm not exactly a fan, but a big fan of these adventurous, completely unrealistic, but no less lively games about Nathan Drake. I like action-adventure much more than first-person shooters, and in many respects for the sake of such games I will be happy to part with my hard-earned money and buy the same PlayStation 4.

Moreover, I love to play Japanese RPGs, and those who agree with me on this issue will be glad to hear that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will be released this spring, and later - Persona 5 (however, it should go to PS3 as well).

I almost forgot to tell you about a very funny, according to eyewitnesses, fun The PlayRoom. This augmented reality toy comes preinstalled on all PS4s. I really regretted not being provided with the PS4 Eye camera along with the test console when I saw the trailer below.

PS4 + Vita =?

Yes, this is true love! Thanks to the Wi-Fi connection, these two are perfect for each other. PS4 games run fine on the Vita's screen, although sometimes artifacts appeared on the screen of the small console, and sometimes she completely lost touch with her big sister. However, Wi-Fi is most likely to blame. I did the connection operation via two different networks, and in one of them, absolutely no problems were observed. This is done very simply, if you are wondering how, you are welcome to watch the somewhat shaky video published under this line.

Competitors

PS4 or XBox One?

The technical characteristics of the competitors are almost identical (with a slight advantage in favor of the PS4), so this dispute lies on other planes. In a religious one, for example. If you've watched the South Park Season 17 Black Friday trilogy, you're probably convinced that this is serious. In fact, it is important which exclusives you like. For my taste, Sony has a better chance, although if you are interested in outdoor games, then it is better to buy the Xbox One, its updated Kinnect wins the argument with the PlayStation 4 Eye.

PS4 or PS3?

As is often the case with Sony, the most powerful competitors of new products are their older siblings. Let us recall at least the extremely successful PlayStation 2, the last game for which was released in the foreseeable past, in the summer of 2013. Considering the set of hits that have come out over the long seven years of the PlayStation 3's life, those who have this old lady in stock can stay on her for a while. In the end, here is GTA 5, and the Last of Us, which won all kinds of game Oscars, and the dubious but interesting Beyond: Two souls. And a lot of old hits, like Heavy Rain. And still hitting hits and potential hits like Dark Soul 2. I, for example, hope to see an exclusive like Persona 5 early next year. In short, it's too early to retire.

PS4 or PC?

The magic word "optimization", alas, is rarely found in the vocabulary of PC game developers. Does the game slow down? Buy a new computer. Is it new and cost a thousand dollars? Well, then wait for the patch ... or not, lower the settings to the minimum ... or reinstall Windows. Or buy a memory bar. If you just want to play, and not configure your computer for games, it is quite advisable to consider buying a next generation gaming console. By the way, it will be cheaper even now, when the price of the console is close to the starting one. Keep in mind, though, that there are still tons of exclusive games coming out on PC. In addition, many gamers, especially shooter fans, prefer the keyboard and mouse even to the most comfortable gamepad.

So what, we take it?

For a reason, oh, for a reason, Sony used the song Perfect Day (it once served as the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's cult film Trainspotting) in advertising its brainchild, the fourth generation of the PlayStation, replacing the seven-year-old PS3! Already somewhere, but in this company they know very well that games are detached from reality no worse than substances that change consciousness! And they sit down on them, too, firmly ...

The answer to the question in the title is as follows: we must take it if we love good and varied games. But if you are ready to wait, or there is no such game on the PS4 yet that it would be completely impossible without a novelty, then it is more advisable not to rush. In six months or a year, the selection of games will be wider, and, hopefully, the official price of the console will drop somewhat. Those who cannot bear to play fresh hits can purchase PS4 in many domestic stores. So, in the PSPMarket console that provided us, PS4 is sold at a price of 6999 hryvnia.

