Xbox: What do you think now? [Archive]

digitalpress

10-26-2002, 08:40 AM

I held off on buying an Xbox on launch day because there really wasn't anything on it that I *had* to play. Halo is a great game but it would never have held me over.

When I went to E3 in May, I was really impressed with Splinter Cell, which trust me on this is just about the coolest game ever made and I'm DYING waiting for it to come out. Then there's Toe Jam & Earl 3 and Panzer Dragoon Orta, two gorgeous Sega titles. When I got back from the trip, I went and bought one.

Naturally I picked up Halo, and I've spent some time with Morrowind and Dead to Rights but so far this system is still getting way less playtime than GameCube and PS2 around here. Hopefully the new games will change all of that, I'm counting on them!

So what are your experiences with Xbox so far, if any?

Tritoch

10-26-2002, 09:34 AM

So far I own 6 games, and 2 of them are what I'd call classics: Halo & Morrowind. Halo was, of course, the best FPS game I've played since Goldeneye. Morrowind was awesome as well, but incredibly buggy. I've been more impressed with Xbox Live - ultra fast, easy to use, and uniform throughout the service. The Communicator adds a lot to the online gaming experience, and racing 15 other people at once in MotoGP while sitting on my couch is quite nice.

Overall I've gotten about what I expected out of the system. It's still a distant third in terms of personal play time, but it's finally starting to justify the $300 I payed for it.

And it's "Xbox", not "X-box"...personal pet peeve. Why does almost everyone continue to insist on putting the dash in there?

Ascending Wordsmith

10-26-2002, 09:41 AM

I like the XBox. Sure it's heavy, but the power is unmatched by any console in history. 125 million polygons per second with a sustained rate of 100 million polygons per second is pretty damn good in my estimation.

As far as the games go, I've only played a few (my cousin in Virginia owns an XBox) and they were all impressive to me. NFL Fever, Halo, Project Gotham Racing, and a few others really looked great, and played very well.

I'd buy an XBox if I had the cash (and my girlfriend's approval) as I'm anxious to play even more games on the system.

digitalpress

10-26-2002, 10:25 AM

And it's "Xbox", not "X-box"...personal pet peeve. Why does almost everyone continue to insist on putting the dash in there?

LOL! Sorry mister ANAL!

I've corrected my foolish errors.

Tritoch

10-26-2002, 10:35 AM

And it's "Xbox", not "X-box"...personal pet peeve. Why does almost everyone continue to insist on putting the dash in there?

LOL! Sorry mister ANAL!

I've corrected my foolish errors.

You missed one. :P

Achika

10-26-2002, 11:23 AM

Well, by the grace of Dead or Alive 3 I was swayed into purchasing an Xbox on release day. Previously I was going to wait until about the 2-3 shipment, so they had enough time to get the 'bugs' worked out. I wish I did. My Xbox continually froze on my and did other nasty things. So I switched it, and the big-ol-box saw the 'no-play zone' from November to whenever JSRF came out. I've played it for an hour. It's not done much more than sit as a giant paperweight. I still haven't played Max Payne or Gun Valkyrie yet, and I bought those on their respective release days! Well summer came around, and I talked to the XBox rep and she pointed me to a little site where retail workers can get free games. So I took the quizes and got Rallisport Challenge and Azurik. I like Azurik from what I played (I needed a adventure game, something I didn't have to put HOURS into playing) Well, Azurik was traded in towards Super Mario Sunshine (a disappointment in itself). But *something* happened! I never liked playing racing games or anything like that, but Rallisport had me sitting with my Xbox for a few hours playing it. Sadly, a week after I got them, I was packing for school--and there was only enough room in my car for 2 systems. . .Gamecube and Playstation 2. Sorry, Xbox, but you don't have anything to offer me until the last week of October. Of all the systems I own, Xbox is one of the ones that has recieved the least amount of play-time. But--despite what reviewers say about Toe Jam & Earl 3, I'm still going to pick it up. House of the Dead 3 came out this week, so I'm definately going to pick that up along with the gun. DoA Volleyball and XBox Live are coming out soon, so I'm gonna grab those too. So it looks like the XBox is coming to Detroit soon!

