SYSTEM WARS The Magazine April 2011 - 3DS review, Mass Effect 2, overrated

T H E M A G A Z I N E

April 2011 Part 2 of 2 - Issue 36

Hello System Wars!

This is Willy105 writing this, just so you know. Just making sure. As of right two weeks ago, the whole world has now entered the next-generation, thanks to the Nintendo 3DS, the first of the next-gen systems of the next-generation of next-generation consoles, has been released everywhere that matters (you heard me, South Korea). Of course, no one cares.

But people do care about stuff that doesn't cost $250 with $40 games, like Portal 2! Valve has set up an awesome new ARG to make us go around in circles thinking about potatoes, and recording the resulting forum posts for future generations. A new Sonic game has been revealed, and it shows that Sega has completely given up trying to appear like they can take the series in any meaningful direction, and brought back the old Sonic from the Genesis days.

This issue, we are going to review the 3DS, we if you are overrated, and more! Also, if there are any Gamespotters still mad over JodyR getting a boyfriend, I hear KillaTheMonster is still single!!!

This...is....SYSTEM WARS THE MAGAZINE!

RUMOR: NINTENDO'S NEXT GEN CONSOLE COMING AT E3

Willy105:

The successor to the extrememly popular Wii system is rumored to be announced at E3. According to insider sources, the system will run in 1080p, be more powerful than the 360 and PS3, is Backwards Compatible,and have a controller with a built in 'HD' screen.

Sounds interesting enough, but stay tuned.

April Fools!

Fabz_95:

As we all now, when April Fools comes, so does a number of jokes by the GS users and the GS staff.

Here are some of my picks as the best April Fool jokes on the day....

One of the main things the GS staff did to mess with us is change the names of the boards. As you can see, there were a number of interesting changes, System Wars became 'Zoo Wars' (because we all become animals when we're defending our systems), Off-Topic became On-Topic with a number of sub-categories that we see oh too often on OT, whilst General Games Discussion became General Lack of Interest.

Sticking with the Zoo Wars theme, user kumitekumite made a great thread about which Zoo is best, incluidng Bronx and San Diego Zoo.

Bronx Zoo Ftw.

Another thread, this time following the rules that musicalmac made, Rage010101 makes a thread about the Lemmus Sibiricus he bought.

The cute little Lemmi.

However, there were some funny threads unrelated to the Zoo theme sticking with what the board is really about, here's a thread about Killzone (yes KillZone, not Killzone 2) versus Crysis by MIYAMOTOnext007.

KillZone stomps all over Crysis.

And here's a thread that's slightly harsh by BigBoss255 about the 360's lineup this year.

360 haz got no gaemz.

And my favourite of the lot, creepy obsessive user NickOfTime001 makes a thread about his love for JodyR and his shock at her new boyfriend.

Seems like Jody is liked a little too much...

Of course, like the banning of a moderator last year, this was a thread created by the GS staff, the account was fake and hilariously, had a large number of posts 'deleted by the request of a moderator' other than his posts in the above thread allowing users to catch on early that it was an April Fools joke. Still, good effort GS !

And here's some of Jynxzor's favourite jokes outside of GS.

Shinji Mikami action figure

And wrapping off, WoW now has a Microsoft buddy Craby the Crab, and Unleash the hidden power of your smart phone with the Horadric Cube app.

Hope you enjoyed your April Fool's day, try not to do to many pranks post April 1st, because that's just cruel

THE OVERRATED LABEL: JUST MORE UNNECESSARY FLAMEBAIT

KingOfOldSkool:

Success breeds contempt, especially if being enjoyed by a title deemed undeserving by any of gaming's seemingly innumerable amount of intolerant and finicky critics. The amount of hassle suffered from a given genre/platform rabble is usually in correlation with the game's sustained popularity, as well as the level of imbalance in regards to the disapproving group's standards on what supposedly "allows" the level of esteem in question.

A common reprisal towards the most enduring and high profile offenders are persistent efforts toward forcing a stigma upon it. One of the more common examples is quite familiar to the eyes/ears of most gamers:

"__ is overrated!!"

One of many whiny, high pitched sounds heard from a habitual critic/nitpicker's latest axe grinding. A tired phrase that I feel has rapidly worn out of acceptable use in credible game discussion. One that also seems to commonly finds it's place within the rhetoric of swollen headed critics who feel their long-winded, pseudo-intellectual overanalyzations take precedence over the gamer's own preferences and personal experience when deeming how the gamer "should" regard the game they played.

The label, while still slightly bearable on an individual basis, truly shows how much of an increasingly clichemeans of attack it has become through it's painfully predictable and repetitive usage by larger cliques of contrarian gamers (both in the amateur and supposedly "professional" ranks) waging repeated crusades against the credibility of popular games lying outside of their preferences.

Simply put, labels like "It's overrated" are flame bait overdue for retirement.

There are enough headaches in the politics of gaming as it is with the likes of constant squabbles surrounding what games people should play, what they should play it on, and what they should play it with. There is no need for the nonsense of continuing to argue over how much gamers should be allowed to enjoy a specific game consistently being thrown into the mix. (There continues to be such a high number of gamers who seem unable to develop an opinion on a game without quickly turning around and making numerous judgements on the opinion "other" gamers hold on it.)

I'm not exactly eager to hear fans or media overly romanticizing their protected favorites either, but attempting to combat hyperbole with even more exaggeration from the side of negativity is pointless. Now, there is an amusing level of vanity found within all of these game related reviews and the best of this / top of that lists, but to be honest.. due to the difference in focus I'd rather sit through a stack of those reviews and lists before sitting through the entirety of a single "most overrated" list again(and we all know there is certainly no shortage of those on mainstream sites nowadays).

