NEON MERCURY's ++ ps360ii Lite ++ thread -weaning you off WoW since 07

[Stefen]

Did you get rid of your 360 too, cinema? Haven't seen you logged into live for awhile.

[cinemanarchist]

Did you get rid of your 360 too, cinema? Haven't seen you logged into live for awhile.

No. My flat screen is mounted on the wall and has a limited amount of component inputs so I can only have one system plugged in at a time and right now with Brawl and No More Heroes I'm in a Wii frame of mind. I need to get a component or HDMI switch but I keep putting it off.

[Stefen]

Which Wii games should I pick up? I assume Galaxy and SSB. I already have Twilight Princess on the GC.

Can't wait for Mario Kart next month.

[Chest Rockwell]

Yes, a new Wii owner!

Other than Galaxies and SSB:
Metroid Prime 3
Zelda Twilight Princess
Resident Evil 4 Wii
Zack & Wiki

are the must-haves for the time being. No More Heroes is supposedly pretty fun, as is Mario Strikers.

And of course there's a whole mess of Gamecube games if you didn't own that system.

On another note, I put ScummVM on my DS and have been playing a little Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle.  Classic.

[Stefen]

Is RE: 4 worth picking up on the Wii? It's one of my favorite games of all time and I've beaten it a few times on GC.

[Stefen]

So I'm thinking, if they put my old 360 back on the shelf thinking it's NEW and some kid buys it, then realizes it's broken and calls Microsoft for a repair, will they match the serial number up with my old repair order? And if so, what's the worst that can happen? Am I due to get arrested on conspiracy to commit a 360 hustle?

[Kal]

So I'm thinking, if they put my old 360 back on the shelf thinking it's NEW and some kid buys it, then realizes it's broken and calls Microsoft for a repair, will they match the serial number up with my old repair order? And if so, what's the worst that can happen? Am I due to get arrested on conspiracy to commit a 360 hustle?

You saw what Bill Gates did to Homer Simpson... that may happen to you as well if you piss off Microsoft.

He may just destroy your Wii!

[Chest Rockwell]

Is RE: 4 worth picking up on the Wii? It's one of my favorite games of all time and I've beaten it a few times on GC.

Yes! First of all, there's widescreen support now, which makes a big difference in this game since the persepctive is so limited. Secondly, you have all the extra bullshit that came with the PS2 port, and most of it's pretty fun. Third, it's $30. And lastly, you've got Wiimote control. I'd say it's definitely worth it.

[NEON MERCURY]

[][][][][][][][][][]NEON MERCURY'S XBOX 360 VS. PLAYSTATION 3 POST[][[][][][][][][][][]

forward: i have been playing console/arcade games for over 20 years. i am a huge fan of the interactive arts and i think they(video games) have finally reached the point where the medium belongs right by film, television, literature, theater, and music as a respectful art form. i say this because the amount of publicity, production value, scripting, voice talent, commercial value, artistic value, critical value, theory, fan culture, publication value, composed music, and other musical touches are equal to or surpass those that the other art forms posses. so, i've decided to discuss the pros and cons or the what-have-yous between the 360 and the ps3. i didn't choose to do the nintendo wii yet b/c i don't have own one...yet. this post will maintain a certain degree of accuracy, hands on experience, non-biased prose, web resources, and general knowledge of the business. i am by no means any type of definitive point of view. however, i can offer you an opinion based on fact and personal experience. well, here we go...




XBOX 360






versions:
this is the first time during a console war where there has been this many multiple versions of the same console. personally, i feel that it's a double-edged sword when this happens. the good thing is that you have the chance to purchase and ever evolving system. one that will stay relevant for that specific life cycle for the platform. the bad thing is that you will have to spend money to constantly update your console. it's not necessary but it's beneficial to do so. alas, you end of getting screwed for being an early adopter if you are looking to purchase a single console and reap the full potential benefit. gone are the days of atari, nintendo, genesis, snes, ps2, etc. where as one version of the system lasted a life cycle for the console.

currently, you have several different versions to choose from if you plan on buying a 360. they are:

[]the xbox 360 arcade aka the core v.2[]
this comes with the console itself, one wireless controller, a 256mb card for data storage, composite a/v cable, a silver subscription to xbox live, and 5 free arcade games from xbox live for only $279.99. its a great price for entering the next gen HD console market. if you are a purely casual gamer, than this is a good deal. but be warned that this particular console does not include any type of backwards compatibility with original xbox games unless you get a hard drive and broadband internet (xbox live). other warnings would be that if you plan to fully use the xbox live service than you need to purchase a hard drive, a headset, ethernet cable, and pay a fee to become a gold member of xbox live. also, if you have a HD TV, you would need to pay extra for either a component cable or a HDMI cable to get the use out of your hd tv and xbox 360. if you are a casual pick up and play person, than this is a good deal.

