[Completly OT] Xbox or PS2?

[Apok]

Seeing as how the discussion has been primarily about hardware, allow me to give you my radical point of view...

The hardware is irrelevant.

Why are you buying this system? If you are buying it to show it off to your friends so they can stare and say, "oooooh, check out the hardware specs on that baby!" then you should definitely grab the Xbox. However, I would assume that you are going to buy a console for the purpouse it was intended for; playing games.

The games selection should be your only mode of comparison, IMO. True, alot of third party developers are going the multi-platform route with most of their games but both Xbox and PS2 will have their share of exclusive titles and those are what you should be looking at. Don't buy a console because it's the most advanced one at the time, buy it because it plays the games you like.

Just as an example, Namco was releasing it's Tekken series soley on PS2. That about did it for me.

People who stare at hardware specs and mumble things about the nebulous 'future' should realize that once the future gets here, you'll be dealing with a slew of new consoles boasting the latest & greatest that modern technology has to offer. Sure, the look and design of console games will get a little better for both systems down the road and the Xbox has the advantage here due to its hardware. However, don't delude yourself into thinking it's going to be so noticeable you'll be screaming, "Wow! This is like nothing I've ever seen before! I'm amazed they haven't tapped this potential before now!" By the time developers start taking advantage of each systems full capabilities, both Sony and Microsoft will be hard at work marketing the PS3 and Xbox2.

So, just to recap, find out what kind of console games you'd be interested in playing and research the two systems from that angle. That's the way to do it and I assure you that you will be glad you did.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

Avoid the cube... it's a waste of money

Actually I would say the same thing about an X-box. It reminds me of the N64, ie the best game it has is also one of its first gen games. Since Halo the box really hasn't done anything.

 

[WSmith]

Seconded!

Avoid the cube... it's a waste of money

I am just curious, I was thinking of getting one, just cause they are so cheap, (I got a coupon wich brings it down to $124). Any particular reasons why? I haven't bought a console game since SNES, so I don't know much and don't want to make a bad choice.

 

[Hollywood]

People who stare at hardware specs and mumble things about the nebulous 'future' should realize that once the future gets here, you'll be dealing with a slew of new consoles boasting the latest & greatest that modern technology has to offer.

And that PCs will always be more technically superior.. so buy a PC.

That is unless of course you like fighting games, such as DOA, then get a console too!

 

[Tsyr]

I am just curious, I was thinking of getting one, just cause they are so cheap, (I got a coupon wich brings it down to $124). Any particular reasons why? I haven't bought a console game since SNES, so I don't know much and don't want to make a bad choice.

Eh, don't pay too much attention to me...

My basic gripes with the 'cube are:

It is the only one of the three systems that has NO ability to play DVDs (Can anyone tell me if it even plays music CDs?)

No games (Not one) out for it right now that I want.

A controller that was designed by a demented student of M.C. Esher.

 

[RyanL]

Don't dismiss the Gamecube too quickly, especially if you have kids. If I had kids, I think I would actually encourage them to play Animal Crossing.

-Ryan

 

[WSmith]

Don't dismiss the Gamecube too quickly, especially if you have kids. If I had kids, I think I would actually encourage them to play Animal Crossing.

-Ryan

I do have kids, and they love the Mario type games.

I don't really care if it plays DVD's, it is going in the family room where the big TV and the DVD player is anyway.

I checked the game lists for those available, and found what I like:

BG: Dark Alliance
D&D Heroes (not released yet)
Skies of Arcadia Legends (n.r.y.)
LotR: Two Towers
Ghost Recon
SW: Clone Wars
Legend of Zelda Wind Walker (n.y.r.)
Pac-Man World 2 (this one is for my wife, she loves Ms. Pac-Man)

Those are the ones off the top of my head I remember looking for.

Sure, it doens't have GTA III: Vice City, but I don't think I want the children playing that anyway.

 

[RyanL]

WSmith:

You're preaching to the choir, man. I already have a Gamecube.

Personally, I would only buy a PS2 at this point if I had a huge library of PSOne games. Otherwise, I'd be considering XBox vs. Gamecube. XBox is pretty compelling, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I still get a rise out of Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, so Gamecube was the choice for me.
I'm really looking forward to playing Madden 2003 in widescreen mode on the HDTV that I bought myself for Christmas. I'll actually be able to see Joe Horn run his route, instead of having to guess where he is.

-Ryan

 

[Shard O'Glase]

A couple points since most of this has been discussed.

# of Games. As a general rule this is a red herring, most games are multi-platform so this basically means crap. 2 X-Box has well over 100 games, many of which rock, there comes a point where the my system has more means very little and X-Box has already passed it.

Exclusive games is the only thing game content wise I'd look at. Me I'm happy I have both because I love tekken for my fighting games and PS2 has tekken 4, I also love DOA and who got DOA X-BOx. Halo rocks, as probably will HaLO2, splinter cell so far has rocked and I beleive that is X-BOx exclusive I could go on for both sides. Basically when it coes down to which games then numbers and vast majority of games is meaningless, clook to see which games are exclusive and if that means you can't live without that system.

Oh and gamecube rocks just for SUPER MONKEY BALL. For the life of me I can't fugure out why this game is such a blast.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

# of Games. As a general rule this is a red herring, most games are multi-platform so this basically means crap. 2 X-Box has well over 100 games, many of which rock, there comes a point where the my system has more means very little and X-Box has already passed it.

Well that isn't quite true, the PS2 has hundreds of game that will never make it over to be ported. They aren't really exclusive it's just they were put out before any other console system existed.
Now moving forward I agree, that all new games coming out are going to be on all systems, with the exception of the exclusive titles (Metroid Prime, Tekken, Resident Evil. . ) That to me is where the Xbox falls short. It really doesn't have any game makers who will pump out games only for them. Which you pretty much hit on in your next comment.

splinter cell so far has rocked and I beleive that is X-BOx exclusive

Nope it's coming to all three systems, it was just released on the Box first.

Oh and gamecube rocks just for SUPER MONKEY BALL. For the life of me I can't fugure out why this game is such a blast.

I'm ashamed to admit I've never played Super Monkey balls. I have only heard awesome things about it. One of these days I'll get around to picking it up. Of course that does bring up something that seems to be overlooked about consoles, not so much multiplayer as party games. Games like Mario Party, Super Monkey balls (I think), that you can get three or four guys sit around and have a blast. I don't think any of the systems (other than the GC) cater to that type of situation.