I should give this one star since I haven't seen my boyfriend since Christmas, but I can't say I have enjoyed the time alone, I don't have to share the remote, I only need to cook for one :) meanwhile he doesn't leave the "man cave" often, he LOVES the Playstation and this game, it was well worth the $ to make him this happy..and get this much free time Lol
*** at the time of writing this review this bundle was $443 I would recommend buying the console and game separately as you can find The Last of Us for PS4 for about $20-$25 now.
As a longtime PlayStation owner I was going to go with the PlayStation 4 over the Xbox One just because all my friends/family are PlayStation gamers.But if you're somebody was looking to get into the new generation of consoles is a few reasons why like PlayStation over the Xbox.
Reason one: the ability to swap out the hard drive and add 2+ terabytes of storage. The PlayStation makes it very easy to upgrade your hard drive and add more space. With most AAA titles measuring in between 40-50 GB your 500 gig hard drive gets filled up rather quickly. But you can easily upgrade the hard drive in less than 30 minutes something Xbox does not allow you to do.
You can get an upgrade kit with everything you need to do it yourself right here OWC DIY 2.0TB Drive Upgrade Bundle for the PlayStation¨ 4
Reason two: PlayStation plus is the same price as Xbox Live at $50 a year (you can actually score PlayStation plus around the holidays for about $35) the thing with PlayStation plus is you a lot more free games every month. And not just independent and cheap games but the really nice AAA titles. It really pays for itself rather quickly in free games Alone.
Reason three: it generally is a more powerful system than the Xbox One. Now I know many will debate this fact but as a hardware and tech guy I know the fact that the PlayStation is able to play games at a higher resolution than the Xbox one. But now that the Xbox One has dropped support for the camera it has a little bit more power under its hood. With that being said the visual difference is minor to the untrained eye but the PlayStation is a more powerful system nonetheless.
Reason four: the PlayStation TV at the ability to remote play your PlayStation to another TV in your house all for only about $60. To me that's pretty amazing that in case somebody is using the TV that your PlayStation is attached to you can go to another room and still play your games. I recommend getting the bundle PlayStation TV as it comes with a game and a PS3 controller all for only about $20 more.
Reason five: Share Play is a game changer for console gaming. Basically allows you to share your screen with someone else who is playing on a PlayStation 4 console. They can take control of your console and help you through difficult part. Or you can play two player game at the same time. It truly is magnificent and a feature that was only recently added to the console.
Those are just A few of my reasons why I went with PlayStation 4 over the Xbox and maybe a few reasons why you might want to also.
Thanks for reading!
PS the one drawback to buying a PlayStation is the PlayStation network really is not very good. It goes down every few months for a day or two and is been the target of many hackers. It goes down more than most porn stars. Sony is pretty good about reimbursing you with discounts and free PlayStation plus. Microsoft deftly has a better network for Xbox users and it's my only complaint now the PlayStation network has become a pay service.
Let's just start with this: it is completely your opinion whether Xbox one or PS4 are better. There are ups and downs for both, but the main reason you buy one or another is what your friends get. This is why I don't get on xbox ones people's case, and I hope they don't get on mine.
After saying that, I'll talk about the bundle. There isn't really anything special about the bundle. You save like 10$, but even that is not true. You can buy a ps4 for 400 and the game new for 42, so it's cheaper to go that way. That said, if you are a person who likes bundles, there is a Black Friday bundle which includes: A BLACK 500GB PS4, GTA V, and THE LAST OF US. You can get this for only 400$. My recommendation is to go for that, and if you don't like gta v you can just sell it.
Didn't save much money with the bundle, but the console is totally worth it, beautiful design, very comfortable controller, and the interface is awesome! after 7 years with the 360, i couldn't go on with the microsoft company because i would be missing awesome games like Uncharted or The Last of Us, SO... I'M SO HAPPY I CHANGED to SONY! I have played the game for some hours, and since i didn't played it on ps3 i cannot mark differences, but i can say the graphics of thsi game are out of this world, i was playing and i had to stop sometimes just to see how water travelled in the ground, it was just like watching a movie or seeing it in real life, and the story is awesome too, i sometimes think i'm in the game when i have to be walking extremely silent so zombies don't see me! I'm just so happy with this game and this console.. it's awesome!
Hmm no helpful reviews on Amazon for the Z2 (right now)..Lets Change that :)
Background: I've pretty much had every flagship last year, watched every review and waited for every single flagship before making my pick in the end it was between this and the G3.
Day:4? : Got used to the size of this phone, sometimes I still think it's kinda big but overall was able to adjust my best way to describe it is to think of it as a smaller phablet, the front facing speakers are awesome and make watching vids much more enjoyable worth the extra height. Battery life is good, I havent been able to kill it in 1 day under heavy use (for me) it lasts about a day and a half to 2 days for med to light use. I think 3 would be only very light use. Overall really happy, the headphone sound quality is very good as well best I've heard on a phone (have not tried any iPhones).
Update Date 2: I took off 1 star because the call quality is pretty bad I made 3 calls and spent about an hr each time the person on the other end asked me to move the a few times because they said I sounded muffled, it may not be a big deal to some people but it gets annoying having to reposition the phone 2-3 times during a call and asking is that better?
The included headphones and sound quality through the jack is excellent I would compare the headphones to $50-60 ones.
There is also a defect on my phone which is pretty common, there is a small gap between the left corner screen and the bezel, I will most likely return it and get another one without the gap. I'm not sure if the muffled voice thing is due to the way I hold it or because of the phone but I've seen other users have this issue on XDA while others don't.
Besides that the docking station imo is not worth the extra money, it docks on it's side which is cool but if you just want to pick up your phone or check a few things becomes kind of a hassle.
Sony UI has been very smooth havent had any issues
Here we go!
I've spent about 4 hrs with this phone and I have to say it exceeded my expectations. I was originally intending on returning the phone after the G3 launch event (ordered it before) but after receiving it I'm definitely going with this over the G3. My biggest concern with the Z2 was the size, I tried the Z1 and it was just too big and bulky for my tastes I wanted something smaller so I got the Z1c....but that was too small (hate it when that happens) so decided on giving the Z2 a try even though it's only a little big thinner. My first impression is that while the Z2 is big (I'm 5'7 and have small to average hands) it is manageable, does it fit as good as the G2..No but surprisingly it feels a lot better in hand than the Z1 which my hands hated. I'm not gonna say whether I think it's too big or not but I'd just say buy from an verified Amazon seller so you don't have to pay a crazy restocking fee if you don't like the feel.
I'm not going to bother with specs like ram and gpu honestly if you have any flagship form the past 2-3 years it should be able to handle anything in the app store, same goes for 2-3 gbs of ram it really doesnt make a difference.
Build quality...here's where the Z2 really separates itself from the competition, if you used any other of the Z's you know what you're getting but the phone's build quality is on par with the HTC One. It's 10/10 in terms of build quality and the best looking phone imo at the moment. It does have some heft to it and I wish it was a little lighter but it isn't a deal breaker or a con.
Size: A little on the big size but manageable, you're gonna have to do some finger stretching.
Screen.... Wow, as soon as I turned it on I was Wow'd, it's the best screen that I've seen on a phone while colors and how bright/vibrant something is (cough sammy cough) is personal preference I can easily say it's one of the best screens out there. Compared to the HTC One M7, S4, G2, and Note 3 I can easily say this is the best (to my eyes)
Speakers: Very good currently the 2nd or 3rd best speakers on a phone....the HTC One M8 is currently the best and it's a tie between the One M7 and the Z2. Keep in mind there are some software issues that doesnt let you use both speakers when the phones ringing or when it's on speaker phone so it's not quite as loud when you're not using it for media hopefully they release a fix for this in the future..... Come On Sony!
Camera: Wow...again, this is the 1st phone that I've used that I'm actually impressed with the camera quality I used the Z1 and Z1c which had the same lens and was pretty disappointed but after taking a few test shots I was very impressed. From many camera comparisons this and the S5 are considered the best cameras on the market depending on how you like colors in your photos ( I think the S5 looks slightly better but once again just personal preference).
Battery: Battery on this is a beast...from everything I've read the battery will last you 1 day under heavy use, 2 days under med and 3 for light. I've been using the phone like crazy installing apps updating the firmware, testing out camera, speakers, texting for 4 hrs and it's only dropped 15%. You should have no issues with battery life what so ever.
Waterproofing: If this is important to you and you're debating between this and the S5 get this...there have been reports with the S5 again that the waterproofing did not work as advertised and damaged the phone. Not sure how many but Sammy has had this issue in the past with the Active. I've never heard a Sony phone having issues with waterproofing yes you may have to deal with flaps but at least you wont have to deal with trying to get your device exchanged.
