PC, Xbox 360 or PS3?

I've been without a decent gaming PC for quite a while now and I'm going through withdraw symptoms. I thought a PS2 would scratch the itch, but its just been a quick fix. I can't play any of the modern games!

So what should I go for? The PC is the most expensive but it opens up the possibility of MMORPGs. On the other hand I don't really have the time and money for those.

On the other hand, consoles are less expensive, but I have to wait for the kids to go to bed before I can play the more hardcore games and I tie up the TV.

Xbox 360 seems like the best bet. I'm dying to play Halo 2 and 3 after playing the first on PC ages ago. This Portal sounds awesome. Do you have to pay extra to play online?

PS3 just seems way to expensive. What killer games are out for it? Is there any reason I should give it a second look?

Which do you guys like best?

(Disclaimer: I work for a company that has a 360 exclusive coming out soon.)

The two big exclusives I've heard about for the PS3 are Lair and Heavenly Sword. Lair got mediocre reviews, while Heavenly Sword got pretty good reviews but was hurt by being considered too short at about 5-6 hours. I haven't played either -- neither game struck me as a reason to get a PS3.

The 360 right now has the edge in terms of exclusives, but if you're behind the times already, you might be just fine getting a nice gaming PC -- you can spend quite awhile "catching up" by playing games that were originally Xbox or Xbox 360 games but are now available on the PC as well. Also, since the PC and the 360 are closer in terms of systems (both being built by Microsoft), most games that are originally 360 exclusives are ported to the PC at some point. It's usually a question of whether you are comfortable waiting months or years for a game to come over.

There's also a skew with game types -- the 360 generally has the edge with sports games, while the PS3 tends to have a stronger RPG selection (or at least, the PS2 did, and it's expected that the PS3 will), and the PC is the system for MMOs. Exceptions exist: I'm talking about general breadth, here, not whether any one system happens to have one or more good versions of a genre.

Really, it's gonna depend on what you personally want.

takyris said:

There's also a skew with game types -- the 360 generally has the edge with sports games, while the PS3 tends to have a stronger RPG selection (or at least, the PS2 did, and it's expected that the PS3 will), and the PC is the system for MMOs. Exceptions exist: I'm talking about general breadth, here, not whether any one system happens to have one or more good versions of a genre.

Click to expand...

At least right now, and for at least the next six months AFAICT -- though that may largely be a function of being a year older -- the 360's RPG selection is much stronger than the PS3's. Though really, it seems like the DS is cleaning up there.

Chaldfont said:

PS3 just seems way to expensive.

Click to expand...

It's actually pretty cheap... if you're in the market for a Blu-ray player, too. Do you have an HDTV, and are you interested in hi-def DVD's?

What killer games are out for it?

Click to expand...

Right now, not many. Heavenly Sword is gorgeous and fun, but short (own it). The new Ratchet and Clank is supposed to be longer and possibly even more gorgeous (played demo), but reviews indicate it's more of next-gen refinement of the earlier games; evolutionary not revolutionary (of course, the same can be about Halo 3). Superstardust HD is a downloadable Robotron/Geometry Wars-like twin stick shooter which rocks hard and boosts some lovely epilepsy-inducing graphics. I hear really good things about Warhawk and Resistance, too.

I also picked up some already-discounted titles; Virtua Tennis 3 (I loved them on the Dreamcast), Virtua Fighter V, and Oblivion. All look and play great, especially at $30 a pop.

Is there any reason I should give it a second look?

Click to expand...

Frankly, if all you want is a game console and you're wanting more Halo, no. The 360 has a much stronger lineup now, and whether that will change is matter for fanboys to argue about. The PS3 has some really ambitious looking titles coming up, like Uncharted, Little Big Planet, and graphics-wise, at least, Killzone 2. With any luck, they'll play well.

However, if you're also looking for a cheap multimedia center (Blu-ray, upscaling DVD/video file player, music streamer), it's awesome.

Which do you guys like best?

Click to expand...

