Xbox versus PS2 for the discerning adult

[Desdichado]

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

I'm curious where you got that number, but no, that's not what I meant. I meant fans of the game, who'd rather have Xbox live in a few days than PS2 now. Especially if they've already got it on a Dreamcast (like me) and won't otherwise buy the Collection since it doesn't add anything else significantly new other than Xbox live.

Oh, and the animated movie too, I guess. That could make it worth picking up.

(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.)

Heck, some of my favorite fighting games are still on the SNES. There are a handful of games coming (or available now) for the PS2 only that I'm highly interested in in the fighting game genre, though, and ones that are multiplatform, luckily, I can also get on the PS2. Giving up DOA Ultimate is no fun if I go with a PS2, but I'm sure Tekken 5 will go a long way towards the healing there. Plus, I also can get Virtua Fighter 4.

 

[Arnwyn]

I'm curious where you got that number, but no, that's not what I meant.

I simply used the number of Xbox Live subscribers vs. XBox installed base (both public numbers).

Especially if they've already got it on a Dreamcast (like me) and won't otherwise buy the Collection since it doesn't add anything else significantly new other than Xbox live.

Ah. Yeah, if they had it on the DC already, and they subscribed to Live, then the Live component would likely be worth it. (Especially considering that the game is coming out at the 'bargain price' level.)

 

[Zoatebix]

No love for Katamari Damacy besdies me?

 

[Desdichado]

I simply used the number of Xbox Live subscribers vs. XBox installed base (both public numbers).

Where are they? I'm actually pretty curious about that. Does it also break down Xbox installed base vs. PS2? By region, etc.?

 

[Allanon]

A simple guide to buying the current generation of consoles.

1. Look at the exclusive games for the consoles. A reasonably good list of those games can be found here.
2. Look around for good second hand deals. Most of the consoles can be had with a resonable starting library of games for absolute bargain prices but always test drive everything before buying, don't have it shipped or buy it sight unsees.
3. Don't buy a console because of things it can do besides gaming. The dvd playing quality of both the PS2 as the Xbox is bad compared to normal mid-range DVD players.
4. Neither should the option of hacking or modding a console weigh heavily in your decision. As all three the consoles have enough must-have budget titles which can be had even cheaper through ebay and assorted sites, so you can just wait till the newer titles drop in price before buying them.

Given that your a fantasy buff (I gather that that means that RPG's are at the top of your list) the PS2 has the strongest lineup in exclusive RPG's. Xbox comes second with GCN a weak third (more due to the limited RPG library then due to quality).

Hope this helps.

 

[Clint]

No love for Katamari Damacy besdies me?

Mad love for Katamari Damacy. It both invented a style of gameplay and then dominated it. I haven't enjoyed a console game this much in a long, long time. Flawless victory.

-Clint

 

[Arnwyn]

Where are they? I'm actually pretty curious about that. Does it also break down Xbox installed base vs. PS2? By region, etc.?

I just Googled it (and it comes up a bunch of times). IGN also has the numbers somewhere on their site, which is where I saw them originally. Sorry I can't be of more help...

Nothing specifically "broken down" between the consoles as such (though there might be, I didn't delve into it that much), but the PS2 numbers are also available; however, the online numbers for the PS2 are more of an estimate because it's free and not subscription-based (thus more difficult to track the numbers there... I'm sure whatever numbers do show up for PS2 online have been touched by some marketing wank). Last I saw, there were many, many more people playing online on the PS2 than the Xbox (intuitively no surprise, considering the larger PS2 installed base and the fact that it's free). But how accurate those numbers are...

As for region - I have no idea if those would be publicly available (I'm guessing not - it'd be something their market researchers would keep to themselves, as opposed to the totals, which are used as part of the console manufacturer's insidious 'console wars' marketing).

 

[WizarDru]

Mad love for Katamari Damacy. It both invented a style of gameplay and then dominated it. I haven't enjoyed a console game this much in a long, long time. Flawless victory.

-Clint

What he said. So different, so wacky...so GOOD. The only game of 2004 I can't help but keep going back to play, even after I've beaten that game. It's just so damn fun. Flawless Victory, Indeed.


Now, as for consoles, there is no wrong answer. I have all three, but enjoy the GC's exclusives more than any other console. However, each one has something to offer. Xbox-Live is, for me, much better than online PC gaming, for the games it supports. No PC game I've ever played has gotten me into an online game as quickly and flawlessly as Xbox-live does. One hopes that will change on the PC side.

PS/2: has some truly excellent games at truly great prices. You can literally get some of the most popular games of two years ago for $5 used at EB, for example (such as the original Devil May Cry, Silent Hill 2 and Virtua Fighter 4).

Xbox: Best looking games, when the software takes advantage of it. Has one of the best RPGs EVAR in Knights of the Old Republic. While I'm not a huge fan of Morrowind, some folks really enjoyed it (mind, I liked it less on the PC, so there you are). Best integration of online play of any of the three.

Gamecube: Fewest titles, but best quality ratio of the three, IMHO. Exclusives like Zelda: Windwaker, Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime 1 and 2 are reasons enough to get the console. It's also the cheapest console, but the PS/2 has cheaper used games.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

If you didn't have a Playstation 1 but have access to PS1 games, I'd definitely choose the PS2 over the XBox. Although some of the fantasy (RPG) games for the newer systems have been quite good (such as Final Fantasy X, Shadow Hearts, and Suikoden 3), the PS1 generation had significantly better ones and ports of most of the best of the generation before (SNES Final Fantasies and Chrono Trigger, along with the Lunar series).

Essentially, the PS2 gives you three systems in one for RPG purposes - PS2, PS1 and a hybrid of SNES and Genesis/Sega CD.

 

[Zoatebix]

Wizardru and MoogleEmpMog are quickly becoming my favorite posters... Spot-on, guys!