Xbox versus PS2 for the discerning adult

[Desdichado]

2) The Xbox had more exclusive games that I wanted to play (Knights of the Old Republic, Ninja Gaiden, Halo to name a few)--who cares if the PS2 has more games if all the ones I want to play are available on XBox?

That's true for me as well with the next gen exclusive titles.

Where I waffle a bit more, believe it or not, is in the old-fashioned Japanese 2-D fighting games, which for some strange reason are my favorite games to play. Y'know, the stuff like Street Fighter and whatnot. Even the best, most advanced games in this genre are old and crude enough they could easily be ported to the Dreamcast (in fact, they have been; Street Fighter 3: Third Strike or Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves are probably the high points of the entire genre) but oddly enough they've had spotty porting to PS2 and Xbox making my decision between the two more difficult than it should be. Whichever system I get, I'm shutting out a few exclusive titles, and most of the really good ones are cross-platform (like Capcom vs SNK 2 or King of Fighters 2002/2003, which is just out on PS2 right now and which has an Xbox release scheduled for later this year). Of course, most of them these days are Xbox live enabled, which increases the replay value tremendously, but I still like just playing against the computer or my kids well enough.

I guess that's not particularly helpful unless you share the same strange fetish for these old skool style games, but other than those, I agree with Enforcer 100%. The PS2 may have a lot more games, but the Xbox has the ones I actually want to play.

 

[Desdichado]

Of course, as soon as I say that, I realize that Tekken 5 is now out, and is, of course, a PS2 exclusive. [sigh] Eventually I'll probably get both systems. Probably when both have been replaced by next gens, though.

 

[Enforcer]

Of course, as soon as I say that, I realize that Tekken 5 is now out, and is, of course, a PS2 exclusive. [sigh] Eventually I'll probably get both systems. Probably when both have been replaced by next gens, though.

Get out of my head!!! I was just looking at gamespot.com's preview of Tekken 5 with more than a bit of console jealousy... It's really too bad that the game is only for PS2 and that it doesn't have an online component--it'd rock on Xbox Live.

One game isn't enough for me to buy a new system though. And besides, since World of Warcraft came out (for my Mac no less!) I haven't used my Xbox except to play DVDs...

 

[Desdichado]

But Dead or Alive Ultimate is an Xbox exclusive.

 

[Zoatebix]

That's true for me as well with the next gen exclusive titles.

Where I waffle a bit more, believe it or not, is in the old-fashioned Japanese 2-D fighting games, which for some strange reason are my favorite games to play. Y'know, the stuff like Street Fighter and whatnot. Even the best, most advanced games in this genre are old and crude enough they could easily be ported to the Dreamcast (in fact, they have been; Street Fighter 3: Third Strike or Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves are probably the high points of the entire genre) but oddly enough they've had spotty porting to PS2 and Xbox making my decision between the two more difficult than it should be.

I'm very, very satisfied with Street Fighter: Anniversary collection on the Playstation 2. Street Fighter III Third Strike is fantabulous. And only the PS2 has the hi-res 2D-fighting godliness that is Guilty Gear X2. Drooooool. I hear Guilty Gear Isuka (4-player Guilty Gear! Ye-gods!) is pretty good, too, but I'd recommend the older X2 any day of the week.

Sure you've got your fancy dead or alive on X-box, and I'm not a Tekken fan myself, but you can pick up one of the best 3D fighting games ever, Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, for 20 bucks new. It's like the polar opposite of the flashy and bizzare Guilty Gear - technical, gritty fighting. Guilty Gear is still my favorite, though (have I mentioned that Guilty Gear X2 is amazing?).

Sony's PS2 also gives you the joy of Namco's Katamari Damacy. Oh how I love it. So simple. So sublime. Also for 20 bucks new. Doesn't get much better than that.

I'm so glad someone mentioned Shadow Hears on the RPG front. I've got to push Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne as well. I haven't played it, but to some of my friends who's opinions mean the most to me in this world love for this game knows no bounds.

Another friend, the guy who does video game reviews and is the Arts and Entertainment editor for the Cavalier Daily (the campus (GROUNDS) newspaper) traded in other X-Box games just to get more controllers to play Halo 2. I'm not sure if that says more about Halo 2 or about other the games. When I said I was looking for a second system, he said go Game Cube. Get yo'self some Shigeru Miyamoto games and Pikmin and stuff, said he.

