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I've titled this post "Xbox - an opinion". I was going call it "Xbox - a verdict" but that sounds conceited, and gives the impression that my thoughts are final and correct. That's not the case, so I stress that this is my *opinion*. You may agree, you may not; but don't rant at me about it. I do not care if you agree or disagree, I am simply giving my thoughts in the hope that you find them useful in deciding whether or not to buy one for yourself.
-----
I was looking at screens and videos of Halo on the Xbox all day yesterday, and got a strong urge to buy one.
So, after I got home from work, I went to my local Tesco's and bought one, together with a second controller, Halo and Project Gotham Racing.
I plugged everything in and powered it up. First thing you're presented with is the settings screen - very similar to the PS2's in what it offers, the main difference being that you can set 60Hz mode here, which is then used for all games - pretty cool. My major dislike about the menus and front-end is that it's all in shades of green, but that's just personal taste.
Other minor things I noticed were that (a) the machine is just as noisy as my PS2 (i.e. not very) and (b) there is a constant clickling sound from within - which I assume is the hard disk - but which you don't notice once a game is playing.
First game loaded up was Project Gotham Racing. This is the game that, according to Xbox magazine (not the official one) "makes GT3 look dump".
I can categorically say that this is not the case. The cars are well realised, but they just don't have the polish (no pun intended) that the cars in GT3 have. They're good, accurate models, but somehow don't have that 'real' look to them; they're more 'very lifelike cartoon' than photorealistic. The colours are bold and strong, rather than the subtleties of GT3.
Tracks are well designed, but the scenery again looks a little bland. There's plenty there, but the textures aren't particularly well detailed, with colour used in 'blocks'.
Replays are good, though again not up to GT3 standards. Reflections in the cars are a little blocky, and tend to move quite jerkily overy the surface of the car. And believe it or not, I did see pop-up in certain areas, and jaggies are just as evident here as in GT3; i.e. they are there, but are not significant. In terms of appearance, it probably falls somewhere between Ridge Racer V and GT3.
In terms of gameplay, it's good enough. The handling isn't anything like GT3, but then it's not supposed to be, as this is more of an arcade racer. It falls somewhere between GT3 and Burnout, I'd say. As with GT3, there are only 5 other cars in the race. Driver AI is also similar to GT3 in that cars will hit you if you're in their way - you can turn into a corner nice and smooth, and cars around you don't really deviate from their pre-determined racing line.
I have also found a fairly major bug! Quite frequently, when re-starting a race and having an automatic gearbox, the car suddenly goes into reverse gear and revs the engine without me touching a thing! Then when the countdown reaches "Go!" the car takes off backwards! I have found that some frantic pressing of the left (brake)and right (accelerate) trigger buttons solves the problem, but it gives the other cars one heck of a head start, and many times I've had to re-start the race again immediately.
Over all though, it's a solid arcade racer, similar to MSR on the Dreamcast. The only area this does have an advantage is the sound, because the music is presented as radio stations you can listen to, as in GT3 - but *real* radio stations, such as Capital FM and XFM. But in all honesty, I don't believe the over-all product is a patch on GT3.
Next up is Halo, the reason I bought the machine. The mother of all FPS games, apparently. And it really is rather good. You know how FPS games play, so I won't go into great details. What takes most getting used to is that you can only carry two weapons at any time, adding a significant strategy element to the game. As far as I have played, this hasn't really been an issue, as I've so far only had pistols and assault rifles in various forms; this may well become more of a factor later in the game.
At certain points you must control vehicles - so far I've only encountered the Warthog, and this is proving fairly difficult to control; you control acceleration with the left analogue stick, and steer by rotating the camera with the right analogue stick. Sounds easy, but wait until you try it... it's not!
While Halo certainly is a very good FPS game, I stand by my earlier claim that Edge magazine got it wrong; it's not 10/10 for me. The enemy AI is good - enemies duck for cover behind structures and shields - but it's not perfect; when they do come out, so far they have tended to run pretty much in straight lines and be fairly easy to kill. The main problem comes from the numbers that can attack at any one time. It is a very good game, but so far I wouldn't say that it is significantly better than Medal of Honour: Allied Assault or a few other PC FPS games. It certainly doesn't acheive anything that the PS2 (and probably Gamecube) couldn't do.
And finally, a few words on the controller. It is a little on the large side, and I find it a little painful after prolonged play. It's okay using the analogue sticks (though it feels very odd with them being offset as they are), but when needing to use the A, B, X or Y buttons, I find I have to re-adjust the grip of my right hand, otherwise it stretches the muscle between my thumb and forefinger, which eventually leads to cramp. I get the feeling that they could have reduced the size of the pad by about a third if they'd done away with that bloody great Xbox logo in the middle.
