en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:05:53 GMT 15 By Eric Merlock
The age of pure advancement of next gen consoles is over. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have shown this to us. It is not how purely powerful a console is that sells and it is not how good looking the console is that sells. It is something different, something that has not been approached in previous generations of consoles. These three companies are branching off into different territories. Many believe that Nintendo is leaving the competition between Microsoft and Sony, however, each company has a different goal in mind. Each console has different perks, different gimmicks, and different downfalls. With the Nintendo Wii's price point, innovation, and over all simplicity, it seems to be a must have for new gamers. The Wii does not focus on power, "hardcore" gameplay, or redundancy. With strong first party support, an exciting roster of games lined up, and the long awaited online multiplayer date coming, it is an exciting time to be a Wii owner. The multiplayer is long awaited though, it did not come at launch, as many would have liked, and no Wii games will support online multiplayer until Pokemon Battle Revolution comes out in June. All the other online services are up, though, with more to come. With Nintendo's strong first party, and their need to create quality games, Nintendo is a safe bet for quality gaming at a good price. Microsoft continues to do what it does best, online multiplayer, quality Graphic User Interface, and taking other consoles' exclusives. I don't necessarily mean that as a bad thing. Over the past few months, Final Fantasy XIII, Assasin's Creed, and others have become multiplatform games after declaring exclusitivity to Playstation 3. Most games for the Xbox 360 have some sort of interactivity with Xbox Live (Xbox's internet service), with all of the games having achievements to unlock. The Gamerscore is what keeps track of achievements, where you can compare with other gamers as a way to see who is "better". Known as the "failure" console to some, and the true "next gen" console to others, the Playstation 3 hit shelves a few days before the Wii. With a small availability at launch, a large price tag, and lackluster titles at launch. Boasting the best graphics, a HDMI port, Blu Ray player, and 100% backward compatability, Sony believed that they were bringing a new uprising to gaming. In this new generation of consoles, Sony has lost exclusive rights to big name titles, and have been "unfaithful" to their fanbase through different means. Sony has begun to redeem themselves with their "Home" project, which is a MMOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Game), where you build your character and... live. A massive world where you can meet new people online. If only Sony could keep the key games on their own console to attract gamers to their merchandise. For the same price as a Playstation 3, you can get both a Wii and a Xbox 360. Each console is better than the Playstation 3, whether it be for their innovation and strong first party support, or their mastery of online gameplay; more for less is always a good way to fly. ]]> Wed, 09 May 2007 17:38:00 GMT