Conclusion: This is the best phone (alndthe most expensive) I've used if I had to rate it I'd give it a 9/10 only taking 1 star off because of the size (size may be an issue for some, may not for others). The main reason I chose this over the G3 was size...the G3 while beautiful is a bit wider than the Z2 and the Z2 to me is the absolute max I'd go in terms of width if I had bigger hands I might have gone with the G3. Right now there is no perfect phone for me they all come with some sort of draw backs but this is as close as it gets to perfection.....With all the flagships being released I can happily say my search for a phone is over, I'll be keeping this for the foreseeable future unless release a Z2 compact with a 4.7-5 in screen (fingers crossed)
Side Notes: There are a few different versions of the phone an Asia version that comes with noise cancelling headphones and a charging dock and a Euro version that does not come with the dock. I think the dock goes for about $30-50 on Amazon not sure but you might want to keep that in terms of pricing from sellers.
Might get a slim case, not sure how easily the back scratches but using finger stretching I worry that it'll slip out my hands on accident.
Important: From the reviews I've seen the white version as a staining issue where the sides of the phone stain when you put them in your jean pocket so you may want to check and due routine cleaning to prevent any permanent staining.
The cheapest I've seen this is 600 on a bay from a excellent seller. I was able to get it from a verified Amazon seller with prime for 670, worth the extra money since I used my Amazon card, no hassle returns and it came with the charging dock. (As of 5/28/14)
Feel free to ask any questions, I'll update if I find any issues or anything worth mentioning.
Amazing phone. But I'm disappointing, because I didn't receive the magnetic base. I received the phone in the original box, but I realized lots of free space inside the box because of some missing items.
Unfortunately I did not receive any of the cool accessories like the magnetic dock and noise canceling ear buds... But either way this phone is amazing beautiful screen and the battery usually lasts me 2 days with moderate usage also I'm not even rooted
I love this phone. Finally a decent camera in a cell phone! As a sailor, waterproofness matters to me, so I don't want to be opening the usb port all the time. It has taken some time for me to get used to the magnetic connector thing but now that I found those magnector cables (you can find them here on Amazon) I'm all good there. My phone came from Hong Kong, and sadly did not include the spiffy noise canceling earbuds. But that's ok, I found a set fairly cheap elsewhere so I'm good. I'm using on T-Mobile USA, and getting it up and running there was quite painless.
Absolutely the best phone I have ever owned. It is lightning fast, very responsive, holds a charge all day after heavy use, has the best screen resolution and color I have ever seen, great camera that is easy to use.
I can not say enough good things about this phone. I have AT&T and my monthly fees have actually gone down with having a larger data plan and no contract.
If I had any quibbles at all, it night be that the phone without a case is a very slick and slides due to the tempered glass back. I did however purchase MOTOMO case that fits snugly and solves this issue without giving up the good looks.
Most don't recognize the Sony Xperia z2 because it's more foreign. Like foreign cars, the Sony Xperia z2 is the best.
-the best! camera with 20mp takes gorgeous photos that kills those of the s5, iPhone 6 AND HTC m8
-The battery is excellent! Better than the top brands I have just named
-The screen is gorgeous
-Waterproof, not resistant, waterPROO
waterPROOF waterPROOF. There was a news story to prove it. This guy lost it in a lake for Two months, and went driving to find it two months later to find it still working perfectly.
Just face it, the HTC m8 is a close competitor, but it's just outmatched by specs. Any iPhone or Samsung is NO match. Thank You
Manuel A. Email: manuelallston9@gmail.com
I lost my S5 when I went jet skiing with my girlfriend (water damage). I needed a new phone. Being an android lover and lover of big screens and a major techie who loves being able to use my phone as a computer, I tried the HTC m8. It was really good but the camera sucked so I got rid of it. I tried the IPhone like my gf suggested and I didn't like the restrictive (but super smooth) iOS and the tiny screen. Then I thought about this phone and I decided to get it by looking at the spec sheet and the brand. Sony products I have owned have been great so it helped my decision. I can't believe I'm saying this but this phone is so much better than all the others!!!!! Seriously, I'd never thought I'd love another phone more than my S5 but I do! The camera kicks butt, the UI is mega smooth, the screen is gorgeous (it doesn't get super dim like my S5 though. The lowest brightness of my Xperia is 16nits as opposed to 4nits on my S5), the design is beautiful and useful (water proof in this rainy weather), and it's overall super slick and quick. I am VERY picky with my technology but this phone is amazing. I love it and it will easily be my daily driver for 2 yes. Then I will get the next Xperia. This is the first sony phone I've ever had and it didn't disappoint. It totally took out all competition from other flagships. To be honest, the only fault I find in this phone is the high low brightness problem I mentioned earlier. If you want a beautiful, powerful, durable, and big screen phone, you can't go wrong. I give this phone a 9.5/10 easily. If you have any questions, email me at newengland11@live.com!
Two parts to this review. First the seller, second the phone.
I bought from FGS Trading, they might of cost $5.00 more but was well worth it, I changed my mind and wanted a different color so I emailed them. They emailed back and told me if the could the would, and still make sure it shipped that day. Well they did, I switched from white to purple, because of some staining issues I found out about during some research done after the fact.
Also FGS sold me a phone that had over $80 worth of accessories, the sony magnetic dock, and the noise canceling headphone. What a great surprise, and well worth the extra $5 i spent.
This phone, the Sony Z2 D6503, wow. I am using a nexus 5 as my daily, and have a note 3, and Z Ultra as alternatives.
Size - The phone is larger, but coming from the nexus which has squared corners, its very usable. If you don't mind using the nexus 5 you won't mind the Z2.
Display - clarity seems the same as the nexus, but better that the note 3, and z ultra. The colors are so much better than the nexus5, and the Z ultra, and not near as artificial as the AMOLED on the note 3.
-processing power - even though it has the snapdragon 801 chipset, and the other 3 have the snapdragon 800, it feels about the same, if not a tad slower (the other 3 are all rooted and running stock KitKat) sometimes when I pull down the notification tray and i get a stutter.
Camera - I knew what I was getting, a 20.7MP sensor, but it still blew me away, I took photos with all 4 phones, the same photo, the Sony Z2 using superior auto, which yields an 8MP image, the nexus 5, and Z Ultra at 8MP and the note 3 at 13MP. The Sony destroyed them all, better color reproduction, more detail, and less noise, especially when cropped. All images where viewed on a 1080p 27" monitor. When I set the Z2 to manual and used the full 20.7MP setting I noticed zero improvement over the 8MP sampled pic.
Build quality - not quite to the level of my old HTC one M8, or iPhone 5/5s, but very much the same quality of the iPhone 4/4s and HTC one m7.
Sound - the front facing speakers are not any louder than the other phones, but the clarity is taken to a whole new level, but defintaly still below the HTC one both m7/m8, but remember these are waterproof. The Sony noise canceling headphones included from FGS Trading (model mdr-nc31e) are amazing, as good as any in ear buds I've ever bought or used in terms of noise canceling, and the sound quality from them is a few levels better than those typically included with phones(looking at you apple)
Battery life, both my nexus 5 and Z2 were at 100% at 10am, and right now it is 9pm, I'm sure I've used the Z2 30% more than the nexus over this time, and the nexus is at 40%, and the Sony at 70%, wow, color me impressed.
So far I love this phone, and I have owned the HTC one m7/m8, and the galaxy s3/s4/s5 (the s5 for 10 days, most over rated phone I have used) the Z2 beats the S5 in every way so far as I've experienced, but I didn't use the fingerprint scanner.
I hope they make a compact 4.5 inch version that still uses a 1080p screen, because I would buy that for my wife, as she loves this phone too(but uses the iPhone 5s currently)
Improvements - shrink the side bezels, the lg g2 did it. Get rid of the xperia link when you swipe up, as it shares space with google now, but is about 0.00001% as useful. Why go with the snapdragon 801 AB, and not the AC. I know its only 0.2ghz difference, but come on Sony why go 99% when making a flagship. Why have this amazing camera but not offer a duel led "true tone" style flash like my HTC one M8, or wife's 5s, and flagship, with best camera ever on a android device, why go 99%
I purchased the Xperia Z2 Factory Unlocked with International Warranty: I received the phone Yesterday. I've used the Sony Xperia Z and Z1, and I love both, In fact, I passed my older phones to my sister and my mom, because I really love it, and I didn't wanna sell my xperia's.
The display is big, but not too much... is perfect for me, bright and provides a feeling of naturalness, the view angles are excellent, and the level of darkness of the black color improves significantly. Thanks to the IPS RGB display (Z and Z1 have TFT displays)
The sound is AWESOME, comparing with the xperia Z and the Z1 (And all the galaxy's), this phone sounds terrific.
