melon

I know, I know. An old question, but I don't really want to cause a pissing match here. As a promotion at Rogers Plus here in Canada, I happened to get a $100 gift card that you can only use toward the purchase of a video game console--XBox 360, PS3, or Wii--just for signing up for cable TV and internet, which I needed to do anyway, since I just moved here.

So now that I have an excuse to buy one, I'm pretty sure that I want both the XBox 360 and PS3 eventually, but, if you were me, what would you buy now? To gauge my interests, the kinds of games I like are RPGs like Final Fantasy, "shooter" (for lack of a better term) games like Resident Evil, and other games like God of War. I don't really have any interest, currently, in online gaming, and I generally play games by myself, as I don't have any friends interested in gaming either.

What's making the decision complicated is that they seem to have many of the same games but not entirely, the fact that the XBox 360 seems to have stability problems short of the new 65nm shrink, which I'm not sure how to tell apart from the older consoles, and the fact that the PS3 seems to be lacking in some titles currently, but seems to be getting better over time....maybe....and seems to have lost backwards compatibility entirely with the newer revisions.

Thoughts?

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BouncingSoul

Resident Evil 5 is for X360 and PS3. As is Final Fantasy XIII. God of War 3 is a PS3 exclusive. As you said, they share a lot of titles. In my eye's that means there is no "best" console out there. I went with the PS3 for the Blu-Ray player but if you don't watch many movies thats a moot point. Since getting it I've found a lot of games I enjoy. Metal Gear Solid 4 is amazing. In 2 days I'll have LittleBigPlanet to drool over as well. On the flip side, I know far more people with 360's and they all swear by them. I think you'll be happy with whichever system you decide on. You'll just have to decide which one has more of your favoirtes on it.

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synical33

Bouncing Soul add me to your friends list on the PS3 Network when you get LittleBigPlanet so we can play, my screen name is SYNikal33. I will be sending my friend LBP for xmas so we can all play the 4-player levels.

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vern

Really have to ask yourself a few questions ...

1. Does Blu-Ray matter? If not, there are more games and more exclusives on the 360.
2. Do exclusives matter? Are you buying a system to play a certain exclusive? Otherwise the 360 will be overall a better gaming experience just because for many titles that go cross platform, the 360 is the lead platform and the PS3's power doesn't come into play.
3. Does online matter? ... Live is far and away the better online experience in terms of service and population.
4. Where are your friends? ... Live? PSN?
5. Does the Playstation Home matter? lol ... ok that was a low blow.

Both great systems. However, in my opinion (I have both BTW), if you are buying a system for gaming (the best Blu-Ray player on the market doesn't sway you) and you can only have one, the 360 is the better gaming platform because games make the platform ... the 360 has more of it and many in better quality. People keep saying 09 will be PS3's year ... but that just seems like a standard response from the PR department for any console.

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tdinc

Vern has great points,

I have a PS3, as a Blu-Ray player there is none better on the market, it receives firmware updates to keep it updated. Yes the PS3 is in a minor "funk" at the moment, but it does have great games and developers are grasping the power of the system and are making better games and the future is getting better for the PS3 (The PS2 was slow with games in the beginning also, but it is still a best selling system)

PS3 online gaming is free, XBL you have to pay for. even though it has a better presence with the online gaming realm, dishing out $100 a year is steep and will cost way more in the long run)

The future of the PS3 is solid and will only get better (it already has great games) and so does the 360. its a matter of taste. like New York style pizza vs Chicago deep dish.

Microsoft is allready in development of a so called "720" to balance the aging of the 360. while the PS3 is still young and its Hardware is still ready for the future. (10 years)

bottom line in my eyes its a toss up, you will not be dissapointed in either.

(for the 360 you will also have to worry about the RROD in the back of your mind)

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Sazar

PS3 for blu-ray, racing games and that's about it.

Xbox for everything else.

Microsoft really shafted racing sim afficianado's with their crappy controllers and lack of support for PC wheels (like Logitech's MOMO and G-25).

The PS3 supports them.