Authors from both aspects are at least in some ways a bit too full of themselves, but I feel with a list of favorites the writer is taking a stand that focuses on their own opinion and at the very least allows the possibility of providing the reader with a new level of insight or appreciation for the material from a unique take. On the flip side, most of these contrarian authors are taking the even vainer route.. pronouncing both their own preferences "and" others being wrong for having their own, while adding nothing of worth to the discussion beyond showcasing the sole intent to tear conflicting opinions down.

I'm in no way saying having a criticism or a conflicting opinion is wrong. I realize the universally appealing "perfect" game isn't possible(like I've mentioned before, gamers can find a problem with literally ANY part of any game they target if they choose to look intently enough), which is why actual constructive criticism and the trading of ideals will always hold an important place for both the industry and the player. Gamers SHOULD always feel free to state what they do or don't like about a game if they desire to do so, but I believe there is a difference between game debates based upon articulating a personal opinion and one that is designed to simply attack someone for being "wrong" in how they regard a game.

In the end I feel a person stating how they themself feel about a game, good or bad, is an actual opinion.. one worth clarifying or arguing. On the other hand, simply going after someone for how they supposedly should or shouldn't feel about a game is not an opinion in itself, it's just a petty attack. To claim something is over or underrated an examination of an existing opinion is needed, thus in my eyes at least, disqualifying these labels as an "individual opinion". They are just spewed words latching onto something that actually is.

Thanks to gaming culture's currently enduring preoccupation with "correcting" the view of others(and the hostility that this mentality breeds).. far too often is it necessary to wade through varying levels of bias and antagonism before any actual valid critiques from a balanced perspective can be found when drudging through the reviews/rants of accusing critics that insist on using labels like "overrated". I find that insistence of these labels are often more about the critic's agenda, ego, and antagonistic disposition leading their efforts towards "readjusting" the opinions of others than the actual reviewed games themselves.

Anyways, to sum my point up, labels like "overrated" are definitive terms that are too often hostilely strewn about by game critics(often due to the likes of ego, jealousy) in a subjective discussion. They are definitive statements that purvey the false notion that there are groups with "right" and "wrong" opinions on a specific game. I feel that gaming as a whole would benefit from the individual gamer maintaining focus on how "they" personally feel about a game without the constant need pit their impression against those of other dissenting gamers as if there can only be one valid opinion.. something that can only truly be possible when the individual gamer realizes that game discussions and disagreements can be had without insisting on the attachment of antagonistic opinion labels to every conflicting viewpoint.

Well, I've never been one to kid myself into believing the bickering around such topics will ever truly subsist, it's just how people are and will continue to be unfortunately(just thinking out loud/in text in the meantime). Perhaps if at the very least a few of the most nauseating "overrated" debates could finally die out already, maybe there can at least be some level of relief.

Here, in no particular order, are just a few examples that quickest come to mind.. mentioned as much for the typically targeted archetype it falls under as the game itself. This is NOT about whether or not these game deserved their level of grief or if they are overrated or not. It's about the predictability of the industry's incessant trolls.. and well, me being completely ****ing tired of hearing the arguments surrounding them:

- "Overrated" overdone, debates that need to just go away already -

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo 64 -1998-

Do you have an a middling game site in dire need of some cheap traffic, or are simply a belligerent attention junkie with no real gaming or editorial talents looking for a quick fix? When dissecting today's successful games is not enough.. ragging on the supposed sacred cows of gaming like Ocarina of Time as being grossly overrated will certainly do the trick! Perfect for those who can never settle on what they feel the best games of all-time are(that ofcourse would involve actually having a choice of their own being subjected to criticism..), but know for CERTAIN that "your" picks aren't it.

Ugh.. few ploys from these groups are as lazy, cliché, and contrived as these "sacred cow barbecues". These unbecoming flails for attention would be humorous if they were not so consistently off base and contradictory.. "oh, __ and it's effect on it's fans / genre are just so overrated that I am going to join the other multitude of naysayers who insist on creating long, drawn-out overanalyzations of the game YEARS after it came out". Yes, quite the fascinating logic they have there.

Hmm.. but then again, perhaps we are in denial. You know all those favorites you are enjoying right now? Stop.. don't bother. Why continue carrying on that enjoyment if there is possibility that it may be considered invalid 8-10 years after the fact by the rants of middle-aged malcontents who say we were only having fun because we "didn't know any better"?

Shadow of the Colossus, Playstation 2 -2005-

Art. The mere mention of the word in even the faintest association to a particular game sends a good deal of gamers instantly reaching for their stickler-grade magnifying glasses(you know who you are). Fair or not, the likes of Shadow of the Colossus and it's sibling Ico will continue to receive a unique type of scrutiny for not only their acquired taste type of gameplay and structure, but also for their positions in the infamous "Are games art?" debate.. one that I can honestly say I have grown completely tired of discussing.

I do not feel compelled to chronically find ways to justify gaming's "artistic merit" to the Roger Eberts of the world.. as a dedicated gamer for quite a few years now, I find it beneath both fellow gamers and my lifelong avocation to play some back and forth game of "Is it art yet? Is it art yet?" with these people.

The fact of the matter is a small handful of games will not make or break the argument of either side, especially so early in the medium's lifespan.. form a personal perspective and move on. The whole nonsense where mocking critics who do not have some sort of blissful artistic epiphany partway through playing and subsequently deciding to call out both the game and it's status as being a possible symbol for the cause of games being able to be considered art as being overrated is quite obnoxious.

