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A nightmare is fed before it is born

Funeral-Wind

Funeral-Wind's Blog (0 followers)

Mar16
Console dilemma 2014Permalink
I'm going to rant about the difficulty of selecting a console at this particular time in the cycle (Post Launch) and what ultimately led to my decision.

First off let's toss out the fan boy logic as in this day and age I find it equally ignorant to be a pure Microsoft or pure Sony advocate as much as a pure Democrat or pure Republican. Anyone who makes up their mind before objectively discussing an issue is either a sheep or in denial.

Both companies in my not so humble opinion have won a gen. While I love the giant paperweight that is the original X-Box console it had absolutely no chance against the Playstation 2 overall. With it's monstrous game library and constant version upgrades by Sony it may go down in history as the most dominant console of all time compared to it's peers. The PS3 vs 360 debate is a bit closer but ultimately the 360 had better exclusives (For most of the gen), better online support and of course a year head start. It secured Microsoft as a legitimate threat and relegated Nintendo to bronze status.

So we both know both companies can bring it and their strengths and weaknesses that make their consoles unique. So given enough time after the "New Console" smell wears off and the deficiencies are public knowledge (and more importantly acknowledged) it should be easy to pick one right? WRONG! Because picking a console has never been purely about hardware performance. It has to appeal to your individual tastes and allow you to continue all those bromances you have cultivated after years of gaming.

After properly test driving both consoles via mooching off friends an relatives. Stealing away their precious game time to play such titles as Ryse or Killzone. Each intent on showcasing what makes their home console great (Or not so great). I was able to put it all together and make a informed decision. I will now attempt to break down my thought process.


The first thing I did was research sales. Unsurprisingly the PS4 was well ahead but ultimately who gives a shit? It's no secret Microsoft couldn't sell bottled water to six Japanese dudes lost in the Sahara. Japan still prefers Sony. (and tentacle porn) It's also irrelevant at this particular juncture since the PS3 caught up to 360 sales at the end of the cycle despite a year lead. Did that mean much in the end? Not really.

Second I took a look at the hardware. Here is where Sony cleans up. I could waste another thread explaining the tech but in short the PS4 is a more powerful system. The PS3 had this advantage as well but often did not capitalize on it. So it's not a deal breaker but it's worth noting.

The Xbox one has also had some very embarrassing problems out of the gate. One such issue (Which is apparent even in Titanfall) is the games run natively on 720P. The one compensates by up scaling the graphics which creates contrast inconsistencies and in pre-patch cases severe sharpening problems (Jagged edges etc.) Meanwhile the PS4's gorgeous 1080P is smoother then Scarlet Johanssons back side. The games make the system so I believe this will balance out in time but right now the one is simply handicapped and for $100 more it can't afford to be.

Third let's look at the service. Sony has finally caught up folks! Making this a toss up based on personal preference. Personally I like that Playstation plus is offering up free games for PS4 while as of right now Microsoft is content with releasing games from the bargain bin. That said I still prefer Xbox Live but it's no longer by a large margin. Both have pro's and cons so I'll leave it at that for now.

Fourth and most important is the games. We are not dealing with strictly launch titles right now so let's compare the two. The Xbox one had a better launch lineup but now they are behind. Dead Rising 3 can't compete with Infamous 3. Titanfall is the big Xbox one release but at it's core it's a Call of Duty meets Brink experience and Killzone offers the same generic format with a robust campaign and the best console graphics this gen. Soon both systems will hit their stride with some good exclusives but which is better right now? Playstation. I will also point out Gears, Halo and Fable are all question marks due to changes within the development teams. Sure we will get sequels but if Gears Judgement and Arkham Origins taught us anything is be careful what you wish for.

