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Who says you have to grow up? Here at SI.com's Game Room, our staffers review the latest sports video game titles to hit the market and welcome your feedback.
  
11/17/2006 12:32:00 PM

Hands On: PlayStation3

By Paul Ulane

First there was the wheel. Then sliced bread. Now there's the Playstation3.

Judging by the amount of hype the PS3 has generated in the weeks leading up to its release, you'd think the newest next-generation gaming system from Sony could do everything from play games and movies to rub your feet and make you dinner. (And judging by the machine's Foreman grill-like design, maybe that's coming next Christmas.)

FIFA 07
SONY
Yet beneath the landslide of mind-boggling side features (built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, Blue-ray Disc player, Bluetooth wireless controllers) lies the worry that Sony forgot about the most important element of its trademark system -- namely, the games. Is this the most revolutionary development in gaming since aliens first invaded space or just a good looking computer? The answer: let's wait and see.

The machine itself is sleek, small, and expensive-looking. (Hello, ladies!) The traditional on/off switch is in the back of the unit, but once you've powered on, the on/off and eject buttons are controlled by sensors up front -- not entirely necessary, but definitely kind of cool. The machine's most important hook-ups -- CompactFlash slot and Secure Digital Memory Card -- are both covered up by a front flip panel, below which sit the four USB ports. The attention to physical appearance is amazing, if not at times bizarre, including a Playstation logo that can be rotated to match the vertical or horizontal positioning of the system.

But looks can only take you so far and the real test drive comes when you fire this puppy up. (And "fire" might be the most appropriate word here, judging by the heat emanating from the back panel after a couple hours of playtime.)

The first drastic change is noticeable from the second you pick up the new controller, which is so light, it feels like a prototype. But this is no toy, and the new features instantly come into play. The new shape on the L2 and R2 buttons offers more surface area, in turn allowing for more "depth of stroke" (the press release's words, not ours), which is really just another way of making the buttons feel more like triggers.

More importantly, the new controller is wireless, and it seems up for a challenge from the most lonely of gamers. After charging it up for around an hour -- don't worry, if you're lucky enough to get your paws on one of these, you can play while charging -- the wireless functionality doesn't let up any time soon. We easily cruised through four hours of game play without any hiccups and found the range to be more than adequate. (Then again, living in a cramped New York apartment doesn't exactly allow for the best test of wireless reach.)

The new unit also throws in new motion sensor technology. (Take that, Wii!) The movement comes into play in war games -- shake off an enemy in a hand-to-hand scuffle -- as well as sports games -- break your opponents ankles without pressing a button -- delivering a very noticeable, and enjoyable, upgrade. If we have to sacrifice the "rumble" feature for all of that, so be it. Quit your whining, purists.

But the real test for whether or not the PS3 skips straight to the next generation lies in the graphics. And, well, they look good. Real good in HD. It's just, while we can be realistic here and accept the fact that there's just not that much room left for improvement in graphics, we'd also like this machine to deliver on the hype. After all, LeBron unloaded a triple-double in his first playoff game, why can't a $600 gaming system blow our minds right out of the box?

The lone sports title we had to test out the new features magnifies the problems that will face the PS3 in its infancy. NBA 07 is a serviceable enough hoops game, but the leap from the PS2 to the PS3 is hardly a trip into a new era of gaming. Don't get us wrong, at 1080p for NBA 07 (each game's display varies) the same features you notice in HDTV sports jump out at you in the game: individual fans, shiny hardwood courts, Scot Pollard's awful hair. There is certainly an upgrade in looks, it's just not as dramatic as the PS3 commercials with the melting baby would have you believe.

Yet maybe the revolution is still to come. The non-sports title, Resistance: Fall of Man, better shows off the machine's features. The gory first-person shooter adds rabid zombie killing machines (are there any other kind?) into a 1950's war simulation. A signature first person shooter has been a staple of each next-gen console, and Fall of Man is no different. If game developers can apply the best features of games like these (full utilization of the controller's features and painstakingly detailed graphics) to future PS3 titles, sports and non-sports alike, the next generation might arrive sooner than we all thought.

FIFA 07
SONY
As for the non-gaming features, their importance varies. HDMI cord capability allows for the best and easiest HD connection to your TV for both movies and games... too bad you have to buy that one yourself. Online network capabilities are improved over the XBox 360 on a couple of levels. If you pick up the $600, 60 GB model -- and we don't know why you wouldn't, cheapskate -- Wi-Fi connectivity comes built into the machine. You should also jump on the PS3 bandwagon as fast as possible if you're looking to enjoy the free PS network -- who knows how long before they yank the plug on that offer. (We'd go into more detail, but only the Japanese online capabilities were functioning before the system's official release, and we'd already lent out our Japanese-to-English dictionary.)

The Blue-ray disc player provides the same quality upgrade for your DVDs that you experience going from regular TV to HDTV. (We tested it out with Talladega Nights, and, sure enough, Will Ferrell's trademark overacting was crystal clear.) You can also load up your movies, music, and photos to the 60 GB HDD and track your respective libraries on your PS3. The list of extra functions goes on and on, but you can check Sony's official site for the exhaustive list. We still can't shake the feeling that all of the effort that went into these add-ons could've been better spent on game development.

For the near future, the PS3 will find itself battling uphill against high expectations while game developers scramble to catch up to the system's capabilities. (Which means all of those schmoes who've been sleeping on the street the last three days might want to take back their resignation letters.) Don't get us wrong, this is still an awesome machine that's easy to hook up and play, but the jury will remain out on the PS3's true value for another six months to a year, when the souped-up games start hitting stores and we can really ride into the next generation.
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