360, PS3, Wii: Thoughts on Today's Consoles Pt. 4

Thank you for joining me on my last installment of 360, PS3, Wii: Thoughts on Today's Consoles. I've already expressed my opinion and feelings on the 360, PS3, and Wii. So on today's episode, I'll discuss what gaming is for me to today, how the industry effects me as a gamer since the NES, and my future in gaming. I'll give you a hint, it doesn't look bright. All of that and more, today...on Thoughts.

In case you missed the first 3 parts of this series, here are all the links. Get caught up:

360, PS3, Wii: Thoughts on Today's Consoles
http://screwattack.com/node/7388

360, PS3, Wii: Thoughts on Today's Consoles Pt. 2
http://screwattack.com/node/7608

360, PS3, Wii: Thoughts on Today's Consoles Pt. 3
http://screwattack.com/node/8189

With all the current-gen consoles aiming at separate markets, (Wii has casual, 360 has everyone ((now with their casual projects)), and PS3 with the foolish) it may be a bit easier to stick to one console. So when I got my PS3, I knew I was making a commitment. While no one was forcing me to stick to one console, the $500 REALLY needed a reason to be justified. While the PS3 is VERY slowly doing that, it's having an effect on me that I couldn't of planned on.

Most people who don't play video games view gamers as either nerds, losers, people who need to grow up, or a waste of money. They'll justify their nerdiness (such as being obsessed with cars or sports) because it is more socially acceptable. They'll call a gamer a loser because he sits inside and, once again, doesn't do something socially acceptable like playing sports. They'll say we need to grow up, when for men (using the car example again) have just stopped playing with toy cars and upgraded to real cars, or girls stop playing with Barbies and now try making themselves into one. Us gamers are the kids who played with action figures, and used our imagination as entertainment. We grew up, and our toys advanced, to video games. Their final insult is usually that we're wasting our money. Like that $600 iPhone, $300 iPod, $35 Blu-Ray movie, $9 movie ticket each weekend, or countless dollars spent on cloths you'll only wear once aren't a waste of money. Although...I'm beginning to see where they're coming from on that last part.

Gaming today has become (for most) a financial nightmare. Game prices are at an all time high (that is from the last two generations), and the consoles aren't cheap either. While the Wii is the cheapest, at $250, last generation the Dreamcast was $199. Not to mention the Gamecube, which is basically what the Wii REALLY is, was also at $199. So Nintendo increased their price by $50, right? Well by the end of the Gamecube's life, it was at an amazing $99 for quite awhile. So many felt like the Wii was $150 more than their Gamecube, since most people didn't get a Gamecube until the $99 price tag. At release, the XBox and the PS2 were both $299. So the 360, at release, was $399! People were in shock for awhile, but quickly dished out the cash. The gaming worlds biggest shock, and probably the main reason for the PS3's struggling existence, was when the PS3 was unveiled for an astounding $599! So the XBox increases by $100, and the Playstation increases by $300?!

Sony did have something that made it, almost, seem worth it. Their history. The Playstation and Playstation 2 stand as many gamers favorite consoles of all time, so we all expected great things from the Playstation 3. While we've received a few cool games, or features, here and there...they haven't done anything yet to justify the price tag.

Sorry for rambling, but here's my point...gaming for me today is a lot of money for little pay off. Even if you're a 360 owner, $300 is not something to laugh at, so you expect a lot of good stuff from your console. For the most part, 360 owners get what they want, except for one thing. The most expensive piece of their hobby breaks! It almost feels like PS3 owners had to spend another $200 or $100 more just to own a console that may not have as many great things for it, but at least is reliable. Meanwhile, satisfied Wii owners (not all, but the satisfied ones) are laughing at us because they all saved more money than any of us. Not to mention, their games are at the widely accepted price of $50, while PS3 and 360 owners are dishing out an extra $10 a game. Not to mention, you'll see tons of LIMITED or COLLECTOR'S edition versions of games on the 360 and PS3 ranging from $70 to over $100. Controllers also match the same price as games. The PS3 and 360 controllers will easily cost you $60, while a Wiimote goes for $50. You've also got to pay for your online service on the 360 (not Silver accounts, but who honestly wants those nowadays). When you add it all up, none of the systems really feel justified.

