This Time, I Feel More Lucky Than Idiotic - PlayStation 3

Sony has enjoyed 10 years of dominance in gaming – both the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were the best-selling consoles of its generation and the brand itself has practically become the ultimate household name in gaming. Yet despite this dominance, the PlayStation 3 is the most challenging project Sony has undertaken in all their time in gaming, and is far from a sure thing, thanks largely to the Xbox 360 and the sudden resurrection of Nintendo. Expensive and limited, the PS3 launch has been difficult at best, with eBay auctions hurting software sales, along with a par-for-the-course mediocre software lineup at launch. In its first year of existence, the PlayStation 3 is more of an investment in the possibilities the system represents – both PS1 and PS2 became gaming cornerstones, so the hope is history will repeat itself. Whether or not enough people invest in it is the question that won't be answered for a good while – but know that the PS3 should turn out to be a powerhouse like its predecessors...the past is on its side, and after doubting PS2 and turning out to be wrong, I'm not willing to write PS3 off; nor should anyone else. The damn thing is barely 1 month old after all.

What's in that huge package!
Anyone who has seen a PS3 up close surely noticed that the PS3 box is enormous – probably 1 and a half times the size of the original blue PS2 box. Of course that's because the PS3 itself is a monster with its own orbit around the sun, but I digress. Inside each box comes quite a collection of stuff – the PS3 itself, a power cord, a composite cable, a Sixaxis controller, a USB plug for recharging the controller, and an ethernet cable for access to the newfangled thing called the Interweb. All these things are required so it's nice to have them included, but it's sad that Sony only put composite cables into the package given the push for high-definition. Microsoft managed to create a hybrid that had both composite and component cables, and Sony failed to do the same. On the other hand, at least you can use PS2 component (or S-Video) cables since Sony's sticking with the same connecting standards from the PS1 days. HDMI not being included I can understand since Sony is selling the freaking things for $60 even if I got a Samsung DVD player with an HDMI cable included for a $70, but it's still a puzzling decision.

3 consoles, 2 models, 1 system
As people no doubt know, the PS3 system is split into a pair of models – a 20 GB (hard drive, that is)) version and a 60 GB version, at a cost of $500 and $600 respectively. Yes, that's a lot of dollars. American dollars. Though the 60 GB machine has a couple added doodads that the 20 GB model lacks, I went ahead and grabbed the 20 GB version for reasons that, to me, were worth the $100 savings.

1.My router is 4 feet from my PS3, thus the wireless wouldn't be needed.
2.I've already got a Memory Stick/SD/Compact Flash USB reader...so yeah.
3.The 20 GB HDD can be easily swapped to a whopping 120 GB for less than the cost difference between the two PS3 models.
4.That was all they had when I picked one up and I'm as patient as a 5 year old on Christmas morning when it comes to shiny new game hardware.
5.The silver trim doesn't do it for me.

Obviously your mileage may vary, but that was my personal logic – at $100 over what I paid for my Xbox 360, I thought the 'low-end' PS3 was a fine deal given what's in the box. Most important to me when dealing with the price (and the post-launch drought) is the backwards compatibility compared to the 360's largely troubled attempt at BC – I don't like keeping old consoles hooked up to my main HDTV, so when I can ditch the PS2 for a PS3 to prepare for the future, the old girl finds a home on another TV in another room. The PS3 can play PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, and without the need for the memory cards since the HDD can be used to emulate the cards, and it's fairly easy to get old saves on the hard drive with the $15 memory card adaptor. Managing the various cards is simple and there's practically infinite storage, which is definitely a good thing if you're like me and have hundreds of saves.