Final Fantasy VII, Playstation -1997-

I have always considered myself to be an avid and versed RPG fan. My fellow genre fans can be some of more insightful gamers to converse with, but even I cannot deny the fact that they can also be by far some of the most insufferable.. the decade plus long melodrama surrounding Final Fantasy VII is yet another testament to that unfortunate fact.

Like I have discussed in previous entries, few games have seen such a level of sustained resentment for it's enduring popularity quite like FF VII. The timing of it's immensely hyped release and subsequent success was one of many factors that essentially created a perfect storm of contention. The first RPG to see any real mainstream success incited flame wars on numerous fronts.. not least of which included Eastern vs. Western gaming, PC RPG vs. Console RPG, Nintendo vs. Sony, and even a pretty massive splintering within the franchise's own fanbase.

Ofcourse, all of which is nothing but immature flaming over whether or not the game should be considered overrated that has persisted for far, far too long. Whether it's the bickering over the supposed order of best entries in the series, which were the "true" RPGs of the mid-90's, or how much FF VII's once highly touted "blocky" graphics have or haven't held up over a decade later.. the debate has run well beyond its course.

So please, both low level editors who vainly believe that throwing out the ocasional condescending remark towards the game and it's fans will magically grant them genre credibility and Sephiroth/Cloud fanatics teetering on the edge of creepy alike, MOVE ON.

System Wars Funnies I

Fabz_95:

This is why I keep coming back to SW.

Keep it up guys.

ENTER THE NEW DIMENSION: NINTENDO 3DS HARDWARE REVIEW

Darkspineslayer:

If there is one area that Nintendo knows exactly what their doing, its the handheld market. After having an almost total stranglehold on the market for 24 years (before Sony managed to wiggle in), gamers know they can count on a Nintendo handheld to be an investment that will entertain them on the go for years to come. The new Nintendo 3DS promises visuals edging up on the Wii, and the third dimension sans wonky glasses or giant monkey men. But does it bring games worth the substantial price tag?

The overall form factor is very tight (compared to the tank design brought to the masses by the original DS), the result of everything packed into this package is slightly thicker and longer than a DS Lite. Everything is well placed for the most part, and both the responsive buttons and Nintendo's Slide Pad (their take on the thumb pad seen on the PSP) winning by leaps and bounds. There are however, a few major complaints.

The D-Pad has been bumped from its usual placement to directly below the slider, making for awkward grip shifts and a general gravitation towards the slider, even when its not the better option. The new telescoping stylus gets moved from its conveniant location at the side of the system to the left side of the card slot, meaning us normal righties have some awkward reach arounds and need to reorient ourselves for 3D again during gameplay.

I also found that the touch screen not growing in size to match its new partner has caused the issue of mucking up the upper screen with dirt, taunting you to wipe them away. Finaly, the industry's fixation with shiny finishes continues, with both colours available being a fingerprint magnet across the whole system. While I become used to a few of these glaring issues (and I don't expect them to be able to cram this thing any further down), there is still a little room for improvement.

As far as system power goes, its been a mixed bag at launch. What enthusiasts have figured out is that tech wise, the 3DS can get around the level of the Wii, and even pull off some tricks that big brother can't manage. The rather mixed bag of launch titles and the included software bring the fun even if the best card and pre-loaded titles are Street Fighter and Face Raiders respectivly. While the system is crammed full of control options brought on by the motion sensors, cameras, touch screen and buttons, their is the glaring flaw of being unable to use motion controls while holding onto your 3D sweet spot! While it sounds nice in theory, its a pain to have to choose one or the other playing a game like Super Monkey Ball that benifits from both.

When you break it all down, is the 3DS a revolution or mearly an evolution? Well, to be honest it hasen't quite hit its stride. With several glaring design flaws, a lackluster launch lineup with 3 or 4 worthwhile titles, and an abysmal battery life for those gamers who need the highest settings, the smart money is waiting untill June to play much more than Street Fighter and original DS titles. While the future looks bright, the Nintendo 3DS has crawled out of the starting gate and offered early adopters a handful of titles and a promise.

Score: 8.0

SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV 3D

Darkspineslayer:

"A competent fighter for the on the go brawler that is one of the best reasons to own a 3DS right now...provided you never played the other versions"

Super Street Fighter 4 3D edition is a retooling of the 2010 console fighter, that was in itself a update to the 2009 game that reinvigorated the fighting game genre. While the assets aren't all redone and the 3D models look as good as the console counterparts, sections of the game defiantly invoke the visual look of a pop-up book, or cardboard cutouts. The exclusive dynamic view gives some added depth to the battlefield with a behind the shoulder look, but many serious fighters aren't going to tool around with it for long.

While visuals matching some of the best optimised games the PSP has to offer, and all 35 characters is nothing to scoff at, do they all still control well? The answer is an absolute yes. The full roster moves exactly as they did in the console versions, and the shortcut buttons on the bottom screen offer newcomers a helping hand back into the world of Street Fighter, while more advanced users can choose to use a mode that dials the options back to button combinations.

Online modes are solid and supports users who want to brawl hardcore, or use the noob friendly features full board, on top of leaderboards. Local users are able to take the fight to their friends either with or without a copy, and a simple battle between figures of fighters you can collect during gameplay can fight on your behalf through StreetPass. While some of these features demand users have some friends or live in a highly populated area, they all work very well.

Super Street Fighter 4: 3D Edition is a solid fighting game that offers a unique experience to users who may have shyed away from the console entries and is one of the best reasons to own a 3DS right now if you crave your fighting fix on the street.

