# Convince me to buy an XBox 360 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 11, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363 "2009-10-11T01:36:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zoinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zoinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoinks)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/61 "2009-10-14T21:45:33Z")
But if you don’t care about FPS games, then this argument is pretty much moot isn’t it? My favourite genre is fighting games and that actually sucks ass to play with a keyboard and mouse. I’m getting horrible flashbacks to One Must Fall right now. Ah, but you might argue that there are a lot more non-FPS games on the PC, but guess what? My laptop is from 2005 and I can’t afford the thousands of dollars necessary to actually enjoy the graphics dividend of the PC. That is a big, big strike against going the PC route for me. Me, I got my 360 for $300 plus 3 games on Boxing Day last year. Now, I’m not pathologically opposed to PC gaming, I completely missed the Sega Saturn/Game Cube/PS1 generation and didn’t feel worse for it because I had Starcraft and whatnot. I still game on my laptop but by necessity it’s all retro gaming like Baldur’s Gate 2 and UFO:ET. I also get slightly annoyed when I see all the mods out there for Oblivion. I only recently got into modding games with BG2 and enjoy how much (some) mods enhance the gameplay experience (however, it’s also obvious with some mods why professional writers get paid for their work). Piracy is also another thing that the PC is definitely better for. I remember trading games with my friends back in elementary and high school, we really did not give a crap about copyright. I don’t do it anymore, but if one does not care about legality and can afford the initial outlay for the hardware, then over time the PC can be more cost-effective than the console. I’m not advocating piracy, I’m just saying this is another aspect of PC gaming that often enters into people’s minds when weighing the pros and cons. Cheating is also a lot easier on the PC, especially with console commands, but mods and fan-made trainers can also help. If you rely on this sort of thing a lot, then definitely go for PC. ---
**Author:** ![Zoinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zoinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoinks)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/62 "2009-10-14T21:55:00Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > You, sir, are a victim of a VERY closed world view. Stop and think for a minute that not everyone even cares what “Too Human” looks like at all. In fact, I’m not even sure I remember _which_ FPS that I don’t want to play that one was. It’s actually a Diablo-esque hack-and-slash, it’s pretty fun but the damn levels get repetitive, plus I’d completely forgotten the terrible hoarding habit I had from Diablo (I swear, it doesn’t matter how big my inventory is, I’ll always be agonizing that it’s not bigger). > [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Or because many folks aren’t as accurate/haven’t developed the same proficiency they have for a mouse. True, if you had to do your work with a 360 controller then you’d probably get really proficient with it. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/63 "2009-10-14T22:10:02Z")
Thousands of dollars for a gaming PC? This is 2009, not 1999. Can we please put that old myth to rest once and for all. $450. That’s all you need to build a nice gaming rig that will play games at a higher graphics level than any console. Not to mention stream hulu + netflix + torrents + organize your finances + let you surf the web comfortably + let you edit your home videos + store your music library, etc, etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/64 "2009-10-14T22:50:42Z")
> [@Zoinks](#): > > It’s actually a Diablo-esque hack-and-slash, it’s pretty fun but the damn levels get repetitive, plus I’d completely forgotten the terrible hoarding habit I had from Diablo (I swear, it doesn’t matter how big my inventory is, I’ll always be agonizing that it’s not bigger). > > True, if you had to do your work with a 360 controller then you’d probably get really proficient with it. You’ve got it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/65 "2009-10-15T02:11:18Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > $450. That’s all you need to build a nice gaming rig that will play games at a higher graphics level than any console. Not to mention stream hulu + netflix + torrents + organize your finances + let you surf the web comfortably + let you edit your home videos + store your music library, etc, etc, etc. Key word: build. Not factor in all the time and effort to put together that great system and price out all the parts before hand. A console is taken out of the box and enjoyed after a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/66 "2009-10-15T03:12:40Z")
