Xbox or PS2?

[Zafarium]

I was considering updating my aging PS1 console and was wondering if I should get Microsofts Xbox or the PS2. I like the fact that Xbox has no memory card but I'm not sure. Any suggestions would be welcome!

[Chief Fruity]

It all depends on what you want, and who you ask. I know that there will probably be many people here for both sides, as there are everywhere. But it all depends on what you want to do with it. Each has perks, in my oppinion.

X-Box, I find, after talking to some friends with them, is the best thing next to a computer for online play. I know that a lot of the games for XBox are made especially for it, and that is great. I don't have a connection for my PS2 though, so I can't compare the two of them.

PS2 I find, as I have one, is mosty for the single player in us. Maybe 2 people, but notice that it doesn't have the 4 slots for controllers that the GameCube has, and I believe that the XBox does too. If you find yourself playing alone a lot of the time, and don't want to pay another monthly fee, than i would say this is the system for you. Also, the PS2 can play your old PS1 games, so that is another plus for this system.

But I would have to say that given a tie, still, let the games make your choice. Each system has a few great games for them, and you should choose the one with the most games to your liking. For example, PS2 has the final fantasy stuff, but it doesn't have, for example, Halo or Mech Assault. In the end, make the choice that you think you will enjoy the most games with.

That's just my 2 cents...

[BruceGod]

PS2 has the advantage of being able to play all your PS1 games.

[NiteFox]

But an Xbox, when gutted and filled with helium, can provide an excellent flotation device for you, your family, and your neighbours at the same time during a flood :)

Okay, that's the oblitigatory "Xbox is huge" joke out of the way. Continue.

[NuurAbSaal]

Why?

1.: Halo2

2.: more Power = better graphics etc. (if the game takes advantage of the hardware, that is...)

3.: Halo2

4.: dont't know about the PS2, but great Lan abilities with up to 16 players (of course, you need friends with XBoxes and at least a second TV for 4vs4 with 2 Xboxes)

4.: Halo2

5.: Lot's of great games (probably true of PS2 too, I would think)
a few I enjoy(ed):
Shooters: Halo, Tom Clancy series, Brute Force, of course Halo2 (coming soon™)
RPG: Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic, ...hmmm more are in the works :)
Sports/Sims: Project Gotham Racing2, Rallysport Challenge2, MotoGP

6.: online play (as mentioned) I have little personal experience with this but tried it at a friend's and it is easy to use and fun as hell (if you're into Internet MP)

_
Cons:

hmmm, the XBox is huge ( ;) @ Nitefox), some dislike the Controllers (I don't), apparently they are considered huge too..., price of the games -> 50€-60€ for new ones, you can of course mod your XBox, but that doesn't belong here. I find the price of the games to be the geatest downside.

Hope that helped
Greetings

Nuur


P.S.: and yes, I know that my obsession with Halo2 is pathetic, move along, thank you

[[wcip]Angel]

It depends on what you want.

If you want a media-station with the ability to do all sorts of fun stuff like storing media, surfing the web, watch movies and listen to music, you might want to consider X-box. Then again, a PS2 can also play music, be used as a DVD-player and if I'm not mistaken, you can surf the web with it as well. I might be wrong, but I seem to remember reading an article on how to get around certain obstacles in order to get the thing to go online.

Games: Most people would say that the graphics are better on the X-box, and I'm quite sure they are. Does that necessarily mean that the graphics on PS2-games are completely craptastic? Check out this trailer of Gran Turismo 4 (The real driving simulator) and tell me what you think. In all honesty, when the graphics are *this* good, does it even matter if they're any better? When the graphics on both systems are very good, wouldn't you want to start looking at other criteria? Like gameplay, story, music, etc?

Speaking of games. The PS2 has another nifty feature. Some people have already mentioned the backwards compatibility with the Playstation, but what about forward combatibility; playing your Playstation and PS2-games on the next-generation console PS3? Wouldn't this count as a big plus?

