What to expect from PS3

Finally, there's the PlayStation Store itself, which took a minute to load up on our wireless connection. Once it does, though, navigating its blue-and-yellow interface is pretty easy (and also mouse-and-keyboard navigable). Here, you'll be able to download free demos, cheap games and other media, just like Xbox 360 owners have been doing on Live for a while now.

There are two irritations, however; when you're downloading something, you can't do anything else until the progress bar is done inching its way across your screen. And if you need to cancel the download for some reason, the system won't resume it from where you left off; even if you try to immediately grab it again, you'll start your download over from zero.

It's not perfect, but overall the PS3 is a formidable chunk of hardware right out of the box, and with the now-standard firmware updates that Sony introduced with the PSP, we expect it'll only grow more formidable over the next year or two.

Think we left out something important? Feel free to discuss your own experiences with your new next-gen monster in ourforum.

Mikel Reparaz
After graduating from college in 2000 with a BA in journalism, I worked for five years as a copy editor, page designer and videogame-review columnist at a couple of mid-sized newspapers you've never heard of. My column eventually got me a freelancing gig with GMR magazine, which folded a few months later. I was hired on full-time by GamesRadar in late 2005, and have since been paid actual money to write silly articles about lovable blobs.
Latest in PlayStation
Screenshot of Herdling, showing the weird yaks heading toward a sunset horizon.
With 18,000 glowing Steam reviews on their lovely debut game, this indie team's game about leading cute fantasy yaks up a mountain is instantly one to watch
Vampire Survivors screenshot showing a character shooting beams of light at surrounding enemies
Before selling millions of copies, Vampire Survivors creator says he'd "given up on the idea of success," and he's not interested in making something just to be successful
Balatro Joker card
"I was in super crunch mode": Balatro creator opens up on the toll the stress of indie development took on his "physical and mental health"
Diablo 4 season 8 boss
Diablo 4 season 8 is revamping the boss ladder system with new mechanics and bosses, including one of the best from Diablo 3
Killing Floor 3 screenshot showing a siren enemy looking directly out
Co-op zombie FPS Killing Floor 3 delayed to "later in 2025" 3 weeks before it was supposed to release following disastrous beta: "We missed the mark"
Monster Hunter Wilds characters share a meal
Monster Hunter Wilds is slowly recovering from a rough PC launch, finally hitting 60% positive reviews on Steam – but some big issues remain
Latest in Features
Kai and Giatta battle Xaurip in Avowed
I get why Obsidian doesn't like The Elder Scrolls comparisons, but Avowed is the first RPG to have its hooks in me this deep since Skyrim took over my life 14 years ago
GoDice in their RPG case beside Pixels dice
I put two electronic d20s head-to-head and the bad news for your wallet is the discount D&D dice failed its saving throw
Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread in play
This board game TRPG hybrid delivers something D&D hasn't quite managed to capture for me
Disney Lorcana cards in a circle around a deck facing down on a wooden surface
Disney Lorcana: Archazia's Island has one major advantage over MTG, and the new decks prove it
John Lithgow as Dave Crealy in The Rule of Jenny Pen
John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush's twisted chiller is a much-needed shake-up to the horror genre, disrupting harmful elderly stereotypes embraced by the likes of X and The Shining
Exploring and fighting in Blades of Fire
Blades of Fire plays like a lost Xbox 360-era mashup between God of War and Soulslikes, and it's coming from the studio behind Metroid Dread