Score: AAE

MASS EFFECT 2: THE ARRIVAL DLC

The_Game21x:

Spoiler Alert: I don't make any attempts to hide or gloss over any potential spoilers so if you want to go into this DLC unaware of plot details, avoid reading this review. You have been warned.

Being the massive Mass Effect 2 fan I am, when Bioware announced that they were releasing one more DLC pack to serve as a bridge of sorts between Mass Effect 2 and its upcoming sequel, I was understandably excited. And who could blame me? After all, I did give Mass Effect 2 a glowing review a year or so ago and the DLC Bioware has released thus far has steadily increased in quality and general awesomeness from the good, if somewhat flawed Kasumi: Stolen Memory DLC to the great Operation Overlord addition to the superb Lair of the Shadow Broker mission. I thought, if they could do so well with Mass Effect's DLC thus far, one can only imagine how awesome The Arrival will be!

Sadly, The Arrival is not the groundbreaking, stellar and all around amazing downloadable content I was expecting it to be and not because previous missions had set such a high bar. The Arrival just isn't that good, even judging it solely on its own merits. Don't get me wrong, there are some great moments to be found in this DLC, which is more than I could say for the Pinnacle Station DLC released for the first Mass Effect, so it isn't total garbage but it just seems…well, like a cash-grab.

The mission with a message from Admiral Hackett that mentions some business he has that he would like to keep between him and Shepard. It is revealed that his friend and Alliance agent Dr. Amanda Kenson has found something, something dangerous during an assignment in a remote star system. A Reaper artifact that she believes is signaling the impending arrival of the Reapers. But, before she could do anything about this, she was captured by Batarian soldiers and taken to a prison on a nearby planet. Hackett wants Shepard to go in alone and break her out. Shepard agrees, and he is on his way.

Notice I said that Hackett wants Shepard to go in alone. IE, without any of your squadmates. This is a mission that Hackett wants to be handled with discretion. This segues into Shepard's landing on the planet, alone and beginning his covert infiltration of the prison. From here, if you wish, you have the option of blasting your way through columns of Batarian guards or, you can handle this discreetly, as Hackett desires and sneak your way through the compound.

While I enjoy that Bioware is giving me a choice here, Mass Effect 2 is not a stealth oriented game and as with most non stealth games that contain sneaking sections, it isn't handled well here. Guards all have predictable patterns and won't notice you sprinting past a doorway right next to them but not directly within their line of sight. I enjoy stealth when it's done right but here, it just wasn't and I would've preferred blasting my way through to the Doctor.

Once you reach her, together, you two (predictably) shoot your way out of the prison to a shuttle that has conveniently recently docked in the hangar and to freedom. From here, the mission takes a different turn as the good Doctor informs you of a project simply titled "The Project" to launch a massive asteroid into the star system's Mass Relay, destroying it and delaying the arrival of the Reapers within the galaxy. The problem with this is that the resulting explosion will likely result in a blast that is akin to a star going supernova and will wipe out a nearby colony of over 300,000 Batarian colonists.

You arrive at a space station situated on an Asteroid, in which the Reaper artifact, named Object Rho, is housed and learn that only just over two days remain before the Reapers will arrive in the system. You are led through the base to the object by Dr. Kenson and then, following another one of those prophetic visions, the story takes a turn and it is revealed that Dr. Kenson has been indoctrinated by the Reapers due to prolonged exposure to the object and suddenly, the entire station has turned against you and you'll find yourself tasked with surviving five waves of enemy soldiers.

This survival test is, without mincing words, awful. What's worse is that it's not due to a deficiency in the Mass Effect 2's combat system but simply due to the environment you have to wage war in. There is a notable dearth of usable cover that doesn't leave your ass hanging out, just waiting to be flanked by one of the pyro units and set on fire, which causes Shepard to freak out (as anyone would logically do if they found themselves in the path of a flamethrower) and opening him up to being shot numerous times by the flood of enemy units.

So, you'll probably die. Now, if you're going for the achievement awarded for surviving all five waves, as I was, every time you reload your last save, you have to watch the betrayal cutscene again. And again. And every single time you die. Now, part of the cutscene is skippable but you are forced to watch the meat of the scene which is seriously annoying. This is one of the Cardinal Sins of gaming. Thou shalt not place an unskippable cutscene before a boss fight or other lengthy, difficult battle. For shame Bioware. For shame.

Once this encounter is finished, (Shepard is knocked out anyway by a blast emitted from object Rho if the enemy soldiers fail to take him down) Shepard awakens in a medical bay, having been heavily sedated for two days. From here, there's an interesting sequence where Shepard "assumes control" (Nice touch, Bioware) of a security mech, and breaks himself out of the med bay.

From here, Shepard starts the Asteroid on its path toward the Mass Relay, guns down dozens of base security guards, stops Dr. Kenson's insane mission to force the Element Zero reactor core to meltdown and blow the asteroid sky-high rather than allow Shepard to stall the Reapers' titular arrival, has a brief encounter with Harbinger and makes his climactic escape from the asteroid and the star system before the asteroid collides with the Mass Relay and blows the system to kingdom come.

This seems like a missed opportunity. None of the things Mass Effect 2 was so great at are on display here, namely well-defined characters, intriguing character interaction, difficult choices or great story and plot development. Because this is a solo mission for Shepard, you don't even get the witty banter between Shepard and his or her squadmates. The problem with this is that Shepard's combat lines aren't changed either. Hearing Shepard shout "They've seen us" when he's set upon by a new squadron of enemy soldiers really takes me out of the experience.

