Does anyone have any advice on the X-Box 360 like everyone did with the Playstation 3?
~grumbles~ Dratted Mass Effect 2 being only X-Box 360 and PC.
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I went with a 360 for a few reasons, Halo and the fact that I already owned a couple BRPs. On top of that, I rarely use the players, since most of my movie-watching is through iTunes.
A couple definite games to buy:
-Halo series
-Mass Effect series
-Dragon Age
-Gears of War series
-Fallout 3 (my most favorite game)
-Bioshock series
-CoD: Modern Warfare series
A couple caveats:
-The 360 is pretty loud
-360 + Airport = FAIL, which means Xbox Live is difficult to come by (if you use virtually any other router, no problem)
What is the difference between the X-Box 360 and the X-Box 360 Elite? What items would you all suggest that I get?
Edit - Should I get a High Def TV when using the X-Box 360?
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Xbox 360 arcade doesn't come with an internal hard drive, while the elite does. I believe there is also a bit of a difference in the level of windows live membership that comes with the two.
If you don't feel comfortable cracking open the xbox(and thus violating your warranty) to add a hard drive yourself, its definitely worth getting the elite.
Xbox 360 arcade doesn't come with an internal hard drive, while the elite does. I believe there is also a bit of a difference in the level of windows live membership that comes with the two.
If you don't feel comfortable cracking open the xbox(and thus violating your warranty) to add a hard drive yourself, its definitely worth getting the elite.
I have no problem cracking open any type of computer to work on it (I used to repair computers at one time), but I do have issues with violating a warranty. ~sighs~ Yep. It would be worth the extra $100 or so for the hard drive.
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Yeah, the red ring of death is pretty much a thing of the past with the newer xboxes, but its still in recent enough memory that keeping your warranty intact feels like a pretty good plan.
If it makes you feel better though, if you shop around a bit and aren't in such a rush that you can't wait for it to happen, a lot of times you can get an elite for just about its normal price along with two games with it. Normally one of them is more kid friendly(often one of the lego games) and the other is one of the top games thats just coming off its peak sales.
Yeah, the red ring of death is pretty much a thing of the past with the newer xboxes, but its still in recent enough memory that keeping your warranty intact feels like a pretty good plan.
If it makes you feel better though, if you shop around a bit and aren't in such a rush that you can't wait for it to happen, a lot of times you can get an elite for just about its normal price along with two games with it. Normally one of them is more kid friendly(often one of the lego games) and the other is one of the top games thats just coming off its peak sales.
Good point. I want to play Fallout 3, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 2. All but the latter are available on the PS 3. ~grumbles~ I wanted the PS 3 for the Blue-Ray player too.
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What is the difference between the X-Box 360 and the X-Box 360 Elite? What items would you all suggest that I get?
Edit - Should I get a High Def TV when using the X-Box 360?
I'd buy the Elite; it's quieter, has a faster chip, smaller heat footprint, larger HDD, and did I mention it's quieter.
Definitely you don't have to have an HDTV, but once you hook it up to one, you won't want to go back.
Most games are 720p, so you can get by on the component connection; and I don't notice much difference between the component cables and HDMI.
~sighs~ That then means that I need a new TV too. ~grumbles~ Oh well. Maybe later on this year.
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Few things
Dragon Age - Don't get this on the Xbox 360, if you have a PS3, the graphics are better on the PS3, Even better, get it on the PC, the Graphics are better and the UI is a Million times better on the PC!!!! I would never buy this game on the Console, the game play difference are huge because of the Better UI on the PC, and there is such huge difference on graphics between Console and PC. If you want to see the differences check out This post.
Noise - 99% of games can now be installed on the Hard drive, so the loud noise you get from the CD player spinning are now in the past, Off the top of my head the only game I can think of that can't be installed on the HD is Halo 3.
