what console should I buy?

[Bolivar]

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

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

RAAAAAAGEEE



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.

[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 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.