Xbox One brings a new era of gaming

THE next-generation console has arrived but is it worth buying? Our in-depth review will help you decide between this and the new PS4.

THE Xbox One launches on Friday in time for the Christmas rush.

Initial impressions suggest it's an impressive, intuitive and exciting console that will win over gamers and entertainment fans alike.

The inclusion of Blu-ray and television input add many strings to its bow and the updated Kinect is a worthy reason to consider splashing the cash (considering PS4 has to be purchased separately) and its future integration is a salivating prospect.

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It's still early days and there's plenty more to come in terms of games and apps. We also wait with bated breath for the ability to properly act as a media centre too.

The next-generation has certainly been worth waiting for and the Xbox One delivers above and beyond what we would want from a games console.

Here's a more extensive breakdown for those who want to know more:

Overview

Once upon a time games consoles were just that: for gaming. Today, however, the Xbox One proves it's much, much more. The new Xbox One is built to take over your home entertainment setup and be the go-to place for games, movies, TV and music. This is the new era of gaming, and this all-in-ONE solution that will take your living room by storm.

Eight years since the Xbox 360 launched, the next-generation has arrived and Microsoft has tooled it up with some big new features. When it comes to gaming, not much separates it from Sony's PS4, but the big difference lies in being able to integrate more than just games, such as television and brilliantly multitask between them. However, it's not a totally flawless effort.

Make room. The Xbox One is a large console. Much bigger than the PS4. Source: supplied

Xbox One out of the box

This is a BIG unit. Think 90s VHS machine and you've got the scale. Think Spaniel and you've got the rough weight. Next to the PS4 it is a behemoth and makes Sony's flagship look like a petite piece of kit. Considering the PS4 has its power supply built-in, too, the sheer size of the Xbox One is disappointing.

The Xbox 360 controller hasn't had a radical redesign. Instead, it gets some great new upgrades that enhance gameplay - the most notable of which are the triggers which now come with force feedback. Driving games and shooters benefit most where you feel road bumps and kickback from shots at your fingertips. The analog sticks get a nice new, grippy texture, too. Frustratingly, the controller still requires AA batteries. The built-in battery and charging via USB was always the PlayStation's trump card, but for gamers who don't want to blaze through their stash of Duracells will have to purchase a Play and Charge kit, which will set you back A$25. And no, you can't use your 360 one.

The new controller has some new features including force feedback in the triggers. Source: supplied

Gaming

If you loved gaming on the 360, you're going to go gaga playing on this. Graphics are beautiful and the improved Kinect sensor now makes it an exciting part of gameplay rather than idly sitting beneath TVs. Currently, the crop of titles is enough to tick the list for all types of gamers. Sports fans are spoiled with FIFA 14, Madden 25, NBA Live 14, and Xbox Fitness. First-person-shooter fans will be able to lock and load with Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4. While driving nuts can jump behind the wheel of Forza 5 and Need for Speed Rivals (available on 28 November). Not being able to play 360 titles is a huge blow (that means no GTA V) and we are hoping more titles will come rushing in soon.

Playing with the upgraded Kinect offers a whole world of difference. Source: supplied

Kinect

The motion sensor has totally reinvented itself. It'll recognise up to six users and automatically sign you in by simply standing in front of it. We love the wider camera view, which means you don't need as much space in front of the TV as the original Kinect required. It has a great resolution and is adept at picking up the most subtle of facial features (including changes in skin tone to determine your heart rate). We played Xbox Fitness and were impressed at how accurate it was at picking up our wobbling limbs. With this part of the console price it means it'll be integral to future games not just a gimmicky peripheral add-on so we expect great things.

Movies and streaming TV will be available on the nicely presented Xbox dashboard. However, we won't get all the same content as our American and European friends. Source: supplied

Entertainment

Here is where Xbox hopes to reel in a whole new audience other than gamers by gathering all your entertainment wants in one place.

Microsoft has worked out that playing video games and watching television is a fractious relationship, in which both parties fight for the TV and requires the user to physically switch between the two. The solution is Xbox One's masterstroke of multi-tasking ability, which enables you to 'snap' between both simply by shouting at the Xbox. Hook up Foxtel, Freeview, or any other television source via HDMI to the console and, if you've just been subjected to another thrashing on FIFA and want to watch telly, all you now need to do is command the Xbox to do so. The result is seamless switching. More impressive is the ability to watch TV while you play. By snapping TV during gameplay, a window to the right appears. This excellent idea could be a real deal-breaker for those struggling to decide between the Xbox One and PS4. But not being able to control playback with Australian voice commands is a major stone in our shoe.

Also, in order to be the nerve centre it wants to be it HAS to accept external media. We tried to plug in an external hard drive, but no dice. Evidently, support will come eventually but we are kept in the dark as to when.

A big part of Xbox One's repertoire is the on-demand and streaming content available. For users in the US and Europe, the choice is meaty, but here in Australia, we're left with a fairly miserly number of apps. At launch we get: Quickflix, SBS On Demand, Ten Play, Crackle, TED, Twitch MUZU TV, Machinima and Skype. Missing out on the likes of Netflix, Hulu, HBO and even Foxtel is a bitter pill to swallow. Even Foxtel won't be available at the moment.

Now, PlayStation fans no longer have bragging rights over Blu-ray. Its inclusion is a necessary one and elbows stand-alone Blu-ray players out of the way as it commands its position at the hub of the home entertainment setup. Expect to see a lot of used players hit eBay come January.