Is PUBG On PS4 The Definitive Console Version? (Review)

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Platform: PS4 (copy supplied by We Are The Romans)

PlayerUnknown's Battleground (or PUBG as its most commonly referred to) is the game credited with initially kicking off the Battle Royale craze.

With a strong focus on military realism, from bullet drop mechanics that'll take hours of playtime to master or tinkering with your gun attachments till they're just right - the game can be daunting compared to others on the market such as the more cartoony Fortnite, or the lightning quick engine of Call of Duty: Blackout.

So how does this stand up to the PC and Xbox One versions? And in a now-crowded Battle Royale marketplace, can PUBG on PS4 stand toe to toe with contemporary PS4 shooters in general?

The big question is how this compares to the fairly rough Xbox One version (a port that has since become far more stable than launch). And, well... it is delightful to finally have a console port after that after a year of playing the Xbox One edition, can competently load a map before the player lands.

Gone are the days of landing to find either no building in sight or massive lumps that better represent Google Maps. Now, that isn't to say that buildings won't still be popping in as you drop, but the game has come a long way since those initial beta days.

Textures remain muddy on the base PS4, and PUBG only runs up to 30fps, but on a Pro, the extra horsepower will clean these right up. Shadows will randomly not render, and waiting in the lobby before a match still tanks the framerate, so there is that to keep in mind. Thankfully, crashes to dashboard seem to be history, and that is a major plus.

What is most important is that the same Battle Royale experience that hooked millions is here, and offers up everything a PS4 owner would want (bar 60fps and the graphical power a top of the range PC can output). You almost have to feel sorry for those who endured the Xbox One version, as at least Microsoft really helped get this game to consoles in the first place.

Pretty much all the modes have been rolled out at this point, bar first person-only, which at a guess, can only be to ensure a smooth few launch weeks. Whether in a squad, duo or going it solo, nabbing a Chicken Dinner on PS4 can finally be realised.

All three maps are here, with the promise of the new snow map Vikendi to come. These all offer up a different player experience from the erratic scramble in Sanhok to the desolate empty feel of Miramar. There is plenty in this package to justify its modest price.

A brand new training mode accompanies this version too, so new hopers can at least get the chance to get accustomed with weapons, attachments and vehicles before facing off against the world.

Outside of platform comparisons, how does PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds fair against the competition on PlayStation 4 overall?

Well... Fortnite and Call of Duty's Blackout mode have really eaten PUBG's lunch. The small-time developer that popularised Battle Royale has been overtaken by big Triple-A players. PUBG is a fine port, but the competition simply plays better on a sheer responsive level, and can stick it out at 60fps too.

If raw technical power, tactical building/flanking or Call of Duty's gameplay is in any way your thing, it's a no-brainer that those are the games for you.

However, where others have come along and changed the game with a Victory Royale, there is something unique about beating 99 other players using PUBG's weighty physics and awkwardly satisfying shooting. Even on PS4, it can occasionally feel like a delicious chicken dinner.