We’re at a curious point in the development of games consoles. As they grow more and more powerful, an increasing number of gamers are rejecting newer products in favour of older models.
And it’s easy to see why. Remember the giant shift in graphical technology from the PlayStation to the PlayStation 2? Suddenly, blocky figures and overtly polygonal textures looked close to reality.
We’ll never return to a period of such seismic change in technology. But that doesn’t make the PlayStation 4 a console to be abandoned, just because the pixel count on your guns in Call of Duty isn’t high enough.
Indeed, the latest in Sony’s line of consoles is about as good as it gets. So what reasons do you need to make the big jump from three to four?
The Killer Releases
PlayStation 4 was a bit of a slow starter when it came to making releases that were worthy enough to shell out for a major console. With the exception of Killzone: Shadow Fall and the remastered version of The Last of US, the machine could barely muster enough exclusive titles to provoke a sliver of interest.
But oh how a few years can change a console’s fortunes. As well as a mounting back-catalogue of cross-platform releases, Sony have upped the ante with Bloodborne, created by the development team behind the mercilessly difficult Dark Souls series.
Set in a creaking, creepy gothic city, Bloodborne takes the gnarled creatures and hardcore difficulty of Dark Souls and adds gunplay and smoother manoeuvrability. It’s gory in a strange, stylised way, giving the violence a bleak edge that other action games would struggle to touch.
Just released is Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, creator Hideo Kojima’s last time running the legendary series. Taking control of Solid Snake, the plotline is as barmy as usual, the sneaking weighty and filled with near-limitless possibility, and the soundtrack is peerless. Ever wanted to ride a horse across a desert to the strains of David Bowie? Well now you can!
The Back Catalogue
If the growing catalogue of exclusive titles isn’t enough to whet your appetite, then how about a look to the past? Skirting past the backwards compatibility issues of the machine, Sony have introduced PlayStation Now, a streaming service that allows you to play some of the company’s vast repository of games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmXfKa22PZg
For about a fiver each, you’ll be able to hire games like Resident Evil 4, Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for 30 days. It’s a great chance to catch up on a few of the utter classics you missed the first time around.
Aside from the games, there’s a smooth layout of menu screens, seamless integration with Netflix and YouTube, and a snazzy touchscreen on your controller. What more could you want from your PlayStation 4?