Even though the Battlefield 3 graphics were stunning, its successor manages even more. BF 4 is one of the few PC titles to attain to the same graphics quality as Crysis 3, and in some places it even surpasses it. Alongside the tack-sharp textures, the effects are particularly jaw-dropping. Whether you're talking about light, shadows, water, smoke, snow or any other kind of particle: DICE deserves no criticism.
We must say, though, that the developers have perhaps overdone it a bit. If the player's character is blinded by the sun or some other reflective object and shot at from all directions (flying sparks, vision distortion, mud on the “camera”, etc.), you can hardly tell what's happening in the game. Destructible level elements contribute to the chaos, though they also make the atmosphere even more thrilling.
In general, the environments are chock-full of detail. DICE put a lot of effort into saturating the campaign with spirit. Speaking of environments: While some levels -- as per usual with ego-shooter games -- are built very linearly, in some scenes you get a surprising amount of freedom, which evokes the multi-player feeling. As our screenshots prove, the campaign certainly isn't short of impressive panoramas.
Unfortunately, being so young, the technology still has its problems. In our several hours of testing, we encountered a variety of issues. One time, the game complained of missing DirectX 9 files, even though everything was up-to-date. On another notebook, Origin supposedly wasn't correctly installed. Every now and then, in single player mode the game crashed -- despite the fact that we were using current (beta) drivers (desktop system with Radeon R9 280X and Windows 7 64 bit).
Sony’s PlayStation 4 has had an interesting launch week, with a ridiculous unboxing trailer, reports of numerous problems with already shipped units and a huge game reveal. How has the Internet responded now that the PlayStation 4 has been released in North America?
The PlayStation 4 was released in North America on November 15, allowing Sony to focus on this launch before the console comes out in Europe on November 29. In contrast, Xbox One will release in both territories on November 22.
Sony further attempted to reduce launch problems by allowing the important day one update for the PlayStation 4, which contained many key software features, to be pre-downloaded from its website – to be transferred to the console via a USB stick. That way, the strain on Sony’s servers would be reduced.
Nevertheless, some users reported problems with the PlayStation Network. In addition, a number of users reported broken HDMI cables, error messages upon attempting to download games, problems with ejecting discs and the ominous Red Line of Death.
Sony maintains that these problems are limited to 0.4% of shipped PlayStation 4 consoles. The omnipresence of social media has likely exaggerated the extent of the problems; this is the first major console release (sorry, Wii U) since Twitter and Facebook have taken hold.
In addition, the launch line-up of PlayStation 4 games is hardly strong, with lukewarm reviews received for PlayStation 4 exclusives Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall. Further exclusives such as Infamous: Second Son and Uncharted 4 will of course strengthen the PlayStation 4′s position over the Xbox One, but for now, at least, gamers are left with very few reasons to choose the PlayStation 4 over the Xbox One, in terms of games.
Commentators have also discussed the importance of the next generation consoles. Does the popularity of mobile gaming diminish the significance of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One releases or does it highlight the gulf in quality and class between the platforms? What about PCs? It appears that this generation of consoles barely match up to the specs of current mid-range gaming PCs.
What have been your initial experiences with the PlayStation 4? Are you happy with your purchase?
The release of the next-gen Sony PlayStation 4$517.96 at Walmart and Microsoft Xbox One$499.99 at Microsoft Store consoles are upon us, which means your Sony PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 is on its way out. But before you spend $399 for a PS4 or $499 for an Xbox One, why not get some cash for your old system? (Assuming you're not worried about the lack of backwards compatibility with old games at least, in which case you may want to hold on to your old beast for a bit longer.)
As you may have guessed, there are plenty of sites and stores that will give you cash or credit for your PS3 and Xbox 360. Prices vary depending on the condition and storage capacity of your console, but every dollar helps. The $38 or so you could get for your 250GB Xbox 360 won't cover the cost of a new console, but it will bring in over half of what you'll pay for the new Call of Duty: Ghosts$59.96 at Amazon.
But first, a word of advice: don't pack up your past pastime pal until you've removed your personal info by reformatting your PS3 or your Xbox 360. You don't want the new owner having access to your passwords or credit card info after all.
Once you're ready to sell, check out our list of the top places to take your PS3 or Xbox 360 off your hands. Then ship off your old console and decide which new system you want by consulting "Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4: Upcoming Consoles Compared." If you're not much of a gamer and are ditching your old console, but you're not sure if it's worth getting a new one, read "PS4 or Xbox One: Which Game Console Is Best for Non-Gamers?"
Ready to check out how much you can cash out for?
Usell
The brand, model, and condition of your console are the only info Usell needs to get you offers from its partners. Select one, get a shipping kit sent to you, then pack up the system and wait to get paid by PayPal or check.
BuyMyTronics.com
Type in your console on BuyMyTronics.com, choose the model you have, and check off its condition and components. You'll get a price quote, and if you accept it you can either print out a label or wait for a shipping kit to arrive and send off your console. About a week later you'll receive your money by your choice of PayPal or check.
NextWorth
On NextWorth simply get a quote, then print out a prepaid shipping label and pack up your PlayStation or Xbox. In about a week you'll receive payment in the form of either a Discover prepaid card, Target gift card, or via check or PayPal.
Twenty titles in a single franchise… Think about that for a minute. Could you imagine Uncharted 20, or twenty iterations of anything other than a sports related game? How do you keep a franchise fresh and new when you already have nineteen games in the franchise? Here are a few hints: new cars, new maps, new challenges, upgraded graphics.
The Need for Speed franchise started out back in 1994 while some of our readers weren’t even born yet, and here we are 19 years later, with a brand new generation of consoles and a brand new installment to the long-lived and fast-paced franchise. Developer Ghost Games, with help from Criterion, took a lot of elements from previous titles, added in some cool new features, and created a game suited to kick off the next generation in style.
The game gives you two full careers to race through, as it lets you play as both a cop and a mysterious racer named Zephyr. These are two separate and unique experiences, with their own cars (for the most part), their own game types, and each with their own progression and career level. Swapping between careers is as simple as getting to a hideout or a command post and selecting the opposite career from your menu. Playing through the tutorial for both before completely diving into one or the other is the best way to understand how to play the game and can help you get into the mindset of your opponent, AI or otherwise.
New cars are unlocked by completing a set of objectives called speedlists, and completing these speedlists earns you—wait for it—speedpoints. While new cars are given to the cops once they are unlocked, racers must use speedpoints to purchase cars once they unlock them. While that doesn’t exactly seem fair, we must assume that the taxpayers of Redview County are footing the bill, which in essence means it’s the racers that are helping the cops get better and faster cars (if they do happen to pay taxes).
NFS games can generally be split into two types of gameplay: simulation or arcade. Need for Speed Rivals is clearly an arcade racer when it comes to driving, but looks more like a sim when you check out the modeling, details and designs of the cars. These are real world machines with names like Bugatti, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and the return of Ferrari, to name just a few. Now I’m not exactly sure how any police department in any country could afford a Bugatti Veyron cruiser, but the Redwood County PD seems to have figured out how to snag one. I’m thinking it must have been a drug related forfeiture.