Don't get me wrong, I've tried many of the games while at work, but as stated before, I'm not big into racing games, nor sports and FPS'ers so I didn't bother buying Halo. When the XBox came out, it seemed every other game was racing or sports with a few (nasty) adventure titles mixed in. Usually I only play FPS when friends are over, and the DC has a fine assortment to curb that appetite. I didn't find Morrowind to my liking, it was too sloppy and slow for me.

nesman85

10-26-2002, 12:00 PM

still nothing on xbox that interets me, gamecube is blowing away the competition IMO.

jaybird

10-26-2002, 12:37 PM

Out of the "3 big" systems in my house, I defintely play the Xbox more. I actually own 2 Xboxes, so I can have one hooked up to Xbox Live 24-7.

I'm more of a techno-geek, so I really appreciate all the techincal superiorities the Xbox has over the other systems (sound, visuals, hard drive, built-in ethernet). If you have the right set-up, then the Xbox can really be an experience the others can't offer.

I do play my Gamecube a bit to remind me of my younger days (Smash Brothers, Super Monkey Ball, Mario Party). I still enjoy those types of games for a change of pace. And, those are all great games to play when you have friends over. Nintendo still is #1 in gameplay, but last in innovation.

My PS2 is lagging behind older systems such as NES, Genesis & SNES for gameplay right now. I just bought Contra last night, so hopefully that will change :) I still can't make up my mind if I want to join the legions of others & buy Vice City. I liked GTA 3, but didn't play it too much (maybe 4-6 hours?). In looking at future releases, Contra may be the last PS2 game I ever buy.

I think the biggest telling factor is that if a game is realeased on all 3 systems, I'll buy it for the Xbox because it usually looks better, always plays better & I don't have to worry about clearing room on a memory card. I waited 1 month for MLB Slugfest to come to the Xbox after it hit the PS2. Love that game by the way.

I guess it's a matter of taste. To me, the Xbox & Gamecube's future look the brightest, with the PS2 lagging behind almost to the point of boredom. It feels like a last-generation console to me now. But, everyone likes something different & with 3 players in the market, there's truly something for everyone. We're the winners.

Sylentwulf

10-26-2002, 01:33 PM

The biggest thing the PS2 has going for it (ESPECIALLY right now and coming soon) is the RPG's to me.

Saying Nintendo and RPG's in the same sentance is like saying oil and water. Anyone who wants to argue that with me can feel free to :)

Xbox - I STILL haven't seen any games I want for this system really... It definitely caters to a different gaming crowd than mine, and I haven't really seen any RPGS for xbox either (Morrowind? Was that on the Xbox?) I have to admit though, I have no interest in the xbox, and haven't checked out ANY upcoming titles for it, so there could be a lot of games I'm missing, but if I'm going to miss them, I'd rather not know about them than lament that they're xbox only (Blinx is one I'd like to try)

At any rate.

I forsee Gamecube OWNING the holiday season. They're pushing REALLY hard, and have such UNBELIEVABLE games coming out they're going to be unstoppable. $100 for a console (With rebate) will blow the other 2 systems out of the water by itself. Add in new Metroid, Zelda, Mario, and Resident Evil games and you have a force to be reckoned with.

PS2 Will come in second if for NO OTHER REASON than 2 simple things:
Grand Theft Auto Vice City
RPG's

BHvrd

10-26-2002, 04:29 PM

I still love it. It has sights, and sounds that keep me coming back again, and again.

I've beat Halo to hell, and back, and still find myself playing just for the sheer fact that it's just so cool. Morrowind is a game I have taken a very slow pace to, I pick it up every now, and then, and either decorate my house, or try to finish one of my many quests. it's a game that has become like a good friend, and it constantly immerses me.

I've also played just about every Xbox game out there, and must say that alot of the games are underrated. Fuzion Frenzy is hella fun for a party game, Cel Damage is a very fun, cool title, Project Gotham Racing is GODLY, and I will soon own it. All in all I have to say that the Xbox is much more than just Halo, there are many good games!

When next month hits I expect to be blown away by LIVE, and the much talked about Mech Assault, and Unreal Championship, not to mention all the other high profile games.

I haven't regretted buying my Xbox for one second, and my PS2 has not been missed since I traded it in.

Gamecube is the only other console that captivats me at the time, with great games like Metroid Prime, Zelda, etc.., but I still wouldn't trade my Xbox for even that. The only other consoles i've ever played as much as my Xbox were the SNES, and the Dreamcast, it's a great machine, and it's a keeper.

MegamanX

10-26-2002, 04:39 PM

Evidently Microsoft is putting some serious pressure on the XBox group to get more marketshare. Looking into the near future, Xbox is going to get some great titles: Knights of the Old Republic, Halo 2 and Splinter Cell, all of which look to be great games.

