3 hours ago
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Advise and Consent
After being betrayed by the Sega Dreamcast I'm finally ready to get back on the video game horse. And I need your help. Do I get the PS2, the X-Box, or do I wait for a next-gen system? (And if next-gen, which one?) I've found gaming websites--even the vaunted Gizmodo--unhelpful on this question, so I'm appealing to you. Any and all advice will be much appreciated.
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8 comments:
PS2 dude. Then get ESPN NFL2k5, the greatest game ever, and it's only like $20.00.
Playstation 2. I had the same issue a few years ago, and I decided on the PS2 for the following reasons:
1. The PS2 network adapter allows you to play online games without paying a monthly fee (Xbox has a monthly fee-- no fun).
2. There weren't very many games that were not available on the PS2. Most of the good games are available on both systems, but the PS2 has more titles.
3. The Xbox is a better system, but the PS2 is good enough.
4. You are probably already used to the controller.
5. It plays your old playstation games.
But really, the issue comes down to online play. If you want to play Madden online without paying a monthly fee, get a playstation 2. If you never plan on playing online, get an Xbox.
And thanks for linking to us over at the Big Tent the other day.
The PS2 has the most games available. It is clearly the market leader, and will be around for the foreseeable future, unlike your Dreamcast.
But each platform has some unique games that cannot be played anywhere else. The PS2's most unique games are probably the Final Fantasy series, which are RPGs. Xbox has Halo, a "killer" shooter & military game. Gamecube has the fewest games, but has several of the top-ranked unique games, such as Zelda and Metroid. However, Nintendo's long-term viability is somewhat questionable.
In general, the Xbox seems to be pitched towards teenage boys and those who think like them. Which is not a negative, just an observation. More military games, more shooters, etc.
I strongly recommend getting a Playstation 2. It has a library of games that dwarfs the X-box, and its graphics are very good--and can be further improved by investing in a $60 set of component Monster cables, providing your tv supports them. Nintendo is geared toward younger gamers (look at the latest Zelda for example), and while the X-box may boast superior graphics and processing power, it is really the software that can make or break a system. Sony has an established network of game designers that is unmatched. As for waiting for the next-generation system to come along, you need to figure out if waiting a year or more is worth it, compounded by the fact that once the new systems are released there is typically a learning curve in terms of the quality of games produced for it. Check out www.ign.com for more details on next-gen systems, but I would say Sony is the way to go.
Chief
PS2 all the way. Not only does it have a larger library of available games, but based on my personal experience it is also built better than the Xbox. A couple of months ago I came home to discover that my newly adopted dog had urinated all over my PS2 as a way of getting back at me for being away. I thought it was toast, but after thoroughly wiping it down and disenfecting it, it ran like a champ. In contrast my Xbox stopped working one day for no reason at all (it had some sort of hard drive error). It wasn't due to my dog either as I had moved it out of his reach after the PS2 incident.
PS2 all the way. Not only does it have a larger library of available games, but based on my personal experience it is also built better than the Xbox. A couple of months ago I came home to discover that my newly adopted dog had urinated all over my PS2 as a way of getting back at me for being away. I thought it was toast, but after thoroughly wiping it down and disenfecting it, it ran like a champ. In contrast my Xbox stopped working one day for no reason at all (it had some sort of hard drive error). It wasn't due to my dog either as I had moved it out of his reach after the PS2 incident.
I have owned a PS2 (Japanese version prior to release in the States), GameCube and XBox. They all have there pluses and minuses, but I think that unless you have young kids (which will pull you to the GameCube), then go with the XBox.
There are more than enough titles for the XBox (do you really need a fifth version of Baseball 2005?) and the quality of the experience is much better. (I happen to like the controller much better than the PS2 or GC.)
As for online, there is a fee, but you are either into online play or not. If you are, then pay the small fee and have a blast. If you are not, then the second advantage of the PS2 has evaporated.
Truthfully, you can't go wrong. You will have a blast with any system you chose, so don't get too hung up on the decision - start gaming.
Xbox. The reasons are thus:
1. xbox has a hard drive. With PS2 you have to buy a memory card if you want to save a game (you'll want to save a game).
2. Quicker load times. The xbox saves parts of the game on it's hard drive so that it can start a game and play it MUCH quicker.
3. Halo and Halo 2. This is a matter of taste, but if you like first-person shooters these two games are all you will ever need.
4. Online gaming is a monthly fee for xbox, but I think its worth it. Just about all the games are online compatible now, and Microsoft really tries to make it worth your money, with downloadable content, contests, tournaments etc.
Either way, you'll have a blast, but I'd definetly go with an xbox. Plus they have a deal now where you get NCAA football and a tennis game thrown in.
Oh, and don't wait for the next gen. Right now is the best time to jump in. The first (and second and third) wave of games are all priced at $20 so you'll have a blast catching up! The next console will take a half year or more to start getting decent games, plus it might require a paid subscription broadband service or some other bs.
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