PS3 review from NINEMSN

Are you a believer?

With Sony's answer to the next generation of video gaming now out in PAL regions such as Europe and Australasia, gamers finally have the chance to discover what North America and Japan have been enjoying since 2006.

The first thing those you'll discover, as American and (to an infuriatingly lesser-extent) Japanese gamers have, is that the PS3 doesn't come cheap. In Australia, where only the top-end model of the console is available, it costs a bank-breaking $999. This already prices the system beyond much of the impulse buyer's market.

Sony are of course gesticulating wildly in the direction of the Blu-ray disc drive, the PS3 being the cheapest way to own the next-gen DVD format. However, the jury is still out on the appeal of Blu-ray as a whole and whether gamers are taking its inclusion on board when comparing the PS3 to the Xbox 360 and the Wii.

The power of the CELL CPU driving the system makes the console the most mighty of the next-gen trio, though it will take time to see how important this technology is. Debut titles fail to out-shine rival Xbox 360 offerings, despite the hardware at their disposal. That said, Sony can't be faulted for ambition, having taken their third-gen system in an entirely different direction from the mass-market PS2, opting instead for a system which will appeal to technophiles and those looking to be the first with Blu-ray.

For those of you deliberating about whether to hot foot it down to your local game shop, one of the most important factors to consider is whether you will buy or already own a HD television set and whether you'll also therefore be interested in taking advantage of the Blu-ray drive. If you do want to be an early-adopter of the new DVD format, then the PS3 could be your best route in, especially with the array of games available or forthcoming.

Then there's the PlayStation Network to consider. It may be in its early stages, but the online service of the PS3 is completely free (unlike Microsoft's rival Live service) and that includes online gaming too. Today's 1.6 update also ushers in background downloading and with Gran Turismo HD free to download, fans of the racing genre may find this is incentive enough. The range of titles heading to the PS3 store also looks set to grow at pace, with Sony promising more original games alongside conversions, as opposed to the retrograde ports favoured by Microsoft and Nintendo.

The PS3's future is about that, ultimately ... the future. Without exclusive games such as GTA IV and Assassin's Creed, and now even Final Fantasy XIII a doubt, Sony's ability to secure or develop compelling games will be vital to justifying the system's high price point. That and Blu-ray's victory over HD-DVD. A smorgasbord of multiplatform EA sports and movie tie-ins is unlikely to be giving Microsoft execs the shivers any time soon. But then there is, of course, Metal Gear Solid 4 ... can Kojima's return elevate the PS3 single-handedly?

Lest we forget, Sony have unveiled plans for the PS3 Home and LittleBigPlanet in recent weeks, both of which could easily entice the MySpace generation of game players so enamoured with the PS2. But can such sociable gaming experiences persuade people to part with $1000 when the Wii also appeals to the party crowd but costs under $500?

While you deliberate over whether to make the investment in Sony's ambitious next-generation vision, here's a few "day one" facts about the new machine...

Specifications:
PS3 PAL console
Price: $999
Cell CPU/RSX GPU/256 MB RAM/256MB video RAM
60GB HDD/Dolby 5.1 surround sound
Ethernet/Wi-fi/Bluetooth support
SIXAXIS Wireless controller
HDMI output/1080p max resolution
CD/DVD/Blu-ray supported
Weight: 5kg


Launch games:
Resistance: Fall of Man (Sony)
MotorStorm (Sony)
Genji: Days of the Blade (Sony)
Formula One Championship Edition (Sony)
Ridge Racer 7 (Sony)
Call of Duty 3 (Activision)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Activision)
Tony Hawk's Project 8 (Activision)
Gundam: Target in Sight (Namco Bandai)
Full Auto 2: Battle Lines (SEGA)
Sonic the Hedgehog (SEGA)
Virtua Fighter 5 (SEGA)
Virtua Tennis 3 (SEGA)
World Snooker Championship 2007 (SEGA)
NHL 2K7 (2K Sports)
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (Ubisoft)
Enchanted Arms (Ubisoft)
Def Jam: Icon (EA)
Fight Night Round 3 (EA)
NBA Street Homecourt (EA)
Need For Speed Carbon (EA)
The Godfather: The Don's Edition (EA)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 (EA)
Tekken: Dark Resurrection (PlayStation Network)
Blast Factor (PlayStation Network)
Lemmings (PlayStation Network)
Gran Turismo HD Concept (PlayStation Network)
GripShift (PlayStation Network)