From the technological point of view, the Xbox is built on a superior architecture. For a PC game maker to translate their game over to Xbox, it is quite easy compared to programming for PS2 or Gamecube, which (from what I hear) is quite difficult.

I own an Xbox, Game Cube and PS2, and have to say that I still play on my PC more. Lovin' Warcraft III. PS2 has a large libray of games behind it, but the quality of most of them is substandard. When I wanted Turok: Evolution (bad game, don't buy it), I immediately chose it on Xbox being the polygon counts are considerably higher than PS2.

Kid Fenris

10-26-2002, 05:18 PM

I don't yet own an Xbox (or a Gamecube, for that matter), but that's largely due to my cash flow, and not to my dislike of a system. Indeed, the two consoles seem evenly matched from my perspective, with the Xbox bearing the promise of Panzer Dragoon Orta and Splinter Cell, and the GameCube featuring Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle and Metroid Prime in its future.

Thus far, however, I've played only one Xbox game that I'd really want to own, and it is GunValkyrie. This isn't to say that I don't like Halo, Jet Set Radio Future, House of the Dead 3, and numerous other Xbox titles, but I'm just not quite inspired to purchase them.

Still, I've come to the conclusion that, generally speaking, gamers give the X-box (that one's for you, Tritoch!) far more flack than it deserves. It has a fair quantity of decent games, and a few excellent ones as well. Even the jumbo-size controler doesn't bother me, though the convex buttons can annoy(Tips and Tricks actually did a mini-feature on this, I think). It's wanting for Japanese support, though, and unless Microsoft pulls off some exclusives in that department, the 'box will probably wind up as a permanent third-place finisher to the PS2 and GameCube.

JeffD

10-26-2002, 09:41 PM

Sylentwulf, what Gamecube rebate are you talking about? $100 would be sweet enough to make me take the plunge.

On a side note: I was at Costco today and they had the new 2-game Xbox bundle with an additional controller and the DVD remote thingy for $239.

Sylentwulf

10-26-2002, 10:03 PM

Last Time I was at Electronic's Boutique (2-3 days ago?) Gamecube's were $150 with a $50 rebate (Not sure on the details of the rebate, but even if it's in store, or a free new game, or mail in or something it would still be worth it!) bringing the price to a lovely $100.

Captain Wrong

10-26-2002, 11:05 PM

I feel the same about it as I did before it launched. That is; it's a powerhouse of a console, but there isn't anything I want to play on it.

I can amend that slightly, I would like to play House of the Dead 3, but is there even an Xbox light gun? Besides, that's hardly a system seller, of me anyway.

Phosphor Dot Fossils

10-27-2002, 02:08 AM

Xbox? Ha! Never even picked up the controller of one until today. I've gotta side with those of the "looks nice, but there's nothing I want to play on it" camp. Since I feed off of entropy and crave obsolescence, I recently bypassed the newer consoles and got a PSone with an LCD monitor and a battery base. I love that little thing. Already got a ton of cool games for it too, so that solves the software problem.

Erm...sorry. What was the question again?

christianscott27

10-27-2002, 06:09 AM

just as soon as they bring the price down to $150, which i'm hoping they'll do after christmas. ever since getting "burned" by a full price dreamcast i've been a weary shopper. i'm in no real hurry since i have 1000's of games to play already.
________
TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY (http://www.toyota-wiki.com/wiki/Toyota_Motor_Manufacturing_West_Virginia)

theaveng

10-27-2002, 07:02 AM

I don't even have time to play all the cool PS2 games. I don't another next-gen console. *Time* is the limiting factor, not money.

As for rarity of X-box games, why can't they just sell modified PC games? The X-box should be near-100% compatible.

YoshiM

10-27-2002, 09:52 AM

I was thinking PS2 for a while. I play the PSX a fair bit and have started getting used to the controller. But there again, I played a couple of the new games that are out (Hitman 2 and Red Faction 2) and they were just "okay". Yesterday I played some Blinx on an XBox at Sam's Club and was hooked. Especially since the systems they sell are the "limited edition" models: you get the deck, 3 games (Jet Set Radio Future and Sega GT 2002 in the deck box and Blinx sealed onto the package), a DVD Remote, and a total of 2 Type S controllers for $298. The Type S controller just sat so perfectly in my hand it was scary. I could reach every button without thumb strain. Blinx is a pretty fresh platformer. I mixes the vaccuum action of Luigi's Mansion with most elements of a 3D platformer only with the added effect of collecting gems in certain orders to get time controlling power ups. Then of course, there's Morrowind, which I love on the PC but keeps locking on me.

