PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One: Games & Features

Later this year Sony and Microsoft will release the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, respectively, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

While both consoles are still a few months out, there’s already a lot of information out there about both. With pre-orders starting to run dry, now’s the time to decide which console is right for you.

Thankfully, a month after E3 there is quite a bit of information available for both consoles.

[Gazondaily]

Pretty useful article with some helpful comparisons.

[Gazondaily]

Sorry for the double post but just my thoughts from the list:

1) Exclusives: For me, the X1's launch line-up is more interesting. Forza and Dead Rising 3 look brilliant although I need to see more gameplay from Ryse to be convinced about it. Killzone looks brilliant but I've never really enjoyed the previous titles. This looks set to be different. Although a bit early to tell, Driveclub doesn't seem on par with Forza or is as amibitious from what I've seen. Knack doesn't really do anything for me. I don't understand the hype for it, but hey, that's just me.

2) Online services- PlayStation Plus has much better value for money. But more dedicated servers (if that is indeed the case) with MS is a Godsend for players like me who predominantly enjoy competitive online games. No more host advantage b.s.

3) Sharing- we need to see more of this from both sides but Twitch TV support seems far superior to UStream from what I've read and seen. However, Sony's share functions seem to be more comprehensive with things like the ability for other players to assume control. But there are a lot of unknowns here. I just hope the DVR functionality can record the voices of other players too.

4) Second Screen- Smartglass features looks great and probably operate more comprehensively in terms of the wealth of devices that will utilise the feature but I think PS VITA functionality beats it. Being able to play remotely on your VITA is pretty cool.

The article doesn't mention things like Kinect functionality however. Being able to snap things with voice control is pretty darn cool and a lot of the Minority Report type motion movements will be fun to play around with.

In fact, as silly as this may sound, one of the reasons I've decided to buy the X1 first (I hope to get the PS4 a month or two later) is because of those Kinect functions. I want the first next-gen console I buy to 'feel' next-gen. Although it might appear gimmicky, just showing my friends/parents for instance, the voice controls and face detection etc would make transition from the current gen to next-gen more pronounced. Plus Skype functionality and video chat means that I can 'play around' with features in the box a lot more.

But each to their own.

[iamnsuperman]

I am less keen on Dead Rising 3 as I heard they are having major frame rate issues with that game. I can see why you don't like Killzone. I like it but it doesn't have that mass market appeal about it.

On the online front we don't really know what Sony is doing in that regard. They haven't really explained what they are doing with the cloud. It is odd but hopefully they will clear that up. Its the same with Microsoft in a way. They were clear about dedicated servers (finally it has made its way to consoles) but they are also very unclear about everything else cloud related. They way they talk about it just reeks of PR nonsense. They need to be more direct and clear. Hopefully both with clear things up before the launch

[Gazondaily]

@iamnsuperman

Yeah I don't really know or actually care for the other fantastical statements from MS regarding cloud. To me, the main thing that got me interested from the announcement of 300k servers and whatnot is the announcement of more dedicated servers. That is such a welcome announcement to me. Halo 5 supporting dedicated servers finally...I can't explain how relieved I am.

But again, you're correct, a lot of unknowns here. How comprehensive will the dedicated server support be, I don't know. And whose to say that Sony won't be doing the exact same thing?

[Aery]

Prepare to be *very* disappointed by Ryse and prepare to nothing really new with forza 5 (except the high resolution etc).
Dead rising 3 fall in the crowed market of survival zombies and completely lost the idea of the first dead rising (the twisted humor).

[RM-TatoTiburon]

The PS4 launch titles for me are very weak. Killzone has nothing new for the FPS genger, only better graphic and more important you have BF4 a better game and a better multiplayer, knack it looks boring as hell, seriously that game looks like a tech demo and finally driveclub a nice racing game but it can't be compared to forza 5

[Aery]

@RM-TatoTiburon:
Killzone has nothing new and don't add nothing to the FPS genre ?

Well, probably it's better if you get more info about this game before to post this wrong sentence. Try to get more info about this game because Shadowfall add a lot of elements to the classic FPS.

[Gazondaily]

@Aery

I'm not going to tak your overly pessimistic approach. If I applied that logic to any game, I would end up buying a N64 and playing Goldeneye lol.

Forza looks amazing and looks like it will be brilliant fun. Dead Rising looks brilliant and personally, I like the new approach. I didn't care much for the OTT humour. If I want that kind of game I'll get Sunset Overdrive. The sheer carnage on screen was jaw-dropping and the open world nature of it all has me very excited.

[Aery]

@Septic:
I'm not pessimistic, but I touched those games with my hands.
I always praise Forza, I played all the Dead Rising and I love Crytek.

I'm more "realistic" than pessimistic, but (!) there is still some time before the final releases so, everything may happen and I'll be happy to be wrong :)

[Chaostar]

I have to disagree here, I thought the article was shallow and the standard hit seeking 'VS' title is beyond Cliché now.

