I have to start out and say that I am a fan of Xbox and I do like Microsoft, just so people can categorize my opinion accordingly. I have always payed attention to the console market, even when I wasn’t playing anything myself. Historically, I have owned almost every console ever made. And when I didn’t own them, I had friends that did (Neo Geo and Turbo Graphics 16 anyone?). More recently, I bought an Xbox, and modded the heck out of it. XBMC was the greatest thing on a console ever known to man. Nowadays, I have been a happy 360 owner for almost 3 years now, even when I got the dreaded RROD.
So, the slim came out and I had to finally enter into Sony’s world. I had a PS2, but was peer-pressured into it. While I did not want one, there was enough on there that let me know that Sony did have a few things going for it. One thing that I HATE about Sony is their hype machine. When PS2 was coming out, it was the “Emotion Engine” and how it was supposed to create the first video games that could make you cry. I think Sony did probably deliver the tears when people got one, brought it home, popped in a game, and discovered that it wasn’t anything like the promises. This time around, it was the “Cell” and how it was supposed to be the best newest thing ever. It was supposed to change the world, electronics, PC’s and all that. So far it hasn’t done any of that, so I have to admit that I am a skeptic just out of duty. Any company that uses tactics like that gets put on my I-don’t-trust-anything-you-say list (Apple anyone?).
So, it shows up and I have to then decide what games am I going to get? I’ve been paying attention, so I know I need to get Metal Gear, and play Flower, and a few other gems. That is really all I am interested in at this point. I just want to know what the PS3 can do that the Xbox360 can’t. So, exclusives titles and anything that might somehow prove to me that this thing is superior to my (still) cheaper Xbox360 and my Wii.
So far, I picked up MGS2, MotorStorm, Lair (I know this isn’t a good example, but I actually thought of getting a PS3 for this game), and Flower. There’s others, but I can’t recall them right now (not a good sign 
). At the time of this writing, I still am interested in picking up the Uncharted Games and LBP, but the funds are forthcoming. I am absolutely looking forward to The Last Guardian too.
So, like I said, I am really interested in seeing how the PS3 is better than the Xbox, if it is. I liked the simplistic interface on bootup, but after using it, looks aren’t enough. The simple truth is that it pales in comparison to NXE (Xbox360′s dashboard). The Wii’s is also simplistic, but I only use the Wii for Mario Kart or Zelda, so it’s not really in the running here in my book. So the interface isn’t there yet, what about the games?
So, I put in MGS2 and figured I’d give it a go. I’d heard that it was Sony’s Gears of War (or is that Killzone???), so I was ready to be impressed. The first thing I noticed was that I couldn’t play. It had to “install” first. WTF??? Install? Is this a PC or a console, I was confused. I’ve never had the wonderful experience of installing a game (other than an arcade game) onto a console before, so I was a bit shocked. Okay, so just a minute or two right? I can handle that. NOPE! It was like 15 minutes (or maybe it just seemed like that). Who cares? That is entirely ridiculous. Remember folks, we’re talking about a big hard drive and the Cell processor standard here. These are all features Sony has been shoving in my face. I am an intelligent consumer so I figure if a company is going to tell me their product is the best, that it is the best in everything. So far, I have to admit, Sony is living up to my expectations.
Okay, so I am just hoping for it to suck right? It must be just me projecting my desires and tainting the results. MGS2 finally finished and I tell it to start a new game. The credits start, and some video. Well, and by “some,” I mean the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s because I know nothing about Metal Gear at all, so it just doesn’t make sense to me right? Okay, so I take a crap and come back and its still going, but it now is more of a cinematic. It looks like the action is going to start soon. The uber hardcore looking guy (who incidentally looks like he stole the bandanna off of CliffyB’s main character) is a bit cheesy, but okay, lets see if he can grow on me. The first level begins. It’s a tutorial level, so I figure I will get the ropes here. I always had a hard time transitioning to the PS2 controller from the xbox one, so a little warm-up will do me good.
