Next-Gen Systems Report Card
-
Jun 15, 2004 15:52
2000-2003
PS2:
Diversity of Game Selection- A+
Frequency of " AAA" Titles- B+
Graphical Prowess- B-
Exclusives- A-
Online- B-
Overall- A- / B+
After going through the typical 3-month drought at the start of its lifespan in October of 2000, 2001 became one of the best years in video gaming history. It began in March and didn' t really start to slow down until January of 2002, and in that span of time, games like Onimusha: Warlords, Red Faction, Twisted Metal: Black, Soul Reaver 2, Gran Turismo 3, ICO, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Devil May Cry, Madden 2002, Grand Theft Auto III, Final Fantasy X, and Jak and Daxter lit up the gaming world. No platform has had a year like it since, unfortunately, but 2004 looks promising for just about any system.
As was to be expected, the PS2 sported the largest diversity of any platform in this three-year span. Genres that other platforms simply won' t touch are readily accepted by the PS2, most likely due to immense third-party support. Rhythm/dance, strategy, and puzzlers, not to mention some of the last 2D titles in existence, are all here, and are higher in number than most would believe. Leading the pack with the best platformers, many of the best RPG' s, and several of the best racers and action games in existence, the PS2 easily solidified itself as a true gamer' s console.
Drawbacks for the system have always included the lack of four controller ports, loading times, and graphics that aren' t quite up to snuff with the other two systems, released more than a year later. However, despite being an obvious third-place in the visuals department, the PS2 has still provided us with some of the most beautiful games ever, and one will be hard-pressed to find many games on any platform that look significantly better than games like Silent Hill 3, MGS 2, Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando, and Final Fantasy X. 2004 may show us more with the likes of Gran Turismo 4 and God of War. Lastly, what is widely regarded as one of the best controllers ever made, the Sony DS, is another major plus for this system.
As far as online goes, the program struggled to get off the ground for the longest time, and has yet to hit its stride. It does have a large number of loyalists, though, and several choice titles (i.e., Tony Hawk, Madden, etc.) are being played online on a very frequent basis. With the additions of the SOCOM series and Final Fantasy XI, online popularity has risen, and most online gamers have stated that the overall service has increased in reliability and speed. However, it has yet to match the quality of Xbox Live, which in all fairness, is one of the primary selling points of the Xbox.
Top Exclusive Titles:
Onimusha 2
Devil May Cry
Gran Turismo 3
Final Fantasy X, X-2
Suikoden III
ICO
Twisted Metal: Black
Ace Combat 4
Kingdom Hearts
SOCOM I, II
Xenosaga
Ratchet and Clank, R&C: Going Commando
Jak and Daxter, Jak II
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
Amplitude and Frequency
Virtua Fighter 4, VF 4: Evolution
Xbox:
Diversity of Game Selection- B-
Frequency of " AAA" Titles- B
Graphical Prowess- A
Exclusives- C
Online- A-
Overall- B
Microsoft' s system debuted to much speculation, but Halo immediately quelled that mini-resistence. What followed afterward was your typical " rookie drought" through the middle of 2002, but ever since, the system' s been on the up-swing. Releasing the greats at very much the same clip as the PS2 once 2002/2003 rolled around, the Xbox provided some of the most memorable gaming moments in recent memory- Halo, Splinter Cell, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Morrowind, and Rallisport Challenge head the list. Sequels to some of these top games came about in 2004, but that' s for later...
Keeping a fairly determined focus on action, sports, and FPS, the system was able to work its way through the skepticism and the unhealthy " poor man' s PC" and " PortBox" monikers. It has struggled to provide gamers with good platformers, fighters, and RPG' s, but with the advent of KotoR and a 2004 that will show the likes of KotoR 2 and Jade Empire, that last bit is likely to disappear as a " struggling factor." Not having the support of the PS2, it also lacks strategy and rhythm/dance titles (although it did just get its first; DDR, just recently), but the Xbox does excel where its focus lies. And this is one of the few similarities it holds with the PC. As far as controllers go, the original didn' t have that many fans, but with the release of the superior S Controller, the Xbox is even more of a formidable force.
