Xbox Core Console USM

The XBOX is definitely aimed at late teen guys to 20-30 gamers, so it has more exclusive games that are gory, have foul language, and overall explicit things. Some XBOX excl. games that have come out recently are:
Breakdown=rated Mature
Ninja Gaiden=rated Mature
and later this year there will be Halo 2 which will most likely be rated Mature and also Conker: Live & Uncut DEFINITELY rated M, possibly Adults Only.

So if you are looking for a good family or all around console that is reliable than get PS2 or Gamecube (gamecube has faster loading and better graphics but not as many or as good of games, but still a great family console).
Some games that are coming out on PS2 later this year
Kingdom Hearts=sequel to megapopular Everyone rated disney game
Grand Theft Auto V=sequel to GTAIII and GTA:VC, likely rated M
Sly Cooper 2=probably rated Everyone
Gran Turismo 4=very good racing game, will have Nissan 350Z, probably rated Teen
So as you can see, the Playstation 2 is a lot more rounded out, but if you want to have the best quality graphics, sound, and multiplayer then go ahead and get the XBOX. But I think that it would be wise to wait out the rest of the month.


THE BEST SYSTEM OUT THERE!   September 21, 2004
D. L. Snell (Seattle, WA USA)
23 out of 29 found this review helpful

If you still have not figured out which system is better (XBox, PS2 or Game Cube) let me give you a run down of why the XBox is far superior to the other systems. First off, I have owned all the systems (sold back my GameCube). GameCube is so lacking I have not used it for comparison here. Still play the PS2, but not very much. Here are the reasons XBox is superior:

1. Better graphics. Games on PS2 have slower frame rates and you cannot view scenery off in the distance as well as games modified for the Xbox. This is due to the fact the XBox has a 733mhz processor.

2. Online gaming better. Both Xbox and PS2 have online gaming, but PS2 games you pay each game independently. That gets expensive. Xbox, you pay monthly or yearly and can play all the games you have that are Live. You also have tons of downloadable content and so many other online tools.

3. Data storage. I cannot believe the PS2 still requires you to purchase a load of data cards to save games. No storage on unit. XBox, I have owned mine for 3 years now and still have not made a dent in my hard drive... has said 50,000+ blocks since I bought it.

4. Music. The large harddrive on the Xbox allows you to store you favorite music on the unit and play from you custom catalogs when you are not playing the system. A lot of games for the XBox allow you to customize the game music from your personal catalog.

5. Xbox has Halo. Nuff said. If you have not played it you have no idea what you are missing. If you have, you wouldn't need to be reading this review.

6. Games just keep getting better. Halo 2, Fable, Sudeki to name a few major new releases. What does PS2 have as a blockbuster release?

Both systems are similar in play, both are stable platforms (assuming you clean the eye on the unit). One problem a lot of people complain about is the "disk is not playable" error on the XBox. A friend of mine told me the simple fix is to use a Q-tip wiht alcohol and lightly clean off the laser eye. I did it and not more errors. XBox gives you more for the large amount of money you have to shell out for a system.


The best console machine on the market at the moment.   February 20, 2005
SoCalReviews (Los Angeles, CA)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

I have been playing video games since the Atari 2600 and Intellivision days. I also owned the first Nintendo, a Sega Genesis, and a Dreamcast (which is still one of my favorite console video game machines I ever purchased. Unfortunately you cannot purchase a new Dreamcast machine or new games in the stores). I have owned an XBox for about two months now. This is a very complete video game machine with all the bells and whistles like a hard drive, ethernet, Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound, support for High Definition TV, etc.

Pros: XBox has the best graphics, sound, and the most features of all the consoles. It supports up to four controllers unlike the PS2 which has only two built in ports. If you really want to get into online console gaming and you have a high speed internet connection then XBox is the one to get. As of the last year or two most of the games for the other consoles are now being released on the XBox.

Cons: The XBox is much larger and heavier than the others which makes it more difficult to transport. In addition to you having a high speed broadband internet connection an annual "XBox Live" subscription (currently costs about $50) must be purchased before you can use the system's online gaming features. PS2 has many more games ( including the older PS1 games if you own any of those) and although the graphics on the PS2 are not quite as good as XBox it is still a fun and popular console. Your PS2 games will be supported by the future PS3 machine which protects your PS2 and PS1 game investment while the XBox2 may not support the older XBox games.

I like the XBox console and most of the games are great. If you are really into video games then for $150 I would recommend an XBox purchase. If you have a PS2 or Gamecube then XBox is still a good addition. If you don't own another console then XBox might be the best way to go since it is the most advanced console and you can always buy a PS2 or Gamecube later if you want. I plan on purchasing a PS2 in the near future just to have it for a few of those older PS1 and PS2 games that were not released for XBox.

