PlayStation 3 Hands-On: Report Card

PlayStation Network

While we’re on the subject of online functionality and options, let’s examine the current state of the Network. So far, it appears to function just fine, as we had a blast playing both Resistance: Fall of Man and Ridge Racer 7 online. It doesn’t take long to get going, although if you’re an avid player and would like to keep track of your gaming buddies, the PS3 doesn’t offer a unified friends list to help you out. Supposedly, this will be fixed with a later system update, but for now, it’s simply a negative that must be mentioned. Beyond that, there isn’t much to complain about, but nothing to really get excited about, either. Those of you familiar with Xbox Live would probably find the Network to be quite similar, albeit without a few added extras you’re currently used to. At the same time, the Network is free, which may or may not become a major factor in the years to come (we’re not sure if Microsoft will drop that one-time Live fee, but it’s doubtful).

We had no difficulty in our hours of online play; the speed was always optimum, the lag was just about nil (save one instance at the very tail end of a 22-player Deathmatch), and despite a few added minutes when searching for a "matched skill level" room, everything seemed right as rain. It’s simple, really- the Network, for now, does what it’s supposed to do; no more, no less.

Grade: B-

DVD/Blu-Ray Playback And HD Resolution

Obviously, high-definition makes everything come to life, and for the PS3, that means both movies and games. We examined games and movies (both DVD and Blu-Ray) on a standard 480p set and a full HD 1080p set, and if there’s one thing we quickly came to understand, it’s that HD is the future of gaming. However, because many consumers don’t yet have the option, we had to be realistic and attempt to notice differences between HD and Blu-Ray on both sets. We won’t get into specifics because there’s still some argument there regarding details, but either way, we don’t really have a preference between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray at this point.

One thing we really dislike is the fact that the PS3 actually downscales games that aren’t supported on the TV you’re playing on; in other words, if you have 1080i and the game only supports either 480p and 1080p, the game will be displayed in 480p. It’s just the way of electronics, but it’s guaranteed to be frustrating for owners of slightly older HD sets. Furthermore, we’re hoping many future games support a variety of resolutions, unlike Resistance, which only supports 720p.

Overall, it’s difficult to say if Blu-Ray will give the PS3 the edge in games; it’s just too early. But as for the Blu-Ray/DVD player in the PS3, it’s certainly fantastic, and clearly a better option than those uber-expensive Blu-Ray players. Finally, if there’s one thing the PS3 will excel at down the road, it’s producing sweet-looking games in high-def. That much, we know for sure.

Grade: B+

PSP Connectivity