ShareThisBy CHRIS CAMPBELL
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
When you first open the box to the PlayStation 3, you can't help but get a little giddy and ego-inflated. Come on, this is like Ferris Bueller discovering the Ferrari in his buddy Cameron's garage.
On Friday, Sony launches its next-generation console, and this is a serious piece of hardware for gamers and entertainment freaks all over the planet. Sony was No. 1 in the market with its PlayStation 2 for more than half a decade, and judging by the look and feel of the PS3, it's not planning on relinquishing that title anytime soon.
Here's a look at the bells and whistles this console offers.
_ Hardware
Starting with the exterior, the PS3 has ditched the boxy, matte black look of the PS2, and gone with a rounded, sleek look _ more 21st century-like. It weighs around 11 pounds _ a heavy 11 pounds at that _ making it the bulkiest of the next-gen consoles. On the plus side is that while the Xbox 360 sounds like a jet engine while it runs, the PS3 is surprisingly quiet by comparison.
For you crazy tech spec folk, here's what kind of punch the PS3 is packing. It has a 3.2Ghz Cell processor, and there's a ton of other technical jargon to wow or confuse you.
What it means is this _ this sucker will have limited loading times and can everything it displays _ from liquids to environmental damage to character's body shapes and clothing _ are more detailed than you can imagine.
Forget beautifully rendered cutscenes that transition to blocky, flat graphics once gameplay begins; now, everything is highly detailed and the system can handle much more than the PS2 could ever think about displaying.
The PS3 has two versions, a 20GB model ($499) and a 60GB model ($599). What will frustrate most consumers is the way Sony is almost forcing their hands into buying the 60GB version.
Yes, you certainly can stay with the 20GB if all you plan on doing is playing games, but if you had a date with Eva Longoria you wouldn't take her to Applebees, would you? It's downright silly when comparing the two systems to think you're not missing out if you go with the smaller version.
Controller
At first glance, the controllers look just like the PS2's, but if nothing else, stop and revel because the new SIXAXIS controller is wireless _ kudos to Sony for leaving the miles of tangled cords behind. The controller is motion-sensitive so when you play sports titles or flying games or any others featuring the functionality, you can move the controller and the game will respond.
For instance, if you're playing 2K Sports' NHL 2K7, you can jerk the controller left or right and perform body checks against an opponent instead of pressing a button. Once developers catch up to the technology, there are some exciting possibilities out there for this controller.
Software
A big selling point of next-gen consoles is interactivity, and Sony goes all-out with the PS3. The 60GB has Wi-Fi built in, and comes sporting memory stick, compact flash, and SD card readers, so you've got a cornucopia of media files available to you.
This means compatibility with the PSP and also backward compatibility with all PS2 games. So even though there won't be many titles available this Christmas (around 20-25 titles), you'll have your entire PS2 library to enjoy.
Peripherals
If Sony kills the momentum at all, it's the reliance on buying peripherals required to take advantage of the technology. New controllers, remotes to use the DVD player and HD component cables all have to be purchased separately, so it's going be hard not to drop about a grand before you can really take advantage of this thing.
Overall
At E3 there were considerable rumblings wondering if the PS3 is priced too high and if gamers will be pushed to the Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii. After spending the time with its many functions and capabilities more than were stated here, so enjoy discovering them all it9s certain to feed the appetite of PlayStation fans. If Ferris were around now, one can wonder if he'd say screw the Ferrari and pick up a controller instead.
