BPX068: PlayStation 5 - 18 Months On

[Neon Ignition]

We are now a year and a half on since the release of the latest generation of consoles

Worded that way because debate still continues on when the latest generation of software will begin with it looking increasingly likely that we will have reached what we would refer to as the mid-life of the generation in 2024 before we see any or just consistent new titles that aren't spruced up PS4 titles. Whilst there's some level of concern that we might be buying PlayStation 6's to run our new PlayStation 5 games on there's also been the widening of streaming and subscription services that have required content creating an even stronger dependency on backwards compatibility.

How have you found your experience of the PlayStation 5 to be up to now?
Where do you currently stand with the system?
Does the future look bright for the PlayStation 5 to you and would your current time with the system make PlayStation 6 an easy sale to you?

[Asura]

Where do you currently stand with the system?

Honestly still undecided. The big problem, from my perspective, is how Sony have embraced doing PC versions of their games, and I have the same issue with Microsoft's consoles.

As I own a gaming PC, and it's so easy to connect them to a TV and have pads etc. now, the only reason I would buy a console is for exclusive entertainment. I have a Switch for this reason, and this was also why in the last gen, out of the PS4, Xbox One and WiiU, I went with the WiiU.

For consoles, I always need 5-6 pretty unmissable exclusive titles before I pull the trigger, and honestly, for me specifically (I don't expect others to align with this), the PS4 never got there, not helped by how two of my absolute favourite franchises - Ridge Racer and Armored Core - have continued to sleep for the better part of a decade. I got a PS4, but just due to PSVR.

So right now, it's still far from where it needs to be.

[MartyG]

Some solid exclusives I wouldn't want to miss. Well, except GT7 which I wished I'd missed.

But I'm still indifferent to the hardware as I don't really care about hardware.

Don't think we've yet really seen the full capabilities, so one to return to in another 18 months.

[hudson]

I love my PS5. I play it the most, but admittedly only really playing PS4 games. Namely Street Fighter V. I have enjoyed playing Demon's Souls, Elden Ring, GT7 and Forbidden West too. I now have Premium tier of Plus, so a lot to delve into.

I was playing quite a bit of GamePass on my Series S, but to be honest, I've exhausted the content on offer there. I feel Plus Extra at the moment is more diverse. I'll probably be re-subbing next year when MS drop the behemoth of content.

[briareos_kerensky]

I wish I had a PS5...I think?
Nothing much has changed for me in the console's game offerings and the only two exclusive games I'd like to play are Demon's Souls, which I already played on PS3, and Returnal, which wouldn't be enough to sell me the console if it was at normal price and availability.
The lack of a PS5 made me go towards PC for multiplatform games (like Elden Ring), for sure there will be exclusive content in the future when the console will be more readily available, but for now I don't have any urgency in buying one, though I still want one because possession justifies purchase.

[Cassius_Smoke]

It's definitely a mixed bag.
I still think the controller is brilliant. The look of the console, if it was half the size probably wouldn't be a problem. I don't think it's grown on me, I've just accepted it.
Game wise it's just not got into a stride yet. Or even a quickened walk. It's a PS4 Pro Pro at this point.
Ps+ Extra has added some content for me to try. I'm yet to get my teeth into something but I'm sure I'll find it.

[Neon Ignition]

I've had no issues with the system at all. The UI is just a revision of the PS3/PS4 approach which to this day remains better than Xbox's, the system is large but I still find it visually better looking than the XSX too and the controller is a great revision of the usual PS design too. It's resume function is also solid too, more reliable than MS's.

However, that description of it being a PS4 Pro Pro is too accurate. PlayStations are notoriously slow to find their feet software wise but this gen Sony is double whammying it with some awful consumer decisions that reek of that early PS3 era arrogance they suffered from. This is probably the most indifferent I've been to a PlayStation console to date and it remains a chasm away from the quality its predecessors established for themselves. I've always been able to buy a PS early on in the safe assumption that the games will come and it's that assumption that is riding the system out for me at the moment. Their software still hasn't won the battle for them and their practices are starting to inflict damage.

[dazza_cole]

The controller is amazing, Astro was amazing. Everything else has been just a small step from the Pro to be honest. The big exclusives haven’t appealed to me so I’m still waiting for that next big “wow” moment

[wakka]

It's a perfectly solid update. The PlayStation and Xbox are appliance-like, nowadays. Getting a new one is the same thing as the last one, but a bit nicer all round. And that's fine! My launch PS4 was a janky POS and the PS5 is super quiet and super quick, and plays everything with much better performance. It's lovely to use for both PS5 and PS4 software.

There's nothing especially exciting about it but, sure, I'll buy the next one.

I do think Sony's slowness to compete with Game Pass has the potential to be damaging long term. PS Plus Premium's game library is immediately too reliant on eons old stuff that can be had in sales for pennies or that reviewed poorly.

If you look at what MS have done with Game Pass, they are brilliant at signing exciting new release games that that have lots of buzz and really get people talking. Sony must do the same to be competitive in subscriptions.

[CMcK]

I do own a PS5 but it's basically just in readiness for PSVR2. In the meantime it's spinning Japanese PS4 shmups and not much else. Even after months I still think it's an oversized ugly lump.

[fishbowlhead]

Love it. Controller is a real step forward for consoles, ill choose a PS5 version over anything else just because of haptics.

Late gen PS4 games all got 60fps bumps. PS5 library is probably the strongest of any console in its first year, bar n64 maybe? It solved the noise and heat issues of PS4 hardware.

Plus it has Astro bot so its automatically the gen winner already.

[Lebowski]

Swapped it out for my ps4 and as it plays all the ps4 stuff i was still playing so its been a great upgrade, exclusives like Demons souls, Astro bot, Returnal, Horizon FW and Rachet and Clank have kept me playing while ps5 upgrades to game like Genshin Impact and Destiny 2 have made those games shine, the 4k 60fps boost has taken games that where getting really creaky on the ps4 and given them a new lease of life.

then theirs all the Third party stuff Ive put 100s of hours in to Elden ring, and enjoyed things like Death loop ect

[Cepp]

I own it and its a glorified PS4. Nothing has wowed me outside of Astro.

[CMcK]

Astro Bot on PSVR was my favourite game of the last generation but the PS5 pack in really isn't in the same league. Doesn't exactly make me think the controller is going to move things on.

[nonny]

I own one but honestly I haven't turned it on in over 2 months... The issue I have with it is there is no way I'm paying £70 per title and my preference for consuming games these days is to buy digital. I like not faffing around with discs.

I think my other issue is I've spent most of my time with it getting through the backlog of PS4 titles I had accrued so I'm not even bothered about grabbing e.g. Horizon Forbidden West yet as I'm still only halfway through its predecessor.

Plus of course I'm only using it for exclusives as I can use game pass and rewards on Xbox to get 3rd party stuff.

This isn't to bag the console, this is my own issue based on me catching up with sony releases and the fact I've also use the Series consoles as my primary hardware.

I'm actually seriously thinking about selling it and buying the digital version later down the road and setting up an overseas account to buy games cheaper. I'm moving back to Australia in a year so don't really see me taking this with me.

My only real complaints about the console is its stupidly ugly. The controller whilst being excellent doesn't last long when you've got haptics going and it still seems to dislike going into rest mode for me... mostly minor niggles but yeah... I'm indifferent.