[img width=200 align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/135696246747a14ac385facAntisthenes.jpg[/img]Hey there, name's Dave. I run this here site. I am generally a bright cheery fellow on this site. However, if you know in me in real life, I am the ultimate cynic. Doom, doom, and doom.  So, I've decided on occasion to treat you to my brutally honest, cynical side. Friends that personally know me may get a kick out of this, while others may be infuriated with the statements I have to make.  So, sit back, relax, and enjoy my spin.

I wrote this lovely review of No More Heroes. It's a nice game. Seriously. However, reading through comments I see comments belittling the game because it has "waggle". Well, la de da. I hate Halo because of its control. No thanks. There is one difference though - I've played Halo.  Sure, you may not enjoy the "waggle" motions that get old (see Zelda), but trust me, this game is nothing like Zelda. The game makes "waggle" fun and rewarding. Finishing moves are completed via the "waggle," and to be honest, it's executed well. As are throws and wrestling moves initiated by "waggle." Never before has the "waggle" felt so good. I may even go so far as to say that the waggle of No More Heroes is better than that of Zack and Wiki. But, I digress.

I can't help but think that people who attack the motion controls of the Wii have some type of ulterior motive. Motion control, if executed properly, can be done really well, such as in No More Heroes or Even Mario Galaxy. It can also be piped into a shovelware title, and made to exhibit behaviors inherent of crap. Similarly, the same can be said for other systems. Do I look to play sims or RTS's on a console? Hell no. But look, there are games like the Sims or Theme Park World, and soon to be Halo Wars. Give me a computer to play these genres on. Even games with "normal" control can suck. Do I need to start naming shitty games with normal control? Nah, you're all smart, I bet you can think of your own.

Don't get me wrong - the Wii is currently the home of shovelware and crap. However, there are those gems in the landfill. In time, the frequency of these gems may increase, but who knows. Certainly it is a worrying thought for anyone who owns a Wii and also wishes for more than Casual Crap. The DS eventually became great, I certainly hope the same for the Wii.

So, those who dismiss motion control as "waggle," why? Did you get burned out on the Wii by playing too many crappy games, or do you possess inherent fanboyism? Maybe you're just getting old. I hear that as you age you get more resistant towards new ideas, perhaps that's it? Can you hear your bones rattling? That might be it.

Do yourself a favor. Take a deep breath. Think about why you hate or love motion control. Can you change your view of motion control? Are you willing to change your view? Perhaps you will as more good games are released with motion control. There might be a few you enjoy. All I know is that I feel bad for people like Suda51. Great concept and execution, dismissed for its "waggle". Certainly, a shame.

Permalink | Comments [4] | Digg This Article

[img align=right]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/1905459161478ababbd43edPS3360.jpg[/img]
People have been sneering at the price of the PS3. They say it is expensive. You know, this statement is correct. However, I find it troubling that many of these people that say the Playstation 3 is overly expensive have no problem laying down the money for Microsoft's 360. I find such actions humorous. Let's analyze what I perceive as the true costs of these two systems, in terms of what they have to offer and what hidden costs lie with the system. Perhaps, we'll be enlightened after this discussion. Perhaps you'll be enraged. Chances are though that my arguments are pretty decent, and perhaps it will make take a second look at which system you ultimately end up purchasing.



Let's get this straight - the PS3 is expensive currently. The 80GB PS3 will set you back $499 stateside, which is certainly not chump change. For $100 less, you can find yourself with a castrated PS3, complete with a 40GB Hard Drive and no backward compatibility. How sad. Alright, now that we've established that the PS3 is not the cheap kid on the block let's look at the base prices of the 360. So, generally, the 360 is cheaper, but there is that damn Elite. It'll set you back $449 dollars. What special crap do you get for $449? How about a 120GB Hard Drive and HDMI Ports? Did I mention the one month Live Gold Subscription? Neat. Down the totem pole, we find the 360 Pro, priced at a high, but reasonable $349.99. The Pro comes with 20GB Hard Drive and may, if you buy new, possess an HDMI port. Nice. What about Live? Well, find yourself a Silver Subscription, because that is what you're getting. Lastly, we have the 360 Arcade, priced at about $280. No Hard Drive, Silver Live Subscription - that's too bad. But hey! You get 5 free XBLA games, and a memory card! That's better than nothing! So, now that we've revealed the base prices, let's look at the hidden costs.