> [@](#): > > As mentioned, tho, it’s still not clear whether you were actually calling Microsoft. Some games do have hardware (such as Rock Band), but MS would actually be the folks to get in touch with about console hardware issues. > > And if it helps alleviate anyone’s concerns, I do know that the Xbox customer support section in the US did get an overhaul sometime in the last few years, tho I don’t remember when. There are grumblings on forums as late as 2007 about customers having to talk to a flowchart-follower in another country, though I admit I don’t know exactly when the changeover took place. I imagine it’s still possible to get put through overseas depending on the time of day, however. My problem was that I didn’t know that my guitar controller had to be synched with the XBox. I had wanted Rock Band: The Beatles for my birthday, and my husband went out and bought me the console, the game, and the controller. As part of the present, he set everything up for me…or at least he said he did. I went to play the game, and found out that I needed to have a mike hooked up to it, even if I didn’t want to sing, and after I did that, I tried to play the guitar. My husband hadn’t synched it, I didn’t know he hadn’t synched it, and I couldn’t get the game to recognize that controller. I called the XBox support number (and XBox IS part of the MS family), and got no usable support. I would guess that, in fact, I got what you refer to as a flowchart follower. The CSRs I talked to clearly knew about as much about an XBox as I do. I posted my problem on the SDMB, and after a couple of questions and suggestions, I got my answer. I think that the XBox CSRs should have had me check to see if the guitar controller was synched, in one of the first few questions. Maybe wireless controllers that need to be synched are all the rage these days. Still, surely there are people who buy a new console who wouldn’t know about this issue. I can’t be the only person who was perfectly happy with her old consoles and old games until RB: The Beatles came out, and had to have it. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/67 "2009-10-15T10:29:06Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Key word: build. Not factor in all the time and effort to put together that great system and price out all the parts before hand. > > A console is taken out of the box and enjoyed after a few minutes. Ok, $550 for a purchased one from a company which you too can enjoy right out of the box. And it’s a PC, something that does a heck of a lot more than just play games and stream netflix (and be loud in your living room). Price isn’t really an issue anyway for most gamers. It’s their hobby, they are willing to spend for it, just like a golfer spends money on his hobby, just like a martial artist, just like any hobbyist. Take a look at the hundreds of dollars spent on plastic toy guitars and and drum kits for games like Rock Band. Or the balance boards and other peripherals for the Wii. Price is about the only draw back to the PC platform and so it’s harped on by the same people who will turn around and buy three wooden body guitars and a drum kit for Guitar Hero for $500+. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/68 "2009-10-15T11:46:55Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Ok, $550 for a purchased one from a company which you too can enjoy right out of the box. And it’s a PC, something that does a heck of a lot more than just play games and stream netflix (and be loud in your living room). But that’s still nearly triple the cost of a console. While I agree that the days of gaming on a $2000 PC are over, price is still a huge consideration for why PC gaming is considered second rate by the majority of the population. And the Xbox 360 hasn’t been loud in a long time. Microsoft fixed the jet engine problem ages ago. And the PS3 and Wii have always been whisper quiet. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/69 "2009-10-15T13:34:13Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Can you please filter my responses to what the Op is looking for, perhaps then things would make more sense. > > The OP likes shooters, the OP prefers the K&M for them, The op is talking about getting a 360, not “every other platform out there”. And finally, the OP obviously already has a capable PC. Chill. The OP also quite clearly said that he wasn’t going to buy a 360 for FPS games, and yet, here you are trying to convince him not to buy one because FPS games don’t look as good on it. Either you stop with the arguments that aren’t relevant to the OP, or you stop complaining when people dispute your arguments that aren’t relevant to the OP. As for “not every console out there” - the POINT is that while there are many titles that are not “360 exclusive” there are LOTS of titles that are on the 360 but _not_ on the PC. And since I haven’t exactly seen you coming out and making arguments that say “No no, you should buy a PS3!” and instead touting the very platform the OP already has, I am forced to say that I don’t think that’s the point you’re trying to make, so don’t hide behind it. Short form: The OP came here and said “I have a PC and I like it, but I’d like to expand the sorts of games I play. What’s good on the 360?” and _you_ are here trying to tell him that he should just go back and play FPS games on the PC because they look so much better. Not only is that not what he asked, it borders on the obnoxious. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/70 "2009-10-15T13:41:54Z")