[]the xbox 360 aka the premium[]
this is what i originally purchased. if you play enough games to call yourself a gamer, than this is the system for you. it features: the console, one wireless controller, 20gb hard drive, xbox live headset, ethernet cable, both composite and component a/v cables, silver membership to xbox live , and limited backwards compatibility (but the best xbox has offer in this regard) w/original xbox games. all for $349.99. this is a great setup. if you play a lot of games and you like to go online and play, then this system is perfect for you. the 20gb hard drive is large enough to carry your game saves and download some xbox live arcade games and additional add-on game content. but if you are into downloading movies and tv shows off xbox live, you may need to purchase the larger 120gb hard drive along with a fee to become a gold member of xbox live. by the way, you only need to get a paid subscription to xbox live if you want to play games versus others online. with a silver membership you can still browse the online store, download movies, tv shows, games, add-on content, and various other media. so, if you play a lot of games and like to go online but not to download a lot of shit, than this is a great system for you.

[]the xbox 360 elite[]
this is what i have now. this is the de facto xbox 360 system. this is the one for the hardcore gamer. this includes: the console, one wireless controller, 120gb hard drive, xbox live headset, ethernet cable, composite/component/hdmi cable, silver membership to xbox live, and limited backwards compatibility(but the best xbox has to offer in this regard) w/original xbox games. the retail price for the elite is $449.99. this is pricey but if you are hardcore into games then the additional features you get vs. the arcade and premium edition is worth it. this is the best overall xbox 360 system IMO.
one final thing, you could potentially purchase the xbox 360 arcade system and pay to evolve it to the elite system-minus the black matte. that's a good thing, right?

appearance:
i do think the xbox 360 looks really slick. i like the contour and shape as well as both the white and black finishes. you can also stand it up (pictured) or the ole traditional way...flat. i feel it has a better look to it than the ps3. the only thing i wish the 360 had was a gloss finish vs. a matte finish. as far as the connections, the 360 features hdmi/composite/component connections...plus additional support for optical audio. you have 3 usb ports, 2 memory card slots, connectivity for 4 wired/wireless controllers, and the power supply input. everything is very accessible and functions well. i do not like how large the power supply "brick" is. its obtrusive, ugly, and gets hot. but w/proper set up and ventilation, you should be fine. i do like how sony has a simple small power cord w/no large "brick". noise is also a factor, the 360 is loud compared to the ps3. but i imagine with ample video game audio, you won't tell a difference(i have a 40" lcd and 5.1 surround and i don't notice). all in all, its a great setup.

additional media features:
gone are the days where you just play games . now these consoles do all kinds of shit. the 360 can play cds, dvds(upconverts too), rip music, ipod/mp3 player support, customizable soundtracks for all games (w/ hard drive and a 360 exclusive), view photos, wi-fi ready(you need to purchase a separate adapter to make it functional), stream various media from digital cameras and windows xp PCs. as you see, there is a lot of shit you can do with the 360 with helps make it fully functional media center.

accessories:
with the 360 you can purchase, for $50, an hd-dvd player. this can be hooked up to your xbox. i still think its a good thing. its cheap and even though the format is dead, you still have access to over 300+ titles. and they are going cheap now. its helpful if you want to get a film on hd that's not on blu-ray. the xbox 360 controller is awesome! its feel right, has the rumble(for now a 360 exclusive), and is very responsive(d-pad is a little touchy). an underrated plus for the 360 is that the wireless controllers have a removable battery pack. if you wanna buy regular batteries you can swap out easily. if you have a rechargeable battery pack, which i HIGHLY recommend you can easily recharge the battery with an additional accessory called the quick recharge kit. this kit includes the recharge usb cable and the rechargeable battery pack for just $20. you must buy it. the reason why i said that having a removable battery pack was underrated is b/c the ps3 wireless controller doesn't have a removable battery pack...so, if the battery dies you have to buy another $50 controller. that's uncool. continuing on, you can purchase a steering wheel for racing games, a flight stick for flying games, a messenger kit to type in text messages to people, media remote, wireless gaming receiver that allows you to use your wireless accessories on a windows based pc, xbox live vision camera(much like the ps2's eyetoy), wireless headset, wireless network adapter, various faceplates to customize the look of your console, and additional memory cards. that's not everything but its the major shit that one would care about. again, theres a lot of shit to do if you wanted to maximize your xbox 360 experience.

