Which Next Gen console should I get?

[Liam]

Now, I won't be looking to get one for a little bit (since I have no money), but I have had the PS1 and the PS2, so naturally was going to pick up the PS3. However, every time I go into a gamestore, I feel the push towards the X-Box 360. Cheaper, more games (better, to some degree)....I don't know what to do.

Also, with regards to the PS3, whats the status of the European PS3's when it comes to backwards compatibility now? That was one of the main reasons the PS3 appealed, but if anything is fucked up, then I'd rather hold onto the PS2 and get an X-Box, I guess.

Oh, and I wouldn't want a Wii, before it gets mentioned.

[Vilge Duin]

Between the two... I would have to honestly say Playstation 3.

Before getting all three I flip flopped about wondering what we should get, and after getting all three I had plenty of uncertainty about which was the best investment. Although truthfully, with our 360 just breaking after almost 4 months I'm a bit biased against it.

I personally find that of the 360 games we have and that I have played just about every one of them I have truly enjoyed was also on the PS3 as well (Call of Duty 4, Assassin's Creed, Stuntman, Guitar Hero, etc.). And when it comes to exclusives the PS3 is ever so slowly, but surely, catching up in number and quality. Next year should especially make this apparent.

From a console hardware standpoint, the PS3 is better in countless ways. Albeit I love the 360's controllers.

If the Blu-Ray capability doesn't phase you nor any of the other multimedia applications, then it comes down strictly to the games. Taking out multi-platform... It's a matter of, do you prefer the idea of Halo, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Blue Dragon, Dead Rising, Gears of War, Dead or Alive, etc. over Ratchet, Warhawk, Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, Motorstorm, Resistance, Eye of Judgement, etc? If so, 360, if not, PS3.

The Xbox Live Arcade trumps what the PS3 has available in downloadable games regard. The Wii's Virtual Console wins soundly though...

The PS3 is a better overall system from an operating/construction standpoint, with exclusive games that I find to be personally just as fun if not moreso. The download service stuff goes to the 360 with them being middle ground with online (Xbox Live costs money but runs better, although the PSN is starting to function better). But the PS3 wins out, at least for me, when it comes to future games.

I personally see the PS3 as a better investment, but you probably wouldn't go wrong either way.

The red ring of death will get you though eventually... yay going a month without your console...

As far as backwards compatability... I think only the 40 Gb lacks it, and otherwise it's done through software emulation. I have no idea if it's any good or not. Hamster will probably be able to answer on that better when he inevitably posts.

[Benji]

Try, y'know, the pinned thread for suggestions and recomendations young Liam

EDIT: Actually fuck it, I'm just going to tag everybodies threads.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Benji O' Doom~!

[Benji]

ARMBAR!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Playstation Home

If this interests you, then I'd suggest PS3 will have a far richer online community than the 360 come mid-08.

[Reddaye]

This is a tough call for sure. A few months ago I would have said get a 360 without hesitation but the PS3 is slowly making strides to catch up. In the end the reason you're buying a console is the exclusives. Vilge already posted a pretty good list up above so I won't bother regurgitating it.

Personally I play my 360 A LOT more than my PS3, but I tend to buy multiplatform games like COD4, NHL 08, Assassin's Creed, etc for the 360 instead of the PS3. From my experience they run smoother (I also heard strange rumors that The Orange Box on PS3 runs like shit), and tend to be released earlier on the 360.

In the long run though I believe the PS3 is going to be better off. There's already issues with the 360 having less disc space than needed, and not having a HDD as standard has reflected itself on games like Mass Effect. The PS3 is the technical powerhouse this generation (although the PS2 was the weakest of the three and still destroyed everyone...it's anyone's ball game). Sony made the right move with Blu-Ray IMO.

Xbox Live completely destroys PSN, no questions asked there. If you want to play online, get the most demos, etc then the 360 is the big kid on the block.

As far as the red ring of death goes, I've had my 360 for two years now, play it constantly and haven't run into any problems. No one else I know has had issues either, but that's not to say there aren't problems. People saying it happens to every system is a load of shit. There are problems, but you're not 100% certain to get the problem (supposedly the newer models reduce the chances too). Sometimes you get lucky, I guess.

Anyways it comes down to a few things:

360:

- Superior online

- Larger library of games

- Most multiplatform games run better

- All it's various exclusives

PS3:

- Blu-ray player

- Playstation Home, if you're into that kind of thing

- More horsepower under the hood

- Once again, it's various exclusives

Both have issues besides that, but those are some of their brighter points.

Edited December 12, 2007 by Drifter_2000

[9 to 5]

PS3, so we can play together.

[Dan]

PS3Xbox360, so we can play together.

[Captain Eo]

PS3, so we can play together.

[Gongsun Zan]

360, so we can play with Slogger's mom.

[Liam]

Try, y'know, the pinned thread for suggestions and recomendations young Liam

EDIT: Actually fuck it, I'm just going to tag everybodies threads.

I've used that thread before, it sucks balls as no-one replies.

[Captain Eo]

360, so we can play with Slogger's mom.

[Maxx]

I'm not sure if disc space is going to matter this generation. Very few companies have shown any desire to develop to fill all that space. Even if it does become a problem, 360 can just release games with multiple disk. There's no way a sports game or a shooter is ever going to use all of PS3's disc space.

[stokeriño]

The extra expense for an Elite = yay or nay?

[Dan]

I would.

We get the video store this month so the extra space is worth it.

And if you have a HDTV it's even better.

& of course, the black looks lovely

[King Ellis]

If you're likely to take advantage of the various downloads on Xbox Live then I would say yes. I am constantly pushing the limits of my 20 (more like 13) GB hard drive. Just playing your games can take up a bit of space, what with saves, DLC etc. Then you have demos which can run 500mb-1gb+, game trailers, HD video and Xbox Originals (multiple GB) and it all adds up.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Just get an Arcade Pack for £199.99 (available in Gamestation with an extra pack free which gives a second wireless pad, Viva Pinata and Forza) and spend the £120 getting a 120gig hard drive. That way you also get the little memory card with arcade games that come with the Arcade Core pack (which now also has a wireless pad instead of wired) and the Arcade Pack is built the same as the Elite inside AND has the HD lead.

Also, the £99.99 HDDVD player deal which comes with five free HDDVDs is a ripoff - cos you have to send off for the five DVDs and you can only choose from a selection (2 out of 5 from pot A, 2 out of 5 from pot B and 1 out of 3 from pot C). I could only pick three that I'd actually want to watch or have watched and enjoyed.

[King Ellis]

Blockbusters has some interesting deals: http://www.blockbuster.co.uk/dvd/are_you_l...mes_/194197.htm Some decent games in their bundles there.

And apparently they sell the Viva Pinata/Forza 2/Wireless Controller pack seperate for £20-30 so that's also good. Not 100% sure on that though.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The Pinata pack has, typed all over it "Not for individual sale" or something like that - it's a Microsoft thing purely to buy with consoles...It IS worth £107.97 though which is pretty classy. If they're selling separately then they're naughty naughty.

[stokeriño]

As far as I can tell from the Gamestation website, getting the Panata etc. pack costs an extra £20 (£219.99). Now, to get the hard drive on top of that as suggested above confuses me a little bit, since the only 360 hard drive on the Gamestation site is some 20GB thing for £69.99 that doesn't seem to be properly available (or at least, isn't in stock) - no idea why the 120GB version isn't showing up, but whatever. But in any case, if it is 120GB for £120 as said above, that makes the whole package cost £20 more than the equivalent Elite + Panata etc. package (£319.99), so I'm not sure why that would be preferable.

Edited December 17, 2007 by stokeriño