NFC's technologies work's Fine transferring Photos, music and other archives with other phones, my smart tags work well too.
I use a Sony 64 Gig SD card so total usable storage on the phone is about 75Gb.
Battery life is awesome! 3200mAh... I finish my days with 30 or 40% of battery
The better Feature: It's waterproof, like Z and Z1, The earphone jack is uncovered and doesn't affect the waterproofing at all. In my Xperia z I have to remove the jack cover for listening music, but no more... To prevent closing and opening this little covers I bought a Sony Dock
The 20.7 mp Camera is Awesome!!! and the secondary camera is better than Z and Z1 too. Photographs are utterly brilliant and very VERY fine detail, The Colors are so Natural, better than Galaxy S5, S4 and S3 that seems to use an Ultra artificial coloring.
I really like this phone and I have nothing negative to say. I bought it in Black, because my older phones are White... I have to change it... Is really beautiful, Gorgeous, and the materials are really amazing too, it makes me feel the heaven in my hands =). I think that the Z2 is the most beautiful and powerful phone in the market.
with 3Gb of Ram, and a 2.3 GHZ 801 processor, is SO fast, nothing negative to say... It's ultra fast
I ordered the phone from "WorldWide Distributors" because I emailed EVERY seller, to find the correct one that include the noise cancell headset and the dock in the phone box, this seller told me: "Yes it comes with both and has a 1yr manufactures warranty through Sony" then I did the purchase, and immediately I sent other e-mail to the seller confirming that the accessories was include in the box, surprisingly, The seller told me two days after: "Unfortunately, the phone does not come with the noise cancelling headset and the magnetic dock. We do apologize for any inconvenience on this matter". I had to talk with amazon and now Amazon have to refund the amount of the accessories that the seller offered me. This seller is a liar, and I'll never do transactions with them.
I live In Venezuela and the phone Works Fine in every Company, gets 4G (LTE) in Digitel (Unique with LTE, and is not so good =s)
If you're looking for the best 2014 phone, z2 is a great choice, M8 is also an excellent choice but isn't waterproof, that in my case, is not a choice, I really hated the Galaxy S5 when I hold it in my hands, so plastic, and the display and Camera have unrealistic colors
Sorry for my English Level, I hope you Understand
My fiancé and I bought these rings and they're perfect. We got our little saying to each other engraved in them and it came out nice. We love tungsten because it's affordable and still looks great plus it's practical! I can't wait to exchange vows and these rings on March 7!
This system has seen it all in a short amount of time as it pertains to controversy and scrutiny, but rest assured that it's a great system worthy of the price tag.
First off, when you power it up you'll notice the spectacular UI (user interface) that comes packaged in that delivers the Windows 8 OS-like setup. It's easy to to get to where you want, and it has a nice clean look to it. Very attractive.
If you buy the Kinect (optional) you'll be walked through a quick setup that'll have you ready to go in about a minute or two. The Kinect makes navigating the UI that much more simple if you don't mind talking to a device that is. I personally don't and it's so cool in action. It has a fair share of people who refuse to give it a chance ranging from tin foil theories of being spied on to feeling silly talking or moving around to have it function in specific games but the device is impressive.
But if you're not interested in the Kinect, you still have quick access to wherever by use of the excellent controller and it's "Menu" button, which was formerly the "start" button.
The Xbox One also allows for different apps to run simultaneously via a feature called "Snap". It's nifty if a bit cumbersome in certain areas.
There are a number of ways to use Snap, such as making a Skype call to a loved one or friend while watching Netflix, or playing a game and playing music through Microsoft's "Xbox Music" app. It's fairly intuitive and unique but they could use an update minimizing the sizes you choose to dedicate to it in my opinion.
Going back to the controller, it's hands down one of the best ever created keeping up the trend of great controllers for Microsoft systems since the Controller S from the first Xbox, leading the way to the second system's controller in Xbox 360's revered pad to now.
Completely comfortable and now a bit lighter due to the removal of the battery hump from the 360's pad as it's now within the body of the controller.
It now sports rumble triggers which vibrate and move depending on the game giving you specific feedback. A prime example is in Forza 5 where the triggers feedback rumbles while racing around and hitting curbs or other cars and it all feels so spectacular.
The controller features 40+ new improvements from the 360 controllers features which honestly had me scratching my head in what possible improvements they could add as it was already so good.
The only cons I can think of for the controller is the D-Pad, though improved from the 360's stiff and at times unresponsive D-Pad, and the fact that it still requires batteries (2) to operate, unless you purchase the "Play and Charge Kit" that comes with a rechargeable lithium battery, which I'd highly recommend.
Design-wise, the system is fairly large, though surprisingly lighter than I would've imagined. It measures 274 x 79 x 333 mm, making it longer and taller than a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox 360, so be ware that if you plan on setting this up in your entertainment setup to have a bit of space ready for it.
It has been criticized, and rightly so for it's less sleek design and "vcr"-like appearance and I can understand the criticisms, especially coming from the ultra sleek Xbox 360 design.
The system houses more than a few ports. It has all your standard nodes: ethernet, HDMI out, power, S/PDIF (commonly used for optical audio), dual USB 3.0 ports and an IR out. Additionally, there are two proprietary ports, one for hooking in the Kinect, and an HDMI-in, for use if you decide to plug in your cable or satellite signal. There's also a third USB 3.0 port found on the system's right side.
Within the box, you'll get the console (obviously), a power cable and adapter (a.k.a. the power brick), a decent headset, the headset adapter, an HDMI cable and controller with batteries. You'll also get a 14-day free trial of Xbox Live Gold. Fairly solid packaging for the price honestly.
You can record gameplay clips of your various adventures by using the systems "Game DVR" which is Youtube friendly and easy to use and if set up with the Snap function allows up to 5 minutes of recording which then goes to the systems "Upload Studio" which features a bunch of editing tools, and allows you to record a voice over commentary if you so choose. You can also share your stuff over Xbox Live for other gamers to view and rate.
Xbox OneGuide is a built in guide, you can navigate channels and search for specific shows, using the controller or your voice via Kinect as the HDMI-in turns the Xbox One into a cable box essentially.
It's fairly cool and extremely easy to use but as I learned, you need to have your Xbox on all the time while watching long with your cable box. It's not exactly an energy saver.
You can also use an app for tablets and phones called "Smartglass" in conjunction with this as a remote control, as well as send messages to friends, check uploading videos of yours, etc. if you have such a device. It's unique and a nice free little app if you choose to use it but not necessary.
For the systems core components, the Xbox One is powered by an 8 core AMD processor, backed by 8GB of DDR3 and 32MB of ultra fast ESRAM. For storage, there's a 500GB hard drive to keep your media, gameplay videos and game installs. Unlike the PlayStation 4, there's no swapping out that mechanical drive for solid state without some trouble, and of course voiding your warranty, though it's entirely unnecessary to begin with as another positive for the system is that they regularly update it and the newest update as of June 9th 2014, allows for external Hard drives up to 16TB's. You'll never run out of room in other words.
Speaking of the most recent update, there is no longer a need to have an Xbox Live Gold membership to access paid apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and such which was one of the smartest things Microsoft could've done.
Games. The system boasts some of the best exclusives at launch with many more recently announced and still being developed with some of the most breathe taking, air gasping visuals I've ever seen.
You have the ultra gorgeous Forza 5 for racing fans and aficionados, the life-like and beautiful Ryse: Son of Rome that top that list immediately.
You also have the killer apps in, Titanfall, Dead Rising 3 and the well received Killer Instinct for first person shooter, action/adventure zombie and fighting fans.
Future exclusives include...
The Master Chief Collection, containing all 4 Master Chief focused games from Halo 1-4, which includes the anniversary version of Halo 2 with improved graphics and increased frame rates, and over 100 multiplayer maps to fight with and against others on.
Halo 5: Guardians, which continues the epic tale of the Master Chief and Halo lore. A beta will be included in the MCC mentioned above that goes live later this year in December..
Quantum Break, which is a third person action adventure game developed by the creators of Alan Wake and Max Payne 1-2 with stunning visuals and from what has been shown interesting and unique gameplay mechanics controlling time.
Sunset Overdrive, from Insomniac Games, the creators of the Spyro, Rachet and Clank, and Resistance games, is an over the top action/adventure game in a colorful and vibrant city where you create your own character to take down zombie-like creatures who mutated from drinking this new flavored drink called Overcharge Delirium XT all while blazing around anywhere you want to go with flair and relative ease. It looks extremely fun.