Types - there are 2 types of 360's in production, Xbox 360 Arcade (Green box, 360 is white) cheap but no hard-drive, useless buy. Xbox 360 Elite (black Box, 360 is black) 120 g HD, I personally did not notice an difference in sound between this and the other ones, people say it is more quite but I did not notice a difference. Even though it is no longer in production you can still find Xbox 360 Pros (White box, 360 is white), it has a 60 g HD and cheaper then Elite. You can also find special editions that have free games and some cool art on the cases. All xbox 360s since 2008 come with HDMI connections, Elites always had HDMI.
Games, On graphics compared to PS3 with Xbox 360, most are comparable, or exactly the same, a few are better on the 360, a few are better on the PS3, Only Dragon Age can you really see the difference and notice that it is better graphic wise on the PS3. That said, almost all are better on the PC, if there is a PC version.
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Assuming you're into Final Fantasy games, a bundle like this one would be perfect to get. It's a 360 Elite version with a 250gig hard drive, and the game of course. Having 250 gig means not needing to worry about space for downloaded games or installed games ever. Which is quite nice! There are other bundles out there. I've seen one for Forza Motorsport 3, and I think there'll be one for Splinter Cell: Conviction. I'd be amazed if Halo: Reach didn't have one too.
I'll support Andrew Turner's choices of games, and add the following.
Oblivion: GoTY edition. Sure, it's better on PC, but well worth playing.
Forza Motorsport 3. Like driving? This is the best driving game bar none.
Bayonetta. Absurdly good spectacle fighter like Devil May Cry, but really, really fun. And easy to control too!
Mirror's Edge. An older game, but quite unique. A first person free running game with minimal shooting. I love it, but plenty hate it.
Resident Evil 5. Solid 2 player action title. There's a GoTY edition coming out soon as well.
Fable 2. British action RPG that's really good for beginners, and quite enjoyable for veterans too. Though again, it's got quite a bit of a hatedom.
I'll also add that an Xbox Live gold subscription is pretty much mandatory. Mainly as it'll give you access to these arcade games (which you should also buy)
Braid. Take Super Mario Bros., add a few unlimited time powers, put it in front of an animated impressionistic canvas, throw in some seriously mind bending puzzles and add a truckload of symbolism, and you have Braid. It is really, really good.
Castle Crashers. Awesomely fun 4 person side scroller that plays like the classic arcade games. Well recommended.
Shadow Complex. Shows that not all arcade games are done cheap. A 'MetroidVania' type game, where you play an ordinary guy taking down a military base. Very fun.
Marvel vs Capcom 2. Like fighting games? Get this. Storm vs Chun Li! Spiderman vs Jill Valentine! Lots of fun.
Battlefield 1943. Great little FPS from the Battlefield series. Holds it's own against the bigger releases too.
There's plenty of good stuff on Xbox Live Arcade other then these, but for me, those are the cream of the crop. Hope this helps somewhat!
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Three other games I forgot. Some of these descriptions are taken from elsewhere.
Splinter Cell: Conviction. Developed under Tom Clancy for Ubisoft, Splinter Cell is arguably the most prominent entry in the Stealth genre. The first game introduced us to Sam Fisher, a former Navy SEAL who is being brought out of retirement by his old commander, Irving Lambert, to take part in a new NSA initiative called Third Echelon. Third Echelon is a black-ops program involving the insertion of a single operative, Sam, into sensitive, high-security situations to gather intel and, where necessary, neutralize targets, all without being seen or heard.
Assassins Creed 1. It takes place in the Holy Land, AD 1191, where disgraced hashashin Altaïr ibn La-Ahad (The Flying Eagle, Son of No-One) works to redeem himself by eliminating nine men in several cities who are prolonging the Third Crusade. Altaïr has swordfighting moves at his disposal, as well as a mastery of Parkour, throwing knives, and a nifty retractable blade on his left forearm. The first one has some problems in the gameplay, but overall it's a great game to have.
