The PS4 debuted well over a decade ago at this point, but even after many new consoles and a generational leap, it is still revered as one of the best pieces of gaming hardware ever made. Countless exceptional games, exceptional performance for the time, and a huge feature set that many players will never have seen, whether because they are tucked away in the settings or just less obvious to the more casual fan base.
Best PS2 Game From Every Year Of The Console's Life
From its birth to its discontinuation, here's which standout games marked the PlayStation 2's life cycle and became iconic.
Yet looking back on the console now, it is pretty absurd how many different options and tools players had access to long before they became commonplace. Some of these details are functional and can genuinely help with some of the more awkward aspects of the device, while others are more akin to quality-of-life additions that make the whole experience just a bit better without drastically altering any of the core systems.
Rest Mode
More Than Just A Low-Powered State
Details:
- Freezing programs rather than closing them
- Power-off timers and automatic charge pausing
Rest mode is a feature that many people quickly came to love on the PS4. The ability to continue downloading games or charging controllers in a lower-powered state was a great addition that players were quick to adopt, but there are actually a few extra features that most will have never made use of or been aware of.
For one, when charging controllers in rest mode, the console will automatically stop once the charge is full, preventing battery wear and any unnecessary power draw. However, the more important detail is with power-off timers, which, when used in combination with rest mode, can drastically reduce overall power consumption, without trading off download time or requiring any additional input at all.
Light Bar
Pretty Colors And So Much More
Details:
- Originally designed for precise camera tracking
- Could identify player position and controller orientation
The Dualshock 4 controllers were generally considered a big upgrade on the previous generation, and for fans of the more symmetrical controller layout, they became the obvious choice right away. One of the more unique features was the light bar, which glows different colors depending on the player, in-game content, or even the battery charge, yet there are even more aspects that a lot of people never even knew about.
Big PS4 Games That Just Never Released
The PS4 era had immense potential with these games that deserve to be remembered, but will definitely never be released on old-gen (if ever).
The biggest extra feature is the camera tracking, which allows the system to identify player positions and movements within a 3D space. A few games made use of these motion features, like Alien: Isolation, but for the most part, it is more of an obscure extra that could have been a lot more interesting if pushed just a little bit further.
Share Button
Seems Like Magic At Times
Details:
- Always recording gameplay prior to button press
- Customization of clip length and resolution
When the PS4 was first revealed, one of the most interesting additions to the system was the ability to share and record gameplay in a much easier and more seamless way. The share button allowed players to instantly record clips, send videos, or even start livestreaming, and for a lot of people, the technology felt strangely good despite being accessible behind just a single input.
The reason it works so well is that the device is actually constantly recording behind the scenes, buffering the last 15 minutes of gameplay, or more if altered in the settings, giving players a large window so they don't miss any crucial moments. The always-on nature of the recordings was made even better with features that let players tweak the resolution and length, turning every gaming session into a potential video that can be shared with the world in seconds.
Full Button Remaps
Accessibility And Preference
Details:
- Changing entire layouts outside of games
- Custom control schemes for competitive play
Controllers have been tweaked and edited since the early gaming days, as players find new and creative ways to input moves faster or simply to find a layout that works for them. For the PS4, this functionality remained, albeit tucked away in the settings, but it gives so many players the chance to access certain games that they would otherwise be unable to play.
Some people struggle to manage with the traditional layouts, so being able to swap buttons around or edit what certain presses do means that those accessibility issues are all but gone. Additionally, some people just prefer a specific way of playing, so rather than switching controllers within individual games, they can make system-wide changes that allow them to control how they engage with games and their mechanics.
Controller Hot Keys
Everything From Zoom To Quick Settings
Details:
- Quick combinations with surprising utility
- Not often clear to most players
For the most part, controllers are fairly limited by what inputs and commands they can perform. Rather than having a whole alphabet and a set of numbers below their hands, players instead have to make do with a couple of joysticks and a short list of extra buttons, which can make certain functions feel awkward or annoying to complete.
8 Best PS4 Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
The PlayStation 4 has one of Sony’s biggest libraries so there were bound to be a few that slipped through the cracks.
However, built into every system are a few handy hotkeys that can transform how users interact with their consoles on a fundamental level. There are hotkeys for zooming, quick-access menus, and for those awkward connectivity moments, players can even force controllers into pairing mode just by holding down a few buttons, but as useful as these features are, many people never make use of them.
Hidden Trophies
Ticking Off Those Platinums
Details:
- Revealing trophies at the click of a button
- Instantly searching for solutions on the web
Trophies are a core aspect of the gaming world, serving as small progress markers that reward players for going the extra mile or simply moving further into the narrative. Each game comes with a huge list of accolades, some lower-level than others, but a lot of the more interesting ones are hidden until unlocked, making trophy hunting quite annoying without doing a Google search.
Within the PS4's software, there is actually a way of instantly revealing hidden trophies by just clicking on them and unveiling the mystery. On top of this, players can also search the web from the same menu, letting them find solutions or steps to completing those last few trophies without having to manually do the search themselves.
Custom Backgrounds
Replacing Gaming Legends With Family Pics
Details:
- Custom themes and profile backgrounds
- Fast uploads with no cost
Customization is a huge part of gaming, as players love to show off their tastes and styles and engage with a platform that feels like their own. The PS4 lets players change the background of the menus and their profile by downloading or buying themes from the store, but there is actually far more choice available to them than there initially appears.
By uploading a few images, players can quickly turn their boring old homescreen into a personalized hub for their games, replacing the short list of options with a near-infinite one. This extends to profile icons and backgrounds, which can even be viewed by other players, making it a nice and easy way of expressing oneself, without needing to spend a single penny.
Facial Recognition
Logging In Almost Instantly
Details:
- Camera support for fast logins
- Automatic profile selection
Many players may have gone through the entire PS4 generation without ever using the PlayStation Camera, but it is a pretty useful extra piece of hardware that serves as more than just a recording device. With facial recognition, players are able to log in without even touching a controller, and once set up, the system identifies registered faces and automatically selects the correct profile.
While rarely used, this feature was surprisingly accurate under good lighting conditions. It was designed to streamline multi-user households and actually proved to be a pretty nice addition in the right scenario, even if it was more of a gimmick than a game-changing feature.
Motion Typing
Cutting Out The Awkward Messages
Details:
- On-screen cursor for fast typing
- More precise than a thumbstick
Anyone who has tried to type with a controller knows the frustration that comes from slowly panning across a keyboard and having to go all the way back if a mistake is made. However, the PS4 actually supports another method of typing in the form of Motion Controls, which makes use of the controller's gyro to move the on-screen cursor with impressive precision.
Although it is still slower than an actual keyboard, this technique can speed up those searches tremendously, turning the otherwise annoying task of password entry into a cakewalk. It's a subtle detail that a lot of people overlooked, but one that so many never went back to once they finally figured it out.
Game Suspending
Switching Between Games And Movies In A Second
Details:
- Suspend applications in the background
- Reducing the load time between individual apps
The PS4 is a gaming console first, but the device has far more functionality than just a box to play games on. Many players use their devices for movies or web searches, and it can be quite annoying to constantly relaunch and switch between apps over and over again.
Thankfully, the system actually allows players to suspend applications, which lets them switch over to completely different windows without needing to close the game. Many apps made full use of this functionality, meaning that players could have a full game running, with a web browser ready in the background, seamlessly gaming and searching with no long loading screens in between.
22 Rarest PS4 Games (& How Much They're Worth)
From niche indie titles, to limited collector's editions, some rare PS4 games can go for thousands of dollars.