Blockbuster.co.uk explores the many-splendoured delights of the PlayStation 3.
Describing Sony's mighty, multi-purpose
PlayStation 3 as a Next Generation console doesn't even begin to capture what it's all about. Doesn't come close to doing it justice. Doesn't seem any more appropriate than referring to the Bugatti Veyron as a nifty little runaround. Simply put, what the PS3 actually is, it's everything you ever wanted from a console, along with so much more than you'd never even imagined a console could do, it's like it was designed by Dr Who and powered by the Force.
Yes, you can play cutting edge, high definition games on it. Your music too, and it'll store all of your pictures. You can surf on it. Socialise through it. And did we mention yet that it's the best
Blu-ray player on the market? Rather than tagging it as a Next Generation device, or a Next, Next Generation console, or really using any words to try to describe it, it would be much more effective simply to picture a gamer with his eyes popped wide and his jaw on the floor. Or Dr Who telling a mate, "Yes, of course, the Tardis is fine, but it's no PS3."
There are several compelling reasons to hook yourself up with a PS3, many of which are below. When you're convinced you can no longer travel through life without one, you can buy your PS3 direct from Blockbuster.co.uk, along with a selection of amazing games and wondrous peripherals.
Game On
To cases then. Let's start with the games. With enormous reserves of processing power, PlayStation 3 creates the most immersive, compelling worlds imaginable. PlayStation has always been home to great games from the world's most skilled game developers, and the story is no different with PS3. What has changed is the sheer potential that such a powerful system brings. With a Hard Disk Drive and Blu-ray Disc storage as standard, developers can now create worlds of previously unimaginable size and detail, while the processing speed of the Cell Broadband Engine allows for advanced physical simulation and Artificial Intelligence. Combine it all with advanced High Definition graphics, and you get games that are more impressive and immersive than ever before.
PlayStation 3 brings cinematic production to the world of interactive entertainment. Games and the way you play them are changing for the better, thanks to the amazing capabilities of the system. With vast processing power, huge data storage and High Definition imagery, games on PlayStation 3 are produced with a level of polish and imagination more traditionally associated with big-budget Hollywood movies.
In-game characters are no longer stilted puppets - they're living, believable creations, capable of displaying subtle on-screen emotions and engaging with the player on a level not possible until now. The lavish production values invested in PlayStation 3 games allows for near-photorealistic visuals, vast, breathtaking worlds of stunning complexity, and the most realistic physical environments ever created for a home entertainment system. Since the launch of PS3 in November 2006, the number of disc titles has reached more than 1000, and downloadable PS3 games to 1400 titles worldwide, with the support of a broad range of third party game developers and publishers. In addition to this extensive software title line-up, exciting and attractive new titles are to be released from SCE Worldwide Studios, including
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,
EyePet,
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time,
Heavy Rain,
God of War 3,
MAG,
ModNation Racers,
Gran Turismo 5 and more.
No Wires
The Wireless Controller is designed especially for PlayStation 3 - and it's every bit as unique as its host system. The iconic PlayStation controller has a revolutionary form for the PlayStation 3 and it is called the
Dualshock 3 Wireless Controller. Adding fantastic new features, it brings game handling firmly into the next generation. Bluetooth technology allows up to seven controllers to connect to the system wirelessly, freeing the controller from the system and avoiding tangled wires - and making multiplayer sessions easier to set up.
This added freedom is doubly useful, as the controller is also motion-sensitive, detecting movement through six axes. Imagine a flying game where you simply tilt your controller left to turn left, or a puzzle game where you can control the tilt and angle of a maze in perfect synchronicity with your controller. This is now a reality thanks to the innovative Wireless Controller - a controller that's engineered to allow unique new experiences, while still providing a benchmark that's familiar to millions. The Dualshock 3 Wireless Controller also includes a vibration function that creates an extra level of immersion as part of your playing experience.
Eye Eye
Connecting to your PS3 via one of the USB connectors for motion sensitive, interactive gameplay and web chat, the PlayStation Eye is a revelation. As well as a multidirectional microphone for superior voice location tracking, background noise reduction for smoother speech recognition, faster frame rate for improved video quality and an adjustable zoom lens for extra versatility, PlayStation Eye comes bundled with a copy of EyeCreate, an advanced multimedia editing suite that lets you record sound clips, edit your own footage and add special effects.
Stay Connected
Free to access for all PlayStation 3 owners, PlayStation Network brings a wealth of connected entertainment to your living room. When you sign up for free access to PlayStation Network, you gain access to a wealth of services that really add to your PS3 experience. Feeling sociable? Try playing your favourite game online - at no additional cost - or chat with your friends via text or voice. If you're after something new, browse PlayStation Store - your gateway to full games, demos of forthcoming blockbusters, and all kinds of HD trailers and game add-ons. Or sit back and surf the Internet from your sofa via the built-in browser.
PlayStation Network members can also download free applications, such as PlayStation Home, a ground-breaking 3D social gaming community available on PS3 that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming experiences, as well as Life with PlayStation, which offers users various news and information on a TV monitor in the living room by connecting the PS3 to the network.
TV on your PSP
Use Remote Play and Play TV to connect your PSP and PlayStation 3 and expand your entertainment options. Remote Play enables you to control and access content on PlayStation 3 with your PSP. This can be via a local, private network between PlayStation 3 and PSP in your home or wirelessly via the Internet from anywhere in the world. Using the Remote Play feature, you can switch on your PlayStation 3 from anywhere and access photos, music and video files stored on the Hard Disk Drive.
For television lovers, Remote Play also works with Play TV, a peripheral and service that lets you watch, pause and record live TV from a huge range of free channels using your PlayStation 3. Seamless PSP connectivity allows you to set recordings, and watch live and recorded TV programmes remotely on your PSP. Preparing the PlayStation 3 and PSP to work with each other is straightforward. Within a matter of minutes, you'll be able to use your PSP to access content on a PlayStation 3 system using both devices' in-built Wireless functionality.
And that's not all! With the PS3, you're just one click away from the BBC iPlayer, the BBC's award winning catchup TV service that gives you access to hundreds of hours of BBC programming - all on your big screen TV.
A Brilliant Blu-ray Player
Capable of delivering an image resolution more than five times higher than that of standard DVD video, Blu-ray is a revelation on the PS3. Movies come with a level of detail and colour like never before, while sound is markedly improved since there's no need for data compression. With its phenomenal processing power, PlayStation 3 is designed to deal with crisp High Definition imagery and crystal clear sound - and Blu-ray is the perfect format for delivering the huge amounts of data this requires. A single Blu-ray Disc can store 25GB (single layer), or even 50GB (dual layer). By comparison, DVDs can only contain up to 4.7GB. In addition, online profile updates keep PS3s up to date with the latest software demands of the newest Blu-ray titles, ensuring it will always be the best, and most current, player on the market.
Enjoy your PS3!