3reasons to buy Sony PlayStation 4

• the most powerful next generation console
• cheaper than Micrsoft Xbox One
• great joystick

2 reasons not to buy a Sony PlayStation 4

• there are few decent games so far
• are you a PC or Xbox fan

Appearance

On the Internet, you can now easily find the work of designers and 3D-modelers - futuristic and interesting versions of the hypothetical PlayStation 4, the way we imagined a new generation device before its official announcement. In fact, everything turned out to be much simpler - the console looks very conservative and most of all resembles the PlayStation 2. A small black box (smaller than the PS3 Slim), without visible buttons and protrusions, feels better in a horizontal position. The body also becomes vertical without problems, but for this it is better to acquire an additional stand, which will be available later.

On the front there are a pair of USB ports and a disc tray, on the back there are HDMI, LAN and S / PDIF connectors, and a PlayStation Camera jack. There are no analog interfaces.

⇡ What's inside?

Those who like to build the most powerful computers every year and a half will hardly be impressed by the technical characteristics of the console. However, it should be noted here that the PlayStation 4, like any other game console, is a product for the widest audience, so it simply cannot cost several thousand dollars. And for a device for 500 conventional units (compare with similar system units), everything is even very interesting here:

Sony abandoned the unique processor architecture: the unusual Cell in the PlayStation 3 can hardly be called a successful experience in all respects - there were too many problems with porting games and developing with non-standard means. The PS4, on the other hand, is based on AMD's x86-64 hybrid processor, which, in addition to the processing cores, has a memory controller and a graphics core.

Yes, the architecture of the new console is not much different from an ordinary computer - and numerous developers, judging by the loud statements in the news, are only happy about this. There is also a negative aspect: on the PlayStation 4, hardware implementation of backward compatibility of games with PS3 is impossible, but Sony plans to solve this problem in the (not) foreseeable future with the help of "cloud" services. No wonder the Japanese bought Gaikai in their time.

Food for thought for those readers who are still skeptical about the technical data of the console. The predecessor had only 512 MB of RAM, which, even by the standards of 2006, seemed a rather modest figure. At the same time, PS3 had Uncharted, God of War 3, Beyond: Two Souls, The Last of Us and other incredibly beautiful exclusives that simply would not have started on a computer with similar characteristics. Therefore, yes - it's all about optimizing games for specific equipment, and you shouldn't even try to compare the contents of the console with the contents of your system unit.

Gamepad

Sony has always been very conservative in the design of gamepads - the DualShock 3 outwardly did not differ much from the controller of the first PlayStation. But the DualShock 4 is a huge step forward; the device is simple incredible comfortable and pleasant in the hands. It seems that the engineers have calculated the ideal weight and the most correct button and stick placement to fit any palm size.

The basic concept remains the same, although there are several important innovations. Firstly, a touch-sensitive area appeared in the center of the top panel, although the degree of its functionality is still in question. For example, in Killzone: Shadow Fall, using the touchpad, you can give commands to your partner drone (and this is not very convenient); in other games, the developers will probably hang some kind of "stroking" puzzles or QTE scenes on this sensory area.

Secondly, there is a Share button, which allows you to upload live video from games and broadcast through streaming services. This button, as well as the symmetrically located Options, is not very convenient to press - it is too tight, you have to make some effort.

Thirdly, on the front side of the case there is an LED indicator with four color modes. The manufacturer conceived this so that the gamepad can be identified by color if, for example, several people are playing. Although Sony left the decision to the discretion of the developers - in the same Killzone, the color of the diode indicates the health status of the character.

The controller also houses a headset slot and speaker; gyroscopes, accelerometer, vibration motors - everything, of course, is also in place.

Non-removable 1000 mAh battery provides only 7-8 hours of play without recharging; this can rightly be called a weak indicator - for comparison: the DualShock 3 withstood 30 hours. It seems that you will have to endlessly sit "on the wire".

In addition, it should be noted that the predecessor gamepads and other third-party peripherals are not supported by the PlayStation 4; the only exception is the PS Move motion controller.

