written by pepsidew on 08/03/2005
The Xbox has great graphics although for some reason nothing on the Xbox has really impressed me graphics wise, like Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime were, there's a lot of good exclusive software for Xbox, but most are just ports of PS2 games, there is a really good online service on Xbox, it really made me mad when Microsoft bought Rare because Rare and Nintendo went really good together like an Oreo cookie with its chocolate wafer and cream filling.
written by Horace. on 22/06/2003
The XBOX was surrounded in media hype, microsoft was about to kill off all console rivals with the launch of it's new beast.
Beast being the right word when you switch it on and hear it's hard drive roar to life.
The Box oozes PC ness, it's slick menu and overal feel just screems PC. While this is nothing bad when you play games like Halo and Dead or Alive 3, you really do feel that your playing on a PC with a controller. it's the weirdest experience ever.
Lets be fair the Graphics are amazing and little hit wonders like Gun Valkarie just show what this box can do.
However the controller is a mimic of the old Dreamcast, not surprising that the XBOX was suppose to be the Dreamcast 2.... But Sega then distanced themselves from microsoft after there support for the Dreamcast collopsed.
The machine is big, quite heavy, looks like a typical american item, is surprisingly noisey, can over heat, anyone noticed the Orange flashing light yet... It means switch it off or expect your box to melt.
The cost is £129.99 then you need to add £19.99 for the pleasure to watch DVD's. DVD play back however is really good and can put the PS2 to shame and most low budget players.
Overal Good Graphics shame about the package
Written on: 07/01/2004
Finally, an X Box review that doesn't involve some half-brain saying "X Box is the best thing ever and it slays all other things!" Much like this 'Space' commenting on your review. X Box sales in Japan are in fact pitiful compared to Nintendo so don't listen to 'Space'!
<br> Good review!
written by Dan. on 18/12/2002
I upgraded to a PS2 when it was released, and then was lucky enough to win an Xbox a few months later. I play games on both so I feel qualified to give an objective opinion: 1) GRAPHICS The same game will play better on the Xbox. Games look really good on the PS2, however they just look a little better on the Xbox. It has a noticeably faster frame rate and sharper images. 2) LOOKS The PS2 is a better looking machine and must be about half the weight. Looks aren't everything, however the PS2 is easier to store (vertical or horizontal). 3) CONTROLLERS This is pretty important as it obviosuly affects how you will play any game. I find the PS2 controller very easy to use. Unfortunately, the Xbox controller really takes a lot of getting used to. It is very big (adults only) and just plain user un-friendly. I personally think it sucks. You can purchase a smaller size controller, however to reduce the size they had to move a few of the lesser used buttons to the edge of the hand-grip where they will be bumped. Really annoying. Buy a third party controller (e.g Joytech @£20) or buy/use PS2 controllers with a convertor (@£20). 4) GAMES As mentioned, the same game will look better on the Xbox. However, the range of games is low (understandably). This is improving, with most big budget new games being released on all platforms. However, the exclusive Xbox titles tend to be poor (with the exception of Halo which is great). To make matters worse there are some excellent titles that you can only play on the PS2 (e.g. the Grand Theft Auto series). I think the PS2 will continue to have better exclusive games for sometime, as Sony apparantly has very close ties with a lot of the software developers, and it is more lucrative for these people to develop games for the Sony market as it is that much larger. 5) ON-GOING COSTS I understand that Microsoft are losing the battle against Sony at the moment. Take up in Europe so far has been low, and Japan has been worse. This is improving as the Microsoft continues to cut prices to stay a little under Sony. However this is costing them big. Microsoft are not exactly accustomed to losing cash and would like to re-coup as much as possible from their current users. For instance, the PS2 will play DVDs straight away. To do this on the Xbox you need to buy a DVD remote control (@£20). The Multi-region DVD convertor is £10 more expensive for Xbox. Additional controllers are more expensive. Notice a theme? Granted - a memory stick is not initially required for the Xbox but if you do need one, surprise surprise, it will be more expensive. One reason for this is the range of third party companies that will offer good substitutes to Sony products. The Xbox market isn't big enough to be attractive to all these companies yet. SUMMARY Looks aside, the Xbox is a better console if you can get used to the controller or purchase a different one. It has proven more expensive when buying games and accessories. I think this will continue to be the case for sometime. Also, the games available solely on the Xbox are poor in comparison to those on the PS2. I really like the Xbox but would keep the PS2 if I had to choose between them.
Written on: 08/01/2003
I've had a ps2 for a year now and an xbox for 6 months and my overall conclusion is that the xbox is by far the better console. While I find that the ps2 is indeed a very good console, I believe that the games for the x box are on average better, for example Halo. The first games to be released for the Xbox are far better than those released for the ps2, for example the atrocities of the bouncer and the major disappointment of tekken Tag compared to the amazing graphics and superb playability of games such as Dead or Alive 3 and Halo. While I share your view that the X box is indeed too bulky, and the ps2 is more attractive and easy to store, I disagree about the ugonomic efficiency of the xbox controller; I found it just as easy to get used to as a playstation controller, and now I actually prefer the bulkier handset of the Xbox.
