jawa asks... How is the current console generation panning out for you?

It is quite an underwhelming experience, I feel like this is one of the least "visible" leaps from last gen to the new one. The fact that we still have to choose between a performance and a graphics mode, makes me feel like this is a ps4.5.

Drej wrote:It is quite an underwhelming experience, I feel like this is one of the least "visible" leaps from last gen to the new one. The fact that we still have to choose between a performance and a graphics mode, makes me feel like this is a ps4.5.

How much of this is because devs just can't help themselves and push beyond what is possible at 60fps? Those bullshots sell games with fancy graphics but I know I'd rather have 60 frames every time.

Seven wrote:Honestly I still feel this gen has yet to begin. And that's weird considering it has been out for good while...

Yeah, it seems that the majority of voters feel the same way, Seven; I think the COVID impacts really hampered the first two years and it took some time before the consoles have been easily available.

Seven wrote:...PS4 has so many great games that I couldn't play on PC or other system - but now it feels like anything that's available on PS5 I could've just go for PC anyway...

It does appear that both Sony and Microsoft will now focus on game launches across both PC and their respective consoles. It's a shame that gaming PCs are so expensive!

Winckle wrote:

Drej wrote:It is quite an underwhelming experience, I feel like this is one of the least "visible" leaps from last gen to the new one. The fact that we still have to choose between a performance and a graphics mode, makes me feel like this is a ps4.5.

How much of this is because devs just can't help themselves and push beyond what is possible at 60fps? Those bullshots sell games with fancy graphics but I know I'd rather have 60 frames every time.

I was going to mention that, but I am not really too technical when it comes to hardware capabilities, but I get the feeling that we did get sold the idea that these consoles where much more powerful than they really are.

I remember that with in the ps2 era, the consoles where always being pushed, and you got the idea that games were progressing through the console's life, with the last years of the ps2 providing some of the biggest and best games on that console.

So far I only had that feeling of amazement on Elden Ring and some moments in God of War

Squinty wrote:Don't have a current gen console yet. Still playing Xbox one, Switch, PC, PS4 and 3DS...

That is an excellent range of systems, Squinty! To be fair, up until fairly recently you probably haven't - imho - missed out too much on the newer game releases as relatively few have been exclusive to new gen.

Squinty wrote:...I was thinking of replacing my xbox with a One X. So I'm keeping an eye out for one. I'm getting married and moving house this year. It's been hectic and a massive drain on fun monies.

Maybe once you're married and settled into your home, a new console could arrive in the Squinty household :-).

Drej wrote:

Winckle wrote:

Drej wrote:It is quite an underwhelming experience, I feel like this is one of the least "visible" leaps from last gen to the new one. The fact that we still have to choose between a performance and a graphics mode, makes me feel like this is a ps4.5.

How much of this is because devs just can't help themselves and push beyond what is possible at 60fps? Those bullshots sell games with fancy graphics but I know I'd rather have 60 frames every time.

I was going to mention that, but I am not really too technical when it comes to hardware capabilities, but I get the feeling that we did get sold the idea that these consoles where much more powerful than they really are.

I remember that with in the ps2 era, the consoles where always being pushed, and you got the idea that games were progressing through the console's life, with the last years of the ps2 providing some of the biggest and best games on that console.

So far I only had that feeling of amazement on Elden Ring and some moments in God of War

I suspect that we will see far fewer examples of games really pushing the console than in the past. Nowdays games are coded using standard development tools that are often designed to work across various consoles; homogenising the results in the process, often resulting in something that performs well but doesn't push any particular console to its limits.

When development teams were smaller and much of the code was written afresh each game, you could have instances where very smart folk discovered ways of pushing a system to do unexpected feats; "coding down to the metal". Where we now have huge teams of people developing games using various "builder/helping" systems, these examples will appear far less frequently as, often, a key objective is to standardise output and feel across systems.

Barely use my PS5 at the moment. Bar a couple of titles, it's largely been a way to play a souped-up version of Destiny. There are some exclusives I will eventually get round to, which may alter my perception of the console, but at the moment it has largely been a case of "PS4 games but faster/smoother".

The Series S provided my only real taste of next gen - it felt significantly faster and smoother, helped by the fact it was my first purchase this gen. I've since traded up to a Series X, which again, is faster and smooth. That console is still very much "last gen but faster" and lacks killer exclusives, but has an advantage over the PS5 due to Gamepass.

The Switch has been my most played console again and it came out in 2017. It has the best exclusives and with the OLED, is my preferred way to play indie games (which tend to be what I go for now - a lot are on Gamepass but I prefer them in handheld).

Parksey wrote:...The Switch has been my most played console again and it came out in 2017. It has the best exclusives and with the OLED, is my preferred way to play indie games (which tend to be what I go for now - a lot are on Gamepass but I prefer them in handheld).

