Console advice...

[Brett P]

So I have a Wii. I love it lots. But lately I've been more drawn into gaming than in years and I'm starting to desire more "proper" gaming experiences than the Wii can offer.

So I'm considering getting a 360. My brother has one but he's on it all the time so I'd need my own (+ for online and stuff). Thing is...I HATE first person shooters and "realistic" driving games. My bro tried to teach me how to play Halo 3 last night and I just found it impossible to control.

Even after 40 mins I was still useless. I can never get the hang of using one stick to move and one to constantly change the camera and also trying to shoot and change weapons and jump whilst constantly moving etc etc. And I keep walking into stuff. I really don't like FPS and this just reminds me why. I need to have a character I can see infront of me! lol

So with alot of the "best" games being considered to be FPS's is it worth me investing in one of the "proper" gaming consoles? I mean my main draws at the mo are Fable 2, Resi 5, Alone in the Dark plus upcoming Mavel games like Web Of Shadows and Ultimate Alliance 2 (which will prob be crap on Wii).

I'd never played a Resi game before 4 on the Wii and I just love it. However, now I'm worried that I would struggle even with an engine like that using a normal controller coming from the wii controls. Do you think that's a valid worry?

My favourite game series is Zelda and my main type of game is action/adventure, beat em ups, fantasy stuff (though not turn based rpgs) and platformers. What sort of titles might suit me on 360? Assumedely I shouldn't have any problems controlling the likes of Fable or GTA? What about something like Assasins Creed?

Thanks in advance for any advice and info! :)

[Hitokiri]

I'd say get a PS3 along with MGS4 when that comes out, Uncharted, and Ratchet and Clank Tools of Destruction but since you're talking about the 360 then I would get Ninja Gaiden II when that comes out along with Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit if you like DBZ fighting games. And I don't think there's any games like Zelda on the 360. For the Wii you could just get Okami. That's the best Zelda-like game ever. Good luck with whatever you choose to get and have fun.

[bobellis75]

get a PS3. I have a PS3 and a Wii and they cover everything I want to do as far as gaming goes.

[BlairH]

Ignore all advice in this thread and just try a selection of games on each of the main platforms. Then decide which ones you like best.

[Brett P]

The PS3 is a no go, it's too expensive...plus I REALLY want Fable 2 lol

When my bro gets back from his friends I can try out Assasins Creed and Crackdown.

Really I'm mostly worried about struggling with controls. I mean I've never been able to control FPS so I guess I shouldn't be too worried but I'd hate to shell out and then find that I couldn't get on with Alone In The Dark or Resi 5 'cos I'm so useless...

[BlairH]

The PS3 is a no go, it's too expensive...plus I REALLY want Fable 2 lol
Well, it is a 360 exclusive...

Really I'm mostly worried about struggling with controls. I mean I've never been able to control FPS so I guess I shouldn't be too worried but I'd hate to shell out and then find that I couldn't get on with Alone In The Dark or Resi 5 'cos I'm so useless...
Just remember, left stick=legs, right stick=head. Move with the left, look with the right.

[Brett P]

Just remember, left stick=legs, right stick=head. Move with the left, look with the right.

Yet as simple as that sounds, I'd still made no progress in nearly an hour of Halo...it's like that pat your head rub your tummy thing...except I can do that lol

[Deep_Sleeper]

Personally speaking, if I had the money to get a gaming system, I'd most likely buy a PS3. That's on the basis that it's got MGS4 and it will come out with God of War 3.

Most other games are available for both the 360 and the PS3. Although, I did notice a lot of games run smoother on the 360 as opposed to the P33.

I'm terrible at FPS with the controller, so I know where you're coming from.

