PS3/XBox 360/Wii--help a newbie decide

[drothgery]

What platform looks like it will be the best going forward?
In other words, for a casual gamer who has no particular limit on game gear budget, what will probably keep "fun value" high over the next 3-5 years?

Looks like the PS3 will be the best Dec 26 acquisition, am I right?

Thanks, -- N

It really depends. For the next year, it'll almost certainly be the 360; Gears of War is the first of a steady stream of blockbusters that are launching over the next year (punctuated by Halo 3 next fall). And with more developer experience working with the 360 (and very little difference in capabilities), 360 games will look better than their PS3 counterparts in most cases. The real questions are

1 -- Can Sony solve thier production issues and cut prices to something reasonable before Microsoft's got too big of a lead in installed base to overcome?

2 -- Will the Wii really affect the PS3-360 wars at all (i.e. will the Wiimote catch on, and will the noticeably worse graphics matter?)?

3 -- Will the Mistwalker RPGs (Blue Dragon and another one whose name escapes me right now), Phatasy Star Universe, and FFXI give the 360 any kind of presense in Japan?

I'd certainly stay away from the PS3 for now, and wait until the big-name games launch and/or Sony cuts prices a few times. Heck, I'd say the smart move is to hold out until about mid-2007, when the odds are excellent that PS3s will start having decent availability and MS will cut prices on the 360. And at that point take a look at the games that are available and the price both consoles are selling for and make your decision.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, I dunno about 360 games looking better than their counterparts - so far, PS3 generally look marginally better. Despite developers having the 360 a year longer (and 360 development kits a lot longer). The exception being games like Gear of War, with long development time and expensive budgets. I don't think there difference will ever be huge either way, though, since both have the same amount of memory, which tends to mean the textures will be about the same

And it's only sold as well as the original Xbox so far in the US (worse in Japan), so I don't think there's much chance of it getting an insurmountable lead. Maybe if MS does a price drop in the US, but

But I would agree it's probably best to wait for a price drop on any of them, and wait and see which has the most games you like the best.

The PS3 will probably have more Japanese games (since while MS has funded a few high profile ones, the 360 is pretty much a flop in Japan) and a better baseball game (since the official multiplatform one, well, sucks, and MS doesn't make one, while Sony does make a pretty nice one).

The 360 will likely have the edge in western RPGs (Bioware, anyway) and Capcom seems to like it. And It's got some nice FPSes, and Forza 2 (nice racing game, hopefully).

The Wii, well, it's got nintendo games and a waggle controller. Which could be fun if you like such things, I guess.

Most big, 3rd party games will be on both the 360 and PS3

 

[Arnwyn]

What platform looks like it will be the best going forward?
In other words, for a casual gamer who has no particular limit on game gear budget, what will probably keep "fun value" high over the next 3-5 years?

Way too early to tell.

Probably can't go wrong with either. If you like PC ports and the like and Bioware, the 360 will likely be better; if you like Japanese games, then the PS3 will likely be better.

But still way too early to make such decisions. Any such forecasts is complete and utter speculation that should be taken with a (large) grain of salt.

 

[Nifft]

I do like BioWare (from what I've seen of their PC games), and I do not want to wait until mid-2007, so looks like the XBox 360 is the best choice.

Oh, how I dislike giving Microsoft my money... but oh well. Eventually it'll surely become a Linux X-Term 360.

Thanks, -- N

 

[ssampier]

[off-topic]
I thought I was the only one who disliked the Final Fantasy style movie-games.
[/off-topic]

I'm in a similar boat. I played Baldur's Gate II multiple times. I haven't got into any console since the original Nintendo. I am, too, a casual gamer. I am probably going to build a new PC soon, but I'm looking closely at my other options (since for long stretches I prefer to sit on a couch).

 

[Arravis]

I thought I was the only one who disliked the Final Fantasy style movie-games.

Dear lord, do I hate Japanese RPGs and games filled with more videos than gameplay... ugh (the two hatreds being independent mind you).

 

[ssampier]

Dear lord, do I hate Japanese RPGs and games filled with more videos than gameplay... ugh (the two hatreds being independent mind you).

I am not sure if I hate Japanese RPGs or just the ones like Final Fantasy. I liked the first one for the original Nintendo. Final Fantasy 7 seemed "okay", but I got annoyed by all the cut-scenes. Once 8 came around....