PS3 Slim

Time to clear up the TV cabinet to make room for the PS3 Slim, right beside the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360.

XBox Live Gold Subscription

My 30-day free trial XBox Live Gold Membership expired today.

Wandering the Capital Wasteland

1. I’m sleeping less because I’m wandering the Capital Wasteland till 2-3am in the morning.
2. I prefer killing Super Mutants alone than killing Nazi Zombies or the Locust Horde with my buddies.
3. I haven’t touched my PSP or Wii since starting Fallout 3.
4. I got a copy of the Official Fallout 3 Game Guide by Prima Games.
5. I agonize over skill points allocation and perk selection whenever I level up.
6. I feel the urge to rummage through garbage cans in real life.
7. I feel like I should walk slower.
8. I’m less picky about my food.
9. I’m beginning to visualize a V.A.T.S overlay when I look at people.
10. I feel like opening all the closed stall doors in public toilets.

Why did I choose the Xbox 360 over the PS3?

I finally decided to get the Xbox 360 Pro 60GB bundle after deliberating between the Xbox 360 and the PS3 for a few weeks. So, what made me decide on the Xbox 360?

1. Price – the Xbox 360 is cheaper than the PS3.
2. Games – the Xbox 360 has more games than the PS3. Multi-platform games also look better on the Xbox 360 than the PS3. Check out the comparison on GameSpot. Comparison Round 1 (Dec, 2006), Round 2 (June 2007), Round 3 (May 2008), and Round 4 (Nov 2008).
3. Blu-Ray player not needed – I have no intention of watching Blu-Ray movies on my 29″ 4:3 aspect ratio CRT TV. I won’t be noticing the high definition details in Blu-Ray movies on my TV anyway. 

I do recognize a couple of Xbox 360 disadvantages when compared to the PS3.

1. I will need to pay the Xbox Live Gold subscription fee for online multiplayer games compared to the free Playstation Network (PSN) for PS3 online multiplayer gaming. 
2. The PS3 hard drive can be used to store your own movies and mp3 files, but the Xbox 360 hard drive cannot be used in that manner. I need to connect my external hard drive or USB thumb drives to the Xbox 360 to watch movies and listen to mp3 files. Not a big deal actually. Watching movies on a video game console? I have a DVD for that. Listening to music? Do I have to switch on the Xbox 360 and my TV just to listen to music? 

I’m buying the Xbox 360 to play video games. So, let’s focus on the main thing. Playing and enjoying my video games.

The photos of the Xbox 360 and PS3 are taken from Flickr. 

Xbox 360 Pro Resident Evil 5 Special Edition

Well, I think so. That’s why I’ve made a booking for the Xbox 360 Pro Resident Evil 5 Special Edition. This will be my first Xbox 360. The XBOX 360 Pro Resident Evil 5 Special Edition will be released in Singapore on 5th March 2009. This special edition bundle comes loaded with various premiums, and when I open the box, I will get my hands on the following: 

• Resident Evil 5 game
• Exclusive Tin Case
• Resident Evil 5 the making of DVD
• Premium Resident Evil 5 Theme Token
• Super Street Fighter II: HD Remix Token
• 3 month gold subscription card
• Wired Headset
• Wireless Controller
• 60GB Xbox Console

I find the Xbox 360 Pro Resident Evil 5 Special Edition a more attractive deal compared with the previous Xbox 360 Pro Bundle that came with 2 free games; Kung Fu Panda and LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. Not my kind of games. I’m so glad, I didn’t go ahead and buy the earlier package. And more importantly, the Xbox 360 console in this package is the Jasper version of the Xbox 360, which is less likely to be hit by the 3 Red Ring of Death (RROD) problem.

Xbox 360 Elite Resident Evil 5 Limited Edition

There’s also an Xbox 360 Resident Evil 5 Elite Limited Edition released in the US with a red Xbox 360 console and matching red wireless controller. It’s an Elite version of the Xbox 360, that means it comes with a 120GB hard drive and with the addition of a HDMI cable and Ethernet cable. Red is hot, but I prefer white, cause my Xbox 360 will be next to my white Nintendo Wii.

What really made me decide to get the Xbox 360? That’s coming up next.