[Astonishing X-Fan]

Some games you might want to try out on the 360:

Kameo(Probably the closest to Zelda the 360 has...very underrated game)

Dead Rising(lots and lots of zombies to kill in many different ways...word of warning: it's pretty hard)

Tomb Raider Legend(An overlooked platformer/puzzle game)

Dead or Alive 4(you said you liked beat-em-ups, this one is pretty to look at and fast-paced)

Crackdown(think GTA, but you're a cop with superpowers)

Ninja Gaiden series(The first one is an original XBOX game, but it's backwards compatible. The second game, for 30, is out soon)

GTA4(an obvious choice)

I would really reccomend practicing getting used to FPS controls, though. Some awesome games on the 360 are first-person shooter or use similar controls...Halo, Bioshock, Orange Box, CoD, Gears of War, Oblivion...plus it'll help with games like GTA and Crackdown.

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot this: Devil May Cry 4

[Brett P]

Some games you might want to try out on the 360:

Kameo(Probably the closest to Zelda the 360 has...very underrated game)

Dead Rising(lots and lots of zombies to kill in many different ways...word of warning: it's pretty hard)

Tomb Raider Legend(An overlooked platformer/puzzle game)

Dead or Alive 4(you said you liked beat-em-ups, this one is pretty to look at and fast-paced)

Crackdown(think GTA, but you're a cop with superpowers)

Ninja Gaiden series(The first one is an original XBOX game, but it's backwards compatible. The second game, for 30, is out soon)

GTA4(an obvious choice)

I would really reccomend practicing getting used to FPS controls, though. Some awesome games on the 360 are first-person shooter or use similar controls...Halo, Bioshock, Orange Box, CoD, Gears of War, Oblivion...plus it'll help with games like GTA and Crackdown.

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot this: Devil May Cry 4

Thanks for the reccomendations. I actually bought Kameo cheaply to play on my bro's 360 a while back but I've never got the chance to play it yet lol. I've got Tomb Raider on Wii...is it better on 360? How about Bully? I just started playing that on Wii. I'd be interested to know how the different control methods for each console affect the gameplay overall.

Of that list my brother has Crackdown and Oblivion aswell as Assasins Creed and stuff like Halo and CoD4. I reckon I might be able to manage FPS in the one player story mode...the online multiplayer was just too fast and furious and my bro and his mates are like experts.

Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden sound interesting. I remember ninja gaiden from back in the 90's! What's Mass Effect like?

[Hitokiri]

Mass Effect is an RPG made by Bioware. The combat system is not turn based but rather real time. Guns are the primary weapons and the graphics are amazing.

[2-4-5_Trioxin]

I say a ps3.

1- Ps3 controller is about the best controller ever for a console.
2- It can play blu ray movies for HD content.
3- Its damn quiet from a running standpoint.
4- Its in its 2nd generation of games so its finally getting the good stuff coming out.
5- Those points aside almost all major releases are put out on 360 and ps3 (exclusives aside) like grand theft auto 4, so for most games they come out cross platform and the previous 4 reasons are good ones to pick a ps3.
6- You can play your past ps1 and ps2 games.
7- Comes with built in wireless.
8- It has free multiplayer and coming soon is sonys very promising "home" which looks to expand the free multiplayer greatly and even adding achievement like things called trophies.
9- From a design standpoint I think ps3 is physically better constructed in terms of quality and lasting (I wont even go into the red ring of death for 360). My case and point http://www.ps3vault.com/how-to-kill-a-ps3-console-1975
10- If you have a newer psp you can connect it with a system update to your ps3 and are able to load entire ps1 games onto your psp for portable play
11- They are working (or maybe it came out and I didnt notice) a update where you can play psp games on the tv via your ps3 and a cable.

If nothing else this alone is enough to own a ps3. http://www.gamestop.com/browse/ProductMerch.aspx?groupid=51

And ps3 has alot of good quality games that arent shooters. Not bashing the 360 but it was shooters (halo namely) that made the system what it is and its still its bread and butter.

