[Completly OT] Xbox or PS2?

[shadowlight]

Ristamar,

That's an excellent summary!

The one thing that I'd add to the XBox pros is the built in ethernet port. It makes it incredibly easy to connect 2 consoles for Multiplayer / Multiscreen gaming. (I've done this a lot with Halo, Unreal, and MechAssault).

 

[Tsyr]

- If you're a total mech freak, it's hard to top Steel Batallion on XBOX, if you're willing to drop two benjamins on it. Unfortunately, this game has no XBOX Live support... it's inexplicable, and nearly inexcusable.

It's not inexplicable in the slightest, actualy. It's a question of market penetration, basicly... Capcom took a BIG risk with Steel Batallion... they had no idea how it was going to sell, due to the large investment. They made a fairly small number of units, as I understand it, as a result. Not knowing if Steel Batallion would be accepted or not, they decided not to go through the extra work of adding Live support, and reworking some parts of gameplay to work with multiple players. They have said that, if the sales seem to warrent it, Steel Battalion 2 (Which will, of course, require the original for the controller) will be multiplayer.

And FWIW, Steel Batallion has owned me since the day I got it. My gaming group and I blew off an entire game session just to take turns playing it. It's an experience you have to have.

 

[Ristamar]

It's not inexplicable in the slightest, actualy. It's a question of market penetration, basicly... Capcom took a BIG risk with Steel Batallion... they had no idea how it was going to sell, due to the large investment. They made a fairly small number of units, as I understand it, as a result. Not knowing if Steel Batallion would be accepted or not, they decided not to go through the extra work of adding Live support, and reworking some parts of gameplay to work with multiple players. They have said that, if the sales seem to warrent it, Steel Battalion 2 (Which will, of course, require the original for the controller) will be multiplayer.

I disagree that Steel Battalion was a huge risk for Capcom. Microsoft approached Capcom and basically said, “If you could make any game you wanted, what would it be?” Capcom proposed what would become Steel Battalion. Microsoft gave Capcom a few fat wads of cash to develop it, so the financial risk for Capcom was minimized, if not eliminated. Capcom would have never developed such a game without Microsoft’s financial backing. And, of course, the venture is hardly a risk for Microsoft since they’ve plunged billions of dollars into XBOX and XBOX Live advertising, development, and support and don’t appear to be backing off any time soon. Financing a single niche game that may or may not make money doesn’t concern MS in the least. They’re simply enjoying the hype generated by such a game.

That being said, I feel that if I’m going to put down 200 dollars for one game, a game that is practically screaming for multiplayer action, it should have XBOX Live support, regardless of promises of online sequels. I think a more plausible explanation is that they didn’t want Steel Battalion competing with Mech Assault online, hoping mech fans will purchase both separately for single player and multiplayer experiences, and/or they wanted to make sure it was out in time for the holiday season, so they reneged online support to save development time.

 

[Sir Edgar]

Hi, everybody! I've read through the thread, but I can't make a decision either. I've owned the PS One and Dreamcast and have enjoyed both, but now I'm looking to get a DVD player that can play some games, too. So, it's either a PS2 or an Xbox.

In my opinion, the PS2 has A LOT of great games and I can trade games and get opinions from the masses of people who own one, too. The Xbox seems to have better graphics and it's a newer system, but it doesn't have some games I really want to play like GTA3.

Anyhow, I was going to get a PS2 but now I'm leaning towards an Xbox. But I still can't make a decision. Do you think you can help me?

Here are the things that are most important to me:

1. DVD player: I hear the PS2's DVD player doesn't always work and the Xbox one is better, but you have to buy a remote to even play DVD's. Does the Xbox DVD always work?

2. GTA3: I guess I could play it on my PC, but I hear it gets real choppy and the reason why I want to play games on the console is because it's more fun. I like playing strategy games on the PC, but when it's action or graphics, I prefer consoles. GTA3 was going to be released on the Xbox, too, but now PS2 has an exclusive license on it.