What you get is a very linear procession of corridors in which to shoot people until they die and a new character in Dr. Kenson who just isn't that interesting. Even the one choice in the mission, whether or not to sacrifice the lives of the Batarians in the system for the good of the galaxy, is made for you. It doesn't help matters much that the mission has a paltry 2-3 hour runtime, which is heavily padded by the numerous encounters you'll have with enemy units. I was able to complete the mission the first time through with a level 30 Vanguard in about two hours, give or take and wrapped the mission in just one hour with my level 30 Soldier, even on the Insanity difficulty level.

There are a couple of things I liked about the content, however. It does set the stage nicely for Mass Effect 3 and I enjoyed the brief but powerful encounter with a hologram of Harbinger. The set pieces used in this DLC, such as the Batarian prison and the project base, are nicely atmospheric. Following the mission, Admiral Hackett appears to debrief Shepard personally and it is revealed that it is highly likely that Shepard will be thrown to the wolves in order to avoid all-out war between the human Alliance and Batarian Hegemony. Shepard made a decision that cost over 300,000 innocent civilians their lives and because of this, he is a war criminal and will have to answer for his crimes. I am intrigued to see how this will play out in Mass Effect 3 and I just wish the road leading up to this shocking revelation wasn't so tempered by mediocrity.

So, I'll bet you're wondering if you should spend your seven dollars on The Arrival. Well, even from a self-professed Mass Effect fanboy, I can't recommend this. There's simply too little content to be had here for the price. The stealth section was "meh"; the survival section was a pain and the encounters with enemy soldiers were tedious. The payoff is good but it's nothing that can't (and likely will be) be summed up in a few words in a prelude to Mass Effect 3. My advice?

Skip this, at least until the inevitable discount.

XBOX 360 VS PLAYSTATION 3

Stevo_The_Gamer:

Beginning Comments

If there was ever a discussion that occurs time and time... and time again in SystemWars and across the web, it's the rivalry between the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony Playstation 3. The thing about the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 is that they are substitute systems for the most part—there's a reason why they're considered the "HD Twins." They don't do much to differentiate themselves from one another in regards to gaming, compared to say the Nintendo Wii. Thus, is why we get so much heated discussions between their two fanbases. So the purpose of this is to showcase the main differences between the two, and judge the two on how they accomplish things. I'll rate each console at the end of each section on a scale of 0-5, and then add them up and the end; whoever is on top, wins.

This should be common sense, but do remember that these words are expressed through my view, and with that means that there is room for disagreement. I welcome you to agree and/or disagree with any notions displayed here, of course. I can also tell you that I am not an impartial fellow in this matter and I do have my own gaming preferences; however, I will try my very best to remain as objective as possible and fair in my reporting of this matter. And when some issues like pricing come into play, due note that this point of view is centered on my region—the United States of America. I don't know the prices in Europe, Asia, Japan, or Australia; things can very well be different over there, so just take that into consideration.

---

The Intial Purchase

We'll first start off comparing what you get when you buy an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3. I'll be comparing the standard 160GB PS3 Slim, and the 250GB Xbox 360 S model respectively. They're both priced equally so the comparison is best fit for these two SKUs. So let us begin with unboxing (figuratively) the Playstation 3. The contents are the following:

• 160GB Playstation 3 Console;
• Wireless (USB chargeable/USB cable included) Dualshock 3 controller;
• Standard Composite A/V cable.

Next, we have the Xbox 360. The contents are the following:

• 250GB Xbox 360 Console;
• Wireless (Batteries required/included) Xbox 360 controller;
• Standard Composite A/V cable;
• Wired Xbox 360 Headset.

There are three differences that stand out from the above. The first being the controller—the PS3 controller is chargeable whereas the Xbox 360 controller requires two AA batteries. The second difference is the hard drive space—the Playstation 3 has a 160GB hard drive, whereas the Xbox 360 has a 250GB hard drive. The final difference is the inclusion of a headset for the Xbox 360. I do not believe any of these differences are in fact game changers in regards to purchasing a system but they are minor things in which I think are worthy of note. I also think it's worth diving into the specifics of the benefits of these differences, and just why some individuals make these differences out to be a bigger deal.

In regards to the controller, not everyone wishes to spend the money on using batteries for their controller. While the battery life for the Xbox 360 controller is a week or more relative to how much use it gets—I know my controller lasts a couple weeks or more without having to change the batteries—but over time, that cost of batteries definitely adds up. I do feel like this is a nitpicking esque complaint for the most part, almost as if complaining over the electric bill since the PS3 Slim uses more power than the Xbox 360 S. Other benefits include the environmental impact (as some as heralded the method Sony is using is green friendly since they're thinking of all the hundreds of millions of batteries which aren't being used). Critics will point out that the cons of using this approach is that the USB cable to charge the controller is annoyingly short, and the charge isn't nowhere near as long-lasting as the Xbox 360 controller. So if your charge runs out while gaming, you'll be sitting four feet in front of your television.

The hard drive issue is a very small difference—having an additional 90GB is definitely a plus in this regard however. What critics will point out is the types of hard drives used for each system. The Xbox 360 uses a proprietary format which means you can only buy Microsoft manufactured hard drives in the future which makes this unfortunate in the sense that Microsoft has a monopoly on the pricing. The Playstation 3 Slim is capable of using Laptop 2.5" hard drives which makes upgrading to a larger hard drive easy and not to mention affordable. Critics will point out that the Xbox 360 supports storing data on USB Flash drives, which makes things more convenient if you're short on space and are cheap as well.

The last thing comes down to the headset. Coming with a headset is a definite plus no matter how you slice it. While it's not the greatest headset in the world, be that as it may, it certainly holds its own and makes online gaming more enjoyable when you're able to communicate with other gamers—and be confident that many other Xbox 360 gamers out there own headsets as well. Critics will point out that the Bluetooth capability of the Playstation 3 makes this irrelevant (or not that big of a deal) due to the notion that any Bluetooth headset will function with the Playstation 3.

