what console should I buy?

[eestlinc]

I think I am going to buy either an XBox 360 or a PS3. I am leaning toward the PS3 for various reasons, but can be persuaded either way. I could also be persuaded to get some other game system. I hear the Neo Geo is pretty sweet.

[Psychotic]

Get whichever one your friends have.

[eestlinc]

I don't have any friends though! Except you guys!

[Dreddz]

The Neo Geo is indeed better than any modern console but you'd be better off buying a PS3 or 360 still. Actually getting hold of any worthwhile Neo Geo games is a pricey endeavour.

As for deciding between a PS3 and 360, I say flip a coin. If it isn't obvious which one you want immediately, then I don't think it'll matter which one you get. Both systems are great.

[Psychotic]

Oh I'm pretty sure the PS3 is the console for people with no friends. :smug:

(I'm just kidding, Bolivar, don't get mad at me!!!)

[eestlinc]

I suppose some of my friends play online on various systems and I just don't know it because I don't play with them. I could send out a mass email asking what system I should buy to play with them. That would be hilarious.

[The Man]

Which system has the most exclusive titles you want? That should probably be the one you get.

[eestlinc]

I don't know what exclusive games I want. I just want to play some fun games and my PS1 is getting kinda lame and old.

[JKTrix]

I will always vote DS

[Shattered Dreamer]

http://forums.eyesonff.com/general-gaming-discussion/127945-xbox-360-all.html

I'd recommend the PS3 but the pro's & con's of each console are fanboyed to death in the above thread :tongue:

[JKTrix]

I don't know what exclusive games I want. I just want to play some fun games and my PS1 is getting kinda lame and old.

I missed this one. If your PS1 is just getting 'lame and old' now, 14 years after its release, you can save yourself a lot of money and get a PS2. Got lots to catch up on.

[Shoeberto]

Do you like multiplayer games? 360.

Do you like single player games? PS3.

There's other stuff that factors into it, but those are pretty huge ones. PS3 has some of the most goddamn amazing single player experiences available, and the 360 makes multiplayer such a seamless, social event that it really can't be beat.

If you're in the middle of the road on that, well... yeah, start writing up a list of console exclusives and go off of that. MGS4 was the deal breaker for me, really. I'm not much of a Halo guy.

[Levian]

What made me get a PS3 was because my PS2 broke and I was left with a bunch of unplayable, yet awesome, PS2 games. I'm not familiar enough with the market to know whether or not they sell backward compatible PS3's anymore, but that might be an option if you want to play a bunch of now cheap PS2 games. The PS2 has a ton of exclusive titles.

If you want to play with Eoffers you should probably go for Xbox, although be warned that they only play boring games. BORING GAMES. :mad2: You know who you are!

[Raistlin]

I agree with Hsu. If FPS/multiplayer is your thing, definitely XBox 360. If your favorite games tend to be single player, then the PS3 has more quality single-player exclusives.

[eestlinc]

yea, there are plenty of PS2 games I could still play. Does the PS3 play PS2 and PS1 games? If not, I might just buy a PS2 on the cheap.

I'm more of a single player guy, usually.

I already have a DS, but I get sick on playing on a small screen.

[Shoeberto]

PS3s currently sold do not play PS2 games, but can play PS1 games fine. Of course, there's been rumors for years that Sony is going to patch in PS2 backwards compatibility, but eh... don't bank on it.

[drotato]

Hm... I dunno. I personally really want a ps3, but that's just because I love Sony's products. I'm not so sure what you should get. o:

[eestlinc]

that is really strange.

[Wolf Kanno]

I've been debating this question myself. Since my GF has abducted my Wii, I'm left to playing the DS and PSP for modern games. Though I've been doing some serious catching up on my PS2 games (Picked up Yakuza cause Dreddz recommends it highly ;) ).

I'm in the middle of deciding myself.

360:
Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey
Dead Rising
Lost Planet

Playstation 3:
Disgaea 3
Folklore
Demon's Soul
The Last Guardian
LittleBigPlanet
MGS4
Valkyria Chronicles

Just a smidge of the list I've been forming in my head. I'm mostly waiting for the MegaTen team to pick a side which might be a few more years from now...

[ljkkjlcm9]

360:
Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey
Dead Rising
Lost Planet

Playstation 3:
Disgaea 3
Folklore
Demon's Soul
The Last Guardian
LittleBigPlanet
MGS4
Valkyria Chronicles

Just a smidge of the list I've been forming in my head. I'm mostly waiting for the MegaTen team to pick a side which might be a few more years from now...