The A, B, X and Y buttons are also too close together for my liking, and I find myself distracted and having to look down at the pad to make sure I'm pressing the right one. When you consider the size of the pad, this seems quite ridiculous. Still, hopefully I'll get used to it.
The 'rumble effect' built into the pad is also not as good as that of the DualShock 2; it is very weak in comparison, and - for example - does not give the same level of feedback in PGR as the DualShock 2 does in GT3.
So, what about the over-all package?
Well, after my first play of both games, I was left feeling a little flat, not really knowing what to think. It certainly didn't 'wow' me as the PS2 did when I first got it. In fact, after an hour, I turned it off to watch some TV, and at one point contemplated returning it.
But after a few more hours playing time, I've pretty much decided against that, although I don't think I'll be buying any more games for it for a while; I'll just have to see what comes along. It *is* a good machine, but I've not yet seen anything that I don't believe could be done on the other platforms.
Others have mentioned that they plan to sell their PS2 to help fund an Xbox. That's their choice, but I would say don't be too hasty. Get some quality play time on some of the games available first, because you may not be as impressed as you think. I am lucky that I could afford an Xbox without trading in; I can tell you in all honesty now that, had I traded my PS2 for the Xbox, I would be kicking myself and regretting it severely.
This is my honest, unbiased opinion as an owner of both machines. Make of it what you will.
-----
I was looking at screens and videos of Halo on the Xbox all day yesterday, and got a strong urge to buy one.
So, after I got home from work, I went to my local Tesco's and bought one, together with a second controller, Halo and Project Gotham Racing.
I plugged everything in and powered it up. First thing you're presented with is the settings screen - very similar to the PS2's in what it offers, the main difference being that you can set 60Hz mode here, which is then used for all games - pretty cool. My major dislike about the menus and front-end is that it's all in shades of green, but that's just personal taste.
Other minor things I noticed were that (a) the machine is just as noisy as my PS2 (i.e. not very) and (b) there is a constant clickling sound from within - which I assume is the hard disk - but which you don't notice once a game is playing.
First game loaded up was Project Gotham Racing. This is the game that, according to Xbox magazine (not the official one) "makes GT3 look dump".
I can categorically say that this is not the case. The cars are well realised, but they just don't have the polish (no pun intended) that the cars in GT3 have. They're good, accurate models, but somehow don't have that 'real' look to them; they're more 'very lifelike cartoon' than photorealistic. The colours are bold and strong, rather than the subtleties of GT3.
Tracks are well designed, but the scenery again looks a little bland. There's plenty there, but the textures aren't particularly well detailed, with colour used in 'blocks'.
Replays are good, though again not up to GT3 standards. Reflections in the cars are a little blocky, and tend to move quite jerkily overy the surface of the car. And believe it or not, I did see pop-up in certain areas, and jaggies are just as evident here as in GT3; i.e. they are there, but are not significant. In terms of appearance, it probably falls somewhere between Ridge Racer V and GT3.
In terms of gameplay, it's good enough. The handling isn't anything like GT3, but then it's not supposed to be, as this is more of an arcade racer. It falls somewhere between GT3 and Burnout, I'd say. As with GT3, there are only 5 other cars in the race. Driver AI is also similar to GT3 in that cars will hit you if you're in their way - you can turn into a corner nice and smooth, and cars around you don't really deviate from their pre-determined racing line.
I have also found a fairly major bug! Quite frequently, when re-starting a race and having an automatic gearbox, the car suddenly goes into reverse gear and revs the engine without me touching a thing! Then when the countdown reaches "Go!" the car takes off backwards! I have found that some frantic pressing of the left (brake)and right (accelerate) trigger buttons solves the problem, but it gives the other cars one heck of a head start, and many times I've had to re-start the race again immediately.
Over all though, it's a solid arcade racer, similar to MSR on the Dreamcast. The only area this does have an advantage is the sound, because the music is presented as radio stations you can listen to, as in GT3 - but *real* radio stations, such as Capital FM and XFM. But in all honesty, I don't believe the over-all product is a patch on GT3.
Next up is Halo, the reason I bought the machine. The mother of all FPS games, apparently. And it really is rather good. You know how FPS games play, so I won't go into great details. What takes most getting used to is that you can only carry two weapons at any time, adding a significant strategy element to the game. As far as I have played, this hasn't really been an issue, as I've so far only had pistols and assault rifles in various forms; this may well become more of a factor later in the game.
At certain points you must control vehicles - so far I've only encountered the Warthog, and this is proving fairly difficult to control; you control acceleration with the left analogue stick, and steer by rotating the camera with the right analogue stick. Sounds easy, but wait until you try it... it's not!