Forza Horizon 2, The sequel to Forza Horizon, an open-world driving game where you get to sit behind the wheel of some of the world's most fastest and gorgeous cars. It's set in southern Europe, where a musical festival is taking place. A day and night cycle also brings with it a new dynamic weather system, so you could be tearing up the roads with the friends in your club when you suddenly have some wet roads to contend with.
Fable Legends, which is a new addition to the Fable franchise from Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios. However, this game is different to the previous titles, as its bringing co-op play to the forefront of the experience and not directly tied to past Fable lore.
Scalebound, developed by Platinum Games, creators of Bayonetta which apparently features a character in the vein ofDante from DMC, who uses a dragon to help take down various large screen filling monsters.
Ori and the Blind Forest, which is a beautiful 2D side-scroller which sees you playing as a white guardian spirit named Ori. Inspired by classic games of old such as Metroid.
Phantom Dust, which was a game released in Japan on the original Xbox back in 2004, and later in North America in 2005. Created by Yukio Futatsugi, who directed Panzer Dragoon on the Sega Saturn, Phantom Dust was set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where a dust that covers its surface renders it an unlivable wasteland. A few humans, Espers, have the ability to harness the dust, meaning they can survive on the Earth's surface and leave their underground homes. The Espers search the wasteland to find clues to how the planet became the way it is.
And last but not least, Crackdown, which had two releases to varying results on the Xbox 360 was announced which is more or less, Saints's Row 4 with powers and fully destructible environment.
The system has it's share of flaws, such as not being as powerful graphically as the main competition in the Playstation 4, but the gap isn't so wide that it's worthy of a con.
If you were reluctant to try this before with the Kinect, all of your worries should be alleviated with this Kinect-less version here.
The Xbox One is a great system and well worth a purchase.
I bought the signature edition of the HP Stream 7 from the Microsoft store after stumbling upon this device on a few tech blogs. At first I was mystified because of the low price! A full WIndows 8.1 tablet and 1-year free of Office 365.... all for $99??? I have other tablets (Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013, Ipad 3rd Generation, Kindle Fire HDX 7 and a Barnes and Noble Nook HD+). I know it is silly to have so many devices especially when some go unused for months at a time but eventually I pick them all up and use them while others are charging. The only thing missing from my collection at the time was a Windows tablet. I heard horrible things about RT and other full-Windows tablets were a little pricier so I thought maybe this would be the one thing I could not have. I have seen other "budget" Windows tablets recently but the reviews have been horrible. I decided to give this a shot because the early adopters raved about it. I have had this baby since November so I will give my insight on it now.
When the device arrived I was excited and tore into the box as soon as I could. Normally I hate to unwrap my tablets until my case and screen protectors arrive (ALL my tablets are still pristine), but I could not wait on this one. On first observation there was really nothing flashy about the look and feel of the device. It was boxy and somewhat thicker than most newer 7-inch tablets of recent memory. When picking it up you will notice the weight of this thing. It is heavier than all my small tablets for sure but it felt solidly built! There was a little flex when pressing on the back of the device but that I owe to the fact you have to pry the tablet open to access the micro-SD slot to expand the memory (which was an awesome add-on because Windows can take up a decent amount of storage). All in all I was happy that this budget device did not feel cheap (way to go HP).
It came with a good charge on it when I powered it on and it immediately began setting itself up. It transfers all of your settings (including your screensaver) if you have a windows laptop or desktop. I thought this was pretty awesome as it looked like a mini version of my Lenovo laptop after it finished setting up. I was pleasantly surprised with how crisp the screen looked. I guess things look pretty decent on a 7 inch screen but still for a budget tablet the screen quality was nice. Using the device was also a pleasant experience. Many people have complained about a lack of touch screen responsiveness and the text being too small to be productive. Though the latter argument is valid I still do not have much trouble navigating the text at all. The Windows store is still lagging far behind all the other major operating systems out there but all the ones I generally use are there (Netflix, C-Net, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, etc). Movies playback fine without any lag. I have heard reports of weak Wi-Fi but the only time I have seen this is when I try to use my job's Wi-Fi which sucks to begin with. At home this thing is zippy fast. Another negative I have heard is that since this device only has 1GB of RAM then it will be sluggish if you have too many things running. Since it is such a small device I can't imagine doing anything hardcore on it so I haven't had a sluggish moment yet. I have had 3 web pages, Netflix and a social app running with no troubles. So performance wise I have been thrilled with the decent graphics and snappy performance. I do not do any gaming on my tablets so I can't comment on how it handles graphic intensive games.
Now for a few negatives. The first was beyond the device's control and that was initially the lack of decent cases and screen protectors. It tok a month after for actual products to become available on Amazon. I chose a lime green Infiland case with removable bluetooth keyboard that came with a free OTG dongle cable (it plugs into the power port and has a USB plug-in). With the OTG dongle I plugged in a wireless mouse and with the keyboard case the HP Stream 7 becomes literally a mini-laptop. Using a wireless mouse makes it A LOT easier to navigate around the device. A LOT. Using the mouse makes clicking on small font a breeze and zipping towards the corner of the screen to activate many of Windows operating features is a breeze! So the first negative is technically solved. The second negative is the battery life. While using the device it does seem to drain somewhat fast but I expected this due to the cost cutting HP had to do to keep this thing budget. The battery is not the best in the world but it lasts the way I expected. My Lenovo laptop is the same way so I was not turned off by the shorter life. What I was apprehensive about was the way the battery drains when the device is NOT turned on. My other tablets can be turned off for a month and still have a decent charge when I finally do pick them up again. The HP Stream 7 I noticed dies after being turned off for a couple days prompting you to have to recharge it again. If you just hibernate this thing without turning it off then it is curtains EVEN faster than that! I suggest shutting down the device after every use and always carrying the included charger with you at all times in your bag, man-purse, pocketbook etc. just in case. The device charges a little slow but not bad when you use the proprietary charger. i have heard horror stories of people using 3rd party chargers or chargers from other devices that make charging painfully slow. So now I carry my charger around so it is not that big of a deal.
My final negative is one that caused me to almost return this device. As many people have reported when you are using headphones there is a very loud and constant static/buzzing noise. I generally always use headphones because I have never been fond of any tablet's speakers (thought the Kindle HDX 7 is good). When I plugged my headphones in I heard the noise right away. it would come and go depending on what I was doing. When just navigating webpages (and being lazy to take them off) I will hear the static. If I am watching YouTube videos or Netflix and I am watching quiet scenes or low speaking scenes I can really hear the annoying background static. If I am watching things with decent sound, action or just watching anything loud you will not really notice the background static as much. I contacted HP about this and they offered sending me a new device. I waited for the new one to arrive and when it did I set it up and plugged my headphones in and same problem. I am thinking this is an effect of the cost cutting measures to keep this device at a competitive price. I decided to return the second tablet HP sent me and keep the first because the HP device had bloatware on it that my original Signature edition was free of. I am dealing with this unfortunate sound issue but this would be the biggest negative about the device in my opinion.
Overall for the money you pay for the HP Stream 7 you are getting a great device for your buck. It is fully functional, built solidly, offers a great quality screen and graphics, and allows for expandable storage AND ability to use OTG cables to add a wireless mouse or even keyboard. The flaw with the battery and sound is daunting but with the free Office 365 for a year (in which you can also activate on a desktop/laptop as well) makes this a definite must-have for those wanting a Windows tablet or for people looking to gift a loved one with a tablet that allows them to enjoy entertainment and be productive at the same time.
This works great with my PS4. Got rid of that stock 500GB and replaced it easily with this 2TB. If you're a PS4 owner, I'd highly recommend this for more memory. I have about 20 PS4 games and my catalog will only get bigger as new games continue to release. 500GB isn't enough space. Unless you're one to complete the game and delete it. Definite must have!
I have been a follower of PES since it was only Konami and all they were doing was Winning Eleven. At that time I used to live in Europe, more than 15 years ago. I still remember playing Winning Eleven 4, which was re-released in Europe under the name of ISS Pro Evolution. Graphics looked like a joke compared to the fancier FIFA's, but the game-play was always, always light years ahead. And so on during the following years. ISS became PES, and it was always my choice for soccer gaming on PlayStation. I have been a follower of their legacy for almost 20 years, back when only Winning Eleven was available and I had to download the Japanese version from the web and burn it onto a CD for my PlayStation 1 and navigate through the Japanese-only menu. Since then, I have probably played over 10,000 matches by myself or with my friends throughout the whole series. Just to let you understand how a hardcore of fan I have been.
