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WONDERING whether you should buy a PS4 Slim, Xbox One S or wait for the PS4 Pro? Read our review of Sony's new console, which is OUT NOW.
PS4 Slim is out now in the UK
After the least surprising announcement ever, Sony's brand new and slimmed down PS4 - unofficially dubbed the PS4 Slim - is out now, priced at £259 for the basic model, or £309 for the 1TB version.
But while the existence of a slimmer PlayStation wasn't exactly a secret - you could buy one at CEX, after all - nobody was knew how much smaller it actually was, or whether it had any nifty new tricks up its sleeve.
Sony may have answered these questions and more during last week's conference, but now fans want to know if it looks as good as it sounds, how it measures up to the competition and whether it's worth buying one or waiting for the PS4 Pro.
Read on for Express Online's review of the PS4 Slim and check out the gallery below for a closer look at Sony's slick new device:
The PS4 PRO will be released on November 10, 2016 and has some new high resolution screenshots shared by Sony.
PS4 Slim - Just how good does it look and what can it do?
While the PS4 Slim looks noticeably better than the original PS4 console, the makeover hasn't exactly been extreme - not that it needed to be, mind you.
It's like the original PS4 has cut down on the junk food, had a shave and been kitted out with some nice new clothes.
Lying down flat, the PS4 Slim is more than a centimetre shorter than the original PS4, measuring in at around 3.9cm, compared to the heftier 5.3cm of its predecessor.
It's also sporting a much squarer and more even 26.5cm x 26.5cm frame, compared to the original's 27.5cm x 30cm rectangular base.
The PS4 Slim's matte black finish is easier on the eye, while the physical buttons eliminate any power and disc blunders you might have experienced with the original.
Then there are the little touches like the PlayStation symbols on the underside of the console, the quieter fan and the slightly modified DualShock 4 controller with front-facing lightbar for clearer in-game notifications.
Assuming the controller's thumbsticks can take a little more punishment than the original - it's hard to tell how durable they are at this early stage - then Sony has seemingly ironed out most of the complaints we had about the original console.
PS4 Slim vs Xbox One S - which console is best?
Choosing your console really comes down to the kind of exclusive games you want to play. Sony has the likes of The Last of Us, Uncharted, Bloodborne and No Man's Sky, while Microsoft can count Gears of War, Halo, Forza and Quantum Break among its ranks.
However, if you were basing your choice of console purely on aesthetics, then it's the Xbox One S that makes a bigger splash.
iUnlike the PS4 Slim, the Xbox One WAS in desperate need of a new look, and has gone down the 10 Years Younger path of plastic surgery and expensive new threads.
The power brick is no more, the robot white colour scheme is stunning, and the matching controller handles like a dream.
One of the Xbox One's big selling points is HDR support, which thanks to a recent update, comes with all PS4 consoles as standard, even the old one. Kudos to Sony for that.
The Xbox One S does have Ultra-HD Blu-ray support, but unless you've got a 4K TV with HDR, then you're not really going to get the benefits of all this fancy new tech.
So it's Microsoft that gets the upper-hand in this particular battle, but with virtual reality about to come to PS4, not to mention the strength of those platform exclusives, it's hard to recommend anything other than the PlayStation at this point.
Exclusive new games for PS4
Here are the hotly anticipated PS4 game exclusives for 2016.
Firewatch looks to be a fantastic mysterious adventure game out in 2016
Arcade favourite Street Fighter 5 returns to PS4 in 2016
Top racing game Gran Turismo Sport is out in 2016
Hellblade is a dark fantasy game with some extreme gameplay and graphics out in 2016
Horizon Zero Dawn is an action packed first person game out on PS4 in 2016
A great story of a young boy and a lost creature is the base for the highly anticipated The Last Guardian out in 2016
No Man's Sky is an upcoming adventure survival video game out in 2016
Gamers favourite is back Rachet Clank is back in 2016 bigger and better
Remake of 1989 game Shadow of the Beast is back for 2016 on PS4
Third person shooter Uncharted 4 looks set to be a big hit in 2016
Should I buy a PS4 Slim or wait for the PS4 Pro?
