PlayStation 3 Test Drive

I've had a PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii since last Friday and I've had some time to play around with a handful of games. Both Sony and Nintendo have been focusing on retail, so media members are still waiting for the bulk of the launch titles from third-party game companies.

I'll focus on PS3 today, since it ships Friday November 17. The device is sleek and heavy, especially when compared to the slim PS2. For those who haven't bought a PS2 yet, Sony just shipped a silver limited edition model for $130. For those keeping track this year, Sony's PS2 has been selling Xbox 360 all year long, so it's still a viable system with at least another four years of life left in it and 100 million consoles in global homes (35 million in the U.S. alone).

Back to PS3, the games slide into the front right slot, as well as Blu-ray Disc movies. The first 500,000 PS3s will include a free "Talladega Nights" movie in the box. That movie is one that can be enjoyed over and over again, and the colors really stand out on a 1080p HDTV. I've been testing the next generation systems on a 720p Vizio HDTV, which you can purchase for $1,000. Sony's expecting a lot of people to buy HDTVs this year with their game consoles. They're promoting their Bravia HDTVs at 15,000 retailer kiosks nationwide. In general, HDTV prices will drop this Christmas to about $1,000 for many 42" screen devices. By the end of the year, a total of 30 million HDTVs are expected to be in U.S. homes.

Although PS3 games and movies play on standard definition, they don't look nearly as good as they do in HD. The one game that really stands out from the crowd of PS3 launch titles is "Resistance: Fall of Man" from Insomniac Games, maker of the "Ratchet & Clank" franchise. This Mature-rated sci-fi shooter throws you right into the action in single-player. It's the kind of game that you can jump into and immediately lose hours playing. I was able to play multiplayer at the Insomniac Studio in Los Angeles a few months back and that's where the replay value is. Up to 40 players can take part in the online action, playing as humans or Chimera in a variety of team-based and every-man-for-himself style games. Anyone who can actually buy a PS3 this year (and there will only be 1 million in the U.S. by year's end) will want to pick up this game.

Other games I got to play around with include "NBA 2K7," NHL 2K7," "Madden NFL 07," "Tony Hawk's Project 8" and "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance." All of these games are also available on other platforms, some for both Xbox 360 and Wii. There are some new features that take advantage of the SixAxis controllers. The new PS2 wireless controllers are very light, because they no longer have the rumble capabilities of PS2 controllers. Instead, they have a motion-sensor controller that allows you to shoot free throws by pushing the whole controller forward or make saves in hockey by positioning the goalie at the right angle to stop a blistering slapshot. Most of the PS3 games have some type of motion-sensor control options to make up for the lack of rumble. It's a toss-up, because a lot of gamers are used to the vibration of the older controllers. Others, who like the Wii controller, get a simplified version with the SixAxis.

Although $600 seems like a lot of money to some for a game console, PS3 is much more than that. It's an entertainment hub for the living room. It's broadband PlayStation Network offers free online gaming. In the near future, music, movies and TV shows will be able to be downloaded to the PS3 hard drive. And it plays next generation Blu-ray Disc movies and games out of the box. And since it will be in short supply this year, most gamers will have to wait until 2007 to get one of these systems in their homes. But next year should also bring about the first wave of price cuts on hardware. I expect games to stick with the $60 price tag for as long as consumers are will to pay that.