Titles make the console

I know, it’s as old a debate in
videogames as anything. Which system would you have if you could have only
one? I constantly talk about it with many of my friends and co-workers. My
typical answer is to play the politician. You know, start talking about the
benefits each system has, then segue’ into the exclusive titles each system
has and then tap dance away and leave the remaining debaters to fight it out
as which system to keep.

Then Bioshock came out.

It was as a refreshing a game as I
have ever played and it was a FPS, a popular genre with me. And it has horror
elements, yet another popular genre with me. The clever plot, the disturbing
revelations, it was as if I had entered gaming Nirvana. I know, the review I
wrote was easily one of the highest scores I have ever written, and I have
over 300 reviews (career wise) to my credit. 
I praised it’s innovations from the heavens and told all my friends to run,
not walk, run out and get this title. All of them have thanked me. And while I
sat there and reveled in all of Bioshock’s glory I decided, that after last
year’s butt kicker Gears of War and now this, the 360 just may be the system I
would pick if I could only have one.

 "I insist you buy this title!"

Then HALO 3 came out.

I got it about 3 days before the
gaming public, I played it until 2:00 am the first night. The controls were as
perfect as when they were on the original Xbox. The story pretty much gave us
some finality. Enough for me at least and I am a demanding gamer who prefers
his stories as smart as possible. The cut scenes, the graphics, the action
sequences, I think the Master Chief is as fine a character that has ever been
created for video games. What he does and how he carries himself in all three
titles is what we expect in our heroes

And it hit me, The 360 is the
system to have this Christmas and into next year. I hate to say it like that,
because I know the Wii and the PS3 will have some heavy hitters coming out
this season and into next year, but if you are a fan of FPS games then there
simply is no other option. Bioshock and HALO 3 are as deadly a one-two punch
any system has ever thrown.

You see, in the life of any
system, there is usually only a handful of titles that are so good, you would
call them system purchase worthy. Meaning, you would actually lay down the
cash to play just this game without any hesitation. Good examples of this are,
of course, HALO on the original Xbox and Final Fantasy VII on the original
PlayStation. These games actually increased system purchases when they came
out. In fact, there are some people who only play HALO and don’t play anything
else in the genre until another one comes out, my neighbor is a good example
of this. He plays all the sports games he can get a hold of and HALO titles,
that’s it. The point is, the 360 now has three solid titles that fall into
this category. The Wii has one (Zelda) and the PS3 has none to speak of, yet.

So I digress, the 360 has now
leapt ahead of the PS3 and Wii in terms of "must have" games. Oh sure,
Nintendo sure is quick to point out that the Wii has sold as many consoles as
the 360, but what are these people playing. Everyone I know who has a Wii
isn’t playing it. I can honestly tell you, I haven’t turned mine on in more
than five weeks. There is nothing I want to play on it. My PS3? I was playing
Ninja Gaiden Sigma for a little while, but since Bioshock, I haven’t turned it
on either, which quite frankly has made me disappointed in Sony. I enjoyed
Resistance: Fall of Man (a first-person shooter) but F.E.A.R. was
disappointing and anything else in the genre hasn’t been above board. Sorry to
say it, but the 360 is going to own the market this holiday season.

In closing, first-person shooters
on the 360 have elevated to another level, literally. And the future is
looking pretty good as well. The Orange Box dropped today and you can only
play it on the 360 or a PC; Crysis is coming out soon and PC gamers will be
pretty excited, but rumor has it, it will hit the 360 next. Anyway you slice
it, if FPSs are your thing, then you probably should have a 360; if you don’t
and they are, put it on your Christmas list, along with some killer titles.