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Xbox 360 Impressions - Page Two |
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If you've owned an Xbox, GameCube, or Playstation, then you know how annoying wired controllers can be. In the case of the PS2 and GameCube, the cable on a standard controller wouldn't even make it to my couch, which meant I had to to go out and purchase cable extensions. The Xbox controller had a slightly longer cable than the GC and PS2, but I still ended up having to purchase extensions for all of my Xbox controllers as well. Luckily, Microsoft paid attention to this drawback and has pretty much made wireless controllers a standard with the 360. You can still use wired controllers if you'd like (the Core system even comes with one), but an additional $10 for the wireless version is a small price to pay for gaming freedom. If you own multiple controllers, you simply push the "X" button in the middle of the controller and it automatically synchronizes with the console and sets itself up for the next player. This keeps you from having to hunt for the first player's controller when you initially start up the 360, as any controller will automatically take that first player spot.
In addition to the wireless aspect, Microsoft has slimmed the controller down considerably. It now has a very slick design with the hand grips at such an angle that your hands stay comfortable even when playing games for an extended period of time. It's also extremely lightweight, yet feels very durable. Even with the smaller design, the button placement is near perfect, with all buttons within easy reach of your thumbs. All of these features puts the 360 controller far ahead of its competition and makes it the best gamepad I've ever used - by far.
Of the current games available for the 360, Call of Duty 2 is no doubt the most impressive in both the visual and gameplay departments. The original call of Duty blew us away on the PC and Infinity Ward has done an excellent job presenting its sequel in high-definition on the new console. While we've seen an abundance of World War II games over the past few years, Call of Duty 2 manages to bring forth a unique experience and keep your attention through the entire single-player campaign. Playing the game over Xbox Live is equally impressive, though there seems to be more lag with this game than the other 360 titles we've tried. The lack of a co-op mode and split-screen multiplayer over Live is also a little disappointing, but rest assured you'll still get your money's worth without these features.
We also gave Project Gotham Racing 3 and Perfect Dark Zero a whirl in the 360 and both of these titles exceeded our expectations as well. Perfect Dark Zero might not be the next Halo, but it looks fantastic in high-definition and offers the best multiplayer experience of all the games we played. Not only can you play through the primary campaign cooperatively with a friend, but you can connect via Xbox Live with only one account and have up to three other friends battling it out in split-screen action on the same Xbox. The graphics in Project Gotham Racing 3 are the best we've ever seen in a racing game (or a simulation, for that matter) and the game has an unbelievable number of authentic cars to choose from. It also has some nice Xbox Live features, but if you want to race against a friend locally, then you'll only be able to do that via the offline split-screen mode.
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| Article Details |
| Reviewed Xbox 360 Premium
Reviewer Jon "Buck" Birnbaum
Published 12.18.05
Pros Extremely powerful gaming system, high-definition support, wireless controllers, vast assortment of Xbox Live features, sleek and attractive case
Cons No HDMI or DVI support, backward compatibility issues, bulky power supply |
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