Assassins Creed 2. Set a few hundred years later in Renaissance Italy, you play as one of Altair's descendents, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Even more fun then the first one, this game really is the concept refined to near perfection.
And one future XBLA title to mention.
Perfect Dark. Pure copy of the classic N64 title, just with upgraded graphics. Utterly essential.
Hey Dragon!! Do you have a PS3?
Nope. I want one however. ~sighs~ Unfortunately, I will have to wait a bit before I get one. Probably tax time next year.
As of right now, I have a brand new X-Box 360 Elite. I hope that I like it and play it enough to make it worth the cost.
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Congratulations. I recommend starting with Mass Effect before going to Mass Effect 2. The character you create and the choices you make in the first Mass Effect directly affect what your Mass Effect 2 world. In order to import a Mass Effect 1 character, you will need to beat the game first. Its well worth it however.
My favorite games on the xbox 360 are the Halo Series (1 and 3 are the best), Dead Space, and Mass Effect 1 and 2.
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I recommend starting with Mass Effect before going to Mass Effect 2.
THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS
Also, Konami Classics Collection is a cheap disc through which to get Castlevania: Symphony of the Night if you never got to play it before.
I would strongly suggest The Orange Box as well on the offchance that you don't have a PC capable of running it. Seriously, the Half-Life series, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 are well worth it.
Suddenly I want to play some more Soul Calibur 4. It's been a while.
~grins~ Well, I picked up Mass Effect I and II, Halo 2 (Halo 1 & 3 to come later), and Fable. I plan on getting Fallout 3 ASAP. I will also take everyone's ideas for good games seriously.
P.S. - I had planned to play Mass Effect I first, since I never played it before.
Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion and Fallout 3 are also must haves. Both are freeform rpgs Oblivion is a fantasy setting and Fallout 3 post-apocalypse.
~grins~ Well, Fallout 3 will be bought. I will also have to pick up Elder Scrolls IV too. ~thinks~ And Soul Caliber IV, since it is only $20 at Walmart.
Oh, any tips, tricks, or everyday bits of wisdom that I need to know about an X-Box 360?
Also, what is the difference between Halo 3 and Halo 3 ODST?
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Oh, any tips, tricks, or everyday bits of wisdom that I need to know about an X-Box 360?
Do not, under any circumstances, buy any of those cooling units, especially the kind that goes between the 360 and its power source. It's not worth the added risk and warranty void, and belive me, warranty voids are easy enough to get through no fault of your own.
Perhaps a bit bitter about his bad customer service experiences.
Things are better than when the red rings of doom were plaguing us no matter what we did though.
Oh, any tips, tricks, or everyday bits of wisdom that I need to know about an X-Box 360?Do not, under any circumstances, buy any of those cooling units, especially the kind that goes between the 360 and its power source. It's not worth the added risk and warranty void, and believe me, warranty voids are easy enough to get through no fault of your own.
Perhaps a bit bitter about his bad customer service experiences.
Things are better than when the red rings of doom were plaguing us no matter what we did though.
Thanks for the advice. I was wondering about those cooling fans.
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I should point out that I'm pretty hard on third-party peripherals, especially after so many bad memory cards during the PS1 years. I'm sure some have had nothing but good luck with cooling fans and other such doodads, but I just can't justify the added risks for what little benefit they add.
As long as the console is on a hard, clean surface and has plenty of "breathing room" behind and around it, it should be okay.
Emphasis on "should".
I don't think I've ever had to baby a console quite like the 360. I mean look at the old Super Nintendo. You could club a seal to death with that thing, pop in Zombies Ate My Neighbors, and it'd run just fine. The 360 on the other hand seems like it should be living in a plastic bubble.
Again, things are better now. It's just that the early years for this console were...eventful.
Also, nominating Earth Defense Force 2017 for a mindblowingly so-B-movie-bad-it's-awesome multiplayer game experience. It is not the best looking or best playing game out there, but it does have the most and largest giant ants and AT-ST-esque walkers thrown at you at once.
