The Xbox 360
Microsoft's jump into the world of gaming was big news for numerous reasons. First of all, it had been a long time since an American company had been successful in the console market and many doubted that MS could pull it off. Several buyouts later, things were looking up for the Xbox as it zoomed past the legendary Nintendo's Gamecube console in sales with it's superior quantity of features and games. With such success it was inevitable that they would try their luck once again by developing a new console for the next generation. This next generation is now, and the Xbox 360 is upon us. Is Microsoft's new console worth picking up, or should we wait for the Playstation 3 and Wii? Read on to find out.
Microsoft has released the Xbox 360 in two separate packages; Pro and Core. I went with the Premium system at launch, but I feel it necessary to outline what comes with both packages.
What's included in the Core Package:
• Xbox 360 Console
• One Wired Controller
• A/V Cables and AC Adapter
Price: $299
What's included in the Pro Package:
• Xbox 360 Console
• One Wireless Controller
• 20 Gigabyte Harddrive
• Xbox 360 Headset
• HD-AV Cables and AC Adapter
Price: $399
Which One Is Best For You?
The Pro Package, hands down, is the one to look for. In order to save your progress in any game you'll need a harddrive (included in the Pro pack) or memory card, and this alone will run you about $40. This means that the Core Pack along with a memory card will cost $340. When it all comes down to it, you would only save $60 at best, and it's just not worth it. The Pro Pack is just the better deal, and in my opinion it was a bad idea for Microsoft to release two different packs like this. Thankfully those stuck with the Core pack can purchase everything included in the Pro separately, but it will run you a pretty penny. The harddrive alone costs $99, and with this in mind it's not difficult to see why the Pro pack is the better choice. With the system's pricing out of the way, it's time to move on to console itself.
The Xbox 360 Console
The console itself is a definite step up in design from the original Xbox. Whereas Microsoft's first console looks a bit bland, the 360 looks cutting edge and high tech. MS decided to ditch the black and green combo of their original console and instead replace black with white. This is very pleasing to me, as it brings back fond memories of the Dreamcast. The system itself is reminiscent of a PC tower with concaved sides. Microsoft was apparently paying attention last round, as the Xbox 360's default laying position (or at least the one it's always advertised in) is vertical, just like the PS2. As far as the console's aesthetics go, I'd have to say that it's one of the more attractive looking consoles yet.
The front of the unit features two memory card slots, an infared reciever, the disc tray, and a rather large glowing power button which is used to indicate several system processes. Personally I would rather have more memory card slots, especially when more party games hit the console, but I guess this isn't a very big problem at the moment or even in the near future. The console features three USB ports which are used for numerous peripherals such as Controllers and portable media devices. These ports are almost becoming a necessity for modern day consoles, and it gives the option for some pretty cool peripherals to be developed later on.
One of the Xbox 360's best aspects is it's backwards compatibility with games from the original Xbox. The only problem with this is the fact that not all games are supported (though the majority of good ones are), and you can take advantage of this feature only if you have the harddrive. Microsoft is continually updating support for this though, and I imagine that almost every Xbox game will be compatible one day. What's more is the fact that you can still use Xbox Live for these older games, so it's almost useless to own the original Xbox now.
Although the harddrive was standard on the Xbox (quite a few games used it in innovative ways) that's not the case with the 360. The little peripheral fits on the top section of the console (and adds only a tiny amount of bulk to the unit) and is used for storing multimedia and your gamercard. It's like having a massive memory card, but it's a much better deal. What's cool is the fact that you can remove it easily and simply plug it into another Xbox 360 console. This means that you can carry your stored data on the go, which was the only reason to even have memory cards with the original Xbox. The memory cards are pretty lame when compared to the harddrive, especially when you compare the amount of storage space (64 megabytes vs. 20 gigabytes) to price ($40 vs. $100). The memory cards would be more useful if they were cheaper, even if you had to cut down the amount of storage space they contain.
One of the big console elements which Microsoft spent a considerable amount of time hyping each person's gaming individuality. One of the main ideas MS is supporting this with is the use of faceplates which go on the front of the console. Both Core and Pro packages come with the standard white one, however, you can buy or acquire a variety of different faceplates with different designs. To put it bluntly; this is pretty gimmicky, but it's not that bad of an idea. I'm not out to make a fashion statement with my Xbox 360, and so I don't really dig the whole angle, though I can kinda see how some people might.
One of the cool aspects to the console is the system Dashboard. This is the chosen interface for browsing the various features of the console, and it's pretty darn spiffy if you ask me. Through it you can load up games, access media, access the various features of Xbox Live, and change your system settings. It's certainly handy for all of these purposes, and with it I'd say Microsoft has been the big innovator when it comes to interface. What's cool is the fact that you can access this from the standout center button (Xbox Guide button) on the 360 gamepad.