Being a technical powerhouse is always a bonus, and although it took a few years to top the graphical masterpiece that was Dead or Alive 3, several new titles have proven the system' s graphical prowess. While the top titles can be compared and contrasted with top visual productions on the GC and even the PS2, in general, the average game simply looks better on the Xbox. This leads to one of the bigger pluses of the system: the fact that multi-platform games are almost always best seen, if not best played (more subjective), on this console. It' s biggest problem (that it' s currently working on): lack of " AAA" exclusives. Too many great titles are brought to PC and other platforms; if they could keep some big-name titles just for themselves, they would probably see another sales spike.
Instituting the slogan, " It' s Good To Play Together," Xbox Live kicked off to decent success; a success that has only grown with the addition of some stellar online titles. Whether it be a failing of Microsoft or not, they have stuck to their goal, which is to see online console gaming become much more popular than it already is. If it were up to them, they' d have an Xbox Live kit in every home that had an Xbox, and chances are, they will continue to push this goal into the next generation. Revolutionary online experiences is a specialty of this system, and as mentioned before, they excel in what they focus on.
Top Exclusive Titles:
Project Gotham Racing 2
Rallisport Challenge
MechAssault
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Top Spin
Dead or Alive 3
Unreal Championship
Jet Grind Radio: Future
Shenmue II
GameCube:
Diversity of Game Selection- B-
Frequency of " AAA" Titles- D+
Graphical Prowess- B+
Exclusives- B
Online- N/A (possible substitute- Connectivity)
Overall- C+
Great things were expected from this code-named " Dolphin" system, and Nintendo made many promises. Luckily, we find that Nintendo hasn' t lost its old charm, but unluckily in some ways.........they haven' t lost their old charm. It is impossible to discount some of the very best games on this system, simply because they are some of the very best games of this generation: Metroid Prime, Animal Crossing, Super Mario Sunshine, Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Resident Evil 0, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, and Eternal Darkness lead the way. One of the best parts about this system is that all of their top titles just so happen to be exclusives as well. It' s just unfortunate that there' s not more of them.
Another aspect unique to the GameCube is the connectivity issue, which is essentially the heart and soul of multi-player for Nintendo. This is a nice feature that allows for switching and swapping between the GameBoy advance and GameCube, and ultimately allows for some truly fun experiences for those willing to hook themselves up with a friend or just by themselves. The lack of online play may turn people away in the future, but it may be unwise at this point to battle Xbox Live and Sony Online.
The company has also flexed some considerable muscle when it comes to power, and this is shown in some of the more spectacular visual performances. Many gamers still consider Zelda: WW, Metroid Prime, and RE 0 to have the very best graphics of this generation. For the most part, GC games have a healthy helping of color and detail, and you will rarely find a game that truly failed in the graphics cateogry. As far as controllers go, it' s hit or miss with the GC controller, although the wireless Wavebird has created quite a positive stir.
What Nintendo is in dire need of is quite simple- more games. Or, to be more specific, more " AAA" games. While it' s clear that the GC has had its fair share of top titles in the past few years, it is also painfully obvious that the frequency of the appearance of such titles is much too low. They may produce a game or two that is always in the running for Game of the Year, but in general, there isn' t much else in the stock room to draw on. To be perfectly honest, the GameBoy Advance is having a much better run of games, and we at least owe some thanks to Nintendo for that.
Top Exclusive Titles:
Super Mario Sunshine
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Metroid Prime
Resident Evil 0
Animal Crossing
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Eternal Darkness
Super Monkey Ball 1, 2
Star Wars: Rogue Leader
2004 to date
PS2: C+
Champions of Norrath
Onimusha 3
La Pucelle Tactics
Xbox: A-
Ninja Gaiden
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Rallisport Challenge 2
The Chronicles of Riddick
GameCube: D
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
2004: 2cd Half
All potential A' s. For the PS2, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, God of War, Devil May Cry 3, Gran Turismo 4, Star Ocean 3, Xenosaga: Episode II, and Suikoden IV, for the Xbox, KotoR 2, Halo 2, Jade Empire, and Fable, for the GC, Metroid Prime 2, Resident Evil 4, Donky Konga, and the new Zelda.