I'm on the fence about censoring "testicles". I mean, it's simple human anatomy, right? I
know Destructoid is a magnet for the elderly and easily offended, though, so I'll keep it
clean to stay clear of the banhammer.
So let's get to it. This is my first post, although I've been lurking here for-fricking-ever.
"But why is this your first post," you ask with disdain, "especially with such compelling
diction?" Because blogs suck. Professionally-authored blogs are great and all, but
personal? Not so much. Most of the personal blogs I have experienced are unrelenting
chronicles of some smug asshole's day-to-day observations, with titles enveloped in a
symmetrical sea of brackets and asterisks. Seriously, man. I don't care about any of the
music you listen to, I just want to push you down a flight of stairs.
With that in mind, I've decided to start this blog. I'll probably update it once a year, since
that's about how long it takes me to think of something remotely interesting to write about.
And the most interesting thing I've played with in a while (other than my penis) is the PS3.
I've never owned a PlayStation. Many of my friends were "Sony bitches", but I always
preferred Nintendo. The PS1 depressed me. I was ten years old when it came out, and
while the black CDs were cool, the ultra-pixelated graphics were not. I remember trying to
play Ridge Racer once, and I literally could not distinguish between the road and a body of
water. Fail. Then there was the PS2. A pretty huge step, for sure, but it never really
piqued my interest.
So what changed?
Well, I've always been happy with my Nintendo shit; I'm well into one hundred titles
between the Wii and Gamecube alone. But it just so happens that a few weeks ago I
stumbled upon some monies I had completely forgotten about. So, like any smart investor,
I immediately decided to make a large purchase. And I wanted one of the "real" consoles:
either a 360 or a PS3.
It was a pretty easy decision: the PS3 has Blu-ray. Since Blu-ray won, this made a lot of
sense to me. Also, the PS3 doesn't chronically fail. Also, the PS3 has Gran Turismo. So I
set off to my friendly neighbourhood Wal-Mart and bought that shit, hard.
After a quick set-up at home, I made a few observations:
• It's a fat bitch compared to the Wii.
• It looks awesome, and it's surprisingly quiet.
• Suddenly the PS controller I used to hate is not that bad.
• Using your computer as a media server is the greatest idea ever.
• Holy crap: maybe I actually like Sony, the way everyone used to in the Eighties.
I was seriously hooked on the whole media server thing. Coming from a Nintendo-user
without a Media Center PC, it was like travelling 1000 years into the future, where
everything is awesome and David Copperfield is the emperor of Earth. I was downloading
shit just so I could stream it to the PS3 (like Spawn...
the movie). In a word, I was
impressed.
So then I decided to actually use this thing for some games. I figured a good first set
would be GTA4, COD4, Oblivion, and Uncharted. Not only are these graphically astonishing,
but these amount to some of the best, most original gaming I've experienced in years.
Oblivion alone would probably take most of my adult life to complete. I realize Uncharted
is the only PS3 exclusive here, but this next-gen crap is new to me, and it's pretty damned
cool.
What's next? I've already expanded my library quite a bit, and it looks like the upcoming
PS3 lineup is going to do some irreparable damage to my bank account. Metal Gear 4,
GOW3, SOCOM, Killzone 2, GT5, Soul Calibur 4, and Bioshock will ruin my life. PS3
firmware 2.40 will almost completely align the features of the PS3 and the 360, but online
play will still be free.
If you've tried the PS3 in the past, when it was super-expensive and apparently pretty
weak, I highly recommend giving it a second chance. What I've mentioned should be
reason enough, but if not, it has full-HD capability, a user-swappable hard drive, built-in
wireless, Bluetooth device support, and, if you have the right model, it can even play old
PS2 crap, like Madden 02 or something. It's pretty retarded. The creepiest part? Now
I'm the Sony guy.
My lord. Yojimbo 2.
Welcome, and watch out, Alex is a PS hater. I hear he drinks "IHATEPS3" juice for breakfast. He only bought a PS3 so he can give it a dirty stair every morning.
Also, I'm very glad you are enjoying your purchase. As you haven't had a 360, all these things, like media centre, are completely new, so you get to discover the awesome from fresh :)
I agree w/ everything you had to say, except firmware 2.4 making it XBL. It still has a long way to go to catch up to XBL.
You should consider going dual platform though so you can always have the best version of dual platform games, regardless of console.
Eurogamer does roundups & comparisons of them pretty regularly
Xbox 360 vs. PS3 Face-Off: Round Eleven
*links to previous 10 & Orange Box at top of that
GTA4, that one's not listed on the round 11 page since it came out after
But wait until Aug to get a 360 if you do. Thats when the new Jasper model will come out. Will have 65nm CPU & GPU for less power consumption/cooler running/no RRoD. Right now it's pretty reliable w/ the CPU at 65nm but the GPU's only been reduced to 80nm (from 90) in the Falcon.
Nice work.
I was also a PS hater. I bought a 360 when they first came out and also bought a Wii. I never wanted a PS3 until I saw the difference between standard DVD and Bluray.
So, to cut a long story short, bought a PS3, using it way more than the other two consoles and now feel like a massive hypocrite because of my years of anti Sony ramblings.
Oh, yeah, I totally agree with your comments on the PS3 as a media device. Much easier than my 360. My laptop has Vista, and it simply refuses to talk to my 360.
I was kind of the same as cainball albiet no Wii, when I got my PS3 though it was games like Uncharted that wowed me, those graphics are awesome, I would say even slightly better than gears of war
PS3 is awesome - its a bloody dust magnet though...
that was a nice write up. You dont hear much positive info outta the Sony camp besides all their PR bullshit. Ive been holding out personally for either system, I cant really decide. the 360 has a nice library and a good backlog of games while the PS3 is blu-ray and the media center aspect is sounding nice. Shit I guess I'll end up buying both, who knows.
There can only be one y0j1mb0 but I do take apprentinces under my wing if worthy. lordoftheoats seems worthy.
:D
The PS3 is the first Sony system I ever owned, and I enjoy it. However, my streaming .mp4 video hasn't been the same ever since they mucked with something in firmware 2.20. Here's hoping they get it back to its old, reliable self with 2.40.
But yeah, coming from mostly Nintendo stuff, it's as though you've been watching YouTube quality video your whole life, and then someone slips in a Blu-ray. I liked my Wii more when I had a SDTV.
wow.... i might get one, what with all the moneys ill soon be making.
Thanks for all the comments, everyone (and the links, Coffee Man). I'm going to try to stay active in this community, since it's pretty effing sweet. About the 360, I might get one, but if I do, it won't be for some time (due to money and the current internals, as Coffee Man mentioned). It does have some pimp exclusives, after all.
Just a heads up, the Jasper 360 is now coming out the 1st week of Sept. Disregard my Aug statement. If u get one wait until Sept to make sure it's a Jasper.
There should be a code on the box you can look at to make sure it is one. When it comes out a google on how to identify a Jasper 360 should yield what it is.
& the Opus has been in production for a while, so any of you guys w/ pre-HDMI 360s who send it in for repair will get a 65nm version back (still w/o HDMI, but it will have new reliable internals)