PS3 or XBox 360

[Myrph]

This is a genuine decision that I have to make some time in the next 2-4 weeks. Apart from my Wii which I got not long after it was released, I haven't really progressed too much into the seventh generation of console gaming, and up until now that has suited me fine as the Wii hasn't treated me too bad and there haven't been any games on the Xbox or PS3 which I've thoroughly regretted not buying the minute they were released.

This changed with the release of Final Fantasy XIII. As a self proclaimed Final Fantasy fanboy, I do feel rather compelled to go out and buy this game. This raised an issue, however, since I don't own the necessary console to play the game and I now have to decide which of the two consoles I'm going to have to buy so I can get my FF13 fix.

Money isn't going to be too much of a major factor, so I won't go for one rather than the other because the console and games will be cheaper, equally, I probably won't go for the PS3 solely because it has a Blu-Ray player, although this could be quite an important factor.

Basically, I need to decide which of the two consoles has the better catalogue of games, both disc releases and on XBLA and PSN, according to my personal tastes (RPGs, Puzzle games, Action Adventure type things, although I'll probably play most things so long as they look fun). One thing, however, is I'm not a huge fan of war games or ultra realistic FPS games, so spouting stuff about Halo or CoD or such similar titles won't affect my decision in the slightest!

[Machalllewis]

To be fair both are good consoles if money isn't a huge factor. However there isn't too many classic RPG's that are out on the 360 and not on the PS3. Both have little niggly things involved like red rings for 360 and the occasionaly server crash with PS3. But, as far as I can see the 360 really does hang its hat on the FPS's. If money isn't too tight then you might wanna go with the PS3.

Just to clarify I currently own neither and thus I can probably be a fairly objective critic at this point I feel. I've always purchased Xbox 360's when I've owned them but mostly cos of the price difference.

[Gordon Fearman]

PS3. Reasons: God of War III, Uncharted 2, inFamous, and wait, we've had this argument before. Just read one of the other threads we've done this in.

[Matt]

My vote goes to the 360.

Pros:
- the 360 has a drastically better user interface, dashboard, DLC store, gamer profile, friends system, acheivement system, and is genuinely more user friendly. (that is, it doesn't kick you in the balls every time you put a new game in).
- the 360 has a larger base of games to play. having been on the market a year longer, being easier to develop for, and having a larger installed userbase, there are simply more games to choose from. The overwhelming majority of games come out for both systems though so there's little impoetus to buy one over the other based on their game libraries.
-the controller. The 360 controller makes love to your hand. 'nuff said.

Cons:
-360's while better than they were, do still bite the biscuit occasionally. and more often than the PS3.
-In the case of FFXIII specifically, the native platform is the PS3, and it is graphically superior on that system (though only just). You wouldn't notice unless you were playing side by side. The 360 version does run at a slightly better framerate than the PS3 version, though. Typically, the 360 version of a multiplatform game performs better than or exactly equal to it's PS3 counterpart.
- The PS3 has a blu-ray player built in.
-The PS3 has the Uncharted games.

All in all, as an owner of both, I've been significantly more satisified with my experience on the 360 than on the PS3. Just about every time I use my PS3 it does something that annoys me, or that makes me wonder "why the hell would you make the system work that way?". The 360 doesn't do that.

-m

[Machalllewis]

Whoops, I said PS3 but voted for 360. Freudian slip?

[Matt]

no, corrected by the universe.

-m

[Gordon Fearman]

The Universe has terrible taste.

[Dave-O_Boy]

PS3:
-Heavy Rain is awesome.
-There's that spiffy kart racing game coming out later this year.
-There's Valkyria Chronicles if you like skipping over horrible story for spiffy gameplay.
-Nicer interface. (360's seems so labyrinthine. Though really both of them are garbage in that way.)
-PS1 games are pretty cool. (Dude they have Jumping Flash, why haven't I bought that yet?)
-No Gamer Score, so you don't have to worry about becoming one of those weirdos who only plays games to get more irrelevant points that most would argue only show that they take their hobby a bit to seriously.
-Free Online Support (for now)
-A lot of the fun PSN releases.... are also on the XBLA. Still Shatter, PixelJunk, and a few others are pretty damn awesome. (Also Greed Corp, but that's on both. Buy the hell out of that game regardless, it's very fun.)

But really, they're basically the same things since so few games seem to be exclusives nowadays. I went with the PS3 since PS2 is my favorite console of all time, and I'm familiar and comfortable controller lay out and all that.
(On a side note: Has anyone else noticed that most 360 owners seem to really really like Mac products, while PS3 owners tend to use PCs? There's a delightful irony to this as Macs and PS3s use some of the same base code language or something and well Microsoft makes PCs...)

Fuck it. Just get a PS2, its a better and more reliable system than both the PS3 and 360 combined. Plus, it's got all those SMT games and I don't need another thread to go Atlas fanboy in.

[Myrph]

Whoops, I said PS3 but voted for 360. Freudian slip?

I've edited the poll so you can change your vote

I'm half tempted to get it on the Xbox so I can get this. Also, even though money isn't technically an issue that bundle is about £70 cheaper than the equivalent PS3 bundle, which is most of the price of a current Blu-Ray player...

