Console gaming?

[Mercutio]

I've somehow been roped into buying a game console for one of my cousins, on the grounds that I'm "the computer guy". He's almost 16, his parents are severe technophobes of the worst sort - my uncle is a writer who still writes with a manual typewriter and I've heard them refer to their VCR as "that blasted machine".

The boy wants a Playstation 2. AND an Xbox. And he thinks the new Metroid and Zelda games are neat (the console, incidently, is in lieu of a car, which is what he *really* wants).

No help there.

My personal opinion of console gaming has for a very long time involved five minutes of convulsive laughter followed by "Buy a PC". But that's not practical in this situation.


So as I go off to pay visit to a bunch of crappy console gaming sites, I think I'll ask: Does anyone here have any kind of opinions about console game systems? Must-have titles? Reasons why one system sucks more than the others?

 

[fool]

IMO that convulsive laughter hasn't really been justified for a while now, consoles are simpler, cheaper and more sociable than PCs. Of course what yo really want is both.

As far as which platform, Playstation 2, pro evolution soccer2 and the grand turismo series are so good they'd justify getting a PS2 even if your cousin already had a PC, an xbox and a car. 8)

BTW, Nothing wrong with manual typewriters, I've often found the only way to get something right is to write it out longhand or bash away on the Olivetti.

 

[Handruin]

I ended up with an xbox based on suggestions from a friend at work. We played Halo at his house a few times and it was rather fun. I also had a lot of fun with splinter cell with the sounds and graphics. I have it hooked up to my dolby digital and it sounds and looks great.

I played the hell out of sega GT2002 and now I'm moving onto Kungfu Chaos. I also play ghost recon from time to time using the xbox live but the game crashes frequently. I do wish for vice city, but I know it's only for PS2.

It's hard to recommend one console over the other, but what it all comes down to is the games. I only like FPS's on a PC so I'm not inclined to recommend them to anyone with a console, but there are some advantages. xbox live works rather well even if you hate microsoft for their money making tacktics. I vote for the xbox, but it's not a fair vote as I've only played vice city on the PS2. Don't get me wrong, vice city is great, but I think the graphics of the xbox are better.

 

[Mercutio]

My objections are based more on things like the relative richness of content in PC gaming (e.g. Doom wad files or highbrow titles like Civilization) and the superiority of available input devices. That and the unmistakable, horrible Japanese-ness of all things console.

Apparently, no one likes nintendo any more. That's kind of surprising.

 

[Handruin]

Well, if it's worth anything...because the xbox has a hard drive, I get game updates and new maps from the xbox live. I know it isn't as good as downloding 10,000 doom wad's, but it's a step in the right direction.

I can also get updates and maps from the DVD's that come in the xbox magazine. (which I've yet to subscribe)

I hate playing FPS's with a controller though, that's why I prefer the PC. If this person can afford a hi-def TV, the xbox will play up to 1080i.

 

[honold]

maybe no one likes nintendo, but some love them

the only games i really buy are first-party nintendo titles and game boy games. my girlfriend is playing wind waker right now while my roommate is watching, and she's been obsessed with it for days (before that ocarina of time, before that animal crossing...).

brian (roommate) owns a ps2 and he picks up the occasional 'must-buy' (e.g. gta3) but neither of us ever really play it. i mostly play game boy games because i'm a bit of a purist on console stuff.

i still fail to see any point in owning an xbox i have a pc so i don't give a shit about halo, and that's the only unique title it has that everyone loves. the thing is huge and loud and can't be stacked with other stuff, it's just a mess. i've been waiting for an excuse to buy one but it still hasn't arrived. perhaps online fighting games? dunno. i'm not xbox-bashing or gamecube-fanboying at all really, i have no reason to buy one yet.

i'd suggest a ps2 because of the gigantic library and the fact that it encompasses most gamers, especially 16-year old ones, very well. i'm 25, and most of my console-owning friends are strict nintendophiles. same is true of like-minded remote friends from irc, aim, msn, etc - all nintendo. guess it's just a mindset thing.

 

[Buck]

Buy the boy the whole series of Agatha Christie books and let him use his imagination.

 

[Bartender]

You're not being very helpful Buck.

 

[Handruin]

Buy the boy the whole series of Agatha Christie books and let him use his imagination.

Once he runs out of paper airplane ideas, what's he supposed to do with all that paper… origami?