Round 1 Scores & Summary:

Playstation 3 - 4.0; Xbox 360 - 4.6

The Xbox 360 has the Playstation 3 beat in hard drive space, and an additional accessory; but both consoles come short of bringing HD cables. Ironic, considering how each console are considered "HD consoles" yet don't even provide the necessary cables to watch content in HD.

---

Hardware

A few websites out there (IGN for example) have provided analysis of the hardware in the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, so I will basically summarize their findings. Basically, the Xbox 360 has a superior GPU whereas the Playstation 3 has a superior CPU and RAM. In regards to the disk drive, the Xbox 360 uses a DVD drive compared to the Blu-ray drive for the Playstation 3. The Xbox 360 drive has a faster disk reading capability compared to the slower Blu-ray drive, but the inherent advantage with Blu-ray comes the plus of having a much larger storage medium (Thus making disk switching irrelevant for the Playstation 3). Developers on the Playstation 3 do not have to worry about "running out of space on the disk." However, critics will point out that because of the slower Blu-ray drive, it has forced developers to implement the method of "mandatory" installs to the console. This is to make up for the slower speeds, and/or also use "redundant" data techniques on the disk itself to make up for the Blu-ray drive. This making the necessity of Blu-ray being effectively less significant.

Now, When one looks at the specifications for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, one can infer that the Playstation 3 is a more powerful gaming system. Which, that in of itself, isn't too much of a strech considering the Playstation 3 was released a year later having the advantage of being exposed to newer technology, and having more R&D (research and development). However, there has been a big difference between "theoretical power" and actual "practical application" of the power.

As this generation has progressed many years, it's evident by the games that are currently available, that the power difference between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 is rather negligible. There are a few games which define the Playstation 3's graphical prowess--namely, Uncharted 2, and Killzone 3 are recent examples that showcase the PS3's power, which some have argued that no Xbox 360 game surpasses these games. Only recently has a game managed to break that notion--Crysis 2. Whether or not Crysis 2 is on top is still up for debate by gamers. However, with many years of experience under each console's belt, and the inherent subjectivity in all this judging graphics, we can just firmly declare the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 push out great looking games, and you really can't go wrong with either system if you want fine looking games for your console.

Round 2 Scores & Summary:

Playstation 3 - 5.0; Xbox 360 - 5.0

Both consoles are fairly equal in power and you can't go wrong with either system due to each system having great looking games for it.

---

Features

The Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 both have built-in Wifi—however; the Xbox 360 supports Wireless N whereas the Playstation 3 does not currently support that feature. The Playstation 3 also has two USB ports compared to the five USB ports on the Xbox 360. In regards to the video front, the Playstation 3 is using the somewhat older HDMI 1.3a interface (1.4a is the current HDMI interface), but the Xbox 360 is still using the even older 1.2 interface. This gives the Playstation 3 an inherent advantage when it comes to 3D playback, DolbyTrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and other things like Deep Color over HDMI. (It should be noted that the Playstation 3 was updated to include only one feature of the 1.4 interface, that feature was to allow 3D playback).

The Playstation 3 also has more headroom in regards to the NIC bandwidth ceiling—the Playstation 3 NIC is capped at 1GB, whereas the Xbox 360 is capped at 100MB. This won't excactly be noticable to any user out there, unless you're one of those tech-junkies who love to stream HD video over a local network. But, it's still worth to note it regardless. Also, the Playstation 3 manages to have Bluetooth capability, as mentioned earlier in this article.

The Xbox 360 also has backwards compatibility with some of its predecessor's library, whereas the Playstation 3 has backwards compatibility with Playstation 1 games (Playstation 2 games are not supported by current models--PS2 BC was removed years ago). It should be noted that original Xbox games are no longer supported by Xbox Live, and the BC library is only a couple hundred or so titles.

Lastly, and probably the most defining feature difference between the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 comes down to the disk drives. As stated earlier in the hardware section, the Xbox 360 has a tray-loading DVD drive. The Playsation 3 has a slot-loading Blu-ray drive. Being able to playback 1080p Blu ray movies is a sizable advantage compared to the DVD drive on the Xbox 360.

Round 3 Scores & Summary:

Playstation 3 - 4.9; Xbox 360 - 4.1

The Playstation 3 really gives the consumer a lot to chew here with its features, but the main argument here comes down to Blu-ray and HDMI. If you're looking for a multi-media device, the Playstation 3 certainly has the HD side covered. Now, if only the Playstation 3 supported Wireless N!

Fabz_95:So who do you think was the best over the past two weeks?

Fabz_95: It's been a fairly slow two weeks, the PS3 scoring an AAE in Motorstorm Apocalypse and a number of good multiplats, the 360 doing the same but swap Motorstorm with arcade game Vampire Smile and Nintendo getting two A titles for the 3DS and an AAE for the DS. For me it has to be between Microsoft and Sony, both getting good multiplats in WWE All Stars, Tiger Woods 12 and Swarm, the PS3 getting an AAE but in the form of a full game in Motorstorm whilst the 360 gets an AAAE but in the form of an arcade game. Note that the PSP got its version of MLB 11 scoring a 7.0.

The clincher for me has to be the fact that Ghostbusters: Sanctum of slime scored a 4.5 for the 360 whilst it scored a 5.0 for the PS3, a huge 0.5 increase (a 1.0 increase against the PC version) makes the PS3 version the definitive one of this must-have downloadable game which means Sony just edges it for me. Who's with me (:P ) ?

