Finally, a PS3 hands-on report

February 11th, 2006, 17:38 Posted By: wraggster

Kikizo is claiming that they've gained access to "three PS3 developers in multiple territories," which--of course--means that they can't say anything about the games in development without jeopardizing the jobs of their confidential friends. They were willing to talk about the current working state of the PS3, however, so here are a few highlights of what they had to say:

The hardware's close to final, but still hasn't squeezed into those empty PS3 cases yet. An alleged senior developer is quoted as saying: "I think to fit everything that Sony wants in there AND leave space for a 2.5 inch hard drive, the machine would have to grow. The models they're showing off are way too small for what they want."
Upgraded controller or games media? Well, "developers are designing games with the familiar DualShock 2 controls in mind," and they're "programming the game as if it will be written for a 10-speed DVD drive" (so as not to "affect load time"). The situation may change in the future, but that's the reality for these devs right now.
Games oughtta be more immersive thanks to the PS3's supposed ability to handle "more stuff simultaneously" as "a machine barely superior to Xbox 360." For this small system gap to widen, "...Sony will have to make available to [devs] libraries and new routines... something they've been severely lacking at so far."
For reference, "current playable content" looks more like Fifth Phantom Saga than Killzone or Motorstorm, but MGS4-quality graphics are looking more and more possible (which is probably a good thing), while launch titles may resemble "nice Xbox 360 material" like Dead or Alive 4 and Gears of War.

There's a lot here that Sony still hasn't revealed--such as price point and release date--but we're left to wonder what's causing such a Revolution-like PR blackout. Even Major Nelson's getting into the act, pointing out there was "no mention of a unified on-line service," and asking, "Also, what happend [sic] to the 1080p?" Upscaling the majority of PS3 games from a rather 360-ish 720p or 1080i, while great for frame rates (and squeezing out "the best effects and performance"), would be quite a blow to the system's supposed visual superiority.

These are exciting times for Sony fans, however, despite any shortcomings described in this "PS3 virginity-busting experience." The graphics are coming along, and the system's beginning to stand tall beside its next-gen rivals. Online's still a wild card, and the tech could be pricey, but we can't wait to finally see some games in action.

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