Playstation 5 Reveal: Analysis and Thoughts

So the reveal has finally arrived for Sony's next system, in what will be the 5th generation for Sony, and the 9th console generation for gaming. We've all come a long way haven't we? Yesterday was the huge reveal as gamers and consumers of media sat in anticipation in their quarantined homes and they gazed upon the reveal of the hardware. As well as the titles that will be pushing the sales of units. Naturally this being my first introduction to writing on this site. There are a lot of thoughts that I have in regards to the hardware and software that was shown.

Lets start out right away with the hardware. Also if you are hoping for a detailed analysis of each component that the PS5 has. You might want to go to an actual publication to read up. This is an opinion and analysis piece. Analysis meaning that I'm covering the basics of whats on the thing and my thoughts on the games, the hardware, and some insight into the future. I also wont be posting a specs comparision between the PS5 and the Series X because Im here to talk about Sony. Also I couldnt be bothered to get involved with caring in the long run. A system purchase for me, in the future, will come down to price and exclusives. So if you want to have a discussion about which system is more powerful and what will be better. Jump on Reddit or GameFAQ because thats not my intention here. Have a party!

The specs for the PS5

CPU: 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.5GHz.

GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz, RDNA 2 architecture.

RAM: 16GB GDDR6.

Storage: Custom 825GB SSD.

Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot.

Optical drive: 4K Blu-ray drive.

So right off the bat we got some nice specs. Its giving me a reminder that ill need to upgrade my PC within two years. Or build an entirely new system. No, I am not joking about that. Either way though, this system is going to pack a punch. Especially with having an SSD installed into it. Let me tell you that having an SSD in your system makes the world of difference. Upon building my PC back in 2015 (still doesnt feel that long ago) and deciding to go with my primary drive an SSD harddrive. My computer starts up within 10 to 20 seconds. Mind you, this is a 250 gb drive that I have. Considering the PS5 is going to have an 825 gb one is stellar alone. Though thats all the storage you will get out of the box. Until you decide to purchase a seperate internal or external HDD for the thing. I really feel like the minimum space for a new system should be 2 TB. What do I know though? Actually that brings me to my next point.

Sony did not reveal the cost of the PS5. No price point was revealed at all. This is a cardinal sin here. You guys are maybe five or six months away from releasing this thing and you havent revealed what people are going to be paying. To be fair though. Neither has Microsoft, so they are both screwing up. Or they are afraid that the price will push people away. Especially considering we are in, or about to face a huge economic crisis. Industry analysts are already predicting that these systems are going to break the bank a bit. Especially Sony's machine. Which is also a concern for me. I've had this rule with any system that I buy. Never spend more than $400 on a brand new system. So I waited a good two and a half years before I bought the PS3 and that was a good decision. Of course that's how I've always done things with new systems. I'm not a day 1 hardware buyer and I doubt that that's going to change.

As for the controller and the look of the system itself. I mean its no secret that the internet has Memed up the look of this thing enough. That's to be expected and I've been personally getting a kick out of seeing them. The thing looks like it will fit into your living room well with your router or Amazon Alexa. So its clear what direction Sony is going in here.

Now for the controller. Honestly..... It looks just fine. Don't really have anything bad to say but I'm also not pumped up for it. It looks doable and that's totally fine for me. I dont need it to flash a hologram of a hot redhead saying "Good morning Ian and welcome to the future" everytime I pick up the controller. I dont need it to have an option, where if I press a button, my living room transforms into Narnia and Nathan Drake shows up through my front door saying "Whoops! Wrong universe."

I just need my controller to function well when playing games or navigating through menus. THATS IT! Granted having those things would be cool. Im a simple guy and I go to a console just to turn the thing on. Load up a game and enjoy. So the asthetic of the controller is nice. Its basically a sleaker and thicker version of what weve had before. Since the introduction of the dual shock controller in 1997. Sony has never changed up their button layout. I dont see why they would need to either. If it works then it works. So the a for mentioned Dual Shock 5 pictured above. It looks workable and traditional and that works for me.

Now we get into the potential future of the industry. The one that could bring a potential shift in everything. Its time to address the elephant in the room (maybe not depending on how you look at this). So Sony have announced that their will be two models released. One being all Digital and the other being a Physical. I've had a fear that consoles in the future will aim to go all digital. So regardless of the price at launch. I know they will aim for the digital version to be cheaper to sell more units. On the other hand here. Giving the consumer the choice is a great way to test the waters to see if Physical media still has a market. Which is exactly what Sony is doing here. I could make a three page rant about digital media but ill save that for another post. Ill just say this for now. If you want media to continue to be Physical. If you are concerned with the potential of a digital only world. Do like I will do. Save up and buy the Standard edition. Despite the bells and whistles that will be included with the Digital version. A headset, an extra controller, and maybe something else. Not sure at this time.

