More of my sites

WinInfo Daily News
SuperSite for Windows
Windows IT Pro Magazine
Connected Home
Thurrott Dot Com
Windows Weekly at TWIT


About this site

For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul



Friday, March 09, 2007

Finally ... Sony PlayStation 3

It took many months longer than I would have liked, but I finally snagged a PlayStation 3, extra wireless controller, and a single game (Resistance: Fall of Man) today. You can check out my two screenshot galleries on the SuperSite of Windows for more:

Part 1: PlayStation 3 Hardware
Part 2: Accessories, Documentation, and Game

I'll be reviewing the PS3 as soon as possible with an eye toward a direct head-to-head comparison with the Xbox 360. Some first impressions:

- Goddamn, this thing is expensive. I got the 60 GB version of the console, a single extra controller, and a single game. It came to just under $750 after taxes. Yikes.

- It's super quiet. We've been using an Xbox 360 in our den as our primary TV interface for about two months now (it's connected via the network to a Vista-based Media Center PC in my home office), and while it's an excellent solution with virtually zero glitches, the Xbox 360 console can be loud. As a long-time (and, frankly, pretty dedicated) Xbox 360 user, I can say with certainty that this is one area in which the PS3 comes out way ahead. It never churned up like an airplane, and the only sound I actually heard was the soft "chunking" sound of the optical drive.

- The PSP-inspired menu system is almost laughably bad compared to Microsoft's excellent "blade" UI. Not to mention the fact that the Xbox 360's centralized online service, downloadable TV shows and movies, and other features sort of makes the PS3 environment look pretty barren by comparison.

- "Resistance" is absolutely killer. It is a surreal synthesis of Call of Duty 3 and Gears of War (with some Quake IV thrown in for good measure): A World War II-era shooter in which you fight aliens. It's an excellent, first class title. And it's telling that I spent hours with it this afternoon without getting bored.

- Graphically, Resistance is about on par with Gears of War (in other words, it's amazing looking), though the color palette is equally bland (with browns in place of Gears' grays). As with Gears, enemies tend to blend into the background, which makes it impossible to play in all but the darkest room. Long story short, if a first-gen PS3 game looks this good, the Xbox 360 could be in trouble.

That's about it for now. I hope to have a lot more to say about the PS3 soon.

Labels:

[ Posted at 4:59 PM | Permalink ]

 



Nexus Home | Nexus Archives | Email Paul
Copyright © 2001-2008 Paul Thurrott. All Rights Reserved.