I think it's time to follow the Microsoft camp on this one. I can get the games I want on other platforms (Robotech, Agent Under Fire, Spy Hunter, etc) and get some really cool exclusive titles too (Morrowind, Blinx, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Halo 2). I'm starting to convince my wife, so who knows-there might be a big box under the tree this year.

kobunheatforum

10-27-2002, 11:24 AM

I own TWO of the damned things (American and Japanese) and hell if I have any reason to play them on a day to day basis. (I was gonna wait to buy my Japanese unit until Panzer came out, but then I went to the Tokyo Game Show on the press day and got a playable demo of it. So I figured, hell, I can play the first level in my house? I guess I'll buy one.)

Of course, besides PDO, what is there? Toe Jam and Earl is getting a lukewarm reception from the same people who were so excited about it around E3 time. Crazy Taxi 3 sucked. Blinx is pretty good but if you don't like 'kiddy' games like Mario Sunshine you won't like Blinx. JSRF was great but the chances of another are slim to none. PDO is going to rock, but after that, what?

Well, there's Rare, if you like crap. Well, actually I'm looking forward to the prospect of another Conker, but what if the novelty wears off between then and now? And I bet they'll add in the one thing that was mercifully absent from the last game and make you collect 100 gold penii in every level or something... okay, maybe I'm being overly negative.

People crap their pants over Ninja Gaiden, and I agree that for their time the cinema scenes were fantastic, but the games themselves were bland Castlevania clones.

And there's Capcom vs. SNK 2. You know, that Dreamcast game. Online. You know, like that Dreamcast game.

Kid Fenris

10-27-2002, 02:00 PM

Of course, besides PDO, what is there? Toe Jam and Earl is getting a lukewarm reception from the same people who were so excited about it around E3 time. Crazy Taxi 3 sucked. Blinx is pretty good but if you don't like 'kiddy' games like Mario Sunshine you won't like Blinx. JSRF was great but the chances of another are slim to none. PDO is going to rock, but after that, what?

Well, Halo 2 is coming, and Rare's not one to be so easily dismissed. Perfect Dark was an excellent first-person shooter limited only by the N64's hardware, and a sequel is probably ahead. There's also hope for another Jet Force Gemini, which I consider one of the most underrated titles of the past five years.

People crap their pants over Ninja Gaiden, and I agree that for their time the cinema scenes were fantastic, but the games themselves were bland Castlevania clones.

Hogwash. The Ninja Gaiden series contains what may be the three finest examples of reflex-driven action/platforming on the NES. They borrow Castlevania's method of invoking special weapons and finding power-ups, but much of NG's appeal wasn't filched from Konami�s code. In which preceding Castlevania do you vault up and attack from walls, time your jumps to coincide with the wind, or control up to two ghostlike extensions of your character?

The franchises are further separated by Ninja Gaiden's far greater level of intensity. The games move at much faster pace, and the control is tight, but not nearly as languid as it is in the Castlevania line. Like some manic shooter, Ninja Gaiden's iterations often require Ryu to slash enemies, grab a power-up, and make a deft leap onto a platform no wider than he is, all in the time that a Belmont needs to advance four paces.

Ninja Gaiden isn't exactly "bland" in the visual department either. There's an appropriate aesthetic to the city and jungle backgrounds, and the demonic environs of the later levels pulse with grim details and moody overtures. I might also mention that Ninja Gaiden often has a better three-dimensional impact than the straight side-view depicted by Castlevania and numerous other NES-era platformers.

Sorry to go off on a thread-jacking rant like this, but I think you should give Ninja Gaiden another shot, Kobun. The games are heated, enjoyable, nerve-flaying challenges even today, and I for one think they've aged a bit better than the Castlevania games. That and there's no 8-bit sidekick cooler than Robert T. "Jungle Rat" Sturgeon.

portnoyd

10-27-2002, 02:09 PM

Well, at first, XBox had nothing to draw me, and what I had played (while at the evil EB) was just nothing special. I knew I could live without ever getting it if they stopped making games at that point.

Then Toe Jam & Earl 3 happened. When I heard it was going to happen, I was like, damnit, looks like I'm getting an XBox.

Then I heard from just about everywhere it was pretty craptatcular.