If you are into PC based gaming don't expect the XBox to be better than your $1500 Windows XP computer with a good graphics card. The PC CPU power, graphics, and internet gaming is going to be superior to any of the current gaming consoles. XBox is simply the the best console you can hook up to your TV. Consoles are much better for relaxing on the couch or with multiple game players. If you want to best your PC machine then wait for XBox2 or PS3.

The best XBox sports games are ESPN NFL2K5 , ESPN NHL2K5 and Madden NFL 2005. Halo 1 and 2 are fantastic theme based shooter games as I am sure you have already heard. I personally like some of the older retro-games like Sonic for XBox and Atari Anthology, as well as the newer retros available for XBox like the Crash Bandicoot, the Silent Hill horror series, and the Metal Gear Solid and Tom Clancy theme spy games.

The bottom line: If you don't mind spending the money now for this four year old technology then an XBox is highly recommended and it is the best choice of all the current consoles. If you don't mind waiting then look forward to the state of the art PS3 and XBox2 to be released in late 2005 or early 2006.


BEST. SYSTEM. EVER.   August 14, 2004
Tical Zero (New York)
19 out of 23 found this review helpful

Here are my top five reasons for owning an Xbox:

1) Better games than both PS2 or GameCube. For example, if you take a look at most of Gamecube's exclusive games, you'll find that they all have to do with either Mario, Zelda or the other classic Nintendo characters. Which, in most cases would be fine, if not for the fact that these characters have been "re-created" and "evolved", meaning that the games you used to love so much seem superior to these next gen ports. As for the PS2, yes, although Sony does have a rather large library, most of those games are crappy games that never sell more than a few copies. As for their good games (GTA, anyone?), most of them have been ported to the XBox annd are just plain better. For the best total gaming experience, XBox is the way to go.

2) Graphics. XBox has better graphics than both the GameCube and the PS2. No offense, but the PS2's graphics just look like crap besides for the Final Fantasy series, which, quite possibly, will be coming out for the XBox in a few months (hopefully). Although the GameCube has much better graphics than PS2, it still just doesn't measure up to the XBox's standards.

3) The line-up of games coming soon. Halo 2, Doom 3, Rainbow Six 3, Fable...I think I've made my point.

4) Xbox Live. Its more organized, faster, more occupied and just more fun than the PS2's online capabilities.

5) And, last but not least, mulitplayer action. With the PS2, for some unknown reason you can only play 2 player without shelling out an aditional $30 for more ports. And as for GameCube, what self respecting teenagers or adults would play Kirby's air Ride, Mario Kart or Smash Bros. when you can play Halo or Rainbow Six 3 or Doom 3?


Best gaming system of the three current ones! Great buy!   June 13, 2004
Thrissa Ruffin (Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA)
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

The Xbox is a great product. Take note that I am not a diehard Xbox fan, as I used to own a PS2. I traded it in for the Xbox because of: 1) the Xbox's new lower price 2) the Xbox's better selection of games 3) the Xbox's many features that the PS2 and Gamecube lack. I was going to trade in my PS2 for a Gamecube and the cashier looked at me as if I were crazy and said (and I quote), "You want to trade your PS2 for a Gamecube? Are you sure?" She told me that the Xbox has 10 times the DVD capabilites of the PS2 (and I know from personal experience than the PLayStation 2 is not all that great a DVD player, & the Gamecube can't play DVDs at all), it DOES NOT require a memory card but it does allow for one if you need additional space, and it has a huge 8 GB hard drive for storage of music, saved games, and other data. The Xbox has unbeatable graphics and the loading time is almost zero. I always used to have to find something to do while my PS2 games (namely Vice City) loaded. On the Xbox, this is a non-issue because the loading time of any game is extremely small. You rarely have to wait over five seconds for data to load. The hard drive is quite loud, however, and the system is a bit big, but who cares? Unless you are extremely tight on space, it won't matter that the Xbox is big. Also, there is no need to reset the games to load them, it automatically assumes that if you put a game into the tray, you want to play it (what will Microsoft think of next?) Even though Nintendo has more experience with gaming consoles than either Sony or Microsoft (espeically), they made the most inferior system of the three. The Xbox's processor is actually more than twice as fast as the Gamecube's (if you don't believe me look up the stats). Unless you are an absolute Nintendo maniac, which I was, don't limit yourself to the Gamecube with its selection of expensive games that require you to purchase a memory card. Hey, there's a hidden cost for the Gamecube & PS2, a memory card! The Xbox is wonderful in almost every possible way, and I will have mine for a very long time to come! Besides, this new low price will drive you out of the BOX! In short, if you're looking for a powerful gaming system and don't want to wait for Xbox 2, buy the Xbox! You'll be glad you did.