So to close out the hardware analysis here. System looks very nice. Controller looks workable and sleak. Choices are good. Just need the prices to be released. Who knows if Sony is still thinking about how much it should be or are hiding it in fear of scaring people off. Also I am not going to pay attention to any of the Amazon leaks because one lied about a potential Silent Hill game. People on the internet are assholes.

Of course at the end of the day. No system is worth a damn if it has no games. So lets jump on in to what Sony has shown off.

The Games

First and foremost. A Rant

RANT WARNING!!!!

Rockstar, listen carefully here. I loved GTA 5, both the story and the online (the community is pretty damn toxic but that's to be expected). Best GTA game since Vice City for me. I want you to really absorb what I am about to tell you. STOP PORTING GTA 5!! Better yet, to all companies! STOP PORTING GAMES FROM PREVIOUS GENERATIONS ONTO NEW HARDWARE FOR THE FIFTH OR SIXTH TIME!! Sony, Bethesda, and Capcom. This goes for you too. I understand wholehartedly that you really want my money. Stop being blatant and lazy about it. I don't need to hear "Hey you like that one game that you played back in 2013. Well how about-" and I immediately respond back with "Shut up Todd Howard". So.... NO I will NOT be buying GTA 5 yet AGAIN!

Ok RANT OVER

Lets continue...

So some of these thoughts will be in depth and some will be brief. Starting with..

Spider-man: Miles Morales

Starting off with something to look forward to. Naturally a spin off in a series. While also a continuation of the PS4 game. While also being a prequel for the upcoming sequel. Cant tell you how much I love Spider man on PS4. Not just from a gameplay standpoint but also the story. Insomniac was able to craft a story that rivals any of the Spider man movies released. Also to mention that thanks to Spider man PS4 and Into the Spiderverse. I went from not having much interests in Miles to loving the character. Hopefully this will be a joint release on both PS4 and PS5 but that might not happen. Also this will be a great precursor to the sequel and what might be the first ever Co Op Spider man game when Spider man 2 releases. In the meantime I am totally down to dive into the journey of Miles.

Release: December 2020

Gran Turismo 7

No pic here because I never cared about this series and this trailer did not change my mind. If this is your jam then congrats. Me personally? If I wanted realistic driving mechanics Id grab my car keys and drive to Target.

Release: TBA

Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart

Well look whose back. Gotta say that I got the same feeling watching this trailer as I would watching a trailer for an upcoming Pixar film. Not a whole lot to say about this one other than it looks great and its going to have some game play variety (hopefully). Its also a good reminder to finally sit down and play Up Your Arsenal since I've been sleeping on it for years. Which is considered one of the best platformers ever made. Along with the second game in the series. Really my experience has only been with the first game and the PS3 game. I enjoyed them both and I look forward to seeing more info on this. It might just be a day one buy.

Release date: TBA

Project Athia

Really not much to be said here. What was in the trailer looked good but not much info. Some are saying that it is, in fact, Final Fantasy 16 just going by the working title Project Athia. Who knows really? Id have to see more to formulate an opinion but for now. It looked neat.

Release date: TBA

Stray

In a world overrun by robots. You play as a cat solving mysteries armed with a backpack. No, this Isn't a talking cat either (as far as the trailer showed). Yet people say that creativity and ingenuity is dead. Watch this game become a runaway hit.

Returnal

A women finds herself crash landed on a planet where she relives events in her head, including her death. Though every time she relives them, the planet changes. So you have my attention with that premise Sony. Lets see how it all turns out. I love me a good mind bender. So if it ends up being that type of game. Its worth a look at in my eyes.

