Hello everyone. Long-time luker here. I will try to keep this short, but after some years of depression and unemployment I recently got my first ever full salary. I have been looking forward to getting a new console for years – my most recent one is a Wii I got as a present as a kid – I have A LOT to catch up on and I have been looking forward to this for a very, very long time.
I’ve tried to read up on which console will get me the most bang for the bucks but I have only gotten more conflicted. Right now it’s a 33% split between getting a PS4 because it’s really cheap on the second-hand market and its game list is long, a PS5 because the PS5+PS4 compatibility will be a better investment in the long run (Wii+Gamecube has kept me entertained for almost a decade so far lol), and a Switch because of some Nintendo exclusive games, notably Zelda. I’m leaning towards maybe getting a PlayStation now and a Switch in a couple of years.
Thing is, there are some rumors that the PS5 slim will release soon. It is better to wait until winter to make the purchase?
Also what (modern and semi-modern) games are an absolute must to play? I like the adventure/platform/puzzle/strategic/survival genres and dislike FPS/bullet hell/beat 'em ups.
EDIT: I will get a Steam Deck. Thanks for the recommendations everyone. :)
so already, know that a switch 2 is gonna come out sometime next year (probably gonna be announced Q1 2024, released sometime end Q3 - Q4) plus, its almost certainly gonna have backwards compatibility with current switch games, so zelda wont be going anywhere
i would probably suggest getting a ps5 if possible, but a ps4 works great on it, for ps4 games i would suggest god of war 2018 and GOW Ragnarok, Marvels Spider-Man Remastered, and Miles Morales. There’s also The Witcher 3, The last of us, Ratchet and Clank, and a bunch of other games which i havent tried out but are apparently very fun.
HOWEVER… You should definitely look up what a steam deck is, because it might be the perfect fit for you.
The steam deck is a portable hybrid pc console, created by valve, the guys behind the largest game marketplace. Its pretty much a computer but thats optimized to play games. It runs most games at 60 fps, with more demanding titles only going up to 40, and some rare, very demanding games only going to 30. for context though, Zelda TOTK runs between 20-30 on the switch.
The fact that its a pc means it can run pretty much any game, and is easy to pirate on (theoretically of course haha) another thing, is that the SD is INCREDIBLE at emulation. So you can take your Gamecube and Wii games on the go. But wait… It can also emulate the switch really well. So no need for a switch ;)
It has different models with different amounts of storage, ranging from 400$ for 64gb, to about 600$ for 512, with a cool anti glare screen.
but anyway, if portability is important, Steam deck is probably for you, or if youre a bit patient you can wait for switch 2
if power is important, the ps4-ps5 is better.
if you like piracy, steam deck is better, cause its a pc.
Thanks for the input on the Switch! It confirms that it’s reasonable to wait for a little while longer.
I’m not concerned about portability at all – if I got a Steam Deck (or a Switch) I’d keep it docked at all times. In fact I’m more concerned about battery health and general longevity of portable consoles. It’s probably a result of being poor for so long but I would really prefer to buy durable stuff. Like I want it to boot up just like it used to, 20 years from now. For theoretical emulators and piracy I guess I could just theoretically use an actual PC.
Heavily leaning towards getting a PS5. Probably after the slim has been released. I’ll definitily get GOW, Spiderman, The Last of Us and Ratchet and Clank. And Outer Wilds. And a bunch of other ones. Probably Elden Ring. Etc. :)
Definitely a pc then, it’ll outlast any console and play games from every platform. You can’t just upgrade the GPU in a ps5 when you save up and a new game is out 😅
If durability is a concern with the switch I’d definitely recommend you play docked with a pro controller or 8bitdo controller as your joycons will start to drift - happened to me about 1.5 to 2 years into owning mine.
I haven’t owned a PlayStation since PS3 but it sounds like PS5 is a solid choice for you