The Microsoft ''Xbox'' console was scheduled for a launch in November the 8th. Delayed until the 15th, the Xbox launched with exactly 18 games where it finally made its debut in the USA. Several thousands of people raced out to purchase one along with an average of 2-3 games. Now fast forward to almost a year later. The Xbox video game system is still selling like crazy with over 70 games for the average and hardcore gamer. With 3 launch titles, that sold over a million copies, and one ''Game of the Year'', Xbox fails to disappoint no one as one of the best sellers in the US!
The Graphics -
Supporting High-Definition games, Xbox has some of the best graphics ever seen in a video game console. Xbox's graphic processor is a 250MHz custom chip, which is named ''XGPU'', developed by nVIDIA and Microsoft themselves. The heart of the Xbox, or its CPU is a 733 MHz chip crafted by Intel. This is the most powerful CPU ever designed in a video game system. Xbox's maximum resolution is 1920x1080, meaning the graphics on a 72' HDTV can be played just as well as on a 28' regular screen TV without a single spot of a different.
The Sound -
Xbox includes some of the best sound ever heard while playing a video game. That's right, I'm taking about Dolby Digital 5.1! If your not familiar to what dolby digital 5.1 means, then think of a speaker. Just one. Now times that by 5. That's right, you will be able to hear sound from 5 speakers while playing an Xbox game. I mean 5 different around the room 3 in front, 2 in back, plus the sub woofer hidden around the living room to create a big rumble. Isn't this rather unique? But I assure you, that's now all. The sound in Dolby Digital 5.1 is much better then your TV sound for example. Its much better in quantity and quality. A big thumbs up for this as well!Extra Features -
Now, we get down to the extra features that the Xbox includes. The first extra feature I want to fill you in about is the harddrive. That's right, the xbox includes a harddrive of over 315,000 blocks, so you won't have to ever buy memory cards, ever again. Ever! To give you an exact idea of how big 315,000 blocks are, think of a 8-10GIG harddrive. And I should probably clear this up for most of us, the Xbox harddrive various in size. If you purchase an Xbox made in Hungry, then it includes an 8GIG harddrive. If you purchase an Xbox made in Mexico, then it includes a 10GIG harddrive. Don't worry, since the Xboxs made in Mexico don't have an advantage on the ones made in Hungry since the 2 extra GIGs cannot be used. However I'm sure they service a purpose. A purpose which I will find out soon enough. Anyways, the Xbox harddrive also carries another purpose. The load times are rapidly decreased by about half as much meaning a game on the Xbox will take 1/2 as much to load then a game on the Nintendo Gamecube or Sony PlayStation 2. The second feature, yes there's also another, is that the Xbox includes a DVD playback. With the purchase of an Xbox DVD remote control (which currently is $29.99), the Xbox will be able to play all kinds of DVDs. The downside to it though, is that you must have a remote control to play DVD movies on the Xbox. However, whenever you purchase an Xbox Remote Control, you can receive a 30 dollar mail in rebate, so its basically getting the remote for free! But wait, there's more bad news. The bad news to the DVD remote control, is that it doesn't include a power button, meaning you will have to get up off the couch and turn the Xbox off manually.
The lastly and foremost feature, is the Xbox's ability to rip songs off of CDs and burn them onto the harddrive to listen to your own songs while playing some of Xbox's games (This includes Project Gotham Racing, Amped, Fuzion Frenzy, both Tony Hawk games, and some others). There's one catch though. The Xbox will only play CDs that you purchase in stores or CD-RWs that you burn songs onto in audio format. No exceptions! But, sometimes, and only sometimes, the Xbox can play CD-Rs! Not all of them, just some of them. I'm sorry, I really don't know which ones.
The Xbox Controllers -
Official Xbox Controller -
Here we go, the official Xbox Controller that comes with the Xbox Console. The official Xbox Controller relates very closely to the Dreamcast official controller. Both analog sticks are in the same spot as the Dreamcast controller - the upper left, and lower right. A rather OKAY spot for you ask me. With the D-Pad under the upper left analog stick. Now, the official Xbox controller also features 4 'main' color-coded buttons - A, X, B, and Y. The A button is right over the lower right analog stick. The X button is to the upper left of it. The B button is above the A button, and the Y button is located over the X button. Again, almost like the Dreamcast controller, and relates a little like the official PS2 controller. The official Xbox controller also contains a white and black button at the upper right corner. Both trigger buttons are in the button, like the Nintendo 64 controller, with the Start button and Back button right under the main Xbox logo, which is a pretty big logo in fact, as well. In my honest taste, the official Xbox controller is 'perfect' for the average/hardcore gamer. If you were to ask someone else, they may reply with, ''Its too big''. I may understand that, for it is a little too big, but perfect if you have hands which can palm a basketball. If your hands are too small, you may want to get The Xbox S Controller...
