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Fallout From the November Console Wars
All three 'next generation' consoles are out, and we can finally stop using that term. The NPD numbers for last month have been released, and there's plenty of information there to discuss. Analysts have already made some observations, with brandintel specifically pointing out the Xbox 360's 'surprising' role in last month's fight. For some more well-reasoned thought, Dean Takahashi's take is the place to turn: "At this rate, Microsoft isn't going to hit its goal of 10 million units by year end ... Sony's number is consistent with its warnings, but 197,000 is worse than what many expected ... the fair fight is really going to be what happens in the year 2007, when all three console makers should be able to ship as many consoles as consumers want. To me, this looks like consumers are hit with a case of sticker shock. The mass market is paying for cheap PS2s, DS Lites, and GBAs." Despite the Wii's success last month, it should be noted that Nintendo is no longer bragging of 1 Million units in the U.S. by the end of the year. So, essentially, it looks like all three companies will fail to hit their console goals for the year.
I'm not sure you want that, with Bethesda behind the wheel. Elder Scrolls: Fallout, even more buggy than Fallout 2, but with light bloom! I'll take Van Buren, thanks.
Ok, Can someone please tell me about these incredible games? I really would love that explanation, because I hear it all the time, but I see no proof of it, and I would love my 500 dollar purchase vindicated.
I bought and xBox360 at launch, and it is technically a very good machine. I have had no problems or complaints with it's operation. It is loud, but not as loud as the volume I play at. It is sleek and looks cool where I have it. I like the controller more than any other controller to date (haven't played a Wii, played a PS3). The graphics are great and looks cool as hell on my high def TV. I can't wait to actually enjoy a game for more than 5 hours.
Fight Night was cool for awhile, about 5 hours. But single player mode is very repetative. I'll throw smackdown and the racing games under that category too. The racers are not as good as Gran Turismo for PS2 5 years ago, disapointing. I don't play online that much because everyone online is better than me, I am into consoles for the single player experiences for the most part. Not that I don't dabble in online play, I just think that consoles should offer games substantial enough to stand on their own.
So we have Gears, which is short and not in the same league as most FPS on the PC, not suprisingly. If I want to play online shooters, I will boot my computer and play one of the many awsome online games.
So what else is there? Why did I spend 500 dollars on a system that has given me probably less than 50 hours of enjoyment in a full year. WoW did many times that for about $180, game and subscription, which I no longer play.
And please don't try to sell me on rainbow six or any other FPSs, consoles are still behind PCs in those games, and since I have both, I excersise my better option %100 of the time. Oh yeah... and what the hell happend to Madden? How does EA skip over their big franchise title on the big new console two years running. They still haven't caught up to their PS2 offerings.
So when I think incredible games I think, Mario World, Half-Life, WoW, Warcraft, Oblivion (oh yeah, I forgot, that game is sweet! So sweet that I stopped playing it on xBox after about 10 hours and bought it for the PC, awsome decision), FF1-7 (haven't played 12 much yet, but I hear it is pretty good). I am a gamer, I love games, and I love being sucked into a great experience. So please, "incredible games", can you enlighten me?
You take it, I don't want it...