PlayStation 1 games are handled via emulation, and because of this, a handful of games are a bit...weird but very few are actually unplayable. I'd say about 95% of my PS1 collection is just fine, though I haven't had a chance to extensively play them all. On the other hand, PlayStation 2 games are done through hardware, because the PS2 chipset is included in the box, making the compatibility mostly flawless, save for a few games that have some funky sound effect glitches, occasional static (the Rogue Galaxy demo I got last week was that way, I really hope the retail game eliminates that), and the few games that supported the PS2 hard drive won't install, even after an update released by Sony recently that enables stuff like Final Fantasy XI to be installed. I tried the ESPN 2K5 games (titles I knew supported HDD installation) and none recognized the HDD. Though it evens out because you can save to the HDD, since the memory cards are emulated on the drive. Yeah.

If the PS2 games support progressive scan (which is a very small percentage of the library), it can be enabled in the usual manner, through the Triangle X combination of through the menus if that's how it's activated (the Sony published 480p games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, for example). Whether plugged in through Component or HDMI, these games look fantastic. But if the game doesn't support at least 480p, the results can be good (Final Fantasy XII looks sharp though a bit more jagged), to bad (Grand Theft Auto III is ultra washed out) – especially on HDMI which exposes the age of PS2 games even more than component does. But I think BC is a lot better than it's been touted, and I've got no trouble playing old games on PS3 and don't feel a need to rush back to PS2 just for some improvement on already aging games. Sadly, even though the PS3 software has no forced regional protection, it doesn't work for older games – both PS1 and PS2 imports won't work in a North American PS3. But really, the PS3 is like having three systems in 1 box; quite a value.

Moving into the next-generation of PlayStation
I love my backwards compatibility but over time that fades away as PS3 games will take center stage and PS2 releases will dwindle to stuff I'd rather not play. The PS3 is well equipped to handle that future given what's under the hood. Building on the intuitive Cross Media Bar (XMB) from the PSP and a few other Sony devices, the PS3's frontend isn't as fancy as the Xbox 360 or even the Wii, but it's designed for ease of use and it handles that pretty well. The different capabilities of the PS3 are separated into their own category – a 'blade' for dealing with photos, music, video, the Internet, and of course, gaming. The 20 GB version doesn't let you plug in a memory stick, SD card, or Compact Flash card, but if you have a USB adapter it'll work; if you've got a PSP, using the included USB plug makes it possible to connect it to PS3 and show off pictures and listen to music without wasting HDD space – PSP also can back up PS1, 2, and 3 saves in case you want to swap a HDD or purely to take care unless the hard drive fails.

PS3 plays all sorts of disc-based media through it's newfangled (and the main reason why PS3 costs so much damn money) Blu-Ray player. Because of Sony's history with format failure (see Betamax), Blu-Ray is a bit of a gamble but the PS3 is being used as built-in excuse to battle HD-DVD; with every PS3 including a player it should be able to outsell its competition, but it comes with a risk because who knows if a PS3 gamer will care enough to actually buy the movies themselves. The included movie with the first half-million PS3 systems is Talladega Nights, which is decent enough but it doesn't seem like the movie that will make you need to switch from DVD. Something like Pirates of the Caribbean might be that sort of killer app but I don't think Disney is about to give a half million discs away free so a Sony movie had to compensate. Of course Blu-Ray is backwards compatible with DVD, though the PS3 version doesn't upconvert to HD like the stand-alone player...far as I know anyway. It also plays music CDs, and in tandem with the Internet will fetch disc and song titles – no more 'Track 1' on a PlayStation.

The Internet...not just for gaming anymore
The PS3 has a much more robust online experience than the PS2's had – clearly the success of Xbox Live has dictated a need to establish an online service that can compare yet also be distinctively Sony. And free. Free is good. The PlayStation Network serves as the gaming hub, with a single sign-on configuration that only varies if a game doesn't support the PSN, though so far every game has PSN included. Along with the PSN, the PlayStation Store is where the online content is held, whether its demos (so far, all Sony games), downloadable PS3 games, and PS1 downloads for use with PSP. Eventually it'll allow 3rd party content, which means chances are EA will try to sell off 5 thousand pieces of Need for Speed Carbon content for way too high a price like they've done on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Instead of using points like the competition, Sony uses actual dollars, though not rounded dollars – instead, for instance, PS1 downloads are $5.99. And since there's no tax, it leaves you with a bizarre wallet balance; I have a whopping 3 cents. Like Nintendo and Microsoft, in-store cards will be out but I've yet to see any. Sony has been way behind on accessories as it is, so that's no surprise.