The other big decision you'll need to make is whether to go for a PS4 Slim or wait for the PS4 Pro to launch.
It's actually an easy choice, because the price difference isn't that drastic - the 1TB PS4 Slim costs £309, compared to £349 for the 1TB PS4 Pro - and the PS4 Pro is out on November 10, so there's only a couple of months to wait.
The PS4 Pro supports 4K gaming, runs games at a higher frame-rate and boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU. It will be particularly useful if you're planning on buying a power-sapping PlayStation VR headset in October.
If you crave more power, flashier visuals and have got your PlayStation VR headset on pre-order, then hold off on the PS4 Slim and grab a PS4 Pro instead.
But if you are in the market for an entry-level PS4 that will sit under your TV with room to spare, then the PS4 Slim is definitely the way to go.
"There's a desire for advancement and [gamers] want it this generation," said president and global CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Andrew House.
"Games are a natural for 4K and HDR."
The new PlayStation 4 Pro.
The PS4P will transform gaming and entertainment in a way we haven't seen since the shift from standard to high definition, House later added, and will "transform how PlayStation 4 titles are experienced".
Sony also unveiled a slimmer, lighter, cheaper version of its PlayStation 4, as well as the Pro device, which is targeted at hardcore gamers that features high-resolution images and a 1-terabyte hard driv
Sony emphasised the system's interoperability with vanilla PS4s, and how easy it was to transfer games between the two systems.
Specs for the PS4P beyond its 1TB hard drive were not divulged, but lead system architect Mark Cerny said the PS4P had double the standard PS4's GPU power and a "boosted CPU clock rate".
Greater memory bandwidth was also mentioned.
The goal was not to blur lines between generations, said Cerny, but instead was to provide "high fidelity graphical experiences".
Such experiences will be possible thanks to streamlined rendering that takes advantage of custom hardware, high dynamic range, and anti-aliasing (and presumably, some grunty upscaling). The results are "astonishing", said Cerny.
The console's efficient rendering for 4K displays means it will be able to "reach resolutions not thought to be possible in 2016", he added.
The new PS4, previously known as PS4 Slim.
The PS4P's HDR and 4K capabilities were trumpeted, but Cerny also mentioned that Sony won't expect all developers to support those features.
He also acknowledged that HDR standards are in flux, but it seems likely Sony will go with HDR10 as Xbox has for the Xbox One S.
The console's capabilities were touted with short clips of Days Gone, Uncharted 4,Infamous First Light, Insomniac's Spider-Man title, For Honor, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Watch Dogs 2, Killing Floor 2, and Horizon Zero Dawn.
A blurb at the base of the footage carefully noted that select features were dependent on the display connected to PS4P - Sony's way of acknowledging that not many own HDR or 4K capable TVs at this stage.
A scene from the PlayStation game, Uncharted 4.
Even so, those with full high definition (1080p) TVs would still see a benefit in the PS4P thanks to the extra grunt powering super sampling anti-aliasing (SSAA) and other visual effects, said Sony.
As for whether existing games would be better, House said that half a dozen first-party games and "quite as few" third-party games would be patched to support the new console's features.
The PS4P will allow for increased crispness and richness and a better frame rate in PS VR games compared to the standard PS4, said House.
For example, Farpoint developer Impulse Gear doubled the game's pixel count for PS4P, he said.
Activision CTO Andy Hendrickson announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered would all support 4K graphics at 60fps and feature richer textures on PS4P.
Sony also announced that the PS4P would feature "best in class 4K streaming services".
A Netflix app available on launch day will feature 600 hours of 4K content by end of the year, including Narcos season 2 and Luke Cage, with both supporting HDR as well.
A NEW BLACK Ops 3 update on Xbox One has launched and Treyarch have supplied official Call of Duty patch notes on the subject.
While the new Black Ops 3 DLC 4, Salvation, is currently launching on PS4, fans on the Xbox One will have to wait around a month to play the new content.