My roommate owns a 360, and I have a PS3, and I've honestly played every game on your list. Personally, none of those 360 games are better than those PS3 games listed. This is of course, why I got a PS3. The exclusives on the PS3 far outweigh the 360 IMO. I get to play both, but I would never buy a 360 for myself.

THE JACKEL

[NeoCracker]

You arleady said you are more into single player, so It seems PS3 is the likely choice for you. No need to pay for online you'll never make use of, and you still get access to all the DLC, though in some cases noteabley later then the 360 version, but you'll still get it.

And of course superior single player exlusives, like Valkeria for the SRPG fans, and Infamous for the action game fans.

[Iceglow]

OK, firstly Eest, I guess you didn't read the flame war fest that Yearg's recent 360 > all thread turned in to (gotta admit, I love stirring that up some for a while until I get bored of trolling the PS3 fanboys hehehe) Frankly, you're not going to get many good answers from this forum because we will just run in to the debate on games consoles and have another flame war however this is your main answer which I've said myself:


Get whichever one your friends have.


That really, is end of discussion. If your friends have 360's buy a 360 because you'll only end up feeling left out and bored when they're going on about how hardcore that halo match last night was and how you missed out by not having a 360. If however your friends have PS3's then buy a PS3 for the exact same reason. I brought my 360 because nearly all of my best mates had them already and I was pretty much masturbating over Halo 3 and Mass Effect by the time they got released, funny thing first games I owned for 360? Halo 3 and Mass Effect are definitely in that list, which shows I was also quite a late entry in the 360 gamer base but by that point I had my Xbox and my PS2 and was quite happy with the Xbox already and had begun to prefer it to my PS2 for pretty much everything including the RPG genre with the exception of the JRPG sub category because face it, there really wasn't any around at that time on xbox. Since buying a 360 I've had some of the funniest moments of my life, no overstating the facts. Tearing that 50 skill redneck halo player up for around an hour was so funny I had Psy crying with laughter, I didn't sleep that night but god it was worth it...it almost topped the Jackass events that took place on my 22nd birthday which reminds me Psy, next year I'm 25 we've gotta meetup for that and party.


I don't have any friends though! Except you guys!

Well you've pretty much answered your own question here Eest. Psy told you the only good piece of advice we can give which is to buy what your friends have. I've already said we're a very divided lot and the battle lines are thick and solid you won't get many 360 owners admitting the pro's of PS3 and same with the PS3 owners on terms of the 360's clear advantages in other areas. Therefore considering money is a problem you can't please everyone it's going to be up to you to decide whether the people on here with 360s are better than those with PS3s.

To answer a later question though:

Most retailers (well, going on the UK here) are only selling the slim PS3 consoles now apart from second hand, I generally won't reccomend a second hand console because most of them are near worn out when traded in and therefore you run the risk of buying it and having it die a couple of months down the line and not being able to return it or get the manufacturer to replace/repair it for free. The slim PS3 doesn't support the PS2 in terms of games at all though you can play PS1 games, however I am unsure if the PS1 discs will work on the PS3 or if you must download the game from the PSN. If I were you I would focus on getting a current gen console for what it is, current gen and use Psy's advice as a bible on the choice you make because from sounds of it for a while you'll have to live with that choice. In regards to wanting to play PS1 games since your console is dead I would suggest obtaining an emulator. The programs themselves aren't illegal it's the fact that most of them have ISO support and allow you to play pirated games that are mounted images and that is where they break the law. So long as you get a decent emulation software such as EPSXE you can pop a PS1 game in the disc drive on your computer and play it. If you do take the route of emulation for ps1 titles you kinda do have a benefit of buying the 360 as well which is the emulator so long as you're running windows will fully support a 360 wired controller with no adaptation to use on your pc just plug in the usb cable and away you go. This means not only do you get 2 pads for multiplayer mayhem and no need to recharge the pad to continue playing you're also sorted with the best controller possible for PC gaming too.

[Christmas]

I wanted to post something as long as the previous poster but after much consideration, I decided to cut it short and recommend a PS3 or a Sega Genesis. :bigsmile:

[Loony BoB]

I agree with the "buy what your friends have" answer. I would firstly ask people who game at the same time as you what they have. I know a chunk of EoFFers have the 360 but I'm not sure which of them will be online when you are. Likewise you really should ask which consoles your offline friends have and which games they play online (if any). Go from there. Consider exclusives, but keep in mind that regardless of the console you choose, you will be missing out on quality games and that's, sadly, just the way it is these days.