With all that good stuff out of the way I still feel that the console is still a little too big. I guess it's to be expected given it's considerable leap in technology, but I still wish that MS had been able to size it down even more. The option to place the console vertically is a definite plus and does manage to save some space. While it's laying on it's side the console feels just about as large as the original Xbox, give or take a few inches from all sides, and the 360 is a bit more skinny. Size was one of the major complaints with the original Xbox, and I'm really surprised that this wasn't properly dealt with especially in an age where technology is shrinking down. What's absolutely terrible though is the gigantic power cord the system uses, which is a major inconvenience for my setup. Who knows, maybe I've just been spoiled by the Gamecube and slimline PS2.
The Controller
It was quite obvious that Microsoft used the basic design of the Dreamcast controller when developing the original Xbox console. Thankfully they've since thrown their designs out the window. The Xbox 360 controller is based off of the Xbox's remodelled 'S' design, but they've managed to improve it. It's certainly much lighter at least. The wired and wireless controllers are the same in design, and come standard with two analog sticks, a d-pad, four face buttons, and a start and back button. The big change is in the black and white buttons, which are conspicuously missing. Replacing them are two standard shoulder buttons which accompany the two triggers. The most noticeable button on the entire pad though is the Xbox Guide button, which can toggle the Dashboard and even turn the console off.
The Xbox 360 is easily one of the more comfortable pads I've laid my hands on. While not terribly original (the Xbox Guide button is the only thing that can be qualified as such) it's as if MS took the best aspects of several controllers and successfully combined them. I'm more than satisfied with this pad, especially because you can plug into and use it on a PC. The only real beef I have with the setup is the fact that you can only plug three wired controllers in at once, due to the lack of more USB slots. Either way, well done MS!
Now You're Playing With Power
I'd rather play games than numbers, and in all honesty, I'm not very tech-savvy. I will tell you that the Xbox 360 is the most powerful console ever released so far, and it uses three separate but strong processors. It seems that the Xbox 360 is on par with top of the line PCs. The games so far have featured millions of polygons in every detail, and the lighting effects in some are truly out of this world. I have no idea what bump mapping, real mapping, or even pixel shading is, but I can tell you that the Xbox 360 offers a noticeable leap in progression from the original Xbox console. Things only get better once you plug into a TV with high definition support. Most of the games look very nice, and I'd be surprised if PS3 games looked noticeably better.
With that said, the visuals for the Xbox 360 definitely look to be the smallest step up from generation to generation. I imagine that in a few generations there won't be any more graphical progression left to make; everything will be too lifelike. I'm beginning to miss the days of reading 'bits' to tell exactly how powerful a console is. Either way, I can't wait to see how second and third generation 360 titles will look and play.
Format Wars: Microsoft Sits This One Out?
Blu-ray and HD-DVD are warring over the top spot for next generation storage formats, and with all of Sony's talks of the PS3 making use of the ultra dense Blu-Ray it was expected that MS would go the way of HD-DVD. Some will be very disappointed to hear that MS has taken the safe route and gone with standard DVD9 which doesn't store nearly as much data as the next gen formats, but there are several benefits to this. Firstly, HD-DVD would have driven the console's costs way up, and secondly, games might have become even more expensive than they are now. Microsoft is however, planning to release an add-on HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 at a later date. Never fear, they aren't pulling a Sega CD here, as games will still be exclusively packaged on DVD9s, and the add-on will be for high definition movies only.
And yes, the Xbox 360 can play standard DVD movies right out of the box without any add-ons or attachments.
Xbox 360: The Multimedia Powerhouse?
With this console Microsoft is attempting to steal the thunder from your home media center, and with relative success. You can store music and photos on the harddrive or memory card with the option to make playlists and photo slideshows out of them. What's more is the fact that you can share media via a wireless network if you have the correct peripheral. I haven't yet tried this out, but it sounds like a cool enough feature.
As far as the system's audio capabilities go, all who lay ears are in for a treat. The Xbox 360 has fantastic audio capabilities and features several different possible channels (more than all the consoles last generation) for sound effects and music. This makes the system very complex as far as audio goes. The Xbox 360 also supports many options for audio; everything up to 5.1 Digital Surround. I personally only have a stereo setup so I can't take full advantage of this feature. One thing that MS has upgraded is the custom soundtrack support. You can now play your own ripped music during any game. I think this is the best of the new features personally.
