PlayStation 4

2/20/14 I'm really pleased with the performance of the PS4 so far. I was really worried about the infamous blue-light of death I've heard many people talk about, but I've used the PS4 multiple times in the few hours I've had it, and it always responds well. I hope it continues to do so. The mechanics are great, but I've yet to experience the gaming greatness. I don't have any games for it so far. The only thing I've done so far is link my Amazon Video to it, but I intend on getting some games soon. My main interests are in Assassin's Creed Four and Battlefield Four. The latter is particularly exciting for me. I'm going to get PS Plus so I can play the multiplayer. The 64-man madness is something I've been anticipating for a while, and it is simply too good an opportunity to pass up. However, I am going to attempt to be patient and wait a little longer to get BF4 since I understand there are a lot of updates needed to make the game a better experience. So, I plan on getting started on Assassin's Creed in the meantime. I understand people are upset with the dearth supply of games, but it's been only three months since the launch. Building a diverse shelf will take some time, but I'm not really worried about it. Some great games are just around the corner. Watch Dogs is a game I anticipate when June arrives. Another game I'm really looking forward to is Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. It does not have a release date yet, so I cannot honestly say this will come out any time soon. However, the AI for the game sounds fantastically challenging. Murdered Soul Suspect, Evolve, and Final Fantasy XV are all games I also really want to try. Another tentative yet awesome announcement is Red Dead Redemption 2 (or RDR three to those who've played Red Dead Revolver). I just recently learned it is being made, but I imagine it won't be released for another year. Anyway, these are just a few of my personal in-the-waiting favorites. I'm sure the PS4 will definitely grow a diverse selection of games. In the end, I am really looking forward to testing the PS4's full power. It's going to be an exciting new chapter for Playstation. I can't help but express my bias by giving this a five-star rating. I really enjoyed the Xbox 360, and I'm sure the Xbox One is also a great product. Yet, I wanted to stick to a platform I'm really familiar with, and the Playstation has been my life-long companion. 2/22/14 I've ordered Assassin's Creed Four and I anticipate it will arrive very soon. I've still only been able to use PS4 for simple things like Amazon Video and Crackle, but it's still handling well. It remains problem free, and I've explored most of the console's features. I like the continued use of the main task bar. I'm used to the theme-oriented backgrounds made available on the PS3, so the lack of customization and personalization is somewhat depressing. However, even if this isn't changed in the future, I'll be fine with it (although I suspect some changes will be made). I should mention to prospective buyers that you cannot add music from an MP3 player or CD to the PS4. I find this to be a significant loss. I had thought this sort of thing would transfer over to PS4 since it would reinforce the versatility of Playstation consoles, but I am hopeful this will change. According to an article on Eurogamer.net, this will likely be modified in the not-so distant future. I imagine other sort of personalizing features and apps will be added to the PS4 over time. If these are things you look for in a gaming console, you may not want to buy it right now. The lack of UI customization is linked to Sony's primary efforts to create a platform oriented primarily for gaming, so we'll see what will become of the UI in the future. This is probably the most notable deficiency I've noticed for the PS4, but I still think the quality of the PS4 UI at this time is really good, even if it isn't entirely optimized. Overall, I am still very pleased with the PS4. I anticipate it will be a permanent item on my TV stand. 3/01/14 I got Assassin's Creed Four a few days ago, and I love it. The look and feel of it on the PS4 is nothing short of fantastic. The processing power of the Playstation Four really pulls out the minute graphic details and creates a smooth image. I really don't have much else to say until I've played it a bit more. I also decided to get BF4 given the price reduction and the player appreciation for the entire month of February. It is also runs well on the PS4 and looks absolutely stunning. Check out my review on it if you wish. The PS4 is still running well and I am extremely pleased with it. This is all really have to say for now.