Willy105: The 3DS Launch definetaly took up most of the game industry's attention in the past two weeks, as was expected. But I think the Valve alternative reality game was probably more exciting.

Jynxzor: Another slow week followed by slow news, still nothing ultra exciting actually happening for a few weeks. I can't make any real judgments this week but if I had to choose I'd say the 360 got a really nice arcade game, so I'll toss them my coin this round. Nintendo, come on...you can do better, 3DS is dissapointing me so far, and until I'm coloured impressed I will be witholding my cash to get the system.

789shadow: PSP outsells 3DS in Japan. 3DS IS TEH DOOMED.

Darkspineslayer: Apparently Magrino is a professional troll. Did anyone else see that article? I thought it was an April Fools Day joke.

Jynxzor: Why must people toy with my fragile emotions like that, excuse me I have to find a short rope and a chair.

Fabz_95: So we all agree that it was a pretty poor week for the 3DS and it's tight between the PS3 and 360. Shall we call it a draw for Sony and Microsoft?

Jynxzor: I think April Fools won.

DarkLink77: I think the 360's AAA arcade game edges it out for the win.

Fabz_95:That settles it then, the 360 wins the battle of April Part 1!

Current Stats

Microsoft

1

PC

1

Sony

1

Nintendo

1

Ok i deleted my comment TC as it looked like u werent done

Great work, again i need to get mass effect 2!

My who was the fine lad or las that called me smexy?

:3

Great issue as always. I loved the Jody got a boyfriend topic in OT. Last year prank was better though. :P

Speed reading like a boss for the win. ^_^

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

finalstar2007

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

darkspineslayer

What kind of group? interesting.. i guess i will work on catching your eyes whenever i have free time to write a blog :P

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

darkspineslayer

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

darkspineslayer

:(

:P

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

finalstar2007

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

finalstar2007

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

Stevo_the_gamer

I hate you guys :evil:.. nah just kidding :oops:...:x.. so oh how would they know if i made a blog post that is good enough to be posted up here? he mentioned something about joining a group of some sort :o... will probably think about this in summer break :P

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

Jynxzor

Got ya, Thanks that was good to know, will probably focus on this during summer Break. i dont usueally write long blogs..thanks again :)

[QUOTE="Jynxzor"][QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

Got ya, Thanks that was good to know, will probably focus on this during summer Break. i dont usueally write long blogs..thanks again :)

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

[QUOTE="Jynxzor"] You have anything you want to appear in the magazine PM one of us, if we don't aproach you first we are always looking for more writers.darkspineslayer

Got ya, Thanks that was good to know, will probably focus on this during summer Break. i dont usueally write long blogs..thanks again :)

There ya go with milk too :P

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

finalstar2007

[QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

fabz_95

:P

[QUOTE="fabz_95"][QUOTE="finalstar2007"]

How come Stevo_The_Gamer get to have his blog post posted up here? :x.. i want my blog posts up here in the magazine too! :x:x:(

timmy00

:P

We will need an obligitory Timmy warning before the review hits.Jynxzor

:P

Nice article by KingOfOldSkool. I've been saying for years that "overrated" is a complete fallacy. First, because any game's "rating" is determined by concensus, so there is no under or over that. It simply is what it is by the vote of the masses. And secondly, as KOOS says, it's not like simply stating one's own opinion, but challenging the opinions of everybody else, even worse, arrogantly declaring theirs to be wrong against your own.

Nice article by KingOfOldSkool. I've been saying for years that "overrated" is a complete fallacy. First, because any game's "rating" is determined by concensus, so there is no under or over that. It simply is what it is by the vote of the masses. And secondly, as KOOS says, it's not like simply stating one's own opinion, but challenging the opinions of everybody else, even worse, arrogantly declaring theirs to be wrong against your own.

AdobeArtist

[QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Nice article by KingOfOldSkool. I've been saying for years that "overrated" is a complete fallacy. First, because any game's "rating" is determined by concensus, so there is no under or over that. It simply is what it is by the vote of the masses. And secondly, as KOOS says, it's not like simply stating one's own opinion, but challenging the opinions of everybody else, even worse, arrogantly declaring theirs to be wrong against your own.

DarkLink77

So your opinion of Mass Effect completely overrides mine, not to mention the numerous others who loved it, does it?

Yours is the only opinion that counts? ;)

[QUOTE="DarkLink77"][QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Nice article by KingOfOldSkool. I've been saying for years that "overrated" is a complete fallacy. First, because any game's "rating" is determined by concensus, so there is no under or over that. It simply is what it is by the vote of the masses. And secondly, as KOOS says, it's not like simply stating one's own opinion, but challenging the opinions of everybody else, even worse, arrogantly declaring theirs to be wrong against your own.

AdobeArtist

So your opinion of Mass Effect completely overrides mine, not to mention the numerous others who loved it, does it?

Yours is the only opinion that counts? ;)

[QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

[QUOTE="DarkLink77"] Mass Effect fanboys claiming "overrated" is a bad term doesn't surprise me. DarkLink77

So your opinion of Mass Effect completely overrides mine, not to mention the numerous others who loved it, does it?

Yours is the only opinion that counts? ;)

Must be nice to be so superior to everybody else ;)

[QUOTE="DarkLink77"]

[QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

So your opinion of Mass Effect completely overrides mine, not to mention the numerous others who loved it, does it?

