[copycat]

I own all three current consoles and think any of them scores in a specific field:

Game Cube
Compact, nice overall look (in silver at least, purple was awful), a real gaming machine, no extras, no multimedia, 4 ports and multiplayer monsters like Mario Kart or Bomberman Generation. Probably the best ever console in terms of "party suitability". But lacks third-party support in many important fields. However, you can't mess with Nintendo in terms of original titles: NO platformer or action-adventure out there even comes close to Mario or Zelda gameplay: Perfect controls, level design, masterful artwork.

Xbox
Well, Microsoft's first fooray in the console world wasn't too impressive: Let's start with the design: Big, ugly, and, well – loud as hell. This isn't a real console, it's a 2002-State-of-the-Art-Gaming-PC put in a huge black box. Not really sleek and innovative technology, but definitely the one with the most horsepower under its hood.

It's true, multi-platform games look nicer on Xbox, and Xbox Live was the first usable console online service. BUT there's a problem: What the hell are the reasons for buying a Xbox if you already own a good PC/Mac with a proper graphics card?

I don't have a PC, but even I as a Mac user (and we usually have to wait 6-12 months for the port of a top game) can play most of the "Xbox exclusives" worth playing on my machine: Halo, Fable, Knights of the Old Republic and so on.

I can only think of one interesting exclusive: Jade Empire. That's about it. Pretty sad if you ask me and MS doesn't show much originality in terms of new game ideas (they even dropped Double Fine and Psychonauts).

[copycat]

To conclude my little summary:

PlayStation 2

This was the defining console of the current generation. Both in terms of games and impact on the market. Like with Windows XP vs. Mac OS X and Linux – best selling doesn't mean it's the best product available. But in case of PS2, the best seller is also the top dog.

Not only offers PlayStation 2 more games than all other platforms together, a lot of the best games in different categories are PS-exclusives:

Best racing: Gran Turismo 4
Best action: God of War and GTA: San Andreas (a PStwo first at least)
Best console only adventure: ICO
Best RPG: Final Fantasy series
Best fighting: Tekken

More great titles are coming up like "Shadow of the Colossus", while MS silently buries the original Xbox in favor of the 360, which is not really backwards-compatible.

What exactly does "best selling" Xbox titles mean? To me it means I won't be able to play Still Life or Dreamfall on the 360, not even to mention Syberia I and II.

I'm not really interested in Halo 2 or Unreal Tournament, but I'm afraid adventures won't be top-selling enough to justify 360 compatibility.

Therefore I think I won't get a 360 and wait for the PS3.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by tknaps

did it for the PS -> PS2 upgrade and will continue supporting games back to the original PS on the PS3.

But not PS/PS2 memory cards and peripherals which will probably make some games unplayable.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by copycat

I can only think of one interesting exclusive: Jade Empire. That's about it.

I can think of several more off the top of my head: Dead or Alive 3, Dead or Alive Ultimate, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Otogi, Otogi 2, Ninja Gaiden, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. But it depends on what you consider interesting.

[James]

Originally Posted by copycat

To conclude my little summary:

PlayStation 2

This was the defining console of the current generation. Both in terms of games and impact on the market. Like with Windows XP vs. Mac OS X and Linux – best selling doesn't mean it's the best product available. But in case of PS2, the best seller is also the top dog.

Not only offers PlayStation 2 more games than all other platforms together, a lot of the best games in different categories are PS-exclusives:

Best racing: Gran Turismo 4
Best action: God of War and GTA: San Andreas (a PStwo first at least)
Best console only adventure: ICO
Best RPG: Final Fantasy series
Best fighting: Tekken

More great titles are coming up like "Shadow of the Colossus", while MS silently buries the original Xbox in favor of the 360, which is not really backwards-compatible.

What exactly does "best selling" Xbox titles mean? To me it means I won't be able to play Still Life or Dreamfall on the 360, not even to mention Syberia I and II.

I'm not really interested in Halo 2 or Unreal Tournament, but I'm afraid adventures won't be top-selling enough to justify 360 compatibility.

