This month saw the release of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, two profoundly different yet startlingly similar devices. At the start of the last console generation the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 were harshly differentiated. The PS3 boasted a cell processor with seemingly infinite possibilities and the 360 had a refreshingly streamlined and capable online experience. This time around the technical specs of the two consoles are very nearly equal and neither has stepped forward as the workhorse console. Therefore, lacking truly comparable specs, your purchasing decision this holiday season might just come down to the respective services and peripherals offered by each console. Or, perhaps, something completely different.
Xbox “Xbone” One — $499.99
Whereas the Kinect was an optional add-on camera that attempted to breathe life into the 360 in its waning years, this time around the Kinect, revised and improved, comes with the Xbox One. And, surprisingly, you need it. With the release of the Xbox One, Microsoft is clearly putting less emphasis on Kinect motion controls, instead opting to view the Kinect as a remote for the console. With the Kinect you can do things like sign into the console using facial recognition and open apps and games without touching your controller. If you’ve got your television signal running through your Xbox One, you can change the channel using the camera. Multitasking is also a big part of the Xbox One. You can snap apps like Skype or video into a sidebar while you’re playing a game.
In case you’re afraid of the Kinect seeing through your clothes or informing the NSA of your affinity for playing games naked on the couch, things which the Kinect has been rumored to be capable but is not, then the Kinect can be turned off at any time and the system will still function. This is not advisable, though, as the Xbox One’s interface is not the most straightforward and is largely made usable only via voice commands.
It’s worth noting, since there’s been some confusion, that the always online requirement for the Xbox One was nixed a while ago. The console doesn’t need to be connected to the internet to work, but many of its key features, like Internet Explorer and Netflix, are reserved for Xbox Live Gold users, a subscription service that will set you back $60 per year. An Xbox Live Gold account is still required to play multiplayer games online.
PS4 – $399.99
The PlayStation 4 is a more traditional console than the Xbox One. There are no TV hooks and, while the PlayStation Camera adds an additional level of functionality to the console, it is sold separately and not something you necessarily need to have.
The message Sony has been touting since before their E3 conference was that the PlayStation 4 is geared towards games. As such, they are knee-deep in relations with all manner of indie developers, ensuring that a slate of indie games will be either ported to or made console exclusive on the PlayStation 4.
PlayStation Plus, Sony’s Xbox Live Gold competitor, continues to offer “free” games for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita every month for a $50 annual subscription, $10 less than a Gold membership. While Microsoft has announced that they, too, will be offering games for Gold members, that deal doesn’t start until next year. PlayStation Plus is also now required to play games online.
While the Xbox One launched without streaming integration, The PlayStation 4 offers ways to broadcast and view streams on both Twitch and Ustream. While the bitrate is apparently less than ideal, meaning that the video quality isn’t the greatest, the app runs solid and features a recorded chat. The PlayStation 4 also has a dedicated Share button, which lets you quickly record and, obviously, share clips with your friends online. That being said, it can sometimes be difficult to actually find your friends online, as the Friends List is organized somewhat chaotically. Similarly, it can sometimes be difficult to find specific options in the PS4’s menus.
The games
While there’s been a great deal said and subsequently picked apart about the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, not much has been said about the games themselves. That’s largely because there aren’t that many. This isn’t terribly surprising for a console launch, which is usually padded out with technical showpieces and first party games that were resurrected after being cancelled on the previous generation. While games like Killer Instinct (Xbox One) and Resogun (PS4) have impressed, many eyes are on March of next year, when games like Infamous: Second Son (PS4) and Titanfall (PC & Xbox One) are set to be released.
The “N” Factor – Wii U $349.99 / 3DS XL $199.99
The Wii U did not come screaming out of the gates so much as it lumbered into the harsh light of day, looked around, and promptly set about napping in some grassy knoll somewhere. However, this holiday, Nintendo might actually be releasing two of the best games, one of which looks to rouse the Wii U from its slumber. That game is Super Mario 3D World, the sequel to Super Mario 3D Land on the Nintendo 3DS. You know, the one with the cat suit power-up? Yeah, now we’re on the same page. Nintendo also recently released a spiritual successor to Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, called Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, which has been garnering many positive review scores.
What to buy?
Right now you should probably be looking at the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 as investments. The games aren’t really there right now, but the March line-up is looking to be stellar. You might consider an Xbox One if you’re down with voice commands, haven’t cut the cable and still care about television and are already deep into the Microsoft ecosystem. You might consider a PlayStation 4 if you’re just looking for a more powerful console, aren’t down with paying $100 more for an added Kinect, and already have a PS+ account.
In terms of games out right now, the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS have the most robust catalog. When purchasing a Nintendo console, though, it’s important to remember that the best games are first party and only come about every now and again.
