Nearly two years after it first hit–and promptly left–shelves, the PS5 is becoming a more commonplace and more minor legend. If you are one of the growing many to have grabbed one of these next-gen consoles, you’re likely already having a good time with it. The console itself is already a vast improvement from the PS4, but there may be more you can do to enhance the experience. Look at these five ways to elevate your PS5 gaming experience and see if you can’t get something more out of a good thing.
Customize your controller
The PS4 had a thriving community of custom controllers designed for different types of games and gamers. While the PS5’s DualSense controller is an improvement over the old design, if you’re going from a custom PS4 controller to the base-model PS5 one, you might see a better performance that still doesn’t quite fit what you want. However, you can still customize your PS5 controller and get all the hardware improvements plus the individually catered designs you’re used to.
Though PS5 games are primarily compatible with the PS4, you can still enhance your gaming experience by upgrading every facet of it, even if you’re playing familiar titles.
Get an immersive headset.
Game design has come a long way, but the sound may have made even more incredible leaps and bounds. With titles like Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice or Alien: Isolation, the sound wasn’t just a suggestion or a backdrop. Positional audio is practically a requirement if you’re playing competitive games, without which you’re severely disadvantaged. Luckily, technology has grown with the need for higher-quality audio equipment.
Whether you’re looking for an immersive story experience or a competitive edge, a quality headset can elevate your gaming and put you into the world on your screen. Sony’s Pulse 3D headset is a typical recommendation as it seamlessly integrates with the PS5.
See the whole picture with a wide (or multi) screen monitor or television.
The PS5’s graphic capabilities are significantly improved from the PS4, as should be expected considering the seven-year gap between console releases. The PS5 supports 8K graphics at 60Hz at a 120Hz refresh rate. If you can find a screen to match it, you should expect crisp visuals in incredible detail. Finding the monitor might be the issue, though.
The monitor or TV you use essentially boils down to your personal preference, but there are a few things to look out for. First, you’ll want a screen that can support 4K. Without that, you won’t enjoy the smooth performance of the PS5. You may also want to look for a TV or monitor with a max output rate of 120Hz. Some Sony TVs claim to have that and be “PS5 ready,” but you can go to another brand if it’s more affordable and provides the same specs.
Get a subscription to PS5 Plus: Essential.
As with many things coming over from the era of the PS4, some things are new but familiar. That translates to PlayStation Plus, too. Where there used to be a singular subscription model that gave you access to online gaming and other exclusives, now there is a three-tier system. PS Plus Essential is the most affordable of the three, followed by Extra and Premium. Some features of PS Plus Essential will sound familiar to legacy gamers, though there are some new additions.
Like the original PlayStation Plus, Essential gives you access to online gaming for your compatible titles. With it also comes access to two free games every month. You have access to that game library for the life of your PlayStation Plus subscription. PS5 games are also in the process of being added. You also get exclusive content like player skins, items, discounts, and cloud storage of up to 100GB for PS4 games and now 1000 for PS5 games.
Also check: Is the PS4 Still Worth Buying in 2022?
What’s new is the PlayStation Plus Collection and Game Help. The PS Plus Collection is a set of 20 fan-favourite games from the PS4 era. Those include titles like Detroit: Become Human, Days Gone, Until Dawn, God of War (2018), and Bloodborne. All these titles can become available in your PS5 library for free, though they will only play up the best performance of a PS4 as they are not remastered.
The final new addition is Game Help. Rather than consulting a spoiler-filled guide, now you can get spoiler-free hints and tips for some supported PS5 games. All this is available in the PlayStation Plus: Essential 12-month subscription, on sale for a limited time at only $55 (Reg. $59).
Find your community | PS5 Gaming
Gaming online is fun, but it is also an innately social endeavour. Having internet access doesn’t immediately give you all the fun experiences online gaming can afford. There has been significant discussion of how social elements in the game enhance and change the experience for each player. Often those discussions are in the framework of developers trying to retain their audience. Still, there’s a reason social elements influence retention: playing games with people is usually fun for gamers.
The PS5 is at an exciting point in its development. There are many games available with cross-platform gaming, and as the console becomes more widely available, more games will likely become PS5 exclusives. Online gaming at this stage doesn’t just give you access to some exclusive facets of popular games. And it also lets you connect with growing communities and find new ways to make games fun.
