PS3 or 360?

[Jonathan Meer]

I'm going to buy one or the other (if not this summer, then this holiday).

My question is, which? I do like that 360 is cheaper games going for it, as well as a larger library. Plus, it's got some sick exclusives (Halo 3, Fable 2, Gears of War: these are the only two I can think of off the top of my head). However, it jumped on the HD-DVD bandwagon, which failed.

PS3 is a bit more expensive (though, these days, not HORRIBLY so). And the exclusives look just as wonderful (Final Fantasy, I LOVE me some Ratchet: also the only few I can think of off the top of my head). It's got Blu-Ray, which is glorious, and graphically, it beasts the multi-platform games, like Assassin's Creed and GTA4.

Problem is, I don't have an HD-TV, and probably won't be getting one for sometime (at least, not until after the next Playstation system, probably, and by that time, PS3's will be much cheaper).

So, what do you think? What exclusives have I missed? Is it more worthwhile to get a 360 or a PS3? Funds are rather important.

[Sullivan]

Exclusives you've missed? Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune...that's all I can think of right off the top of my head.

I'm a fan of the Playstation, but both have their pros and cons. It's really more of an issue of what exclusive games you like most. I'll have to admit, the 360 seems to have more exclusives than the PS3. But the PS3 boasts some pretty sick exclusives.

Also, if you're an online gamer, 360 is probably right for you. Whilst the PSN is fun in it's own right, it's not really up to par with the XBox Live functionality, even if it is free.

[Juno]

Personally, I have an XBOX360, and I love it.

BioShock, Mass Effect, GoW, Halo, etc. ftw. I don't do LIVE much, but I expect that it is probably as fun as Cel says.

[Saz]

I think I heard recently that the PS3 has just passed the Xbox 360 in sales, it seems to be doing well now that the price has be slashed and some of the exclusive games are coming out.

Basically from what I can see, boths systems get most of the same games, except for a few exceptions, (Gears of war, Metal Gear Solid, ect), other than that, it's a choice between stellar online gaming (360), or superior hardware (PS3). So you just have to decide which exclusive games you want to play more.

[Kaden]

I'd suggest the PS3.

My biggest problem with the 360 is how spotty the hardware could be. I'm on my second actual 360 console because the first one bricked hardcore. This one is starting to have some of its own problems, too. And I know Waff has pretty much never been able to get his 360 working right on the first try.

EDIT: And having legitimate backwards compatibility is very nice, too.

[Sage]

I have a 360, so you know where my bias is immediately. Still, here's the ol' opinion:

The 360 hardware is ...gay. They have, however, made several efforts to prevent hard drive failures, etc.

Still, I think the PS3 totally missed the boat on this generation. Sony's lauch (and the six months to follow) were painful at best. They are, however, rapidly making up ground. MGS4, certainly, is a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge draw. But that's just one game. Final Fantasy means nothing to me anymore. I'd buy it if I had a PS3, but I won't be sorry to miss it.

Hardware-wise, the PS3 makes the power of the 360 and the Wii combined a joke. If you're a tech aficionado, get the PS3. It's, by far, the most outrageously powerful console out there.

The library for the 360 is better, though, as far as I'm concerned. And if you're big on online play, Live beats Sony's alternative. To death.

So really it's kind of a toss-up at this point. And it hinges on both Sony making wise decisions and third part companies making more games for them in the coming months. *Shrug*

If it helps your decision at all (but I doubt it will), I'll be getting a PS3 eventually.

[Kaden]

Sony's a slow starter more often than not. The Playstation, PSP, and PS3 didn't have great launches. I would call the PS2 an anomaly.

[Jonathan Meer]

I was thinking about getting an Xbox for now, then picking up a PS3 when it and the games are a lot cheaper (read, 2012).

Again, I don't plan on getting an HD-TV any time soon, so it seems like the graphical bonus between the Xbox and PS3 wouldn't be AS extreme.

Final Fantasy has pretty much died for me, as far as interest goes, but a Kingdom Hearts game would be huge. Bioshock is coming to the PS3.

Most of my good friends have 360s, so when it comes to online, 360 is the clear winner.

Keep your suggestions coming; they'll be a huge help if I decide to buy one before summer is out.

[Kaden]

I think the Playstation Network is highly underrated. I've used a handful of times, and have had exactly the same experience I had when I played on Xbox Live. But it was free.

The difference between the two has never been as immense as people always make it out to be. Not for me, anyway. Maybe I've just been lucky like that.

EDIT: Obviously, though, it's a different story if you know you'll have a group of friends to play with if you get one system over the other.

[Jonathan Meer]

Free, though, is a very big plus.

I think what would clinch it for me would be if an Xbox version was released that had Blu-Ray built-in.

[Sullivan]

If it sways you at all, there are a lot of Kingdom Hearts games in the making. I don't know the specifics, but I would imagine one will be released for the PS3.

There's one for DS, I know that for sure. One for PSP, too, I think.

[Waffuru]

I have both systems and they're both fine... like Rad said before, I often have to power my 360 on and off a few times before it actually comes alive. I don't have a live account (not going to pay the fee) but do play online on the PSN sometimes. Works perfectly well, don't know what the complaint about that is. If you're into FPS you might wait and see how well reviewed Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 are.

I play both, but probably play PS3 more. I like the PS3 controller better than the 360 one, but that's just personal preference. It's pretty much a toss, but in my opinion the PS3 is going to end up with the more interesting exclusives. More RPGs, and things I'm interested in because FPS is for the PC.

And game prices will probably not come down, just buy used or subscribe to GameFly.

[Jonathan Meer]

Thing is, I'm not that interested in straight-up RPGs anymore. The kind of thing that draws me are FPS's (so I will definitely be waiting for Resistance 2 and Killzone 2), and sandbox games.

Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, and GTA4 are the three games I'm primarily staring at right now, and all three of them are on both systems (with all three of them likely looking scores better on the PS3).

My current plan is to just wait it out until Christmas, see what I can see as far as upcoming games go. Sandbox anything just makes me joyful, and I just saw an article on an up-coming game (Infamous) that looks quite smashing.

[Kaden]

Good call on waiting until the holiday season.

You should look up some stuff on a game for PS3 called Prototype.

[Belle Hibiki]

360.

There is nothing on the Playstation's monster console that could possibly make me want to actually buy it. I've watched MGS4 being played, the supposed deal-breaker, and it didn't seem like that big a deal.

Well, let me revise that: I've watched MGS4 being watched. The game has so many cinematics that you feel like it somehow resents you for wanting to actually play it.

It's an alright game, but there's no way in Hell I'm shelling out the kind of money required to own it, and MGS4 was pretty much the only bloody thing I was interested in.

[Jonathan Meer]

It sounds like we don't share much of the same mindset, Belle. I'm actually leaning on PS3, after a bit more research into it. Depending on how the holidays go, anyway.

[Waffuru]

If you like sandbox games you should look at LitteBigPlanet.

[Jonathan Meer]

That's pretty cool

[Jonathan Meer]

Yeah. I'm getting a PS3.

Question is, when. Financially, I'm quite set, so I could (and might) get it tomorrow. Is there any reason at all not to? Is there, perhaps, a price drop coming soon?

I'm doubting it, but it would suck to lay the money down, then have a huge price drop announced a week later.

[Kaden]

I haven't heard anything about a price drop, and I imagine that's something that a lot of people would be talking about.