Console Debate #18 Xbox

[fox | 1,777]

aka the original Xbox

[Reed Rothchild | 9,968]

Crimson Skies - awesome

KoToRs - awesome

Skyrim - awesome

Ninja Gaiden - awesome

Panzer Dragoon - awesome

Conker - awesome

Oddworlds, Doom, Halos, Fable - okay

Stubb's, Otogis, Steel Battalions, etc - ???

So, I guess I don't know.  Probably another 6.

[fox | 1,777]

20 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Skyrim - awesome

Pretty sure you ment Morrowind

[TDIRunner | 2,922]

Difficult for me to rate this one.  I didn't own one for myself until right before the Xbox One came out.  My roommate in college had one, but I rarely used it.  My other roommate had a GameCube, but most of my gaming from that era was done on a PS2.  I have a small library for it.  I've tried to focus on games that I can't play on other systems and the games I've played, I've enjoyed.  However, I've also had to get good at opening the disc tray with a paper clip because every single model I've ever used has had the disc tray opening issue.  

[erac | 80]

OK games, but the controller is too big for me, and it's just a PC inside. Not a console.

[AstralSoul | 523]

Solid console with a decent amount of exclusives and good games. I had one back then because my PC couldn't run anything good so it was worth owning just for Morrowind, Fable, KOTOR and Conkers remake. But ultimately I sold mine and haven't really looked back. But, still, solid console while not too exceptional. 7/10

[Sumer | 221]

7.  I enjoyed it more than the PS2, as it finally brought me out of the PC to play a FPS (Halo) I enjoyed.  I played a lot of GoldenEye on the N64 with friends, but always thought it was inferior to what I was playing on the PC (Doom and Quake...Soldier of Fortune!).   Halo finally got the console FPS right for me.

Throw in a Western RPG series in KoTOR and that was almost my console of choice that generation, but I had just a tiny bit more fun with the GameCube (the console that brought me back from the PC world at the time).  

Edited March 6, 2021 by Sumer

[Nintegageo | 583]

I'm not voting because I have a bias against XBox. Were I to own one o their consoles however, this would be the one.

[drxandy | 3,285]

I love it, it's kinda like dreamcast 2. I think it has aged fairly well, still lots of really weird 3d games though. First console with a built in harddrive so no need for memory cards but before full digital/There were a lot of unique ip's that were given a chance. 

Yes it's a pc. A pc without having to install a game to play it and can be displayed with a crt. Sounds ideal to me.

I never played much with modding but there's loads of options including arcade builds that are super cool.

[OptOut | 9,036]

I voted 10 again, that's two in a row!

It's obviously not as good as the N64, but that's actually an 11 in my book, so this still counts as a 10!

[G-type | 2,834]

This was at a time when most games were coming out for xbox/ps2/gamecube all at the same time, so there really isn't much to differentiate it, other than the ridiculously massive controller and the image it had as being the console of choice for frat-bro's with layered polos, popped collars, and socks with sandals.

[drxandy | 3,285]

What about the s controller? It's pretty nice.

 

[Tanooki | 5,142]

If we ignore the hacking side of things, and stick to intended use, it's a rather mediocre poor machine.  It had it's fair share of hardware problems, not like the 360, but they existed.  When it arrived, the fans had nothing but Halo to clutch their pearls over for well over a year as a reason why to have it.  Having been a modified P3 computer in there, it came with the usefulness of a PC bastardized at the worst levels with the starting flicker of a flame of abusing storage to shove updates, and taking what was free elsewhere and making people pay to play online effectively placing part of a full price game behind a pay wall.  Stupid people went for it enough others jumped on board and magnified some critical problems that stuff allowed to spiral into the huge issues we have these days... Beta releases with many GB sized repair fixes, pulling a George Lucas screwing with stuff after the fact of purchase, charging people to play online (while still free on PC, android, etc devices), and with the storage the abuse of lovely lootcrates and other effectively gambling level trash.

As much as I'd love to have rated it even lower, I can't, the hardware was just fine and allowed for some solid performance much on the level of the Gamcube could do, except they were smart enough to use full sized discs so they got more of the ports longer.

[Mega Tank | 1,103]

1 hour ago, Tanooki said:

If we ignore the hacking side of things, and stick to intended use, it's a rather mediocre poor machine.

I'm sorry, but when the XBOX first came out it was awesome. I don't know the capabilities of a Playstation/Nintendo system at the time, but I recall adding songs to the XBOX and being able to use them inside certain games. Custom playlist for Madden songs? Yes, thank you. Able to race to songs you want? Yes please. I don't know where this feature went, but it was fun while it lasted I guess? 

[fox | 1,777]

4 minutes ago, Mega Tank said:

I'm sorry, but when the XBOX first came out it was awesome. I don't know the capabilities of a Playstation/Nintendo system at the time, but I recall adding songs to the XBOX and being able to use them inside certain games. Custom playlist for Madden songs? Yes, thank you. Able to race to songs you want? Yes please. I don't know where this feature went, but it was fun while it lasted I guess? 

