PS3 + a PC, what does that leave for the 360?

[Streeteh]

I've been finding myself glancing over websites recently, looking at the best prices for xbox 360s, i guess the fact i've wanted Lost Odyssey for two years now but finally have some spare cash has got me curious.

Thing is though, the one thing that is stopping me, what is there really that will interest me? I'm not the type that's fussed about the small differences between multiplatforms; most of my friends own PS3s so it's the one i'll always choose for multiplayer games. But then there's also the fact that a large portion of the 360 games i seem to want either come out on the PC at the same time or have a staggered PC release. What have i missed? I'm a cynic so i'm most likely overlooking the stuff i do want and focusing on that which doesn't appeal to me.

Oh and how much is the cheapest a years gold sub will set me back?

Help me out guys, persuade me to get a 360

[Dunketh]

I've just got one and I'm enjoying it mate, fanboy bullpoop to one side, games, in general, do look slightly better on the 360 (more AA), it's minor, but it is there. I still stand by it though that games written exclusively for the PS3 look and perform better than anything I've seen on the 360 yet, though Gears 2 does look bloody gorgeous!

Having said that, if your PC is up to it they will look 10x better than any console, so if you enjoy PC Gaming then that could be the way to go, I prefer gaming on the consoles these days, I just find it more relaxing and enjoyable overall.

There are also the handful of games and DLC that appear only on 360, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey to name a couple.

I'm not being much help here, I guess it all depends how much you enjoy playing on your PC.

A couple of things I prefer on 360 over PS3 is Live (it is better than PSN) and Demos... Everything has a trial version or a demo, something I really wish Sony would offer...

Controller wise I can take either, both are great controllers imo, have no problems with either of them.

So yep, not been much help and I'm rambling now, just trying to point out a few bits from someone who owns all three systems.

[Streeteh]

Basically you're of the same mindset as me but have more money/are more decisive?

[Dunketh]

Wouldn't say I have more money or are more decisive, I just impulse buy stuff without thinking about it lol

I'm enjoying it mate that's for sure

[NokkonWud]

Well I have a PS3 and a PC and Xbox360 is always my first port of call.

For a start, the whole Xbox Live experience, everything being so connected and quick is just the best system I have ever used by a mile. It's just brilliant, check your friends, messages, recently played players all take seconds, no syncing, no separate applications, everyone has the same thing and it's quick, so seeing your friends, communicating with them, whether video, audio, pictures, text or voice messaging it's all quick and easy and just works.

Comparisons of games with fellow users, no errors, no syncing, great presentation. I just find that using a PC now is so backwards as it's in the past and the PS3 is such a catch up job that even 3 years later it's not where Xbox360 was at launch.

Then there is the performance, everything just works and almost every multi-format game DOES perform better on Xbox360, on very rare occasions it goes to PS3 like Colin McRae DiRT (released much later) or Burnout Paradise.

There are the games, many times the games are on PC, but you wait for ages and inevitably there will be complaints about it being "another ****ty console port", or that it "needs a patch" or, quite laughably "Needs an Xbox360 pad to be played properly" as almost all games are made for consoles as the primary market and it's got to the point where only RTS games and MMO (this could be set to change, albeit on PS3) are better on PC.

There is also the matchmaking system, voice comms for individual chat or party chat, or of course those you're with, everything automatically separating on teams etc.. It's just so effortless and so... perfect.

There are the exclusives, I hate it when people compare it to PC, but for a start off the top of my head without even researching there is Dead Rising, PGR3, PGR4, Gears of War 2, Forza 2, Forza 3, Star Ocean, Lost Odyssey, Halo 3 and all of those are amazing games bar Star Ocean which simply isn't for some.

The best Arcade system on any system ever, XBLA which is updated ALL the time with offers, great games and they all feature Xbox Live features like Achievements and Leaderboards etc...

Game patching which doesn't require you to exit right out a game to download it, doesn't require ridiculously massive, rolling patches, the longest any update has taken for me is 10 seconds, it's automatic and it just works every time. There are add-ons which are automatically picked up when it picks up the game in your drive so you can see exactly what is available, what it costs and a description of it.

There are great updates on the dashboard with the Xbox Live team of Acey Bongos, SuperKaylo and MrPointyHead and they're all very talkative on Twitter too, which is great, the former actually follows me *smug* and they answer questions and give codes away. They also do weekly informative videos such as "The Insiders" and "SentUAMessage" and you also get IGN insider guides, information on latest downloads etc... It's just a great set up, again, leaving everything behind.

There is Last.fm, Twitter and Facebook all coming as well as MSN. Avatars which are having customizable clothing and props depending on game unlocks so you can make your friends jealous on the friends list (this will be awesome). Then there is Xbox.com which I must click on about 10 times a day to read/write messages, check friends achievements out and see what they're playing. Again, it's all about interactivity and Xbox360 has it covered in every area.