The only reason I bought a PS2 instead of a Gamecube or X-box, was the game-line-up. I just don't see any exciting titles I can't find on another platform. If you go back a few years you'll find the X-box-fanbase screaming at the top of their lungs "HALO HALO HALO X-BOX EXCLUSIVE WEEE!!" much in the same fashion as the Dreamcast-people did when Codename Veronica was released as a Dreamcast-exclusive some years ago. What happened? Both games were ported. HALO came to the PC. Codename Veronica came to the PS2 and Gamecube. "Exclusive" doesn't mean crap anymore. I'm sure HALO2 is an X-box-exclusive title. For now. I'll give it about 6 months after release before someone starts talking about porting it.

(Just for the record, I didn't think HALO was that good, and I have no or little expectations for the sequel, even though I've seen the gameplay-trailer from Fileplanet.)

And there lies the core of the problem, in my opinion. Different people like different types of games. I have nothing against the X-box or the people who made it. I don't have anything against people who buy it (why should I?), it's just that I don't care for the games on that particular platform. I didn't get a Gamecube until Resident evil appeared on the GC either. I still think the PS2 has more quality titles out there. (Silent Hill, Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid) but I bought the Gamecube because one of my favourite game series - Resident Evil - appeared twice on the platform (and will be returning a third time (I don't count the 3 ports of RE2, 3 and Veronica) with RE4.)

My advice: Find out what you want.

Multimedia: Get an X-box
Games: Find out what type of games you like and check which system has the most "exclusive" titles of the games you like.

edit: In all honestly? What the hell does that mean?

edit#2: Not much use linking to a film clip without the actual address to go with it.. :P

[WarLocke]

[[wcip]Angel]

Not/Tremendously

[NiteFox]

See, there's always the same problem with such threads.



Same goes for operating system/browser/religion/politics/favoured cheese/cats & dogs threads.

Seriously, dude, it's your choice. Ask for advice when making a choice and that which you will receive is likely to leave you none the wiser.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have to try and get through the Metal Gear Samus bit in Zero Mission. On hard difficulty. Without breaking my GBA in frustration.

[WarLocke]

Are you calling me a zealot?!?

[NiteFox]

ARGH! Distraction!

Bitchslapped the Chozo Guardian, blew away the pirates between me and the save room, but switched the damn thing off before I saved! All because I was going to answer this post. Thanks WarLocke!

*Shoots WarLocke in the kneecap*

Nope, I wasn't referring to you. Just general zealotry in, uh, general...

("Allow myself to introduce... Myself." © Austin Powers Inc. 1997)

[Mephista]

For me, the choice of system was in the games that were available. I like four player games and things that are entertaining during a party (and Mario) so I got a gamecube. I'm a hopeless DDR addict so the PS2 is going to be my next purchase. Xboxes are cool, and I've lived with one for a while and enjoyed myself, but I haven't found too many games that are xbox only and that I couldn't live without. I think also that the xbox is more expensive overall because there are more controllers to buy (if you want to play with 4 people), and then you also have to buy the little widget that lets you play DVDs, and an optional memory card if you ever want to share data with someone else and a monthly fee for xbox live, if you want to play online...

[Cryptic]

That depends. Do you want a library of tens of thousands of games, or do you want to play Halo?
:P

Xbox users will point to their superior specs. I, on the other hand, say that specs are meaningless without a colossal game library to breathe life into the numbers.

Others say that the Xbox is a wonderful gaming system that allows you to play fantastic combat games online with your friends. I refer such lost souls to an amazing new contraption called the PC, which does these things a hundred times better than an Xbox, and even lets you check your e-mail.

I have both a PC and a PS2. Each fills a need, and I am in love with both. They don't tread on each other's territory, and they each provide something the other system cannot.

So if you want to play some of the best console games of the last 8 years, I recommend a PS2. If you want to pummel an intruder senseless with a controller the size of a Yugo, try the Xbox.