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Just a reminder, many of those games you mention are much better on the PC, including the Half-Life series, and most RPGs, so if you have a decent PC it would be worth your while to buy those games on the PC.
Major PC advantages for those games are User Interface are much better and graphics are much better.
I would like to mention a game that seems to have been overlooked so far in this thread. Batman Arkham Asylum, one of my favorite games from last year.
And if you like war games and multiplayer I would suggest getting Modern Warfare 2 or Bad Company 2 (haven't tried this yet, but my old boss at the game store couldn't stop bragging about it yesterday).
Just a reminder, many of those games you mention are much better on the PC, including the Half-Life series, and most RPGs, so if you have a decent PC it would be worth your while to buy those games on the PC.
Major PC advantages for those games are User Interface are much better and graphics are much better.
~grins~ Oh, I can't disagree with you on that. Most PC games ARE better. The PC has more options. But in this case, I am trying to take a break from the PC. ~grumbles~ It comes from using a PC most of the day at work. Thanks for the advice, Dragnmoon.
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Oh, any tips, tricks, or everyday bits of wisdom that I need to know about an X-Box 360?
1) You want a gold membership. $50 a year.
2) X-Box Arcade will be a love/hate relationship. Puzzle Quest stole my wife from me for MONTHS.
3) DLC is not always good. FO3 is guilty of this.
4) Make friends!!! Multiplayer is always better!
Oh, any tips, tricks, or everyday bits of wisdom that I need to know about an X-Box 360?1) You want a gold membership. $50 a year.
2) X-Box Arcade will be a love/hate relationship. Puzzle Quest stole my wife from me for MONTHS.
3) DLC is not always good. FO3 is guilty of this.
4) Make friends!!! Multiplayer is always better!
** spoiler omitted **
Ok. I need to get my wireless router set up and get a wireless NIC for my X-Box. Then I will get the Gold membership. Thanks for the advice, Mac.
Also, what is the difference between Halo 3 and Halo 3 ODST?
Oh, and will Halo 1 work on an X-Box 360?
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Ok. I need to get my wireless router set up and get a wireless NIC for my X-Box. Then I will get the Gold membership. Thanks for the advice, Mac.
IMO, avoid the Wireless, and just use a Ethernet wire.
In my experience, I went through 3 of them because they kept breaking, the wireless connection was poor and slow compared to a hard wire.
System worked much better on my home network since I hard wired it.
Ok. I need to get my wireless router set up and get a wireless NIC for my X-Box. Then I will get the Gold membership. Thanks for the advice, Mac.IMO, avoid the Wireless, and just use a Cat-5 wire.
In my experience, I went through 3 of them because they kept breaking, the wireless connection was poor and slow compared to a hard wire.
System worked much better on my home network since I hard wired it.
Ok. ~thinks~ Hmmnnn... I wonder if 50' will be enough for it to reach the router.
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Ok. ~thinks~ Hmmnnn... I wonder if 50' will be enough for it to reach the router.
Ok. I need to get my wireless router set up and get a wireless NIC for my X-Box. Then I will get the Gold membership. Thanks for the advice, Mac.IMO, avoid the Wireless, and just use a Cat-5 wire.
In my experience, I went through 3 of them because they kept breaking, the wireless connection was poor and slow compared to a hard wire.
System worked much better on my home network since I hard wired it.
Lol.. I am actually running a 50' from my router to my PC, Oddly since most of my network devices are in my living room *PS3, Xbox 360, Apple TV, 2 Laptops, and a few other wireless devices* I keep my Router next to my TV, and run a 50' Cable up three stories to my Computer/Gaming room.
I am planning to run Fiber network when ever I buy a House.
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Halo 1 and 2 will work on an Xbox 360, but don't expect any upscaling of graphics or the like. Halo 3 is a separate game to Halo 3: ODST. Halo 3 finishes the story of the Master Chief, from Halo 1/2, whereas ODST tells the story of a squad of normal human soldiers, during the time of Halo 2. It's a different campaign with a fun multiplayer mode called Firefight, where a squad of four take on endless hordes of covenant troops.