Uncharted
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=64961

Ratchet and clank tools of destruction
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=65482

Devil may cry 4
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=66214

Ninja gaiden sigma
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=65650

Gran turismo prolouge
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=2201

If your going to play ps1 and ps2 games though make sure you dont get a 40gb system as it only uses software emulation to play the games. I highly, highly reccomend just getting a 80gb since it has the ps2 hardware in it allowing flawless backwards compatibility.

And finally, get a 100 bucks off a ps3.
If you get a sonystyle credit card your first purchase of 299 or more gets a 100 dollar rebate credit put on your card.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentDisplayView?cmsId=sony_card

You can get this bundle that comes with a 80gb ps3 system, a dual shock 3 controller (which you have to buy seperately with ps3 systems out now) and a copy of metal gear solid 4 all for 399 bucks.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665371946

Get the card, get the bundle, get 100 bucks off, pay off the 400 dollars and cancel the card. Easy peasey.

[Basara]

It's actually funny that you mention that you want proper gaming experience, since I consider the Wii the ultimate in that with its controls. Tell me, have you by chance looked into older systems, like the PS2? You may want to go that route instead.

However, I will answer your question on Mass Effect. It's a Sci Fi adventure game done by Bioware, the creators of two of the best RPG's in modern times (KOTOR and Jade Empire). This company simply does not make a bad game. Mass Effect continues their trend of awesome games.

You can play as a soldier, engineer, or biotic (or any combination of the three). Soldiers are great with guns, engineers can massively mess machines up, and biotics have supernatural powers. In addition, you get options for how you play the game. Pretty much the extremes are you can play as Captain America or Jack Bauer. Either way, you are the hero. The voice acting is top notch. The story is emersive and engaging. The visuals are stunning. Also, the crew rocks, from Jester the pilot to Rex the Krogan. You actually like most of them.

There have been some complaints to the game. Combat can become a little too easy at higher levels. I started blowing through waves of enemies at about level 20. If you're looking for challenge throughout the game, this game will likely let you down. However, if you like feeling nearly unstoppable, like Captain America and Jack Bauer, you will dig this game.

Another complaint is the repetitiveness of the side missions. You explore a planet by driving around the Mako, which is an awesome vehicle. This beast is virtually unkillable once you figure it out and it can climb almost any mountain with ease. But you have just six types of planets: barren rock, volcanic, ice, green, desert, and moon. If you do all the side missions, towards the end of the game, you'll probably be sick of all 6.

Which brings up another complaint: the main quest is a little short. It takes place on only six locations. Everything else is for the side missions. You feel the galactic peril on the 6 locations, not so much anywhere else. This one is true, but what happens on these six locations is pretty awesome.

Overall, you are the main actor and director of your own epic sci fi adventure. How you approach and handle the various aliens, people, and situations you come across is entirely up to you. Plus, the downloadable adventure, where Batarian extremists are threatening to drop an asteroid on a human colony is pretty fun too. All in all, Mass Effect is a great game.

[Chiasm]

Mass Effect is an RPG made by Bioware. The combat system is not turn based but rather real time. Guns are the primary weapons and the graphics are amazing.

Best console game I've ever played. Its why I bought a 360 instead of a PS3 and I haven't regretted the choice for a second.

[Astonishing X-Fan]

I say a ps3.

1- Ps3 controller is about the best controller ever for a console.


Wow, I couldn't disagree with that any more than I already do. The PS3's controller is one of the worst things about it. It's so outdated.

As someone who owns all three current-gen systems, I'd easily rank them 360 > Wii >>>>> PS3. The PS3 has the least games worth buying, period. Blu-Ray is nice, if you have an HDTV, but as a pure gaming machine, the PS3 falls flat with it's lack of great exclusives, mediocre controller, limited online, and despite it's more powerful hardware, most multiplatform games actually run better on the 360.

Some of the most famous 360 games may be FPS, but there are just as many good non-shooters on the 360 than the PS3 as well...probably more.

The PS3 is a decent console and has some good stuff and some more good stuff coming...but it's game library falls completely short of the 360, and the Wii to a lesser extent.