xbox live:
with a broadband connection you can hook your shit up to the xbox live service with a free silver membership. this allows you to purchase various xbox live arcade games. these games range from arcade classics like pac-man and galaga, to original xbox live arcade games, puzzle games, old gen-console classics, and other various pick up and play games. these are a lot of fun and are so varied. i have purchased over 30 myself. these can be played co-op on split screen or on xbox live. these games cost a few bucks but you can always download a demo for free to check it out. i cannot stress enough the variety of games to choose from. check it out. w/xbox live you can also purchase various films in high definition. i don't do this b/c i like a hard copy. but its cool that you can do this. the selection is geared for mass appeal so you wont find a whole lot of art house shit. but they do have a good selection. they also have tv shows to download, music videos, and other media. you really should go through the marketplace and see what they have to offer. its a lot and overwhelming. another key silver membership features is the add-on content. this is stuff like, um, for example you just finished call of duty 4. well, you could go to the marketplace and download different characters to play as, more levels, different weapons, different modes, etc. each game usually has different download content to breath more life into these games. some people hate it some people like it. the haters say why not put all of that shit in the game upon release instead of making me pay for the developer's laziness afterwards. its valid to say that. for me, i don't mind paying a little extra for shit that's worth it. plus, a lot of this stuff is free. i've explained some pointers of xbox live w/the silver free membership level. if you wanna pay for a gold membership, which the amount varies depending on time limit. i pay $50 for a year. to me just over $4 a month aint bad for what you pay for and that would be online vs. or co-op gaming. some people don't play multiplayer. i use to be one of those but i just got into it. my gamertag is "INLAND 3MPIR3" (yes, "INLAND EMPIRE" was taken so i had to go "leet" on ya'll, sorry ) i like playing online but its not for everyone. true hardcore gamers are a different breed from film geeks, music snobs, book worms, and theater...um people? gamers tend to be very malnourished, pale skin, greasy complexion, hyper active, and a tendency to like really bad current alternative rock. if you are chatting online via headset, you may get annoyed at them. but they are not all bad. there are plenty of horror stories for your typical douche bag gamer. so be warned. also, with a gold membership you get access to marketplace items a week before silver members do. but other than that. gold just allows you to play with other freaks. on xbox live you can also chat online w/both audio and video capabilities, instant message people(like AOL style instant messaging), and there are contests to enter to win shit. its all fun. and its way ahead of the playstation network in terms of features and service. but playstation network is free when it comes to online gaming. but you get what you pay for. in the end xbox live is incredible.

dashboard:
this is your front end menu interface. this is what you do to play games, view movies, play dvds, cds, connect to xbox live, etc. you do all your settings here and can customize the look of your dashboard. this is done by either purchasing different themes and gamer pics on xbox live(free and/or a small charge) or using the different default themes and pictures installed. ps3's version of this is the XMB or cross media bar. the xbox dashboard is very smooth and has a better overall look to everything IMO. but the XMB is fully customizable and has a lot more settings to work with.

games:
this is where it counts...your console of choice can have all the features it wants but if it has shitty games...why buy the console in the first place. in terms of games, the xbox 360 is currently superior to the ps3. here are the facts:

[] xbox 360 has a larger library of games than the ps3
[] xbox 360 has a larger library of critically acclaimed games than the ps3
[] xbox 360 has a larger library of exclusives than the ps3

source: gamerankings.com

here are the current only on 360 heavy hitters: ace combat 6, beautiful katamari, bioshock, blue dragon, call of duty 2, command & conquer 3: tiberium, condemned: criminal origins, crackdown, dead or alive 4, dead rising, far cry instincts: predator, forza motorsport 2, gears of war, halo 3, kameo: elements of power, lord of the rings: battle for middle earth II, lost odyssey, mass effect, perfect dark zero, prey, project gotham racing 3 & 4, saints row, and viva piñata (and its sequel, viva piñata: party animals). now, there are more exclusives on the system than what i've mentioned. but these are the ones that have amassed critical acclaim. not only does the 360 have the exclusives, but if a game goes multi-platform like assassin's creed for example, 9 times out of 10 the 360 version is superior in both playability and graphically. this has to do with the fact that it is easier to develop games for the 360 and harder for the ps3. and another thing, if a game goes multi-platform, i almost always buy the 360 version b/c of the achievement points that i can earn.
the 360 also has an impressive list of 2008 exclusive games that will be released by the end of 2008: banjo-kazooie 3, fable 2, gears of war 2, left 4 dead, lost planet: colonies, ninja gaiden 2, splinter cell: conviction, and too human. there could be even more announcements at E3 during the summer. its an impressive list that could get even better. not to mention the xbox live service has a lot more and better arcade games to offer w/amazing stuff coming.

