PS4 News: Hands On Review of Console, Games After Release Date

Released on Nov. 15, the PlayStation 4 has impressed fans and critics alike with the diverse features Sony managed to pack into the device. We spent some time with the console ourselves, and it's definitely worthy that $399 price tag.

Setting up the console is very easy, and can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. This process is sped up if users are have a PlayStation Account. The user interface is an updated version of the PlayStation 3's user interface, but even simpler. Players can check out updates for their games and the progress of their friends, and then quickly switch to their game library or media apps. The various downloadable games purchased will appear here, along with whatever disk-based game is in the console. This menu makes switching between games and apps very quick, and users can use the home button to instantly return to the home page.

We selected four games to check out on the PlayStation 4: Assassin's Creed 4, Super Motherload, and the free PlayStation Plus games of the month Resogun and Contrast.

All four show the power of the PS4 hardware in different ways. Resogun pops on screen and delivers so much action and explosions it is truly an impressive sight to see, especially for a downloadable title. Contrast allows for some interesting gameplay mechanics that are streamlined with the console's strong specs. Super Motherload shows the indie game potential of the console. Finally, Assassin's Creed 4 shows how the next-gen console can deliver a cinematic blockbuster that raises the bar for what to expect from big name franchises.

However, there are some small flaws in the PlayStation 4. The Netflix app does not autoplay content if the controller is turned off, draining the controller's battery quicker. There is no Youtube app as of yet, and external storage devices and CDs are not supported by the Sony machine. Finally, there are the various technical problems — such as the "blue line of death" — that have arisen in a small number of PS4 consoles. During the time we spent with the PlayStation 4, only once was the "blue line of death" seen, despite the console being on almost continuously for most of the days since launch.

Overall, the console is very impressive, despite a few small flaws. With many solid titles on the way for the device, it will be interesting to see how successful the console will be in the years to come.