Release date: TBA

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

I love to create things. Even if I never finish anything I make (it sucks too). That being said the Little Big Planet series has been one of the best for that. This game may just be a typical platformer. If thats the case then I will have to pass because creating is what made the LBP games what they are. Actually, judging by the trailer. It looks like Sony is trying to compete with Nintendo and Super Mario Bros 3D land. We all know how well that turns out. Remember Playstation Allstars? (I enjoyed the game for what it was but lets be real here)

Release: TBA

Destruction Allstars

Speaking of Allstars! So this is the game that some people I know cried out that they wanted a new Twisted Metal game. Well we probably wont get a new Twisted Metal game honestly. Instead were getting a game that looks to be a blend of Twisted Metal, Destruction Derby, Rocket League, and Fortnite. This could honestly go either great or dud. A heavy online focus is sensed here. Will it have loot boxes, microtransactions, and the likes of those? Most likely. Will it be good? Eh! Hard to say honestly. I love me a good car combat game but this one remains to be seen and played. Actually, to be real here. This looks like the Arena mode from GTA online with a new skin job and released as a standalone game. Again we will see though.

Release: TBA

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

I don't really have much to say about this one. It looks to be an adventure game. Those either go really well or end up being wildly mediocre. Environments look nice but we will see.

Release: TBA

Goodbye Volcano High

The same initial thought that I had for the game previously mentioned applies here too. Its going for a hand drawn art style. Looks to be a visual novel of sorts. If its well written and holds my interest then I am all for it.

Release: TBA

Oddworld: Soulstorm

How about that? A new Oddworld game. To be totally honest with you all. Never been huge on the Oddworld games. Granted I have not played enough of them. Though this marks a new entry in the series since ... wait my mistake. This is actually a remake of Abe's Exoddus. Just like how the last game was a recreation of Abe's Oddysee. Thats really the extent of what my thoughts are on this game. Looks great visually, might pick it up when its cheap.

Release: 2020

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ah yes! As soon as I saw Survival Horror mastermind Shinji Mikami grace my screen. I knew it was time for an update on Ghostwire: Tokyo. In wake of the Evil Within, which may be a dead franchise for the time being. This game is looking to take a non Survival Horror approach. Rather a horror mystery FPS direction. More action going on than what I was initially expecting and the emphasis on supernatural horror is strong. Essentially you are fighting ghosts in the city of Tokyo. Not entirely sure how linear it will actually be. All I can really say is that the first trailer had me intrigued. The second trailer will have me picking it up.

Release: 2021

JETT: The Far Shore

Honestly, the trailer left me with a big feeling of "meh". It might be something to check out but I didn't see anything to be excited about. Its being released on both PS4 and PS5. So thats cool.

Release: Holiday 2020

Godfall

Looks like we have a Gearbox joint here. From my experience thatll either be really good or really bad. They made Bulletstorm but also had a hand in Alien's Colonial Marines. Right off the bat. I love the idea. Hate the trailer. Gameplay looks like it could be a lot of fun. The trailer we were given lacked some serious substance though. It should also be noted that I keep typing Godlike on accident everytime I try to search for info on this game. Wont happen for the other games covered (maybe)

Release: December 2020

Solar Ash

If you played Hyper Light Drifter (which I haven't yet). This is the teams next title. Also supposidly a spiritual successor. Since HLD is on my backlog. I can only formulate my opinion based on the trailer. The game looks to be boasting an art style that, if I am able to be blunt. Its on the verge of becoming overdone. However its an art style that will probably hold up longer than a more realistic one. Gameplay looks like it may be fun. Also the development team has said that they have truly poured their hearts into this project. So I have to respect a dev team thats doing it for the passion and not just the dollar. We will see how it turns out.

Release: 2021

Hitman 3

Really dont care about the new Hitman reboot series. Havent played much of it. What I have played I did not care for in the slightest.

Release: January 2021

Astro's Playroom

For those reading this that don't know. Astro is basically playstation's mascot for their VR headset. However this is not a VR title. Rather a free, pack in game, being released with the PS5 itself. Something you dont see a whole lot of in the industry anymore. Judging by the trailer. It looks similar to Super Mario Odyssey from a game play standpoint. It will also be utilizing the Playstation's Dual sense controller technology. So you'll be able to feel every blow, every environmental element, and so much more. Above anything else, you get a free game with your system.

Release: December 2020

Little Devil Inside

Another adventure game. This one however has a more Tim Burton style approach to it. Also kudos for being the one trailer that had a classical soundtrack. A game that has been in development for five years may be worth a look. Plus it will be on both PS4 and PS5. So thumbs up for continuing the PS4 Sony.

Release: TBA

NBA 2K21

Dont care....

Release: December 2020

Bugsnax

Also dont care..

