Has it really been six months since the launch of the PlayStation 5? Wow, I guess time flies when it comes to finding an available PS5. Even if the PS5 has reached its first major milestone, it would be a mistake to dismiss the fact that millions of people are still on the hunt for Sony's elusive two-tone black and white machine. It's a bit mind-boggling to think that after being on sale for over six months, some people still haven't experienced what Sony's new console has to offer. And that's a shame no matter where your loyalty to the game lies. While this isn't exactly an ideal situation for consumers, or even for Sony, the upside is that the PS5 has already improved in a number of nice ways since it went on sale in November 2020. The pesky issues have been ironed out. - Life features have arrived, and more compelling PlayStation exclusives are on the way. The wait can be excruciating for some, but you can at least take solace in the knowledge that when you manage to secure a PS5, you'll get a better console as a result. But what's it like to own Sony's next-gen console right off the bat? And do you really need a PS5 now? Well, the navigation hasn't been entirely smooth, if I'm being honest, but it's clear that the PS5 is still the number one next-gen console to beat right now.
The good, the bad and the DualSense
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(Image credit: Sony) My opinion of the PS5 has tended to fluctuate both positively and negatively, often changing every month. I played the PS5 religiously at first and couldn't wait to hear that familiar "beep" every time I turned it on. Exclusive games like Demon's Souls, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure were all extremely enjoyable, and I also spent time reviewing PS4 games I've missed like Ghost of Tsushima, which is now playable at a gloriously silky 60fps. . (I'll be picking up The Last of Part 2 for the same reason.) However, it was the PS5 Astro's Playroom bundle game that left the biggest impression on me. It's a truly magical experience and by far the most fun I've had on PlayStation 5 to date, partly because of the way it displays the PS5 DualSense controller. The first night I played at Astro's Playroom, my partner and I happily passed control and thought, “Oh my, you must be feeling that. It's like jumping into the water. It's a treasured gaming memory that I'll cherish for the rest of my life, so I thank the PS5 for that. In fact, I attribute much of my goodwill to the PS5 because of its new smart pad. It almost reminds me of the first time I played the Wii; I just wanted to run and tell people how great it is and how they should try it for themselves. I just hope developers continue to use it (such as Returnal, which uses haptic feedback to mimic the feeling of rain on your hands), since some of the third-party implementations, and even Sony, have been pretty mediocre.
Reality check
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(Image credit: Sony) I still love the PS5's DualSense controller, and most of Sony's exclusive games have been truly exceptional (Destruction AllStars aside). But the PS5 has frustrating flaws that continue to make me cringe. Even though Sony's new system has been proudly sitting on my shelf since November, I still hate the space-age look of the console. I can't believe how big this damn thing is, even now, and it only fits in my entertainment center. It also looks stupidly awkward when placed horizontally. It might sound overly dramatic, but I hated the look of the PS5 so much that I immediately bought dbrand's Dark Plates when they came out. And let me tell you: the PS5 is much better in black. I already pre-ordered the Midnight Black PS5 DualSense controller to complete the look. The PS5 isn't as quiet as I thought either. My particular unit has visible coil whines when I play some games. I play almost exclusively with headphones, but whenever I take them off I sometimes hear a high-pitched electrical hum coming from the console. It's not a deal breaker, but it's still boring and at odds with the barely whispering Xbox Series X.
Money versus gold
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(Image credit: Future) And then there are the PS5 games themselves. While I've compared the PlayStation 5 to Microsoft's Xbox Series X multiple times in the past when it comes to features, there's no question that the PS5 isn't quite as cost-effective and requires a lot more investment. To make the most of it. The heavy hitters cost $70 / £70 to play, and it almost feels like Sony is holding its player base to ransom at that price. Paying $70 for a game is always a big point of contention for me, and it feels unnecessarily restrictive when the PS5's closest competitor has an ever-growing buffet of gaming delights to enjoy. Yeah, these games aren't quite the caliber of Sony's offering, at least not yet. But there's a reason McDonald's didn't go bust because of a gourmet burger chain. Sony's internal storage solution is also a cause for concern. The PlayStation only has 667GB of internal storage for PS5 games, which is paltry when most require at least 50GB of space. Yes, the PS5 SSD's compression technology can help, but by now we should be able to expand the internal storage of the PS5, or at least know how much it will cost to do so. The fact that you can expand storage capacity on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S from launch makes this problem even more ridiculous. The PS5 also lags behind the Xbox Series X when it comes to what features it should really have. There's no variable refresh rate support for compatible displays, and you can't print at 1440p for some frankly unknown reason. The lack of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support also seems short-sighted, as if Sony just wanted to push its 3D audio to consumers, though I personally see it as an inferior option to Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. Loads of 120fps on PS5 haven't. ' It hasn't even hit double the numbers yet, while there are currently 74 titles on Xbox Series X that do.
An unknown future
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(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment) If there's one thing that will continue to pay dividends for Sony and drive PS5 sales, it's the strength of its proprietary studios. With 25 proprietary titles in the near future, the company will need to continue to deliver on the PS5's promise of having the best games in the business. But as we've seen on PS4, it can't always reach those exciting heights. There's no question that Horizon Forbidden West looks phenomenal, as does Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, but these experiences take time to form. And if one of them fails? I've continually been drawn to Microsoft's Xbox Series X simply because there are more games to play right now, and all for the small price of a monthly subscription. FPS Boost also made me revisit titles from years ago, just like I would after upgrading your graphics card on PC, making the games I already own better than ever. Yes, the Xbox Series X hasn't shipped any true exclusives (although it's only a matter of time before all the Microsoft-bought studios start shipping), but even without notable titles, it continues to hold my attention. I'm aware that most Xbox Game Pass libraries won't be competing with Uncharted 4 anytime soon, but I'm always looking for something new and exciting to play, alone or with friends. The service encourages me to play new games I've never touched before and makes Sony's traditional game delivery methods obsolete. That said, with its gorgeous new UI, enticing lineup of upcoming games, and wonderful controller, the PS5 still packs the wow factor. However, Sony needs to keep moving forward rather than wait for the competition to pick up speed, which has been too much of a fault in the past. Today's best deals for the Sony PlayStation 5 DualSense wireless controller