View difference between Paste ID: C8fXgwH7 and fM2GLPV1
SHOW: | | - or go back to the newest paste.
1
*intro sound*
2
[huffing in disdain]
3
[large sigh of discontent]
4
[box sounds]
5
[smol huff]
6
I guess we'd better take a look at it...
7
[music begins]
8
Where do I even start with this thing?
9
We could look at it from a number of angles and go, ooohhh, that's pretty.
10
It's like a Playstation, but smaller.
11
We can't actually open the lid, but we already knew that, and it's a shame, as I'd love a
12
collection of mini-CD based games.
13
Oh look, the controllers aren't Dual Shock pads.
14
But to be fair, they have included 2, which is clearly better than one, and also this
15
is the Playstation controller I remember best.
16
I mean back in 1995, we didn't understand the wonders dual analogue sticks could bring.
17
This is nostalgia.
18
Some buttons and a D-Pad, or some buttons 
19
where a D-Pad should be marvellous.
20
Weight wise, it's not far off an original Playstation pad and feels almost as durable.
21
Although the wire isn't actually that practical - it's quite short, not ideal for sofa gaming.
22
AND.... like all these minis, I hold issue with the pads being the wrong scale to the
23
console, but I guess IN THAT INSTANCE practicality seems to take precedence.
24
Talking about scale.
25
It's roughly in line with the SNES Mini, although you can see something is a bit amiss when
26
paired with the NES Mini.
27
Now we'll just have a bunch of mis-matched consoles to plonk next to each other.
28
Cheers guys.
29
At least it works through an HDMI splitter.
30
So in the future we can have about 60 mini consoles all plugged into the same TV, and only then
31
realise how much we've been duped.
32
*PI SPEAKS* "Guys, I can emulate pretty much everything
33
you know, with just one HDMI Cable?...." *PI STOPS SPEAKING*
34
SHUT IT RASPBERRY.
35
No one likes a smart ass
36
Alright, then let's get down to business.
37
AND TRY AND HACK THIS BASTARD.
38
Now a couple of lads have been able to find a hidden menu of the underlying PCSX Rearmed
39
emulator, by simply boshing a keyboard in, and hitting ESC within a game.
40
Apparently it works with Logitech or Corsair keyboards.
41
Unfortunately my EasySMX doesn't seem to be compatible.
42
Ahh, I guess we'll actually have to play this thing instead.
43
So given that we can plug a keyboard in it's
44
obvious the controllers plug in using a conventional USB connector.
45
No proprietary shenanigans here.
46
Well I guess that was half nostalgic?
47
and the game selection.
48
Well, it's alright.
49
It's like the game collection you or I might have had in the 90s.
50
You know, a range of games, some we picked up cheap, others we really wanted, but a nice
51
mix, and just nice, nothing spectacular.
52
Honestly it feels more like Sony are trying to recreate the 90s nostalgia of limited choice, or a
53
lack of funds, or even your mate Ben's game collection from down the road, who didn't
54
have the best taste.
55
I mean, there are some games here I absolutely love, like Grand Theft Auto, but there's nothing
56
really I see and think, god damn, I need to play that.
57
If you want the ultimate Playstation experience then this is NOT it.
58
Look, here's a dump of the firmware on Github, and within this mass of code are actually
59
the names of various games which were clearly tested for the PS Classic.
60
We've got;
61
Tomba Parasite Eve
62
Tomb Raider Tomb Raider 2
63
Grand Theft Auto 2 Fighting Force
64
Driver Toy Story 2
65
Gran Turismo
66
Crash Bandicoot Crash Bandicoot 2
67-
even Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
67+
And even Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
68
Hagrid: "Been some very strange going ons about of late be careful harry"
69
Yeah.. maybe it's best if they didn't include that one
70
I'll put a full list below.
71-
Now we could speculate that it's probably due to licensing or localisation issues.
71+
72-
I mean most of the Playstation's titles weren't exactly first party releases.
72+
73-
Maybe it's just because Sony didn't want to damage the sales of modern day remakes.
73+
Now as an educated guess we could speculate that it's probably due to licensing or localization issues.
74
I mean most of the Playstation's titles weren't exactly first-party releases.
75
Maybe it's just because Sony didn't want to damage the sales of modern-day remakes.
76
But it could also be due to poor performance of some titles on the open source emulator
77
Sony decided to pair this device with.
78
It seems a strange (and possibly morally dubious) software choice for what could be such a successful
79
commercial product.
80
But the more you delve into this thing, the more it feels like, it was kind of rushed and
81
thrown together.
82
Possibly to get it in stores before Christmas.
83
By this point, I'm sure you've both seen & heard of all the issues surrounding this little
84
device.
85
Now, you could argue that these things are aimed at the casual retro gamer, who just
86
wants to plug a system into their HDMI TV and relive the past.
87
They're not going to care about frame drops, about slightly shoddy emulation or even
88
having NTSC titles mixed with PAL variants.
89
In fact, they probably won't even notice.