Despite a number of shortcomings (small battery, awkward press on Share and Options, controversial touchpad), the DualShock 4 is the best controller Sony has ever made. And one of the most comfortable gamepads in general - of those that we held in our hands.

⇡ Turning on the console and operating system

At the first launch, the PS4 requested an update - it took only 15 minutes, although before that there was a problem with Wi-Fi: the console did not want to make friends with one of the routers. The problem is purely individual, but the PS3 also had a number of difficulties with wireless home networks - some games refused to work via the Internet until the router with port forwarding was properly (and, I must say, not quite obvious) configured.

The logic of the arrangement of objects on the home screen has changed (albeit not much), but the most important thing here is that the operating system has become truly multitasking - you can "minimize" the game and go browse in the browser or in the PlayStation Store. True, it is still impossible to launch two games at the same time - even a "big" one from a disk and some downloadable trifle, which is a pity.

Another nice thing is that PS4 can quickly enter sleep mode and "wake up" relatively quickly (about 10 seconds). However, paused games are now automatically closed anyway, which somewhat contradicts the very idea of ​​instant activation of the device - Sony promised to fix this by releasing a corresponding patch. But in sleep mode, the console can already download content and recharge gamepads.

But the PS Store is still the same nerdy. Long loading of pictures, annoying freezes when switching between sections - in general, nothing has changed. But finally, the download queue is working fine - the ability to download a large amount of content that will be saved to a local disk in the background - even if you are playing at that time. And by the way, the download speed from PSN is still very encouraging - but, probably, the point is only that at the time of testing the full-scale launch of the system in Europe had not yet taken place, and the servers were relatively free.

The user profile is more convenient and functional - the PSN account is easily linked to Facebook and Twitter, and the statistics of prizes, saved content and everything else are displayed very clearly. There is also an indispensable browser, but, in general, there is nothing to tell about it.

The device is very quiet, but noticeably warms up from behind - the manufacturer previously indicated that the console should not be placed close to the wall. Games are almost entirely installed on the hard drive, so there are almost no access to optical media - this, of course, adds speed and the desired silence. Although the data volumes of individual games are impressive - under 50 gigabytes, so active users will run out of free space very quickly. They also wrote scary things on the Internet about hours of installation of games - in our case, nothing like that happened; The 41GB Killzone: Shadow Fall took about half an hour to install.

Don't forget that the PlayStation 4 is not only a game console, but also a media player. The device plays films from DVD and Blu-Ray discs and works with popular Western services, most of which, alas, are not available in Russia. There is no DLNA support at launch, and it is not known if it will appear in the future.

⇡ Social features and Share button

You can do three things with the Share button: take screenshots, save videos, and stream your game to Twitch or Ustream.

Screenshots are saved by long pressing Share - then you can find them in your profile, in the folder of the corresponding game, and then upload them to Facebook or Twitter. As for the recording of "live" game video, the last 15 minutes of gameplay are saved by default (developers can prohibit copying, for example, plot videos or some episodes), but the user has the ability to double-click Share to indicate the exact moment when the recording starts. The video clip is still exported only to Facebook with a very compromise compression - a 15-minute file in conventional HD weighs about 300 megabytes. An example of a recording of a somewhat inept play in Killzone: Shadow Fall of the author of this article can be viewed

• Single chip system:
  • CPU: AMD Jaguar 8-core x86 / 64 architecture
  • GPU: AMD next generation Radeon graphics (1.84 TFLOPS)
• Unified Memory: 8GB GDDR5
• File storage: 500 GB hard drive
• Dimensions: approx. 275 x 53 x 305 mm (W x H x D)
• Weight: about 2.8 kg
• Optical drive:
  • BD x6 CAV
  • DVD x8 CAV (read only)
• Input Output:
  • 2 USB 3.0 ports
  • 1 AUX port
• Net:
  • 1 Ethernet port (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)
  • Wi-Fi adapter IEEE 802.11 b / g / n
  • Bluetooth 2.1 (EDR)
• Audio / video outputs:
  • HDMI
  • Toslink SPDIF
• Equipment:
  • PlayStation 4 console
  • Dual Shock 4 Wireless Gamepad
  • Mono headset
  • Power cable
  • HDMI cable
  • USB cable