By the way, Trioxin, a couple corrections in regards to the PSP stuff you posted: The PS3 only streams PS1 games to the PSP, it doesn't actually transfer them. There are illegal ways to get PS1 games on a PSP memory card, but no official way. The streaming is terrible. There is a very noticable input delay when playing the games, which makes playing anything that requires the least bit of reflexes a chore. It's not a well-done feature.

Also, you CAN play PSP games on a TV, but you don't need a PS3 to do it. The cables you can buy connect the PSP directly to the TV.

[Darkhalen]

get a 360 for the excl games, the only games you are getting on PS3 are the same you will get on a 360 or a complete copy of games like Monkey island, Gears of War, Prince of persia....(drake's fortune)

[Brett P]

I say a ps3.<SNIP>

Thanks for the details :) I was actually considering a PS3 at first but it is really expensive and some people said it looks pretty crappy if you havnt got an hdtv. Is that true? Plus again, Fable 2!

Speaking of the hd thing, my tv does actually have hd compatibility but it's that one little slot, not the 6 different color lead connection thing. Is it hdmi? The 360 elite says it comes with that but I'm looking at the Premium...can I get the connection seperately? I'm useless with all this technical stuff lol.

I have to say the problems surrounding the 360 do worry me a bit, one guy at work bought a new one after his original broke down and within a couple of months the new one broke too! So he exchanged it for a ps3. And another guy at work bought a 360 instead of Mario Kart last month and it has broken and had to be replaced ALREADY!! My bro has had no problems with his yet though, even with it having been knocked flying to the floor twice on the day he got it last christmas haha But generally speaking, a console having lasted 5 months should be no achievement LOL. So yeah...any of you guys had any problems with yours?

It's actually funny that you mention that you want proper gaming experience, since I consider the Wii the ultimate in that with its controls.

Bad choice of words on my part. Resi 4 is mind blowing with the Wii controls, Zelda is amazing and I doubt I'll find any game that's more fun than Mario Kart online. I'm just craving more action/adventure and seeing games like Assasins Creed and Ninja Gaiden running, I want a piece of those next gen graphics too! Basically I have less of a life than ever before lol

However, I will answer your question on Mass Effect. <snip>

Thanks! It sounds really great. A game not being too hard or particularly long is actually a good thing for me since it seems to take me forever to get through games! In general I don't usually play for huge amounts of time in one sitting although just recently I have been as I seem have several games on the go at once lately...and I still want more lol

Best console game I've ever played. Its why I bought a 360 instead of a PS3 and I haven't regretted the choice for a second.

Good to know!

I've found a Premium console bundle with Mass Effect and Devil May Cry 4 for £230 so I may well look into that and then get Alone in the Dark and Ninja Gaiden. Where is this money coming from? lol

I have two weeks off in a weeks time so I'm really tempted to get it for then, but I still have a long way to go with Bully, Resi and Tomb Raider and of course the whole reason I bought a Wii, Smash Bros Brawl is finally out the end of next month. So the best thing to do would be to wait for my birthday at the beginning of August to get the 360...but I'm not very good at resisting temptation..!

[Astonishing X-Fan]

Speaking of the hd thing, my tv does actually have hd compatibility but it's that one little slot, not the 6 different color lead connection thing. Is it hdmi? The 360 elite says it comes with that but I'm looking at the Premium...can I get the connection seperately? I'm useless with all this technical stuff lol.



I'm guessing this is HDMI. I believe all versions of the 360 now have HDMI ports(the elite got them first and now all new models have them).

However, I'm having trouble believing your TV would have HDMI and not component. You don't have a set of blue/green/red plugins? Component is pretty much the standard connection for HD, and the 360 premium comes with component cables. I'd check the back of the TV again, cause if it's really an HDTV it must have component input.

[2-4-5_Trioxin]

Yeah your little slot is a hdmi port, its same thing as the multiple colored ports, atleast in what it does. hdmi is better though since you only need one small cable and it carries the hd video and audio signal through it. But they are essentially the same thing and do the same job. Ps3 comes with a hdmi port in it, so a 10 dollar cable and your good to go.

