The PS5 has finally hit local shores, releasing the very first batch of units on Friday, December 11 for those who were able to successfully pre-order and pay the P27,990 asking price.
I was one of the lucky people to secure a unit, and have been getting some hands-on time with it in the last couple of days. There’s definitely plenty to unpack, but now that my hype has waned a bit, I think I can now share some of my first impressions of Sony’s next-generation console.
Size matters
Sony has talked a lot about the PS5’s design leading up to release, specifically its striking size and dimensions. Nothing, however, compares to actually seeing it in person. The PS5 is undeniably massive.
It dwarfs other consoles or devices you might have propped up in your entertainment center:
The PS5’s size is not inherently a problem, unless you live in a really small space. Even then, you might still find a place for it by simply moving some things around. It’s just that its physical features – from its white and black colorway to its tapered edges – are so distinctive that it commands attention in a room.
Whether that’s good or bad is entirely up to you. Some people want a simple and streamlined entertainment center. That’s understandable, but, these are things you might want to consider if you plan to buy the console.
Game-changing controller
Sticking to hardware, the new DualSense controller is, in my opinion, a huge step-up over the DualShock 4 both in its feel and features.
For starters, the DualSense is slightly larger than its predecessor, but it’s not that much heavier or at least it doesn’t give the impression that it is, which is a huge win. The overall shape, design, and feel is a bit closer to the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
That thicker design is arguably easier on the hands and feels just a tad more balanced:
The biggest innovation with regards to the new controller, though, is haptic feedback. Sony has packed a lot of extra hardware inside the DualSense to make gaming on it, as a lot of the marketing put it, immersive.
The controller can simulate these tactile sensations that mimic what’s happening in the game. For instance, in Astro’s Playroom – the free, downloadable game that comes with the PS5 – you can actually feel the clink and clunk of Astro’s footsteps via precise, tiny vibrations. There’s also a part in the game where you wield a bow, and you can feel the trigger button tightening and becoming harder to press as you pull the arrow for the shot.
It’s kind of hard to describe these experiences in words. You really have to feel them for yourself to really get a sense of it. What I can undoubtedly say is that it’s unlike anything I’ve ever had my hands on before. The Switch did something similar with the HD Rumble of their Joy-Cons, but this just takes that a few steps further.
As to the question of if it’s a mere gimmick, I think it’s too early to tell, and it’ll ultimately come down to how the game developers use the tech in creating their games.
I’ve only seen it fully realized in Astro’s Playroom, which is Sony’s demo of sorts for the controller. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered uses it too in some in-game situations, albeit sparingly. For example, you’ll feel a bit of tension in the R2 button as you start to web-swing, and as you pick-up speed, it starts to go back to normal.
Visual upgrades
While the majority of the PS5’s launch lineup are also available on the PS4, all of the games, of course, look better running on the former rather than the latter. I don’t think it’s that huge of a leap yet, but there’s definitely a noticeable graphical difference between the two.
How much difference you’ll see might depend on your TV, though. I play on a 55-inch Samsung NU8000, and I was able to clearly see the new layers of details on in-game textures in Spider-Man Remastered. Characters’ skins look more natural. Environments are more densely populated. Particle effects are more prevalent. All rendered in sharp and glorious 4K resolution:
The newly added ray-tracing capabilities also improve the game’s lighting and create realistic shadows and reflections.
Performance-wise, the solid state drive (SSD) of the PS5 is a game-changer, with games loading immensely fast. Using Spider-Man Remastered again as an example, it took me less than a minute to turn the PS5 on, boot the game from the home menu, load my save, and start playing. It’s that fast.
Speaking of fast, the new user interface also feels speedier to navigate. Visiting the PlayStation Store, for instance, feels snappier than it does on the PS4, making it a lot easier to find the digital games you want to buy.
Not perfect
So far, I haven’t run into any problems that I’d consider a deal-breaker per se, but there are a few of them that are worth pointing out.
The disk drive tends to be quite noisy. This was a problem on the PS4, and it seems to have been carried over to the PS5. Even when the disk is not in use, as long as it’s inside the drive, it will spin, often producing that distracting fan-like noise.
It’s not clear yet what’s causing the problem, but hopefully it can be resolved in a software patch.
It’s also worth noting that I encountered a couple of instances when games crashed. I’m not sure yet if this is a problem related to the game or the console itself, but these instances were few and far between.
As of right now, I think the PS5 has all the makings of another bonafide success for Sony. However, as I previously mentioned, the cross-generational divide between the PS4 and the PS5 is not that significant yet (emphasis on the “yet). I think budget-conscious gamers, who have yet to upgrade to a 4K TV set or own a PS4 Pro, will be perfectly fine for the next 6 months to a year. As for those with money to spare, this is the best way to get a glimpse at what next-gen has in store. – Rappler.com
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