Friday, March 2, 2007

Editorial: The Xbox 360 is More Than Halo 3's Bitch

People keep saying that all the Xbox 360 has is Halo. Why? They can't think of a better way to call a wonderful console bad. They say the 360 has worse graphics than the Playstation 3 because it doesn't have the HDMI output. Look at Gears of War, the best graphics ever besides Killzone 2 which were PRERENDERED. If a game's visuals in-game can match the prerendered graphics of Killzone 2, then it's obvious who owns in terms of graphics. By the way, Gears of War is also an amazing game. Halo 3 and Gears of War, two of the biggest games ever- found only on the 360. People freely bash Xbox Live. Why? Because of a $50 A YEAR subscription price... 50 bucks a year is not a lot when you look at the services and quality offered by Live. Now lets look to future games- Metal Gear Solid 4, Devil May Cry 4, Final Fantasy XIII- these are all pretty big threats to the future of the 360, but people have to actually look at what the 360 is packin' before they say the battle is lost. Besides some very high-quality games already out, the 360 has a line up of Halo 3, Fable 2, Mass Effect, BioShock, Blue Dragon. These are all exclusive games coming out within a year to year and a half and all of them have some pretty big names behind them known for their high quality of games.

But you know what? I'm tired of comparing the 360 to the Playstation 3. The 360 won 2006. Better graphics, better games, better online. The fact is, the 360 is a great console. Whether you compare it or not. Has the console had some bumps in the road? Yes, but it still managed to get the first year done not just right, but great. Look at its power and price, it's a perfect balance between the two. It already has a developed online system, has great games out, and has plenty of great and promising games coming. Sure, not all Xbox games are backwards compatible on the 360(for now), but those that are work just fine.

But we can't focus on its backwards compatibility. The quality of the console is what matters, besides games that is. And the quality is superb. A fully developed online set up that is unlike anything consoles have seen before. The power to deliver graphics such as those in Gears of War(which are considered the best to date) without killing your budget. As well, the system can be personalized in numerous ways for that extra touch, and truly becomes a gamers console. The console itself is the best looking out there in my opinion. Of course, equally important are the games available on the console. Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, The Elder Scrolls 4, Lost Planet, FarCry, Hitman: Blood Money, Enchanted Arms, FEAR, Rainbow Six Vegas, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Gears of War- these are just a few of the good games already out on the 360. They may not all be exclusive nor the best of the best(while there are some that truly are) but these are all great games out now and there is something for everyone. And by playing those multi-platform games on the 360, not only do you get access to some amazing exclusives, you don't have to spend more than half a grand on the console nor do you get sub par graphics. Also, besides the exclusive games already mentioned that are still in development, multi-platform games including Resident Evil 5 and Grand Theft Auto IV are coming to the 360. This is a pretty killer line up.

Sure the 360 has had a bit of rough start, but it still proved itself against the bashings of Wii fans and PS3 owners. Was it a complete failure, did it have only terrible games all year round, did it not deliver on what it promised? No. Is there more than Halo 3 on the 360? Yes. Just like there is more than just Metal Gear Solid 4 on the Playstation 3 and Legend of Zelda on the Wii. The Xbox 360 has an amazing arsenal of games and plenty of ammo left, along with some very high quality services and features and some of the juiciest graphics out there.

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