90
They'll be having a whale of a time reliving the mid-90s, whilst haters hate and critics
91
critique.
92
BUT, you can see why people might be upset.
93
It's not even about the product, it's really about Sony shifting a half arsed device to
94
their fan base.
95
It's about breaking a trust which has built up over decades.
96
I mean imagine you had a favourite baker in your village
97
And one day he decided to start using really nasty cheap flour
98
without telling you and the bread just tasted horrible
99
That that wouldn't be very nice, would it? you might be a bit upset with that baker
100
And if anything is going to be scrutinised.
101
It's a product which is based on the console many people who live and work within the gaming
102
today were brought up on.
103
It may even be the system which drove them into this line of work.
104
So you can bet your ass they're going to notice even the smallest difference and have
105
their say about it.
106
I am probably, myself, in a quite a good position to give an impartial verdict on the PS Classic,
107
mainly because by 1995, my console days were pretty much over.
108
I'd moved onto PC, and although I played my friend's Playstations, most of the games don't
109
hold a nostalgic memory for me.
110
Surely I'm not going to notice if there are glitches or slowdowns.
111
But, I honestly do.
112
From the moment you power on the console, it feels like you're using emulation.
113
And I know you are but the SNES Classic and the NES Classic mangage to get around that
114
I know emulation the Playstation is harder but
115
You can hear sounds cutting off, pops, clicks.
116
You can see frames stuttering from place to place and emulation issues aside, we also
117
have those PAL variants, like Grand Theft Auto.
118
Now, given I'm from the UK, this shouldn't bother me, I'm used to it, and as GTA is actually
119
a UK developed game, it's programmed for 50Hz regions pretty well.
120
But it still feels like you're sloshing a bowl of water about compared to when I've
121
played it previously.
122
And the PAL thing is weird, because you'd think, given this console is pushing out a
123
60Hz display, that the 50Hz PAL issues would be cancelled out.
124
BUT in fact, the software is just emulating a 50Hz machine for the games keyed to that
125
region, and so instead we get the timing of a 50Hz gaming running through a 60Hz output
126
and that actually exacerbates the frame rate issues.
127
A lot of PAL games were actually re-programmed to compensate for the output change, so you
128
wouldn't notice much difference, but it's rare to find a game which fully compensated for
129
the speed difference, or made use of the increased PAL resolution.
130
Most were just lazy tweaks, and most of the titles here are an example of that less than
131
favourable conversion.
132
Why they chose the PAL versions is odd, but it may be due to those variants having better
133
localisation options than NTSC versions, thus meaning the PS Classic can be shipped all
134
over the place without being region sensitive.
135
What else do we have?
136
Ahhh yes, I didn't expect the lack of display filters to bother me, but the 720p output
137
isn't sharp, so you almost want those filters to mask that problem.
138
I mean if you want a positive, it does a decent job of replicating that fuzzy 90s RF output
139
experience, proving that once again Sony seem to be looking for nostalgia in 90s limitations,
140
rather than creating that ultimate experience.
141
But really, I want to see sharp jagged edges.
142
Jagged enough to rip my face off, and with the setup they've chosen here, you just don't
143
get that.
144
It's not all bad.
145
I mean it's a nice enough menu, replicating the feel of the original system.
146
It's a nice enough memory card feature for each game.
147
It's even got an additional save state option as well.
148
And nice warping textures, just like the original machine.
149
and the games, if you can forgive the odd glitch they are nice enough too.
150
I mean, at least Sony didn't kick us completely in the teeth by choosing a load of light
151
gun games.
152
Although I would have awarded points for humour in that instance.
153
If I'm honest, I think the biggest issue with the games is that they're from an era which
154
just doesn't age as well as the consoles which came before or even after.
155
This early age of 3D is very much a unique thing, which we only witnessed for a brief
156
period of time, and actually, the games are arguably better to play through an emulator with all
157
the bells and whistles turned on, to make everything look like our rose-tinted brains
158
remember them.
159
Actually, and somewhat ironically, you can actually make these games look superb using the PCSX Emulator, just not
160
through the Playstation Classic... well, without it being hacked anyway.
161
But look it is what it is, and it is Sony's Playstation Classic.
162
It's got fantastic packaging, which is probably the highlight, and it's a system designed
163
for the casual user, which would appeal to the casual retro gamer.
164
In that way, it's very similar to an AT Games Mega Drive Flashback.
165
In fact, this console feels a lot like a system made by AT Games, just without their logo
166
anywhere to be seen...
167
I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing it just makes me feel a bit uneasy.
168
For the more serious gamer, well, you've probably already got an original Playstation, or just
169
a copy of Final Fantasy VII on the PS4, either way, there's no reason to really buy a classic
170
or moan about it.
171
Or buy it and moan, or not buy it and moan.
172
Unless you feel betrayed by Sony, which I wouldn't blame you for in the slightest.
173
In which case, I would suggest you moan the night away.
174
But not like that.
175
You filthy animal.