You can get Gold Subs for around £28 which is an absolute bargain, I would happily pay it on all my formats to get the same level of service.

I can only think cynics or fools don't own Xbox360's if they are gamers. It sounds harsh, but I genuinely feel that way. I just think it's marvellous.

[Haly]

Originally Posted by NokkonWud

There are great updates on the dashboard with the Xbox Live team of Acey Bongos, SuperKaylo and MrPointyHead and they're all very talkative on Twitter too, which is great, the former actually follows me *smug*

I can beat that smugness and you know it

[Dunketh]

Originally Posted by Haly

I can beat that smugness and you know it

Yeah you have me following you

Oh wait.. so does Nokkon

[loki]

Originally Posted by NokkonWud

Snip........

For me Nokkon I would go PS3>PC>X360 whilst owning them all.

As I said in the other thread no issue with Xbox, the platform or the console but for some reason, it just hasn't grabbed me like the other two. The thing that puts me off is the whole achievement whoring that seems to accompany the Xbox scene, Games must be played to the absolute death in order to achieve the the mythical 1000 points and that just does not appeal to me. I play games on Steam and if I get an achievement in TF2 then great but I don't get on the boat of "MUST GET 1000th headshot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Originally Posted by Nokkon

There are the games, many times the games are on PC, but you wait for ages and inevitably there will be complaints about it being "another ****ty console port", or that it "needs a patch" or, quite laughably "Needs an Xbox360 pad to be played properly" as almost all games are made for consoles as the primary market and it's got to the point where only RTS games and MMO (this could be set to change, albeit on PS3) are better on PC.

Console games require patching no :s.

The majority of my PC games are purchased through Steam nowadays and patching (be it valve or 3rd party) simply is not an issue. If my PC is on all day then my games are patched, I play and it really doesn't get any more complex than that for me.

Originally Posted by Nokkon

There is Last.fm, Twitter and Facebook all coming as well as MSN. Avatars which are having customizable clothing and props depending on game unlocks so you can make your friends jealous on the friends list (this will be awesome). Then there is Xbox.com which I must click on about 10 times a day to read/write messages, check friends achievements out and see what they're playing. Again, it's all about interactivity and Xbox360 has it covered in every area.

Last FM, Facebook & Twitter I could care less about and certainly not a compelling reason for me to get an Xbox if I didn't already have one. I mean how many devices do I need to be socially networked to.

'Yay I am twittering from Xbox, I am now twittering from my PC, I am no longer on Xbox or PC but am twittering from my phone'. Sometimes it's just really nice to disconnect from the virtual world without it being an ever present on all technology platforms.

I know your very Xbox orientated but the whole PC gaming experience you talk about, I would have agreed with a good few years ago. I would concede that Xbox is undoubtedly a polished experience. I would say that it is a different experience to the PC and PS3. However, I think to suggest that it is years behind Xbox says to me it is someone who really hasn't given PC gaming a good chance over the past two to three years.

A lot of what you say about match making I get on Steam no problem. Company of Heroes, I can dive in against people of my skill level and experience. No messing about, no patching, no sync issues.

One thing that Console centric gamers always seem to forget as well is that when they wax lyrical about the 'perfect system that just works off the disk' is that invariably it is an entirely closed system of gaming. Many Many games I have purchased for PC 'just work', they are cheaper and I get a lot more bang for my (usually lower RRP) buck due to the addons, mods, skins expansions and maps ( in most cases) free of charge developed by the community.

[Pumpkinstew]

Originally Posted by NokkonWud

There are the games, many times the games are on PC, but you wait for ages and inevitably there will be complaints about it being "another ****ty console port", or that it "needs a patch" or, quite laughably "Needs an Xbox360 pad to be played properly" as almost all games are made for consoles as the primary market and it's got to the point where only RTS games and MMO (this could be set to change, albeit on PS3) are better on PC.

This is the heart of the argument and why I went ahead and bought a 360 Elite recently. It sits next to my PC and plugs into the same monitor and ethernet switch.

No lazy ports, no duff controls, no secuROM, no driver issues, no patches just to get past the menu screen, no games for windows live or 12 year olds kicking you from a server. OK, so you pay a slight premium on games compared to PC but I'd rather do that than suffer the above.

It's even grabbed the girlfriends attention thanks to Guitar Hero, Beautiful Katamari and the casual games on Live Arcade and there's talk of moving it into the lounge - over my dead body of course

[Briggykins]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinstew

No lazy ports, no duff controls, no secuROM, no driver issues, no patches just to get past the menu screen, no games for windows live or 12 year olds kicking you from a server.

And no keyboard and mouse, which is still the reason PC will always be my preferred platform for my preferred type of game (FPS). It just can't be beat.