PS2 and XBox... again! *sigh* (I know, I know)

Cafe Society
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Alright. We go through this quite a bit here, so before you go linking to all these passed threads, please note I’ve participated in them! So, yeah, been there, done that, blah blah.

BUT…

I’ve heard quite a few people say, “Let the games decide.” Something I myself would agree with.

So I went to http://gamespot.com/ and checked out all the games listed for PS2, saw which ones interested me, and then went over the list for XBox, and lo! You know what the PS2 had over the XBox for me? Final Fantasy. But XBox has Halo. And Project Ego. But PS2 will also have FFXI… :frowning:

Now, admittedly, I am dying over here by not playing that game, and if I rented a system and that game long enough to beat it I might as well just go buy them… and I almost did last Saturday.

Went to go pick up the remake of RE for GameCube (awesome, if anyone is wondering) and of course both the XBox and PS2 are down to a stunning $200. Their high price was what originally drove me to get a GC first (besides the fact that I am a die-hard Nintendo fan :)).

So I was really in hand-wringing mode. Gosh, PS2 or XBox? PS2 or XBox? It was all in the games, but both systems really have games I want, most of the time even the same game (except for the much-anticipated Project Ego, which for me matches FFX that I get with PS2). Silent Hill 2, still dying to play that, and either system can give it to me.

I wanted FFX and SH2 for PS2 or Halo and SH2 for XBox, and I would have bought that system (whichever one) right then and there, but Toys R Us didn’t have that. didn’t have RE, either, damn it, but that’s another story.

So, yeah, I know, its all in the games. But both systems have the games. Now what? Some reviews at gamespot mention that the PS2 is already starting to show its limitations. I’ve personally seen games like Max Payne on both systems and can say that the PS2 version was very poorly done. Lazy programmers? Probably, after seeing FFX, but still, this gives me significant pause since most of the games that I want will be common to both systems.

Is the PS2 built to last as long as the PS1 (relatively speaking)? Will it enjoy early success only to be overpowered in the end by XBox (not entirely dissimilar to how Sony overpowered Nintendo)? Make your case, guys. A fellow gamer’s purchase hangs in the balance!

And, just to restate for clarity: As far as I can tell, the games that I want are either on both systems or are equally matched exclusives (one has Halo, the other FFX, etc…). Don’t tell me “its all in the games” because that’s the problem!

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Buy 'em both.

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Yeah. Since getting both of them will now be only around $100 more than what you were planning on spending on one of them, why not get 'em both?

4

Well.

Hmm.

That is an interesting suggestion now that you mention it.

…

5

Get the PS2 and FFX now. Get Halo for PC when it comes out later. It’ll be easier with the mouse and keyboard anyhoo.

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XBOX has Wreckless-The Yakuza Missions. REALLY fun game IMHO!

Maybe PS2 has it too, i dont know.

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You think Halo is hard to control?

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Unfortunately, it seems that it’s still “let the games decide”. If you can only get one system, then you’ll have to decide which games you want MORE.

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Actually, I think it’s remarkably easier than most console first-person shooters, but nowhere near as good as the trusy keyboard-and-mouse combo. That’s just IMHO of course.

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No way. Can’t stand FPS with a keyboard/mouse. Never have gotten used to it no matter how hard I try.

But, yeah, FFX is really killing me. Best since VII, I hear.

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FWIW, FFX fucking ROCKS!

:slight_smile:
Hope that helped.

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If you’re trying to make a decision based on something other than games, then the Xbox is the one the better hardware. Also the ability to play your own songs during some games is a huge bonus and adds more to the replaying of games then you’d think.

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You might want to check out this interesting article on the XBox vs PS2 & Gamecube.

It concentrates more on the economics and pricing of things, rather than the game play. But its conclusion is that the X-Box is in deep trouble, and game developers do not continue to write for platforms that don’t sell.

The X-Box’s chief problem, apart for the ruthless pricing of the competition, is that Microsoft did not develop or own any of the chips inside it, they come from a variety of different sources. So they will never get any of the costing benefits of further development and merging them onto single chips. This is exactly what Sony and Nintendo have done in the past, and will do for the PS2 and Gamecube.

IMHO, I reckon the XBox will be as good as dead and buried by this time next year and no developers will be premiering their titles on it.