Xbox Controller 'S' -
The Xbox Controller S is an small version of the official Xbox Controller. Featuring the buttons - A, B, X and Y in a diamond logo, sort of like the PS2's controller. The white and black buttons are located under the A, B, X, and Y buttons, with one of the analog stick's to the left of the X button. The upper left analog stick has been brought down a little with the d-pad which has been brought closer to the Xbox Logo. The Xbox Logo itself has been shrunk a lot, and the Start and Back buttons have been moved as well right under the upper left analog stick. An improvement for me, and any average/hardcore gamer out there. A must buy, if your buying your second Xbox controller.
Each future upcoming Xbox controllers can be found at http://www.xbox.com in the hardware section of the site.
The Games -
Current Line-Up
For First Person Shooter, a gamer might pick Halo, which currently has sold over 2 million copies, and which won the Game of the Year according to most websites.
For Third Person Shooter, a gamer might pick Max Payne, but with Dead to Rights, an improvement over Max Payne, it would be better to get that instead.
For Role-Playing Games (or RPGs), a gamer might choice Morrowind, an American RPG, but still a winner and great game to play. For Racing Games, a gamer might want to go with Project Gotham Racing, no its not Batman, but still a great racing game, and million seller!
For Fighting Games, a gamer might want to go with the sexy fighter Dead or Alive 3 which also reached the big one million mark.
For Sports games, a basketball fan might like NBA 2k2 made by Sega or NBA Inside Drive 2002. A football fan on the other hand might love NFL 2k2 also made by Sega or maybe NFL Fever 2002.
Whatever's the deal, they are all golden and all worth a rental or purchase. Some worthy games also need of mentioning are Oddworld, Rallisport Challenge, Enclave, Azurik, Wreckless, and Blood Wake. All exclusives. But, really, the downside is that the Xbox needs more RPGs for hardcore gamers. Morrowind is a great game, but is it enough to last you until the holidays which bring even more RPGs as well as games.
The Xbox's future line-up includes some amazing games, in my humble opinion. With Sega promising us Shemne II, House of the Dead III, ToeJam and Earl 3, and Panzer Dragoon Orta, Xbox has the best Sega support, if your a Sega fan, wanting to buy a new system. Xbox will also include sequels to Halo, Project Gotham Racing, and Amped as well as Doom III to hit late next year. Some other humble games worth of mentioning are Unreal Championship, Brute Force, Project Ego, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Blinx, and Splinter Cell. All of which have had my attention for some time now. The Xbox's future line-up, is without of a doubt, one of the best.
Xbox Online -
Xbox Live -
Some of us may have heard that Microsoft is launching Xbox Live, an online gameplay environment. But how well does it stack up to PlayStation 2 or Gamecube Online? Really, really well. Xbox Online will be priced at 50 dollars, which will get you one year's subscription, a headset (to talk over the Internet while playing games), and a game of Revolt, to get you started on your online quest. You will also need to choose a 'GamerTag' or screen name, something that you would wish to be called online, and Xbox Live also includes Global Rankings, to see whose the best at what game. Anyways after the one year of subscription is up, gamers will be forced to pay roughly $9.95 a month which isn't such a bad deal. Xbox Live will use broadband, and broadband only, a really fast connection to the Internet in lag free environment. Microsoft already has 60 companies working on Xbox Live games as we speak. Xbox Live will be ready to the public on November the 15th. The Ups and Downs (A Follow-up) -
On the Up side, I liked:
-The Great Hardware
-The Amazing Future line up of games
-Xbox Live
On the Down side, I disliked:
-The Official Xbox Controller may be a little too big
-The price of Xbox Live
-The lack of RPGs
To buy or not to buy -
Well, 200 dollars is a lot of money for a video game system. But when you buy Xbox, every penny is worth the purchase. With the harddrive, DVD player, MP3 player, amazing future line up of games, and Xbox Live, Xbox will surely disappoint no one. If your looking to buy a video game system, I honestly think you should give Xbox a try at a local electronics store. Who knows, maybe you'll even buy that Xbox!
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