With Sony’s launch of the PlayStation 4, the next generation of video gaming began. In terms of how the new console looks, the PS4 is roughly the same size as the first slim version of the PlayStation 3.

Instead of a rounded box-like shape, the PS4 is slanted and edgy. It has the look to fit in wherever you put it. It has the ability to blend into an entertainment system rather than sticking out like an eyesore if it was more block shaped.

The biggest change in terms of design for Sony is the controller. For casual gamers, this may just be a simple change that does not matter, but for the hardcore it makes a difference. The indentation on the two joysticks keeps the player’s thumbs locked in place when moving them around. This was somewhat of a issue with Sony’s Dualshock controllers, which did not have the indent. When sweaty, the player’s thumbs could slide off the stick in certain situations.

The lower triggers on the controller have been redesigned as well to feel more like triggers. While they do not resemble actual triggers like one might see on the Xbox 360 controller, the new redesigned triggers work and feel better than previous ones.

The new controller also features a slightly different button layout and a touch pad. The start button on the controller is now replaced with an options button that works the same as a start button would. The most significant new button is the share button. By pressing it, the user can take and share screenshots of game play or start the recording of video.

The share feature is something that is new for video game consoles. Being able to share one’s experience via screenshots, gaming clips or even live streaming game play while connected to Sony’s online service, PlayStation Network, adds a new social element to gaming on a Sony platform.

From my experience with my own PS4, gamers do engage others in these new features. During a live stream of Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag,” viewers would comment on the feed with feedback to the player on what they should do or congratulate them on a cool moment or an achievement they unlocked.

When a new generation of consoles launch, one of the biggest things that changes is the graphics. On PS4, the graphical quality is now that of a semi-high-end gaming PC. They are not the best graphics ever, but they are still good.

The difference between EA’s first person shooter “Battlefield 3” on Xbox 360 and “Battlefield 4” on PS4 is very different. The console is young and most of the graphical improvements are in textures and lighting which makes the games look more beautiful and immersive, but the biggest change is in game play.

Unlike the current generations of consoles, the PS4 can handle a high amount of activity going on in a game. For the most part, my PS4 could perfectly handle a full 64 player match of “Battlefield 4” with minimal lag. The hardware inside the console allows it to be taxed harder than its predecessor. It can handle more players, more explosions, more polygons and more fun to be quite frank.

In past iterations of EA’s “FIFA” franchise, the stadiums, faces and the crowd have all been lifelike, but not very realistic. Skin did not look like skin and fans looked like colorful animated stick figures. Now, in “FIFA 14” on the PS4, the presentation and game play make the game feel alive. Fans look realistic, and players legitimately look like their real world counterparts. My dad walked in as I was playing and asked what channel the game was on and was shocked when I told him it was a game.

Even though I am not blown away by the PS4, this does not mean that it is not a good console. It is not like this is the first console launch with mediocre game selection, too. While there is not much to play on the console, PlayStation Network gives gamers opportunities to download free games if they are PlayStation Plus members, which is the equivalent of Xbox Live Gold membership.

A free 30-day trial of PlayStation Plus is included with the PS4. Plus, it is necessary to play games online, which is new for PSN, but it is cost-effective since Sony gives away free games and items regularly on the service.

There is a lot of promise for the PS4. If one compares the graphic quality of current gen games when they launched and games now on current gen, the difference is obvious.

Once game developers learn to better utilize the console, the graphics will get better and they will find new and innovative ways to change game play. I know developers like Bethesda who are the creators of the “Elder Scrolls” series and the people at Naughty Dog who created the “Uncharted” series will create stunning new fresh experiences on this next generation of console gaming.

While it is new, and there is not a big library for the PS4 yet, I believe the console will be worth its $400 price tag when games like Sucker Punch’s “Infamous: Second Sun” come on the market. Until then I do not think the console is worth the buy just yet.

This, however; does not mean that the PS4 is a bad console. With all of its changes and new features, the PS4 is an item that hardcore gamers should have.

3.5/5