It's nice to see that, like many folk, you highlight that tech power isn't necessarily the driver for how much you enjoy a game, Parksey; gameplay remains critical and, yeah, handheld play can be very attractive in some cases. The new gen 9 consoles may well be beasts but Switch is still rockin'!

jawa_ wrote:

Seven wrote:Honestly I still feel this gen has yet to begin. And that's weird considering it has been out for good while...

Yeah, it seems that the majority of voters feel the same way, Seven; I think the COVID impacts really hampered the first two years and it took some time before the consoles have been easily available.

Seven wrote:...PS4 has so many great games that I couldn't play on PC or other system - but now it feels like anything that's available on PS5 I could've just go for PC anyway...

It does appear that both Sony and Microsoft will now focus on game launches across both PC and their respective consoles. It's a shame that gaming PCs are so expensive!

Yeah Covid did strawberry float things up overall and when it's true that PC gaming are expensive, its worth to note I will have more milage out of them due to modding, be able to talk to my friends easily and also free online multiplayer when I am in mood for it. I got Street Fighter 6 on PC despite PS5 would've been better in terms of performance vs my current PC, but because I'd have to fork over more cash for PS+ (I'm also very very iffy with PS+ and Xbox Gold cause the prices has gone up again) just to play SF6 online which is why I just went with PC version.

But yeah, I'm saving up more than needed before getting myself new custom PC. Not in rush as my current PC can do lot of things fine, just would like better performance and to set myself up for future especially Dawntrail now has higher system requirements than anything FFXIV has in past.

Seven wrote:...I'm saving up more than needed before getting myself new custom PC. Not in rush as my current PC can do lot of things fine, just would like better performance and to set myself up for future especially Dawntrail now has higher system requirements than anything FFXIV has in past.

I haven't checked this out; I wonder if the newest FFX XIV expansion will run on PS4?

jawa_ wrote:

Seven wrote:...I'm saving up more than needed before getting myself new custom PC. Not in rush as my current PC can do lot of things fine, just would like better performance and to set myself up for future especially Dawntrail now has higher system requirements than anything FFXIV has in past.

I haven't checked this out; I wonder if the newest FFX XIV expansion will run on PS4?

It will, yeah! Think there's still fair amount of PS4 players so I can't see them dropping support for PS4 version for a while yet.

Seven wrote:It will, yeah! Think there's still fair amount of PS4 players so I can't see them dropping support for PS4 version for a while yet.

Good to hear! Yeah, I think the PS4 user base is still pretty big. Ta, Seven!

Honestly? Underwhelming.

The pandemic is still being felt through gaming; there aren’t that many games that I feel really push the new consoles at all. This is a side effect of all the cross gen releases we got but still. I world have happily bought a PS5 just to play Forbidden West but the PS4 version was absolutely gorgeous so why bother?

In the end I got a Series S because I’m a sucker for dinky machines, it looks nice under my TV and it plays GameCube games at full speed.

Carlos wrote:...I world have happily bought a PS5 just to play Forbidden West but the PS4 version was absolutely gorgeous so why bother?...

Yeah, some of those PS4 ports of the PS5 titles were surprisingly comparable to the bigger versions, really.

Carlos wrote:...In the end I got a Series S because I’m a sucker for dinky machines, it looks nice under my TV and it plays GameCube games at full speed.

Hold on, Carlos... GameCube games... on Xbox?!?

jawa_ wrote:

Carlos wrote:...I world have happily bought a PS5 just to play Forbidden West but the PS4 version was absolutely gorgeous so why bother?...

Yeah, some of those PS4 ports of the PS5 titles were surprisingly comparable to the bigger versions, really.

Carlos wrote:...In the end I got a Series S because I’m a sucker for dinky machines, it looks nice under my TV and it plays GameCube games at full speed.

Hold on, Carlos... GameCube games... on Xbox?!?

Not GC exclusive

The Series XS consoles are quite good for emulation aren’t they?

jawa_ wrote:

Carlos wrote:...I world have happily bought a PS5 just to play Forbidden West but the PS4 version was absolutely gorgeous so why bother?...

Yeah, some of those PS4 ports of the PS5 titles were surprisingly comparable to the bigger versions, really.

Carlos wrote:...In the end I got a Series S because I’m a sucker for dinky machines, it looks nice under my TV and it plays GameCube games at full speed.

Hold on, Carlos... GameCube games... on Xbox?!?

A £20 dev account lets you unlock your Xbox and install Dolphin on it! Games run at 30fps and in 1080p.

Carlos wrote:

jawa_ wrote:Hold on, Carlos... GameCube games... on Xbox?!?

A £20 dev account lets you unlock your Xbox and install Dolphin on it! Games run at 30fps and in 1080p.

Ah! That's a neat trick, Carlos.

Dunkey posted this satirical video on this topic. Sony bosses are saying this is the beginning of the end of PS5. But we've had very few new games and experiences enabled by the generational leap.

Winckle wrote:Dunkey posted this satirical video on this topic. Sony bosses are saying this is the beginning of the end of PS5. But we've had very few new games and experiences enabled by the generational leap.

It wasn't a generational leap though. It's more of a ps4 pro+.