Like you mention in your lengthy opinion above the author missed out quite a bit of info regarding Kinect, as well as some of the finer sharing details of PS4 such as the ability to have spectators who can actually take control or interact with your game.

The writer doesn't go into ANY details on the differences in controllers or specs and offers not one shred of new/interesting information that we haven't had plastered on a million previous submissions just like this one.

While I respect your opinion on your console choice, like you said, "each to their own" I have to disagree with your assessment of this article.

[Gazondaily]

Yeah, funnily enough I agree with your assessment lol. I got swayed too early buy it and later on, realised hold on, they've missed out loads of info.

So yeah, my bad.

[andreasx]

Enough with these articles already!

[xReDeMpTiOnx]

I'm going to continue to put my faith in Sony. Features are nice but at the end of the day I'm buying a console to game and I need the games to back that up.

Over the past 2 gens Sony has proved to pump out a diverse huge blockbuster lineup of exclusives throughout the console lifespan.

Where as Microsoft only has a few franchises and exclusives for the first couple of years. I will wait to see how x1 plays out before buying one.

[illtownNJONE]

ms spent 1 billion towards exclusive gaming.......more than sony and nintendo combined x1 is gonna be great

[xReDeMpTiOnx]

Their "exclusive" line is very vague. The reason being is Microsoft does a lot of timed exclusives or timed dlc or exclusive dlc.

I very very highly doubt Microsoft will have the exclusives to topple Nintendo or sony exclusives.

Sony and Nintendo have made the best exclusives for over the past 2 gens

The problem is Microsoft don't have many 1st party studios they have a handful where as Sony has over 10

[LoveOfTheGame]

And what exactly qualifies as the best exclusives for the past two gens? Is it sales, metacritic, personal opinion? Either way that statement is just laughable.

[xReDeMpTiOnx]

The way that would determine who has the better exclusive is rather easy. Comes down to media acclaim, meta , and how well it impacts the generation of games for example is it talked about years later on a positive note. Is it a established franchise that people flock to and does well every time around. Does it establish a precedent for games down the road.

All those above is what a successful better exclusive should do. And to say Microsoft beats Sony on that is laughable.

The only games that have done justice on Xbox and are remembered for doing great things are gears,halo. Which I love both of them.

But where as Sony has, littlebig planet, killzone 2, uncharted, TLOU, gran turismo, ratchet and clank, heavy rain, socom

Shall I keep going? All of those Sony games I listed did something for the generation that set a precedent, recived great acclaim and did something better than its predecessors.

Littlebig planet brought the creativity to this generation, killzone 2 brought multiple things not seen on a console shooter, uncharted established one of the first games being compared to movies while receiving great acclaim and set great motion with action adventure games. Gran turismo revolutionized simulation racing, TLOU set a new precedent in story telling, writing, voice acting etc. ratchet and clank brought platforming to a new fun level, and heavy rain was the interactive precedent to story telling through a game. And don't forget socom that started console competitive gaming (yes I remember final boss)

Can you honestly say Microsoft has had such succes like Sony with their exclusives without lying through ur teeth? Halo set a lot of standards coming into the competitive scene and set new bars for social integration and multiplayer aspects. And gears of war set new bars for third person shooter bringing new stuff to the table on consoles. But what else has Microsoft had to have a big influence or set standards on games?

[LoveOfTheGame]

Impacting a generation, to me, is an interesting way to selects what is best and I never thought of that. But the only games that really follow that suit are UC and LBP.

For the other two areas you mentioned, Xbox beat out Sony in the respective areas. Gears is about the same acclaim as UC but with a higher overall meta score, Halo kills Killzone, and Forza had better in both areas over Gran Turismo this gen.

Honestly I believe Nintendo has dominated the "best games" category for pretty much their entire existence if I look at games objectively. But to outright say one console has better games than another, in a generation where there was so many different types of games is just ignorant.

[Funantic1]

I was wondering how many bullets you can take on Killzone before you die. It seemed like 100 bullets could do you no harm. I've never been a big fan of Killzone and the graphics almost look as good as Crysis 3 on the PS3. For the X1 to have lower specs their games do look better graphically so far. Maybe the tile resourcing does work. The X1 also has the better games so far...Titanfall, Crimson Dragon, Ryse, Halo 5, Quantum Break, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising 3, Forza, D4, Project Spark, and Sunset Overdrive. And we can expect Left 4 Dead 3, Gears Of War, and Crackdown 3. No way I could miss all those titles. Yeah I'm good with the X1.

[illtownNJONE]

me too....im excited

[wiz7191]

It all boils down to your preferences really, fanboyism should die like really.

[DivineAssault]

xbox one really doesnt have anything im interested in.. They have some good exclusives i must admit but im sure that river will run dry just like before.. Investing into a PS4 is a much better decision for my tastes.. I will not write off x1 just yet because some great games might pop up someday along w a price drop & feature changes *cough* kinect... But PS4 is main priority & i know ill get amazing support & exclusives from sony throughout its life cycle