Umm, so how do I put this gently? That is the worst beginning level I have ever seen. I died about 30 times. It was one of those things where I was a little distracted the first time they told me what to do, so I missed it. I figured I would die and it would explain it again, right? Nope. They just assumed that I got it the first time and was just retarded and couldn’t figure out how to move. Look here folks, I pwned at SOCOM when I played friends, so I know how to move. I also hold some of the top scores in the world in Droplitz, so my eye-hand coordination is pretty good. If I can’t get past this level, it’s not because I suck, it’s because its the worst level ever. Anyways, I think I played about 20 more minutes after that, and I haven’t touched it since. I will go back and play it again some day, but my experience was ruined, so I need some cool-down time (read: I need to get old enough that my brain has lost those memories) before I go back to MGS2.
Okay, lest you think that I am just a hater, it get’s better, so keep reading. The next game I tried was Motor Storm. I had tried this in stores a few times years ago and had liked what I saw. The same held true now that I had it in my living room on my HDTV. I didn’t even let my son taint my opinion of this game (he’s 3 and LOVES trucks, cars, anything with wheels); needless to say, he loves it. Motor Storm is why I bought a PS3. It’s not the deepest game, but then again, it’s a racing game. How deep does it need to be? When I come home from work and just want to get my mind off, there’s nothing like picking up a controller and then racing a crazy course against good AI (but not too good <- Mario Kart Wii anyone?). Okay, score some points for Sony here. This game shows off what it can do, and how pretty it can look. That being said, I know the Xbox360 has games that look this pretty. It definitely started to let me think I hadn’t just wasted my money, though.
I don’t think I need to go into great detail on anything else I have done with my PS3 since then. I’ve downloaded a ton of demos. Most looks great, but I don’t have tons of time to play, so they’re just reminders that this device can do things my PC can’t. I tried Flower and some other little arcade games. Flower stands out and is really cool, but is no Braid. What I mean by that is that I had Braid and it changed the way I thought about games. I know Braid has since been ported to PS3, but in my mind its a 360 game, because that is where it changed my thinking about games, so the point goes to Xbox on that one.
The PS3 scores some more points in that it streams a few movies that my 360 does horribly, so that is good. I also like their movie menu better than Xbox’s. When I am streaming movies from my PC, it’s quicker to navigate on the PS3 than the 360. That being said, there are a bunch of movies that stream fine from the 360, that the PS3 chokes on, so they are equal here. The Xbox ends up taking the win because of Netflix. I joined Netflix because I took the trial on my Xbox. I decided to have Netflix ship their disc to me for the PS3 (can’t have too many options right?) and then I found out that I had to have the disc in EACH AND EVERY TIME I WANT TO USE NETFLIX????? Wow, just wow. Sony sure knows how to screw things up don’t they? If I didn’t have a 360 which I stream from all the time, I would give them a piece of my mind over that BS. Lucky for them, the interface is crappy anyways, and we use the 360 every day.
The PS3 so far hasn’t become something we use every day, while the 360 has. Granted, we had 2 years to get used to using the 360, but it’s just easier. I have a harmony remote that works perfectly on all our devices. Now, apparently, I need to buy a $40 adapter to get it to work with my PS3. That’s just dumb. So far, nothing about the PS3 has been simple and easy. It hasn’t made my life any easier and better and I haven’t seen anything that makes me think it is the best. I’m sure I will love The Last Guardian, and some other select games that come out. I’m sure my son will love LBP when I finally get it, but until then, the PS3 is doing what it has earned in my books: collecting dust.
The final result: the PS3 met every expectation I had for it, and then some, which is to say that it sucked even more than I thought it would. It is definitely not the best console of this generation. It currently gets used more than my Wii, but that’s just until the next Zelda game comes our or if I get the new Mario for Christmas. Sorry Sony, but I knew it all along. You made a cool device, but it’s nowhere near as cool as you think (and say) it is. It’s nice that it has Blueray; at least I know I will use it someday (although I still refuse to pay for Bluerays because they are still overpriced).