Release: December 2020

Demon's Souls Remake

Before Sekiro, Bloodborne, and Dark Souls created many shitheads pestering people with "GET GUUUD". Along with well crafted worlds and great difficulty. There was a little known From Software joint known as Demon Souls. Differing a bit from the recent From Software games. Along with having more of a mixed reaction from people compared to its successor. My personal experience with the game is non existent. Thats going to change with the announcement of a remake courtesy of Bluepoint. The same people responsible for the excellent remasters of Metal Gear Solid and Shadow of the Colossus. However this one looks to do more than just add a fresh coat of visuals to a classic. This is an overhaul remake, not a reimagining or remaster. So they are bumping up the visuals in a major way, adding ray tracing, and also adding new content on top of keeping the same from the original. Basically doing the Resident Evil 1 remake treatment. The whole deal man. So if you have never played Demon's Souls (which I haven't). This will be the best way to experience it.

Release: TBA

Deathloop

If I were to describe Deathloop in the most condensed way possible. Based solely on the trailer. Id have to say it would be like if Quentin Tarantino decided to direct a game and based the gameplay around Bioshock and Mirrors Edge. While Bethesda has experienced some backlash in recent memory and for good reason. Developers such as Id software and Tango gameworks have helped prevent them from fading off into obscurity. Also keeping them relevant while they continue to develop Elder Scrolls 6. Adding Arkane studios to that list would be fair. Though to be up front I never really bothered to check out their Dishonored series and I dont really care to. So it would seem like Deathloop is an overhaul to that series that may be needed. Then again this is just one mans opinion here. Regardless it looks intriguing and its set to be a launch title so get your trigger fingers ready.

Release: Holiday 2020

Resident Evil (8) Village

This is it baybay! What started as a nice visual walkthrough of a creepy forest. To a small cottage being overrun. Then some signs potentially showing umbrella. A large cast of characters. Ending with Chris Redfield..... now a bad guy? Yes friends Resident Evil 8 is on the way (Yes its number 8 and there is nothing to argue here) . With the title Village attached telling us everything we need to know about this new entry. We've got Werewolfs entering the series which is a nice change of pace. Along with the RE4 inventory system making a return. Many questions on many fans minds. So there is plenty of speculation to keep the hype train going. Capcom has done a stellar job bringing RE back to its horror roots in recent years and RE8 looks to be the most horror oriented title yet. While I am weary of the potential plan of Capcom making RE an annual yearly franchise (because that wont get stagnet overtime at all). This looks to be right up my alley and has the potential to be one of the best in the series. Plus, with the PS5 having 3D sound capabilities. Its enough to make this a true lights off horror experience.

Release: 2021

Pragmata

Whats this here? A brand new Capcom IP? First initial reaction I had with the trailer was "Kojima is already working on a follow up to Death Stranding". However the only similarity they share is that you play as a guy from space. Rather this game showcases a New York completely empty. Then a little girl hanging out with a hologram cat. Then reality getting completely twisted. Followed by the spaceman and the girl.... You know what?! Just go watch the trailer. Seriously it wont take long. Go watch it and then come right back here. Ill wait......................................... Back? Its pretty intriguing isnt it? Its also pretty far off from release. Also its a new Capcom IP. So for those asshats that still cry "hur durrr Crapcom" supposidly because they dont treat their franchises well or make anything new. "Clears throat" Resident Evil 7 brought that series back to horror. Resident Evil 2 remake is fantastic. Mega Man 11 was a step in the right direction for the franchise and made long time fans happy again. Devil May Cry 5 is a return to form for the series. Now you have a new Capcom IP. So please crawl back under your rock if you still wish to live in 2011. (Their fighting game divison needs an overhaul though)

Release: 2022 (maybe)

Horizon Forbidden West

I knew that they would eventually follow up 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn. Naturally Guerrila games did and the trailer looks damn good. Yet another reminder that Zero Dawn is on the top of my backlog of games to finish finally. The environments look astonishing and the enemy times look incredible. Seems like more to explore and see than the previous entry. Aloy makes her return and............. Yeah I gotta go finish the first game now because I am terrible with continuing most of the games I start. With everything I saw It looks like the PS5 may have its first Killer App.

Release: 2021 (maybe)

In Conclusion

So while the Playstation 5 is shaping up to be a pretty powerful system and having some impressive games to come within the next year. My overall decision is to stick to my guns. I still have plenty of time to continue to enjoy my PS4 in the meantime. Obviously there are some factors that can effect the decision to buy. One being if Sony decides to take all of their exclusives and pull a Microsoft by putting them all on PC. Another, and this is the biggest one, is price.

Now if you had the willpower to sit and read through this entire thing then I thank you for it. First time out with this. For now I have a backlog to attend to. Cheers!