Written on: 25/07/2004
The Xbox is part of Microsoft's evil plan to rule the living room the same way they currently rule the computer screen, and as such should be avoided.
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<br>As a product it has some advantages over the competition (hard drive), but they also have advantages. The PS2 has the most games, and the Gamecube has the best games and the most powerful hardware.
Written on: 07/03/2003
Thanks for your comments, Josh.
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<br>Very helpful. I think the Hard Drive is a good idea and the ethernet card even better. My ISP, Blueyonder has just started internet gaming with the X-box as well. If you are interested, try visiting http://www.blueyonder.co.uk and go to the Broadband pages.
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<br>Thanks again
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<br>Deano
Written on: 03/03/2003
The last console that I owned was a Sega Genesis. The console that I own now is an XBOX. Why? Because I could finally see good reasons to buy a console. Including: 1.) Hard Drive, 2.)Built-in Ethernet card (and system link play), 3.) 4 controllers, 5.) Faster processor, 6.) Better graphics, 7.) Better potential than PS2, 8.) It won't be obsolete for a while (which means I won't have to buy another one in 6 months because the original couldn't hack it). I would also like to say that I am a loyal Sony buyer (except in this case), but I still wanted to wait until something better than the PS2 came out.
Written on: 19/02/2003
I'm considering getting a console. I am totally bewildered though because whomsoever I speak with about them automatically says their machine is great and trashes the other machine. Same goes for Game Cube users, but I know only one of these (?).
Some say the X-box Graphics are better than the PS-2. Personally, I can't tell the difference. But that may be because I've only seem them in Shops which seem to use them on crummy (or badly adjusted) TVs and in bad lighting conditions.
The X-Box is initially more attractive to me because it utilises Hard Drive technology to store games positions etc, as opposed to solid state technology on the PS-2. I know these are limited in storage but I don't know how limited they are in practice. Perhaps someone could advise on this.
What I find less attractive about the X - box is its that it is by Microsoft. So I would expect it to tend to be more expensive, in addition to what the reviewer said above. I am suspicious of firms like Microsoft and expect little commercial tricks such as the DVD device pointed out by Dan, the reviewer. I am therefore not at all surprised by what he says.
So I am stuck on the fence. What with the price of PCs coming down, the computer market being saturated right now according to all the Magazines I read, it may not pay right now to go out and buy what is essentially a PC disguised as a PS-2. One might as well get a real PC with N-videa graphics cards. Better still, a hot tamale dual processor Apple Mac with the latest in Graphic processing - and then make my own movies too!
written by DJ [email protected]. on 26/02/2002
The Xbox from Microsoft has the best graphics and sound around and great launch titles like the phenomenal Halo, Dead or Alive 3 and Munch's odyssey
Written on: 31/05/2002
Best graphics, yeah, right!
Written on: 29/01/2003
Face it: Xbox is better than PS2 in graphics and speed. Xbox has double the processing speed the PS2 does. Hell, the video card processing speed of the Xbox is almost as fast as the PS2's main processor. Who needs memory cards? not anyone who owns an Xbox due to its built in 8 Gig hardrive which equals about 500 128 kb memory cards which saves you about..$10,000 (Like 750 pounds for you european peeps) in memory cards.
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Space's Response to 109559_Horace.'s Review
Written on: 08/08/2003
The Xbox is the best console around. I have the PS2, GC and Xbox and it wipes the floor with Sony's and Nintendo's efforts!
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<br>As for Japan, the Xbox is now shifting 3 times the amount of consoles and games as the GCube (even though Zelda has been released)!
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<br>The new Microsoft controller S is much easier to use than the original and is why Microsoft are stopping production of the original controller.
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<br>Try putting 2 games side by side (the same titles such as Splinter Cell, Wolfenstein and Nightfire 007 etc.) and the difference in graphics, speed and 5.1 DD sound will blow you away! Then on top of that, Xbox Live which is incredible etc.
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<br>Sony's PS2 in my opinion is garbage, unlike the PSone which defined the next gen gaming. I've had sooo many different consoles and the Xbox is easily the most advanced one there is. The Dreamcast was great but after Sega dropped it due to the fact that Sony's PS2 was imminent, I bought a PS2. Upto now, Ive had 3 faulty PS2's (disc read errors all the time) and honestly do believe that the Dreamcast was a MUCH superior machine than the PS2. The damn thing doesn't even run in 60Hz here in PAL land, unlike the Xbox which runs beautifully in 60Hz ALL the time!
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<br>Xbox is much, much better than any current console - and when people work that out, Sony had better start planning much bigger and better things for the PS3.