While Halo certainly is a very good FPS game, I stand by my earlier claim that Edge magazine got it wrong; it's not 10/10 for me. The enemy AI is good - enemies duck for cover behind structures and shields - but it's not perfect; when they do come out, so far they have tended to run pretty much in straight lines and be fairly easy to kill. The main problem comes from the numbers that can attack at any one time. It is a very good game, but so far I wouldn't say that it is significantly better than Medal of Honour: Allied Assault or a few other PC FPS games. It certainly doesn't acheive anything that the PS2 (and probably Gamecube) couldn't do.
And finally, a few words on the controller. It is a little on the large side, and I find it a little painful after prolonged play. It's okay using the analogue sticks (though it feels very odd with them being offset as they are), but when needing to use the A, B, X or Y buttons, I find I have to re-adjust the grip of my right hand, otherwise it stretches the muscle between my thumb and forefinger, which eventually leads to cramp. I get the feeling that they could have reduced the size of the pad by about a third if they'd done away with that bloody great Xbox logo in the middle.
The A, B, X and Y buttons are also too close together for my liking, and I find myself distracted and having to look down at the pad to make sure I'm pressing the right one. When you consider the size of the pad, this seems quite ridiculous. Still, hopefully I'll get used to it.
The 'rumble effect' built into the pad is also not as good as that of the DualShock 2; it is very weak in comparison, and - for example - does not give the same level of feedback in PGR as the DualShock 2 does in GT3.
So, what about the over-all package?
Well, after my first play of both games, I was left feeling a little flat, not really knowing what to think. It certainly didn't 'wow' me as the PS2 did when I first got it. In fact, after an hour, I turned it off to watch some TV, and at one point contemplated returning it.
But after a few more hours playing time, I've pretty much decided against that, although I don't think I'll be buying any more games for it for a while; I'll just have to see what comes along. It *is* a good machine, but I've not yet seen anything that I don't believe could be done on the other platforms.
Others have mentioned that they plan to sell their PS2 to help fund an Xbox. That's their choice, but I would say don't be too hasty. Get some quality play time on some of the games available first, because you may not be as impressed as you think. I am lucky that I could afford an Xbox without trading in; I can tell you in all honesty now that, had I traded my PS2 for the Xbox, I would be kicking myself and regretting it severely.
This is my honest, unbiased opinion as an owner of both machines. Make of it what you will.
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LondonLad wrote:
Im
> sure the XBox is impressive, but for variety and playabililty of games, it
> hasn't beaten the PS2 yet!
The games on the Xbox are similar to the ones on the PS2. But the good games on the Xbox arent going to be on the PS2. Halo is an amazing game, that surpasses every FPS on the PS2 and could even be one of the best FPS's ever.
DOA3 is a great beat-em-up. Doesnt offer much in new features.
PGR is another good game e.t.c. All the games are very good. They may not beat PS2, but they are on par with PS2 games if not over par with them.
Im
> sure the XBox is impressive, but for variety and playabililty of games, it
> hasn't beaten the PS2 yet!
The games on the Xbox are similar to the ones on the PS2. But the good games on the Xbox arent going to be on the PS2. Halo is an amazing game, that surpasses every FPS on the PS2 and could even be one of the best FPS's ever.
DOA3 is a great beat-em-up. Doesnt offer much in new features.
PGR is another good game e.t.c. All the games are very good. They may not beat PS2, but they are on par with PS2 games if not over par with them.
adrian wrote:
Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good
> games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they
> are, but because they are on Xbox nearly all PS2 owners overlook them as being
> rubbish.
******** With al due respect adrian, I thnk u and the other fiercely pro XBoxeres are slightly missing the point....
Yes the XBox is undoubtedly a top spec machine and COULD eventually blow everyone else out of the water. Also, Im sure the launch games are visually spectacular and are playable (even now, I dont think PS2 has really done itself justice in regard to next-gen gmaes!!!) However, what I (and I think others) are arguing is that its simply too early to purchase an XBox.
If you already have a PS2, it must still be enjoyable and it has more to come (surely), so why spash out nearly £400 on a machine which ,at present, is hardly light years ahead of the competition!?!?
Perhaps its better to wait for the GameCube and then next chrimbo think about the XBox - by then, 9 months on, it will be clearer the direction which the 3 major contenders are heading!
Although having said all that if you have money to burn, then buy all 3 now! lol
Im sure the XBox is impressive, but for variety and playabililty of games, it hasn't beaten the PS2 yet!
Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good
> games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they
> are, but because they are on Xbox nearly all PS2 owners overlook them as being
> rubbish.
