Xbox One VS. Playstation 4 – Which Next-Gen console should you buy?
So here we are….
The eighth generation of Video-game consoles has officially arrived.
It is an exciting time to be a gamer to be sure, but with this excitement comes a degree of responsibility.
The time has come for the players to make a choice, to choose their team.
So which is it to be?
Xbox or Playstation?
Here at bone-idle, we’ve played the games, we’ve assessed the hardware and we’ve established our opinions.
We know what side our bread is buttered on and we’re here to relate to you what to expect from each console.
And yes, we are aware that Nintendo is technically still a contestant in this race.
Perhaps it’s lucky for gamers that choosing a console nowadays is much less of a big deal than it once was.
There was a time when choosing between a Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive was basically a life choice.
Now, however, with third party developers around every corner, there isn’t much you’ll be missing out on if you were to choose Sony over Microsoft or vice versa.
That said, there are differences between the consoles.
From what we’ve seen, and on a purely aesthetic level, PS4 seems the better of the two.
It is a much sleeker machine, lighter and more visually appealing than the hulking Xbox One. And profoundly, their appearances reflect their approach towards games, with PS4 going for style rather than sheer momentum and power.
As well as this, while the Xbox One controller remains essentially the same as it ever was, the PS4 controller has made a number of refinements that make it an extremely comfortable piece of hardware to hold in your hands.
The thumbsticks now have a slightly concave shape, which may not seem like much, but immediately put us at ease as we were playing games like Resogun.
The touch screen on the controller wasn’t utilized in any of the games we played and the lack of a Start/Select button caused a bit of fumbling, but these are issues that will easily resolve themselves over time.
There has also been an alteration in the shape of the trigger buttons, making them somewhat similar to the Xbox’s traditional trigger design. This is one area that Xbox has always been on top of, but no more.
In terms of sheer graphical capabilities, it is an even tie. Both consoles presented strong titles that showed off state-of-the-art graphics and the capacity to process a massive amount of information on screen. Ultimately, it is the games that are released over the coming year that will define the consoles reputation for graphical prowess.
On that subject, Microsoft were originally in the lead with a very impressive number of triple A titles to be released on Launch Day. There was a little something for everyone, be it shooting, driving, fighting or puzzle-solving.
PS4, on the other hand, have a mere 2 titles, Killzone: Shadow Fall and the uninspired Knack.
However, while Xbox had a more impressive lineup to begin with, Sony still has the potential to catch up with great ease.
Both Launch Parties showcased a number of indie games, but it was clear to see that Sony had a much stronger emphasis on these creative titles. Octodad and Resogun absolutely mopped the floor with their PS4 competitors, whereas the Xbox indies were a half-hearted bunch that didn’t feel very confident in their execution.
While Xbox may be catering largely for the generic gaming crowd, with a major emphasis on high-budget FPS’s like Call of Duty, PS4 is leaning a little more left-wing, suggesting that it will have plenty of creative, innovative and experimental titles in the future.
We haven’t seen any evidence of either consoles online capabilities so far, so no comment can be made on that just yet.
However, this is an aspect of gaming consoles that tends to change over time, so it is probably not majorly relevant at this early stage in any case.
In terms of backwards compatibility, neither console seems very eager to explore the concept.
Microsoft have flat out exclaimed that they have no plans for making 360 games playable on the Xbox One .
Meanwhile, Sony have coyly mentioned that they may have plans to stream PS3 games on the PS4 and Vita, but have remained quiet on this front since the announcement.
If you have a large collection of last gen games, it would be a good idea to keep your PS3 and Xbox 360 in good condition for a while, at least until Sony and Microsoft change their minds.
So there it is, everything you need to know about Xbox One and Playstation 4.
It is nice to see that both consoles offer similar experiences and that the only major difference depends on how you approach gaming as a whole.
If you’re looking for a good time and amazing graphics with big budget games like Call of Duties, Forza’s and Fifa’s, the Xbox One is probably the way to go, as it is a good and reliable machine.
However, if you prefer to see creative innovation and have a flair for experimentation and unusual design, the Playstation 4 is looking very, very promising.
For us here at bone-idle, it’s PS4 all the way, and we’re really looking forward to playing games like Final Fantasy XV and The Evil Within on the newest generation of consoles.
What about you?
Leave a comment below!
Written by Stephen Hill and David Hill
Please Join us on your Social Platform of choice