Sure you could go the cheap route and get a Wii with $50 games and controllers, but good luck finding games worth owning. While it's cheap, hardly any games exist that you'll even care to buy.

You could take the middle route and buy a 360 with it's $60 games and controllers. Although have fun replacing your console when the damn thing breaks. At least the 360's biggest downfall won't really effect you financially.

And then you could go the extra expensive route with the PS3 and spend $400 to $500 on your console and buy $60 games and controllers. While you do get a reliable console, there isn't really anything that justifies your HUGE purchase.

Now I've been playing games since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System, more widely known as the NES or Nintendo. Games back then were bright and colorful, and provided entertainment fixes. If you were bored, chances are the blocky gray box could fix that problem. Since the jump to 3D, games have become a lot more than what they once were. It's no longer a case of, buy a game, go home and play, rinse, repeat, finally get bored, buy another game. Nowadays, with all the choices of genres and consoles, we've got to be positive before a purchase. Many of us (including myself) will usually wait until after the release of the game in question, and read reviews. While you may love the Sci-Fi genre, and First person shooters, was Haze good? No, it wasn't. While graphic whores minds were blown by Assassin's Creed, and the idea of free-roaming, did they get what they were expecting? No, they didn't. You can no longer buy a game at random, play until boredom, and get another game. You've got to be absolutely sure on your purchase, which kind of reflects back on my financial issue with gaming.

I'm no longer confident in a, look at the cover and read the back of the case, type of purchase. The last time I did that I was screwed over with a crappy game (PoPoLoCrois for the PSP). Nowadays I've got to read reviews, watch video footage, demo the game, before a purchase. It's almost become a hassle just to find a form of entertainment. Back in the day it was kind of hard to make a bad game, but nowadays it is entirely too easy. Survival horror is my favorite genre, but usually it's only Resident Evil and Silent Hill providing the games worth playing. I'll try a random game once in awhile like, Obscure or Cold Fear, but be completely disappointed. Back in the golden age, you could usually buy a platformer and be pretty satisfied (while Bubsy was bad, it was at least entertaining). With problems like crappy controls, or glitches, you just can't trust a single genre of gaming for entertainment.

With prices going up, and games not being what they used to be, the future of gaming for me looks bleak. I've stated more than once to my older brother ,"I think the PS3 will be the last console I'll ever own." Not because the console is amazing and great...far from it. It's like I said before, gaming has become extremely expensive with little pay off. While I still plan on getting a Wii someday, (because, quite honestly, I have GOT to play No More Heroes) there doesn't seem to be any purpose to move forward. Games aren't providing the same kind of experience they were 2 generations ago, or even last generation. They're something different now, and I don't know if it's something I'm really enjoying enough to keep moving forward. While I love the world and industry of gaming to death, the games and consoles are all unjustified purchases in my opinion. You want to know the REAL reason I own a PS3? Here it is:

- I couldn't miss out on Resident Evil 5, I choose the PS3 over the 360 because I knew it wouldn't break before I got to play this game.

- I didn't want to get SO far behind like I did last generation buy purchasing the console and then having to play catch up. What I mean is, having to buy and play all of the games I missed out on by holding off for too long.

- From the outside looking in (basically seeing my friend's consoles and not owning one personally) the games looked great. Too bad once I really caught up with this generation, and bought a console, I realized there wasn't much here.

I hope the statement that I've made to my brother won't come true, I really do hope the consoles get better. Not only that, I hope the next generation of consoles are bad ass pieces of hardware and something worth going after. As of right now, I really don't know what to say. While I'm not going to sell my PS3, because I do have a small glimmer of hope for the industry, it's really sad what the gaming world has become. I'll end this blog with these few words.

Hello, my name is Big D and I am Playstation 3 owner. The games I play most on my PS3? Playstation One games.