In terms of power/performance, the PS3 and Xbox360 are pretty close. Since the Xbox is the standard most developers are using (easier to code for), it's probably going to give you a better performance in most games. Also, side by side, REALLY critical discussions have centered on the Xbox having better visuals for the same titles. Personally, they look close enough for me

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tdinc

Well I have to disagree, MGS4, Resistance 2, Little Big Planet, are all great games with many others.

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Unleashed

PS3 is a bit of future proofing, the XBox is almost due for replacement.
The XBox, currently, is much more a gamers machine - so many good games out there for it, not so many for the PS3.
PS3 has many more hardware upgrades as standard; wireless built in, gigabit ethernet, bluetooth controllers, card readers and so on.
XBox is much cheaper, though you have to pay to play online.

I have a PS3, but I will be getting a 360 sometime soon just to complete set and have access to a much wider variety of games.

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indyjones

I personally think the 360 has still got a long life ahead of it, if microsoft were busy with the 720 or whatever it will be called they would not of invested all the time and effort into new dashboard update, (though personally I don't like it). Besides sony have mentioned the PS4 does that make the ps3 obsolete :P
Melon I think most of the important comments are above, personally I have an Xbox as that's what my friends have and playing left for dead across xbox live is one of the most fun gaming experiances I have had.
As for exclusives they are all currely favouring the xbox (plus sony is in danger of losing some of thiers I heard the next MGS might be cross platform), plus microsoft has taken a page out of sony's book and got alot of exclusive extras (such as the dlc for GTA IV).
At the end of the day if buy the one which allows you to play the exclusives you care about, or lets you play with the friends you want online.

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Sazar

Not going to disagree, they are decent games.

The Xbox just has a wider library and has some pretty solid exclusives itself.

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vern

Believing that the PS3 is future-proofing your investment is believing Sony's rhetoric that the lifespan of the PS3 is going to be over a decade long. I like the hardware, but I want to play great games now not in another 6 years. Sony giving me a handful of decent games a year doesn't make my PS3 a worthwhile purchase. Fact is, 360 games look great in their own right and so far the trend has been better looking cross platform games on the PS3.

Oh yeah, check this interesting comparison out ...

http://www.gamespot.com/features/620...opslot;thumb;4

While many times the PC screens look more detailed, many times the 360 has comparable screens if not better than the PS3.

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melon

Thanks everyone for your input. I think, for now, I'm probably going to have to do the somewhat arduous task of going through all the games on both platforms, along with the upcoming games of 2009 to see which one is currently worthwhile. I still think I'll probably end up with both in the long run!

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vern

Both consoles really is the way to go ... and a Wii for a doorstop.

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melon

The only game I have wanted to play on Wii is the Metroid game. Unfortunately, one game isn't enough for me to get it.

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Shamus MacNoob

We have all 3 and each has its +'s , the Wii fit game is great so is Mario kart and Mario Galaxy ... I say go for a PS3 but consider getting XBOX 360 and Wii as well

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vern

Err ... yeah ... both meaning 360/PS3.

But yeah, there are people out there who like the Wii and the games it has. We must remember that personal preference is just that ... personal preference.

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zhiangX

How do I, and what do I need, to connect to Xbox Live using either a regular phone outlet or wirelessly? I have an Xbox 360. I also have a wireless broadband internet connection for my computer that I want to go thru. I would prefer to just connect to Xbox Live wirelessly and thru my broadband connection for my computer, if at all possible, so I don't have to mess around with buying a bunch of cables and other stuff. If it is not possible to connect wirelessly, I need to know what I need to connect to Xbox Live thru the standard phone outlet on my wall. Any and all help on this matter is greatly appreciated.
____________________
Keyword Spy

Shamus MacNoob

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4196272

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melon

Oh yeah. I was also wondering with the PS3, XBox 360, and Wii (while we're at it)...

When it comes to their online content, I presume the actual available content is going to be determined on where you are located. How is your "location" determined--through the location of your IP address (like how Hulu determines who is able to view their content) or through the address on your credit card, etc.? An odd kind of question, but as an American expat in Canada, it becomes somewhat relevant!

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tdinc

for PS3 it goes by North America, and im sure the same for the 360 hardware wise.

but not sure,

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