We tested the Sony PlayStation 4 console (CUH-1008A kit). Recommended retail price -

Design

The February launch of the PlayStation 4 came as a surprise to everyone, including Sony's main competitors. And if everything became more or less clear with the hardware and characteristics, then one intriguing question remained: what does the console itself look like? After all, at the presentation they did not show the appearance of the PS4, and one could only guess what the coveted box would look like when it hit the shelves.

However, the presentation at E3 answered that question. PlayStation 4 is a minimalistic and technologically advanced "obelisk" made of black plastic. In this regard, it resembles the very first iteration of the PlayStation 2. However, the presence of glossy plastic on one half of the console will inevitably lead to scratches or scuffs during active use. Horizontal or vertical installation is supported, but the set-top box looks serious and Japanese stylish in both cases.

The quirky combination of edges and slopes immediately sets the PS4 apart from most home devices.

What is also important, the design is functional. The physical dimensions of the PlayStation 4 are noticeably more modest than its main competitor, the Xbox One. Moreover, the power supply is built into the body of the set-top box, and nothing superfluous hangs out from the outside. After all, the rather big Xbox One is loaded with an external power supply unit of a "brick" form factor ... However, if from the point of view of design everything is quite subjective, then in terms of the layout of the case and internal components Sony showed an excellent example. In fact, all the filling is cleverly packaged inside the console.

During our testing, the console did not get too hot, and the left half, covered with glossy plastic, remained cold at all. But the fan noise under load reaches high levels - somewhere between the PS3 "fat" and the first version of the PS3 Slim. That is, in a room environment, noise can be clearly distinguishable. Air is sucked into the cooling system through the ventilation grill on the sides of the attachment, and warm air is blown back. The pronounced horizontal "slot" around the perimeter of the case actually hides the air ducts and helps air circulation when the PS4 is mounted vertically.

Interfaces

If you remember the PlayStation 3, then the first version of the console was carefully crammed with all kinds of connectors. At first, it was even planned to have 2 HDMI video outputs and a 3-port network router, but later the unreal multimedia combine had to be simplified more than once ...

This time, Sony engineers turned out to be, um, more realistic in their dreams, which was reflected in both the price and the good start of the device's sales. The set-top box contains only digital inputs / outputs and only the most necessary ones.

Analog AV Multi Out and other legacy interfaces have been removed. As a result, you can only connect a set-top box via HDMI with mandatory HDCP support. That is, all modern HD TVs or monitors with HDMI fall under this condition. By the way, the HDMI cable comes with the set-top box - you don't have to buy it in addition.

The newly minted AUX port is designed to connect the PlayStation Camera accessory, which is offered as a separate option and costs 2,590 rubles. The webcam allows you to control the console interface, use voice control, or is interactively used in some games. It is worth noting that the set of Xbox One, the main competitor of PS4, contains an advanced Kinect sensor - but the price of the console is proportionally higher (by about $ 100). Not the fact that such a periphery is necessary for everyone. Perhaps Sony acted wisely, giving the buyer a choice - and at the same time managed to keep a lower and more attractive price for the set-top box.

Two USB ports at the front allow you to connect standard USB drives or gaming peripherals such as gamepads, headsets, and more. Currently, early versions of PS4 firmware have limited support for USB devices, many features will appear later.

Toslink SPDIF digital audio output allows you to connect the set-top box to various sound systems - for example, to a soundbar or receiver. But the main focus in terms of audio, as you might guess, falls back on HDMI. This is where the richest multi-channel audio formats are supported.

The Ethernet network port supports the gigabit standard, but many will prefer to use the high-speed Wi-Fi connection with support for 802.11n.

