Thoughts on the PS3 Slim from a New Owner
I've never owned or played a PS3, nor known anyone personally who has. So when I picked up a Slim a couple days ago and set it up, it was my first real experience with the console outside an occasional demo kiosk. My initial thoughts that everyone else already had three years ago:
1. As I said, I've only really seen the PS3 Phat encased in its bulletproof chrysalis in retail outlets where it's hard to get a sense of scale. But after pulling out my new PS3 and setting it on top of my 360, I realize that "Slim" should be considered a relative term. It's still big enough that its little rubber feet hang just over the edge of the 360, leaving it to slide around a little if something were to nudge it. And, of course, it's still rounded on top so you can't set the 360 on top of it instead.
2. This Goddamned thing beeps when you hit the power button. No One Needs This.
3. I spent a minute hitting the eject button before I realized there was no disc tray, only a slot. In my defense, it.. it was kind of dark in here?
4. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could run through the store and quickly rack up a download queue of all the demos I wanted to catch up on, without any limit. I was unpleasantly surprised to find that, after downloading the Wipeout HD demo, I then had to install the Wipeout HD demo. And after several minutes of that, I found that I then had to download a 100 meg patch for the Wipeout HD demo. Then that had to be installed. I started this thinking Sony had done something better than Microsoft, then came to understand that they had actually just agreed to screw up different parts.
5. Remote Play should really be a useless gimmick, but I have to say it's handy for managing downloads and installs without having to actually use your TV or monitor. I'm installing the Infamous demo right now through my PSP, which is helpful because my PC's asshole video drivers won't let me have my PS3's HDMI hooked up to the monitor at the same time I'm trying to use the computer.
7. Oh thank God the controller has real triggers.
I've started my PS3 career with the first Resistance, the title of which seems to refer to the game's staunch rebellion against being interesting. For Chrissakes, you're making a launch game that can show off the system, the least you can do is make between-level cutscenes that use moving pictures.
