I'd say the hardware for the Play makes me a bit suspicious if it will stand the test of time when duel-core processor Androids are about to arrive on the market. It will still be powerful enough to play most the games available in the next few months, but when games come out that are optimised for duel-core then you might end up regretting your purchase a little.
Anyway as an Android phone it's about as good as any other in the current generation. I've heard criticism about how the screen performs badly outdoor, which is a deal-breaker for me since I've got so used to the excellent Super AMOLED on my Galaxy S. Also the battery life is rather short compared to other phones (although this could be improved with battery-saving tools and new firmware revisions) The main selling point of the Play is the slide-out gamepad (which has received glowing reviews), but keep in mind that most Android games are made so that you don't need physical buttons to play anyway, although it is very important if you want to delve into emulators and such for a bit of a nostalgia trip.
In short, if you are not planning on taking advantage of the gamepad fully then better wait a bit and get something more powerful, otherwise go for it. I doubt there will be another gamepad phone coming out any time soon.
Anyway as an Android phone it's about as good as any other in the current generation. I've heard criticism about how the screen performs badly outdoor, which is a deal-breaker for me since I've got so used to the excellent Super AMOLED on my Galaxy S. Also the battery life is rather short compared to other phones (although this could be improved with battery-saving tools and new firmware revisions) The main selling point of the Play is the slide-out gamepad (which has received glowing reviews), but keep in mind that most Android games are made so that you don't need physical buttons to play anyway, although it is very important if you want to delve into emulators and such for a bit of a nostalgia trip.
In short, if you are not planning on taking advantage of the gamepad fully then better wait a bit and get something more powerful, otherwise go for it. I doubt there will be another gamepad phone coming out any time soon.