In addition to gaming, PS3 features a full-fledged web browser making it possible to surf from a couch or recliner. With a USB keyboard and mouse, it ends up being pretty decent. Except for the whole small font thing. On my 30 inch HDTV, it's damn-near unreadable even if you zoom the text and stretch the pages out, meaning it's personally worthless. I'd rather surf the 'net with my PSP because at least I can read it. It will have one very solid purpose for a lot of people though – the sort who like to exchange game saves; because it can be done through memory sticks now, it's possible to avoid using a 3rd party product and simply swap folders through email or directly to the PS3 itself using the built-in browser. Because it works for PS1 and 2 saves as well thanks to HDD saving, we've now opened a whole new era in downloading console game saves. I bet some of these fatcat third parties like CodeJunkies are crying in their beer.

Both the PS1 and PS2 were derided for poor hardware that had tons of hassles like disc errors and overheating, but so far PS3 hasn't been suffering the same troubles, though there's always bad apples. Sony has offered a 1 year warranty this time, which is a whole 365 days compared to the 90 previously offered with PS1 and PS2. Given the costs, that's a nice cushion. But PS3 is well built, in more ways than 1 – it's a huge machine that'll take up a lot of space. But it works so well. It's amazingly quiet – after a year of the Xbox 360, which can be quite loud, the PS3 is as silent as a newfangled PC, aside from the gentle hum of the machine running. It does get hot mind you, if you put your hand in the right spot you can really feel the heat. But it hasn't overheated on me yet – when it does it shuts itself down to avoid damage. Long as you keep it in an open space (like in a TV stand that's open on all sides), it'll be fine. The slot-loading drive is nice though a risky proposition – if a disc gets stuck it's not as easy to get out as it was in the first PS2 version. From a pure annoyance factor, the PS3 collects a crapload of dust and it sticks to the surface, which can drive neat freaks insane.

The moment you've all been reading for...the game stuff!
Unless you just wanted a $500 dollar Blu-Ray player instead of the $800 Samsung model, this is why you are even thinking of a PlayStation 3 – the games. As it's been detailed before, the PS3 plays all three generations of games, making it a tremendous value for those with a huge library of PS1/2 software. But yeah, PS3. The first thing to discuss is the controller. Now, the Dual Shock is dead for the forseeable future, as Sony has left out rumble this time around, whether by design or because they don't want to pay the licensing fees to include it (long story for those who don't know it). Instead, Sony has, um, followed in the stead of Nintendo and included motion sensing into the pad, dubbed Sixaxis. It does just that – it offers six degrees of motion and opens up different ways to play familiar games...yet with the classic PlayStation controller design it's something you can immediately adjust to. It's like Motion Sensing for Dummies(TM). Regardless, the Sixaxis is amazingly light – after spending a lot of time with it, going back to the 360 controller is strange because it's much heavier.

Generally Sixaxis will feel like the controller from the past, but it has some minor modifications. The L2/R2 buttons are less buttons and more like shallow triggers; while they will have their use they don't work well in racers; Ridge Racer 7 was uncomfortable to play using the triggers and I went right back to the buttons. I can see them fairing well in an FPS or action game, however, where you aren't constantly holding them down. The analog on/off button is gone, replaced by a 'PS Button' that lets you quit a game and boot back to the dashboard without resetting the console, a la the Xbox 360. On older games, you can hold the button down to switch between analog and digital, so don't fear that the ability has been outright eliminated. The Sixaxis is totally wireless, without any need for batteries or accessories to act as batteries, as the power is built into the thing, and can be recharged with the USB plug that comes with. The charge runs about 30 hours or so, and once you get close to death, the red LED that serves as your controller ID will flash. You can recharge it through the console or through a PC via the USB, but not when the PS3 is shut off, which is a bummer. And since the included plug is very short, an extension cable might be needed for regular play unless you've got a longer USB B plug somewhere. That and the rumble is the only real downer for what's still a great controller that's become the icon of PlayStation gaming.