Therefore I think I won't get a 360 and wait for the PS3.

Copycating:

From a development point of view, and in terms of what it did to the market (IE filling SEGA's shoes and then some) Xbox was hugely important. Microsoft took huge losses on the first gen to be able to be compete in the second - we'll see continued attempts to increase market share by MS this time around as well.

Best racing: Project Gotham Racing
Best console shooter ever: Halo 1/2
Best RPG: Shemnue 2/Jade Empire/Knights of the Old Republic

Gears of War looks stunning, and MS appears to have invested heavily in the Japanese market in terms of developers, so I think X360 stands a much better chance than its predecessor. PS3 is still more of an unknown quantity, but as it stands I'd favour X360. Regardless, it's a great time for games.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by James

Regardless, it's a great time for games.

I guess some people would disagree.

[copycat]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

I can think of several more off the top of my head: Dead or Alive 3, Dead or Alive Ultimate, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Otogi, Otogi 2, Ninja Gaiden, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. But it depends on what you consider interesting.

I agree, it's always a matter of taste and personal feelings about certain scenarios, characters and genres.

I prefer unique, artistic graphics and interesting storytelling in games over fast-paced shooter action or racing sims anytime.

And I LOVE original ideas and new characters: Like Ico and Yorda or Fiona and her dog friend Hewey in Haunting Ground. Games need to be inspired and not just the seventh installment in a tried and tested game series.

I blame both MS and Sony, maybe MS a little bit more, for not telling good stories in games. They just come up with "scenarios" to showcase flashy graphics in high-def. Instead of introducing new, original characters to the gaming world, they introduce new weapons or shader effects. That's pretty sad and therefore I think even the next-gen isn't a thing to be too excited about.

[squarejawhero]

Originally Posted by temporaryscars

I'm with ya on that, but what choice do we have?

Is this the same guy who had trouble grasping full price PC games?

[squarejawhero]

As for me, I'll probably get a 360. However, it's worth noting that the new PC gen will equal it quite quickly in power terms, especially with SLI and dual core, 64 bit chips. If not even on release. I'm tempted, but the promise of boundary-pushing PC stuff and playing it on my lovely LCD monitor.

As for this control pad malarkey, my dual-analog stick sticks it to console owners and says - so what? Anything a console can do a PC can and more.

[copycat]

Originally Posted by James

Copycating:

From a development point of view, and in terms of what it did to the market (IE filling SEGA's shoes and then some) Xbox was hugely important. Microsoft took huge losses on the first gen to be able to be compete in the second - we'll see continued attempts to increase market share by MS this time around as well.

Best racing: Project Gotham Racing
Best console shooter ever: Halo 1/2
Best RPG: Shemnue 2/Jade Empire/Knights of the Old Republic

Gears of War looks stunning, and MS appears to have invested heavily in the Japanese market in terms of developers, so I think X360 stands a much better chance than its predecessor. PS3 is still more of an unknown quantity, but as it stands I'd favour X360. Regardless, it's a great time for games.

There we have it again:

Best shooter: Halo, an original Mac game, which was due for release sometime in 99/2000, before Microsoft acquired Bungie, stole their soul and inspiration to get their hands on a great launch title for Xbox.

Do you even know the Mac game Marathon? It's like the blueprint for Halo and its successors

It was meant to be played on a computer, and the best way to play Halo is using a Mac or PC with a precise mouse, a keyboard and double the Xbox resolution on a 23" Cinema Display.

Shenmue: Just another remake, even if a great one. And so on goes the list... It's even hard to find ONE interesting new character or idea Microsoft brought into gaming.

It's the same thing like in the computer world: They rip-off other's ideas, do whatever will sell and jump on bandwagons. There's no style or individuality in their products.

I can only think of Microsoft as a company that conquers markets by acquiring or destroying competitors – they have never created a market like Apple, Sony or Atari did because they don't have a fertile company culture.

