The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a bruiting gaming machine that is as fast as it is tall. After over 20 years in the gaming industry, Sony has truly refined and optimized what a PlayStation is supposed to be, and they’ve crafted their best console to date.
Upon turning on the console, a seamless and simple setup process starts that ingeniously lets a disc install in the background while account information is being put in. The home screen menu is very sleek and to-the-point, little app icons hover at the top of the screen, with gorgeous covers and renders of the selected game in the background. Two switchable tabs clearly lay out what the console can do: “games” and “media.” Compared to the cluttered and crowded interface of the PlayStation 3 and unorganized layout of the PlayStation 4, the PS5’s user interface represents what the console is all about: simplicity and efficiency.
Upon installing and booting up a game, which shouldn’t take long with system’s blazing fast Wi-Fi speeds, it well be immediate how fast and gorgeous it is. Games like “Grand Theft Auto V” which used to take upwards to five minutes to load on the PlayStation 4 now start up in only 30 seconds, and newer titles like “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales” make the player feel like they’re truly roaming the streets of New York with its upgraded graphics. The system is also able to output many games in a 4k resolution, making the experience even more immersive.
The new DualSense controller is also a great leap forward from Sony’s controllers from the past. It’s heavier and has bigger handles than previous generations, giving the DualSense a premium and high-quality feel, which is welcomed as they sell for $10 more than the PS4’s controllers. The biggest feature that the DualSense touts is it’s “adaptive triggers” – the L2 and R2 buttons give tension and pushback, and it works surprisingly well. The resistance when pulling on the triggers makes the player feel like they’re actually shooting a gun or web swinging. As long as games keep on adding support for it, this more than just a gimmick and a truly immersive feature.
The only noticeable drawback is the system’s relatively small storage size of 825 gigabytes. With games like “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” and other modern titles being upwards of 150 gigabytes, that limited space will be taken up very quickly. The PS5’s storage drive can process data very fast however, and PS4 games can be saved on an external storage device.
Overall, the PlayStation 5 improves upon Sony’s devices in every single way. The controller, loading times, interface and more are as sleek and refined as they’ve ever been. The hefty price tag and low-stock of the system does make it a harder sell, however, but once it’s more widely available the PS5 is a worthwhile investment for any gamer.
9/10
Jaden Patel // Staff Writer
All that stuff about the PlayStation VR 2 sounds perfect to me, exactly what is needed. And I think the cameras are definitely an indication of Sony having it double up as an AR headset as well. As far as I’m concerned championing VR has been the best thing Sony has done this generation and they’ve had a more positive impact on virtual reality than Oculus and Valve combined. Not just the hardware but the games as well. They didn’t make too many of their own (but were responsible for the amazing Astro Bot) but they were obviously working behind the scenes making sure there’s a steady stream of indie games to keep everyone interested.