As for the games of the launch era...well. If you aren't an Xbox 360 owner, the launch has a lot of appealing titles. There's a version of Madden to reach the sports crowd, but it lacks the impact the first PS2 version had on that console. Activision has a new Call of Duty out there that runs well and has all the features of the 360 version minus the largely superficial Achievements (I say that with a 20,000 Gamerscore so take that as you shall). Namco's exclusive Ridge Racer 7 largely exists on recycled content from the 360 version (though it's still a really good game), just more fleshed out, and they have that yucky Gundam game. Sony's got a decent stash of titles compared to the bare PS2 launch, with Insomniac shooter Resistance leading the charge. Even their basketball game, as weak on features as it is, isn't all that bad, if the demo is any indication. On the other hand, if you do own a 360, two things will come into play – 1) the ports won't be as enticing, and 2) the visual quality of most PS3 launch games won't have that same impact. The next-gen shine has faded in that case.

Where Sony has faced some real trouble is how the system (well, that and some software) handles HD resolutions. Personally, my HDTV supports 720p and 1080i, meaning all PS3 games will run just fine without any problems, but if your TV supports just 1080i, games that are 720p only will not upconvert, but instead downconvert to 480p. This is a bizarre oversight for Sony and it's caused a ruckus on the Internet for allowing it to happen. A fix might not be easy – firmware might repair it, but if it's a hardware problem, it'll have to wait for a revision of the PS3 itself. An easier fix is to just make sure games all support 720p and 1080i, which would make the whole thing moot. Let's hope that becomes the painless solution or Sony will be left looking dumb as the HDTV movement continues. As I said, this is not an issue that affects me personally but for older HDTVs, it's a near-fatal flaw.

The thing is though, aside from the whole resolution issue, the same exact thing happened with PS2, and look how that turned out. And really, the PS3 launch is even better than PS2s in terms of software, but because the Xbox 360 has been out a year, the next-gen of gaming has come early for Sony compared to the Dreamcast's troubles with attracting buyers; the 360 has not stalled in the sales and hype department and probably has even stole customers from Sony – unlike Dreamcast - thanks to the shortages, strange happenings, and high price. In the future, the PS3 will get its bearings like always – some of the trademark franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, and likely Silent Hill will appear within the next few years and thus PlayStation fans will have plenty to choose from. The PS3 will probably continue to be the console of choice for RPGs (and many Japanese developers in general, since the Western devs are moving to 360 or cross-platform), unless the Wii ends up wooing even companies who really love CG and pushing console power, because indeed the PS3 is a very powerful machine (so powerful I don't understand a lick of the specs and just look at what's on my TV screen, which is usually beautiful) and given Sony's tradition, it will last a very long time and as this time goes on, the hardware will be pushed harder than thought possible – compare PS2 launch games to this late 2006 crop of games and argue it.

Final Thought
At this point in time, the PlayStation 3 is an investment in potential, like everyone else. Gamers early adopt to hardware not just to be the first to own it, but to be ready once the good games become abundant – long as the hardware is ready to go in your home, it's easier to blow $60 on games and not tack on another few hundred for the console. It might not always make sense but that's how it works – if you expect a game console launch to be full of pretty unicorns and 25 'bestgameever' titles, then I suggest holding off a year and hope for a price drop because of course you're gonna be disappointed. PlayStation 3 is no different – while there's enough decent to good games to keep you occupied a while, and one great game in Resistance, it's not the be all, end all, at least in 2006. Come back in 2008 and things should be different. Granted, a $500 investment might be a bit...much since this is more about potential than resale price, but if the money is no issue, you can count on PS3 lasting a long time if history is your guide.

Additional Reading Material
PS3 Memory Card Adapter - http://www.epinions.com/content_292050669188
Ridge Racer 7 review - http://www.epinions.com/content_288668028548