Yours is the only opinion that counts? ;)

AdobeArtist

Must be nice to be so superior to everybody else ;)

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

AdobeArtist

Oh good, this thread turned into a Mass Effect debate thread. All is right in System Wars :)

[QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

DarkLink77

The planet scanning is tedious. But then again it's just another form of the RPG staple; grinding for the resources needed to bolster yor party. The end boss while not spectacular is far from the worst ever.

Now as for the story, as a middle chapter it's more focused on character work. It's the journey of how several stranger's lives are intertwined that leads them to the same path, and how they each overcome their past to unite on a common goal. A theme seen several times, usually in odyssey type stories. Which is strengthened by being supported by a cast of characters who's histories and their own agendas are varied and compelling.

Thane is very atypical of most assassin's in that he isn't motivated primarily by profit, but has a spritual purpose that drives his actions. Miranda is on a journey to free herself from having her past define who she is. Grunt may seem a typical brute soldier, but talk to him enough and you learn he has a far reaching perspective of the finding ones own value in any struggle. Garrus is a great lens of justice and society, as he's always been. Mordin is a fascinting exploration of scientfic ethics who seeks to valiadate his life's work.

So in the vein of pesonal character stories, this is a good one, that will lead to these people who have experienced growth, and how that will make them stronger to face he coming storm.

While you fixated on some negatives, you didn't seem to examine the overall picture, and how the game's strengths far outweigh the faults. From the presentation in cinematics and player interaction, to the top notch voice acting aupported by a stellar voice cast (THE most impressive roster in any game), to the fluid action, moving music, loads of hours in gameplay (bang for the buck), diversity of gameplay in how your class and gender choices impact how you approach the combat and character interactions (respectively), plenty of replay value even before the DLC came out... you have an impressive production quality of a game package.

In short - 96 MC rating very much justified :):)

Well, it's safe to say the article about "overrated" did exactly the opposite of what it's supposed to do.

[QUOTE="DarkLink77"][QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

AdobeArtist

The planet scanning is tedious. But then again it's just another form of the RPG staple; grinding for the resources needed to bolster yor party. The end boss while not spectacular is far from the worst ever.

Now as for the story, as a middle chapter it's more focused on character work. It's the journey of how several stranger's lives are intertwined that leads them to the same path, and how they each overcome their past to unite on a common goal. A theme seen several times, usually in odyssey type stories. Which is strengthened by being supported by a cast of characters who's histories and their own agendas are varied and compelling.

Thane is very atypical of most assassin's in that he isn't motivated primarily by profit, but has a spritual purpose that drives his actions. Miranda is on a journey to free herself from having her past define who she is. Grunt may seem a typical brute soldier, but talk to him enough and you learn he has a far reaching perspective of the finding ones own value in any struggle. Garrus is a great lens of justice and society, as he's always been. Mordin is a fascinting exploration of scientfic ethics who seeks to valiadate his life's work.

So in the vein of pesonal character stories, this is a good one, that will lead to these people who have experienced growth, and how that will make them stronger to face he coming storm.

While you fixated on some negatives, you didn't seem to examine the overall picture, and how the game's strengths far outweigh the faults. From the presentation in cinematics and player interaction, to the top notch voice acting aupported by a stellar voice cast (THE most impressive roster in any game), to the fluid action, moving music, loads of hours in gameplay (bang for the buck), diversity of gameplay in how your class and gender choices impact how you approach the combat and character interactions (respectively), plenty of replay value even before the DLC came out... you have an impressive production quality of a game package.

In short - 96 MC rating very much justified :):)

Well, it's safe to say the article about "overrated" did exactly the opposite of what it's supposed to do.

789shadow

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

AdobeArtist

[QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

Stevo_the_gamer

The hype for FF7 ruined the game for me.Willy105

I know I'm totaly going to sound like a hipster when i say this but....

I totally like Final Fantasy VII before it was cool to like it. I stumbled upon it when it released as when I was a child I didn't have many tools to research my game purchases I just knew I enjoyed the previous games and it was just sitting there. I gotta say when it first released the graphics were awe inducing, I remember when Cid took off in his rocket I was like.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

The game really was a nice landmark in RPG history to me, despite how many people hate on it...but we all know. Haters gonna hate.

Oh good, this thread turned into a Mass Effect debate thread. All is right in System Wars :)

skinny_man_69

At the very least, it's a refreshing change of scenery from the flogged-to-death "graphics king" and "forza vs GT" topics :lol::lol:

[QUOTE="Willy105"]The hype for FF7 ruined the game for me.Jynxzor

I know I'm totaly going to sound like a hipster when i say this but....

I totally like Final Fantasy VII before it was cool to like it. I stumbled upon it when it released as when I was a child I didn't have many tools to research my game purchases I just knew I enjoyed the previous games and it was just sitting there. I gotta say when it first released the graphics were awe inducing, I remember when Cid took off in his rocket I was like.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

The game really was a nice landmark in RPG history to me, despite how many people hate on it...but we all know. Haters gonna hate.

Graphics? The game is about as graphically advanced as Myst is. They are all just pictures (with Super FX SNES-level 3D character models) and CGI videos.

[QUOTE="Stevo_the_gamer"][QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

The_Game21x

Tali approves your post :)

Once again Willy hits the thread titles perfectly.

Nah bro...it totally should've been higher.The_Game21x

[QUOTE="Stevo_the_gamer"][QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

The_Game21x

[QUOTE="Stevo_the_gamer"][QUOTE="AdobeArtist"]

Now that we plyfully rttled our sabers, if we can be serious for a moment; can you rationally defend your position that ME is "overrated"? How is the consensus wrong?

The_Game21x

Should have been lower! At least bioware is learning from their mistakes and fixing all the issues with ME2.

I think the score ME2 got was just fine. :]