PS2 = game machine with near-infinite games to explore
Xbox = wannabe PC without a keyboard or upgradability

That's my even-handed analysis for the day.
:lol:

[Iceman]

I agree with Cryptic. I also have 2 PC's (laptop and desktop) and a PS2. I love my computers and I spent many hours playing games and doing work, but you cannot play Gran Turismo on a pc.

PS2 + GT3 a-spec (GT4 hasn't come to Greece yet) + me and my best friend adds up to many hours of car tuning and rasing.


Iceman

[Artega]

Frankly, I think Halo sucks. It's fun, but it's nothing to write home about, and it's better on the PC, anyway.

The Xbox can be made into a Linux-based dedicated server with a little tweaking.

Personally, I'd go with a GameCube over the other two biggies, but with Nintendo losing third-party support across the board, you may wish to reconsider.

[NuurAbSaal]

Hmmm, this is a serious question, not an attempt to bash the PS2:

Do you really like the PS2 controller? I used to have a PS one and I never felt comfortable using the tiny gamepad. My friend's PS2 controllers are a tad larger than the PS one ones were (maybe because they got them force-feedback thingies on them, I'm not an expert on PS controllers) but I still find them too small. I am 190cm (6'3 ?) tall but I don't think I have overly large hands. The original XBox controllers fit perfectly in my hands and I find the weight to be better than that of other gamepads too (a "stabler" experience).

But maybe I'm really a strange gigantic mutant with a Bungie (read Halo) fetish :blink:

And I have to agree, Halo is not THAT great, but when it came out it was (IMHO of course) the absolutely best shooter available (on any platform). If only it had remained a Mac game with a pre 2k release date :( . The Mac port is seriously flawed :angry:

BTW, the gamecube controller is the silliest thing I ever saw attached to a console.


Alas, as has been stated in this thread, it really depends on what you like :)

Greetings

Nuur

EDIT: @ zafarium: I would advise you to try out an XBox controller (at a friend's, a mall...), they REALLY might be too large for younger gamers. I'm not sure the XBox ships with the "Controller S" (for "small") in the states, so you would have to buy them separately -> more expenses.

[[wcip]Angel]

I don't know why I rely so heavily on pictures to illustrate my points when my drawing skills blow beyond believability, but let's have a look at the Gamecube controller. The worst thing about this is the fact that when you press "up", you're really pressing "up and to the right". Try fiddling around in the inventory in Resident Evil, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

http://www.home.no/lzp/gc-controller.jpg
edit: home.no may be a tad unstable. If you can't see the picture, check the following link.
http://www.angel.fenre.org/gc-controller.jpg

About the X-box-controller. I've only tried it for a few minutes, but my first impressions were that it was too clunky. There was just too much plastic to hold on to.

I'm a small person (170cm) and the PS2-controller fits me perfectly. It's also the only controller I've used for the past 8 years, so I'm very comfortable with it, and thus quite biased.

[NuurAbSaal]

never try

[Artega]

I've been playing GameCube and nothing else (besides the all-knowing, all-powerful PC, of course) ever since its release (and the N64 before it, the SNES before the N64, etc; I'm a Nintendo fanboy), so I think I can give you an idea of how the GCN controller is, and what it's really suited for.

First, I stand at 183cm (ballpark 6'0") with a 21cm (ballpark 8") handspan. The standard (read: official) GameCube controller measures 12.7cm (ballpark 5") horizontally from the left shoulder to the right shoulder, 10.6cm (ballpark 4") vertically from the end of the left handle to the left shoulder, and 4cm (ballpark 2") high, from the bottom of the left handle to the caddy for the directional pad. This, of course, means nothing. Just find one in your local Best Buy and see how it fits.

