The Observer, December 2, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12
Satisfying Xbox 360 fails to meet high demand
Last week, I sat outside on the pavement in front of Best Buy for twelve hours. The weather was dreary, with several varieties of precipitation occasionally reminding me how miserable my situation was. The employees were clearly wondering what was wrong with the fifty or so people waiting with me, as we endured our unpleasant situation with the hope that in the morning, all of our waiting would be worth it. The store opened, and I was rewarded with the opportunity to purchase an Xbox 360. Upon my return, I was asked by my friends if the wait was worth it; after spending a large percentage of the holiday weekend with my new system, I can safely say that my enthusiasm was mostly warranted.
The initial question on everyone's mind is, "How impressive are the graphics?" My reply: it depends. First, if you have a high-end gaming PC, graphics will look very nice, but early games won't exactly blow your mind. Also, while the visuals are state-of-the-art regardless of the television being used, there is a noticeable difference on a high-definition setup. Ultimately, this is a vast improvement over the graphics of previous systems. Certain games have hundreds of characters on screen at once, while others feature special effects that completely immerse the player like never before. While this may not be a huge leap in some respects (how much can you really improve a car model from Gran Turismo 4 or an environment from the latest Splinter Cell?), the little touches found in each title can be astounding.
Don't be disheartened by this description of the Xbox's aesthetics; there is reason to remain optimistic. Gamers may recall that Xbox Live was a highlight of the original Xbox, and based on early impressions, its successor shall do even more to further online console gaming. Absolutely everything is tracked online, including game accomplishments, stats, and player reputations. Microsoft has implemented a "marketplace" where cheap downloads can be purchased, some of which are surprisingly interesting. Some of the arcade games in particular, such as Geometry Wars, are nearly as fun as many full-price launch titles.
The official launch lineup is a bit sports-heavy, and a few of the games were obviously rushed to the market. Despite this, I was able to play three games that were excellent. Kameo, a cartoony adventure game in which the title character can morph into multiple creatures, feels like what developer Rare was trying to accomplish with the awful Star Fox Adventures. The levels have tons of creative puzzles and the battlefields between levels have thousands of soldiers at war. Perfect Dark Zero disappoints when it comes to single player, but online play is phenomenal. Levels dwarf those found in other shooters, and each weapon (of which there are dozens) is both fun to use and unique. Finally, Project Gotham Racing 3 is the showcase title of the bunch; the cockpit view looks as if it was ripped right out of a big-budget movie. This is the finest representation of what the Xbox 360 is capable of, and I'm sure that it is only scratching the surface.
With the next-generation graphics, great online play, and promising games, I hope readers are eager to give the new console a try. Unfortunately, it may be some time before Microsoft's shipments are able to satisfy the demands of customers. According to IGN.com, some stores have claimed that systems won't be readily available on shelves until as far as April of next year. That is a long time to wait, and by then the PS3 will be right around the corner. Even so, if Microsoft is able to continue improving upon the strong foundation available now, gamers would not be making a mistake to put their faith in the Xbox 360.