Regarding internet connection, if you've got a laptop or PC near where you play with your Xbox, you can just wire the Xbox up to the PC, which can allow for the Xbox to have an internet connection. You'll need to fiddle about with some settings, and have the PC/Laptop on while playing on the Xbox, but it's doable, and much cheaper then buying one of the insanely priced routers.
Halo 1 and 2 will work on an Xbox 360, but don't expect any upscaling of graphics or the like. Halo 3 is a separate game to Halo 3: ODST. Halo 3 finishes the story of the Master Chief, from Halo 1/2, whereas ODST tells the story of a squad of normal human soldiers, during the time of Halo 2. It's a different campaign with a fun multiplayer mode called Firefight, where a squad of four take on endless hordes of covenant troops.
Regarding internet connection, if you've got a laptop or PC near where you play with your Xbox, you can just wire the Xbox up to the PC, which can allow for the Xbox to have an internet connection. You'll need to fiddle about with some settings, and have the PC/Laptop on while playing on the Xbox, but it's doable, and much cheaper then buying one of the insanely priced routers.
~grins~ Ok. So I want Halo 1, 2, 3, and 3 : ODST. ~wistles~ Lotsa money.
As for the router, I already have one. It is an older Linkis Wireless G router.
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Halo 1 and 2 will work on an Xbox 360, but don't expect any upscaling of graphics or the like. Halo 3 is a separate game to Halo 3: ODST. Halo 3 finishes the story of the Master Chief, from Halo 1/2, whereas ODST tells the story of a squad of normal human soldiers, during the time of Halo 2. It's a different campaign with a fun multiplayer mode called Firefight, where a squad of four take on endless hordes of covenant troops.
Regarding internet connection, if you've got a laptop or PC near where you play with your Xbox, you can just wire the Xbox up to the PC, which can allow for the Xbox to have an internet connection. You'll need to fiddle about with some settings, and have the PC/Laptop on while playing on the Xbox, but it's doable, and much cheaper then buying one of the insanely priced routers.
~grins~ Ok. So I want Halo 1, 2, 3, and 3 : ODST. ~wistles~ Lotsa money.
As for the router, I already have one. It is an older Linkis Wireless G router.
For the record. Halo is only like 5-10 bucks on ebay and you can DL Halo through XBL. :)
For the record. Halo is only like 5-10 bucks on ebay and you can DL Halo through XBL. :)Halo 1 and 2 will work on an Xbox 360, but don't expect any upscaling of graphics or the like. Halo 3 is a separate game to Halo 3: ODST. Halo 3 finishes the story of the Master Chief, from Halo 1/2, whereas ODST tells the story of a squad of normal human soldiers, during the time of Halo 2. It's a different campaign with a fun multiplayer mode called Firefight, where a squad of four take on endless hordes of covenant troops.
Regarding internet connection, if you've got a laptop or PC near where you play with your Xbox, you can just wire the Xbox up to the PC, which can allow for the Xbox to have an internet connection. You'll need to fiddle about with some settings, and have the PC/Laptop on while playing on the Xbox, but it's doable, and much cheaper then buying one of the insanely priced routers.
~grins~ Ok. So I want Halo 1, 2, 3, and 3 : ODST. ~wistles~ Lotsa money.
As for the router, I already have one. It is an older Linkis Wireless G router.
Oh, I know that I can get Halo for $10 and I have Halo 2. Halo 3 and Halo 3 : ODST on the other hand...
~grins~
Edit - I will get the "Hard Copy" of Halo. I am wierd like that.
I so love that my X-Box 360 will play the older X-Box games. I just picked up Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind, KOTOR I and II, and another older X-Box game.
Edit - And the Hobbit. I will be occupied for a while playing all these games.