Xbox versus PC - no contest
With all the technological updates over the years, video games have really improved, both in quality and quantity.
But with all the Xboxes and PlayStations out these days, fewer people are remaining as PC Gamers - the way games are meant to be played.
Sure, Xbox 360 may have the best graphics ever seen, but it just isn't the same as sitting at a computer desk and competing against a challenging game.
So why PC games? What is so great about them? In a nutshell, they are enjoyable.
Well - if they weren't you wouldn't be playing them, would you? You get to do something you probably cannot do in real life.
The best games are always the ones that make you think - puzzles, challenges. One of the best games for this sort of thing has to be the new Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
These games look stunning on the PC, and the game has a fantastic balance of combat, puzzles and history.
You really get into these sort of games - you want to complete them to see how things turn out.
In my opinion, a good game is a lot like a good book. You start to understand the character, see what they are experiencing.
And these games are always much better on the PC of course.
Many of the best games have online links as well - fan clubs or clans.
These are people who join together to appreciate the game and possibly organise online multiplayer events.
In my opinion, the best multiplayer games are the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series and HALO.
Although you can now get online play on the consoles, I still believe games are better played online via a computer.
Why not consoles? For one thing, they are EXTREMELY expensive. Almost 200 for a Nintendo Wii!?!
And the games are always more expensive for consoles than for PCs, sometimes going way beyond the 35 mark that I have come to connect with only the VERY BEST games.
And the games for consoles are not all that great either. A lot of the games for the Wii are designed to be party games - fun arcade games instead of challenging single player games.
And the controllers for the Wii are RIDICULOUS!!! The Nunchuk (small controller with two buttons and a joystick) costs around 20!!
Not only are PC games cheaper, but they are usually of higher quality and are more enjoyable overall.
Having said that, the Nintendo Wii is probably the invention of the decade. You really feel like you are "in-the-game" as you actually have to do something, rather than hitting keys or buttons.
Wii Sports is very enjoyable - you really feel you are actually doing the sport, rather than just pressing buttons.
The Xbox looks spectacular, but just doesn't have the 'flair' that the PC has.
So what makes a good game? It needs to be enjoyable - obviously. You need to like what the game is about - obviously. So if you don't like horses, don't buy a game about horses...
Next, the game has to be challenging. Whether this means it has puzzles to solve, or really hard boss levels - it has to test you in some way.
If it isn't hard, there is little point playing it. The game has to be well-made.
If things have been rushed, it will tell when you play it. Games that have many glitches, games that are confusing, games that look sloppy are probably games you should be avoiding.
I believe that our expectations for games these days are now so high, as soon as a game makes a tiny error we automatically write it off.
The improvements over the past 10 years have been phenomenal - but we want them to improve more.
For example - the Fifa (football) games almost look like the real thing these days, but still people want improvements.
This is another reason why I prefer PC games. I believe the games are engineered more carefully for the PC than for the consoles.
Games have become a lot more popular over the past few years, as technology has moved on.
Many older people are getting to enjoy games more - especially the Nintendo Wii as it involves some sort of activity.
Games are a way to get away from life for a little while and just play something.
And when you finally see the enemy troops buckle under the attacks and break formation or you see the final boss drop dead on the floor, you really get a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.
In games, you get to live the life of someone whom there is no way you will ever get to be. You can be Alex Ferguson and manage Manchester United, Darth Vader commanding the Empire or a Sim and live out their life however you want to.
PC games enhance this feeling more than consoles (in my opinion!) so that is why I tend to play on the PC, rather than any of the consoles.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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