Which Console should I buy?

[Shard O'Glase]

So, to summarize then, the reason that Final Fantasy I-VI are better is because of the story, and not mechanical reasons (other than a lack of new design elements or features), is that it? Because it sounds like a dislike for individual characters and for story turns is the main complaint....which is fine, I just want to make sure that I'm not missing some major game element problem.

well for me its not that the early ones had good stories because I'm not sure if the really early ones even had a story. Its 3 things 1 the mechanics for combat and out has seen far too small of an update, we really should be able to see the monsters before the fight for example, the wierd forced 3 person party where people have to hop out if you sub someone else in or change to the uber dressphere in 10-2 that has 3 parts means your other 2 party memebers run off the screen. All this is fine originally, but they have had the time and the tech to improve things.

2 the stories have become painful to participate in. FF8,10,10-2 and on a lesser scale 9, I would of enjoyed on a much higer level if they made it a powerup fighting game with 0 story. At least in 10-2 you can fast forward through the conversations and if you hit pause can skip the movies.

3 the incredibly story railroad feel of the games can't be forgiven anymore, we have the technology where this shouldn't be in any rpg games.

A lot of things if I look back on the old FF games and compare them to the today ones would be bad, but that's without paying attention to what number they are on in the series and how old these games are.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I'm also in the market for a console this Xmas.

My requirements:

1) -- don't make fun of me here, but --- Dance Revolution or some other type of arobic game. I need to burn off this titanic mass called my gut and I need to compete against something, treadmills just don't cut it.

2) Long term useability. I don't want to buy a new console a year or two from now.

3) generic head-to-head games I can play with my wife & friends. (I suspect all platforms can handle this)

Thoughts?

 

[talinthas]

ahh, ddr, a game after my own heart.
currently, you'll find the most ddr games on psx/ps2, but xbox just released UltraMix, which has a great song list, and the ability to download new song packs from xbox live. (and the whole 4 player online mode...)

but yeah, if you want ddr and party games, a xbox won't do you wrong. admittedly, the cube has the best party games, but xbox is starting to work up, mainly on the sports side though.

 

[WizarDru]

1) -- don't make fun of me here, but --- Dance Revolution or some other type of arobic game. I need to burn off this titanic mass called my gut and I need to compete against something, treadmills just don't cut it.

Make fun of you? Wouldn't think of it. DDR is loads of fun, and good exercise, besides! Best bet for this is X-box or Playstation2. Most DDR games, including imports and para-para games are on the PS/2, and that's not going to change.

2) Long term useability. I don't want to buy a new console a year or two from now.

Tougher call, but the PS/2 is still the winner. Xbox will be well supported for some time, but the X-box2 will be using a completely different hardware base....but that said, I'd be suprised if it wasn't backwards compatible, like any PC. Playstation 2 is already backwards compatbile, and will likely stay alive for some time, even though it's the oldest console. Some places still make stuff for the PS/1, after all. Nintendo is up in the air on this one.

3) generic head-to-head games I can play with my wife & friends. (I suspect all platforms can handle this)

Nintendo wins party games hands down. Playstation has the best library, otherwised. All three platforms do sports games with equal aplomb.

Judging from you requirements, PS/2 may be the best choice for you.

 

[shadowlight]

2) Long term useability. I don't want to buy a new console a year or two from now.

This was the main reason I bought an XBox... I didn't want to buy a system that was already outdated (PS2). However, when then next round of new consoles come out, it will probably be around the same time for all three.

3) generic head-to-head games I can play with my wife & friends. (I suspect all platforms can handle this)

You definitely can't go wrong with XBox here. Tons of great racing ganes, Halo, and all the great XBox Live titles to play against your friends (MechAssault being my favorite).

 

[LightPhoenix]

Make fun of you? Wouldn't think of it. DDR is loads of fun, and good exercise, besides! Best bet for this is X-box or Playstation2. Most DDR games, including imports and para-para games are on the PS/2, and that's not going to change.

Yeah, my brother has it and it's definitely quite the workout.

One thing I'd suggest is if you're going to be doing it seriously, invest in a good pad, and not one of the crappy MadCatz ones. They slide all over the place.

Tougher call, but the PS/2 is still the winner. Xbox will be well supported for some time, but the X-box2 will be using a completely different hardware base....but that said, I'd be suprised if it wasn't backwards compatible, like any PC. Playstation 2 is already backwards compatbile, and will likely stay alive for some time, even though it's the oldest console. Some places still make stuff for the PS/1, after all. Nintendo is up in the air on this one.

I'm willing to bet every console will be backwards compatible come the next wave of them. It just worked so well in Sony's benefit, and the advantage of starting with a large base of games can't be ignored.

Nintendo wins party games hands down. Playstation has the best library, otherwised. All three platforms do sports games with equal aplomb.

Judging from you requirements, PS/2 may be the best choice for you.

Yeah, nothing beats a game of Mario Kart or Super Smash Brothers for multi-player fun.

X-Box, to it's credit, does multi-player the best though, especially if you don't have people around to play with. Personally, I'm not a big fan of playing with people I don't know, but if you don't care X-Box is great.

And man, this is why we need Sega, in all it's old school glory, because I always felt their consoles did sports games the best.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

ah the dreamcast now that's a machine. Yeah sega did sports games right.

 

[shadowlight]

Tougher call, but the PS/2 is still the winner. Xbox will be well supported for some time, but the X-box2 will be using a completely different hardware base....

Well, that's mostly speculation right now, and if you go with the speculation, PS3's "cell" processors should be even more difficult to make backward compatible than XBox2 with variant PC hardware.

So PS2 is definitely not the winner here, but more than likely they'll all try to be backward compatible.

 

[shadowlight]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of playing with people I don't know, but if you don't care X-Box is great.

I didn't think I'd like this until I started playing Capture the Flag on MechAssault. Now I can't get enough of it!

 

[Dragonblade]

I'm going to go against my better judgement here, but if you want Japanese games like Dance Dance Revolution, then the PS2 is the best choice.

X-box just doesn't have as much Japanese game support although that is changing. For pretty much every other type of game and long term support, I'd go X-box. Microsoft has deep pockets and the Wintel architecture means I'd be extremely surprised if any next generation X-box wasn't backwards compatible.