Feeling the lure of the dark side

[Blackadar]

The dark side of PC vs. console gaming, that is. I haven't really been a console gamer since the days of the Atari 2600. I have always preferred the PC and the "thinking man's" games that come out on it.

I'm still chugging along on a 866 P-III computer. I know that many things that are going to be released soon I won't be able to play. I already can't play new flight simulators (bummer) and 1st-person shooters (no big deal), but it looks like even things like RCT III and Madden 2005 will be stetching my current system.

Given that I'd have to replace the power supply, case, mobo, chip, RAM and Cd-burner (a couple of these I don't HAVE to, but should), we're looking at an expensive upgrade. The new PC system alone would run about $750 or so. What's really depressing is my favorite genre, RPGs, currently has a dearth of titles and a very empty short-term pipeline.

I see only a few titles that I want to play, but a very expensive upgrade to play those few titles. I don't even see a "must-have" in the bunch right now.

Now the X-Box is like $149. With Madden, ESPN football and (especially) Fable coming out in the next few months, I'm feeling the lure of the dark side. For about $275, I could have the X-Box and all 3 of those games. Heck, KOTOR 2 will be released on the X-Box as well.

Now I know why consoles are killing PC gaming sales...

[The_herd]

I don't think you'll go wrong picking up an X-Box. As a PC gamer I've always seen the X-Box as the middle ground between traditional console gaming and PCs.

I'm a big RPG fan as well and what I've heard about Fable recently worries me. There have been some changes to the game to make it more linear and with its biggest selling point being its open-endedness, this is a disappointment.

They did wise up though and go with a more traditional level-based system as opposed to the progress through repetition they were considering earlier in development.

[SirFozzie]

Jade Empire! JADE EMPIRE!!! JAAAADDDDE EMPIRE! Looks so so so so Sweeeeeet

[Blackadar]

Jade Empire! JADE EMPIRE!!! JAAAADDDDE EMPIRE! Looks so so so so Sweeeeeet

There's another one for the X-Box.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm anxiously awaiting Jade Empire and Fable. Besides the sports lineup, these two games were the biggest reasons for my recent acquisition of an X-Box.

[ahbrady]

I don't think you'll go wrong picking up an X-Box. As a PC gamer I've always seen the X-Box as the middle ground between traditional console gaming and PCs.

I'm a big RPG fan as well and what I've heard about Fable recently worries me. There have been some changes to the game to make it more linear and with its biggest selling point being its open-endedness, this is a disappointment.

They did wise up though and go with a more traditional level-based system as opposed to the progress through repetition they were considering earlier in development.

I hadn't heard that they were going to make Fable more linear. That disappoints me. I'm not a big RPG player, but this game sounded like something I could really get into. I hope they aren't changing it up too much.

[ahbrady]

dola

I play NCAA 2004 enough to justify my purchase of a Xbox. I'm sure that NCAA 2005 will get even more of my free time.

[EagleFan]

Nothing wrong with doing both. I've use the X-Box when I can get the TV. Usually it's the PC but it's a nice change ot pace to not have to worry about setup for a game.

I am curious to see what that new console will do for PC games. The one that is actually going to be basically a PC console that plays acutal PC games. I really hope that it takes off. If so, it could mean a whole new boom for PC games as developers won't have to worry about paying a company like Sony a huge portion of their proceeds.