With it being my birthday next week I'm torn between throwing money away on an Xbox 360, a second hand Xbox or Vice City Stories for my PSP. This is fairly significant in itself because I did promise myself that I'd never buy an Xbox or Xbox 360 - so deep does The Cult of the Macintosh run through my veins.
So why am I suddenly tempted? Well its mainly due to the coverage I've been reading and hearing about the PS3. I'm sure the PS3 will be great in 2 years time, pumping out fantastic games, hopefully some sort of rumble re-introduced (even if it takes 3rd parties to make the controllers) and no doubt at a reasonable price. I don't see the PS3 being viable in the short term though (and certainly not within my budget).
The Xbox 360 looks pretty interesting and I really want to play Gears of War. That's really want to play it. The Xbox 360 is a stretch for my budget though and I hear of price drops some time after Christmas.
The Xbox, well, its pretty cheap at the moment, £70 for a new one from Game. Asides from my irrational reasons for not wanting to buy an MS product - I don't really want to have to buy a new wheel for it. I have a USB PS2 Logitech force-feedback which may or may not work with the Xbox with an adaptor - anyone? Id have to play TOCA3 online with the Xbox as I don't really like the homegrown Xbox driving games (Forza etc).
As for Vice City Stories - Liberty City Stories on the PSP was great and I suspect this will be even better but given the choice between £35 for VCS or £70 and then some for the Xbox I'm really undecided.
Normally I'm sure exactly what I want to buy and just go for it, but I'm genuinely in a quandry with this one.
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I happen to be the happy owner of all three products, so let me shed some knowledge.
* The Xbox has served me well, though it has primarily been as a media center. IF you do get one, make sure you get it chipped somehow. I don't know what solutions are out there these days, but it'll be the best thing you ever did to that machine.
* The 360 is pretty damn nice and by far one of the best Microsoft products ever! Live is great, and you'd then be able to play me in Gears and whatever else comes over the next years of great games (some really good ones on the way!).
* GTA for the PSP... Well, I played it for about 6 hours or so before shelving it and never returning to it again.
I know purchasing anything with a Microsoft badge would be hard work , think of the Xbox or 360 for matter as a seperate games console not the corporation; it does help me with such Mac loyilities.
Personally I would go for the 360, trust me you won't look back, not as much as you would with the first Xbox. Yes they are cheap now but having spent time with the 360 I have not touched the orginal Xbox. Like Michael said the best thing for an Xbox is the media upgrades you can perform. But then a copy of Nullriver's 360 Connect will allow you to browse your iPhoto and iTune's library on a 360, very trick.
I can't comment on the PSP side of things, I'm a DS user through and through but I can tell you that the Force wheel would be useless on anything Xbox related; shame as it is such a great device.
Buy the 360 and be happy. It's a great console.. and it's important to remember that whilst it has the Microsoft logo - it's hardware, not software. :)
Thank you all for the helpful suggestions, it seems the 360 is the one to get.
Im still undecided but I did very nearly buy a 360. A friend that works at my local Blockbusters thought they might be able to get 20% off the 360 with Gears of War bundle. Sadly that turned out to be a mere 5% and even with the discount was more than the equivalent package from Game (which I believe even comes with one other free game). It also seems that my PS2 Logitech Force Feedback wheel may well work with the 360 and as I love driving games and don't really want to buy a new wheel it's important. TOCA 3 doesnt work under the emulator though. So, don't give up hope yet but it's unlikely that Ill be getting a 360 this side of Christmas.
Vice City Stories - Im still a little tempted, but less than I was so this'll be an unlikely purchase.
Xbox - still kind of tempted but Id much rather have a 360. It seems there's a converter for Xbox to USB so my wheel may well work - which would be a bonus.
New entry - Game has Battlefield 2142 for 20 quid so I'm also interested in that.
Well we'll see what if anything I decide to get.
hehe, good point. I may even have to buy a Zune when they eventually come out in the UK so I can download (Universal's) music with impunity in the knowledge that Ive paid (via Microsoft) for the right to. So I'm not ENTIRELY irrationally anti-Microsoft. ;-)
And why you didn't mention Wii? Awesome console. Of course, it's not available now. But you're going to buy console after the Christmas. I think it will be available in that time
I blame the use of Gary Jules in the commercial. It has me wanting it too. Of course, I haven't owned a video gaming system or game since Super Mario Brothers & Nintendo.
PS Happy Birthday!
I didnt mention a Wii because Nintendo don't really product the kind of games I enjoy.
Thank you.
So I ended up buying VCS. It's Rockstar - It'll be a fun game (and is so far).
I don't want to lose my PSP for £70 yet, maybe next year when the 360 is cheaper.
Enjoy Vice City and Happy Birthday.
Cheers.
BTW, the Xbox -> USB controller DOES NOT work with the PS2 Logitech Force-feedback wheel! Damn you!