wild card factors:
here are some other things to consider when comparing the two consoles. money, and lots of it. microsoft is a greedy, monopolistic, and capitalistic corporation. well, all major corps are really. but they have the money and power to buy up developers, publishers, and/or key exclusives (timed or not). never underestimate the power of microsoft, greed, and the dollar bill. next thing; look at the major developers that are exclusive to the 360...rare, lionhead, and turn 10. rare is known for goldeneye, kameo, viva piñata, perfect dark, conker, and the banjo-kazooie shit. some people think that rare is a joke but i think that they are talented and make very good games. plus their art direction and presentation is gorgeous. lionhead is known for the movies, black and white, and the fable series. fable is way underrated. its a very important and solid action RPG. lastly, turn 10 is known for the forza motorsport series. i'm not a fan of racing games and i cannot speak from personal experience but critically and commercially, this games is aces. microsoft has more developers but these are the big ones and you will only get the games from these talented developers on the 360. [edit]: i forgot to mention the developer, mistwalker. while not an exclusive developer for the 360, microsoft financially backs them. which would mean that its very unlikely you would see mistwalker games on the ps3. the importance is that mistwalker is founded by the creator of the final fantasy series. i've played 2 games of theirs so far, blue dragon and lost odyssey, and i have to say that both are phenomenal and i can't wait for more. if you grew up playing old gen final fantasies and love the chrono cross/trigger games, then check out mistwalker. you know in order to be as unbiased as possible, there has to be mention of their faulty hardware. the 360 has been prone to crap out at a high rate. that's the whole 3 red lights web-shit you hear about. personally, i have yet to have problems with either my elite or premium console (knocks on wood). microsoft has taken steps to help this problem out by issuing a 3 years manufacture's warranty. that's a great thing and i am glad they did it. it puts buyers more at ease. at first i thought the hardware failure was related to the fact that there are to many dorks playing their shit way to long and not properly venting and cleaning the thing. but, there are a lot of people playing ps3's and their failure rate is way lower than the 360. i must mention the achievements too. i fucking love this shit. i like the whole concept. i like the fact that it's a nerd dick measuring contest. i like the unique and fun challenges these achievements bring. plus, it adds tremendous replay value to the game. for the first time i will play a game on the hard and very hard difficulty settings to unlock achievements. this, IMO, is a huge innovation for the industry. sony is copying it too for their online social network system called HOME. i've mention before how i will 99% of the time buy a multi-platform game on the 360 b/c of these achievements. another beautiful thing that microsoft has done is start the XNA studios. this gives everyone the tools to create their own games and make them public. i've played a few already and their is some amazing and creative, fun stuff from gamers out there. this is yet again, another example of the 360 innovating the industry. people now have the chance to create and display their own games. the potential is amazing and limitless. it's like a film student being handed a camera and told to go make your film then having it play in a theater. cool shit. lastly, i need to mention the firmware upgrades. both the 360 and ps3 do these often. these enhance and try to future proof your console. they can be small or of a huge importance(like divx playback and full 1080p support, etc.). the difference is that the 360 updates are whole lot faster than the ps3. just keep in mind that these firmware upgrades by microsoft add more and more features to your console.




PLAYSTATION 3






versions:
just like the 360, sony has issued multiple SKU's too. but they are a little more confusing than the way Microsoft has done it. also, you need to be careful which version you choose b/c you cannot upgrade it like you can the 360. here they are:

[]sony playstation 3 20GB[]
this model has been discontinued. some of these that i mention will be discontinued but they need to be mentioned in case anyone gets a used or refurbished system. this package includes the consol itself, the most compatibility w/ps1 and ps2 games, composite a/v cable, one motion controlled wireless controller w/recharge cable (fuck yes! nice sony) ,ethernet cable, support for the SACD format, and power cord. this is the starter system. for any casual gamers tracking down one of these is sufficient and will serve your casual purposes. the major features that are missing from this console are no built-in wi-fi functionality and no compact flash/memory stick/sd inputs. There is hdmi and optical audio support available but the cords are not supplied. its worth noting that the controller doe snot have a rumble feature and i don't care about that at all, but that's me. in april they will issue ruble controllers on the market though. i can see why they discontinued this model though.   