Now, back to our days. Last year PES (2014) was terrible, everybody knows that. Konami screwed us and they were sorry. This year, after buying the PS4, I started having that feeling -I don't know why- that this year's PES was going to be different, because I know that Japanese people might do a mistake once but they won't repeat it. They will actually surprise you back. After buying the game, downloading the mega update pack (1.3GB) and configuring all my favorite settings for the first game (I recommend setting up the speed of the game to the maximum and using the analog arrows to control the game, not the 360 stick), I sat down and waited to be amazed.
I am still in shock of how good of a video-game they made it. I just can't make-up to that feeling. It looks and feels extremely neat, and the game-play it is just SUPERB. There is no other way to put it. I can spend hours writing how this year's PES is fantastic, but do yourself a favor and go get it and have a wonderful time playing it. If you are a looking for a video-game with all the licenses for naming teams and championships and with all the fancy looking boys and jerseys but with a Pac-Man style game-play, get FIFA and be one of many. But if you truly love soccer and you can't live without it and you want a realistic, heart-beating gameplay within an over-the-edge soccer simulation, you will find your happiness into this.
All I can say is that, given my experience with the Konami series, this is the best PES they have ever done. And, simply put, the most outstanding soccer video-game ever made. Kudos to the whole Konami team, and THANK YOU for FINALLY adding live updates of rosters and names and teams and everything else.
Horrible graphics, could of done a better image on my old printer.. Not worth it.
Horrible graphics, could of done a better image on my old printer.. Not worth it.
Well, I waited for hours outside for the PS4 to come out, finally got one. Grabbed a game soon after and thought LEGO Marvel Super Heroes would be fun. I've played a few other LEGO games in the past, Indiana Jones, Batman, and some others. All of which I liked, but, after a while, it was the same old thing. Picking this up I knew what I was getting into... or so I though.
I popped it in (after hours figuring out how to update the PS4 with a USB/PSN being down). I was agitated and had a feeling this game might let me down as well. It starts you out with the basic entry movies (very good animation and voice overs). It moves to game play and you instantly recognize your favorite Marvel heros. This was a nice intro. Tons of hidden humor! Kids will love it, but adults will definitely pull out the "Did he just say that?" parts. I played through a few hours (1-2) with the classic gameplay.
Then, out of nowhere, it sets you in a city with LEGO Ironman / The Hulk. OK, I thought, I'm stuck and as soon as I get too far it will stop me. NOPE. It was open world, GTA style. I immediately took a car and starting chasing people down the sidewalk. (Thank you GTA). I was happy they added this. The city has a lot of quests and missions packed nearly everywhere.
But the really big game changer was when I hopped out of the car and turned on Ironman's suit. I was off in a sonic boom. They really captured the feeling of flight in this one. It's hard to explain, but it really did feel right. The city is huge with tons of secrets and passages. I've been playing for 5 hours and am only 3.5 % finished O.o I checked the ability to change characters... I changed to Dr. Octopus, then Venom, then a henchman, then Spiderman, and finally The Sandman. There are TONs of additional marvel characters you can play as you open them up. At least 30 or so that I saw, maybe more. All with unique abilities.
The only thing this game lacks is online gameplay. Maybe they will incorporate this in the future. But that's OK with me there's too much to do as it is!
If you are thinking of buying this and you are into Marvel and/or LEGO, DEFINITELY pick this up. It's worth it.
I really wanted to like this game. I, like many others, was really excited when I saw the screenshots and gameplay trailers. This was the the first game for PS4 that I really wanted, and I pre-ordered it almost the moment it became available. The first hour was pretty neat getting to know this new world of hacking in an open world setting. Ultimately though, the game really disappoints. Watch Dogs tries to be innovative with the everything-is-hackable environment and giving its NPCs individual personalities. Unfortunately the story is lackluster at best, the supporting cast of characters is forgettable, and after the shine of the hacking gameplay wears off (very quickly), it feels like GTA without the inspiration or, frankly, fun.
First, the positives. The visual presentation is amazing. This is a next-gen game that really takes advantage of the hardware the PS4 packs. Chicago looks amazing, and feels like a busy-bustling city. It also feels huge. There is plenty in the city to see and explore, and the game's built-in Foursquare-esque mechanic gives the player a reason to find interesting spots in the city. The small details are very well presented as well, from sounds a people talking on the phone around the city, the thread patterns on Aiden's clothing, different sounds from the cars you "borrow," the sound of the trains; it gives Chicago life.
There are aspects of the hacking mechanic that are also very cool. Hacking an item is as easy as holding down a button and watching your work take effect, and some of the puzzles created to access certain items can be pretty interesting. By far the most gratifying effect is causing a blackout: watching all the generators explode, the lights going out, and sneaking away like a crafty ninja. Some of the available cars are also pretty cool. I also found breaking into boats and cruising on the water a cool experience as well (especially when escaping the police or enemies).
The biggest weakness of the game is the story. I'm a big fan of immersion plots, getting thrown into the story and learning about your character as time goes on. Tomb Raider and Red Dead Redemption did this really well. But in Watch Dogs, you are thrown into the story and never given much reason to care moving forward. The most basic plot line is that in a previous mission (played as the prologue to the game), a mistake made leads to the death of one of his loved ones. The rest of the game is essentially getting to the bottom of who was responsible. Yes, the story takes some twists and turns, but ultimately they're formulaic and uninteresting. Without any type of meaningful surprises or character development, the story really falls flat.
Aiden's character is also a difficult character to attach to. The game has a morality system (like so many others), but the story thoroughly casts Aiden as an antihero, making the morality system feel meaningless. The Infamous series did a good job of making the morality system feel like it had an impact in the game. The story changed, the way the city interacted with your character affected the gameplay, and ultimately the morality choices unlocked and locked parts of the game in interesting ways. In Watch Dogs, it feels like a tacked on system that was thrown in as an afterthought. Yes, citizens will become more afraid of you if you are more evil and will be more sympathetic to you if you act justly, but the game really forces you to play Aiden's character as evil (which is saying something since I tend to play my characters through the "good" tracks). It's far too easy to kill someone than spare them, and ultimately I don't really have a reason to care how I act. Again, compared to Infamous, my choices felt more impactful. Killing a civilian meant the breaking of a multiplier streak or gaining a super ability in Infamous: Second Son. In Watch Dogs, it just feels like an unimportant part of the game.
Another weak aspect of the game is also the side missions. Now, there is a lot of content to do on the side. There are mini-games that can be played, exploration tasks, and online missions (more on this later). The problem is that they're not original (Texas Hold'Em, the shell/hat game, running collecting coins while avoiding obstacles), they don't really unlock anything useful, and they're not very fun. But these side missions are literally everywhere and they take up a large portion of your map. Sure you can turn those icons off, but it really shows how empty the game.
The most frustrating thing to me (and probably the most debatable/controversial) is the online missions. The concept is a neat idea: as you roam through the city, you are also playing with other people in the game and you can initiate certain side games/missions against other players. This can be tailing other players, hacking their characters, and other types of intrusion missions. In theory, that sounds fun and a pretty unique style of gameplay, and for most things, it generally works (when the servers have actually been working to support this, though I expect that will get smoothed out over time). But the problem is that for some of these missions, you have no choice to back out. If a character starts hacking you, you have to drop everything and find them, and the game gives you no option to ignore it. You can't continue with the mission you're currently on, and you can't start new missions. All of your focus goes to finding the character hacking you. An example: I was working to hack one of the ctOS towers to open up more of Chicago, and while these ctOS towers aren't necessarily difficult puzzles to find, they do take a bit of work. Right as I arrived at the tower to hack it, I was informed that my player was being hacked. I didn't have the option to hack the tower then deal with this player. I have to climb back down the building, find the player, deal with them, and then re-climb the building from the beginning. In a game where things are already not feeling very fun, this was an extreme annoyance. Now, depending on your style and preference of gameplay, this may be an enjoyable feature, and that's fine. This is not something I was thrilled with. I'm a player that like to keep single player and multiplayer in controllable realms (i.e. I like to choose when I'm interacting with others and when I'm playing alone). So if you're a player like me, this aspect of the game will probably be very annoying. If not, then this may not be as big an issue to you. But to me, this was a big turn off.
[UPDATE: Some commenters have correctly pointed out that it is possible to turn off the multiplayer aspect of the game. However, by turning off the "online interactions" (the online tailing and hacking), you will also erase any progress and skills you gained using the online interaction missions. When you try to turn off the online interactions, it gives you a big warning message giving you that information. So if you disable it before beginning any part of the story, you're fine to turn this off. If you've done any part of it enough to unlock skills or progress, that will be erased if you turn it off. Again, to me, this is the most debatable part of the review. If this part of the game is something that is really enticing to you, then you can safely ignore this section. If you don't think you'll like this aspect of the game, know that you can turn it off but that you're also locking out part of the gameplay and progression. To me, it again emphasizes a poor design concept that's present throughout the game. But I want to make sure I'm being fair and giving accurate information. If this is the only part of the game that's preventing you from buying it, know that you can disable it from the outset. I still think at its heart, Watch Dogs is a two-star game, so it doesn't effect my overall rating or thoughts on the game, but hopefully this will help you make a more informed decision.]
