Best new console?

[dhwilkin]

There've been several posts regarding PCs vs Macs regarding games, but now let's get down to the dedicated consoles. Which of the latest-generation consoles (either out or soon-to-be-out) is your favorite, and why?

Personally, I'm a Nintendo man. The Gamecube is a technically sound machine, is real easy to program for, will have lots of fun games, and won't cost an arm and a leg. Not to mention I'm absolutely esctatic over being able to play another Waverace!

Gotta admit, I do have a soft spot for the Dreamcast, though. It's really too bad Sega went out of the hardware business, because that system has some tremendous games, like Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2, and Soul Calibur.

 

[Persiflage]

Mmmm . . . console wars.

Anyway, I'm kinda doubtful about the success of the X-Box. Sure, it's got some awesome technology, but Microsoft doesn't have that many awe-inspiring, incredible games for it. Halo seems like it will be a watered down version of the original vision, before Bungie was aquired by MS. I'm looking forward to Peter Molyneux's Ego, but not too much else.

Right now, my favorite is the PS2. It seems that that's where the games are right now. But now, more and more companies have begun or will soon begin producing games for multiple platforms, rather than designing exclusively for one (say, for instance, Sega and Squaresoft), and I think that this may change in the coming years.

 

[massappeal85]

I used to play games like mad, right now its just a mild hobby.

I'm a Nintendo fan, mainly cause of the oldschool NES days when I was like... 4 or five. But I have to be honest here and say I thought the 64 SUCKED. My bro (I leach off of all his game purchases, I havn't actually bought a game in ages) bougt one cheap at a flea market a couple months ago, still havn't really used it much...

My PS2 is import, and we havn't quite found a way to mod the thing to play domestic games. The inital group of games that came out were sort of dissapointing, but despite its limited hardware, I feel the system will have some outstanding games just because of the amount of companys devaloping for it. Right now my lack of interest for games leaves me with really only 2 titles I'm anxious for: 1) Wipeout Fusion and 2). A new Castlevania game thats supposed to be like Symphony of the Night for the original playstation, may not even be released for the PS2, but can't wait regardless of which system its released on.

Dreamcast is my baby, no doubt. Theres more then enough games out right now that are worth the purchase of the system in itself. It is a shame they went out of the console business, because Sega is my favorite company next to Capcom, but if stepping out of the hardware game means they can spend more time and money on their already incredible titles, then I'd say its all for the better. Only thing thats got me pissed off is that they're making the next Jet Set Radio for the X-Box, which even though my bro'll probably buy that too, means I won't be able to play it with my homies if its got any online capabilitys (cause I KNOW none of my friends'll buy an X-Box).

Basically, if you were to ask me which system I'd take with me on a deserted island, I'd probably say the PSOne, then dreamcast. So many outstanding games for the playstation its amazing.

 

[Flumpus]

Oooooo...I'm so glad the Gamecube is winning. I was worried the PS2 or X-Box would be. Anyway, I voted for Gamecube, mainly because Nintendo is the only old school competitor left in the console wars.

I love the dreamcast, and pretty much all of sega's systems (saturn, genesis, 32x...), but I'm afraid it won't be around too much longer, simply because it has NO third party support

And I love Capcom too, definitely the finest video game company out there.

Anyway, X-Box will be a PC for idiots that don't want to install stuff, PS2 is just plain awful IMO, no good games (ok, so the hardware is ok, still not THAT impressive), and dreamcast will be dead much sooner than it should be.

I really wish sega would just sign on as an exclusive third party developer for nintendo, and drive sony out of the market. I know sony has tons of money, but if they had to compete with nintendo hardware with sonic games, sega arcade ports, mario stuff, rare games...WOW! I get all moist just thinkin' about it. Ok, maybe not moist, but it would be very hard for sony to compete with. Microsoft could probably survive, but only because they're microsoft and will never go away. I doubt sega will sign on exclusively with nintendo at any time, but it sure would be cool... then again, so would an updated Jaguar or 3DO

 

[Vertigo-1]

I'm personally a RPG fan, and as far as that genre goes, I think the PS2 wins that genre over totally. In fact even if I hadn't cared about consoles at all, I would get a PS2 just for the sake of being able to get a crack at Final Fantasy X. I'm not into Nintendo games much since that system totes mostly action/adventure games like Zelda, Mario, Metroid, etc, and I'm not an action/adventure fan. The X-box looks to be a pratically FPS gaming machine...awesome hardware, but the games for it don't look very hot.

So for me, it's a PS2...I woulda gotten one long ago, except I'm waiting for the mod chips to mature a little more, and hopefully for a fully external mod chip instead of the hybrid NeoKey. Games are still rolling out, so waiting on the mod chips may take QUITE a while unfortunately for me...

 

[thomas]

hmm, have any of you heard about those rumors about Microsoft putting a Dreamcast chip inside the x-box? that would be amazing, and kill off sony.... (then i hope gamecube destroys microsoft)

I love my dreamcast, its easily comparable with the PS2 right now in terms of graphics, and they have way better games. Another thing is that you can play pirated games using a boot disc, rather than having to add a mod chip... Great for us, too bad it destroyed Sega...

 

[coolvij]

Well, i like PS2 cuz of the TYPE of games they have...

And I LOVE that optical out...

 

[bootman]

I voted for Dreamcast. I'm into racing games and Dreamcast has some great racing games for it. (Sega GT and SF Rush 2049)

 

[dhwilkin]

Quote:

Flumpus said... ... PS2 is just plain awful IMO, no good games (ok, so the hardware is ok, still not THAT impressive)...