[]sony playstation 3 40GB[]
Thiss is the model that's currently yin production. The 40gb console includes: the console, built in wi-fi, no backwards compatibility w/ps1 or ps2 games, composite a/v cable, hdmi port and optical audio support (no cords included for both), one motion controlled wireless controller w/recharge cable, Ethernet cable, and power cord. Here are some features that are missing from this edition: no backwards compatibility at all w/ps2 games (ps1 is okay), no compact flash/memory stick/sd ports, SACD support, and there are 2 less usb ports on this system vs. the 20gb system. Its confusing why shit is like this , you would think that the larger the GB, the better and full functional the system would be. Since this system is still available, I would recommend this one for anyone who doesn't give a shit about playing ps2 games, not caring for memory stick/sd/compact flash shit, or no need for SACD support. People who don't want to hassle trying to find the discontinued 20gb system should check this out. b/c all in all it's a solid system.

[]sony playstation 3 60GB[]
This sis what I own, and I believe it to be the best one to find. Here's why: in this package you get the console, the 4 usb ports, on emotion controlled wireless controller w/recharge cable, built in wi-fi, composite a/v cable, ports for compact flash/memory stick/sd, SACD support, Ethernet cable, hdmi port and optical audio support (no cords for both), and the most compatibility w/ps1 and ps2 games. This model has been discontinued and its well worth tracking down. Its the most fully featured of all the ps3 system out there, even more than the 80GB. I would say that this is the system for the hardcore gamer. You have all the features as well as backwards compatibility with older playstation games. The fact that is doesn't have an 80Gb hard drive is a mute point b/c the ps3 is compatible with various laptop hard drives and you can easily upgrade your hard drive to 250GB on the cheap. I wish it was this easy for the 360 but it isn't and their 120GB hard drive is outrageously expensive. Props to sony for making this easy w/the ps3. if you can track one of these down....BUY IT! Its the best sku.

[]sony playstation 3 80GB[]
I'm getting tired of typing this shit but i'll keep going....but anyway, this is the other version of the ps3 that's still available. It includes: the console itself, the 4 usb ports, on emotion controller wireless controller w/recharge cable, built in wi-fi, composite a/v cable, ports for flash/memory stick/sd cards, SACD support, Ethernet cable, hdmi and optical audio ports (but no cables included), the most compatibility we/ps1 games BUT LIMITED compatibility with ps2 games. The reason why its limited is b/c the 80gb ps3 doesn't have the actual "emotion engine" hardware(basically, a ps2 inside of a ps3) like the 60gb does. Instead, the 80gb has ps2 software emulation, which limits the compatibility with ps2 games.
In conclusion, if all you wanna do is just play games and mainly ps3 games, then stick w/the 20gb, if you wanna play games online and don't care about ps2 games, than get the 40Gb. if you want the most deluxe of all the ps3's that includes all the features, then get the 60gb. This is for the hardcore gamer. Lastly, if you want the features and don't mind limited backwards compatibility w/ps2 games, then get the 80gb. Just remember, whichever sku you choose, don't let the actual hard drive amount be the deciding factor. b/c you can easily upgrade the hard drive. Just pick the console w/the included features that means most to you. Damn, isn't this shit confusing?

appearance: I do think the ps3 has a great look to it and i love the gloss finish. It looks very reminiscing of todd and margot's cd player that got crushed by an ice cycle from national lampoon's Christmas vacation. Bur for overall shape and contour , I like the 360 more. The ps3 has options for composite/component/hdmi/optical audio, all the usual; shit. The best thing about the ps3 is that it is QUIET! Plus, I like the simple power cord instead of that brick thing that the 360 has. Its crazy to think that with all the power that the ps3 has (more than the 360), its so damn quiet. good stuff sony.