[Christmas]

I agree with the "buy what your friends have" answer. I would firstly ask people who game at the same time as you what they have. I know a chunk of EoFFers have the 360 but I'm not sure which of them will be online when you are. Likewise you really should ask which consoles your offline friends have and which games they play online (if any). Go from there. Consider exclusives, but keep in mind that regardless of the console you choose, you will be missing out on quality games and that's, sadly, just the way it is these days.

I know you got owned in Halo by your own team mates and totally cry and quit after that. :bigsmile:

[Meat Puppet]

Buy one and steal the other. I’d say buy PS3 and steal 360.

[Loony BoB]

I agree with the "buy what your friends have" answer. I would firstly ask people who game at the same time as you what they have. I know a chunk of EoFFers have the 360 but I'm not sure which of them will be online when you are. Likewise you really should ask which consoles your offline friends have and which games they play online (if any). Go from there. Consider exclusives, but keep in mind that regardless of the console you choose, you will be missing out on quality games and that's, sadly, just the way it is these days.

I know you got owned in Halo by your own team mates and totally cry and quit after that. :bigsmile:
I got owned in Halo 3, yes! Not so much by my own team mates, but more so by my friends who enjoyed being on the opposing team so they could, I guess, own me a little more regularly. But then I got bored of Halo 3. The same maps, the same guns, the same 'job' (well, there aren't jobs), the lack of my own skills in FPS games... the most fun I had in Halo 3 was when I completely gave up on being any good at the game and instead grabbed the nearest buggy and drove around shouting stupid things like a mad nutter. But eventually that got boring, too, and I moved on.

I played Halo 3 far longer than most games though, and I fully reccomend it. I just can't stick to one game for that long - right now I'm playing Lost Odyssey (still not finished it as I keep getting distracted by other games), Dwarf Fortress, Football Manager 2010 and Dragon Age. I fully reccomend all of those games, too. :D

As an owner of an Xbox 360, I would say it is definitely worth having for Mass Effect alone, but maybe that's just me.

[Rye]

360, if you want to play with friends, because then you'll play Halo 3. I know, everyone's just said it, but I really have to reiterate that Halo 3 is THAT fun. There's only two games in about 3 years that have gotten more than a few hours attention out of me, and that's Halo 3 and (just recently, though I doubt it'll continue since what everyone says about it) Spore.

Halo 3: ODST is fantastic too. Super recommend it.

[JKTrix]

I'm curious about how many people actually have both systems (that work).

[Rocket Edge]

Pretty much what BoB said in his first post. I'd also like to make a point about multiplayer on both systems. I don't see how the 360 has better multiplayer than the PS3. I think people are throwing it in there because the PS3 has better single player games, and they are looking for a reason too counter it on that basis. If it does, enlighten me, but there is a great amount of features online that the PS3 offers (and of course it's free).

[Bolivar]

Oh I'm pretty sure the PS3 is the console for people with no friends. :smug:

(I'm just kidding, Bolivar, don't get mad at me!!!)

RAAAAAAGEEE:mad2:

:p

Anyway, people already know my opinion on the topic, I could send pages upon pages why, but you can pretty much know what i'm getting at by psy's quoted post above.

Mostly I would just step in and say DO NOT listen to the "buy what your friends have" argument (unless that really is all that you're gonna buy the console for). Dude, seriously, you're a gamer, you enjoy video games, you should buy the console that has the most games you want to play, the most games in the future you want to check out, and overall the genres you're most interested in. I would say the libraries are pretty diverse from each other on both consoles.

If you do end up coming to the darkside, I would highly recommend (and I can't say this enough) getting a refurb 60GB model or 80GB model WITH 4 USB slots, keep in mind the 80GB models with 4 and NOT 2 USB slots are backwards compatible, all 60GB models are as well, so not only can you play your PS2 collection, you can upscale them as well (and have infinite memory cards on your hard drive :)). I got a 60GB model for $299 in Dec. '08, so they're only about $280 right now at Gamestop.

[Nifleheim7]

Get a PS3.
Demon's Souls should be enough of a reason.Even if it's the only game you'll ever play on the system,your purchase will be more than justified.:D

[Mirage]

I've been debating this question myself. Since my GF has abducted my Wii, I'm left to playing the DS and PSP for modern games. Though I've been doing some serious catching up on my PS2 games (Picked up Yakuza cause Dreddz recommends it highly ;) ).