Hardware filling

Perhaps this is where the PS4 differs most from its predecessor. And it's not just about power! The entire architecture of the set-top box has become much simpler and more transparent. Cell's sophisticated asymmetric multi-core processor fell short of expectations, causing many problems for developers. Separated memory is also a thing of the past.

Next-generation set-top boxes have made a dramatic transition from the IBM PowerPC architecture to the standard x86 PC architecture with support for 64-bit instructions. Many developers have greeted such a solution with enthusiasm, because now you do not have to study hardware for a long time and look for non-trivial solutions to performance problems. At the same time, it is much easier to make multi-platform projects that are released on PS4, Xbox One and PC. Actually, it was the developers who pushed Sony to such a decision - at the very beginning of the development of the PS4, the company managed to ask the largest studios what they want to see on the next generation set-top box. Convenient architecture was almost at the top of the list.

It was also obvious that in set-top boxes it is most convenient to use unified memory without the usual division into RAM and video memory. Since the central processing unit (CPU) and the video chip (GPU) of the set-top box are combined on a single crystal (SoC), they use a single controller and memory access bus. Plus, Sony took the plunge and doubled the memory capacity at the very last moment - from 4GB to 8GB of high-speed GDDR5 (176GB / s). This design allows you to flexibly vary the amount of memory involved, and also eliminates bottlenecks in bandwidth. What you need for a console with a fixed hardware configuration.

The aforementioned single-chip system, which is the heart of the set-top box, is manufactured by AMD. It includes a 1.6GHz AMD Jaguar-based 8-core CPU and a modified AMD Radeon architecture. Unlike the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4 GPU contains 18 GCN compute units, not 12. This gives some advantage in raw power, but Sony engineers also mention that additional units can be used for general purpose calculations (GPGPU).

In general, despite the fact that PS4 contains, in fact, mid-range PC hardware - it has a certain "margin of safety" for the future. Or "potential", if you like. In addition, the used AMD chips are initially aimed at the mobile market, therefore, they are optimized for low power consumption and heat dissipation. Considering the problems faced by the past generation of consoles (the early PS3 and Xbox 360 suffered from overheating and failed), the use of "mobile" iron can reduce heating and the risk of failure.

However, it remains to be seen what the reliability of the first PlayStation 4 series will be. At the moment, most of the failures are due to improper transportation of devices, when the consoles are damaged in transit.

The optical drive operates in constant rotation speed (CAV) and supports DVD and, of course, Blu-Ray - it is the "blue" discs that will become the main medium for PS4 games. A volume of up to 50 GB allows you to store an impressive amount of sources and videos in high quality. Plus, games are forcibly installed on a 500GB HDD to speed up loading times. But the initial installation has a reduced size - the game can be launched almost immediately, and further installation will take place in the background. Much more convenient than PlayStation 3.

In general, looking at the specifications of the PlayStation 4, we can make an unequivocal conclusion that this is the result of a huge amount of error correction carried out by Sony engineers. Almost all the flaws in the PS3 architecture, which caused difficulties, have been eliminated.

The new console, on the one hand, is quite powerful, on the other hand, it is the most convenient for developers. This will most likely affect the timing of the release of large projects (less delays, from which the previous generation often suffered), and the development cost. Iron, although not the most powerful, but direct access to it allows developers to squeeze out the maximum possibilities.

I am sure that in the coming years we will have very impressive and technological projects that will become a good "calling card" for the PlayStation 4 hardware. One of these games - Killzone: Shadow Fall - is available at the start of the console. And many multi-platform projects already look better on Sony PlayStation 4 than on their main competitor - Xbox One. Most games run in full 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution and do not require framebuffer downgrade to achieve target performance of 30-60fps. Actually, this can be considered an indirect confirmation that Sony's bet on a more powerful GPU and high-speed GDDR5 memory in the PlayStation 4 has been fully justified. The hardware turned out to be elegant both in computational architecture and design.