Microsoft seems convinced that next generation will be all about HD video, but I (along with almost everyone I know) couldn't care less about the feature. With that said, the Xbox 360 does indeed support it, but you need the special HD AV cables for it. These come included in the Pro pack, but you can also buy them separately. These cables come with a small switch which enables you to select between the two outputs, meaning they can be used for both. I've seen a few games running in HD, and I must say that I'm not entirely impressed. It seems like too little for so much money.
Xbox Live: 360-ified
Microsoft introduced to the world their premium online service last generation, and they've brought it back, but with several upgrades. Xbox Live will not only allow you to play games with other players online, but it now allows you to chat, download demos/movies and now you can even access what Microsoft refers to as 'Live Arcade'. Each Xbox 360 console comes standard with a Silver membership, which gives you access to the Live Marketplace and Live Arcade, but the Gold membership is what you'll really need in order to play online. A Gold membership card will run you $49.99 for a year.
Personally I've always thought that Xbox Live's fees were too much. I've always been a big fan of free online. Sure, Xbox Live is a fantastic online service, but come on. After buying a $300-$400 console the last thing you want to do is shell out another fifty bucks to take advantage of what the system is originally advertised to do. Currently the Xbox 360 is lacking a killer online game, and some may find Xbox Live not worth the price. What's even worse is the fact that some developers will undoubtedly add on their own charges to play their online games (specifically content rich MMORPGS), which results in we the consumers being overcharged.
Microsoft Points are one of the new features of the online service. These are specifically for the Live Marketplace and Live Arcade, and are used to buy either additional content or to purchase arcade games. It's admittedly a cool idea, and some of the stuff is even free, but it feels weird to be paying real world money to buy these points in order to acquire additional content for games. This isn't a feature that I like to make much use of, although I have broken down a few times for the Live Arcade. What can I say, Geometry Wars has me. What's cool about the points is the fact that you can acquire them through special cards from stores instead of being forced to buy them online. Still it's lame that you have to pay for them, as I would much rather they be earned through playing the games.
Live Arcade can be absolutely addicting. At the cost of MS points you can download and install several titles. These range from old classics like Pacman and Joust to newly designed games such as the now infamous Geometry Wars and Astropop. The only downfall to Live Arcade is that new games aren't added as often as I'd like them to be, but it's still a pretty neat idea. It's a heck of a lot better way to spend your points than buying content for pre-existing games, in my opinion.
The Games
This is easily the weakest aspect of the system, but I'll be a little forgiving seeing as how the console hasn't been out for a very long time. The Xbox 360 has a lot of 3rd party support, which is definitely a good thing. Developers right now seem mostly content with porting current generation games over to the 360 with only minor graphical updates, but this will change as we move more into the next generation. Besides that, Microsoft has a fairly strong line-up of first and second party developers hard at work to bring you excellent games.
As with the original Xbox, the 360 seems aimed at the edgier mature market. This is evident in the abundance of first person shooters on the console this early in it's lifespan. What's odd is the fact that Halo 3 wasn't in line for the console's launch, but rest assured that it'll be here in the coming years. Also adding to the mature demographic is the plethora of sports and racing games available for the system. The Xbox 360 is a two genre horse though, as nothing else is adequately supported on the console as of yet. Fighting fans have Dead or Alive 4 and Rumble Roses to keep them busy until more developers step up. Other genres such as platformers are also poorly represented, with Kameo being the big premiere title.
RPGs were the big problem area for the original Xbox, and as of right now, that's still the case. What sucks is that this is my favorite genre. Elder Scrolls IV is the only choice for RPGers at the moment, but I personally am not a fan of it. Thanks to a couple quick deals Microsoft has full support of Mistwalker (ex-Squaresoft team) who is in the works with several RPGs, along with Final Fantasy XI coming from Square-Enix themself. Tri-Ace has also committed to making an exclusive RPG for the 360. Although there are several other RPGs on the way, in all honesty they aren't looking too hot. You've gotta give Microsoft points for trying though.
Top Five Games Currently Out
Here are my five favorite games which are currently available for the console.
#5. - Madden 2006
Released: Launch
Although I'm not a huge fan of football games, the Xbox 360 lacks a large library. This is the reason the game has made my list, but it's actually a pretty solid showing for Madden's first next gen outing. I certainly don't regret renting it from Gamefly. Admittedly, there are some missing elements to the game, but overall it's still a lot of fun. This is one of the games that really shows the difference in leaps between this generation and the last one.
#4. - Top Spin 2
Released: March 2006
This is yet another sports game I played through rental, and it's quite a bit of fun. I missed out on the original Top Spin which appeared on the Xbox console, and now I see what I had been missing. Among the various options included are the ability to create your own player, play through a career, or even challenge players online. Fans of tennis looking for next generation graphics should get nice and cozy with this title.