Some ps1 games would save to the ram and allow you to take out the game disc and pop in a music cd to play while you game.  PS4 and PS5 don’t have a cd drive, but you can pull in your Spotify playlist to play while you game.

[Mega Tank | 1,103]

26 minutes ago, fox said:

Some ps1 games would save to the ram and allow you to take out the game disc and pop in a music cd to play while you game.  PS4 and PS5 don’t have a cd drive, but you can pull in your Spotify playlist to play while you game.

Yes, but I am talking about the fact you could customize the game itself. If you wanted a particular song to play as your team ran onto the field in Madden, you could. Songs for time outs etc. It simply gave you a sense of control and customization that I don't recall other systems being able to do. 

[Gloves | 12,286]

3 minutes ago, Mega Tank said:

Yes, but I am talking about the fact you could customize the game itself. If you wanted a particular song to play as your team ran onto the field in Madden, you could. Songs for time outs etc. It simply gave you a sense of control and customization that I don't recall other systems being able to do. 

Back in my day if you wanted custom music you'd just turn on your CD player.

[Kguillemette | 1,630]

4/10. Very few games I have an interest in playing.

[Inzoreno | 102]

I have a soft spot for the original XBOX, this was the console that really turned me into a gamer. I played games before the XBOX, but it was not my primary form of entertainment. But the XBOX completely changed that after I played Halo for the first time. I don't exactly know what it was about Halo, but it completely grabbed me in a way that other games hadn't previously. I owned a GameCube at the time and sold it with the games I had to get one with Halo and KOTOR and everything changed. Going forward I actually starting paying attention to the gaming industry and following news and reviews in magazines.

It is missing some of the big hitters of the era and never was able to establish a strong Japanese presence on the system, but I think it holds up enough to give it a seven. It's also a great console to collect for as so much of the library can still be bought on the cheap. 

[Webhead123 | 757]

I also am a bit of a softie when it comes to the o.g. Box. I spent quite a bit of time with it through the amazing likes of:

Chronicles of Riddick, Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Jade Empire, Metal Arms, Ninja Gaiden Black, Psychonauts, Psi-Ops, Serious Sam, Spider-Man 2, Star Wars: KotoR, Stubbs the Zombie, Ultimate Spider-Man and more...

It obviously didn't quite stand up to the PS2 during its own generation but I still love the chunky, old thing.

I think it deserves a 7/10 at least.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Webhead123

[Tanooki | 5,142]

10 hours ago, Mega Tank said:

I'm sorry, but when the XBOX first came out it was awesome. I don't know the capabilities of a Playstation/Nintendo system at the time, but I recall adding songs to the XBOX and being able to use them inside certain games. Custom playlist for Madden songs? Yes, thank you. Able to race to songs you want? Yes please. I don't know where this feature went, but it was fun while it lasted I guess? 

I do remember that, a game I worked on at the time at Midway (NHL HItz 2002) allowed for it as well if you dumped your music as MP3 and jammed them into the storage.  It's a nice perk, but I didn't consider it console selling amazing either.  Given I had plenty of hands on with all 3, the xbox aside from an odd perk like that was most lacking.  I really wish MS had never butted in, been curious to see if things still would have slid down the dumpster as fast.

[Estil | 1,292]

Isn't it supposed to be the most ideal MAME arcade rom machine?  If so how do you set it up and up to what year will the arcade roms run properly?

[DefaultGen | 5,727]

6/10, better versions of console games of the era, and worse versions of PC games of the era. Gamecube and PS2 exclusives are way more interesting, which leaves the Xbox as just this sort of middle ground to play games you can play elsewhere. If you asked me to rattle off the most "Xbox" games I can think of... Halo, KOTOR, Ninja Gaiden, JSRF, PDO, Fable, PGR, Morrowind, GTA, Splinter Cell, Jade Empire, Psychonauts, Oddworld, Conker, Riddick. How many of those are just PC games? Half? With Gamecube or PS2 it would probably be zero.

It had bad Japanese support and the Japanese make the best video games, so the fact that it even manages a 6/10 is a testament to at least how good the other games were.

The Controller-S is amazing and led to the best controller designs of the modern era, so props for that. Having a standard hard drive was also a huge important innovation.

It was also the first console to make you pay to use your own internet service which to this day is a joke, lol.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,125]

It was slightly above average, but that's about it. 6/10.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Bearcat-Doug

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

I never played much outside of Halo multiplayer, but the software lineup is surprisingly strong and many third party games play best on the system. Big points for introducing hard drives and online play as standard features. It did exactly what it was supposed to do and gave Microsoft a seat at the console table. Based on my limited experience, I'd say 6/10.