It doesnt look any crappier than a wii or 360 on a analog signal. Anytime your comparing hd vs analog the analog will look crappier because well, its not hd. But to say the ps3 looks cruddy without one is something a 360 fanboy would say to sound like he knows what he is saying to talk bad about the ps3.

And yes its a little more expensive because as I said its newer than the 360, hasnt been out as long and your also buying a blu ray player for high def movies also, so you can watch blu ray movies as well as play games. In alot of cases its cheaper than a standalone player, plus you get to play games on it. Good thing to considering blu ray won the hd format war.

And I havent had 360 issues except it has locked up a couple times on me in games and the system was hot, depsite the fact it sits on a flat glass surface in a cool room. Games like dead rising when to much is going on on the screen at once has overheated it I think, only happened a few times. One friend on the other hand has gotten red ring of death twice and had to send it back both times. Hell gamestop stopped selling extended warranties on them because they were loosing money on so many being brought back last year http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181968.html and http://kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/gamestop-no-longer-offering-xbox-360-replacement-plans-315950.php

Oh and to clarify, my suggestions and such come from me as a real gamer. I am not a fan of any single console unless your talking the nes. But Ive been gaming for 30 years and have 30 or so consoles still from when I was a kid till now, I play games for the games, I dont hate or love a paticullar system because of who made it. My motto is a system is just a expensive paperweight without good games to play on it and good graphics do not equal good game. I give my suggestions based on your situation and what is all around best choice when your having to chose.

Anyway I wont beat a dead horse anymore, I said my part. If you want to know something in paticullar you can pm me and Ill answer best I can.

[JCAll]

If your into fantasy and hate Turn-Based RPGs, then if you pick up a 360 you should check out Eternal Sonata. It's an RPG, but the battle system is action orriented like the Tales/Star Ocean games. Plus it has one of the most truely bizarre story premisses I've ever heard. The whole game takes place in the dreamworld created by the dieing mind of the 19th century compser Chopin. The characters momolog too much though.

And I'm not really into FPs either. My sum total experience with Halo was walking 2 feet and getting punched in the back of the head by the friend. Lather, rinse, repeat until I quit. But I'm having a lot of fun with Condemned. If emphasises melee combat over guns,. which are frickin' useless. And it goes out of it's way to try and make me wet my pants in terror.

[Astonishing X-Fan]

Condemned was pretty cool. I really need to try the sequel one of these days.

[BlairH]

people said it looks pretty crappy if you havnt got an hdtv.

Almost everything gaming related looks fairly crappy in SD now. Once you go HD, anything less just looks offensive.

[Brett P]

If your into fantasy and hate Turn-Based RPGs, then if you pick up a 360 you should check out Eternal Sonata. It's an RPG, but the battle system is action orriented like the Tales/Star Ocean games. Plus it has one of the most truely bizarre story premisses I've ever heard. The whole game takes place in the dreamworld created by the dieing mind of the 19th century compser Chopin. The characters momolog too much though.

Sounds pretty sweet.

And I'm not really into FPs either. My sum total experience with Halo was walking 2 feet and getting punched in the back of the head by the friend. Lather, rinse, repeat until I quit.

Heh, glad I'm not the only one! After my depressing Halo experience I then went and had a great run on Mario Kart online battle mode. The highlight was me vs 2 others on N64 Skyscraper baloon battle - I beat them 9-1 :biggrin:

But I'm having a lot of fun with Condemned. If emphasises melee combat over guns,. which are frickin' useless. And it goes out of it's way to try and make me wet my pants in terror.

I'm pretty sure that's the game my sisters boyfriend has and also said was terrifying! After Resi I'm quite into survival horror games now...

Almost everything gaming related looks fairly crappy in SD now. Once you go HD, anything less just looks offensive.