Did you see the MS Vista screenshots? They show a blatant rip-off of Apple's Mac OS X interface even with the same folder structure, placement of search windows and other GUI elements.

Instead of creating their own unique user interface or introducing an interesting new take on handling a PC – they just turned on their photocopiers: A 90+% market leader imitates a 3%-underdog-company – again. Very, very sad.

When MS launched the Xbox, they couldn't even be bothered to use a new chipset, or special technology like Sony or Nintendo. They took off-the-shelve PC components, cramped them into an ugly big box and started selling PC games under a console hood. No Mario, no Zelda, not even Ape Escape apes. Just tried and tested licenses like Oddworld or Shenmue.

Therefore, I don't expect much from such a company. I highly doubt we'll ever be able to sin about the "good old days of hi-def gaming with all the legendary Microsoft characters ".

[James]

Oh for God's sake. First, Microsoft's clear aim has always been to bring the PC to the living room and windows with it - expect to see integration between xbox technology and pc in the next generation or two.

Second, I've played the Marathon games, they were great. Halo is quite different, in my opinion, and makes a number of advances, building on the back of Half-Life etc.

Microsoft never created a market? Hmmm, I think 8 gazillion windows users would disagree.
With respect, it's hard to think of new ideas that Sony has brought to the board as well. Rockstar Games, Epic, a host of Japanese developers - these; sure I can see new ideas. You seem to think that MS is somehow responsible for the creativity of its developers, even the ones it doesn't own. I'm sure Apple will be delighted to hear its a 3% underdog - it might start printing it on that thing that revolutionised the music industry, whats it called, an Hipod?

It's really easy and trendy to knock the successful companies involved in the computer industry. EA, MS - they're all substandard, killing innovation, destroying creativity blah blah. MS is about stability and ease of use - it's providing a service to countless millions of PC users. In the console wars, it's still a new fish, but I imagine it will learn how to adapt here as well.

Expect as little as you want from Microsoft.

[James]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

I guess some people would disagree.

Everyone's a critic. Rockstar make great, violent and funny games. They shouldn't be sold to kids in the same way adult films or beer aren't sold. Censorship or regulstion shouldn't take away from the achievement.

[Kolzig]

Originally Posted by temporaryscars

As for Rez, who the **** wants to play that?

Originally Posted by bigjko

Me?

Originally Posted by temporaryscars

Yup, you and about 3 other people in the world (not counting Japan).

Also me and my friend H.P.
So who is the last missing person who wants to play Rez?

tempsie

Nah, you're ok, you just say weird stuff...

[SoccerDude28]

Originally Posted by UPtimist

...What? Yourself.

I was talking about this:

So Madden is not on the XBOX or Gamecube or PC? It is on every platform out there and it is football, a sport that most American people care about. Didn't the 360 have Madden as one of its showcase games in E3?

Tagging the PS2 as a console for the masses and idiots is cutting it short and is insulting to people who play it. I play the PS2 as well as others and I don't think of myself as an idiot. It has a lot of games not tailored for the masses like Japanese RPG's, ICO, Okami, Shadow of the Colossus, Rez, Katamari Damaci etc...
I would like Microsoft to take Sony's stand in supporting original content like ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, instead of dropping two of the most original games that came out on the XBOX because they don't sell.

[Aj_]

Originally Posted by copycat

Best shooter: Halo, an original Mac game, which was due for release sometime in 99/2000, before Microsoft acquired Bungie, stole their soul and inspiration to get their hands on a great launch title for Xbox. Do you even know the Mac game Marathon? It's like the blueprint for Halo and its successors

It was going to be released on the Mac, so what, it was going to be released on Windows too, and stole their soul and inspiration? I didn't know Microsoft had arcane abilities.

Marathon 2 was released on Windows, so what's your point?

It was meant to be played on a computer, and the best way to play Halo is using a Mac or PC with a precise mouse, a keyboard and double the Xbox resolution on a 23" Cinema Display.