 

[Buck]

Oh, I don't know Handy . . . maybe, READ! :shake2: :skepo: :shake2:

 

[Mercutio]

Buy the boy the whole series of Agatha Christie books and let him use his imagination.

I don't think he'd do too well in that direction. This is the "enjoys TV wrestling and NASCAR and Isn't-Wheel-of-Fortune-Hard" side of the family.

 

[Howell]

My brother has hooked his PS2 up to my 16:9 TV(story forthcomming). GT3 is OK although I really suck at it. He likes one RTS game (similar to AoE) that is difficult because of the controller. I sheer volume of games available for PS2 means he is more likely to find something he likes.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

My objections are based more on things like the relative richness of content in PC gaming (e.g. Doom wad files or highbrow titles like Civilization) and the superiority of available input devices. That and the unmistakable, horrible Japanese-ness of all things console.

Man if you really appreciate your young adult cousin, persuade him to buy a PC. It is exactly the same above reasons I believe a PC is better: More intelligent game titles.
For me a console should come only after you have a PC and mostly if age is <14.

 

[honold]

boy, you guys are really high-roading it here. i'll offer my congratulations for your superior intellect and wiser choices! :roll:

 

[Prof.Wizard]

boy, you guys are really high-roading it here. i'll offer my congratulations for your superior intellect and wiser choices! :roll:

Thank you. It's good you recognize our tenure in the field.

 

[Mercutio]

No PCs. His parents are basically afraid of the internet - and don't understand that the "internet" doesn't come with the computer. I already made that pitch and got shot down.

The distillation of my research:

Playstations 2s have lots of general-interest titles and compatibility with previous playstation games.

Xbox has nice graphics, a crummy controller and a decent selection of sports titles (I don't know whether that's a big deal or not).

Nintendo has Metroid and a small number of other compeliing titles, and a lot of games for younger kids.

 

[honold]

ps2 pros: vast library of games, good controllers, good dvd playback

ps2 cons: least powerful, online games are left to the game developers to serve/manage.

xbox pros: most powerful, average dvd playback, hdtv high-res output, most ambitious/intelligent online strategy

xbox cons: worst library, even the new controllers aren't very good

gamecube pros: small, dpl-ii sound, 480p output, consistently excellent 1st-party titles, ability to play all game boy (original, color, and advance) games via game boy player, good controllers, amazing wireless controller

gamecube cons: lacking 3rd-party titles, no dvd playback. most major games (e.g. splinter cell and tony hawk 4) get ported, but many important ones (grand theft auto 3) don't. no online strategy yet.

if i had to pick a single console for myself, the choice would be simple: buy a gamecube for $150 (which includes the game boy player now) and a wavebird wireless controller - i can't overstate how awesome those are. i love their first-party games (zelda, metroid prime) and i love game boy games (advance wars, golden sun, metroid fusion, etc).

if i had to pick a single console as a gift, i would opt for the ps2 because it's the most general-audience console with its huge libary of games, it has good controllers, and it has dvd playback (which matters to many people).

 

[honold]

forgot ps1 compatibility on 'pro's for the ps2, but this means less and less as time goes on. it's also worth mentioning that you need a ps1 memory card to save the games (lame!).

 

[Buck]

Nice synopsis Honold.

 

[Groltz]

.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3534319160&category=3537

:diablo:

.

 

[Fushigi]

A friend chip-modded his X-box. He streams video from his PC over Ethernet to the X-box and then to the TV. The X-box controller acts as the remote control. The software lets him select any divx/mpeg/whatever on the PC. Playback is quite smooth.

Seems like overkill to me, but the interface and usability are pretty nice especially with the wireless controller.

 

[honold]

modchips cost money, can screw up during installation, void your warranty, and can be detected by microsoft when you play online. coupled with the fact that there is a chipless exploit of the font renderer that allows people to boot linux / play pirated discs / whatever i think it's a bad idea

as far as being a remote divx player, yeah, that seems like a lot of work for it.

 

[Mercutio]

I ended up buying a nintendo. I liked the controller a little better, and it was the only system whose games my cousin mentioned by name.

 

[Handruin]

I'd love to play the new Zelda and Metriod, but I have too many other unfinished games at the moment that it would be rediculous. Plus, it would require me to buy another console system and I don't have any more space in my apartment.