Well I've never had hd so I don't have anything to compare to. My brothers 360 looks good enough on his big bulky old skool tv but I'd like to see the difference with hd. I only realised a few months ago how awful the Wii looked on my flat screen through the red/white/yellow leads when Mario Galaxy looked awful. The scart lead improves things quite a bit. I can't really afford a new tv aswell as a new console, especially as I only got this tv last year!

I'm guessing this is HDMI. I believe all versions of the 360 now have HDMI ports(the elite got them first and now all new models have them).

However, I'm having trouble believing your TV would have HDMI and not component. You don't have a set of blue/green/red plugins? Component is pretty much the standard connection for HD, and the 360 premium comes with component cables. I'd check the back of the TV again, cause if it's really an HDTV it must have component input.

Well I didn't think my tv was hd compatible as it didnt say it on the front which most hds seem to, but my dad was reading through the manual and it said it was. There's definately not the blue/green/red slots 'cos I hunted for them when I wanted to make the Wii look better. Is there a difference between hd ready and hd compatible?

[The Man Without Fear]

I have both a 360 and a PS3. The 360 gets way more play time, but in terms of the game library, I'd say both consoles are varied enough now that they'll be plenty of what you want on either. Practically speaking, though, I recommend the 360 because it's slightly cheaper, has a better controller, and Microsoft's Live service is currently far better than Sony's if you're going to be gaming online. True, you have to pay for it, but I just buy a 12-month card every January and never give it a second thought for the remainder of the year.

Also, I have a HDTV with a 5.1 surround sound setup, and while the Blu-Ray is nice, unless you're a huge audio/videophile, you probably won't get much use out the PS3 for it. I still buy DVDs at a ratio of about 20-1; the difference just isn't staggering enough for me to warrant the difference in cost in most cases. As for the games, the difference in sound and appearance between the two consoles on my setup is negligible at best (360 through VGA and optical; PS3 through HDMI). Both are fantastic when it comes to presentation.

Finally, as for the 360's mechanical issues, I've had mine for about a year and half, bought it used off of eBay, and have had zero problems with it. I'm sure they exist, but I think you have to keep in mind that said issues are going to seem more widespread than they actually are, because the people whose 360s are working perfectly aren't going to post about it on Internet message boards.

Anyway, hope I don't sound too bias. I do like both consoles and get a fair amount of use out of each of them. But if I had to pick one over the other, it would have to be the 360.

- Manning

[JCAll]

Well I've never had hd so I don't have anything to compare to. My brothers 360 looks good enough on his big bulky old skool tv but I'd like to see the difference with hd. I only realised a few months ago how awful the Wii looked on my flat screen through the red/white/yellow leads when Mario Galaxy looked awful. The scart lead improves things quite a bit. I can't really afford a new tv aswell as a new console, especially as I only got this tv last year!

If you think that's a problem, check this out. My TV's busted, so I bought a 20$ box to hook up my systems through my PC Monitor. It works perfect with my Wii, PS2, and all other systems I've used it with, but with my 360 a PC Monitor is soooooo far away from what it's designed to be seen on that the text of half my games just becomes unreadable. I have a dozen games I've bought and want to play, but just cant :frown:

[Brett P]

If you think that's a problem, check this out. My TV's busted, so I bought a 20$ box to hook up my systems through my PC Monitor. It works perfect with my Wii, PS2, and all other systems I've used it with, but with my 360 a PC Monitor is soooooo far away from what it's designed to be seen on that the text of half my games just becomes unreadable. I have a dozen games I've bought and want to play, but just cant :frown:

Wow that sucks...

My other connection thing on the back of my tv says "dvi" above it...what's that!

If I can't go HD is there a scart cable for 360 instead of the r/y/w leads?

If I want a 360 for my the start of my 2 weeks off, I'm gonna hafta take the plunge and order tonight! I havn't got round to test playing my bros games though...or checked my bank balance haha

EDIT: The deed is done! Hopefully should have a 360 at the beginning of next week!