additional media features:
ah...this is where the ps3 kills the 360. the ps3 is more featured packed than the 360. you can do more with it. some major differences is that the ps3 includes a blu-ray drive. Just like hd dvd, blu-ray is so damn impressive and worth every penny to get one. I've said before, anyone who has interest in film should check into the HD stuff. Either HD-dvd or blu-ray, just buy it. the fact that the ps3 already includes this, just like the ps2 spearheaded standard dvd, is only more reason why the ps3 is a great investment. Sony took a gamble and won with blu-ray. But there is a possibility that microsoft could release a blu-ray add on just like they did w/the HD dvd add on. But that's all "when and if". The ps3 plays, cds, dvds (upconverts too), includes ipod compatibility, blue tooth compatibility, web browsing, view photos and other media, and digital camera streaming, divx support, etc. one of the coolest features is that it comes with a web browser. While not the best functioning browser, it's still something else that the 360 doesn't offer. You can also install linux OS to your ps3 and have a virtual mini computer. The ps3 is defiantly more featured pack than the e360 and there are so many various setting and options to tweak and fuck around with. Just like the 360, sony releases several firmware upgrades that adds significant improvements and additional features to your console. For instance, the latest upgrade, 2.20 gives your ps3 the blu-ray live profile. The list of past upgrades with included features is impressive and more varied than the updates issued by the 360. but the 360 still offers very excellent firmware updates too.

accessories:
here are a list of the major accessories for the ps3: the playstation eye (which puts "you" into the game and offers a variety of video and microphone features with in the games), play tv(which turns you rps3 into a DVR to record tv shows), Blue tooth headsets for online voice chat during games, Blue tooth remote for the blu-ray player, memory card adapter (which transfers your ps1 and ps2 data over to the ps3), composite/component/s-video/hdmi cables, and the optical audio cable. It's a great list of accessories just like the 360, but the DVR is a sweet addition. Don't forget the six-axis rumble wireless controller will be on the market for april 2008.  the whole collection of accessories, while nice, is lacking from the options that Microsoft offers.

playstation network (PSN):  
this is sony's answer to microsoft's xbox live.  PSN offers something major that xbox live doesn't...its fucking FREE for online gaming!  That's an incredible deal and this needs to be pointed out.  But, the presentation, content, and quality is not up to xbox live's level.  I am sure things could change and the PSN will improve in all facets, it remains to be seen if it will still be free.  As for a s content goes, you get PSN arcade games (full game and freed demos), some of which are exclusive to sony and some are on live also.  You also get free demos of  retail games, add-on game content, and a collection of updating ps1/ps2 classics.  PSN also offers downloadable full retail games such as warhawk.  While I haven't played the game, I have read reviews that majority side on the positive side...plus, it's all on sony's free online experience.  That's impressive. the layout of the PSN is rather ugly though, but that can and should change.  If you guys are on PSN my PSN id. Is "three-libras", look me up.    On the whole, I have been satisfied w/the PSN.  There needs to be improvement though.

XMB:  
the cross media bar or XBM, is to the eps3 as the "dashboard" is to the e360.  here you can tweak all kinds of updating options.  I really can't go into detail as to all the amount of options that you can tweak but suffice to say it blows the 360 out of the water.  The default presentation is a very simple scheme and its not very flashy like the 360 dashboard.  But the XBM is fully customizable!  As long as you have access to a CPU and usb portable flash drive, you can create your own themes and upload it to the ps3.  or you can search various websites and find user created ones for free.  Or you can check PSN and buy some.  The fact that sony is allowing users this freedom needs to be noticed.. good job sony.  The 360 offers various themes to choose from but all usually at a price.  However, the level of freedom and customization that sony offers is unmatched.

games: 
this has been an issue thats plagued sony through launch.  The amount of games (and quality games) pales to the 360.  but i do feel that change is on its way.  Lets look at the current games that are available on the ps3 that are exclusive.  I do no feel the need to cover multi-platform games for both systems in detail.  The purpose is to show what each system offers to the consumer thats mainly exclusive to either the 360 or sony.


Heres a list of current available ps3 exclusives that are worth a damn....the eye of judgment, folklore, heavenly sword, motorstorm, ninja gaiden sigma,  ratchet and clank: future, resistance: fall of man, uncharted: drakes fortune, warhawk, and unreal tournament III (timed exclusive...more on this in the wild card section).  That's less than half of what the 360 offers. Even with this "skimpy" lineup, I would still recommend a ps3 purchase easily.