In my three years of Cubing, I've never had issues with the way the controller must be held or used (reference: wcip's reference to inventory-management troubles in Resident Evil. The Resident Evil series, in general, are a total pain in the ass, anyway, so I've never completed any, except for the GameCube remake of the first.)

That said, I absolutely despise the location of the Z button, and the size of the D-Pad. The D-Pad is positively TINY, which makes games that use the D-Pad extensively (such as Soul Calibur II) difficult to control perfectly. While I can still kick much arse with Nightmare, Link, or Raphael in SC2, sometimes I'll perform a different move than what I intended, or fail to perform the correct series of button presses (such as with Astaroth's Poseidon Tide) due to the tiny size of the D-Pad.

The Z button is simply in an inaccessible place, which makes games that make extensive use of it (read: none) annoying.

The positioning of the analog sticks makes playing games with a dual-analog setup difficult. In TimeSplitters 2, I can kick arse with reckless abandon with something like the Minigun (which is absurdly overpowered) or Soviet, but if it requires precise aiming (such as the Brick, any handgun, or the Sniper Rifle), you can forget it. The C-Stick is way too small and way too resistant to aim with properly. Then again, if I wanted precise aiming, I'd be using a keyboard and a mouse. <_<

Now, the positives:

The setup of the X, Y, A, and B buttons was sheer genius. All four buttons are easily accessed, even if the bulbous A button looks a little odd (perhaps that was done to make the GameCube controller more recognizable, as opposed to the SEGA Saturn-wannabe original XBox controller, and the very familiar PlayStation DualShock.) If the game requires use of any of those four buttons, all four are easy to access. It makes playing games like Metroid Prime (Zoid, you and your team did a great job!) and any platformer a breeze.

The L and R buttons absolutely blow away the XBox's triggers. They're much easier to fiddle with, and they respond faster, too. I also like their on-the-shoulders location as opposed to the XBox's on-the-back location.

Basically, the GameCube controller is designed for platformers, racers, and RPGs, and the GameCube's lineup is reflective of this. I can't imagine playing The Wind Waker on the PS2's DualShock or the XBox's atrocious controllers (even their new one, the one that's copycatting the PS2's DualShock, is horridly balanced), nor can I imagine Metroid Prime or F-Zero GX performing well using them.

Your choice of system really depends on what you like playing the most.

The PS2 is the definitive RPG machine; Square-Enix is almost entirely exclusive to the PlayStation (with the exception of the pathetic Crystal Chronicles on the GCN), and then you have other RPGs like the .hack series.

The XBox tends to have a lot of shooters and PC ports. If you like twitch-action, the XBox is your machine.

The GCN caters to the younger crowd, as Nintendo has always done, having more platformers and innovative games than the other systems, though the appearance and exclusivity of titles like the Resident Evil series (the remake, Resident Evil 0, ports of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, and the upcoming Resident Evil 4), Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and other such titles show that Nintendo's not afraid to get its feet wet.

Something to note: Nintendo has been losing third-party support across the board. Silicon Knights (makers of Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, and the supposedly upcoming Too Human) just recently bailed out, Rareware left after the tedious Starfox Adventures (a sad day for Star Fox fans like myself; SFA was downright pathetic), and many games aren't being taken to the GCN (I was rather peeved about finding that the newest Splinter Cell was XBox-exclusive.)

To counter-balance this, Nintendo has a strong lineup of games coming up, including Pikmin 2, Resident Evil 4, Metroid Prime 2, Four Swords Adventures, Paper Mario 2, and Tales of Symphonia. Another Zelda game has been confirmed as being in the works, and another Mario title or three has also been confirmed.

[Chief Fruity]

I really don't think that the controllers matter a whole large amount. While they do at the beginning, I know that after playing a system for long enough, I will adapt to the controller. That being said, I haven't played XBox enough to get used to them, but they do seem huge to me. I stand at about 6'5", and even I think that they do. I like the PS2 controller best out of all of them, personally. It is the most similar to the old SNES controller that I spend 100s of hours using.