[GrimGriz]

I've shied away from console gaming ever since I got a non-commodore computer. It's always been the case that the games had better graphics or just were more my style. I don't remember buying a console game since I played Warcraft 2.

I've had my fun playing some at friends house though, the Gran Tourismo series (my friend had the steering wheel) and God of War were pretty good. Even some Outlaw Golf from time to time. Still, I've stayed loyal to PC games for the most part. After having played Starwars Battlefront on my friends playstation, I went out and bought the PC version just because I knew it'd be better with higher resolution and a mouse.

The new consoles threaten to change all that though. It seems like the graphic capabilities of the consoles is finally up to par with what I like to have minimum in my PCs. I'm not sure if the new fangled TVs are capable enough, nor am I sure that I can afford one, but the consoles themselves are finally good enough for me to consider them.

I'm still curious, and a little frightened of console online stuff. Since I'm already paying to have the internet, I balk at the idea of paying microsoft or sony for the privilege of online gaming in general (yet I have no problem paying for a MMOG), and an article I read says the new xbox network is designed for micropayments to download "new" maps and content for your favorite game. While both of those things bug me, the last really gets me going. I foresee companies making a game, then removing half the content and selling it as add ons. Just a step closer to the whole software by subscription thing microsoft is pulling us towards kicking and screaming.

What are your thoughts on the new consoles? Have you been playing consoles this whole time or are you strictly a PC gamer?

[fluid]

I am the opposite. I play consoles exclusively (primarily Gamecube games, in all their wonderfully addictive glory, though DS games such as Meteos have been sucking up a lot of my time lately) and use Linux on my computer. I haven't played any games other than Mahjongg or Go on my PC in about 3 months.

I own a Gamecube for the must-have titles. I am hopelessly addicted to the Metroid series, dating back to the original for NES, so I literally purchased a Gamecube for the sole purpose of playing Metroid Prime (all other games since then have just been a bonus). I also have an Xbox, and that's basically my replacement PC. I use it for online gaming. If a game is out for both Xbox and Gamecube, and multiplayer is available over Live, I will buy the Xbox version. Otherwise, I go Gamecube.

For my Gamecube, here are some games that I could not have lived without: Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Donkey Konga (1 and 2), Super Smash Bros Melee, Metroid Prime and Prime 2. I own quite a few others, but that list includes the games significant to me that have been released at various times over the life of the console.

On the other hand, I only own three games for the Xbox, and one came with the console that I've never even opened. Burnout 3 I have an on-going love affair with, both online and off, and Halo 2 primarily for online. I might be buying Madden 2006 soon, but I have to decide if it's worth the $50 just to play online with some friends.

As for Microsoft's subscription-content model, I'd say don't worry about it. If you don't like it, don't buy the console. I don't plan on buying a 360 until it comes down in price, or at least until Halo 3 is available for it. Nintendo's Revolution is where I plan on focusing my funds. I personally think the 360 is going to go the way of the Dreamcast; it's just too soon to place the end of the gap between the console generations. A huge market is parents buying consoles for the kids, and any semi-rational parents will say "Didn't I just buy you that last year? Here, have a bike instead." It's hard to say how the Revolution or PS3 will fare because of this.

[GrimGriz]

I'm more pro PS3 from the specs I've heard about thus far, and the fact that it's coming out after the 360 also gives it a 1 up in my book. My roommate has a gamecube but the most action it sees is when we have a party and do bloody roar tournaments. That's one place the consoles have always seemed better to me, when people come over to your house. That is, unless you have a room with 4+ computers in it (if I ever get a real job ).

I had some fun with halo 2, even had someone bring a second x-box over (alas, no mutli-TV coop), but to me it doesn't hold a candle to Counterstrike FPS wise.

[fluid]

Keyboard/mouse FPS is indeed far superior to the console controller. Alas, in Linux my choices are few and far between, especially since I run a Pure64 system so I can't use WINE for anything. Halo and Timesplitters are the only FPS series I can withstand on the consoles. (I don't consider Metroid to be a FPS in the typical sense of the term) One thing the consoles do have going for them is that the odds of running into a cheater is far less likely. Everyone is using the same exact hardware and no one has any unfair advantages. The only thing you can blame for losing is yourself.

Bloody Roar is a strange game to play party-wise, given the other choices out there. When my friends get together we're usually spending most of our time playing Wario Ware, Donkey Konga, or Mario Tennis. We've had Wario Ware and Mario Tennis sessions last for the better half of a day before.

As far as the PS3 specs go, I'm a little worried that developers aren't going to be able to realize the full potential of the processors before the other consoles settle into their respective niches. It's going to be a tight fight, battled primarily with launch titles and pricing.

[jelomadnes]

HALO2 on a 72 inch screen rocks, it's the only FPS that I'll play(mostly because my kids play). As far as XBox live and and paying MS? Eh, why not Grim? Someone is gonna get your money, and fee covers everything you want to play there.