Now lets check out confirmed important ps3 exclusives that will be on store shelves by the end of 2008...dc universe (mmorpg), eight days, gran tourismo 5, and gran tourismo 5 prologue, haze, infamous, jak and daxter, heavy rain, killzone 2, little big planet, metal gear solid 4, metal gear online, motorstorm 2, red dead revolver 2, socom, tekken 6, and wardevil. Notice a difference?  The ps3 has alot more high profile exclusives announced so far for 2008.  it seems that sony is gathering some momentum.  Again, there could even be more announcements of exclusives at E3.  metal gear 4 and metal gear online are huge!  I fucking love the metal gear solid series.  And the fact that MGS online has free multiplayer!  Fuck yeah.  Both the ps3 and 360 have a very impressive exclusive lineup.  You cannot go wrong on either one.  Gotta give it up to sony for making a great run and trying to keep up to the 360.

wild card factors: 
blu-ray.  That's enough to win this console war, possibly.  Besides the fact hat sony already includes this format in their console..you also need to take notice that developers are using the blu-ray capabilities for games also.  With the storage space of blu-ray that means better, graphics, better AI, better sound, better everything.  If developers decided like to make the blu-ray disc the format to develop games on, just like the blu-ray disc is the choice for hd film content, then the 360 is fucked.  Imagine all of those people, including me who purchased multiple versions of the same console and now you have to purchase another 360 with an included blu-ray drive.  That would fucking suck.  But i would do it L  of course that would piss off all current 360 adopters but Microsoft could remedy this by issuing a game on multiple discs.  It would be annoying to swap out all those discs like those old school PC cd rom games, but that's much better than having to buy another damn console.  If blu-ray doesn't become a standard for video game developing, then Microsoft should still provide a blu-ray add on like they did for HD dvd.  Another wild card to consider is think about the ps2....it was released in 2000 (right?)m well the mother fucker still sells and they still create great games for it, like um god of war II.  And they even port good psp games to the ps2.  their is still life left in the ps2.  and think about the history and library of quality games released for the ps2. you could go to a gamestop and have shopping carts full of quality gaming for life.  Then think about he ps1.  think about he library of ps 1 games out there.  Its the same damn thing.  Why would anything that the ps3 would be any different?  The ps3 will have an incredible library of games before the dust settles on the console forever.  I am thinking that the ps3 will have an unprecedented 10 year console life cycle!  You cannot argue the type of bargain you will have for the next 10 years for investing into a ps3.  its well worth it. Personally, I think the 360 will have a five year life span.  before 2011, the successor to the 360 will be announced. even though microsoft has great in house studio developement for games exclusive to the 360, sony has some big guns too and more of them.  the big ones..well, naughty dog: which is known for the jack and daxter series along with uncharted, incognitio: known for the twisted metal series and warhawk, bend studios: syphon filter series, sce santa monica:  god of war series, polyphony: gran tourismo series, team ICO: ico and shadow of the collosus, SOE online: everquest, zipper interactive: socom series, evolution: motorstorm series, guerilla: killzone series, and sce london: getaway and singstar.  thats simply incredible support and you will only play those games on sony consoles.  FYI, i still play the 360 more and i guess more in house developement doesnt always lead to better games.  Lets take a look at HOME, which is sony's virtual online community.  Its suppose to be free and allows users to create custom avatars and interact w/others in a virtual world.  I only know the basics of HOME, so forgive me for being brief but i do know that sony will finally have a system set up like the 360's addicting achievements.  Smart thing sony.  Look for HOME in the fall of 2008.  remember when I mentioned unreal tournament III?  Sony is taking a very bold step in allowing PC users to create/edit/cook mods for the ps3 version of unreal.  This is huge!  This allows unlimited freedom to create content for existing games.  This has potential to be an industry phenomenon.  The possibilities are endless and again sony allowed it...(first).  consider the powerhouse potential of the ps3.  its technically superior to the 360.  imagine how as time goes by and developers become more adjusted to the ps3's architecture, the game will look a few years from now.  Think about potential and the future.  Think about all the potential firmware upgrades to further future proof your ps3. 





final thoughts:  
well, after all of the shit, I would recommend a casual gamer to purchase a ps3.  the reason is that its more featured than the e360, will have a solid library of games, free online and blu-ray.  You cannot go wrong with buying a ps3.  you make sure you pick the right version though.  for a hardcore gamer I would recommend...BOTH.  the 360 has games that you must play and games that are currently only available on the 360.  if you are serious about games you need both consoles.  Bioshock is reason enough to own a 360.  keep in mind that whichever version of the 360 you choose, you can upgrade to the current highest technical version out there. I am excited for what both consoles offer and I truly believe that this is the time when video games will finally be respected as an important art form, critically, commercially, and personally from the mass media and consumers.  Game Over. 

