PS5 review
Today it's up to PS5. The eternal rival of the Xbox Series X will arrive on the market on November 19th and also in this case we will have to deal with two different models: that traditional, which we have had the opportunity to test in the last few days, and that All-Digital. The latter loses the Blu-Ray player and gains something in terms of symmetry but obviously requires a good connection to be used at its best. In fact, you cannot count on physical media: everything passes through your Internet network.
From a technical point of view, however, nothing changes. Sony has in fact taken a different path than the competition. No technical debunking but just two slightly different versions that give players a complete gaming experience.
Sony PlayStation 5
- Prime members have priority access to PlayStation 5 until March 31, 2022
- Marvel at the incredible graphics and experience the new PS5 features.
- Discover a deeper gaming experience with support for haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and 3DRay audio technology ...
PS5: Abundant size and original design
The impact is not the softest. PlayStation 5 abandons the boxy lines of PS4 to propose a more sinuous and original design. The initial shock is understandable as well as the clear divisions between users: there are those who appreciated it a lot and those who found it too risky.
What everyone agrees on is the size: PS5 is very big. Not only compared to PS4 but also to all other gaming platforms out on the market. It is no coincidence that it is called the largest console ever.
To make it even less discreet is the color that no, it is not white. The shell is of a very light gray, reminiscent of the old PlayStation One. Both side plates are smooth on the outside while the internal part has a knurling obtained with a very particular pattern: in fact, we find the PlayStation symbols, namely Circle, Square, Triangle and X. All miniaturized. You will need a magnifying glass to see them.
However, this is not the only curiosity. According to what is shown in the official teardown video - the one in which the console is disassembled piece by piece - the two side surfaces appear to be easily removable. We could not try but, if so, it would be really easy to customize the sides of the console, perhaps replacing the current color that has not thrilled all fans.
The central body, on the other hand, is untouchable. Black, shiny and unfortunately able to attract dust and fingerprints, the front-upper body houses in the center a USB-A port ed a USB-C port. The position makes them easily identifiable but perhaps a little too intrusive. We would have preferred a perhaps more uncomfortable position but, at the same time, more discreet. In any case, we greatly appreciate the presence of the Type-C, suitable both for charging the controller and for connecting storage devices.
Finally, the front part houses two traditional keys: the power button and the Blu-Ray eject button.
On the back, however, we have two USB-A inputs, the Ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 (essential for playback in 4K at 120 fps) and the input for the power supply.
We then point out the presence of a base that you can use both to hold the console horizontally and to use it vertically. In the latter case, however, it does not serve to stabilize PS5 but only to provide it with a greater grip, preventing it from slipping on the table, desk or shelf that houses it.
PlayStation 5 review: the DualSense controller
Let's talk now about the controller of PS5. The new Dualense.
Compared to the Dual Shock 4 it boasts larger dimensions and increased weight. We went from 210 grams to 280 grams. It obviously remains in plastic but it is well finished, ergonomic and very solid. Double the color, which mixes light gray and black, while the LED strip surrounding the touchpad changes hue.
Sony PlayStation 5
- Prime members have priority access to PlayStation 5 until March 31, 2022
- Marvel at the incredible graphics and experience the new PS5 features.
- Discover a deeper gaming experience with support for haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and 3DRay audio technology ...
On the upper part we also find the transparent buttons, which are almost rubberized under pressure, the directional cross and the two symmetrical sticks. Then returns the Optio buttonn while the Share was replaced by a more attractive one Create. Then there are the PlayStation button and the speaker, improved over that of the Dual Shock 4. In addition we find then an integrated microphone, accompanied by a key that allows you to change it quickly. Obviously, you will not have to remember the status of the microphone by heart: if the LED positioned just above is orange it means that it is disabled.
We also point out a little trick: holding down the Mute button you will mute the audio to the game.
Let's move now to the back of the controller where we find the new ones adaptive triggers, designed to give better feedback and able to adjust the resistance so as to make the gaming experience even more engaging. Difficult to explain but in practice they are a pleasure to use.
Finally, we have a less visible but equally interesting novelty. We are talking about the haptic feedback, the same we find on high-end smartphones. Basically the DualSense vibrates, but not uniquely. The system offered by PlayStation is quite sophisticated as well able to adjust in an extremely gradual way to return the right sensation, be it a blow suffered by the opponent or the falling rain.
All the elements mentioned so far make the new controller comfortable, solid and designed to adapt to the needs of gamers and developers. I still prefer asymmetrical sticks but I doubt they will ever appear on an official PlayStation controller.
Discount
Sony PlayStation®5 - DualSense™ Wireless Controller
- Discover a deeper and more immersive gaming experience with the innovative PS5 controller, featuring feedback ...
- The DualSense wireless controller also includes an integrated microphone and "Create" button, which plug into ...
- Enjoy different levels of strength and tension as you interact with your gear and environment in games. From the...
PlayStation 5 review: same structure, new graphics
Up until now we have focused on the look of the PS5 but what happens when we turn it on?
To welcome us we find a revised interface. The basic structure is similar to what was seen on the previous generation: the home contains games and apps used recently, the settings maintain the same order and there is no shortage of quick accesses to the Store and PS Plus. Sony, however, has decided to work on aesthetics, proposing a softer UI, just like the console.