Overall, I'm really just disappointed with the game. There are definitely some cools features and this planted a seed for potentially better games in the future. Unfortunately, this game is just not that fun. It was almost going to be impossible for this game to live up to the hype that was created around it, which I'm taking into account. After sitting with it for awhile and trying to assess, it is ultimately a dull game that tries to do what other open-world games have already done much better. Hopefully Ubisoft can take the foundation they've laid here and build it up into a more interesting, tighter game next time around.
I have been an Xbox gamer for the past 8 years, I decided to make the switch to PlayStation. I am not going to lie at first I was bummed when I made the switch...No more gamerscore, none of my friends played Platstation and truthfully I do not care for the user interface on PSN. I really thought I made a horrible decision....THEN CAME THIS GAME!!!
This game alone has made me a true believer in the Playstation.
Graphics - This is the best graphics I have ever seen. The Wife even stopped what she was doing and watched me play this game for 30 mins. straight. She thought at first I was watching a cutscene, after I told her I was actually playing the game her jaw dropped (literally). The color saturation is beautiful, it is colorful with daytime scenes but in darker scenes it emerses you with a feeling of loneliness.
Naughty Dog, the developer, paid a lot of attention to the lighting and physics of the game. Just to give you an example the flashlight when lit up actually has the rainbow color hue at the brightest spot of the light. The light also bends and reflects off of objects, extremely realistic.
This game runs at 60 frames per second. This is the standard that every developer should strive for. Running at this framerate everything is silky smooth. There is no glitching or lag, evening turning 360 as fast as I could I could not see any ghosting or motion blur. Character movements are spot on.
Audio - I have a more than adequate setup, my home theater is actually tailored for gaming more than anything else. The audio is just as well made as the visuals. I can clearly hear people conversing, from what direction they were talking and could still make out the full dialogue on top of my conversations. The background noise is amazing. You can hear the emptiness in sewers, the wind coming through the windows and the footsteps and movement from the zombies. The sound is refined, you do not just hear it but the depth is astonishing. You can guess how far something is.
This experience is based on your home theater system. The only other game that I felt was better as far as audio goes was the Dead Space Series.
Bonuses - Do not look at this game as $49.99 but rather $19.99. This is due to the fact that you are getting $30.00 worth of additional content with the Remastered version. One of which is another game with the prequel to Ellie's story.
Story - The graphics are what drew my Wife in but the story and character connection is what my Wife watch it. SMALL SPOILER AHEAD...She actually teared when Joel's daughter dies in the begining. This may be a zombie game on paper but it is so well recieved because the characters pull you in. You will relate to the characters, they are not super heroes, just average Joes with which people can relate to.
There are few games out there that are better as far as individual aspects go. Bioshock has a slightly better scripted story. Dead Space makes you feel terrified just a hiccup more, especially with the audio. The shooting mechanics are not as tight as a First Person Shooter but...You will not find a game that has all these aspects wrapped up into one package and is as polished and refined as this game here.
THIS IS THE GREATEST GAME I HAVE PLAYED UP TO DATE!!!
Fans got FIFA 14 last year on the new consoles and in all fairness it was a high resolution version of the current gen models. While it had a few tweaks here and there, fans still eagerly awaited what the new FIFA 15 version to see what it could do.
After playing a few games, FIFA 15 has a noticeably weightier feel to it. And by that I mean that the game feels less arcade-like that it has in past years and more strategic in gameplay. Gone are the days when you can pinball passes around hoping for an easy score when now every pass you play needs to be played right but more on that in a moment.
Graphics
In this department, I have to say that there are times when FIFA 15 shines and times when it really doesn’t. EA did a lot of work in fixing some of the players’ facial models to make them look more like their real world counterparts but in a lot of places they still miss. Also EA Sports still really needs to take cues from 2K Sports in really bringing players to life as you still don’t get to see a lot of what sets players apart including their tattoos.
The stadiums for the most part looks better and it looked like EA finally squashed one of the weird lighting bugs that has been occurring since the FIFA 12 iteration that caused the game to go to night time temporarily when players subbed in and out. While the crowds do look less like 2D pop outs, It’s still too many clumps of people doing the same thing that really keeps them from looking individualized but, we really didn’t come to this game to watch the crowd, right?
The lighting effects while better still leaves a lot to be desired as there are times I am wondering why a game played at 9pm still has the look of a 3pm afternoon affair.
Presentation
One of the bigger improvements in FIFA 15 is in the menus. One of the touches I really liked is the ability to create and save your starting line ups so with a few easy clicks you can easily plug in your Starting XI with little fuss. But now there is so much more one can do within those menus such as creating and improving formations, deciding what particular players will do as far as possibly defending or attacking, widening or closing his space and much more. You get to tinker so much with your formations and tactics, and once you find what you like, you can save it.
The commentary this year is much more dynamic in years past and so far what I have noticed is that there are very few dead spots in the game when there isn’t commentary going on. EA Sports has also improved how the ticker looks as well as in game graphics including scores from other matches. EA Sports has really started taking lessons from 2K Sports in how to actually present a game and give it a lifelike feel.
Gameplay
This is the biggest improvement made to the same since FIFA 13. Now instead of canned animations, there will be more jostling for the ball, shirt pulling and even some shoving. A big improvement is also how players bring in passes. The ball just doesn’t “stick” to the foot when passed. Players have to be conscious of the fact that passes may get away from time to time and balls may take unexpected bounces like what occurs in real games. One thing I did notice is that sometimes, there may be instances when passes are made and a ball gets loose and sometimes the AI doesn’t always respond right away and on the flip side of that, I have noticed now when players are in the box, if shots are missed, especially as the bang off the posts, players on both sides now make more of an effort to get to the ball. Also depending on the score situation, one can notice how the AI’s demeanor can change. They will make more of an effort to secure a win if they are ahead by playing more defensively or get more aggressive to get the ball if you are ahead. A few other tweaks I have noticed is that you can give team mates instructions during corner kicks such as to crowd the goalkeeper, or go to the near or far post. Also the goalkeeper can give instructions during goal kicks. Either way, as you play, games do tend to have a certain feel to it as it’s not as arcade-like as it has been, it’s not as easy to always get the ball back and forth on the pitch and score as depending on your opponent, they can and will play aggressively. Also I am not too sold on EA’s touting of the emotions engine. You can see players get happy or frustrated during games but to me, it nothing that you haven’t seen before.
This year’s FIFA 15 is a nice strep forward into the next gen lifecycle. While there are certainly a few more issues that EA could improve on, FIFA 15 is moving in the right direction to further its claim of being the better game over PES. While the graphics may have improved somewhat, the presentation and gameplay is a big step forward in keeping fans wanting to play.
I got this as a gift from my best friend and I thought it was like, wow. I have been using my new PS4 system for the last 3 months now, and have been a common victim for some of the most common problems affecting these devices. To start with, I am no fan to charging my controller from the console. I have also had those annoying experiences when both the controllers power off due to charge when I’m doing my favorite game and I unfortunately cannot charge them at the same time in my college apartment room. I have been using this charging station and made several observations about its use and effectiveness. Based on this, this review will give you most of the info that’s important if you’re in the balance regarding whether or not this is what you need to get for your PS4 system.
Simultaneous Charging
Probably the most impressive thing about this is that you get to charge your two controllers at the same time – that means no interruptions when you have some free time and just need to relax and game and game. The charging based dock looks pretty good and matches the description in this product page, something I like. An AC adapter makes it possible for me to charge my controllers without having the switch my PS4 on. This gives me a lot more convenience than my previous charging mechanism with a single USB cable. Basically, this item takes over your ps4 charging requirements and takes care of everything, so that all you’re left to do is enjoy the game.
Long Micro USB Cable
There’s a pretty long (10 ft) included micro USB charging cable, and this is another huge plus for this item. Compared to the typical 1-meter or so USB cables, this is definitely a game-changer, at more than three times the length. The cable gives you some breathing space, portability and some flexibility. So if your bed is on the other corner of the room away from the power outlet, you don’t have to be worried. I remember on a number of occasions I’ve had to camp near the power outlet, as well as position my entire Ps4 system there, just to make sure I’m charging everything up. The cable is something I love about this charging station. It’s probably something every charging equipment manufacturer should learn from, as most of us need a little more length between the power source and where we’re operating our devices.
