The Next Generation of Console Gaming has Begun!

[Linkachu]

I don't know why I'm so excited, but knowing that the first of the three next gen consoles - X-360 - is finally out in the US makes the gamer in me giddy. I'm not even planning to buy the thing but I'm still intrigued to hear what other people's impressions of it are.

How are the games? Do they really give off that "next level" feel? I know what I've read and seen in screen shots - things don't seem much different than our current console games - but first-hand experience is the best way to determine anything. Enough of the speculation and propaganda BS. I want to know what the X-Box 360 can truly do and if it's actually "wow"-ing anyone.

Since a lot of you are UKers and Nintendo fans, though, I probably won't get any answers for awhile... Until then, who's planning on buying a X-Box 360 and what games/features interest you the most? If there's really nothing that interests you about it, why not?

I might not be planning to buy a 360 myself, but if I could convince my family to pick one up for me for a combined b-day/X-mas prezzie I wouldn't decline ^^

 

[Doctor Oak]

If I hadn't needed to buy a compy, i'd probably have picked up a 360 with the money I spent.

As it is, I don't mind waiting - there aren't any good games for it at the moment and i'm happy to wait for the 'next-gen' to really kick in.

Anyone buying the 360 and expecting a huge leap in graphics OR gameplay though is going to be deeply disappointed. It may be capable of taking a large step forward but it certainly wont be doing it until all 3 systems - and especially the PS3 - are all out on the market and developers are working on really taking it forward.

I really wouldn't advise anyone to buy a 360 before Xmas - unless you love Perfect Dark. Otherwise, just buy games like King Kong for your current Xbrick AND save yourself the hassle of the confusing and ardous backwards compatability system on the 360.

 

[Linkachu]

I really wouldn't advise anyone to buy a 360 before Xmas - unless you love Perfect Dark. Otherwise, just buy games like King Kong for your current Xbrick AND save yourself the hassle of the confusing and ardous backwards compatability system on the 360.

Actually, if I was to get one I'd probably ask for Kameo with it. That game has interested me ever since I first saw it advertisized for the GCN

Can you explain the backwards compatability thing a bit more? Last I heard 360 simply didn't have backwards captability at all

 

[Doctor Oak]

Firstly you need the Hard-drive. No Hard-drive, no Xbox games. Simple as that.

Basically the 360 can run an Xbox Emulator to play a handful of Xbox games. Halo and Halo 2 will play on a 360 (I think even a non HD one) with no complications.

Other games require you to connect to the Xbox Live system (which is free on the 360 for the most basic of functions) and update the firmware. There's a list floating around saying what games will be compatible off the bat but more will be added as time goes on.

Alternatively, the PS3 will play PS2 games no problem and of course the Revolution is putting itself on a pedestal about it's backwards compatability.

It leaves the 360 an akward odd one out.

 

[Chibi Tai]

It's all to do with the hardware it's built on. As the PS2 (and probably PS3) are built using similar hardware, the games run almost perfectly. The Xbox 360, however, runs on a different kind of hardware and so needs to use an emulator, which aren't always as reliable, as some games are built in a way that the emulator can't support.

I've been wanting Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo since they were announced (has it really been over four years?). Only I have no money.