3. Fighting games: Friends coming over always like to play fighting games. For the Xbox, I hear DOA3 has pretty graphics, but it's not that fun. What good PS2 fighting games are there?

4. Adventure games: I really want to play PS2's weird adventure-type games like Okage. Personally, I don't like Japanese RPG's like Final Fantasy or Grandia, but it seems the PS2 has a lot of cool adventure games that exclusive to its system. What does the Xbox have?

5. LoTR games: This is a big question. Are they any good? Does it matter which system you play them on? They're not exclusive so it doesn't seem to a big factor in my decision of PS2 vs. Xbox, but I'd like to know if they're worth getting and which ones.

6. Newness: The PS2 has been out for a while now, I'm wondering when they're going to come out with a "PS3". It doesn't seem like Microsoft will come out with an "Xbox2" anytime soon, so I feel like I'll be less "jipped". Also, everyone has a PS2 so it's kinda cool to have an Xbox, right? Then again, if the PS3 comes out, I can still play my PS2 games on it probably.

7. Style and size: The PS2 stands upright and looks cooler. The Xbox is so bulky and ugly.

Overall, it seems like I'm leaning towards the PS2 but I'm very hesitant because it's been out much longer than the Xbox and there's of course the DVD factor.

Can anyone list me the best PS2 vs. Xbox games so I can make a better decision? Thanks!

 

[WSmith]

- For those that are interested, two Gamecube tidbits: Nintendo is releasing a GBA player that will attach to the bottom of the 'Cube, allowing you to play GBA titles on your TV. It will be released in the U.S. around May 2003 and retail between 40 and 50 dollars. Second, Nintendo will be offering a special promotion for those that pre-order the new Legend of Zelda game coming to the Gamecube. Starting February 16th (or earlier, depending on where you order from), purchasers will receive what is arguably the greatest game of all time, Zelda: Ocarina of Time w/ previously unreleased expansion material all on one Gamecube disc absolutely free on the spot.

(SNIP)

- Not that it means anything, but Sony has been rather quiet this holiday season. Most big news has been coming out of the Nintendo and XBOX camps. GTA: Vice City, the PS2's hottest exclusive, has been out since October, and it's hype (and Game of the Year potential) has recently been trumped by Metroid Prime...

On the Zelda matter, where did you hear this? Is this for real? If so I think my decision is made.

On the Christmas push, I have been studying all the sale papers from Best Buy to Circut City to Comp USA. NO ONE seems to be budging on the price or giving away any goodies for either the PS2 or Xbox, (other than maybe a free $10 gift card from the store.)

Now yesterday in the paper, I got an ad for a $25 mail in rebate for the Gamecube, and another MIR for $5 off a list of games for up to $25 off. THEN I look at the Circut City ad, and if you buy a GC and a game valued at $29 or up, you get the Wavebird controller free. Now that sounds like a deal to me.

As far as the other two game systems, I don't really care about online gaming for my console cause my computer, and as I sadi before the DVD is not an issue for me.

However, now I am in a strugle of "do I get the cube, or do I just spend the $300 I need to upgrade my PC to where is should be?" There are two little words that keep me from running to Circut City to get the GC.

Neverwinter Nights.

Not only is my PC is very unstable with some newer games, (Ghost Recon froze quite a bit, and I have found a lot of incompadability issues with the ATI card, the motherboard, and the PCI bus. man what a mess ) it doesn't meet the min for NWN. However, if I can replace the motherboard with a new processor, memory, and video card, I should be able to travel the sword coast, searching for adventure.

 

[Tsyr]

snip

1) Some PS2 owners report problems, others do not. I think its safe to say that the ways of the PS2 DVD player are mysterious. And no, they don't all work... mine has problems with dozens of DVDs. Others it seems to like just fine.

To contrast, although yes, I did have to pay 30 bucks for the remote (but, then I bought a 30 buck remote for the PS2 dvd player as well), I have never had a problem with my X-Box DVD player.

2) I have a fairly modest system by todays standards, (P 1ghz, Geforce 3), and I run GTA3 just fine. No choppy. And while GTA:VC won't be out for the 'box, it will still be out for the PC... the PS2 exclusive thing only applies to consoles.

