The PlayStation 4 serves up dazzling graphics, runs on a simplified and logical interface and boasts a fantastic controller. It has the upper hand in indie games and can stream a constantly growing list of legacy titles via PlayStation Now. The PS4 makes it super-easy to capture and broadcast gameplay online and generally delivers a zippier performance than its direct competition. It also doubles as a Blu-ray player and solid media-streaming box. PlayStation 4 quickly approaches its third birthday, let’s reassess the current state of Sony’s flagship game machine.
When the competing consoles were first released, we gave the edge to the PS4 over the Xbox One. And at this point in time, the PS4 is still looking good. It continues to improve thanks to regular system firmware updates and a consistent stream of console-exclusive independent games. Exclusive AAA-titles are less frequent, but the PS4 has some promising titles coming down the pike, including The Last Guardian and Horizon Zero Dawn, both scheduled to arrive in 2016. But if you’re concentrating more on the exclusives 2015 has to offer, the Xbox One wins that immediate holiday battle.
The majority of games are available on both platforms and PC. We call these multiplatform games. In our testing, we’ve found that a handful of titles perform better on a PlayStation 4. The most recent example of this is Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
To be clear: The PS4 and the Xbox One are very closely matched. Both offer a growing library of third-party games - mainstays like the Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed series, as well as newer titles like Fallout 4 and Rainbow Six Siege. And both double as full-service entertainment systems, with built-in Blu-ray players and streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and Hulu Plus.
At this stage in the game we’re still partial to the PlayStation 4. Our reasoning is below - along with a few caveats about areas where the PS4 can improve.