Great Use
I haven’t seen a single defect for the while that I have been using this product. Everything works as is told in the product promise and the experience gives me some peace of mind, so I can enjoy my ps4 without having to worry about power or charging. The quick installation guide is perfect – direct to the point and as easy as a, b, c. All the same, I have hardly given any product 5 stars in an amazon review but I feel that this one deserves it.
What a awesome bundle... loving my new PS4 wow NHL has come a long way! Lets go Caps!!!
To start, I am a Rockstar games fan, especially the Grand Theft Auto franchise. I own GTA V for PS3 and I’ve played my moneys worth and more. In the past 6 months, GTA online has started to go downhill, less people, less DLC, the fading promise of heists online. Even I, as an avid GTA player, has gotten bored with it. When the Next gen announcements came, I wasn't to excited, I figured a few more shiny objects to please the masses. Then I looked deeper. I purchased the game for PS4, and i purchased a PS4 to play this game. There are so many improvements and changes, it is worth $60 more.
The Aesthetics, Rockstar is known for detail. The previous gen was very detailed, but the new gen blows it out of the water! The way the grass moves and The rain falls. The graphics are not quite as great as the trailers, but impressive to say the least. The way vehicles respond to impacts is more realistic. The draw distance Is amazing, You can pick A car's headlight in the distance, zoom in with your rifle and see it the car. There are more people, more traffic, a variety of weather, all making for a more immersive experience.
New modes and Items, I couldn't possibly cover everything, so I will just cover my favorites. The first person mode Is awesome! Fully functional gauges in a cockpit view is something i've always liked in games, GTA V does it great. Flying is my absolute favorite activity in GTA, I am an aircraft mechanic and though the gauges aren't perfect, I really enjoy this new mode. If you've already beaten the single player, I suggest playing it again in first person mode, it's well worth the time. Now I did own the previous gen, so I recieved a few extra things for upgrading, the rail gun and the modified Duke. All insignificant extras, but it was nice to have some extras thrown in for the players that upgrade.
The online: I was concerned that upgrading and transferring from my ps3 to ps4 would have issues. The transfer was smooth and easy. All vehicles, weapons and items transferred just fine for me. The limit is still two properties, there was a rumor a player could own 3. Unfortunately not. The collectors edition items such as the carbon RS, Hot Knife, and Bullpup shotgun are now unlocked for everyone. That's somthing I've been waiting a long time for. Unfortunately, I was hoping for animals in gta online, but that isn't a feature, maybe in future updates. Rockstar has also promised heists to be the first update, but that promise comes with allot of warented skepticism.
My verdict: If you couldn't already tell, I liked it. Its not just the common re-release, It improves and adds to the already great experience. Its well worth another $60 if you've owned it before, and if you haven't played it yet, You're missing out!
Let's just start with this: it is completely your opinion whether Xbox one or PS4 are better. There are ups and downs for both, but the main reason you buy one or another is what your friends get. This is why I don't get on xbox ones people's case, and I hope they don't get on mine.
After saying that, I'll talk about the bundle. There isn't really anything special about the bundle. You save like 10$, but even that is not true. You can buy a ps4 for 400 and the game new for 42, so it's cheaper to go that way. That said, if you are a person who likes bundles, there is a Black Friday bundle which includes: A BLACK 500GB PS4, GTA V, and THE LAST OF US. You can get this for only 400$. My recommendation is to go for that, and if you don't like gta v you can just sell it.
As a long time Microsoft supporter and someone who has never really liked the PS3, I felt it necessary to post this.
I picked up the new DS4 controller last night for the upcoming PS4, and I have to say I am blown away at how much better they made this controller.
Everything about this controller feels better than the old DS3 and prior units. The joysticks are farther apart and actually have resistance for more precise movements.
The grips are elongated and this makes the controller fit much better in my bigger hands.
It is not heavy in the hand, so while using it I forget I am holding it. The movements feel more like second nature rather than thinking about which button to press.
I knew awhile back I was not getting the Xbox One and I had hitched my wagon to the PS4 train. This just makes that decision all the more grand.
This DS4 is the best controller I have used on any system to date. Will it beat the new Xbox One? Not sure, but I would have to say maybe. Even if it didn't I would say it won't matter, Microsoft lost my money this time around.
We've had our PS4 since launch day (Knack, Killzone and Assassin's ordered separately, a bunch of downloads added as they appeared on the Plus) and we are very happy so far. As soon as we got it out of the box (pretty), we connected to our Wi-Fi, did a rather thorough tour of the system and took note of its capabilities (good stuff but some disappointments), checked out the new menu system (impressive), ran the mandatory update and did a quick round of Knack (fun). Many more rounds of Knack followed, especially by our 10 yr. old with occasional co-op help from me or one of her older brothers - yes, you can easily drop into a game and help out if you feel like it.
Given the DualShock 4's rather short life on a charge, getting a bundle with a second controller makes a lot of sense. Or just order one separately because, even if you are a lone player you will almost certainly miss a standby, charge controller if you don't have one.
So, without regurgitating published specs... let's talk about what we're getting.
THE AWESOME AND THE GOOD
Here they are, first briefly, then discussed below. Still under 'first impressions' so I may add or remove some as we keep playing, learning and exploring.
- Awesome, flawless graphics. Day one games are just that, probably not taking full advantage of the system but Knack hints at what's possible.
- Near-revolutionary new DualShock 4 controller.
- 10x the processing power of a PS3 and it shows.
- 32x more RAM
- Games on physical disks can be borrowed, traded
- Digital content made available at whatever PS4 you log into
- HDD still upgradeable without voiding warranty - our 1TB 7200 RPM upgrade should arrive later today.
- No power brick
- Game and chat audio can be sent to a headset through DS4's 3.5mm port
- All or most media apps (Netflix, Amazon, etc.) currently on PS3 are available on PS4 as well.
- Online access is 100% optional. Yes, you can do it all, including system patches without ever connecting your PS4 to the Internet.
- PS Plus subscription only required for (most) multiplayer games, not for media services
- Remote play (tested it on a Vita with Killzone and it works)
- Plenty of sharing, social features
- DualShock 3 chargers can be used with DualShock 4 controllers
- Move is supported with the new camera
I will rate the system's graphics capabilities as approaching the level of 'awesome. They are good enough to make me a little concerned that some of my current favorite PS3 games may lose some of their appeal. The graphics improvement is not as radical as in PS2 vs. PS3 but, believe me, it's significant and you just can't miss it and if you got used to frame rate drops and 720p or less resolution well... be prepared to get yourself unused to them because they're not going to happen much on the PS4.
The DualShock 4 controller, while looking familiar from a distance, is a major redesign and everything that changed or was added was for the better. The touchpad (clickable, multi-touch, etc.) is the most visible addition or... actually the light bar is more visible and games may or may not take advantage of these two but they are not the only changes. The better designed (concave tops) analog joysticks, the trigger-like R1/L1s, the in-controller little speaker, the audio jack, the more precise Sixaxis motion detection, the new hand-filling form factor make of a significantly better controller. Sony calls the DS4 'evolutionary' and clearly it's not a full redesign but it improves over the DS3 in a big way.
Sony claims that the PS4 has 10 times as much processing power than its predecessor. I don't know how this is measured but the PS4 is clearly and without a doubt much more powerful than the PS3. Everything appears to be smoother, more responsive and after one hour or so with Knack's sometimes super-busy environments, it seems that frame rate drops and low-res games are going to be very much things of the past, even when hundreds/thousands of little particles are moving independently on the screen as things break, explode or in the case of Knack re-form.
Then there is the memory. It's not something that we 'see' but, when compared to the PS3, there is 32 times as much system RAM (8GB of GDDR5) and, without going into technical details, it's a lot faster and a lot easier for a game to use than PS3's memory. I tend to play 'huge worlds' RPGs and I expect to see some awesome ones for the PS4 in the near future and the extra memory should help a lot.
As Sony's PR guys keep reminding us every time they get a chance, physical discs are not tied to individual accounts so you can still sell them, swap them with a friend's game or give them away. It should be great for as long as the publishers don't do 'online passes' and they won't if enough of us refuse to buy the titles that have them. Speaking for myself, that encouraged me to order three 'big' games at launch time knowing that I may be able to swap or sell one or all if I didn't feel like keeping them after trying them out.
The PS4 should allow us to access our digital content on someone else's PS4. It's something that I may try over the weekend because we are going to be at a friends' house that got their PS4 at about the same time we received ours. I will update my review if it doesn't work.
