Getting started with your Xbox 360
Great console exclusive games for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii
Some people buy both, but most of us have neither the funds nor the interest to buy multiple machines that do (mostly) the same things. So for those who want to invest in just one, which is the best choice? That depends on your interests and priorities, of course! Here's the point-by-point rundown. Have your own ideas? Let us know in the comments.
Playing big-budget gamesTo hardcore gamers who focus on the minutiae of big-budget games with incredible graphics, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 can seem like night and day where those games are concerned. But to most of us, the differences between the two consoles are marginal.
The majority of disc-based game releases on the PS3 are also available on the Xbox 360 and vice versa, and the experience is usually close to the same on both. It's not exactly the same, though. And there are a select few games that are exclusive to each platform.
For arcane technical and business reasons, video game development studios usually make games on the Xbox 360 first and then "port" them to the PS3. That doesn't mean they don't come out at the same time (sometimes they do, sometimes they don't), but in most cases, the initial version is a slightly superior experience. We're talking about graphical quality and performance here; occasionally, the PS3 gets a port that runs just a little bit slower, that has images just a bit fuzzier.
Most people would not even see the difference if the two versions were playing side-by-side before their eyes, but dedicated video game connoisseurs cringe at them just like hi-fi audio fanatics who only listen to albums on the original vinyl. If you're one of those types — and we mean hardcore about it — you may want to consider the Xbox 360. If you even have to think about whether you're that type or not, you won't know the difference.
It's funny, then, that those titles exclusive to the PS3 are of extraordinary quality rarely matched by anything appearing on the Xbox 360. Games like Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 are unchallenged as technical marvels, and they're very good games, too. In fact, we'll boldly say that thanks to a strong in-house development strategy at Sony, the PS3 has a much better selection of exclusive titles than the Xbox 360, as far as big-budget titles are concerned.
If you're a huge Halo, Gears of War, or Fable fan, we're pretty sure you already have an Xbox 360. If you're not, the PS3 has a lot more to offer you. LittleBigPlanet 2, anyone? It's just too bad so many of the multi-console releases suffer on Sony's machine.
Winner: Tie
Playing indie and casual gamesMany of the games that don't appeal to the Call of Duty: Black Ops and Grand Theft Auto IV fans of the world are available as digital downloads on the Xbox 360 or PS3. Some you can get on both, and some are exclusive to one or the other. Which console has the best library?
The Xbox 360 wins hands down. While there are some phenomenal digital games available for the PS3's PlayStation Network — Flower, PixelJunk Eden, Calling All Cars, Zombie Apocalypse, classic PlayStation One games and HD remakes of the classic PlayStation 2 Prince of Persia, Wipeout, and God of War games — the library on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade online marketplace is tough to beat. Microsoft also has a store dedicated to independent games — that is, games made by small teams quite possibly working out of someone's garage. There are some real gems there.
There are numerous family-friendly games on the Xbox Live Arcade, too, and games that let you play cooperatively with friends. There just aren't as many of these on the PS3, and some of the PS3's selections are more art-house than casual. If art-house games are what you're into, that's something to keep in mind, but the Xbox 360 has its fair share of art pieces too. Just look at Limbo, a black and white horror game about a young boy trying to survive in an unfriendly fantasy world.
Winner: Xbox 360
Watching Netflix and Hulu PlusOnce you have Netflix and Hulu Plus subscriptions streaming movies and TV shows to your living room, you'll start to doubt that $80 cable or satellite TV bill. Both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 stream from Netflix. If you want Hulu Plus now, the PS3 is the way to go. But don't let that be the deciding factor, because the Xbox 360 will get Hulu Plus support in the first half of 2011.
Each service costs less than $10 per month (it's the same on both consoles), and you get the same content either way. Thus, it's a question of quality — and that's where the PlayStation 3 wins ever-so-slightly with its 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound support. The Xbox 360 doesn't do that in Netflix — yet.
That said, the PS3's Netflix interface is a bit uglier and less fun to use than the Xbox 360's. We're still giving this to the PS3 though, because of the Dolby surround and the early access to Hulu Plus.