[operagirl95]

Edit: What I'm trying to say it, what do you want to play? If you are interested in stuff you can only get on a specific system, get that one.

----
I am in the "have never and will never own an Xbox." We have the Wii and a PS3.
Why?
There is not one Xbox exclusive title I/we want to play. However, there are LOTS of PS1/2 and GameCube games I/we want to play.

Also, I never game online, and never plan to. The XBLA *might* be of interest, if I didn't already have a huge "to-play" list and not nearly enough time.

Also, of the 5 people I know who have 360's, all 5 are on a second, and one is on a 6th.

Ok, flame suit on. I'm ready.

[GreigKM]

Well, I don't own a PS3, but at this point they are clearly better than the 360, which I have and have had since the release. Early Adopters get screwed, It's also red ringed 3 times, so, yeah.

[Myrph]

Fuck it. Just get a PS2, its a better and more reliable system than both the PS3 and 360 combined. Plus, it's got all those SMT games and I don't need another thread to go Atlas fanboy in.

I've already got 2 PS2s to get my Atlas fix on. ;p I guess I could get the PS3 for when Persona 5 comes out though....

[Gordon Fearman]

Fuck it. Just get a PS2, its a better and more reliable system than both the PS3 and 360 combined.

Get 2 PS2s!

[Myrph]

Fuck it. Just get a PS2, its a better and more reliable system than both the PS3 and 360 combined.

Get 2 PS2s!

See above post xDDD

I guess I could go and get another one to try and rival Paul's 3 PS3s though...

[operagirl95]

I guess I could go and get another one to try and rival Paul's 3 PS3s though...

It's easier than 360 Xbox360's.

[Dave-O_Boy]

I guess I could go and get another one to try and rival Paul's 3 PS3s though...

It's easier than 360 Xbox360's.

Seriously. We have to make this happen. The damn things break enough, I'm sure there's people out there that have more than a few bricked one they could send.

[GreigKM]

Working ratio: 45/360 Xbox 360's work. (as sited from me making shit up)

[kilgr20]

PS3 due to the fact that I can play "majority of 360 games" on the PS3 since they're duel cross over.
I also have to say that I prefer some of the exclusive games for PS3 such as God of War 3 and Demon's Souls

Blu-ray means within a year most games are going to have to be 2 or more discs for 360 (or cutdown on content or not even released on 360) due to the size difference for discs.

[WickedBoy6]

I'm voting for the PS3, but mainly for two very simple reasons: God of War III and Kingdom Hearts III. However, I do not own one, nor do I own a 360 - which I should, since I have this weird compulsion to REALLY want to play Saints' Row 2. All I have is a PS2, and you know what? That's good enough right now.

[Gordon Fearman]

I'm voting for the PS3, but mainly for two very simple reasons: God of War III and Kingdom Hearts III.

Playstation 4, dude. Playstation 4.

[GreigKM]

I'm voting for the PS3, but mainly for two very simple reasons: God of War III and Kingdom Hearts III.

Playstation 9001, dude. Playstation 9001.

Fixed.

[WickedBoy6]

Stop it! You're all making me feel saddened. Look, I still have hope:

In a recent interview with Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu in February 2010 with series director, Tetsuya Nomura, a few facts were revealed about the future of the series. The series is currently expanding according to Nomura with the next game in the series focusing on Sora as well as another character who has been cited by Nomura as being "the center of the series”; the game will apparently explain the mystery of the series though Nomura remains adamant on keeping mum as to whether the game is Kingdom Hearts III or not. The game is apparently deep into development as it is being prepared for a public announcement for a possible 2011 release as Nomura says the team is striving to release a game each year. Previously Nomura has stated that the game would be connected to 358/2 Days, Coded and Birth by Sleep, and would be more of a main game than a spin-off or sidestory. The game is teased in a secret movie, titled Reconnect. Kingdom Hearts, shown as the secret ending to Birth by Sleep.

[Darkobra]

Final Fantasy 7 and 8 are now on the PSN for £8 each or something. I personally like the controls for the PS3 better. I am lord and master on PS3 controls for Street Fighter yet struggle for most moves on the clunky XBox controls.

[iEatNinjaZ]

Using the Dualshock has crippled my hands from playing too much DQ8. For that reason I suggest 360 because the controller is more comfortable.

[wartjr2373]

When I was choosing between PS3 and 360, there was only one real issue I considered, and that was "which console has better exclusives." With a lot of games releasing on both consoles, minor differences notwithstanding, consider the games that you won't be able to play if you get one of the consoles. Details like the controller, the UI, and the achievements aren't nearly as important.

The end result of my consideration was the PS3. I was able to buy Little Big Planet, Uncharted, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Metal Gear Solid 4. Later, I bought Katamari Forever, God of War Collection (GoW3 soon!) and Uncharted 2.

You can refer to these links if you want a list of the better exclusives for each console:
360 Exclusives
PS3 Exclusives

Those lists aren't comprehensive, and they were published over half a year ago, but it should give you an idea of what to expect.