“Jasper” is the codename for the latest version of the XBox 360 with a 65-nanometer(nm) CPU (Central Processing Unit – AKA The Brain) and a 65-nm GPU (Graphics Processing Unit – AKA The Video Chip) on a redesigned motherboard. The Jasper’s smaller 65-nm GPU will consume less power and run cooler compared to the previous XBox 360 “Falcon” model with a 90-nm GPU. This is the reason why knowledgeable gamers prefer a XBox 360 Jasper model instead of the older Falcon model. The earlier XBox 360 models “Xenon” and “Zephyr” that comes with a 90-nm CPU and a 90-nm GPU are more susceptible to overheating compared to the “Falcon” and “Jasper” models of the XBox 360. Overheating is one of the causes of the dreaded Red Ring of Death (RROD) on the XBox 360.

The The Box of New Xbox 360 Arcade (Jasper) photo by yoppy is taken from Flickr.com.

Wii PS3 XBox 360 Controller

Thinking about which next-generation video game console to buy? The PS3, XBox 360 or Nintendo Wii? Ask yourself the following questions to get some clarity on which game console will best fit your needs.

1. What kind of gaming experience are you looking for?

• Casual gaming – Consider getting a Nintendo Wii. Wii games are easier to play.
• Social gaming – The Nintendo Wii is a great party games console. Get four sets of controllers and have a blast on the Wii with your friends.
• Serious gaming – Both the XBox 360 and PS3 are targeted at the serious gamer. The XBox 360 and PS3 have more first person shooters and M-rated (Mature – for persons age 17 and above) games.
• Online gaming – Get the PS3 for free online play, for the XBox 360, there is a yearly subscription fee of $49.99 for online gaming with XBox Live.
• I don’t play games – Get the PS3 to watch Blu-Ray movies if you’re into movies.

2. Who will be playing the video game console?

• Kids below 12 – Get a Wii.
• Teenagers and adults – Guys will love the PS3, the XBox 360 and the Wii. Girls may prefer the Wii instead.
• Seniors – They will love the easy-to-play Wii games such as Wii Sports and Wii Music.
• First time buyer – A Nintendo Wii is a great game console for those starting on video games.
• Long time gamer – Depends on the game titles that they are interested. The PS3, XBox 360 and Wii each have their exclusive titles. For multi-platform games, the PS3 and XBox 360 version will have better graphics than the Wii version.

3. Will the video game console be used as a home entertainment media center?

• PS3 – The most excellent choice. Comes with Blu-Ray support and plays most audio and video file format out of the box. You can utilize the internal Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for storing your audio and video files.
• XBox 360 – Plays most audio formats out of the box. Requires you to download the DIVX codec to play DIVX movies. You can’t store your own audio or movie files in the internal HDD. Only the Pro and Elite Bundle comes with an internal HDD. You can however convert your audio CDs into MP3 files and store them in the internal HDD.
• Nintendo Wii – It’s not a media center device. Doesn’t play video files, CDs or DVDs.

4. What other factors to consider in getting a video game console?

• Price – The cheapest video game console is the XBox 360 Arcade Bundle at $199, the Wii comes next at $249.99 and the PS3 with 80GB HDD costs $399.99. (All prices taken from Amazon.com). The XBox 360 also comes in a Pro Bundle with 60GB HDD at $299.99 and an Elite Bundle with 120GB HDD at $399.99. These two XBox 360 bundles are targeted at online gamers.
• Backward compatibility – The Wii is compatible with Gamecube titles. The XBox 360 allows you to install XBox games on to its internal HDD. The newer PS3 model isn’t backward compatible with PS2 games. The earlier versions of PS3 had backward compatibility with PS2 games.

Conclusion
For casual gaming in a family with kids and seniors, the Wii is your best choice.
For those who want a more intense gaming experience and online gaming, the PS3 or XBox 360 will provide the thrills. The XBox 360 has a slight edge over the PS3 with more game titles.
For those looking for an all-in-one gaming and home entertainment media center device, the PS3 with its Blu-Ray support has the edge over the XBox 360.

This is my current personal take on the PS3, XBox 360 and Wii. I currently own a Nintendo Wii and am looking to get either a PS3 or XBox 360. You may register your agreement or disagreement in the comments section.