PS3
Got a Japanese 60GB PS3 for Christmas, here are my thoughts.
Premise
Bigger, better and more expensive than the competition. The best graphics, motion sensitive controller, blueray, wi-fi, hard-drive, photos, music, video, games, internet…. could they have put any more in the box?
Hardware
Big, shiny and bold. The PS3 looks alright, not really like a games machine but also not really like a hi-fi component. It does look expensive so score on that one. The machine is easy to set up and running it in 1080i or 720p (still can’t decide which is better and I don’t have 1080p) it looks amazing on my HD LCD TV. I do think I prefer Sony’s Cross Media Bar (XMB) to Microsoft’s blades on the 360, it is just a lot quicker to get around the system with the XMB. Graphically I think it is too difficult to call on which is more powerful 360 or PS3 and frankly I am not that bothered as long as games look good and play well on what ever system then I will be happy.
Ease of use
Pretty easy to set up, although like the 360 it takes ages to register for a gamer tag (or whatever Sony are calling it) and the Sony store takes an age to load on my broadband connection. Strangely downloads are quicker on the PS3 than on the 360 while it is the other way when browsing…
Fun Anyone?
There isn’t really a killer app for the PS3 and nothing that shows off the potential of its motion sensitivity. Both Resistance and Ridge Racer 7 (the only games I have) are great fun and show off the graphical potential of the hardware but none of them really justify upgrading to the PS3 or give you anything you can’t get elsewhere.
Conclusion
I am really glad I have one and I think the future is rosier for the PS3 than everyone is saying. I don’t think it will be number 1 or if it is it won’t have as big a margin. It looks like there are some good games on the horizon (if Microsoft doesn’t get them all to be multi-platform) and I am sure Sony London will get some great Eye-toy and motion sensitivity stuff out. But until then its just a bigger, better and more expensive machine with very little to play on it.
-Nic