This is due to the exclusive partnership between Sony and Activision, which also affects content launches on PC.
Developers Treyarch have also chosen today for the release of a new Black Ops 3 update on Xbox One, including the full patch notes.
New in-game store content is also being launched, including CWL Champions Pack following EnVyUS winning at the finals of the Call of Duty XP event.
The new changes look to improve multiplayer and Zombies mode performance, the official notes can be found below:
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Update Notes for Xbox One:
MULTIPLAYER
General:
Addressed an issue where a user would occasionally lose menu functionality upon joining a game.
Addressed a lobby issue when all members of a party did not have the same maps.
Switching a lobby to a CWL game mode no longer displays debug text.
Addressed an issue that caused overlapping text during the Ban/Protect phase of a CWL match.
New Emblem and Calling Card breadcrumbs are now behaving properly.
After unlocking all Calling Cards in a Black Market set, the Featured Card will now be properly animated.
In-Game Store:
CWL Champions Pack:
CWL Champions Pack is now available to purchase for 200 COD points.
Contains a unique CWL themed weapon camo.
CWL Team Packs:
CWL Team Packs are now available to purchase for 500 COD points.
Each Package contains a Calling Card and Camo for each team in that region.
ANZ:
Excellence
nV
Orbit GG
Tainted Minds
Mindfreak
EU:
Team Infused
Millennium
Splyce
Epsilon
Supremacy
LDLC
NA:
Optic Gaming
Faze Clan
Rise Nation
Team Envy
Team Elevate
Cloud9
Black Market:
Contracts:
The activation prompt for Blackjack Mercenary Contracts will now function properly.
Fixed a string issue in the ‘Replace Current Contract’ prompt.
Specialists:
Nomad:
H.I.V.E:
Kills with the HIVE gun will now properly count towards the “Tools of the Trade” Contract.
Create-A-Class:
Resolved an exploit whereby players could equip any currently locked Black Market weapon.
ZOMBIES
General
Resolved an issue that blocked the ability to start a Public Match on some maps.
Addressed a theater animation issue that occurred when watching older films.
Fixed a bug that caused the Death Machine to show an ammo count after viewing the in-game scoreboard.
Gorod Krovi
Addressed an issue where players would not benefit from a Max Ammo power up if they are riding the dragon.
Resolved an issue where players could jump onto the Gigant Finger Trap to exploit zombie pathing.
Addressed a bug preventing the player from picking up a quest item inside the Groph Module, when using the Gauntlet of Siegfried.
Fixed a rare issue where the player would not be able to pick up a power up when a Groph Module would land between the Armory and Supply Depot.
Addressed a rare issue when the Game Over screen will display missing geometry behind the score board.
Zetsubou No Shima
Addressed several GobbleGum issues relating to Zetsubou No Shima map features.
Shadows of Evil
Resolved a bug that caused the Margwa to appear incorrectly at longer distances.
THE PES 2017 demo is available now to download on the playstation store and Xbox Live. Here's a quick look at how good the Arsenal team look on PES 2017.
PES 2017 ARSENAL TEAM FACES REVEALED
Following the release of the PES 2017 demo this morning, plenty of screenshots of the full Arsenal team have appeared online.
Despite the game taking some almighty steps forward in the graphics department, as per usual the players faces are a mixed bag.
Some look really realistic and others well, less so.
Take a look and be sure to keep an eye on Daily Star gaming as more screenshots of the Barcelona and Athletico Madrid teams become available.
To download the demo yourself and see the faces of the players first hand in the game, you'll have to download it on either PS4, PS3, Xbox One or Xbox 360 to see for yourself.
There is not currently any plans for the demo to be made avaiable for the PC, with the official Pro Evolution Soccer Twitter page confirming the decision, saying: “there is no PC demo due to extra work being done on anti-cheating in that version via a particular software“.
The full game launches on September 13, which is two weeks before rival title FIFA 17 comes out on September 27.
Original Story
The PES 2017 demo is out today and to mark the occaision Konami have revealed that they will integrate a dedicated element within PES 2017, giving players access to the PES League eSports competition.
