The PS4 wins the next-gen battle thanks to dog petting

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In Valiant Hearts, a new game about World War I from Ubisoft, you can pet a dog by using the touch pad on a PlayStation 4 controller. Just rub the touch pad while your dog companion is nearby and you’ll pet it in the game.

PLAYSTATION 4 WINS THE NEXT-GEN BATTLE THANKS TO DOG PETTING SIMULATION!

This is just one of the many ways developers are taking advantage of the touch pad on the PlayStation 4 controller. Another thing you can do in Valiant Hearts is toss a stick for your canine companion to catch. Once you pick up a stick, you can aim your trajectory by pulling your finger back on the touch pad.

In games like Assassin’s Creed IV and Watch Dogs, you’ll be able to navigate the map screen with simple swipes of the finger. Pinching to zoom in or out of your map can be done, and a simple tap of the pad will place down waypoints. If you’re familiar with using a smartphone then you’re right at home here.

And of course, navigating the PlayStation 4’s user interface is another thing you’ll be able to do. You can still use the normal sticks and button to do all this as well, but the option is there.

Some developers are also coming up with ways of using the light source from the PlayStation 4 controller. In Dying Light, the light on your controller will get brighter whenever you turn on the flashlight within the game.

Then there’s Transistor, which is using the light source in an extremely rad way. In the game, your sword is alive and it glows in sync with every word it speaks. That glowing/blinking effect is reflected along with the light on the controller too. It’s a simple thing, but it’s pretty cool feature.

Okay sure, these aren’t “OMG MUST HAVE” selling points at all, just some cool things I’ve noticed developers doing with the PS4 controller during the many preview events I’ve covered this past year. Wonder what else developers will come up with to add a little bit extra to their games like this.


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