CONSOLE YOURSELF
New releases from Sony and Microsoft could not have come at a better time
WITH the country still in the grips of a global pandemic, you’d be forgiven for thinking that things are pretty bleak right now. But there are two very good reasons to be cheerful – Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles.
The Xbox Series X, and Series S arrived this week, and Sony fans get their hands on the shiny new PlayStation 5 on November 19.
When it comes to technical specs, both consoles are pretty similar.
They’ll both support screen resolutions of up to 8K, and work at 120Hz refresh rates – allowing for some super-smooth movement in games.
Both also offer backwards compatibility, with Sony and Microsoft both pledging to support almost every title in their consoles’ libraries.
Not every game will reach the heights of those impressive standards – to say nothing of the fact you’d have to upgrade your TV too.
With that in mind, here’s our pick of the best games available on both consoles you can play now.
SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE PS5
THE LittleBigPlanet star finally gets his own, stand-alone adventure game for the PS5. But unlike the previous titles, which allowed players to create their own games and share them with the PlayStation community, A Big Adventure is a 3D platformer.
His friends kidnapped by the dastardly Vex, Sackboy sets out to free them and save Craftworld from the diabolical Topsy Turver which threatens to transform it from a fantastical land of pure imagination and innocent dreams… into a torrid, barren eyesore of nightmares.
Developers have aimed to make this game as sensorial as it is visual, with the DualSense controller allowing you to feel the change in textures under Sackboy’s feet as he moves across wool-like flooring or platforms.
And using the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech engine (which will need compatible headphones for the full effect), you’ll feel immersed in Craftworld as it comes to life all around you.
FORZA HORIZON 4 (PEGI 3)
(PEGI 7)
Xbox Series X
AN ENHANCED version of the 2018 release, it’s one of a suite of Xbox Game Studios titles to be upgraded for the Xbox Series X through Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system (which ensures only the best version of the game will be installed on your
A new dimension – Sackboy: A Big Adventure arrives on the PS5
hard drive).
That means if you already own the game, you’ll automatically get the upgraded version, which now runs in native 4K Ultra HD at 60 frames per second, including higher visual fidelity at longer distances. It also benefits from faster load times.
Released to almost universal acclaim in 2018, the game featured a staggering roster of vehicles – more than 450.
What’s more, it’s set in good old Blighty, so lovingly recreating the winding lanes and tree lined roads of the British Isles that you feel a patriotic rankle when you see non-Brits driving on the wrong side of the road.
If that wasn’t enough, it looks like the open-world racer will be receiving a new car to mark the consoles’ launches ... the Porsche 911 Singer DLS.
CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS: COLD WAR
(PEGI 18)
Xbox Series X/S, PS5
THE sixth instalment in the Black Ops series is set during the early 80s of the Cold War.
While anticipation for the release has been high, the eye-watering size of the game has been raising a few eyebrows.
The first-person shooter weighs in at a massive 133GB on the PlayStation 5, and 136GB on Xbox Series X and S – that’s 40GB more space than on the older consoles.
Publisher Activision, says gamers can save themselves some space by uninstalling certain game mode packs, such as for Zombies or Campaign, to bring down the overall file size.
Fans of the popular Zombies mode will be delighted to hear about a separate campaign – co-operative Zombies Onslaught, which for the first 12 months will be exclusive to PS5 owners.
Inspired by actual events, the main game features locations including East Berlin, Turkey and Vietnam – with the new consoles guaranteed to make the jungles there look jaw-droppingly beautiful.
ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA (PEGI 18) Xbox Series X/S, PS5
WITH Halo Infinite delayed until next year, this has become the biggest launch title on the Series X.
But unlike Halo, which will be an exclusive to the Microsoft console, this new Assassin’s Creed title is hitting the PS5 at the same time.
A successor to 2018’s Odyssey, Valhalla is set in 873 AD, and recounts the fictional story of the Viking invasion of Britain. Playing as Eivor, a Viking raider, expect visceral and brutal battles as you become embroiled in the conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order.
Developed to take advantage of the faster loading times both new consoles offer, it features stunning 4K graphics and framerates up to 120FPS.
Importantly, Valhalla is the first in the series designed with features to make the game more accessible to physically impaired gamers – like audio menu narration, and audio cues for interactive objects.
Go to war – Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War
MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN MILES MORALES (PEGI 16)
PS5
GUARANTEED to be an instant win for Sony, this follow up to 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, builds and expands on that universe with a brand new story.
Running at 4K 30FPS with raytracing (a rendering technique that gives rays of light a natural and lifelike appearance), it means that graphically this should be outstanding.
Reportedly smaller in scope than the original, it’s set a year after the first game, with Miles having trained with Peter Parker to fully integrate himself into the role of a Spider-Man. With the PS5’s new DualSense controller, you should be able to feel the tension and recoil from every web shot, punch and web-swing.
Randomly, there’s even a tie-in novel – Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Wings of Fury, which is published this week.