How many games make a console 'worth it'

[razorrozar7]

I understand you probably dislike most of those games, but I'm just expressing how the PSP has impressed me more in the last six months of owning it than the DS has in the last 4 years. They don't settle for being "just a handheld game."

Admittedly, the PSP is a lot better than the DS, but I still got the DS for the FF remakes, and I've got a good number of games for it now, most of which turned out better than I expected.

PSP games are a lot harder to lose than DS games...

[The Space Pope]

Admittedly, the PSP is a lot better than the DS

wat

No seriously, in what regard?

[razorrozar7]

I'm thinking of the DS and Lite here, not the DSi, which some of this doesn't apply to, but:

Internet capability built-in.
MP3 playing.
Internet radio.
Photo storage.
Downloadable games that don't require a physical copy.
Looks WAY cooler.
Tiny analog stick rox. ^_^
Skype.
You can download movies and TV episodes off the PSN.
Better games- the only ones I have are Dissidia and Crisis Core but I like them better so far than any of my DS games.

...Need I go on?

[The Space Pope]

Is 'looking way cooler' a justifiable reason? That's a reason people give for liking Apple. APPLE! And that tiny analog stick has a nasty habit of breaking.

Also, many PSP games are simply ports of PS1/2 games, so I wouldn't use the PSP's game library as a selling point. But hey, whatever you're happy with, personally I wasn't happy with my PSP at all.

Not that I would waste money on a DS since several high functioning emulators exist for it.

Oh, and you can download DS ROMs onto a flashcard, so that's another point negated.

[razorrozar7]

I didn't ask you to agree with my opinion, I merely gave you my reasons for it.

Is there a fully-functioning DS emulator? I can never find one.

Also negating your last point negation, downloading games from the PSN isn't illegal.

[The Space Pope]

And neither is downloading DS ROMs in certain countries.

As for emulators, DeSmuME would be your best bet. no$gba is really falling behind.
DeSmuME isn't perfect, but as long as your computer isn't ancient you should be able to run it smoothly.

[razorrozar7]

Got it.

Let's call the ROMs/PSN thing a draw...

The DS is still a good system: touch screen, the concept of having two screens in the first place, no external memory required. I just like the PSP better.

[The Space Pope]

Yeah console wars aren't my thing, I was just wondering why you felt that way because it's a pretty rare opinion.

There's also a PSP emulator that is Java-based but it's pretty awful.

[razorrozar7]

For some reason Sony emulators are always worse than Nintendo. There's not even a functional PS2 emulator yet (though the same holds true for GameCube.)

[The Space Pope]

Actually, PCSX2 runs many PS2 games very well (provided your computer can handle it) and Dolphin emulates the GameCube great as well as offering some Wii support.

[razorrozar7]

Oh... I haven't kept up with the emulation scene for a while. Been too busy with real games.

[Carnage-]

Doesn't matter how many games make a console to me. It's all about how many of my friends are on it, and the quality that the games have.

[Wolf Kanno]

Did you really expect Ghostbusters, Bioshock and Fallout 3 to jump out and be must-play games??? The latter two have only gained that reputation from a gaming demographic and journalists with little experience with their predecessors. Most older fans say Bioshock has nothing on System Shock, and that the older Fallouts were better.

Bioshock is amusing for what it does and I don't really mind if its a knock off of a game I never played. Ghostbusters was actually pretty fun for the nostalgia alone which was the only reason I played it so chill ; and Fallout 3 is actually a very good game (mostly hated by old time fans who are annoyed their semi-famous game series has become mainstream and altered for the FPS crowd) my issue with it is the same I have with GTA or any WRPG or sandbox title which is that I generally find the extra missions more interesting than the main plot and eventually get bored wandering around doing side missions cause the main story is weak for my tastes and easily lost in the extra content. Its still a good game but it just feels really aimless.

My point is that you're claiming to have tried all these different games but you've had nothing to do at all with the JRPG's on the console. Three of which (I already listed) are pretty damn good and absolutely revered for what they've done for the subgenre.

It's just weird that you're judging the PS3 based on your experiences with every genre under the sun except for the one you actually like

Well, I do play other genres you know.

I'm also moving out of my comfort zone because as you kinda pointed out, the PS3 has been around for several years and finally has three really good games mostly released in the last 9 months. Which is competing with my DS which has a ton of JRPGs released on it of which some of the best have been released in the last four years alone. The titles might be great but they haven't caught my attention enough to move me away from supporting another console I have. My issue is the PS3 can't win my affection cause its library of titles I'm really interested in is pretty small and the genres I like are either poorly supported (JRPGs) or I don't like the selection available (Fighting Games) so its hard not to go somewhere else for my fix. Though I did finally pick up Demon's Soul today so you can stop getting on my case about it mum.