A few PS3 digital downloads are already available for the PS4 and are 'free' if already purchased for the PS3. We should ask that the list is greatly expanded.
The HDD is still upgradeable. Yes, it's something that we had on the PS3 and I am happy to see that Sony kept this option alive. My original 60GB PS3 was upgraded twice to the point where it became a 500GB PS3 and everything would have become very very frustrating if upgrading it wasn't an option.
Online is completely optional if you are willing to jump through hoops. Patches can be downloaded on a PC and ran off a USB drive if you really, really want to avoid ever going online.
We already have a PS Plus subscription and we are happy with what get out of it but not everyone wants quick access to indie games or online multiplayer. Yes, it's not as good a deal as PS3's always free online but it's still 'good' when compared with other platforms.
And, of course, there's a bunch of things I didn't try yet such as sharing stuff with everybody and some things that were promised but not implemented yet such as the ability to drop into someone else's game and help them out. I will update my review once I experience them.
THE UGLY AND THE BAD
And... yeah, not everything is awesome and here it is what needs to be fixed or get better so that we all become a happy gaming family. This may seem to be a long list but I am confident that quite a few of the items below are going to be addressed sooner rather than later and nearly all of them before the end of 2014.
- No MP3 support (how dumb is that?)
- No Media Server/DLNA support (see above)
- No support for audio CDs (no big deal to most but still dumb)
- No support for Bluetooth headsets (I bet they'll fix this soon)
- No support for mice of any kind (Bluetooth or USB)
- No support for an external, USB-connected HDD (it's probably coming with a future update)
- DS4's lightbar can't be turned off, camera or no camera
- Doesn't play PS3 games (inevitable but worth noting it because it's a fact)
- Not too many games at launch (see above, but it's getting better already)
I can't believe that Sony decided not to support MP3 and DLNA and they MUST fix this ASAP. These were good features on the PS3 and taking them away to force us into Sony's paid Music Unlimited service is not going to work and it's not going to win Sony any friends. And while at it, where's Pandora? Most of the shortcomings above are fixable and, if Sony wants us to be a bunch of happy gamers they better address them all as soon as possible.
[NOTE: I just read a couple of news stories stating that Sony will in fact add MP3, audio CD and DLNA support very, very soon. They better. They also claim that the PS4 lacking them at launch has had nothing to do with Sony promoting their Music Unlimited service.]
WHY GET ONE TODAY?
Unlike the original PS3, this one won't play most previous generation games except for those you can get at the PS store. There's a couple dozen launch titles and big promises for some really big games to be released soon, some of them big exclusives but I predict that my PS3 and the PS4 are going to sit next to each other for at least a couple more years in my living room unless Sony makes playing PS3 games possible on the PS4 and they just might do that soon through some 'off the cloud' service.
These being said, now that I have one, I am happy that I placed my preorder back in June. Anyone buying their first console should probably go with the PS4. Yes, there are great PS3 games out there but Sony will stop developing anything major after Gran Turismo 6 and lots of great games are coming to the new generation. As for those like me who already have a PS3, I know that we'll all end up with a PS4 or Xbox One or maybe both at some time in the future. Speaking for myself, PS4 or not, I'm still going to get my Dark Souls 2 on the PS3 and play it all throughout 2014 and beyond unless they announce a PS4 version but I'm looking forward to play at least half a dozen announced and soon to be released PS4 titles.
WHY FIVE STARS
The big MP3/DLNA/CD disappointment notwithstanding - and this WILL be fixed - the PS4 has the potential of becoming a great gaming platform. Seven (in the case of Xbox actually eight) years between consoles generations is a lot of time and gaming changed a lot over all these years. The technology improved and there was a lot of innovation, some of which is going to play a lot better on the new gen platforms.
I love the PS4 for all the technical improvements over the last gen and for being a new and improved gateway to great and greater games, for the greatly improved but still familiar DS4 controller to the not so familiar but easy to navigate new menus and for all of its raw power. I also appreciate it being a lot more affordable at launch then the PS3 was 7 years ago and for keeping tradeable disc-based games and offline playing still viable. Not everybody has access to the Internet all the time and some of us want to be able to play offline every now and then, Internet access or not. It's possible that my rating will change after another day or another week or month of using the PS4 and it will definitely change if most of the issues I noted above don't get fixed but, as of right now, it's a five star rating for the great experience so far and for the promise of it actually getting better in time.
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UPDATE:
Just upgraded the HDD to a HGST Travelstar 2.5-Inch 1TB 7200 RPM SATA III 32MB Cache HDD (awesome). It was all done in minutes and we now have some 820 GB free space vs about 320 GB before the upgrade. And game loads appear to be faster too. As for the original 500 GB HDD, it's not going to waste. It's now inside an inexpensive Sabrent Ultra Slim 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 2.0 External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure and attached to our Wi-Fi router as shared storage for our media files that, hopefully, the PS4 will soon be able to access.
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>> Brush your teeth, it's the law! <<
I suspect that most shopping for a PS4 bundle don't have a PS4 yet so, let me talk a little about the console:
We've had ours since launch day because... we preordered one the day preorders were possible. Our expectations were high for the console build and features and realistic for the launch date games and both expectations were generally met. In other words, we are happy so far and we are happy to see that every firmware update gets us a slightly more capable gaming console and every month there are new good, sometimes great and every once in a while awesome games released, some multi-platform, some exclusive.
So, without regurgitating published specs... let's talk about what you get out of a PS4
THE AWESOME AND THE GOOD
Here they are, first briefly, then discussed below.
- Awesome, flawless graphics. No, I am not comparing the PS4 to gaming PCs that cost 2-3-4 times as much. For what we pay, and comparing the PS4 to the previous generation of consoles, the graphics a quite impressive. And it's not just resolution but the console's ability to keep track of a lot more independently moving objects without slowing down or dropping frames.
- Near-revolutionary new DualShock 4 controller. Battery life is not that great (get a second if you can spare the extra cash) but I do appreciate the added in-controller speakers, the clickable touchpad and the way the slightly beefier controller feels.
- When compared to the PS3, 10x the processing power, 32x more RAM and it shows.
- Digital content is available at whatever PS4 you log into
- HDD still upgradeable without voiding warranty - popped in a 1TB 7200 RPM upgrade and it was easy.
- No power brick
- Game and chat audio can be sent to a headset through PS4's 3.5mm port.
- Many media apps: Netflix, Amazon, etc. and the list is constantly growing.
- Online access is 100% optional. Yes, you can do it all, including system patches without ever connecting your PS4 to the Internet.
- PS Plus subscription only required for (most) multiplayer games, not for media services.
- PS Plus offers a couple of good 'free' games, some older AAAs, some new indies every month and you can play them for as long as you are subscribing.
- Plenty of sharing, social features
THE UGLY AND THE BAD
And... yeah, not everything is awesome and here it is what needs to be fixed or get better so that we all become a happy gaming family. This may seem to be a long list but I am confident that quite a few of the items below are going to be addressed sooner rather than later and nearly all of them before the end of 2014.
- No Media Server/DLNA support and this is one of the few reasons our old PS3 is used almost as much as the PS4
- No support for audio CDs (no big deal to most but still dumb)
- No support for Bluetooth headsets (I bet they'll fix this soon)
- No support for mice of any kind (Bluetooth or USB)
- DS4's lightbar can't be turned off completely even though it can be dimmed a little
- Doesn't play PS3 games except for the few available as streaming rentals and the price for that service is not 'right'.
THE REST OF THE BUNDLE
GTA5 is available on both 'new gen' and the older generation platforms and, surprise, surprise, is roughly the same game but added features make it sometimes feel like a new game or anyways, like a much better 'old' game, probably worth buying again.
First of all, it's the much better graphics. The most notable change is the graphical upgrade. It's not just the old graphics upscaled. The PS4 version is significantly more polished and realistic, almost cinematic in quality, taking advantage of PS4's ability to track many more particles - think of dust particles blown by the wind or raindrops splashing on a window pane.
Then, of course, there's the first person mode which is very different gaming experience. Not everyone is going to like this and I will probably stick to the 3d person mode myself but it's still something that I will try every now and then. It's very easy to switch from one mode to another so I can see myself doing it.
I would definitely get the GTA5 on the PS4 if I didn't have one for the PS3 or Xbox already. I would also get one if the GTA games were among my top 5 favorites. Maybe not if I preferred a different genre.
THE LAST OF US... same as GTA5 on graphics improvements. Add to that the included DLC content. Definitely worth getting it if you missed it on the PS3, maybe worth it if you are a fan.
FIVE STARS IF THIS SUITS YOU
There are different bundles available so it's good to be able to pick the one that fits you best.
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>> Brush your teeth, it's the law! <<
