Cons: Lack of impressive games; awkward controller; expensive.
The Bottom Line: They got the image thing down, and Halo is a masterpiece, but I worry that XBox may not be able to pack in the quality of it's competition.
dopple's Full Review: Microsoft Xbox 360 Core System White Console
Seeing as I reviewed PS2 and Gamecube, I figured I may as well weigh in on the XBox, having got some good playing time under my belt and a few strong feelings about it.
Honestly, I don't have the best feelings about XBox. It's not merely that Microsoft is a newcomer to the gaming market - Nintendo and Sony's first consoles, the NES and the Playstation, were both huge successes and excellent machines that revolutionized the industry, so theres not exactly a history of freshman blues in this area. I don't even really fear it will die out anytime soon - Microsoft is the richest corporation in the world headed up by the richest man on the planet. Not only are financial problems unlikely or not unfixable if they do arise, but the company has an amazing amount of influence in just about every sect of business and shouldn't have any trouble with 3rd party developers or marketing. So it's here to stay, at least for a good amount of time. It has sold well, too.
It's also a mighty strong system - the most powerful console out there, and has a built-in harddrive and broadband internet support.
It's not a failure by any means. It is probably a better overall execution than the Playstation 2, which made all the mistakes the original Playstation avoided.
But there are enough cons to make me weary.
First off, the petty things: the controller is pretty bad. Luckily, Mad Catz released a decent alternative, but the controller that ships with the system is horribly thought out, from the troubled spacing of the buttons, to it's awkward size & shape. Disappointing especially since Microsoft did a lot of research and testing to make the most durable and comfortable controller around - and it is indeed tank-like and curved for comfortable grip...until you start playing games with it. Maybe it won't make one's hands hurt from 24-hour play like a normal controller, but it doesn't play half as nice as the thumb-busters out there.
GAMES: this is where it really counts, isn't it? For all it's power, money, & strength, the system just doesn't have a lot of impressive games yet. This is why I liked the Gamecube: it launched with only a few exclusive games, like Rogue Leader, Waverace, Super Monkeyball, Luigi's Mansion & Pikmin (closely followed by the smash hit, Super Smash Bros.), but they were all very fun & inventive.
XBox may have a lot of exclusive games out right now to accompany the system, but few real winners. In fact, only three: HALO, which is REALLY REALLY good; Dead or Alive 3, which is good competition in the fighting genre for Tekken; and Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee - which is pretty fun. Surely it's large team of developers will cook up more good titles in the future, but this could be a trend for Microsoft's XBox: lots of games, few worth owning. Nintendo is keen on the strategy of slightly fewer games, but better quality in what is released. And Playstation had a year's head start to cook up a lot of hits and is backward compatible w/ the awesome Playstation One game library - so XBox seriously comes into last place as far as games go.
One possible mistake could be the gearing of the XBox to only one demographic - adult males. Almost the same way Nintendo neglected older gamers with the N64, Microsoft is catering to them exclusively. It may be a lucrative market, but it's also not too bright to forget about the kids who will be growing up playing video games and tend to get loyal to their fun-sources, thereby giving Nintendo and Sony an advantage in the long haul. Nintendo has finally proven willing to grow up, and Sony has been catering to all genders and age groups since they got into video games. XBox even specifically designed it's controller for large, strong man hands! And it's games are all very "mature", which creates masterpieces like Halo, but could neglect cute, simple fun like say Pikmin or a Mario game.
My last XBox gripe - and this may enter into the petty category, but I think it's a tad lame that the XBox costs just as much as a Playstation 2, but not for the same reasons. The PS2 is pricey because it's not just a video game system, it's a CD/DVD player as well. That's why Nintendo's Gamecube is $100 less. But the XBox's DVD capabilities are as of yet locked out, and you need to pay even MORE money to activate them, which is fairly lame. If your marketing a gaming & entertainment unit at the same price as the compeititions, don't hold main functions ransom. Luckily all the competition in this market has kept Microsoft from excersizing the same stupid schemes they've been able to get away with in the computer industry, but that's a small reminder of where this console is coming from.
Theres one point that is bothersome about both Microsoft and Sony, and that is they're lack of focus and dedication. Bill Gates said, before the XBox was released, that he is already looking forward to the XBox 2, which he is much more excited about. Sony has already begun serious work on the Playstation 3. I really fear that not too much time will pass before these companies are turning us on to a new system, and phasing out the current batch. Once they do, Nintendo will likely follow. This could really alienate consumers, and knock down the quality of the consoles. If these companies spent more time just getting the most of the systems that are currently out and stop trying to meaninglessly advance the technology, gamers would be much happier. Right now, the technology is at a point where we enjoy very crisp, realistic graphics: how about we focus on gameplay now, fellas? That's something that has lacked in a lot of the newer systems, and will only get worse as they keep shoving new $300 purchases on us and games become merely technology demos. They could get many years out of the current consoles if they just started focusing on games, which are the most important aspect. At the rate their going, we could see the early 80s video game industry collapse all over again.
Anyway, enjoy your XBox if you have one, there is fun to be had. But I personally prefer the Gamecube and think even the Playstation 2 has a little more to offer. But it's all preference, and gaming should be about a little liesurely fun - so have at it.
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