A quick case for the Xbox 360, from a Xbox 360 owner (since launch): The 360 is a great system, even if you dislike sports/FPS games. It's been pidgeonholed due to that "halo vibe" it seems to get. Most possibly think I'm a MS whore or 360 fanboy, but I'm really not. I've owned most systems by every major console owner since Atari. I've made bad choices about what systems I owned (like buying a N64 due to the FF4/FFVII demos on Nintendo 64). The 360/Xbox line of systems does have far too many FPS and TPS games out there. Personally, I'm not a big fan of games like that. They get far too repetitive. Having said that, there is a huge wealth of great games that aren't of that persuasion, or only slightly into that arena. Since launch, I've played about 80+ games. Not because Im psyco, but because I played tons for gamerpoints, and along the way, came into contact with a few great gems of games that most don't look over. If you ever get the chance to play a 360, try these games: The Outfit (yes, its a third person shooter, but it reminds me alot of RTS/Sim games, as you have to use resource points to buy tanks, gun emplacements, aircraft, flak guns, ect to fight the germans) Kameo (Rare game - childish, but actually challenging to get A rankings, pretty good adventure game) Condemned (only 2 games I mention of the TPS/FPS persuasion, you said you liked fear - This game far outweighs FEAR in every catagory IMO) Test Drive: Unlimited (never played a TD game before. You drive over the entirety of Hawaii. The races are just great, and are relaxing. 2 of the final, ultimate races involve driving on the roads surrounding Hawaii proper - 150 miles for 1 lap. A true gem of the 360) Dead Rising (fantastic innovative game for the 360 - Combines a Resident Evil type visceral story with funny and good gameplay. You can even get the entire Mega Man suit, and blast the zombies with the mega buster) Viva Pinata (awesome simfarm-style game. Very addictive and challenging. I was a big fan of sim and tycoon games. This is a little more indepth, but provides great challenging gameplay. The animals are rather humorous in their appearance, and just a splendid game) Enchant Arm (thus far, only J-RPG in the US. Not as good as other J-RPGs out there, but it is pretty fun for a standard J-RPG game. Uses some isometric gameplay for battles to make it different than most games. Kinda difficult at points, about 30-40hrs of gameplay) Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth (Yes, its a PC game, but you should give it a try due to it proving that RTS gaming works on a console. I'm a huge RTS/Sim/Strategy PC gamer, and my PC is too old to run games like this. It was an absolute treat to play a game that really does justice to the genre on a console) Those are just a few 360-exclusive games I can think of. This doesn't include other awesome games that are either heavily sports games (FNR3) or FPS of some sort (Oblivion, GRAW, Gears of War, CoD2/3, RSV). The 360 has a great non-shooter lineup for the rest of the year as well (Mass Effect, Circle of Doom, sequal to the best Xbox series ever, Kingdom Under Fire, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Eternal Sonata). The 360 isnt for everyone - I got one banking on the idea that if MS wanted to win the console wars, they'd have to invest money into Japaneese developers. I am not dissapointed hearing about Miswaker titles in the works, as well as other J-games. But with all the PS3 devs jumping ship to multi-plat, I wouldn't be suprised if at some point we got a few bombshells about major J-RPG franchises or other J-centric companies doing what Capcom has done and started multi-deving on 360 as well.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
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