Gamescom: First impressions of the Playstation 4

At the Gamescom in Cologne, players can try out the Playstation 4 and a number of games for the first time itself. Sony, meanwhile, invited the audience to the nearby Radisson Hotel, where the developers were able to present their titles alone. We looked around for almost a whole day and can as well test the controller and the first games before the console 29 November for 400 euros goes on sale.

Sony shows edge: Although the PS4 housing is apparently narrower than the Xbox one, it also houses the power supply. The console: Simple, sleek and black.
The PS4 Can be placed both horizontally and vertically. The key: The power supply is built-in contrast to the Xbox and Wii U one. "We are a technology company. We can do something" because even beamed Uwe Bassendowski, head of Sony Computer Entertainment Germany.

We were surprised at how well the new controller in your hand and how it responds accurately to inputs. The Controller: Has similarities with the PS3 Dual Shock
The controller it is better thanks to its rounded handle horns much more comfortable in the hand. All buttons, levers and knobs feel grip. The index finger is now not slip so easily from the deductions from. The analog sticks work precisely. The thumb can easily reach everything, even the touchpad clickbare - a really great toy.

Not only looks great, but rather plays out this way: Killzone - Shadow case. The system-sellers: Definitely "Killzone: Shadow Fall".
The first-person shooter sees with his more colorful colors and rendering tricks not only great, but also runs very smooth and can be controlled buttery soft. The developers of guerilla render the game in Full HD and aim for a frame rate of 60 fps. "We could interpret it to 30 fps and still be able to apply more makeup, but we had the game feel important", said the Dutchman. Killzone should be no pure graphics demo of the PS4, but keep long term player in line. Compared to Killzone 3, the solo campaign will be even larger. It runs no longer linear but gives the player the choice to accept various missions in more open levels. For multiplayer games are ten cards for up to 24 players with it. More free maps to follow. The rules can be changed at will. Who does not have such quick reflexes can play against bots. Online you will, as was already seen at the press conference in a few seconds can go into the current game of a friend.

Mark Cerny is not only the chief architect of the PS4, but also develops the charming Jump & Run crack. The rest of the family: Does cracking.
PS4 lead developer Mark Cerny created with a small team a charming 3D platform game in the style of Ratched & Clank and Crash Bandicoot. Knack main character consists of many individual parts and can, if they collect ice chunks or wedges to increase many times over. However, sticking with the pieces of wood can also catch fire or melt as Iceman in the sun, allowing interesting puzzles and game ideas. Thanks to co-feature parents can play with their children. The difficulty level is so variable, that entry on the easiest level and have no problems even in the most difficult transition Mario veterans will sweat - not a blockbuster, but a nice change.

Resogun promises as well as fast-paced shoot-Super Stardust HD. New ideas: Clears Sony especially in its place a download shop.
Many indie game developers show in Cologne, their ideas outside of the mainstream. From the launch program two titles are we particularly noticed. The Finnish developer Housemarque want to repeat their success of "Super Stardust HD" with "Resogun". Instead of a ball, the player flies on a cylinder rotating about a vertical axis. Because it is transparent, the player can detect enemy ships already in the background before he met them when he flies to the right or the left. The developers have drilled especially the particle effects and torches in this shoot'em up a fireworks display from.

Contrast plays with shadow and looks very cool. Gently it goes in "Contrast" to a platform game in which the player character is to push yourself to a shadow and shade, throw objects on a wall, can walk. Shadows and graphic style reminiscent of the film noir. Whether the puzzles can keep up with the image, you will see the finished game.

The greatest sprint: Must be lie # Club Drive.
The racing game MotorStorm makers already looks "nice", but is still far away to pose as a model for the next generation of consoles hit. The strengths of the game anyway, but should be in the online arena, where players not only fight for the top positions on the podium, they can compare their performance at every turn and at every grade again. The driving model is arcade-heavy and not a competitor to Gran Turismo simulation. However, the British developer of evolution to work hard on the graphical polish, so that a judgment should be allowed only in the finished game himself. Nevertheless: A stripped-down version gibts to start the PS4 free to download.

David Cage showed his blockbuster "Beyond - The Two Souls" starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe. The game runs only on the PS3. The biggest mistake: The PS4 is their lack of backward compatibility.
Nowhere is this more painful than in the presentation of "Beyond - The Two Souls", which appears only in early October for the PS3. David Cage was first extended play passages in which the players take turns verkörpterte the main character of Ellen Page and her "second self," the spirit of Eden takes over. Eden can be released from a kind of energy line, fly through walls and how people manipulate objects. Each time, two players can alternate: one controls page, the second one jumps for Eden. Alternatively, the game can be controlled with an Android or iOS device that makes contact to the PS3 via wireless.

Since Beyond does not use pre-rendered cutscenes, but everything runs in real time, players may at any time intervene in the action and change this, said Cage. There is no "Game Over". If the player fails in one scene, he then continues to play an altered storyline and must liberate some from a police custody. A run should take about ten hours as Cage. However, since there will be many different options and a total of 23 different endings in each scene, you'll play through multiple Beyond. "It's a game that is completely unlike anything you have played so far and will you stay long in the memory," promised the Frenchman. A PS4 implementation has not yet been scheduled.

The curved shoulder buttons on the PS4 controller allow index finger no longer so easily slip off. The first impression of the PS4: Looks promising.
The hardware can easily catch up on current PCs and play games with much more detail than previously liquid in Full HD. The wow effect is however smaller than at the launch of the PS3 seven years ago. Because the technology fades into the background in this generation of consoles, the games are more important. The manufacturers are even stronger than before trying to negotiate exclusive contracts. Already, the scramble begins at the most creative studios from the indie sector. They should provide the industry with fresh ideas.

Vermutbaren their technological advantage in terms of processing power but the PS4 Xbox One is expected to play only with Sony's own productions. In games that appear on multiple platforms, developers focus mostly on the lowest common denominator. Whether this will actually be the one Xbox or Microsoft can turn the tide for themselves, we will see in the coming days with presentations by the Redmond company. ( hag )