That's partly why I've been playing outside my comfort zone to see if certain genres have changed enough to be fun for my eclectic taste. You should be proud of me, I haven't touched an FPS since my friends use to force me (kicking and screaming I might add) into Halo 2 matches a few years ago. Lost a few friends that way... I've played more racing games (well demos...) in the last six months than I have in the last 20 years.

I admit I haven't tried everything but it still stands that the library for my taste is lackluster cause my PS3 has to compete with three other platforms (four since I still buy PS2 games) so I feel it is somewhat fair to say I'm disappointed a little. The Wii has more games I'm looking forward to than the PS3 in the next year (none of which are Nintendo standby's actual 3rd party games) and the 3DS hasn't even come out yet and its already got games announced for it that will make me buy it on launch day (MGS3/Persona/Megami Tensei oh my!). My point is that I bought a PS3 to see the other side of next-gen gaming and it was not to be my main gaming platform, I wouldn't mind if it did become it but sadly it competes with three other platforms I play and its usually the one I neglect the most cause it offers the least for my needs.

As far as the PSP and DS thing, I guess that's just our tastes. Games like Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest VI are infinitely more appealing than anything else I've seen on the platform (well, except for maybe Dragon Quest IX ).

You really need to just take my advice and dive into the MegaTen series. Devil Survivor and Strange Journey are just awesome games and not exactly for the causal RPG player. You also never mention one of the best DS titles ever, The World Ends With You, which is easily the quintessential DS title and quite possibly the best game to come out of Square-Enix. 358/2 is a pretty fun action RPG once you get used to its controls and I've been pretty happy with my Castlevania titles. I'm still surprised I've owned the system for four years and don't own one of the main Pokemon games yet.

And I'm not trying to get you excited for VC2. It's just a prime example of a game that aims to surpass its home console predecessor in everything except graphics. Peace Walker seemed to do the same thing. I know someone whose favorite God of War is Chains of Olympus. Gran Turismo and Motorstorm brought the actual driving experience perfectly to handheld form. And Fireteam Bravo 3 could go feature-for-feature with any recent online shooter.

I understand you probably dislike most of those games, but I'm just expressing how the PSP has impressed me more in the last six months of owning it than the DS has in the last 4 years. They don't settle for being "just a handheld game."

I don't consider most of the DS titles I play to be handheld games. Hell Strange Journey is actually the 4th Shin Megami Tensei game which is the series console flagship. DQIX is in the same boat. I don't consider handhelds to be inferior to their console brethren not since the Gamboy and Game Gear were out at least. Even then, their are some very noteworthy Gameboy titles that are on par with their console brethren

I don't feel I've played a "handheld game" beyond a simple puzzle title or adventure game on my handhelds in years. Really the GBA pretty much released full console caliber games imo. The DS continues to do so and the PSP releases many as well. I've played consistently better titles on my handhelds in the last few years than on the consoles. So I never get this silly PR Sony gives for making "full console caliber games" as its a bit misleading cause it only applies to certain genres. RPGs have been console worthy for years, since the GBA at least. Its only been titles that heavily rely on 3D that need the oomph and as you pointed out, they are not genres I care for. Sorry I need to rant, cause I don't believe in the old gaming rule that handhelds don't count.

Beyond that, I accept their are more games you may like on the PSP cause they cater to your taste.

[JKTrix]

(Portables are awesome)

Word.

As for the topic question itself, the only game system purchase I had to justify was the PS3. And half of the reason I got it when I did was because I was scared of them removing the backwards compatibility. Around the same time they were talking about the European PS3's release with its lack of PS2 play, Virtua Fighter 5 came out. So it was like a perfect storm of negative and positive reinforcement that made me get it early in '07.

As far as the 'what makes it worth it' question... I went to Japan in '06 and played a lot of Virtua Fighter 5 and loved it. To buy the arcade version would have cost several thousand dollars, so eating $800 to get a PS3 (after Bermuda Inflation) was a comparative bargain.

[asukaevaunit02]

Honestly, though, the PS3 wasn't worth it for the exclusives I thought I was going to get this generation. Ironically, it's the games I wasn't expecting that have totally made the console surpass my expectations. I've never really followed Sony's first party studios. But Little Big Planet, Uncharted, God of War, and Killzone are just a few examples of the insane quality and passion for gaming I never could have expected.

Same, I bought my ps3 mainly for Final Fantasy 13, which was a really big let down. Though I also bought it for backwards compatability to play FFX, the last FF I had played was IX about 5 years ago when ps1's were acient.

But I really enjoyed most of the other games I played before I got FF13, such as Burnout Paradise, Resident Evil 5, Valkyria Chronicles, Little Big Planet, all of which I have never heard of or thought I would ever touch. More recently also have gotten into Uncharted 2 and God of War, which are brilliant games! All of which I have enjoyed far more than FF13, which I mainly bought my ps3 for.