"The competition will now be easier for all PES users to access," explains a Konami press release.
"For the first time in the series’ history, PES 2017 will feature a dedicated mode that will allow users to partake in Official PES League matches."
For the uniniated PES league is an eSports competition that allows Pro Evolution Soccer fans to play against each other, see detailed statistics on their performance and even win money-can't-buy prizes, such as entry to the single biggest event in the PES annual calendar: the PES World Finals.
“As the PES series continues to go from strength to strength, we are exploring a number of ways to build its reputation within the eSports sector,” said Jonas Lygaard, Senior Director of Brand and Business Development at Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.
"Later this year we will be integrating the hugely popular PES League element as a dedicated mode within PES 2017 and future iterations, allowing organised competitions to become easily accessible to absolutely anyone owning a PES title."
Further details about the forthcoming PES League season will be revealed nearer to the release of the game, which will be available on September 13 (Latin America) and September 15 (Rest of World).
Eager fans who cant wait to get their hands on the game no longer have to wait, as the games demo is officially released today on PS4, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360.
Football fans will have the option to play with up to nine teams, although interestingly, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, two teams who recently signed exclusive deals with the game, will not be playable.
According to Eurogamer, these nine teams are based "primarily on May 2016 data" so the chance of seeing any new signings (assuming there are any) wont happen.
Konami has also warned fans that due to licensing issues, some players in the demo may not be in the final version of the game and these changes will likely take place following a "Live update" due to be released on the same week as the games retail release.
During the demo, players will also have the option to play within two stadiums, including: FC Barcelona's iconic Camp Nou and the fictional Neu Sonne Arena.
Now that our Game of the Year Awards are out of the way, it’s time to take a much needed rest and…ah, who are we kidding? We might have just kissed the best of 2015 goodbye, but we’re already rearing to check out the best of 2016. As such, we’ve put our heads together to come up with our top Seven most anticipated games of 2016. With at least half of 2015’s games delayed into the year, 2016 is shaping up to be a strong year.
7. Nier: Automata
Given how mixed the reception was in 2010 when the original Nier released, it’s probably more than a little confusing to see its sequel on a “most anticipated” list. But really, it can be explained in one (conjoined) word: PlatinumGames. Even though the first game didn’t land so hot with critics, it developed a cult following among many players, so Square Enix gave the sequel project over to beloved developer PlatinumGames, makers of such fine character action games as Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Transformers: Devastation. You can see the PlatinumGames touch in the gameplay released so far: a diverse move set, impeccable animation and wild, chaotic action. Whether or not you liked Nier doesn’t even matter anymore; Nier: Automata is absolutely one to watch.
6. Quantum Break
It’s a scientific fact that it’s impossible not to be excited for something that has both Shawn Ashmore and Dominic Monaghan in it. Shawn Ashmore was in Animoprhs — arguably the finest young adult novel ever written on the subject of teenagers transforming into animals — and Dominic Monaghan was a hobbit. If that’s not enough, Aidan Gillen is in it, the best Littlefinger that ever was or ever will be. If Quantum Break solely consisted of these actors doing nothing more than bumping into each other in a room we’d be excited for it, but it also features one of the most riveting plots ever laid on a video game, centering around a man with time manipulation abilities. More still, it’s developed by Remedy, the studio responsible for the sensational original two Max Payne games. In yet another year with seemingly endless great Xbox One exclusives, Quantum Break is at the top of the list.
5. Gears of War 4
It’s been awhile since gamers have had a chance to chainsaw-shoot a horde of overgrown mole people. Fortunately, The Coalition looks to be working to do this right. While some have expressed concern that Epic themselves aren’t at the helm of this one, Microsoft has made it clear that all the stops will be pulled out to top the set pieces, gore, graphical quality that earned the series a place in the viscera drenched hearts of gamers everywhere. The trademark meaty, cover based engagements along with the next gen horsepower provided by the Xbox One and the Unreal 4 engine stand to make this the one to pull out to show what current gen systems can do. The only aggravating part is that both Microsoft and The Coalition are playing coy about what fans can expect later this year. Studio head Rod Fergusson has made it clear that this entry is meant to bring the story and the villains back to the unknown “things that go bump in the night” feel of the original. This only adds to the mystery that will be revealed later this year.