Shell

The interface of the main menu has undergone significant changes. In fact, there is little in common with the PS3 - only minimalism and an interactive screensaver with an abstract 3D surface in the background. But the structure of the main menu has become simpler, and most importantly, it works very smoothly, even if the menu is called in parallel with the running game. Not surprisingly, there is a separate ARM processor with 256 MB of DDR3 memory for background tasks. Unlike its predecessor, the PlayStation 4 can easily handle multiple background downloads during gameplay, and there's a lot of emphasis on that.

PlayStation 4 regularly monitors the latest firmware updates or installed games and immediately starts downloading them. During testing, there were situations when the PS4 managed to download the necessary updates even before the corresponding game was downloaded and installed.

In general, the process is automated as much as possible and almost always runs in the background, so unnecessarily long pauses are excluded. This is one of the biggest improvements to the PS3 when it comes to user interface. The ability for background updates was added quite late for the PS3, and only in conjunction with the paid PSN Plus subscription.

Disc games must be installed. This process, however, is quite accelerated against the background of the PS3. For example, if there are several games and demo versions on the hard disk of the console (a couple of tens of gigabytes are used), then the initial installation of Killzone: Shadow Fall after inserting the disc takes about 1 minute and 23 seconds. Planned updates to the game will be downloaded as they are released. The main thing is that the installation of the game does not turn into a painfully long or inconvenient process.

Actually, the console really feels like it reflects its slogan "4TheGamers" ("for the players"). Everything is centered around gaming functions, and multimedia capabilities have been relegated to the background for now.

No joke, the set-top box currently does not play audio CDs and MP3 files, does not support DNLA streaming and 3D Blu-Ray. At one time, these features appeared on the PlayStation 3 almost before the main games! This time the opposite is true: various media will be added later, and the most necessary things like voice chat or the Share button are working right now.

An epic victory or failure, a curious moment from the game - all this can be saved as a memory in the form of a video or a screenshot and published on Twitter or Facebook.

By the way, when you press the Share button, the recorded scenes are saved on the hard disk and you can return to them later. What's more, you can stream your gameplay live on Ustream or Twitch! Such "social" functions have not yet been so integrated into the basic functionality of the set-top box. Here Sony is trying to keep up with the times and support the popular "social" chips.

Another interesting feature concerns interaction with the PlayStation Vita handheld and the PlayStation App for smartphones. The PlayStation 4 supports the hardware transfer of images to the PS Vita over the network, and the set-top boxes can be connected either directly over Wi-Fi or through a network infrastructure. This way, you can access your library of games even when you're away from home with your PlayStation Vita. True, for this the PlayStation 4 must work normally, and both consoles must have your PSN account. Nonetheless, this is an interesting feature, and there is a possibility that it will get further development. Also PS Vita or a smartphone with PlayStation App can be used in games as a "second screen".

Unfortunately, we failed to test the "second screen" mode (there were no games where it was used at hand), but remote playback on the PlayStation Vita works quite well. The delay between the original system and the stream on Vita in the menu is noticeable, but in games it is quite small - in fact, the delay here is comparable to some TVs. The image looks very good on the small screen, and only the frame rate is limited to 30 - this is the only significant "loss" when transferring video.

The console's built-in browser has improved dramatically. It runs quite smoothly and displays most of the pages correctly. It can be called right in parallel with the game to see clues in the passage or the location of secrets on the map. The only caveat is that it does not have Adobe Flash support, but the video from our site was played with a bang.

The basic settings of the console are easy enough. As already mentioned, there are not so many of them at the moment. And those that exist are made as user-friendly as possible.

For example, the video and audio settings for the PlayStation 3 were extensive, but certain settings could cause serious visual problems.

