[OT] Which Gaming Console to buy?

[Agnostic Paladin]

I'm pretty solidly of the opinion that the Sony's the only way to go. Nintendo and Microsoft both made good boxes, but there's simply not enough games for them. Especially for a casual gamer who doesn't want to play certain types of game, which cuts the choices even further.

The idea of the XBox gaining ground would be a good arguement if the life cycle of a given generation of consoles was much longer than it is. There's no time to gain ground; if you're not going strong within a year, your dead.

Each system has a few really cool games that would be called "must play" or "must own" by anyone who's actually inclined to believe such statements; so unless one's willing to buy all three machines (an option only for those both with money to burn and hardcore gamer tendancies), then exclusive showcase titles aren't a very good deciding criteria. (I suppose there could be one or two games that you must play above all others - in which case the decision's easy; but I can't see spending that kind of money for the ability to play just one or two games.) Ruling out showcase games as a deciding factor pretty much eliminates the cube and the XBox as neither of them has a very deep library.

 

[Kai Lord]

Anyone have any recommendations for good RPG's on the PS2?

 

[Zappo]

Re: Re: Advice

Oh, and there is a way to "bypass" the 30 dollar remote... but I don't think it is legal. I'll leave it at that.

I don't know what way that is, but generally speaking, I think it's legal. Modding the Xbox is legal, toying with the hardware in any way is legal, messing with the preinstalled OS or BIOS is legal. It would only void your warranty. Anything goes until you start copying software.

I agree... if they do endeavor in that direction they will crush themselves. And not to mention, they are not gearing the community correctly. If they want us to become online junkie gamers, they should force us into that vein without doing something we don't like (downloading huge files and being forced to pay for DSL service).

OTOH, the PS3 is supposed to be released somewhere in 2005, probably 2006/7. Sony likely believes that by that time having DSL and downloading huge files won't be a problem.

Kai Lord, it depends on exactly what you're looking for (the term RPG has been stretched beyond recognition in the last few years of gaming). Final Fantasy X is very good.

 

[Kibo]

I'm definitely leaning toward a PS2, but the new Zelda looks very good, and I know there's a Metal Gear coming out for the X-Box.

If anyone in the Gamecube or X-Box camp who has tastes like my own wants to speak up now's your chance.

Well, for me, and my opinion is worthless, because (as soon as I buy a consol, esspecially one what has or even promisses to have a robotech or macross related title, if I buy it down the toilet it goes) I'll be passing on consols for a while.

But my buddy does have an xbox, and that's acctually been a lot of fun. No GTA 3 of course. But for games you don't care about Halo does make for a damn fun first person shooter with a truly surprising degree of replay value. I gotta say most of the stuff for the xbox does suck, but their is a pretty decent library there.

Why I wrote though. I just got back from playing Metal Gear 2 on the xbox. My buddy Jason, hated it (he couldn't figure out how to pop out and shoot from corners). I thought it was pretty sweet, shooting guys with knockout darts under furniture while lying prone it pretty ammusing. But the giant exclaimation point when you pop out right in front of them an blasting point blank while they barly manage to squeak out a surprised noise is priceless. The cinimatics were very sweet. And while the dialouge isn't exactly what I'd hope for (they should have taken a cue from Harrison Ford's movie contracts) there is something to be said for a game where you play Snake Pliskin. I thought the play control was fine, walking was a little slow, aiming was a little difficult. It makes snap shots seem pretty tricky, particularly since to really do a snap shot you'd probably have to fire from the 3rd person perspective.

Since you seem disenchanted with FPSs I'll keep my review of Timer Splitters 2 short. Not the snazziest graphics when it comes to levels or character models. But the game is pretty fun. It wins almost completely on play control. A fun assortment of weapons, happy double weapon combos remnicent of John Woo mode from Rise of The Triad, nice secondary effects, a large number of classic skins ala james bond and appearently cheats to match, the girls of duke nukem, a decent arcade mode where you can throw down on a bunch of bots when you don't feel like playing through the story mode (a liberal used of the word story to be sure). If it had larger levels, better graphics (they have a moderately cartoony bent actually a decent balance of it), the ability to heal oneself by going number 1, a grappling hook, a shrinkray, the ability to turn into or be turned into a dog, chicken or pig, and lucious gibbs it would truly have everything. (at least that I might concievably want).

The xbox does seem to have a few winners lined up with comming soon stickers. But what do I know the xbox game I liked best was Jet Set Radio Future.

But Zelda might be worth holding out for. They've always been classics.

 

[Dr Lucky]

.....though I'm not really into First-Person Shooters on consoles (so no Halo or Metroid Prime for me.)

"I hate to ruin everyone's suprise, but I need to point out the major suprise with Metroid Prime. It's not a First-Person Shooter exactly. It won't be like Doom, Quake, and Halo. Metroid Prime is a Rail Shooter. Think Rebel Assault. Samus moves along a relatively set path that you direct at various intersections and the like. The only time you have full control is when Samus uses the morphing ball."