So after gathering all the information presented I decided to purchase the cheaper (and technically superior) PS4. Kinect has never been a factor for me and I can't see the $100.000 justification right now. My Xbox live friends list is much larger so of course I decided to keep up with the 360 as my alternative system until it's financially feasible to upgrade it. So much like last gen (Just in reverse order) I will own both Sony and Microsoft consoles but deciding on just one was quite painful and instigated several unwanted fan-boy arguments. /Rant.
Posted by Funeral-Wind on 16 March 14 at 17:44

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Chakaal-Starr Interesting. I have both consoles (get the best of both worlds) and find I play the xbox way more for some reason, probably the games. The way forza and titanfall use the cloud is pretty cool. I don't think you really give titanfall enough credit though, it is very much it's own game, and is probably the most fun fps I have played. At the very least do yourself a favour and get it on PC and give it a fair shake. I would expect you won't be saying killzone is as fun. It should be interesting when tf2 is on ps4 what happens there for the cloud stuff. I have also played killzone on ps4.

In your game comparisons, titan fall is actually the game that would be compared to infamous second son as the first after launch, forza and ryse would be vs killzone as the graphics show off games, and knack would be vs dead rising. I am guessing originally drive club would have been against Forza.

An interesting note for canada at least is that sony recently raised the core console price by 50 where ms started including a 60 dollar game in many bundles, so I wonder if sony is going to start upping various markets.
Posted by Chakaal-Starr on 17 Mar 14 at 05:33
Funeral-Wind I have played a few Titanfall matches and enjoyed them. I just see Titanfall and Killzone as Call of Duty clones that are enjoyable for a few weeks and then I lose interest. Even more so when there is no single player campaign to enjoy.
Posted by Funeral-Wind on 17 Mar 14 at 10:59
VysetheLegend84 I still haven't purchased my new gen console yet, but I understand where you are coming from Aeon, as it took me a long time to decide which to get, (though I should point out I would like to get both at some stage).

In the end I just felt like having spent so long with my 360 during the last gen, that a fresh change was in order, as the generation before I would only play on my PS2. With the PS4, I just feel I'm getting more likelyhood of playing the exclusive games that I would want. Titanfall doesn't remotely interest me, and whilst I would like to try Dead Rising 3, I feel there will be more draw to what Sony has to offer.

The price isn't that big an issue though, as here you really can more or less got both consoles, and with a game or two, for around the same price, maybe bar £10-£20. So whilst that was a turning point at launch, it isn't now, but despite that wasn't enough to make me want an XB1 first.

Will be interesting to see how things turn out for the rest of the year though, from how the Games with Gold and PS+ plans turn out, to what is announced at E3 in June. Perhaps then people might be regretting the choice they made, hope not, but the latter end of the year would be a great spot to choose, simply because a better picture will be available then, compared to now where it is still early days.
Posted by VysetheLegend84 on 17 Mar 14 at 15:30
Funeral-Wind I'm a big JRPG fanatic anyway and we both know which company delivers in that department. While both consoles will eventually be required I can safety say PS4 is the most logical choice right now. I'll undoubtedly post a retrospective in a few months noting my regrets or satisfaction with this choice.
Posted by Funeral-Wind on 17 Mar 14 at 15:42
VysetheLegend84 Likewise, though my second favourite RPG of all time, and my favourite game on the 360 was Tales of Vesperia, so they can have some classics on there, just as you say, you feel the majority will appear on the PS4, which makes it a logical choice.

Be interesting to see how you find your time with the PS4 over the next few months, especially how you are finding the games on there,
Posted by VysetheLegend84 on 17 Mar 14 at 18:21
Linkx41 The Tales series alone appearing exclusively on PS systems make getting a PS4 a no brainer for me.
Posted by Linkx41 on 19 Mar 14 at 03:54
Funeral-Wind I feel the same about the Disgaea series. Exclusives is always the biggest factor.
Posted by Funeral-Wind on 19 Mar 14 at 16:26
thesnapplecap90 Killzone is nowhere near in the same league as titanfall.
Posted by thesnapplecap90 on 31 Mar 14 at 03:46
Funeral-Wind Exactly. It has a single player campaign AND looks roughly three times better.
Posted by Funeral-Wind on 31 Mar 14 at 11:03
boldfox85 Nice arguments. It's always nice to see unbiased opinions. Ive never been loyal just to one company. My first consoles were mega drive (although that was a gift), ps1, ps2, wii60 :P and it will most likely be a ps4 next, although when the wii-u drops to under £100 I'll get one of them :D
Posted by boldfox85 on 27 May 14 at 10:26
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