PlayStation 4 by default offers automatic selection of screen resolution and RGB range settings, which in our case worked absolutely correctly. For example, when we switched the set-top box from a TV with Full RGB support to a TV with a standard "limited" range, it immediately produced the correct video signal without blockage in the shadows. No manual intervention was required. And the set-top box also transmits the HDMI Content Type control signal, so modern TVs themselves activate the "game" mode when the PS4 is connected to them.

In general, if you do not understand all this, then with a high probability the PlayStation 4 itself will choose the correct settings for your TV or monitor.

Recognition is not always perfect, but it is enough to complement a gamepad. Text input can be done using the DualShock 4 gyroscopes - in this case, the letters are selected by tilting the controller. If you get used to it, then this method will seem more convenient to someone than a regular cursor. After all, you can connect a USB keyboard to your PS4 too.

And finally, a separate word should be said about regional peculiarities: the entire PlayStation 4 interface has been translated into Russian, including an interactive guide. Therefore, it will not be difficult to figure it out here. A significant part of the starting games also support Russian - and some projects, such as Killzone: Shadow Fall, have been fully translated and dubbed in their native language. Of course, sometimes there are vague intonations of the actors, but in general, the quality of the voice acting is not inferior to another film.

It is obvious that Sony is well prepared for the launch of the set-top box in Russia and the CIS, providing it with the necessary language pack.

DualShock 4 Gamepad

This important element of the console is a welcome surprise. From the first photos, it was not entirely clear how seriously the DualShock 4 differs from previous versions. As it turned out, the difference is felt from the very first seconds, when the new gamepad is in the hands.

Its shape has become more ergonomic, it fits perfectly in the hands. The back surface is made of "rough" plastic, so that the gamepad does not slip out of your hands, even in the most stressful moments. And finally, the rear "triggers" (R2 / L2 buttons), which are most often used in shooters and racing, have become a convenient curved shape. If earlier fingers slipped off them, now they have a good emphasis - it is much more convenient to shoot enemies in Killzone: Shadow Fall or Battlefield 4.

Analog "fungi" have also undergone some changes. Their surface is recessed to prevent fingers slipping, and sensitivity is improved. The tilt angle is digitized more accurately, although the increase is not obvious here, because there were no special problems with this before. But the new signal format with more accurate data required to revise the communication protocol of the gamepad with the console.

Although the developers achieved minimal latency in the wireless signal of the gamepad, this system turned out to be incompatible with the old DualShock 3 gamepads.

Sadly, older DualShock 3 gamepads won't work with PlayStation 4. But the new DualShock 4 is so good you don't want to go back to your old controllers.

Sony shared with the editors a fresh console, which we undertook to review with all our might. We came to amazing conclusions!

send

To take or not to take is difficult to resolve such a dilemma, when the cherished PS4 Pro flaunts in front of the nose, and obsessive rumors are storming the brain with might and main. Like, Sony cheats and the console does not issue an honest 4K resolution. There are many such myths, coupled with conspiracy theories, wandering around the net, but they do not give a clear answer to the question "Take or not take". Doesn't explain the difference between 4K and Full HD games. And they do not answer the elementary question: is the PS4 Pro suitable for regular Full HD TVs or is it time for relatives to part with their kidneys? The editor, also suffering from the throes of choice, closed in the editorial office alone with the console and got to the bottom of the truth.

It's funny, but one of the key innovations of the PS4 Pro is not related to the visual component, but to the network. The console supports dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, which means that the problems of network warriors are finally resolved. With the right router, connect to 5 GHz and enjoy low pings and decent speeds. Regarding the visual component, here, unfortunately, not everything is so rosy.

I love it, but in the reissue the picture was tightened up quite a bit. The game will be ported to the Nintendo Switch for a reason, so 4K is not needed in it. Unfortunately, the full 3840x2160 resolution on PS4 Pro is available in several graphically identical games. "Serious" projects did not seem to receive the coveted 4K, or rather received, but in a cunning format. , for example, supports 1440r instead of 2160r.