3) Too many people dismiss the entire DOA series as being nothing but a T&A game. It's not. It's one of the best fighting games there are, IMO. Yes, up through DOA2 on the Dreamcast, DOA wasn't that hot. It's alot better now. Rent a 'box and play it before you dismiss it. As for what the PS2 has... well, it has buckets and buckets of medicore or worse fighting games... Tekken is one of the few it has that are any good, and frankly I prefer DOA to Tekken.

4) In terms of games like that, not a ton. The Onimushi (sp?) series, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Shenmu... none of those are quite the same thing, though, I'll grant. About the only wierd one I can think of is Toejam and Earl... maybe Dragon Lair 3D, but I havn't played that one.

5) So-so, and no.

6) Eh... that's a gamble with any console. I wouldn't bet the farm on backwards compatibility for the PS3 though.

7) *shrug*

 

[drothgery]

6. Newness: The PS2 has been out for a while now, I'm wondering when they're going to come out with a "PS3". It doesn't seem like Microsoft will come out with an "Xbox2" anytime soon, so I feel like I'll be less "jipped". Also, everyone has a PS2 so it's kinda cool to have an Xbox, right? Then again, if the PS3 comes out, I can still play my PS2 games on it probably.

7. Style and size: The PS2 stands upright and looks cooler. The Xbox is so bulky and ugly.

Various senior Microsoft people have said that they're not going to let Sony get a 1.5 year jump on them again (Microsoft has chosen a stratagey which makes designing the console take less time and cost less money, but makes building the consoles cost more in the long run). Expect the US launch dates of Xbox 2 and PS3 to be within a month of each other.

And I just don't get the objections to the Xbox's size; it's bigger than my PS2, but it's smaller than my VCR. Besides, while standing your PS2 vertically looks cool, it's a pain to use it that way; the DVD tray is really built for horizontal operation.

 

[Ristamar]

1. DVD player: I hear the PS2's DVD player doesn't always work and the Xbox one is better, but you have to buy a remote to even play DVD's. Does the Xbox DVD always work?

...

3. Fighting games: Friends coming over always like to play fighting games. For the Xbox, I hear DOA3 has pretty graphics, but it's not that fun. What good PS2 fighting games are there?

...

5. LoTR games: This is a big question. Are they any good? Does it matter which system you play them on? They're not exclusive so it doesn't seem to a big factor in my decision of PS2 vs. Xbox, but I'd like to know if they're worth getting and which ones.

Can anyone list me the best PS2 vs. Xbox games so I can make a better decision? Thanks!

I'll comment on some of these...

1. The PS2 DVD player is fickle. Seems to be hit or miss. Experiences vary from flawless to worthless.

3. Virtua Fighter 4 is good. Tekken 4 is out, but *gasp* I hate Tekken (I think it's beyond overrated), so I can't really comment. And there's always Capcom vs. SNK 2, but that's on all systems.

5. LotR: FotR was kinda weak on all systems. Two Towers looks better, but I've only seen reviews for the PS2 version thus far.

Check gamerankings.com to look at the best games for each system. Judging by the tone and wording of your post, it sounds as if you've all but bought the PS2, anyway... which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just pointing it out.

 

[Ristamar]

On the Zelda matter, where did you hear this? Is this for real? If so I think my decision is made.

You can find the info on most gaming sites, as it's pretty big news. Here's a link for you, good sir.

 

[Zappo]

Just a few comments.

1. DVD player: I hear the PS2's DVD player doesn't always work and the Xbox one is better, but you have to buy a remote to even play DVD's. Does the Xbox DVD always work?

If you find that you have got a PS2 that doesn't play some DVDs, you can just pull out the warranty and have it replaced.

Then again, if the PS3 comes out, I can still play my PS2 games on it probably.

Probably. But I second Tsyr on not betting the farm. If Sony is really serious on the announced PS3 architecture... making that backwards compatible would be a pain.