So, the PS3 and 360 both have pretty good online services. Given the other service out there, I'd say they are both amazing. However, there is one fundamental difference between Xbox Live and the Playstation Network - price. Whereas the Playstation Network is free, if you wish to play online with the 360 you'll need that Live Gold Subscription. Such a description will set you back either $49.99 for one year, $19.99 for three months, or $7.99 for one month. So, if you plan on playing on Live throughout the lifespan of the console, you'll be racking up quite the charges. So, is the superb Live Service worth the added cost? You decide for youself.

This hidden cost may or may not apply to you, so if it doesn't apply to you, skip this paragraph. I really enjoy my wireless setup. My router is in another room, and thanks to the magic of 802.11 g I don't have CAT5 running to this room. So very, very nice. See, if I buy a PS3, I have a system that is wireless out of the box, but if I get the 360 I am not afforded such luxury. If I go for the official wireless adapter for the 360, I am incurred cost of $99.99. Damn, that's a lot for a wireless adapter. Hmm- I should consider that in my purchase, and if you are looking for a wireless setup and want a 360 or PS3, I hope that you'd consider that too.

There is this HD Format war going on. Ultimately, someone is going to win the war. With each passing day it looks like said victor will be the Blu-Ray front. How sad for HD-DVD. See, one thing about the PS3 is that it plays the potential victor of the HD War. If Blu-Ray does indeed win, you'll already have a Blu-Ray player if you purchase a PS3, and a decent one at that, apparently. If you own a 360, you'll need to buy a stand alone player. Of course, the tables could also be turned, and HD-DVD wins. If you own a 360, you can buy the HD-DVD drive, at a $179.99 value. So it seems that no one really wins out in the HD-War if HD-DVD wins. But, regardless, those are the facts, consider them wisely.

Content is a huge part of any system. Microsoft, has hit with some really heavy hitters, especially Halo 3. Crackdown is also good, as is Oblivion. But, let's look at Sony's content. Final Fantasy, God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Devil May Cry, Rachet, and I can go on. Even more important are the innovative titles being pumped out that are gems in itself. Calling All Cars, LittleBigPlanet, Echochrome, Afrika - dare I say that Sony is developing games more original and innovative than either Microsoft or Nintendo? I think I will.

Lastly, this hidden cost is more personal than monetary, but the 360 has a laudable failure rate. And I mean laudable in a bad way, as in it's pretty darn high. Imagine that you buy a 360, play it, and after a month or two you get the red ring of death? It's possible. Think about all the time lost playing your system. Might be a week or two before you get the system back. You might have to do alternative activities uncharacteristic of the basement gamer, like go outside. God Forbid. Don't kid yourself, the PS3 also has a failure rate, but the 360's rate of failure is apparently worse. At least, you don't really hear much about PS3 failure rates. Perhaps that is just a year away. Also, Microsoft has a new chipset out that might be more reliable. Set R to 75% rather than 50%, perhaps. But, still such facts should be brought light when considering the purchase of a PS3 or 360, and here they are.

I'm not going to tell you which system I think you should buy. You're reading RF Generation, the classic and modern video games database. You're intelligent, and you can make your own decisions. I just hope that the purchase decisions that you make are educated, and you consider all costs, monetary and personal, before you go out and buy a system. I know that I will.

Don't kid yourself, the opinions expressed in this article are those of David Murnan, Site Director of RF Generation, and his alone. They are not the opinions of the site as a whole. In fact, there is probably some staff members that are fuming right now. You might be fuming. Sorry. Perhaps the next article I write will be filled with Unicorns and Rainbows, but chances are unlikely. If you have something you'd like to say about this article, I suggest the comment box below. Until next time, sayonara!

Permalink | Comments [32] | Digg This Article