[Chest Rockwell]

I didn't read the whole thing since I won't ever be getting either system in the near future, but I disagree with your sentiment that video games are "right up there" with film, etc., as an art form.

I was listening to an interview GameSpot's Greg Kasavin had with Ron Gilbert (creator of the Monkey Island series) in which at one point they talked about that exact topic, and I think I agree with Gilbert. His argument was essentially that video games won't become an art form until the technology plateaus and the business no longer becomes a game of one-upmanship for the best graphics or best AI. The thing with film was that once everyone got used to it experimentation ended, so audiences came to expect things like narrative arcs and character development or something engaging about the way the story is told or whatever, rather than spectacle. Video games as a whole are still too focused on achieving the most realism or whatever (hence, an independent game designer is really limited when compared to a major company, while an independent filmmaker can theoretically make as good a movie as a major studio), but I think one day it will definitely become an accepted commercial artform.

[Stefen]

Games are most definitely an art form. BioShock itself proves this theory credible.

[john]

John doesn't seem to really like anything. 

Ha.

I get that a lot, actually.

I think I just need to lower my expectations for things. Just like the child who sees a TV commercial, where the action figure is alive and blowing streams of fire, and lasers from it eyes - only to buy it, take it home, and be disappointed to realize it's just a dull chuck of plastic... I am a fucking idiot.

I might give this Mario another shot, though.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

 

...video games won't become an art form until the technology plateaus and the business no longer becomes a game of one-upmanship for the best graphics or best AI. The thing with film was that once everyone got used to it experimentation ended, so audiences came to expect things like narrative arcs and character development or something engaging about the way the story is told or whatever, rather than spectacle.

This doesn't quite make sense.

Filmmakers are always trying to one up each other.  Look at Beowulf, conceptually it should've worked, but it was hard to connect to, so it failed.  There are always fads that come up in movies that get repeated, movies function on that principle alone.  Distributors buy rights to popular foreign movies and wait till that particular genre is on the rise, then remakes or releases it.

Film and Video Games both reach to their audience and demand participation, whether it be playing the game, observing the details of the story, or in the case of Dragon's Lair, you for the most part watch a video game.

But just look at games like Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid 3, Mass Effect... This new wave of games is going above and beyond going from point A to boss B, get treasure.  Games are getting intricate, and their plots are getting so involving, we are truly seeing games with graphics good enough to feel like we're commanding a well rendered cartoon, and we're watching a story unfold.

I don't think the industry will have to plateau in order for games to be art, it's already here.  People want the complete and total experience from the game, and it's obvious we're getting it.

[Stefen]

Mass Effect is a GREAT example. I have it, but haven't gotten to it yet. Everything I've heard about it just seems epic.

[Chest Rockwell]

...video games won't become an art form until the technology plateaus and the business no longer becomes a game of one-upmanship for the best graphics or best AI. The thing with film was that once everyone got used to it experimentation ended, so audiences came to expect things like narrative arcs and character development or something engaging about the way the story is told or whatever, rather than spectacle.

This doesn't quite make sense.

Filmmakers are always trying to one up each other.  Look at Beowulf, conceptually it should've worked, but it was hard to connect to, so it failed.  There are always fads that come up in movies that get repeated, movies function on that principle alone.  Distributors buy rights to popular foreign movies and wait till that particular genre is on the rise, then remakes or releases it.

Film and Video Games both reach to their audience and demand participation, whether it be playing the game, observing the details of the story, or in the case of Dragon's Lair, you for the most part watch a video game.

But just look at games like Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid 3, Mass Effect... This new wave of games is going above and beyond going from point A to boss B, get treasure.  Games are getting intricate, and their plots are getting so involving, we are truly seeing games with graphics good enough to feel like we're commanding a well rendered cartoon, and we're watching a story unfold.

I don't think the industry will have to plateau in order for games to be art, it's already here.  People want the complete and total experience from the game, and it's obvious we're getting it.

But only very few elite games have that opportunity, only the ones with tons of money behind them. Whereas a filmmaker can theoretically make a movie people will like for $100 000, at this point that's impossible for games because production value is still so integral to the experience (so even while underground games may be enjoyed, they don't approach games backed by major labels). That's what I mean by the industry "plateauing"...that to some reasonable extent all video game designers will be equal and then the limiting factor becomes creativity, not money or time.

Obviously creativity exists just as it did in the early years of film, but at the same time there is certainly a relationship between the quality of a game and the level/length of production behind it.