OT - Console Game Systems

[starkad]

Vice City is hella fun. I've dumped 15ish hours into it since I got it last Friday.

I own a Dreamcast (I wouldn't get enough selling it), and a PS2. I had a Gamecube, but got rid of it. The games were pretty and all, but not enough to keep my interest.

I've had a ps2 since the day it came out, and have never been sad at having it. Mine is slightly modded(can play burned games if I wanted to, with the game shark trick), but have yet to do that honestly. I only own 1 ps2 game currently, but have owned literally 50 at one point (damn economy forcing me to sell off my favorite things!) just for the PS2... That's not including my library of ps1 RPGs (sigh, had to sell those too). I have a modded ps1, but it's showing its age. Sad really, was a decent system.

I won't touch Xbox with a 10foot pole. And not just because Microsoft made it. When I heard that a batch of their first run systems had been recalled because they forgot to put in a fan, and they overheated if left on for more than 8 hours... I mean seriously. What company wouldn't expect the occasional 'leaving the console on overnight'? That's just ludicrous. I might buy their next console system when it comes out, or get this one when it drops down to 50 or 75 bucks, but not before then.

 

[jasper]

There is a grad student who appeared on Tech Tv or Screensavers. He broke the security on the Xbox and now has a $2K computer for price of xbox.
Microsoft did allow him to do this, the profession contact them, but only allowed the student to submit his work to his school and to microsoft.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Thanks for all of the information. I have no interest in Game Cube, Mario should have died a slow death long ago.

I guess I will have to do this the old fashioned way and look at the game list for XBox and PS2 and see which one has more interesting games for it. I have heard that PS2 has lots of more games but from what I have seen that does not matter that much. How many different varieties of the Virtual Fighter game do you need to play before it all starts to get redundent. Also I watched my brother play a bit of an old Final Fantasy game just long enough to make me certain that I have no interest in that game either.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid II Sons of Liberty only works on Playstation II, so I guess that settles it.

 

[Zappo]

Good reasoning, Doc. Make sure not to only watch the Virtua Fighter clones. The IMO biggest advantage of the PS2 is that it actually has heaps of original games, in addition to the classic genres.

Out of curiosity, what didn't you like about Final Fantasy? The linear story?

There is a grad student who appeared on Tech Tv or Screensavers. He broke the security on the Xbox and now has a $2K computer for price of xbox.

You can do it too: www.xboxlinux.org. Until Microsoft manages to outlaw mod chips, it is 100% legal too.

 

[Zappo]

Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid II Sons of Liberty only works on Playstation II, so I guess that settles it.

Believe it or not, I've heard of people who don't like MGS2. Don't ask me, I don't understand them either.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

I hated the interface. It was quite irritating to use and my brother spent way too much time trying to use it smoothly. The story was also way too linear for me. What is the point in playing a game that I could get the exact same thing out of by reading it as a book?

Also I do not know which Final Fantasy he was playing number wise but the little comic strip bubbles for conversation instead of actually hearing the conversation irritated me. It made me feel like this was a game made in Japan with probably all the conversation scripted out and then they did this cheap fix to sell it in the USA.

Good reasoning, Doc. Make sure not to only watch the Virtua Fighter clones. The IMO biggest advantage of the PS2 is that it actually has heaps of original games, in addition to the classic genres.

Out of curiosity, what didn't you like about Final Fantasy? The linear story?You can do it too: www.xboxlinux.org. Until Microsoft manages to outlaw mod chips, it is 100% legal too.

 

[Magius del Cotto]

My two cents on the matter: They all have their points to them.
Gamecube has the classic Nintendo series (Metroid, Zelda, Etc.) as well as any new Sonic Team games that come out (Monkey Ball, Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, etc.). Also, I've heard rumors that Squaresoft is planning on switching the FF series back to Nintendo sometime soon, but whether that happens or not remains to be seen.
PS2 has lots of variety, and pretty much any type of game you like you play, you can find for it. The reverse compatability of it is also nice.
The XBox is expensive. It has some fun games for it, though, like DOA3 (a must have for any fighting genre affeciando) or Halo, but not enough to warrant it over the PS2. It may have a superior DVD player, but I'm not sure that would counteract the fact that you'd have to drop 30 bucks to use a built in feature.
Now, if you can, I'd suggest getting a Dreamcast. As cheap as 15 bucks in some places, and lots of fun games for it.
Well, that's my 2.3454321 cents on the matter. In the end, it's up to you.

 

[starkad]

Doc, you should check out Final Fantasy 10 then.. It might be up your alley.

And to clarify(from what I've read around the net, admittedly, it mgiht have changed, but I don't think so): Square might be putting games out for the Gamecube in addition to the ps2, not exclusively.

 

[Welverin]

I guess I will have to do this the old fashioned way and look at the game list for XBox and PS2 and see which one has more interesting games for it. I have heard that PS2 has lots of more games but from what I have seen that does not matter that much.

This is the only way to do it. Look at the exclusive games you want and get the system they're for. There are some strengths and weaknesses to keep in mind but ultimately the games are all that matter.

The PS2 is the safest choice but the weakest system and most expensive. Its large selection of games is it's only asset, of course games are all that's all that matters. It's popularity guarantee it will stay around until the next generation of consoles.


The Xbox now comes with Jet Set Radio Future and Sega GT 2002 as well as the smaller Japanese controller (which is just about universally preferred by people who have used both).

The Cube is the cheapest (with or without the Mario Sunshine, memory card bundle), but suffer from a misplaced kiddie image and the propriety discs (which are only a third the size of a DVD).

If you are seriously interested in watching DVD’s just get a real DVD player

Believe it or not, I've heard of people who don't like MGS2. Don't ask me, I don't understand them either.

The story in MGS2 is bad. It starts out good but by the end of the game it is absolutely horrendous and since half, or more, of the game involves you sitting and watching the plot progress it's no surprise some people don't like. There are also plenty of place where you have to passively sit and watch when you could have and likely should have been actively playing. All three of these things were done better in Shenmue 2, though he gameplay of MGS2 will appeal to most people unlike that in S2.

And to clarify(from what I've read around the net, admittedly, it mgiht have changed, but I don't think so): Square might be putting games out for the Gamecube in addition to the ps2, not exclusively.

Square is already working on games for the GC and GBA.there is an article on their upcoming games in the latest EGM (161, p36).

FF Crystal Chronicle will be coming out for GC and is an entirely separate series, not that the main games have anything to do with each other.

The GBA will be getting FFT Advanced, which is a new game despite initial beliefs.

Finally on the non-PS2 fron FF11 will definitely be on the PC and may eventually make it to other platforms as well (Xbox and GC). Surprisingly it may not make it to the US for the PS2 unless Sony releases the hard drive, which is required. No matter what Square is looking for a publisher willing to handle the servers.