I'm in the middle of deciding myself.

360:
Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey
Dead Rising
Lost Planet

Playstation 3:
Disgaea 3
Folklore
Demon's Soul
The Last Guardian
LittleBigPlanet
MGS4
Valkyria Chronicles

Just a smidge of the list I've been forming in my head. I'm mostly waiting for the MegaTen team to pick a side which might be a few more years from now...

Lost Planet is also available for PC and PS3.

Also keep in mind that the 360 will get an exclusive MGS too in not too long.

[Shoeberto]

Lost Planet is also available for PC and PS3.

Also keep in mind that the 360 will get an exclusive MGS too in not too long.
Nope - Metal Gear Solid: Rising is coming to PS3 and 360.

[Mirage]

I knew that! I was just testing you guys!

[Yeargdribble]

Are you into games like Halo, Gears of War, and Call of Duty? If the answer is "no" or "not really" then get a PS3.

I'd agree in saying the PS3 has the stronger single-player exclusives library as well.

[JKTrix]

Replace 'Call of Duty' (which is on the PS3) with 'Left 4 Dead 2' (which is not) and that particular point is stronger.

[eestlinc]

I'm not a big fan of Halo. I'll either get a PS3 or save my money and get nothing.

[Loony BoB]

To be honest, if you're really not desperate to get a specific console then you're probably better off just sticking with your PC until you come across a game or two that can sway you into buying one. That game for me will be FFXIII Vs.

[I Don't Need A Name]

For someone who is a single player person, then saying 'Get What Your Friends Have' is a very pointless point anyway. All my friends have an X-Box 360...and I still bought the PS3 cause it is the better console, with the better exclusive games. You can't say Left For Dead either, cause it's on PC...and Call of Duty is on PS3 as well (and don't say its better on 360 cause it's exactly the same but with a more retarded controller)

[JKTrix]

On the contrary, the 'DualShock' controller is my least favourite. It's mostly the d-pad structure, the location of the parallel joysticks, and the convex L2/R2 triggers on the DS3 that knock it down for me. I do prefer the flat face buttons of the DualShock more than the rest though.

(And I know L4D is on PC, but I don't think the PC is a candidate here)

I've kind of made it a point to not argue against the PlayStation, partly because this is a place where most people would be PS Loyals but mostly because it is not 'clearly worse' than the 360. I own both systems, and if I truly didn't like the PS3 I wouldn't have it. It definitely has a decent library of worthwhile games now.

But I do prefer my 360 despite its technical flaws. For every MGS or LBP on the PS3 I can probably take 2 or 3 decent 'exclusive' 360 games you haven't heard about off my shelf. And because you haven't heard about them, they wouldn't do much to persuade you in that direction. I prefer its controller layout overall for 3D games, and I get my multiplatform games for the 360 unless there are special circumstance. Like Batman being better on PS3. Or buying two copies of Virtua Fighter, Soul Calibur and Street Fighter.

The PS3 is definitely more focused with its exclusives. I would agree that they hit the highest marks more consistently than the 360. A lot of the 360's exclusive games are simply exclusive because it was cheaper to develop for that platform, and as such don't have the outrageous production quality of the average PS3 exclusive. It's a similar story with the downloadable games. PSN might have more focused, more consistently 'top' games, but I could still balance out those with multiple XBLA titles.

I'd say you can't really go wrong with either system, which is what really makes the decision difficult.

As for some more practical advice, Black Friday is this week. There are bound to be some kinds of deals on games and game systems, even well before Friday. Amazon is usually pretty good with matching or doing better than what retail stores put together, so you might want to keep an eye on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Outlet/b/ref=bf_video?ie=UTF8&node=409566&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-2&pf_rd_r=0020GT17EEX73N0MJP4D&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=501069431&pf_rd_i=384082011) too.

And, you can still get a PS2.

[ljkkjlcm9]

I'm curious about how many people actually have both systems (that work).

I don't own a 360, but my roommates is hooked up to the same TV as my PS3. And I certainly do play it, as I do have over like 6000 gamer points or whatever. I also own 360 games, but not the system personally. My PS3 however, is definitely my favored of the two.

THE JACKEL

[Yeargdribble]

Replace 'Call of Duty' (which is on the PS3) with 'Left 4 Dead 2' (which is not) and that particular point is stronger.