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Human Revolution was a game a lot of people were concerned about. The worry was whether or not Eidos would be able to revitalize the beloved series in a new generation, but fortunately, what was created was an absolutely engrossing open-world RPG. That was over four years ago, and players have been itching for yet another cyberpunk world to traverse, something that Mankind Divided looks to offer. We will be treated to yet another conspiracy in this futuristic setting, adding various new abilities to Adam Jensen’s ever-growing arsenal. It’s disappointing that Mankind Divided received a delay until the summer, but so long as Eidos Montreal is able to create the best experience possible, they can take all the time they need. Whether it’s going guns blazing or stealthily progressing through the environments, Mankind Divided looks to offer a little something for everyone.
3. Horizon: Zero Dawn
Guerrilla Games take on a post-apocalyptic Earth has us extremely excited for Horizon: Zero Dawn. Guerrilla is finally getting a much deserved break from the Killzone franchise to develop something new and they’re really letting their wings spread. Robotic dinosaurs, a world filled with color and a mysterious protagonist all blend to create a world we can’t wait to explore. Guerrilla Games have always been fantastic at delivering solid gameplay and stunning visuals and now they get to expand their horizons with a new genre, and hopefully, a well written story. PlayStation 4 players have a lot to be excited about in 2016 and Horizon: Zero Dawn might just be the most exciting.
2. Final Fantasy XV
Listen, we know that Final Fantasy XV exists more as a concept more than an upcoming release. If you’re one of the endless gamers who thinks this way, who can really blame you? The thing is, a 2016 release of this game would be nothing short of fascinating. In a post-Witcher 3 world, a sprawling Japanese action role-playing game with a campy story and robust, potentially cryptic mechanics is something unlike the majority of what the AAA world gives us. Final Fantasy XV is going to be spectacular, literally. 2016 is slated to give us one of the most memorable gaming experiences in recent years. Will Final Fantasy XV wind up as a masterpiece or this generation’s Duke Nukem Forever? All that matters is we are about to find out.
1. Persona 5
2016 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for gaming than 2015 was — and that’s no small matter. But with heavy-hitters like Final Fantasy XV, Deus EX, Uncharted 4, Gears of War 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, a new Fire Emblem, Platinum Games’ NiER sequel and Quantum Break, it’s clear to see why 2016 could go down in the history books as one of gaming’s most seductive years. But mixed in with all of those games — many of which are also from long-running, iconic franchises — is one that stands out above all the rest: Persona 5. Persona 1 and 2 were fan favorites, but the series didn’t really gain traction until the third game. But even then, Persona was still a name that only the most hardcore JRPG players knew of. It wasn’t until Persona 4 hit the market that the name began to have some mainstream appeal. And now with fighting and rhythm game spin-offs, it’s clear that the world loves them some Persona.
Hence why the fifth entry in the franchise is so hotly anticipated. The Persona games have always maintained a certain degree of developer integrity and panache. To be clearer, Persona is one of the few franchises out there that has not produced a single bad game. There may be certain titles better than others, but they all are wonderful. It’s no wonder then, that P5 not only is so widely desired, but has some big shoes to fill. While we knew the game was in development, it wasn’t until just a few months ago that we got a glimpse at some actual gameplay. And from those brief snippets of gameplay goodness we not only saw a totally unique world, unlike any of the other Personas, but one of the most stylish games to date. With a fresh take on interface design and mesmerizing character designs, our worries that perhaps the game wouldn’t live up to our own hype subsided completely. Though it was due out this year, the wait for Persona 5 looks like it’s going to be well-worth it. While each installment has garnered more and more popularity, it’s likely that this upcoming entry will not only be the biggest yet, but also the one that makes Persona a household name in the same way that Final Fantasy is.