I’m not just mentioning FPS though. I mentioned two RTS’ Three RPG’s, three action games and an adventure game. My point to the OP is: Don’t waste your money. There are lots of games coming up for the PC on which his money would be better spent on. Don’t bother with a console for RTS games, FPS games, or even indie games (they either come out on PC first, later, or they are available for free online). What’s left either comes out on PC or is not worth it (given the OP’s stated preferences). That’s just my opinion, not hard fact, which is obvious to most, but not apparently everyone. Unless you absolutely need to have Guitar Hero, your money is better spent elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/71 "2009-10-15T13:49:26Z")
What the OP really needs from you console guys is a list of games not out on PC, exclusive to the xbox that might make it worth his while to get one. I have a feeling Pac Man is not going to be it. I could be wrong though. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/72 "2009-10-15T14:31:44Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > What the OP really needs from you console guys is a list of games not out on PC, exclusive to the xbox that might make it worth his while to get one. I have a feeling Pac Man is not going to be it. I could be wrong though. Except the OP specifically mentioned **Pac-Man: Championship Edition** as a game he is interested in playing. And [the reviews on Metacritic](http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/pacmanchampionshipedition) (including my own) are just overflowing with praise. Other great games that can only be had on the Xbox 360 and not the PC include: - The entire Rock Band series - Culdcept Saga - Beautiful Katamari - Mega Man 9 - Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned - Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony - Prince of Persia - Ninja Gaiden II - Earth Defense Force 2017 - Space Invaders Extreme - Ikaruga - Alien Hominid HD - Ace Combat 6 - Crackdown - Forza Motorsport 2 - Forza Motorsport 3 - Dead Space - Dead Rising - Bully - Gears of War 2 - Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe Not an FPS, RTS or MMORPG in the bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/73 "2009-10-15T14:39:50Z")
Aren’t Dead Space, Bully, Dead rising 2 and Prince of Persia on the PC as well? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/74 "2009-10-15T14:42:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Not an FPS, RTS or MMORPG in the bunch. I think that Gears of War 2 is close enough to classify it as FPS. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/75 "2009-10-15T14:42:30Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Aren’t Dead Space, Bully, Dead rising 2 and Prince of Persia on the PC as well? OK, you got me on Dead Space, Bully and Prince of Persia. But Dead Rising is an Xbox 360 exclusive. Dead Rising 2 is coming to the PC as well as the PS3/360, but not until 2010. Care to comment on the rest of the list? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/76 "2009-10-15T14:49:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Care to comment on the rest of the list? Sure: Beautiful Katamari And Forza 3 are great games (So is Mega man 9 in a masochist sort of way). I wish they were on the PC. The rest suck. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/77 "2009-10-15T14:50:42Z")
Again, why are we concerned about 360 “exclusives” and not “games that are on the 360 and not on the PC”? Oh, and by putting Ikaruga in the category of “suck” you have officially lost all credibility in my eyes. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/78 "2009-10-15T15:06:35Z")
Eh, I take back Ikaruga, I never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/79 "2009-10-15T15:13:03Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > Again, why are we concerned about 360 “exclusives” and not “games that are on the 360 and not on the PC”? We’re not. While most of the games on the list I posted are 360 exclusives, some are just “games not on the PC that are great”. If you’ve got more to add, do it. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363/80 "2009-10-15T20:18:10Z")
Hah, okay, I forgive you Ikaruga. 😛 Anyway, just “a few” games that I have/have played/have interest in that are on the 360 (and often but not always other consoles) but not on the PC. As checked against Wikipedia because I don’t keep up with what’s been released on the PC. Castle Crashers. Shadow Complex 'Splosion Man Tales of Vesperia Star Ocean: The Last Hope Geometry Wars 2 Carcassonne (Okay, fine, it’s also a BOARD GAME) Catan (Ditto) Garou: Mark of the Wolves Marvel vs Capcom 2 Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Assorted Dance Dance Revolution titles (Yes, there are more weird games out there than Guitar Hero) Eternal Sonata Fable II Saints Row (2) Lost Odyssey That’s just what sortof wandered into my brain, and is by no means a comprehensive list. All/some/none of those may appeal to you, but trying to argue that the games aren’t there is to be wearing blinders. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-buy-an-xbox-360/513363.md?page=5)