If you played the PC version of Halo you will see that it isn't a PC/Mac game that turned into a console game, the finished game was directed at consoles well before its release. While I prefer mouse and keyboard you can say that about a lot of games on the PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube, RPGs for instance. FPS games can be played with a controller, and the ammount of good ones on the Xbox shows this. About the resolution, all I have to say is all console games could use it.

Shenmue: Just another remake, even if a great one. And so on goes the list... It's even hard to find ONE interesting new character or idea Microsoft brought into gaming.

Dude, you listed the Final Fantasy series as the best RPG series, yeah original and interesting... Lets not mention Jade Empire because it goes against what you said.

I can only think of Microsoft as a company that conquers markets by acquiring or destroying competitors – they have never created a market like Apple, Sony or Atari did because they don't have a fertile company culture.

Sony? Are you freaking kidding me? What markets has that company created? How many companies has it destroyed or bought out?

Did you see the MS Vista screenshots? They show a blatant rip-off of Apple's Mac OS X interface even with the same folder structure, placement of search windows and other GUI elements.

I'm shocked and amazed that Windows' GUI would be a complete rip-off of MacOS, its not like it has happened before. /sarcasm

Right now, OS X has the best GUI going, and I would be disappointed if MS, KDE, and Gnome didn't try to immitate it.

When MS launched the Xbox, they couldn't even be bothered to use a new chipset, or special technology like Sony or Nintendo. They took off-the-shelve PC components, cramped them into an ugly big box and started selling PC games under a console hood. No Mario, no Zelda, not even Ape Escape apes. Just tried and tested licenses like Oddworld or Shenmue.

This is getting silly. 1. Microsoft didn't use off the shelf PC components, they used a P3 yeah, but the rest was as much off the shelf as what was in the Gamecube or PS2.
2. If you are complaining about tried and tested licenses then, firstly, Shenmue and Oddworld aren't big licenses, and secondly, don't use Zelda and Mario as examples of new, unknown, and under-used. They are some of the oldest, most known, and over used brands ever in videogames.

[Aj_]

Originally Posted by SoccerDude28

It has a lot of games not tailored for the masses like Japanese RPG's, ICO, Okami, Shadow of the Colossus, Rez, Katamari Damaci etc...
I would like Microsoft to take Sony's stand in supporting original content like ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, instead of dropping two of the most original games that came out on the XBOX because they don't sell.

Japanese RPG's not tailored for the masses, that's what Final Fantasy exists.
Sony supporting Japanese developers more than Microsoft, because lets face it Sony are Japanese, it could be said that Microsoft gets American developers *shock*.
Microsoft not publishing games that won't sell, it's not like Sony would ever do that.

[SoccerDude28]

Originally Posted by Aj_

Japanese RPG's not tailored for the masses, that's what Final Fantasy exists.
Sony supporting Japanese developers more than Microsoft, because lets face it Sony are Japanese, it could be said that Microsoft gets American developers *shock*.
Microsoft not publishing games that won't sell, it's not like Sony would ever do that.

There are more Japanese RPG's than FF in the market you know. Have you ever heard of:
Shadow Hearts: Covenant ? An excellent RPG that not many people have heard of.
And ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are both published by Sony. At least they support some original content in conjuction with the block busters.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by James

Everyone's a critic. Rockstar make great, violent and funny games. They shouldn't be sold to kids in the same way adult films or beer aren't sold. Censorship or regulstion shouldn't take away from the achievement.

Nonono, the anchor (poorly placed, I agree, but it's not my website) points to the post above, the one titled "Death to the Games Industry (Long Live Games)". Download that PowerPoint presentation to get my... point

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Kolzig

Also me and my friend H.P.
So who is the last missing person who wants to play Rez?

ME ME ME!

Though I'm pretty sure some girls here would also find it quite stimulating

[Aj_]

Originally Posted by SoccerDude28

And ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are both published by Sony. At least they support some original content in conjuction with the block busters.

As far as I can tell they are also made by Sony. It's not like Microsoft would publish games not made by them, by new publishers, like say Gas Powered Games and Big Huge Games, both having fresh and exciting ideas.