YES!! Good to see other people besides me believe the PS2 is a piece of crap! Heck, there are only two good games for it: SSX and Gran Turismo 3. That's it.

Quote:

Vertigo-1 said... I'm personally a RPG fan, and as far as that genre goes, I think the PS2 wins that genre over totally. In fact even if I hadn't cared about consoles at all, I would get a PS2 just for the sake of being able to get a crack at Final Fantasy X.

I beg to differ on that. As far as I'm concerned, and most of my friends would back me up on this (if they read these boards

), the Final Fantasy genre peaked w/ 2 (IV in Japan). FF3 (VI in Japan) was almost as good, but not quite. And starting w/ FF7, the series just plummeted. Grandia 2 and Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast) are both much better games, IMHO, than any FF after 3.

 

[Vertigo-1]

I think there's a bit more to the PSX then just the Final Fantasy series...if we're talking old times, then the PSX/PS2 also has:

Suikoden, Suikoden II
Lunar, Lunar II
Chrono Trigger (no doubting from ANYBODY how good this game was), Chrono Cross
Grandia, and I believe Grandia II is on the PS2
Legend of Dragoon
Wild Arms, Wild Arms II
Alundra, Alundra II
Saga Frontier I, Saga Frontier II
Valkyrie Profile
Legend of Mana

Like I said, I'm into RPGs, and these are all games I actually own, except for Grandia II. My point being, I hardly see any RPGs hanging on the Dreamcast shelves, much less whether or not they have any good ones or not. The only ones I personally saw myself that I was drooling over were Grandia II and Record of Lodoss War for the Dreamcast...otherwise all I saw were fighting games and sports games overall for the DC. It just doesn't seem to be a very RPG oriented system. I'm not talking any specific game or series, since I play just about any RPG as long as it is an RPG...in a broader view, I think the PSX/PS2 has more RPGs to enjoy, if you're not picky over how good or bad they are.

As far as Grandia vs. FF series...my personal all time favorite was number 7, and I just could not see what the hype was behind number 3/6...but I MUCH prefer Final Fantasy 7 to Grandia. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[massappeal85]

Saying that the series enterd a decline (which would be a slight one if at all in my opinion) would be understandable. Say that it plummeted, to me, is just very unreasonable. FF8 was in my opinion the only weak link in the series. I thought 7 and 9 were defintly comparable to 6.

I don't think any of the machines are at any point where we should be comparing them yet. Every Nintendo groupie with a vocabulary bitched about the PS owners getting excited over the PS2, but right now their all creaming themselves over games they havn't even played yet. I say wait till the systems are more grounded in the hands of devalopers. Specs are meaningless.

 

[mcbiff]

First of all: FF 3/6 is the pinnacle of console RPGs, nothing will ever come close. The only game that even plays in the same league is Chrono Trigger, but it's still way behind.

Now that that's said I voted for Gamecube since I think Nintendo is getting their act together lately with the GBA. It bodes well for the future. Unfortunately I have a PS2 myself, what a piece of crap so far. I have ordered GT3, and that will be the first game I play on the PS2 for six months.

 

[ai0tron]

weird as it is for me to say this I played this RPG called Chrono Trigger on the super-nes. I hadn't used my SNES for the longest time until I went to a friends house and played this game and got hooked. I borrowed it from him and played it till it was over... Thats even weirder because I rarely beat a video game during the course of my life. He said it was part of the FF series somehow. Anyone ever played it and shared a similar joy for it? I never played FF7 on up but I was never impressed when watching. I like the graphics in the 3D spells and thats about it. I also had a roomate and another friend who were literally addicted to FF tactics. Don't know if any of you played that either. Personally my favorite game ever is Homeworld! Then I would say Civilization Call to Power is next. Those are 2 good examples of why PC games are better than console games IMO. For me a mouse and a key board are just more fun than a game pad. I mean playign x-wing or tie-fighter with a keyboard is almost like having a control console inside the thing. When a swarm of tie fighters come flying in you quickly wack a few buttons resetting your shields to full front and increase power to lasers and engines. As you go streaking through their flaming debris you wack some more keys and balance your shields, shift laser energy to the engines and get on a ties tale end. If one gets in behind you, you wack some more buttons and tell a wingman to take him out. Nothing beats smashing metal with lasers. Althought the lasers in the video games literally cracked me up... The whole necessity of compensating for motion with a laser beam?? It doesnt make sense but I guess it's done for game play reasons. Anyway, I felt Rogue Squadron for the N64 was a major let down. Rebel Assault was much cooler. I think my favorite console will be the one that pulls off a nice star wars game, a nice strategy game like Civilization or homeworld, and Sim City. I had a city with 9.7 million once. Anyone ever get 10?? I think it's impossible.

 

[raymondlin]

Does anyone know's where can I get a copy of Chrono Trigger online that ship to the UK? I really want to play this game! goe Xenogears, Final Fantasy 3,6,7,8, Final Fantasy Tactics. Now iwant FF9 and Chrono Trigger!

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I voted for "other" because IMHO they all SUCK!! I will never pay more than even $1 per game title for something that might have been released with major bugs that can't be patched at all! But all of the POS console-game software costs at least $10 - and most cost more than $40! And the reliability of those game consoles is crappy compared to that of most PCs! (I need a mad-faced smiley and eek, like this:

+

)