Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Wait, So What Is IGN Telling Me To Do?

I just talked about IGN's article of the top 10 reasons why to wait for a Revolution, when I just looked around the site more to find two more articles... Top 10 reasons why to buy a 360, and top 10 reasons why to wait for PS3. What am I supposed to do!? Every article targets gamers who who only plan to buy one of the next gen systems (although I plan to probably buy 2, maybe the third in about 3 years haha. PRICE DROP!) I thought for once Revolution was getting the attention it deserves, but with being told that if you can only buy one next gen system, to buy a PS3, Xbox 360, and a Revolution... That just dosn't make sense. After reading the list though, and thinking not Nintendo-biased, I still think it makes Revolution look the best. And one of PS3's reasons was that you can still pre-order it. Well you can still pre-order Revolution and that wasn't a top 10. Seems as if they were running out of ideas to pop onto the PS3 top 10...

It's Not Everyday We Hear Some Good Nintendo Praise

It seems that nowadays, more and more people are forgetting about Nintendo and turning to Sony and Microsoft. Recently IGN has posted a great article, found here, that really makes you think of just how well the Revolution will do. I have always thought the Revolution will be the lead of the next generation, but I have also been liking the 360 a lot. If I don't get a 360 for Christmas, I was probably going to go out and use my Christmas cash and other money to go buy a system, but this article makes me think different. This only makes me think that Revolution will be so much better, and that I might want to take that $500 or so going to a 360, and spend it on more stuff for a Revolution, like a bunch of accessories, and maybe like 4 launch games, and keep some money in my pocket. This article of the 10 reasons why to wait for a Revolution if you're only buying one console, is what inspired me to re-think the 360 and write my whole ideas about the 360 in my previous post. It seems as if Nintendo will re-dominate the market with this new system. After all, how many people do you know would love to have a system that can replay Mario, Super Mario, and Mario 64, all without the past consoles and no memory card or hard drive.

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Taking A Look At The Xbox 360

Now I can't give a first-hand experience review of the Xbox 360, and anyone who comes to this site should know why, but I've ready so much about it, I have a great understanding of this system.

First thing to think of, is that what does the console bring to the next generation of consoles? If it doesn't bring anything new, then we'll be bored of playing through what seems to be an 12 year long generation. This is where Nintendo strives and they have set the perfect pattern for any company to follow. Set a new standard with a system, then release a system that perfects that standard. We saw the NES start with a good looking 2d side-scrolling system using a controller with a d-pad. We saw systems copy this as Sega did with the Master System. Nintendo then released the SNES, with a better d-pad based controller, and much better 2d graphics. Sega did the same with the Genesis. Now after 2 systems of great 2d graphics, we needed something new. Nintendo unveils the N64 with 3d graphics. What!? 3D!? This is amazing! This is new! Sega did the same with the Saturn, and now Sony jumps into the ring with the Playstation, all offering the same new 3d graphics. When the N64 launched, we had Mario 64, which was a new game we had to buy and play, with a whole new experience. Now after 3d is being the norm, what do we do next? Enhance those 3d graphics, because they really needed some work sometimes. Sega unleashes the Dreamcast, Sony shows off the PS2, and Nintendo unveils the GameCube, all very similar to their last generation counterpart with analog controllers, and now enhanced 3d graphics. Now Microsoft jumps into the race with the Xbox, and the game industry just isn't big enough for 4 systems. This results in the elimination of the Dreamcast, leaving Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. The main problem is that Microsoft jumped in what I call "the enhancing generation." So when it comes time for the next generation which is what we are in now, Microsoft isn't ready to think of something new and exciting to the game industry, and they want to improve on the Xbox. Nintendo has shown off the controller for the Revolution, which will offer brand new "must-play" launch titles with a whole new experience. Sony surprisingly though, shows nothing more than even more enhanced 3d graphics. They have shown the least innovation (especially with the controller) and that leaves Microsoft to hopefully bring new innovation to compete against Nintendo. Many will argue that the new Xbox Live is innovation enough, when in reality, we had it with Xbox, and this is only an enhancement. The graphics are great, but they are only enhancments over the graphics already seen on the Xbox. After all, many of the launch titles are only ports of current generation games such as American Wasteland, and GUN. Media integration is technically new in the system, but it's been looked into the Xbox with hacking and getting media onto it. I personally didn't like the Xbox, but I love the Xbox 360. It took everything the Xbox had potentially good for it, and took everything wrong with it and made it perfect. By itself, the 360 is an amazing system, but compared to a system such as the Revolution, I don't see how it can possibly stand up against it. After the Revolution comes out and people play it, they will then go back to their 360 and try to wave the controller at the TV hoping it will do something. Will it? No it won't.

