FWIW, the XBox 360 is worth the $

[Overpaid Slacker]

dave -

best answer -- depends. GRAW is a slick squad-based shooter and built upon one of the premiere franchises. If you're not spiffy on squad-based command/games, the learning curve can be flat and frustrating. I have to admit, I have not even begun to scratch the surface; however.

I would probably recommend Call of Duty, not just b/c it's one of the top rated most roundly loved games, with great LIVE options, but it's gritty and replayable in a way I wonder if GRAW will be. Frankly, I played an early CoD on the PC and (despite the critics' fawning) I didn't like it very much. This game is just... better.

Again, I have only just begun to get into these two games... so my opinion should be taken cum grano.

However, I can very strongly recommend Prey, without reservation, to anyone who likes sci-fi FPS games. It's got a lot of the F.E.A.R. atmosphere, an interesting story, a sense of humor, and a bunch of innovations.

In fact, there is so much new/cool stuff in this game, I couldn't have blamed the company for holding back one or two of the innovations for a sequel.

It's not the all-out killfest that Doom or even Halo are, but it's damned good. Put it this way, my girlfriend will sit and watch this game while I play it. When I told a friend I'd bring the 360 over to his place (huge TV), my girl told me I'd better not make any progress in Prey w/o her. so I told her I'd save Prey where she left off and no matter what progress I made at the friend's place, I'd re-start at the save point when she was available to watch.

The only other game that a grilf has sat and watched while I played, and not wanted me to advance in their absence, was the first Splinter Cell (an all-time fave of mine as well).


Jim -

Oh, it'll happen when you get a 360. Just time your purchase wisely ... like a Friday night where you won't need to be available to anybody else 'til Sunday 'round 7 in the evening.

Set up your "blackout curtains"; lay in your provisions of choice (at least 150% of what you think you'll need), send the wife and kids to Six Flags; turn your phones to "silent", and make sure a phone is charged and next to you before you sit down; drink a quart of Gatorade; two (2) rolls of paper towels within reach, as well as pre-staged pizza garnishes of choice; arrange for a friend come over and feed/walk the dogs, but not to enter your TV room; tell the neighbors not to be concerned about loud/strange noises/explosions/screams of anguish coming from your place for the next 36 hours; remove your watch and cover all clocks in the room; make sure you've got plenty of toilet paper, one change of clean boxers and some Listerine as your concession to hygiene during the 5:30 am bathroom break (where you take out the contacts that dried out at midnight).

Now, you're set.

JP

[}{arlequin]

that's funny, i remember having such weekends w/ the first splinter as well as knights of the old republic. haven't played much else other than halo and gt4 since though.

[alf]

Jim, JP,
You guys crack me up Have you considered a career in games?

Dave
As JP recommended, COD is probably a better game to start with. I found GRAW had a steep learning curve and a not so good single player story. COD single player is very very very good.

[Jims5543]

JP, ever done this on a weekday when you need to be at work the next day? I have, I would look at the clock, "Holy @#%T!, its 4:30 in the morning!!" I take a hot shower to unwind (saves time later) jump in bed and sleep maybe 2 hours. Then go to work loaded with caffiene. I probably drink 5-6 redbulls the next day. By 5:00 your so wired everything is surreal. You do not remember the drive home, but...... you end up if front of the TV AGAIN, to just finish that one last thing. You end up until midnight strung out, your nausuas, your eyes are twitching and your kineys are killing you from dehydrating and holding that tiny bit of pee in.

You stubmle off to bed incoherently mumbling that you NEED some sleep. You wake the next morning refreashed and do it all again the next night......

There is rehab for drugs but NOTHING for this.

[Overpaid Slacker]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
JP, ever done this on a weekday when you need to be at work ....

Yes, Jim, I have. As recently as today, in fact.

And the shower pre-"nap" was key.

Right now, I wish I could "port" Prey to my PSP and play it all day, only to go right back to the 360 and continue when I'm done at "work" today.

I wonder if Microsoft (and Sony) lose tens of thousands of man-hours every year to their employees that are hooked on their own products? I hope so.

JP

[alf]

Originally posted by Overpaid Slacker

Right now, I wish I could "port" Prey to my PSP and play it all day, only to go right back to the 360 and continue when I'm done at "work" today.

JP

That is in the works for xbox titles

Imagine that you are Racing Forza2 with your friends on the Xbox360, then you go to your PC to modify and customize your car, when you are away from your PC and Xbox you could use your mobile phone to track your stats, trade virtual performance items or sell cars you have modified to make more money to modify your car.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/events/e32006/articles/billgatesdeclares.htm

Originally posted by Overpaid Slacker

I wonder if Microsoft (and Sony) lose tens of thousands of man-hours every year to their employees that are hooked on their own products? I hope so.

JP

Yes, i am a prime example of that, but i am working when i play games. So it is not really lost productivity

[}{arlequin]

is there any improvement if you play a normal x-box game on a 360?

[Overpaid Slacker]

I haven't tried it yet; but from what I understand, not every Xbox game will play on a 360 (though the list that will is pretty impressive -- every Xbox game I have can be used on the 360).

Also, you need the 360 with the hard drive b/c you need to download an emulator for each Xbox game you want to play on the 360 -- they're free, and you can either pull it down through LIVE or download it to a PC and burn it to a disc.

I'm curious myself as to whether anybody has seen an "improvement", but I'd be surprised.

JP

[1fastredsc]

As an added note, strap the 360 in high def mode to a big DLP tv and things get even better.