Winner: PlayStation 3
Renting and buying videosSony's PlayStation Store and the Microsoft's Zune Marketplace are extremely similar. Most of the films and TV shows are the same, but there are a few movies that are only available on one or the other.
Pricing is comparable, too, though Sony has the advantage of charging with real dollar amounts instead of Microsoft's frustrating and confusing "Microsoft Points" system, which sometimes makes you pay for more currency than you need to grab the movie you want.
Both networks serve up rentals and purchases in high definition or standard definition (depending on the title), and you can watch them as they download or once they're finished. This one's a wash, folks. Either of these online storefronts will do just fine.
Winner: Tie
Home theaterSo you want to use one machine for all your movies, games, TV, and music? Either the Xbox 360 or the PS3 will do just fine, with HD video, great games, a large selection of online movies and shows, streaming tech for watching your computer media on the living room screen, and tons of surround sound options.
But the PS3 has one killer feature the Xbox 360 can't touch: Blu-ray. The Xbox 360 just plays DVD discs, which are so 2002. Despite all the online video stores, video and sound quality fanatics know nothing on the market can touch Blu-ray right now, and the Xbox 360 doesn't have it.
The Xbox 360 provides an easier streaming solution for getting your videos and music from your laptop computer to the big screen wirelessly, but it only works with Windows computers. Sony's network streaming tech is much more complicated to set up, but you can use it with Mac or Linux computers too. In that respect, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are on equal footing, but the Blu-ray obstacle is insurmountable for the Xbox 360.
Furthermore, the PS3 supports 3D TV, and Microsoft hasn't made a single move in that arena yet. This one's a clear win for Sony.
Winner: PlayStation 3
Getting socialBy almost every measure, Xbox Live is a better social gaming service than the PlayStation Network. Sure, the PlayStation Network is free, but as the adage goes: You get what you pay for. Xbox Live has many more advanced features for connecting gamers.
Some of the basics are the same: voice chat during games, downloadable content, friends, and Achievements or Trophies to track your progress and compare with friends. But Xbox Live offers countless additional features like parties of players that can carry across between games and even movies and TV shows, video chat using the Kinect motion sensor, free demos for every downloadable game, and clearer ways to invite friends to games.
That's not to say that the PlayStation Network doesn't do its job. Both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network optionally integrate with Facebook, but Sony's network has a few more features there. Sony also offers a 3D space called "Home" in which players can interact with virtual avatars, playing chess and arcade games. It's a neat idea, but it feels a little thin after a while.
And Sony offers a pay service called PlayStation Plus that adds some exclusive content and the ability to carry voice chat between games. But even if you pay for PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live still has the upper hand.
Winner: Xbox 360
Gaming off the couchThe Nintendo started the motion gaming trend when the Wii launched back in 2006, and Sony and Microsoft jumped on it in 2010 with the PlayStation Move and the Kinect, respectively. Both of them are arguably superior to the Wii remote as tools for playing games and staying active (in wildly different ways), but at the end of the day, it's all about the games.
Move is very similar to the Wii remote, but it's a much more accurate technology. Sony designed it to appeal to hardcore gamers who are focused on responsive controls and fierce multiplayer competition. Some of those guys didn't care for the Wii.
On the other hand, Microsoft ditched the controllers entirely by using a 3D camera, sensor, and microphone to capture your entire body and all its movements around the living room. It's not as accurate as the Move — it might not even be as precise as the Wii remote, depending on how you judge it — but it's really fun, and it ranks highly in the "wow" factor.
The Move is intended to work with traditional games like Tiger Woods, Resident Evil 5, Killzone 3, and LittleBigPlanet 2. The Kinect has its own games like Dance Central and Kinectimals, and they have little in common with their controller-based predecessors.
We're more excited by the innovative new gaming experiences the Kinect can create than the extra motion and engagement in traditional games emphasized by the Move, and so far, the Kinect games are just better. That might change by the end of 2011, but that's where it stands today. Just be warned that you'll need a lot of living room space to play some Kinect games.
Winner: Xbox 360
[Image credit: Sean MacEntee]
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