PS5 owners are probably having the time of their lives right now (no offense to those who still haven't got one yet). They've got their hands on next-gen early, and they're reaping the benefits of the hardware--smoother frame rates, sky-high resolutions, and almost non-existent load speeds.
However, the overall design of the PlayStation 5 allows it to do more stuff that you (probably) don't know about. As such, here are five nifty features that Sony isn't telling you about your new gaming console.
Use A Dualshock 4 Controller--On Specific Games, That Is
If for some reason you're not feeling the hype surrounding the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller, you can still use your trusty old DualShock 4 controller from your PS4. But only on select backwards-compatible games, according to GamesRadar.
Sony made it clear that the DualShock 4 won't be forwards-compatible with the PS5. However, this only applies to games which were built specifically for the current-gen console at the moment: games like "Sackboy: A Big Adventure," "Astro's Playroom," and "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" to name a few.
Here's a video demonstrating just that, from YouTuber Gamer Heaven:
As you can see in the video, a game built for the PS5 will give you a notification that it won't support the DualShock 4. It also won't let you control the game at all.
To make sure that you won't run into issues, however, just use the DualSense controller for everything. You'll likely notice a massive difference, and perhaps even enjoy it more than your old DualShock 4.
The PS5 Can Protect You From Spoilers
It's natural for gamers to not want to get spoiled while they play through a new game. And for some reason, the PS5 can actually help protect you from spoilers via the Spoiler Warnings feature, according to Looper.
You can turn the feature on by going to Home > Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Spoiler Warnings, then toggle the Warn About Game Spoilers option. From there, you can also choose to block either all spoilers you haven't seen, or only those which have been identified by the developers.
By turning this feature on, the PlayStation 5 will give you a warning on specific gameplay clips, screenshots, or even trophy guides before you click on them. The only way for you to get spoiled is if you actually click through the warning.
Pick Specific Game Presets
A lot of time can be spent tweaking specific in-game settings to your liking. This includes difficulty level, camera settings, and even picking between "Performance" or "Quality" modes on games that support it.
Well, Sony designed the PS5 to actually let you load your preferred game presets all at once, according to WIRED. All you need to do is go to Home > Settings > Saved Data and Game App Settings > Game Presets.
Go Right Back Into A Game Mode/Mission From The Home Screen
PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny made it a point to save users as much time as possible by reducing loading times to almost nothing (thanks, SSD).
But did you know that you can also get back into a specific game mode (say, "GTA Online") or even missions straight from the console's main menu and not have to go through the trouble of navigating in-game menus first?
This is possible via the PS5 Activities feature. According to GameRant, the feature basically suspends the game and allows players to jump in whenever, and wherever they like to be in-game.
Automatically Enhance PS4 Games
The PS5 is backwards-compatible with almost the entire PS4 library. We all know this. However, it can also automatically enhance the performance and visuals of these last-gen games to make them look even more next-gen, via Sony's Game Boost feature.
According to PushSquare, you don't have to fiddle with this setting as it is enabled on your PlayStation 5 by default. So when you play specific games, you're getting much improved load times, frame rates, and graphics.
The only catch is that you'll need to keep your console's firmware and the games updated.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce