DualShock 4 + PlayStation Camera = completely awesome

Robot rampage

Upon firing up Playroom you’re given a few control instructions, but even these are a techie treat, as they emerge like holographic panels from the light panel on the rear of the pad and can be moved around using motion tracking.

Then we were introduced to Asibo, the flying robot. He’s able to scan your face, bump into your head, and if you punch him he’ll turn on you. Actually, in our experience it didn’t matter who did the punching – it was Stuff’s Esat Dedezade who got the payback, including getting his head turned into an iceblock. Though review’s editor Tom Parsons had his share of noggin-flaming abuse as well.

Alien abuse

Play

Once Asibo had been put away we were told to shake the DualShock 4, which produced a rattling-like sensation using its motors. With a click of the touchpad (yes, it’s clickable as well as strokeable), we were transported to a view of the inside of the controller and discovered that it was full of little aliens getting rather jumbled about by our shaking.

Tip the controller one way and they fall to the bottom, press the pad’s buttons and lights flash inside the controller and the wee aliens respond by dancing. Cover the light strip on the back of the pad and the light goes off, with the little fellas’ eyes lighting up.

Zipping back to the normal view, we were then able to swipe up on the touchpad to release the aliens into the real world, where they proceed to gambol around, wave at you and trip over your feet. They don’t seem to mind a bit of a kick, and if you’ve got the companion app on iOS or Android you can draw objects that can be instantly thrown into the world with a swipe.

When it’s time to stop you hoover the aliens back into the pad by holding down the touchpad. Some will cling onto the carpet to try to avoid returning to their tiny DualShock prison, but none can resist the power of the light hoover for long.

Finally we finish with a game of Pong, but one in which the ‘court’ can be stretched and twisted on the fly thanks to the PlayStation Camera tracking the way you move the controller. The paddles themselves are controlled by swiping up and down on the touchpad, while a click adds power to your shot. Simple, but fun lots of fun.

Sony are at pains to stress that The Playroom is just a tech demo at the moment (in fact the name is just a working title), but Stuff will eat its proverbial hat if some version of it isn’t bundled with the £45 PlayStation Camera. And as a way to get to grips with and show off your new toy, it’s absolutely terrific.