Ever since the latest iteration of the PlayStation 4 with 4K technology was revealed last year in September, Indian gamers have been waiting for a launch date. Plus, there’s the PlayStation VR too, which was first introduced to us at IGX 2016. Now, both have finally been released along with the super thin PlayStation 4 Slim. Here’s the lowdown on all three consoles.
PlayStation4 Pro
This launch was a bold one, but it was also inevitable. After all, a console’s life cycle ranges from six to eight years. With the leaps and bounds in gaming tech, a mid-life cycle refresh is much needed. Even Microsoft is readying Project Scorpio, the Xbox One refresh console. Especially now that 4K is slowly becoming more and more affordable with wonderful technologies like Quantum Dots and HDR dazzling us with pretty pictures. This is where the PS4 Pro comes. Packing more of a graphical punch, this new super console can run all your existing PlayStation games on your shiny new 4K TVs. The original PlayStation 4 could do 1080p, which is Full HD, at the most. And for slightly more demanding games, it would reduce the resolution a bit to ensure you get good frame rates. Now if you do own a FullHD TV, the PS4 Pro can output the game at a much smoother pace while keeping the visual fidelity top notch.
At present, there are over 20 games that have been ‘enhanced’ to take advantage of the buffed-up specs of the PS4 Pro. Titles like Rise of the Tomb Raider , Skyrim , Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and a lot more are getting a massive graphical bump in image quality. But it’s the upcoming titles that will justify the price for the PS4 Pro. The stand out among them is Horizon Zero Dawn , which is an open-world game that features Neanderthal humans fighting against robotic dinosaurs. A word of caution though: before you drop money on the PS4 Pro, do check if your favourite games are on the compatibility lists. You know the drill. New console, new teething troubles. The PS4 Pro will retail for Rs. 38,990.
PlayStation VR
The recently released Resident Evil 7: Biohazard , in addition to scaring the living daylights out of everyone, is the perfect reason to even think about the PlayStation VR. Especially since it’s the first Virtual Reality headset to be commercially available here, beating the likes of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The PSVR is a futuristic-looking device, which has two Full HD screens, letting you immerse yourself in the game. You will need the PlayStation Camera for it to work, and you can use your normal DualShock 4 controller to play. There are also the odd-looking PlayStation Move controllers, which look like magic wands. While the VR gaming library is slim at the moment, there will more titles like Farpoint and Star Trek: Bridge Crew coming up. The PSVR retails for Rs. 41,990 with the PlayStation Camera accessory. There will be another bundle without the camera launched later, retailing at Rs. 37,990.
PlayStation Slim
According to Sony, all of the titles launched up to date and all of the future games coming out for the PlayStation 4 will be supported by the existing console. So if you have been waiting to buy the normal PS4, Sony has also launched a PlayStation 4 Slim, which sports a similar look to the PSPro, only, as the name suggests, is a lot slimmer than the original. With the Slim console, you also get the new updated DualShock 4 controller that is also bundled with the Pro. This includes smoother controls and a thin sliver of light indicating the colour of the light bar at the back.
As a whole, the PlayStation Slim exists for those gamers on a budget who want to play PS4 titles. Bear in mind, though, that there is no optical out on the Slim, so you will need to output sound to your home theatre via the HDMI. What the PS4 Slim has added is a hard drive caddy that's easy to remove, so you can install a Solid State Drive or HDD of a higher storage capacity. The PlayStation 4 Slim retails for Rs. 27,990. This, incidentally, is around the same price as the PlayStation 4, in case you prefer the edgy skewed look and that long light bar of the original.
In the end, the question remains: Which PlayStation is the right one for you? Should you get the Pro? Sure, if you have a 4K HDTV at home, then the Pro will allow you to squeeze the most out of it. Not to mention, it works as a complete media machine, allowing you to connect to streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Plex and more. Now if you have a nice 1080p setup, the PlayStation 4 or Slim will suit you just fine. Though if graphics mean a lot to you and you want the perfect 60 frames per second with beautiful crisp visuals, then that is also a great reason to get the Pro. As for the PlayStation VR, it's highly recommended if you want to jump on the VR bandwagon right now. Though it's better and more future compatible if you get it with the Pro.
PS VR Games
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Make sure you keep an extra pair of underpants ready, because the latest Resident Evil is one of the scariest games right now. And it’s even scarier in VR, with all-too-realistic depictions of body parts getting sliced off and hideous monsters around every corner. All of these take place in a scary mansion that's badly in need of a tetanus injection.
Batman: Arkham VR
A short game that let's you experience first-hand what it is like to be the Batman. It explores the caped crusader's tragic origin story and rise to take up the mantle of the bat. It’s been developed by Rocksteady themselves, who are the creators of the Arkham series.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Always wanted to know what it would be like being on the bridge of your very own Star Trek Enterprise spaceship? Bridge Crew let's you boldly go where no man has ever gone before, that too in VR. It’s every trekkie’s wet dream.
DriveClub VR and Grand Turismo Sport
Both these games let you get behind the wheel of several exotic race cars as you belt them around even more exotic race tracks and locales. Gran Turismo Sport is the latest from the legendary racing seriesm and its VR mode pushes the envelope of realistic graphics. DriveClub VR looks great too, and has a passenger mode that let's you sit back and admire the scenery of painstakingly recreated tracks.
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Horror and VR seem to get along like a house on fire. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is a new horror game that’s a literal rollercoaster ride through a hellscape of horror. This PSVR exclusive gives you a front-row seat to a descent into madness.
PS4 Pro Enhanced Games
Horizon: Zero Dawn (upcoming)
All eyes are turned to Horizon: Zero Dawn , launching later this year. It's an open-world game that lets you assume the role of Aloy, a hunter who sets out to find remnants of a past long gone. Except that the past is our future. The best part of Zero Dawn is the world inhabited by towering robotic dinosaurs, which you get to take down using an array of futuristic yet tribal weaponry.
Days Gone (upcoming)
The zombie apocalypse is here, and you play a bounty hunter in the midst of it all. You’re searching for marks out in the dangerous infested areas. Days Gone 's zombies, known as Freakers, move extremely fast and in massive groups.
Final Fantasy XV (out now)
The latest in the Final Fantasy series is an open-world extravaganza. With a PSPro, you can play this not only in 4K, but you get a 60-frames-per-second boost.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (out now)
Naughty Dog, the creators of Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us have announced several visual upgrades to both games. Known for its beautiful environment, you can search for pirate treasure in Thief's End or fend off zombies in The Last of Us in 4k. The level of detail in each area has been ramped up. If you haven't played both, now’s the best time to jump right in, with a PS4 Pro.
Fallout 4 (out now)
The high-res texture pack has just been officially announced for Fallout 4 , the popular post-nuclear open-world game. These will also be appearing on the PS4 Pro, enhancing the level of detail as well as 4K and HDR support.
The PlayStation 4 Slim and Pro will be available in stores by mid-February, while the PSVR will be available in March.