This is by far the best video game system ever created!!! Much faster than the PS3, fixed all of the problems that plagued the PS3 and the design is super futuristic!!! Much more reliable than Xbox, allows you to upgrade your own storage!!! it's been 13 years since it was released and I am still playing it!! I've played every system out there and the PS4 is the best to me. Had the PS5 and Xbox Series X and sold both to keep my PS4!!! System is simple and easy to use and set up, controllers are the best, upgradable storage, light and small, and takes way less power than the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Has a large library of great games and still relevant today in 2026!!! Get this system, you will not be disappointed!!!

**UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM** I've waited 4 months before writing my review on the PS4. The reason for this is because I wanted to see how it would improve with updates during the 4 months. I bought a PS3 about a year after they were released and a PS2 about a year after it was released. Since I've loved the playstation since my very first PS1, I decided I had nothing to lose and after a few months of the PS4 being released, I got one. Let me start this by saying I used the crap out of my PS3. I gave up cable because I had a my whole media library streaming to my PS3 along with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. It was one box for anything I wanted to watch or any game I wanted to play and it worked beautifully. An ultimate home theater entertainment solution. I loved it and so did my wife. The PS3 is the best console I own. That being said, so far the truth about the PS4 is it is glorified hardware for nice looking games and has the functionality to be able to download apps such as netflix, hulu, redbox, amazon prime, etc. Unfortunately the functionality ends there. As always on playstations, the web browser is garbage and if you do want to try watching anything from your media library from plex, the browser cuts off parts of the screen when you click on the fullscreen button and it's just a pain in the neck to even get to the plex site and do it this way. I've read several times that Sony "might" put give the PS4 media server functionality with dlna streaming, but after 4 months of owning the PS4, I feel as though I've paid a lot of money to lose functionality in order to gain nothing but glorified hardware that does not even support 3D. So if I were to buy a 3D TV, I would either need to connect both my PS3 and PS4 up to it or buy a 3D blue ray player. Don't get me wrong.The games on this thing look Phenomenal. I've yet to have problems with the grips on the controller. I've read 5 star review after 5 star review of this console to convince me that my purchase of this console is justified. However, I only game at night when my family is in bed so my daughter isn't distracted by the controller, and I don't have to pause every few minutes, so needless to say, unless I want to watch something on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, I barely turn the thing on. After giving it some thought, I decided to see if I could get a direct answer from Sony Support. Here's how our chat conversation went: Me: Yes. I purchased a PS4 back in March of this year, discovering that it did not have DLNA capabilities, 3d support, and it was not able to play media from an external storage device. I feel like I've paid for glorified hardware with less features than the PS3 had. Since I can't find a clear answer online just that "updates may change this in the future", I thought I would ask the company that sells the console if any of these things are changing for sure. Sony: I do apologize all inconveniences it may caused you, let me do my best to assist you. Me: not a big deal. I'd just like to know if any of these capabilities will definitely or will definitely not be added in the future. Sony: those options may come in the future, sorry for that. You may keep checking our website or our blog: http://blog.us.playstation.com/ Me: but there's really not a definite yes or no answer right? I just wanted to verify that nothing is set in stone as of right now. Sony: Not right now. Sony: Is there anything else I can assist you with today? Me: that will be all. thank you. So until I have a concrete answer, I'm plugging my PS3 back in and stuffing this thing in the closet until either a game comes out on PS4 that I really want to play that's unavailable on PS3, or an update finally comes out that makes the functionality of the PS4 exceed the functionality of the PS3, or my PS3 finally dies on me. If you used the media server functionality on the PS3, you'll find that this system leaves much to be desired. If you're a hardcore gamer and that's all you want to do on the PS4, then the PS4 is for you. ______________________________________________________________ **UPDATE** The PS4 now has a Plex app. If you don't know what Plex is, and you like to stream movies, music, and pictures from your computer to any phone, computer, tablet, etc anywhere you are, google Plex Media Server and get enlightened. Now that the Plex app is available, I have no reason to whine. I've added the additional 2 stars, and I now think this is the perfect Gaming/media system. the Rubber has worn off the joysticks on my controller, but there are covers and replacements that amazon sells, plus they should be covered under warranty. Not a deal breaker. But now that the Plex app has been added, I use my PS4 for everything.