87
Microsoft Xbox 360 Original review
- includes:
- Core,
- Pro 20GB,
- Pro 60GB,
- Arcade 256MB,
- Arcade 512MB,
- Elite 120GB,
- Elite 250GB,
- Modern Warfare 2 Edition
Criteria
Comments
Rating
- Game library No comments
- Graphics No comments
- Controller(s) No comments
- Design and form factor No comments
- Other features (media, online, etc.) No comments
- Noise No comments
Detailed review
For anyone faced with choosing a game console today, it is very difficult to go past the Xbox 360. No other current platform offers more.
Lets get this out of the way first: did Micosoft mess up by releasing a console in 2006 which contained failing hardware? Absolutely. No one should make excuses for them, they messed up big time. But their response to the problem has been extremely good under the circumstances. A 3 year warranty, free repairs, free shipping on repairs and typically a 7 day turnaround. For most people, that's enough to take the sting out of the situation. Think about this for a second: Microsoft, the one everyone loves to hate, releases a product that has such a high failure/repair rate and STILL, most Xbox 360 owners remain huge fans of their console. It has to be a pretty amazing gaming console if it manages to do that.
So why do people like their 360's so much? WHY is it such a great console?The Xbox 360 shines in the following areas:
GAMES: Most games are now multi-platform, which levels the playing field between consoles a lot. But there are still a few platform exclusive titles and the 360 has the most desirable ones (E.g. Mass Effect, Gears of War, Halo, Fable, etc....). It has also given us some great exclusives in Downloadable Content (E.g. GTAIV, Fallout 3). Also, the 360 has the biggest back catalog of current-gen games (2006-2009) many of which are now a bargain. There are also many wonderful arcade games available via Xbox Live. No other platform has a better choice of current-gen games.
CONTROLLERS: No contest. The 360 has by far the nicest, most comfortable to hold and easy to use controller. Good weight, good buttons, good analog sticks, very solid, very comfortable, excellent battery life.
XBOX LIVE: There is no better way to game online. Its not free, but its damn good if you want to game online. The best online experience by far.
PRICE: It is the cheapest current generation gaming console you can buy.
Areas where the Xbox 360 is decisively beaten by the PS3 are the inclsuion of Blu Ray and Wi-Fi. But these are nowhere near as important as the above factors for those people who want to GAME.
The PS3 is a very good game console, but at the end of the day, if you had to pick just one game console today, there is no doubt it would be the Xbox 360.
Lets get this out of the way first: did Micosoft mess up by releasing a console in 2006 which contained failing hardware? Absolutely. No one should make excuses for them, they messed up big time. But their response to the problem has been extremely good under the circumstances. A 3 year warranty, free repairs, free shipping on repairs and typically a 7 day turnaround. For most people, that's enough to take the sting out of the situation. Think about this for a second: Microsoft, the one everyone loves to hate, releases a product that has such a high failure/repair rate and STILL, most Xbox 360 owners remain huge fans of their console. It has to be a pretty amazing gaming console if it manages to do that.
So why do people like their 360's so much? WHY is it such a great console?The Xbox 360 shines in the following areas:
GAMES: Most games are now multi-platform, which levels the playing field between consoles a lot. But there are still a few platform exclusive titles and the 360 has the most desirable ones (E.g. Mass Effect, Gears of War, Halo, Fable, etc....). It has also given us some great exclusives in Downloadable Content (E.g. GTAIV, Fallout 3). Also, the 360 has the biggest back catalog of current-gen games (2006-2009) many of which are now a bargain. There are also many wonderful arcade games available via Xbox Live. No other platform has a better choice of current-gen games.
CONTROLLERS: No contest. The 360 has by far the nicest, most comfortable to hold and easy to use controller. Good weight, good buttons, good analog sticks, very solid, very comfortable, excellent battery life.
XBOX LIVE: There is no better way to game online. Its not free, but its damn good if you want to game online. The best online experience by far.
PRICE: It is the cheapest current generation gaming console you can buy.
Areas where the Xbox 360 is decisively beaten by the PS3 are the inclsuion of Blu Ray and Wi-Fi. But these are nowhere near as important as the above factors for those people who want to GAME.
The PS3 is a very good game console, but at the end of the day, if you had to pick just one game console today, there is no doubt it would be the Xbox 360.
good review!
2 people find this review helpful