19 months later, the PS3 is a different (and better) machine
The gaming community was confused by the launch of the PS3, some 19 months ago. While it looked and felt futuristic, something felt amiss. Gaming site Ars Technica criticized the underwhelming gaming and hardware offerings of the launch PS3, awarding it a poor 6/10 rating when it launched.
However, the system has evolved quite a bit since then, and Ars Technica has finally re-reviewed the hardware, noting the various improvements to Sony's system since launch. As it goes through all the changes, it's clear that PS3 is no longer the same machine it was at launch. Media functionality has expanded significantly, with Blu-ray becoming the definitive HD movie standard. DVD upscaling, DivX support, and support for Blu-ray profile 2.0 make PS3 not only a games machine, but a media hub as well.
The redesigned Store gets rightfully applauded. The new interface is not only a significant improvement over the previous offering, it's by far the best digital store on the three consoles so far. It's fast, sleek and offers an excellent amount of exclusive content. Games like PixelJunk Monsters and Everyday Shooter have turned PSN into a bastion of original, independent gaming. Retail games, like Uncharted and Warhawk, are solid reasons to own the system.
Not everything is perfect, though. PSN still lacks the comprehensive features set of Xbox Live. Granted, players don't have to pay for PSN. There's still room for growth, and when one looks at Sony's track record in the past 19 months, it's clear that PS3 will become an even greater machine in the future. Ars Technica's re-review of PS3 gives it a score far more befitting of it -- a 9/10. Who knows? In 19 more months, it may finally become a 10.
[Thanks, railbird13!]