How about the launch games? The major titles we are looking at are Call of Duty 2, Perfect Dark Zero, Madden 06, and Project Gotham Racing 3. Is there any games here that we couldn't experience in past systems? None. Call of Duty 2 has been on the PC for quite some time, with just as good graphics as long as you have a good enough graphics card. Now I don't have a good graphics card, and the 360 can make better graphics then my computer. I also love Call of Duty 2 on the 360 by what I've played at a demo kiosk. Theres nothing wrong with it. Even though it's port, its a very well done one. Perfect Dark Zero as described by IGN is the same gameplay as the N64 Perfect Dark. That's two generations ago, and nothing new to show except for better graphics and online play, which we had last generation. Madden 06 is a rushed port of a current generation Madden 06 game. It was rushed so much that we don't even have John Madden doing the announcing. They better have him announcing Madden 07 for the 360. I have Madden 06 for my GameCube, and I'm perfectly content with it. And the 360 Madden has less features than the current gen one, no training camp (I love training camp!), and no franchise mode (Even the DS Madden 06 has franchise!) We have never seen a racing game that looks better than PGR3. The graphics on Grand Turismo 4 are amazing, especially on a PS2, but after seeing PGR3, I know that the 360 has the graphical capabilities to stand up to the PS3. In the "in-car" view, we have never seen detail like this EVER before. In the means of racing games, this does hopefully set a new standard and is not to be overlooked. Every other game though is either a sports game that either is out, or will be out for a current generation console, or a port of a current generation system. Whats the difference between GUN for the 360, and GUN for the GameCube or Xbox (the PS2 version is just no where near the 360 graphics wise haha)? The difference is some better graphics and an extra $10. Now if you happen to have a 360 and have not bought the title for a current gen system, by all means get the 360 version. I want a 360 and havn't bought American Wasteland yet, and want it for the 360. The graphics of it are no where near what next generation graphics should be like PGR3, but theyr still a lot better than current gen, especially that of the PS2.

Of what it does bring new to the generation, it does well, with a price... Xbox live is amazing. The main problem is the price. DS just unleashed it's online play, and its very good, and it costs nothing. Over 40% of people have taken their Mario Kart DS online, but only a little over 15% have brought Halo 2 online, and before Mario Kart DS, Halo 2 was the most popular online game. We already paid for the system, we paid for the game, we paid for our internet connection, so why make us pay for an online service? The gamercard is a great idea, but it can atleast be done to a certain extent for free now with Xbox Live Silver. Other things with the online is that we now see Xbox Live's Marketplace, where we can purchase a variety of things via internet to the 360's hard drive (or a cramped memory card if you have a Core without a HD). I still havn't heard on buying VelocityGirl's skatepark from American Wasteland yet though... Overall, the marketplace is good, you can download movie and game trailers, and even game demos! You can purchase small "arcade" games also, and some are worth it, such as geometry wars. But Revolution has them beat out with the virtual console though haha.

Overall the Xbox 360 is a great system, especially for people who don't yet have an Xbox such as me. But it leads me to wonder, will I still think it's such a great system when other next generation systems come out?
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