The newly released Ouya has been a much talked-about console ever since it broke Kickstarter record of having been funded $8 million when it was first pitched.

Now that backers have already gotten their consoles, and the Ouya is available in retail stores, it's great to see how the console fared with the upcoming next generation console PS4--while keeping in mind that the Ouya is one of the "indie" game consoles that aim to give a break to the known staples in the industry.

Price

Obviously, for those who just want a console to play with--never mind everything and anything else--Ouya can and is the winner. At $99, you get access to a Play Store that features many games that put diversity to a different perspective, though this doesn't always mean it's a good thing.

Putting the price against the PS4's $399 is indeed a little disadvantageous for the latter, but one also has to consider that, given the price difference, you can't expect the quality that Sony always delivers with its console.

The controller

When placed beside the PS4's smooth integration of its DualShock 4 touchpad with some of its games, the Ouya's controller lacks the same finesse, because there's barely any integration at all.

Moreover, CS Monitor reports that it is an overly sensitive touchpad, which only messes with your gameplay and controller commands. Again, for a $99 console, you can't expect much by way of pure quality but the lagging issues and non-integration of some features seem like a miss if the Ouya was aiming for a game-changing console.

The box

Talking portability, Ouya is also a win. Its box is as compact as it gets ReadWrite compares its size to one that seems like an orange when putting it alongside a banana. It is a surprising design, and you can't even all it a box because the bottom rounds off so you can cup it in your hands easily.

However, there may be some unresolved fan problems. According to Android Police, while there's minimal to no noise when playing, the console becomes very hot while you're using the device.

Storage

Since you can't really do much in the Ouya except play games--unlike the PS4, which offers several other options, as well as a multiplayer connectivity online--the developers may have considered the 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage for the device.

With the PS4, you have GDDR5 8GB of memory and a built-in 500GB hard disk drive, which is pretty standard for a next-gen console hardware.

In addition, the PS4 runs on an x86-54 AMD "Jaguar" 8 cores, and a GPU of 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD next-gen Radeon, according to Expert Reviews.

The most boasting that Ouya can go when it comes to its internal architecture would be the use of the Tegra 3 chip for quality graphics, and according to Android Police, the performance did not do Ouya justice either.

Games

Perhaps both its redeeming and faulty quality would be the diversity in games. What makes the PS4 stand out as the more diverse next-gen console is that it embraces mainstream and indie games.

And of its available and future planned indie games, they have become much-awaited releases that are known and expected to meet the standards that any next generation console should deliver.

On the flipside, this may also be what Ouya had wanted--unique games that can push the limits of what is offered now in gaming and to give players a break from all the AAA games and their respective, sometime rehashed, iterations.

Indeed, it is an admirable effort, but it can also push the Ouya console to an entirely different direction. Despite its 170 games, Mashable reports that the mix of games also come with quality control problems.

Since Ouya allows for anyone to be able to publish their games, in the hopes of getting as diverse and as many games as possible, you can find both a mix of note-worthy plays alongside unpolished ones.

Of course, Ouya has the free-to-try before play for the games, because that way, you won't have to waste your money over a game that's not worth your time. It can be time-consuming to see if something is worth playing, especially for gamers who only want to open their consoles and begin the game.

Overall, the Ouya is a pretty okay console for those who want to try gaming for the first time. It shouldn't be treated as a competition for the likes of the PS4, but rather a potential break, when you're still waiting for the release of the next kick-ass game--and this is meant as a compliment in every way to Ouya.

The Ouya is meant for both beginning and veteran gamers--the former because of the price and introduction console gaming, and the latter for those who want to find more games beyond the comfort zone of the PS4, while again taking the price range consideration.

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