******** With al due respect adrian, I thnk u and the other fiercely pro XBoxeres are slightly missing the point....
Yes the XBox is undoubtedly a top spec machine and COULD eventually blow everyone else out of the water. Also, Im sure the launch games are visually spectacular and are playable (even now, I dont think PS2 has really done itself justice in regard to next-gen gmaes!!!) However, what I (and I think others) are arguing is that its simply too early to purchase an XBox.
If you already have a PS2, it must still be enjoyable and it has more to come (surely), so why spash out nearly £400 on a machine which ,at present, is hardly light years ahead of the competition!?!?
Perhaps its better to wait for the GameCube and then next chrimbo think about the XBox - by then, 9 months on, it will be clearer the direction which the 3 major contenders are heading!
Although having said all that if you have money to burn, then buy all 3 now! lol
Im sure the XBox is impressive, but for variety and playabililty of games, it hasn't beaten the PS2 yet!
adrian wrote:
> Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good
> games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they
> are
Ah, yes - but then everyone else would be saying they were crap! :-)
I originally flipped for Xbox over Wreckless, but having read numerous reviews, it seems it is actually all looks and little substance.
Now, if Xbox GTA3 looks like that, I may consider buying it again. :-)
> Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good
> games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they
> are
Ah, yes - but then everyone else would be saying they were crap! :-)
I originally flipped for Xbox over Wreckless, but having read numerous reviews, it seems it is actually all looks and little substance.
Now, if Xbox GTA3 looks like that, I may consider buying it again. :-)
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> So WM, tell me how the Xbox launch games actually compare to the PS2 launch
> games- not games like GT3 that came out months later!
Well, PGR is probably equivalent to Ridge Racer V, thought slightly more involving.
Halo is graphically nicer TimeSplitters and obviously has a better Story mode, but in terms of fun and playability, it's probably pretty even.
DoA3 which I got today, I haven't played yet - but I doubt it's much different to DoA2, which I also had. DoA3 is undoubtedly better than Tekken Tag, but then I've always said the same about DoA2 on the PS2.
In terms of playability, which is the most important thing, there's not a lot between them, in my opinion. In fact, many of the Xbox launch titles are remarkably similar to those available at PS2's launch. Graphically they may be slightly better (than launch games), but then with a 2-year gap in graphics technology, that's to be expected.
> So WM, tell me how the Xbox launch games actually compare to the PS2 launch
> games- not games like GT3 that came out months later!
Well, PGR is probably equivalent to Ridge Racer V, thought slightly more involving.
Halo is graphically nicer TimeSplitters and obviously has a better Story mode, but in terms of fun and playability, it's probably pretty even.
DoA3 which I got today, I haven't played yet - but I doubt it's much different to DoA2, which I also had. DoA3 is undoubtedly better than Tekken Tag, but then I've always said the same about DoA2 on the PS2.
In terms of playability, which is the most important thing, there's not a lot between them, in my opinion. In fact, many of the Xbox launch titles are remarkably similar to those available at PS2's launch. Graphically they may be slightly better (than launch games), but then with a 2-year gap in graphics technology, that's to be expected.
yeah adrian i agree with you, i like to stay open minded to any games that interest me on other consoles, i think i will get either a cube or xbox in the near future, when i can see what they have to offer after a few months or so
sPiKe2k wrote:
> I must admit that i was tempted by the xbox, but now i am not so sure as only
> one game really sounds worth it and that is Halo.
Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they are, but because they are on Xbox nearly all PS2 owners overlook them as being rubbish.
> I must admit that i was tempted by the xbox, but now i am not so sure as only
> one game really sounds worth it and that is Halo.
Look at DOA3, PGR, JSRF, Ralli sport, Wreckless, Amped e.t.c. all good games that if on the PS2 many PS2 owners would be raving about how good they are, but because they are on Xbox nearly all PS2 owners overlook them as being rubbish.
I must admit that i was tempted by the xbox, but now i am not so sure as only one game really sounds worth it and that is Halo.
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> So WM, tell me how the Xbox launch games actually compare to the PS2 launch
> games- not games like GT3 that came out months later!
Sonic
For me the Xbox launch games are so far ahead of the PS2 launch games.
> So WM, tell me how the Xbox launch games actually compare to the PS2 launch
> games- not games like GT3 that came out months later!
Sonic
For me the Xbox launch games are so far ahead of the PS2 launch games.
So WM, tell me how the Xbox launch games actually compare to the PS2 launch games- not games like GT3 that came out months later!
Sonic
Sonic
From perosnal experiance, the GC is definitly worth buying! And so cheap - oh, the delights Nintendo throw at us......!
;-)
;-)
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