The end. Pick the games and then pick the system, like everyone else said.

 

[Desdichado]

I'm very, very satisfied with Street Fighter: Anniversary collection on the Playstation 2. Street Fighter III Third Strike is fantabulous. And only the PS2 has the hi-res 2D-fighting godliness that is Guilty Gear X2. Drooooool. I hear Guilty Gear Isuka (4-player Guilty Gear! Ye-gods!) is pretty good, too, but I'd recommend the older X2 any day of the week.

I've already got Third Strike on the Dreamcast and have had for some time. The Anniversary collection is also due to come out any day now for the Xbox and it will be Xbox live enabled, which is a real game-seller to many players. Xbox also has a handful of Guilty Gear titles, and supposedly does them better than the PS2, though. I'm not a fan of that series, so I couldn't tell you for sure.

What's this about both systems coming down in price this summer? Any idea when or how much? I was probably going to finally bite the bullet and pick one of them up next month when my bonus comes in, but I might hold out a little longer if it looks like it'll be that much less money.

 

[Arnwyn]

The Anniversary collection is also due to come out any day now for the Xbox and it will be Xbox live enabled, which is a real game-seller to many players.

If by "many", you mean less than 7% of all Xbox owners (absolute maximum), then I agree.

What's this about both systems coming down in price this summer? Any idea when or how much? I was probably going to finally bite the bullet and pick one of them up next month when my bonus comes in, but I might hold out a little longer if it looks like it'll be that much less money.

Only rumors - the manufacturers don't like giving out such information (for obvious reasons) and you'll never get a firm answer. It wouldn't be surprising, though, assuming Microsoft is on target with it's Xbox 2 release (and depending what they show during E3 in May).

If you're doing fine without it right now, then I'd recommend waiting. The system will only go down in price, and you have a greater chance in picking up the games for cheap.

(In the end, though, for fighting games I enjoy the DC far more than the newer systems - they just don't hold a candle to the gameplay on the DC. The only fighting game I enjoy on the newer systems is DoA2 on the PS2 [best gameplay/control of the bunch] and DoA Ultimate on the Xbox [superior options and the best of all the DoA games, blowing DoA3 out of the water. But then, I'm a DoA fan. All the other fighting games I stick with my DC.)

 

[LeifVignirsson]

The PS2 is unmatched with it's library of games. Every genre is represented in full force. RPG, action, driving, adventure, fighting - you name it, they got it. The downside is the graphics: they are the worst of the current generation of consoles. So it comes down to: what kind of games do you dig? If the answer is RPGs or hack-n-slash RPG/action hybrids than this is the system for you. And in my opinion, they have the best controller on the market as well.

Yes, I have to agree that PS2 (or PSTwo, whatever) is going to have a wide library as well as being able to play those great PSOne games, so the sky is really the limit on it. I myself have 40 games for the PS2 and I am sure I will get at least 10 more before the system is left for dead...

Skies of Arcadia (great game!)

Let's not confuse the poor boy, Skies is a Gamecube exclusive, but that was the whole reason why I picked up a GC in the first place. Granted, it may be a little on the kiddish side but if you are looking for some of the better RPG's out there, you should invest in a GC as well... I think you can get a used one for $70? $60? Something like that... And they come in three colors, if that is something of concern for you...

[

Not to mention RPG/strategy games like Phantom Brave, La Pucelle: Tactics & Disgaea: Hour of Darkness.

I am a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE (did I mention huge?) fan of Disgaea. I have put in at least 300 hours into that game and it has NEVER gotten boring. If you like potshots at Japanese culture (anime, anime and more anime) and great fantasy tactics (and you can find it on the cheap, it is not being produced anymore so it is starting to creep up in price), then I suggest you get this ASAP. I mean, how can you go wrong with exploding penguins?

Dooooood!

 

[John Crichton]

Let's not confuse the poor boy, Skies is a Gamecube exclusive

Whoops, I knew that. Don't know how it slipped onto my list. Oh well.

And yeah, that sig pic is huge. I would slim it down considerably....

 

[drothgery]

Whoops, I knew that. Don't know how it slipped onto my list. Oh well.

Err... Skies of Arcadia is a Dreamcast game, ported to the 'Cube. And the only reason I own a Cube.