In two days, the PlayStation 4 has gone from a faceless list of features to something we've actually played. Gizmag just got some quick hands-on time in Sony's E3 booth. Interested in our first impressions? Read on.
What it's like
I had a few minutes with a game called Warframe. If it sounds familiar, that's because the free-to-play PC version is already available in beta. It's a four-player Borderlands-style third-person shooter (with some stealth mixed in for good measure). A Sony employee told me that they're aiming for a day one launch with the PS4.
But this isn't about Warframe. You want to know what it's like on the PS4. My impressions? Well, it's definitely next-gen, but it's going to take a while to fully know what that means.
It always takes a few years for developers to really learn how to get the most out of a new console. So, while the PS4's graphics are clearly a step up from the PS3's (what I saw was along the lines of a 2012 or 2013 PC game on high settings), we aren't yet looking at "holy crap, this is like nothing I've seen before" graphics.
As always, you'll need to give that part time.
New DualShock
One of the biggest new things that PS3 gamers will notice about the PS4 is the DualShock 4 controller. It feels more compact and contoured to the hands than its predecessor. The action buttons (square, circle, triangle, X) are all in the same place. The biggest point of confusion that it provides is the absence of start/select buttons. You'll need to use the new options button to access those.
The DualShock 4 also gives you a touchpad on the front face. I didn't get to do much with it in my demo, but it feels nice, is easy to reach, and gives developers a new tool to play with.
We'll update this post as we spend more time with the PlayStation 4 this week. Stay tuned to Gizmag, as this will also be the first of several big hands-ons during E3 2013.