Good point about it not being an exclusive. I was speaking more from the point of view of those types of games and their multi-player aspects being favored to the 360 whereas single-player tends to be stronger on the PS3.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

Personally, it was the game selection that brought me over to the PS3. The Xbox's library has never been appealing to me with the exception of a handful of games. If someone like gave me a 360, I wouldn't complain but I doubt I see myself buying one anytime soon.

I think the game library is more important than "what you friends have" unless you prefer multiplayer experiences, which then it comes into play. If you play mostly single players then look at the games for each console.

Also, there's still plenty of PS2 games that I want/haven't finished, so if you didn't have a PS2, that'd be a cheap alternative! Sadly, Sony dropped backwards compatibility a long time again so only the first gen of PS3s have it. Aside from purchasing and downloading PSOne titles from the PSN. :/

[Yeargdribble]

Although I'd pick PS3 over Xbox due to library, when I was recently in a position to get a 360 cheap (and missed it) I did some research on the library and found a good number of exclusives that appealed to me and my wife though most were not marquee titles. This has convinced me to pick up a 360 full price anyway in addition to a PS3.

Also, I wouldn't bank on the PS3 getting PS2 compatibility any time soon. I was hopeful forever, but I think Sony is more likely to just start offering PS2 games on PSN that you can play on your PS3 rather than actually reinstating BC. It's just a smarter business model for a company that's ailing. I'm mildly hopeful, but I'm sure as hell not holding my breath.

If you're absolutely itching for a console of this gen for any specific titles I'd highly recommend getting a PS2 slim since they are dirt cheap. You're likely to find one pretty damn low with all the Black Friday stuff going on. Honestly, if I see a PS2 slim in even a moderate price range I'm going to buy it as a backup for my fat and just move the fat to another room or something.

[Dreddz]

On the contrary, the 'DualShock' controller is my least favourite. It's mostly the d-pad structure, the location of the parallel joysticks, and the convex L2/R2 triggers on the DS3 that knock it down for me. I do prefer the flat face buttons of the DualShock more than the rest though.

I find it funny when people complain about the triggers on the DS3 as I find them to be the most improved aspect from the DS2 to the DS3. They have a nice springy feedback which feels really good when you play racing games. I don't think I could play another Wipeout without them to be honest.

Although (and I'm not aiming this at you JKTrix) I've always thought that people who complain about game controllers are just desperately trying to find something to bitch about. I've never had any real issues with any controller and have never stopped myself from buying a system because of the controller. Even the Dreamcast's controller didn't bother me, and that thing was almost as big as the console itself.

[Wolf Kanno]

I can understand controller issues though, the defining choice for me when I bought me SNES was to have a workable controller for SFII. Its not that I dislike the Genesis controller but trying to play fighting games on it was a nightmare without a special controller.

I think the only controllers I've ever disliked were the Sega Saturn (flimsy and never felt like it had good response time), the N64 (Just no...), and the Atari Jaguar.

I feel all three major console systems this generation have pretty good controllers overall.

[Slothy]

I think the only controllers I've ever disliked were ... the N64 (Just no...)...

Despite having an almost useless L button and D-pad, I'll give it credit where credit is due for having the most responsive analog stick of any console. Ever.

At least until Mario Party broke them all. :D

[eestlinc]

the winner is PS3

[Psychotic]

War. War never changes.

[Shiny]

Xbox 360 is definitely better for multiplayer gaming with friends. A lot of members on here have it; including me. I can only think of about six members who have a PS3.

[Bolivar]

Congratulations, eestlinc, welcome to the dark side, be sure to drop us your PSN name!



Although (and I'm not aiming this at you JKTrix) I've always thought that people who complain about game controllers are just desperately trying to find something to bitch about. I've never had any real issues with any controller and have never stopped myself from buying a system because of the controller. Even the Dreamcast's controller didn't bother me, and that thing was almost as big as the console itself.

While I do agree with you that most people complaining about the controller are grabbing for straws (and I too love the L2 & R2 triggers for racing games like Motorstorm - they're like pedals!), I have to say that it's uncomfortable for my hand size when playing long, multiple-hour sessions of FPS games. I actually bought a Mad Catz after Modern Warfare 2 came out because I just couldn't take it anymore. For everything else, though, especially fighting and racing games, the DS3 is my favorite controller.

[guffman]

Nintendo 64 for the win!