But HDR makes the game richer in color, and 4K TV anti-aliasing makes the picture clearer. in turn received 1800r instead of 900r. So, although there is not enough pure 4K among projects on PS4 Pro, there are many games with support for higher resolutions and HDR. Certainly more of those that work only in Full HD.

However, on a hefty Ultra HD TV, games look better even without 4K support than on a regular Full HD model. The main thing is that the notorious 4K TV is able to smoothly interpolate, which modifies the picture so well that sometimes it is impossible to distinguish 1920x1080 from 3840x2160. It's a shame that you can't say the same about the difference between 30 FPS and 60 FPS.

Yes, the PS4 Pro doesn't do wonders for doubling FPS. The console only has the power necessary for this, but the developers themselves must improve the game. Do not think that by running a conditional now, you will get 60 frames per second instead of 30. A specific game should receive a corresponding patch. It does not shine on old games, since some studios have closed, while others do not want to mess around for various reasons.

So, alas, many other games do not differ and most likely will not differ on PS4 Pro from PS4 with improved performance. A 4K TV will not help the business either, because it only displays the image and allows you to realize the capabilities originally laid down in the PS4 Pro and games.

Of all of them, only the one that has three modes fully uses the power of the console on a 4K TV. The first is, in fact, 4K with all that it implies. The second is Full HD with enhanced details. The third is an increase in FPS, issuing 45 frames. Not such a variety, but the difference is also obvious. Game from Team Ninja supports 60 FPS on PS4, but then resolution higher than 720p is not available. The PS4 Pro is 1080p at 60 frames. However, due to the style and gamut of the game, the influence of HDR is not very noticeable.

Things are getting better. Despite the abundance of dark scenes, the difference between "with HDR" and "no HDR" is visible. The colors have become so rich that, say, neon signs catch the eye much more often than usual. The combination of such visual details, coupled with the apparent difference between 4K and Full HD, made it even more beautiful and atmospheric.

Taking on, I was sure that I would get honest 4K right there. Got the same "chess rendering". Interesting technology, I dare say. Its essence lies in the fact that the horizontal pixels are 1920 instead of 3840 in the case of 4K resolution. The resulting voids are painted in accordance with the colors of two adjacent pixels. This focus has nothing to do with Ultra HD resolution. Does this make 4K useless? Not at all. The graphics are so strikingly different from Full HD that, in conjunction with HDR, an action movie about a lively archer and iron dinosaurs is one of the main advantages of the PS4 Pro.

The disadvantage is the dependence of smoothness on the increase in diagonal and resolution. Technically, FPS does not change, so in games with 30 frames per second, especially in fast-paced shooters, this nuance does not appear. At 60 FPS, the console is more interesting. Shooters still don't care, but, let's say, they get it. Smoothness is lower than expected at 60 frames. From the reaction of the testers, it is clear that not everyone can see the flaw visually, which considerably reduces the severity of the “problem”.

Choosing the right TV can solve it. To get the most out of your PS4 Pro gaming experience with a Full HD TV, the latter should be 40 inches or less. Then in 1920х1080 on the "proshka" leaves an extremely pleasant impression. For 4K games, 55-60 inches are comfortable: with them, the smoothness is optimal, and the clarity is gorgeous, and the overall quality is worthy.

Whether you need to buy a PS4 Pro is very dependent on your situation. For example, I have a regular PS4 at home and a 30-inch monitor that I play with, since the TV is quite old. For me, buying a PS4 Pro is relevant, since I cannot avoid replacing a 720p TV with a 4K model. It is also reasonable to take the PS4 Pro for those who are just going to buy a console from Sony, and there are many of them. Let not all games support full 4K resolution, but all popular games have received and will receive a serious improvement in graphics in patches for the Pro-console, which means that it is reasonable to take a suitable TV with the "curling iron". It is more profitable and more expedient that way. For owners of regular Full HD TVs, it makes no sense to switch PS4 to the Pro version, unless you are an ardent fan of the brand, ready to spend money for the graphic enhancements of games.