D:

I will not get an XBox unless it dros to $50.

dave

Felixthegamer

10-27-2002, 06:53 PM

Xbox is pretty good. My Friends and I get together to play Halo, always a fun time win or lose. I also like Jet Set Radio Future. It's good. I really do not have too many games for the system. I bought NHL 2003 recently. It rocks, but I do not know as if it is too different from the PS2 version. I enjoy the xbox and have been playing it more then the PS2 lately.

kobunheatforum

10-27-2002, 10:18 PM

Kid: Okay, I liked Jet Force Gemini alright. And Perfect Dark was loved. Of course, both of these games tanked in Japan.
And they didn't do that well in the US either, even PD.

I figured somebody would call me on Ninja Gaiden. Your analysis was pretty much correct; there were a lot of gameplay innovations as well as cinematic ones. I did like the NES versions when I was a kid, but every time I try to go back and play them again I don't feel the same sense of fun I get when I go back and play Mario 3 again. I get bored quickly with the jump, slash, die.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that these games will not necessarily translate into a good sequel fifteen years later. If they can make ANY of the gameplay features you mentioned work in 3D, I'll eat my hat.

It is a chocolate hat, though. So I'm covered either way.

DDCecil

10-27-2002, 10:59 PM

The only thing that interests me so far is House of the Dead 3 and maybe Ninja Gaiden, so I'll continue to wait...

spoon

10-27-2002, 11:10 PM

I used to own an X-box and about 30 games, I loved the system, just never played it much. It does have some killer apps. for it though. Now an X-box can be bought for $200 and it includes two titles(Jet set radio future,and Sega gt.) not a bad deal. I think it may have a foot hold on the compition in the online wars, and it has the best multiplayer games around. anyone who has ever played Halo with 16 people will agree(or off with their head!).

Atarian Austin

10-28-2002, 04:23 AM

I don't like the Xbox at all. I've played it a couple times and it just isn't there. I have a Gamecube and LOVE it!

I think Bill Gates is just trying to get richer.

congobongo

10-28-2002, 08:59 AM

I will agree that the first year in the XBox's life has been somewhat uneventful. Enough good titles have been released to fill the limited time I have to dedicate to it. I believe that this winter will be the season of the Box though. As Jaybird said MotoGP is very cool. At first I was hesitant but even loosing is fun when you can taunt and swear at the other loosers you are competing with. Also, I've seen Unreal Tournament in action and know it's gonna be a favourite of mine.

Arcade Antics

10-28-2002, 10:26 AM

@Captain Wrong: (sorry if somebody already answered - I went through quickly and didn't notice one...)

There's a MadCatz blaster for the X-Box, but no official Sega light gun. Maybe we'll get lucky and Namco will produce a title or two with an X-Box version of the GunCon2.

Cafeman

10-28-2002, 10:44 AM

I like the Xbox's technology, but after watching it for a year, it hasn't won me over -- I'm buying a GameCube as my first "next gen" system.

I will re-evaluate Xbox in the future, probably after Panzer Dragoon Orta is released. I do not believe that the market can support three game consoles and I wouldn't be surprised to see Xbox surviving at a loss to MS. To me, Xbox's technology is nothing you can't get on a good PC. Xbox has some good games, but IMHO nothing quite spectacular yet (no, not even Halo).

Tritoch

10-28-2002, 01:37 PM

Then of course, there's Morrowind, which I love on the PC but keeps locking on me.

Don't expect that problem to be corrected in the Xbox version. I ended up saving after virtually every quest out of necessity.

ubersaurus

10-28-2002, 02:42 PM

Toejam & Earl 3 is awesome, despite what reviewers claim. It's that ghetto funk that makes TJ&E so sweet in the first place, but I guess it's no longer "cool".

I don't hate the box, there just isn't much I like for it, to warrant me buying one. Halo, Toejam & Earl, are like the only two games that come to mind that I really care about on that console, which, compared to the other ones its up against, just isn't gonna cut it.

Nature Boy

10-28-2002, 04:48 PM

The Xbox is the newest of the three for me so it's my favourite right now. I've picked up Halo, Morrowind, World Series Baseball, Outlaw Golf, and Oddworld so far (and borrowed Gotham). I haven't played Morrowind or Oddworld yet (I'm waiting until I finish some other games first), but what I've played I've really enjoyed.

I haven't played a FPS since GoldenEye, but Halo has me hooked in the same way. I get nauseous playing them (FPSs), so it speaks volumes that I keep hammering away at it. It is definitely an extremely well done game and definitely sits amongst my five to ten all time favourites.