#3. - Ridge Racer VI
Released: Launch
I'm a bit new to the whole Ridge Racer world, but I'll tell you one thing; I like my racers nice and arcadey. I can't stand racing simulators where you have to build you cars and whatnot, I want to jump right into a race. Ridge Racer VI lets me do just that. Most are turned off by this racer's weird sliding and braking physics, but it just adds to the excitement in my opinion. Brakes will only hold you back!
#2. - Kameo: Elements of Power
Released: Launch
Kameo is a title that has been long in the making. Originally shown for the Gamecube at the system's first E3, Kameo Elements of Power has quite some history behind it. First thought to be a Pokemon clone, it actually turned out to be a very fun and diverse platformer from Rareware. This is the first decent new game the developer has come out with since Perfect Dark on the N64, and while they're not still entirely back yet this was the perfect launch title for the 360.
#1. - Condemned: Criminal Origins
Released: Launch
As Sega's first job as publisher on this new console, Condemned is absolutely terrific. In this day and age I was beginning to lose faith that a first person shooter could be horrifying, but Condemned has come along and turned me into a holy man. The game pits you as an investigator as you enter numerous dark environments battling against hundreds of lunatics using whatever you can get your hands on. In my opinion, this is as of this point, the definitive first person shooter on the console.
My Five Most Anticipated Upcoming Games
You can't really make an educated buying decision without knowing what's in the pipeline, and so here's a list of the five games I'm most looking forward to.
#5. - Phantasy Star Universe
Expected Release Date: October 2006
In one of the smartest moves Sega has made in a long time, they've decided to bring the deep and anticipated massively multiplayer online RPG out on the Xbox 360. As a single player game it's supposedly going to be as deep as the classic Phantasy Star games, but we'll have to wait and see if that holds to be true. The Xbox 360 version is expected to be a port of the PS2 one, but it will probably feature a plethora of graphical updates. I can't wait to get my hands on it, as this is the version I'll probably end up getting.
#4. - Alone in the Dark
Expected Release Date: Sometime in 2006
How many Alone in the Dark games have been released, like five? Either way, I've never gotten my hands on one but I plan to change this very soon. This game will supposedly be very action packed and scary at the same time. Seeing as how the original Alone in the Dark pretty much started the survival horror revolution I don't doubt it will follow through with it's claims.
#3. - Resident Evil 5
Expected Release Date: Unknown
Resident Evil will hit a Microsoft console for the first time ever with this installment. Resident Evil 5 looks to go back to the series roots by featuring *gasp!* the undead! Not a whole lot is known about this game except for it's oceanside setting in which you'll shoot the crap out of zombies. It's Resident Evil, so you know it'll be good. This game will be released simultaneously on the PS3 and Xbox 360, but it's not known if the two versions will be much different from one another. Unless Sony fixes it's boomerang controller I'll probably be going with this version.
#2. - Lost Odyssey
Expected Release Date: Sometime in 2007
This is one of the newly formed developer, Mistwalker's big new RPGs. Because it's headed by the creator of Final Fantasy I'm expecting many big things from this one. From what I've heard, the game will make use of a generation system, which may involve either your character aging or having children. Lost Odyssey is a traditional RPG, and because I'm such a fan of the genre, I couldn't very well leave it off of this list.
#1. - Blue Dragon
Expected Release Date: Unknown
This is Mistwalker's second Xbox 360 game in development, and it's also my most anticipated of the entire upcoming library. Not only is this one also headed by the creator of Final Fantasy, but Akira Toriyama himself is doing the character designs for this cartooney RPG. Although it's giving off a Pokemon-ish vibe at the moment (collecting monsters and transforming into them for battle) it still looks absolutely amazing. I can't wait.
My Overall Recommendation
The Xbox 360 is the first venture into the next generation. If you absolutely cannot wait then I'd say go ahead, but keep in mind that a price drop is expected to happen near the launch of the PS3 and Wii (formerly known as the Revolution) consoles. This is an expensive system, but despite the price I can't recommend settling for anything less than the Pro pack. I was definitely upset when I first learned that some Xbox 360 games cost up to $60, but I guess that's the price you pay for next generation gaming.
Although the library isn't so hot yet there's plenty in the pipeline to keep you interested even in the face of imminent PS3 and Wii. At this point there's very little indication that the Xbox 360 will be significantly different from the original Xbox, as far as it's game line-up is concerned. With that in mind it's best to recommend this console to fans of the original Xbox, or just to those who want to get the jump on the next generation of gaming. I recommend it with a four star rating, although I feel that may be a bit too forgiving at this point, but the rating goes with the knowledge of what's to come for the system.