I can't vouch for this statement, but it's what everyone keeps whispering about the game. I'm not sure if it's true, but it would be really interesting.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I like the X-Box for it's superiority in terms of graphics, sound, display, and ability to utilize HDTV more effectively. Having said that, PS2 still has a lot of great exclusive titles but that margin seems to be diminishing as X-Box has a few (far too few imo) to compete.

 

[The Cardinal]

GC & XB are the way to go.

 

[Saracen]

I'd pick either the GCN or PS2. The Xbox isn't shining and isn't likely to shine. (Gameplay is king... and they aren't as pretty as GCN, so they don't have that either.) They'll be back for Round 2, though.

You clearly haven't played the XBox much, or for that matter a GameCube.

First, the XBox's graphics are the clear leader. Also, the vast majority of games released are being released on all three consoles, and the XBox has, up to this point, always gotten the best looking, feature rich one.

Of the three major consoles the system with the weakest lineup is the GC. Most of the people I know, including myself, have been very dissapointed with a great majority of Nintendo's first party games. Luigi's Mansion was awful and Mario Sunshine was not very good, either. I will admit that Pikmin was a pretty interesting and cool game. Also, some of the better games released for Nintendo's consoles won't be seen again. Rare, maker of Goldeneye and the Perfect Dark series was purchased by Microsoft so their games will be XBox exclusives in the future.

As to which one to buy? I'd recommend either the PS2 or the XBox and forget the Gamecube entirely. Right now the PS2 has the best lineup of games available because they have built a large library over the last two years since it was released. Still, the XBox is newer and more powerful, has the better graphics and it's lineup is improving every day. It also, and I emphasize this, always gets the best looking, most polished version of games that are released for all three platforms. Also, it has a smaller controller if that's an issue, the Controller S. The XBox's lineup is getting better everyday and though it won't be as alarge as the PS2's library, it will have as many good games in it's lineup as the Playstation does.

Games I'd recommend you get if you get the PS2:

GTAIII
GTA Vice City
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Tekken 4

Games I'd recommend for the XBox:
Halo
Project Gotham Racing
NHL 2003
NFL2K3
Mech Assault
DOA 3
Shenmue 2

Finally, if you can I'd also recommend that you rent one from some place like Blockbuster if you can and play each console over a weekend with some rented games. That way you can determine which one you prefer for yourself and not have to rely on the opinion of other people.

 

[Tsyr]

PS2-

Pros: Huge selection of games currently, a number of them very good. Best controler of the lot (With a proviso; I've gone through several PS2 controlers... they seem rather fragile). Plays DVDs off the shelf. Looks really classy. Can be positioned on it's side without causing problems (It actualy advertises it in this position alot), which might be great if you have limited space. Looks nifty on it's side too.

Cons: Well, it doesn't play DVD's all that WELL... Search for "PS2 DVD Compatiblity list" or something on dogpile... there is a list of DVDs that just plain don't work with the PS2, for reasons unknown. Aformentioned fragility of controllers. Only 2 controler ports; no four-way gaming without special attachments (Never messed with those, don't know how well they work). Graphics are getting a bit dated, but far from obsolete. Has a huge game list true, but tons of them are crap.

X-Box-

Pros: Most powerful system, best graphics hands-down. Big internal hard-drive. Plays DVDs well. Has a lot of great games in the pipeline. Has X-Box Live comming, but you can do net gaming without it.

Cons: It's big. Very big. Can't play DVDs without a 30 dollar add-on. Has few excuslive titles right now that are much good... HALO is a noteable exception. Has a fair number of good games, mind, but most are ports from other systems (Morrowind, Robotech, etc).

Cube-

Pros: Uhhhh... hold on... It will come to me... Well... it's got a handful of exclusive games that are a lot of fun, I'll admit. Theoreticly able to interface with the GBA, even if that's only been used for Animal Farm, to my knowledge. The console is small.

Cons: A controler that must have been designed by M.C. Esher on crack, can't play DVDs at all, less system power than other nearest contemporary (X-Box), that whole "family friendly" thing with Nintendo games (Which isn't a HUGE problem, but it does get irritating).

Myself, I would say get a PS2 and a 'box both... The PS2 has a huge library of good games right now, and will continue to get good games for some time to come. It's just starting to show it's age, but it should still have at least another full year of full-tilt game production for it, at the very least. The X-Box doesn't have as many games right now, of course, but it has the most potential of any system on the market. For the first little bit, developers weren't really sure what to do with the X-Box I think... it got a lot of ports, you will notice, but few games exclusive to it. The games that were exclusive to it tended to be quite impressive, however. Halo, DOA3, etc. Looking at the games that are going to be released in the next 6 months for the 'box makes me think that developers might have finaly figured out what to do with the 'box, and I think you will see it gaining ground quickly. It's got the whole "microsoft" stigma assosiated with it, and I know a lot of people dismiss it or resent it for that reason, but I think looking past the bias against it, the X-box is the best sytem on the market for the long-term investment.

 

[Drayan]

One word of warning. While i would suggest either the Xbox or PS2, be warned, the PS2 has a tendancy to lost it's ability to play certain discs. Mine won't play most silver discs, however it seems random as to which types of discs it will lose the ability to play.