Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mikejelai]

Yes, Pong was the first (and last) game I really ever played. Because of university, graduate school, and later employment I missed out on Tron, Mario Bros, Pac Man, Grand Theft Auto, shooter games, etc. But I am ready to get back into it, finally.

So what is the best way to go? Which is best - Wii, X-box, PC, etc? By the way, I have a standard home computer and large screen (52 inch) TV already.

Advice please..............

[eamo]

Well, I would guess that gaming on a console like Xbox or PS3 is less complex to set up and get straight into than on a PC which would require an expensive graphics card etc.

PS3's play Blu-ray discs which would look fantastic on that 52'' screen.

[six]

Well, even though the Wii is targeted at casual gamers, almost everyone I know has one and no one I know still plays theirs. It was a novel device 3 years ago, but the software does not support it. Both the PS3 and 360 have a wide selection of games that will appeal to anyone and are just plain better systems by any measure. To me, the only real advantage the 360 has is "a better online play" which is what is said and repeated regardless of personal experience, so if you think you're going to go from Pong to playing Halo with dbags online then you should get it. However, if you do then be aware that Live Gold (to play online) costs $60 a year, compared to PS3's online play which is "worse" but free.

I personally have a PS3, but the Kinect seems super cool and I'm currently trying to find other reasons to justify the purchase of a 360 but so far stuck at Ikaruga.

[Gnawbert]

I'm not really a PC gamer outside of World of Warcraft because, honestly, I prefer the couch experience of consoles. Always have all the way back to my NES I got for Christmas in '85.

I've owned all three consoles at one point so I have quite a few opinions on the matter. Doesn't mean they're right of course, just my opinions.

First, skip the Nintendo Wii. You have a 52" TV and the Wii is going to look pretty ugly on that. The image quality on the games on the Wii never go higher than DVD resolution (480p). I actually sold my Wii because compared to the PS3 and XBox it started bothering me. Also, I really just don't think the library of games for the Wii are that great. Sure every now and then they get an awesome Mario franchise title or a Zelda game but personally I got tired of them. Most of them are fun with friends and fun in small doses.

The Xbox and the PS3 are, in many ways, very similar except for exclusive titles. I used to think the Xbox had the best list of exclusive titles but lately I feel its switched and games like Uncharted 2, God of War 3, and Heavy Rain for the PS3 are just so much better than the Xbox exclusives like Gears of War or Alan Wake (not to say these games aren't good, they're a blast).

Other than the exclusive games, the main difference is hardware and interface and I really think the Xbox has a much more unified and solid interface. Yes, it's a bit silly with avatars and cute lime green colors but it's pretty easy to navigate and my girlfriend has no problem figuring out whether she wants to watch a video, play a game on it, or join a game in progress. To me, the PS3 interface feels really clumsy and ugly and no matter what theme I use it still just looks like some ugly menus on an some second rate MP3 player. I really do hate it.

On the other hand, the PS3 hardware is much more high powered and you can really see the difference one some of the more recent games like God of War 3 or Heavy Rain which I doubt could run as beautifully were they ever ported to Xbox. The fact that PS3 has blu-ray is nice for gaming but honestly since we live in South Korea I just download hi-def movies for free so I don't really consider it a major selling factor here. Again, some of the games like Uncharted 2 really do show epic video gaming has become and I've had more moments on my PS3 where I've gone "Wow, this like a movie!" than on the Xbox.

Another thing to consider: motion gaming. Both the PS3 and the Xbox recently came out with motion controllers that're very different from each other. I played with the PS3 Move and I wasn't terribly impressed. It felt like the same thing the Wii was doing except much more accurate.

I purchased a Kinect yesterday for the Xbox. Maybe it's just new buyers excitement but it's been a lot of fun and a totally different experience than the Wii or the PS3 Move. If developers take some big risks and create really unique games for it, not just rehashed yoga and sports title, I could see it being really amazing. My girlfriend, who is not a nerd like me, was really impressed with Dance Central and said that she felt like she was living in a Star Trek world of technology.

All in all you really can't go wrong with one system over the other as each have their pros and cons. I have both and I tend to favor the Xbox more than the PS3. I fact I haven't turned the PS3 on in a few months because I've been busy with a few Xbox titles and other activities. On the other hand I'm sure that during the winter some PS3 exclusive will come around and my Xbox may gather dust.

TLDR version:
-Xbox just works nicer.
-PS3 is a better machine.
-Both are great purchases.
-If money is an issue, get an Xbox.
-If money is not an issue, get a PS3
-If money is really not an issue, get both.

Just my 2 won.

[AsiaESLbound]

It doesn't take much of a PC to emulate NES, SNES, and N64. You can download the emulators and ROMs which are the game cartridge files using Utorrent software and sites like isohunt.com and thepiratebay.com. You can plug in a game pad controller for about $20 to play the PC like a console game system. If you are using a PC built sometime in the 2000's, you probably already have a powerful enough PC to run old games, but a 52 inch TV would be awfully grainy unless running games and movies in HD. If it's rear projection from the early 90's, toss it out the window.

[blackjack]

get a modded xbox 360 an unlimited amount of games, the kinect system is great, esp for non game players

[six]

Gnawbert's post is pretty solid. I agree with most of his findings, especially about how terrible the Wii looks on nice TVs! Stay away from that system...

you could also consider getting a PSP or a Nintendo DS if you want to play lots of older games. They're nice for long train rides or breaks at work, etc.

[Destroyer]

I have similar sentiments to Gnawbert. I've played 'em all, and one is the clear winner. I will one up his wordy recommendation and say PS3 is the system to get. Every system has its pluses and minuses, but PS3 is best hardware hands down. Motion controls are soso on any system, they will fade quickly. Play some Metal Gear, Uncharted, Killzone, Motorstorm and you will be blown away!

gnawbert. How are you coping with the lag? Notice much? Got any games that require good reflexes? I'm on the fence for Kinect. i want one for my kids but the kid I saw playing at Gstar was having a devil of a time on it...

[nick70100]

I'll provide a different opinion on this. If you really haven't played any video games since pong don't waste your money on a current system. Get an old used system or simply play with emulators on your computer. The games of 20 years ago are more fun than any of the junk that's coming out today.

[Gnawbert]

[Mikejelai]

So what does a used X Box or PS go for here? What about new? Any disadvantage to buying here as opposed to the US? By the way, I recently saw a couple of shops selling them in Dongduchon (must be because of all the US army people there). And if it is modded (modified) what extra things does it do exactly?

[denverdeath]

[six]

I'd buy a US version of either just to be safe. I would never buy a used 360, as I've already gone through 2 of them (used) and they have such a high rate of failure that it's not worth it without some sort of warranty. If you get a 360, get new. PS3s don't die easily, I have 2 (one is at home that I bought for my parents) and both are going strong after 2 years. I never feel good about buying used hardware, but I could see buying a used PS3 as a safe investment.

[denverdeath]

good points by six.

i would also personally not buy anything like a ps1, ps2, xbox, or wii, or whatever now. why? i do understand why for some people, but i really DON'T understand why. I have both a ps1 and a ps2, along with 2 gameboy advance SPs that are NEVER used and collecting dust in my computer room. I really have no inclination whatsoever to pick them up. if i really want some retro stuff, i can just load a rom pack onto my psp memory stick...some of the games are good, but i rarely play them.

personal choice, i guess.

p.s. anyone wanna buy a "Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand" GBA cartridge from me? Seriously.

[Nuggets]