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I’m sorry, but I can’t decide for you. In my experience, the games that I enjoyed the most are invariably games that seemingly everyone else either panned or ignored completely…and vice versa. (I despise Puzzle Bobble and completely fail to understand the universal fawning over Grand Theft Auto 3.)

What I look for is variety, and I simply see a lot more of it in the PS2 than I do in the X-Box. Here’s a partial list of PS2 games I’ve played (many of them rented):

Unison - Unlike any game I’ve ever played before; kinda like Dance Dance Revolution but with analog stick control. Fun, but almost no replay value once you get through it.
Swing Away Golf - By far one of my favorites (which should tell you a lot about the kind of gamer I am). Easy to learn and get into, with a very good selection of contests and range of difficulties.
Silent Scope 2: Dark Silhouette - Terrifically rendered version of the highly popular arcade shooter; only the insanely hard special modes drag it down.
Dead or Alive 2 Hardcore - Enhanced version of the rock-paper-scissors 3D figher. 'Nuff said.
Tekken Tag Tournament - One of the PS2 originals. Never cared much for Tekken’s gameplay, but simply going through all the different characters and styles was plenty of fun.
CART Fury - What’s this? Why, simply the most rip-roaringly fun open wheel racing game I’ve ever played. (It’s another arcade port, BTW).

Not to mention Knockout Kings 2001, Knockout Kings 2002, Street Fighter EX 3, Gran Turismo 3, and SSX (barely touched that one, however).

“Wait a minute, Darrell, you’re telling me that ‘console gaming’ is more than super-megahyped RPGs and the Designated Blockbuster of the Month?” Well, yeah. And I love having that kind of variety. And I completely fail to understand how so many gamers go nuts over ONE genre or ONE game. Shoot I’d get bored of that inside a week. (Believe me when I say that if Sony continued it’s single-minded obsession with sports games for the PS2…that’s right, not RPGs, sports…my Dreamcast would still be taking its permanent place in front of the TV.)

X-Box? Reliability problems that have never been addressed (look, I don’t care if it only happens under “adverse conditions” or whatever; I ain’t takin’ that chance), unimpressive selection, controllers I can never get used to. I’d like to be able to play Dead or Alive 3, but I’m not tearing my hair out over it. As far as longevity goes, need I remind you Microsoft has none of the unfair advantages they have in the computer market (like, say, a crushing monopoly that’s gone virtually unchallenged)? And their entire Japan market is in the tank. If anyone’s in trouble, it’s them.

So again…I can’t decide for you. I don’t know how much money you’re willing to spend; I don’t know what your tastes are. You’ll just have to pick one and hope for the best.

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Futile Gesture, that link is very impressive. Gord had some similar remarks.

Still… you know, last Christmas I said to myself, “Well, let’s see how the games are after Xmas and then I’ll decide.” And here I am, thinking, “Well, let’s see how the systems fare after E3.” I delayed with the PlayStation the same way. I didn’t buy one until long after it was released, and probably about one year after the N64 came out (which, dutifully, I snapped up right away).

I am quite terrible at making trivial decisions. Thanks for everyone so far for their input.

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I’ll just throw out there that I spent 4 hours tonight playing Halo online. mmm mmm good. :slight_smile:

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Microsoft investing $2 billion in Xbox

"Microsoft investing $2 billion in Xbox
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Microsoft announced Monday it will invest $2 billion in its Xbox game console, much of which will be used to develop a new online game network.

The move is the third-place gaming console’s latest strike in a heated battle for consumers with Sony’s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo’s GameCube. Those rivals have also announced plans for online gaming."
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/3305955.htm

This should be interesting. Also, doesn’t the xbox have a HD that makes a spinning sound when you are
playing dvds? This might be annoying to some.

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handy, you beat me to it. I was just about to post a similar article. I suppose I still can…

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-918460.html

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The thing everyone needs to remember is that Microsoft has very deep pockets. Even if the XBox costs them $500 to manufacture, they could give away 10 million of the things and only be out 5 Billion. 5 Billion is nothing to Microsoft and I would say that they would easily invest that much in order to become the major player in the home video game market.

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I decided to buy a gaming console about a week ago because of the price drops… I bought an XBox over the PS2 and I’m glad I did. The graphics of the XBox blow the PS2 away… and while the game selection is not as big, you gotta realize that the PS2 has been out about two years compared to the Xbox’s ~8 months.