The real novelty, however, is represented by the menu which is now located at the bottom and which calls popups rather than actual pages. Basically everything you need, from audio to notifications, will appear overlay, without forcing you to exit the game.
The menu associated with the Create button is also different. The philosophy remains the same as described above: you never leave the video game. The interface then partially overlaps the game interface and allows you to take a screenshot, record a video or start streaming.
Overall we have found Sony's solution intuitive, modern and intelligent. The new interface is really well designed, capable of combining the feeling of familiarity with important and appreciated novelties.
PS5 review: what do I play?
At launch, the new titles available will be several, including two important exclusives: Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales e Sackboy A Big Adventure.
But that's not all. This month the PS Plus includes bugsnax for Playstation 5, so you will already have a free game by default to enjoy. Indeed, to tell the truth you will have several. To accompany the new Japanese console there is in fact the PS Plus Collection, a welcome pack that includes twenty or so of the most popular PS4 games.
Let's not forget the multi-platform titles that will fully exploit the potential of the new console such as Dirt 5, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs Legion, as well as a series of optimized products such as Fortnite, No Man's Sky and Borderlands 3. In short, there is no shortage of games .
But how do they look on PS5? Does anything really change?
We spent the last few days in the company of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, sequel to the almost homonymous title released in 2018 and made by Insomniac Games.
The title already anticipates the biggest news of the game: the protagonist is Miles Morales and not Peter Parker. However, we do not want to spoil the first chapter if you have not already played it so we will not explain who Miles is and why he is playing Peter. If you want to learn more, however, you can find our review here.
Let's get back to us.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is structured to show you the potential of the new console right away. PlayStation 5 flaunts its muscles with Lightning-fast loading and instant transitions between cutscenes and gameplay.
However, it is above all the ray tracing.
It is not an absolute novelty in the sector. It is in fact a technology already integrated in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards but this is the first generation of consoles to be able to exploit it and, believe us, it makes all the difference in the world.
Ray tracing is a system that allows you to follow light and its rays to understand how they interact with different surfaces. All this to have more realism, more detail and noticeable improvements on shadows and highlights.
These innovations are clearly visible in the new Spider-Man, from the first minutes of the game: armor, buildings, clothes and windows masterfully interact with each light source, transforming everything around you.
You may not notice it at first, just know it. Not because it isn't obvious but because it turns out so natural that you will take it for granted. We therefore invite you to observe the new Spider-Man because you may notice shades, light effects and details that we could never have on PS4.
However, ray tracing is not the only novelty offered by PlayStation 5. The power of the console, which we remind you of being 10 teraflops against the 12 of Xbox Series X, allows developers to raise the destructibility of the environment. Miles Morales can then throw enemies into the windows, smash them and destroy tables and objects, further elevating the realism.
There is no shortage then dynamic 4K and HDR however, you will need a compatible TV. We, for example, used LG CX 48.
The same is true for the 120 Hz: to take advantage of them you will need a screen that supports them.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Ultimate Edition PS5
- In the latest adventure in the Marvel's Spider-Man universe, teenager Miles Morales faces the move to his ...
- The Ultimate Edition also contains the first remastered version of the first Marvel's Spider-Man
- Miles Morales discovers that he has explosive powers that set him apart from his mentor, Peter Parker. Master the Discharges ...
How does Playstation 5 backward compatibility work?
Miles Morales is formally a new title, although the map, mechanics and some characters come from the previous title.
What about the games released on PS4? Can I also play them on PS5? Change something?
The last generation of consoles had accustomed us to remastered, that is, to titles that were revisited to adapt to the new console. This, however, involved a new expense.
Think for example of The Last of Us.
It came out on PS3 and then arrived on PS4 in the remastered variant which was being sold as a standalone game. So to see the graphical improvements it was necessary to spend another 70 euros.
Con PlayStation 5 e Xbox Series X we enter the era of "optimized games". Backward compatible titles are then upgraded for free.
In the case of PS5 this optimization is called Game Boost and improves the resolution and framerate of games released on PS4. All this by taking advantage of the greater power of the console.
However, it is not an automatic transition. It is the developers who have to release a patch that takes advantage of the Game Boost of the new console.
Plus this optimization will not be available for PlayStation Now and Remote Play streaming games.
One final piece of information: Game Boost and backward compatibility are not the same thing. Most of the 4.000+ PS4 titles are playable on PS5 consoles. Some of these will be enhanced through Game Boost, while the others will be identical to what was seen on the previous generation.
PS5 review: welcome next-gen!
Our review of PlayStation 5 has come to an end. The time has therefore come to draw the necessary conclusions.
PS5 we liked it a lot and the good Miles Morales helped us see the real potential of the console. The ray tracing has really impressed us, the uploads are lightning fast, the interface is very comfortable and we have a lot of games to play with, including some exclusive, new and backwards compatible must-sees.
In short, there is everything we expected.
But which one to take between the standard one and that All-Digital? It really depends on you. If you have a good connection and don't like wild collecting, the cheaper version costs money 399 €, that's fine. If, on the other hand, you like Blu-ray, both games and movies, and if your connection is not very reliable, then we suggest the traditional version. The price is 499 € and will hit the market on 19 November.
