Review: Nvidia Shield is the best of the…
Review: Nvidia Shield is the best of the microconsole bunch — so far
JON C HAG/ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVESNvidia's portable handheld gaming device, the Project Shield, made a splash at International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last year, although critics gave it mixed reviews. The product has improved since then.
By Gieson Cacho | gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com |
June 17, 2015 at 8:36 a.m.
Technology is imbued with promise, and with video games, that means there's always something shiny and new on the horizon. One of the more intriguing ideas to come out in the past few years is the microconsole.
Instead of a bulky, disc-centric behemoth such as a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, these devices are smaller, leveraging the Internet to show videos and even to download and play games. It's another way for companies to enter the living room. Razer recently bought microconsole maker Ouya, according to reports that cite an investment bank. Apple is rumored to include apps on an upcoming update to its TV device, and Google is trying to make headway with Android TV.
Several devices will use the Google platform, but the Nvidia Shield is shaping up to be the best of the bunch. About the size of an iPad mini, the device can stream video on Ultra HD televisions. It can stream tunes through Google Play Music. It can turn into a DVR that records broadcast TV if users have HDHomeRun equipment. But what separates the Nvidia Shield from its rivals is the gaming component.
The Nvidia Shield is a versatile piece of equipment capable of playing simple games normally found on a smartphone and scaling up to complex titles that gamers would power through on a PC. It can stream games from Nvidia's own service, or players can download shooters and run it natively on the system. There's even an option to stream content from a gaming rig equipped with one of Nvidia's graphics cards.
In terms of raw power, the Nvidia Shield can power games with a graphical fidelity comparable to an Xbox 360. I played "Talos Principle" on the device, and it ran flawlessly, handling the title's complex puzzles easily. Right now, it's the only way to play one of the most underrated games of 2014 in your living room. On the other hand, "Doom 3: BFG Edition" showed its age on the Shield, but the shooter still fared well. The game performed smoothly with a high and consistent frame rate, but the visuals looked dated.
An overlooked possibility for the system is developers adapting Android titles to the platform. If users bought a game such as "Does Not Commute" for their phone, the system can play that on the Shield, as long as they picked it up through Google's app store. It opens up an enormous library of easy-to-play games. Developers just need to port them over, and players can use their phones as a controller.
For those yearning for releases that require more horsepower, the Shield can access Nvidia's GRID service. It streams high-end titles such as "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings." It works well enough with lag that's almost imperceptible. I could play a decent game of "Street Fighter X Tekken" on it.
Although playing mobile games in the living room has potential, the bigger boon could be the streaming of indie titles. The personal computer is the most robust space for smaller developers. It's where they can reach a rabid audience attuned to their efforts. It's where "Minecraft" got its start and where Kickstarter projects flourish. Being able to play games such as "Nuclear Throne" from the living room is one of the biggest draws of the system.
The one problem is that streaming from a PC is far from a flawless experience. There are bugs and hiccups with the technology. If Nvidia can iron those problems out, the Shield can be worthwhile for core PC gamers looking for a living room option.
Contact Gieson Cacho at 510-735-7076 or gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com. Read his blog at http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei.
Gieson Cacho | Video games columnist
Gieson Cacho is the video game columnist for the Bay Area News Group. He lives in Berkeley, roasts his own coffee and drinks craft beer.
gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com
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