Games By James Plafke Nov. 20, 2013 5:24 pm
The Xbox One joins the PS4 in the 8th generation of console gaming on Friday, but where the PS4 was hotly anticipated ever since its unveiling this summer, the Xbox One has had encountered an uphill battle. The Xbox One’s public embraced was hampered by Microsoft’s always-connected DRM and policies toward indie game developers. After a public outcry, the Microsoft switched its stance, and effectively ended the majority of the issues gamers had with the next Xbox.
With those out of the way, the Xbox One can be judged on the qualities on which a game console should be judged: the games, media features, operating system, and the controller. So, with those factors in mind,*should you wait in line on Friday to grab an Xbox One*or should you feel anxiety regarding your pre-order?
[h=3]Xbox One launch games[/h] History has taught that, in the end, quality games are what sell a console. Media features, apps, and tidy hardware are all fine (and arguably necessary) additions, but if there aren’t games worth playing, buyers will migrate their entertainment habits elsewhere. The Xbox One launch games are as compelling as those found on the PS4 (which is to say, not very). The multi-platform titles, such as*Call of Duty: Ghosts and*Battlefield 4, should perform a little better on the PS4 due to its (somewhat) superior hardware. Sitting in your bed at two o’clock in the morning, though, you likely won’t notice the difference.
Crimson Dragon.
As for the exclusives, notably*Forza Motorsport 5*and the free-to-play cash-shop-based*Killer Instinct*are really no better or worse than the PS4′s*Knack and*Killzone Shadow Fall*– which group you’d prefer comes down to your taste in genre more than anything.
Unfortunately, I found the Xbox One’s*Crimson Dragon to be a lesson in patience, and one that I failed after the first training mission. The controls are extremely frustrating, and the glowy graphics look worse in practice (to the point where it had to be mentioned) than they do in official screenshots.*Out of both console’s launch day exclusives, the PS4′s*Resogun — a hybrid of*Defender and*Super Stardust HD — is probably the best title with the widest appeal, but only just so.
As for launch window games, neither console is particularly compelling, though the PS4 does have an edge, especially when it comes to the indie scene. Microsoft and Sony cater to difference gaming audiences, though, so you should know what to expect down the line at this point.
Next page: The UI and the Kinect
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With those out of the way, the Xbox One can be judged on the qualities on which a game console should be judged: the games, media features, operating system, and the controller. So, with those factors in mind,*should you wait in line on Friday to grab an Xbox One*or should you feel anxiety regarding your pre-order?
[h=3]Xbox One launch games[/h] History has taught that, in the end, quality games are what sell a console. Media features, apps, and tidy hardware are all fine (and arguably necessary) additions, but if there aren’t games worth playing, buyers will migrate their entertainment habits elsewhere. The Xbox One launch games are as compelling as those found on the PS4 (which is to say, not very). The multi-platform titles, such as*Call of Duty: Ghosts and*Battlefield 4, should perform a little better on the PS4 due to its (somewhat) superior hardware. Sitting in your bed at two o’clock in the morning, though, you likely won’t notice the difference.
Crimson Dragon.As for the exclusives, notably*Forza Motorsport 5*and the free-to-play cash-shop-based*Killer Instinct*are really no better or worse than the PS4′s*Knack and*Killzone Shadow Fall*– which group you’d prefer comes down to your taste in genre more than anything.
Unfortunately, I found the Xbox One’s*Crimson Dragon to be a lesson in patience, and one that I failed after the first training mission. The controls are extremely frustrating, and the glowy graphics look worse in practice (to the point where it had to be mentioned) than they do in official screenshots.*Out of both console’s launch day exclusives, the PS4′s*Resogun — a hybrid of*Defender and*Super Stardust HD — is probably the best title with the widest appeal, but only just so.
As for launch window games, neither console is particularly compelling, though the PS4 does have an edge, especially when it comes to the indie scene. Microsoft and Sony cater to difference gaming audiences, though, so you should know what to expect down the line at this point.
Next page: The UI and the Kinect
More...