I'm really digging my PS3 (60g full BC model for $500). It's nice to at least have the option of playing pretty games. My 'gaming computer' is a several year-old laptop whose claim to graphical prowess is that it can play Civ 4 with the animations enabled (at least most of them...).

I should mention that a number of my friends have 360's, so I'm not going to miss out on Bioshock, Mass Effect and Halo 3. We're going to swap systems (as soon as few more good games come out for the PS3...).

More grist for the discussion mill...

I don't have an HD capable TV. I have to wait for my current TV to die or when we finish our basement (several years out yet). So that's not so much of a draw for me.

Considering I don't have the time and money I used to (going from DINKs to two kids and a stay at home mom-type family will do that to ya), I tend to get games once they drop in price or buy them used. I usually can't play them fast enough to always need the latest and the greatest. I'm still working through the Guitar Hero series on PS2.

But I pine for Halo 2/3, for Portal, for Crysis. I've never played Half-Life or WoW (though there was a time I was addicted to Everquest).

It's going to be hard to justify buying a PC to my wife, but I think I might convince her to get a n Xbox 360 for Christmas.

But I have to decide. I have to commit to one or the other. I can't have both a gaming PC and a console. Then I wouldn't be able to buy RPG books!

- Of the consoles, the 360 has the best selection of games right now, and is much cheaper than a gaming PC
- If you want an entertainment center, the PS3 has the leg up, though rumors of a forthcoming HDDVD-360 combo package abound. If such a thing existed, it would beat out the PS3 big time.
- If you are due for a PC and can swing about $2000 to buy a good rig, do that.
- If you are handy, you could build your own gaming PC for about half that price.

Chaldfont said:

More grist for the discussion mill...

I don't have an HD capable TV. I have to wait for my current TV to die or when we finish our basement (several years out yet). So that's not so much of a draw for me.

Click to expand...

Don't bother with a PS3 or 360 without an HDTV (or a nice, big, widescreen PC monitor you can connect your console to instead of a TV; MS sells a VGA cable, or you can find an HDMI->DVI adapter for a PS3). HDTVs are getting less expensive these days (my 42" 1080p LCD was ~$1000; you can find 30" widescreen CRTs for $500), so a console + HDTV will probably run less than a good gaming PC setup, but not by much.

drothgery said:

Don't bother with a PS3 or 360 without an HDTV (or a nice, big, widescreen PC monitor you can connect your console to instead of a TV; MS sells a VGA cable, or you can find an HDMI->DVI adapter for a PS3). HDTVs are getting less expensive these days (my 42" 1080p LCD was ~$1000; you can find 30" widescreen CRTs for $500), so a console + HDTV will probably run less than a good gaming PC setup, but not by much.

Click to expand...

Are you saying you can't even connect these up to a non HDTV or that you can but its not really worth it?

Chaldfont said:

Are you saying you can't even connect these up to a non HDTV or that you can but its not really worth it?

Click to expand...

You can but it's (according to reviewers; I'm mostly an RPG guy, so I'm not picking up a next-gen console until Mass Effect comes out) not really worth it. The biggest thing the PS3 and Xbox 360 have going for them is much-improved graphics. Which means higher-resolution graphics. Which takes a higher-resolution display, meaning an HDTV or a computer monitor. They'll work with a standard def TV, but odds are you'll be left thinking 'why is this thing worth $$$ again?'.

drothgery said:

You can but it's (according to reviewers; I'm mostly an RPG guy, so I'm not picking up a next-gen console until Mass Effect comes out) not really worth it. The biggest thing the PS3 and Xbox 360 have going for them is much-improved graphics. Which means higher-resolution graphics. Which takes a higher-resolution display, meaning an HDTV or a computer monitor. They'll work with a standard def TV, but odds are you'll be left thinking 'why is this thing worth $$$ again?'.

Click to expand...

Honestly, its not that bad with a 'normal' TV.

I've got one and a 360 and, while I know an HDTV would look amazing with these games, its just fine. You don't lose anything and its really not as bad as some people like to scream it is.