PS3 vs 360 - Deciding which b'day present to get myself.

[Moonshadow]

I'm debating buying one of these systems for my birthday soon, but I've having a fair amount of trouble deciding which one to get. Price being one factor, the amount of games that I'd actually play being another. So far, the XBox is winning over the PS3, because the PS3 seems to be more overpriced Blu-ray player than games console, and it also costs a couple hundred bucks more than the Xbox. But the XBox has the whole RRoD thing going for it, and I'm not sure what the warranty is like for that if you buy a pre-owned one. I'd rather not end up with a really expensive paperweight, after all.

I'm also not too sure of what decent games the PS3 has over the Xbox, too. I mean, the XBox has Tales of Vesperia, which I've been wanting to play for a while, Fable, Bayonetta and other cool stuffs, while all I can really think of buying for the PS3 is Cross Edge, Heavenly Blade and maybe FF 13 (even if it is more of a movie than a game).

Also, no Halo, or it's ilk. Can't stand 3PS games, I'm more of an action/adventure/rpg/strategy type guy.

People have already told me that unless I plan on massive downloads, I can get away with the smallest HD on the PS3, which helps the price out a lot, too.

So, any help would be muchly appreciated =)

EDIT: Also, I'm Australian. Thus, our prices are super inflated and crap, and I have to pay a lot more for consoles, and generally 100 bucks+ for games on either console >_>

[Volatar]

I Would highly reccommend the 360, as you have a much larger library of games to pull from. Not to mention the xbox live arcade.

[potatocubed]

I vote Xbox.

You can get FF13 for the Xbox, too, in case it sways your choice. Plus Lost Odyssey, which is fantastic if you like JRPGs. Plus, as has been mentioned, Xbox Live Arcade.

I've had my 360 for 4-5 years now and, touch wood, it hasn't red-ringed once.

[SparkMandriller]

360 has Mushihimesama Futari.

It'll make you a man.

[Rawhide]

The PS3 has two things going for it which brings the (effective) cost down if you want these features. Blu-Ray and PlayTV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayTV). I purchased a PS3 for the PlayTV accessory, which made the system cost roughly the same as a TiVo, with a larger hard drive and the added bonus of Blu-Ray and games.

As for games, I would strongly recommend Metal Gear Solid 4 (a third person sneaker), Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII. The first two are exclusive to the PS3 and the latter is better on it (higher resolution, one disk, uncompressed cutscenes). There is also the PSN, which has a collection of downloadable games such as Bomberman ULTRA and Prince of Persia Classic as well as PS1 games such as Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII/VIII and so on.

[Todasmile]

In the realm of strategy, PS3 has Disgaea 3, which, if it's anything like Disgaea 1, I wholeheartedly recommend.

Both have FFXIII, but doesn't the PS3 have something similar to Xbox Arcade where you can download some of the older PS1 games, like FFVII? If you've never played those, it could be worth it. I've also heard both good and bad things about Demon Souls.

I don't have enough experience with either to really educate anyone, though.

[EleventhHour]

But the XBox has the whole RRoD thing going for it, and I'm not sure what the warranty is like for that if you buy a pre-owned one. I'd rather not end up with a really expensive paperweight, after all.

The vaunted "Red Ring of Death" gets a lot of claims from people who want cheap fixes for self-done-damage, from people who join in the hype, from fanboiz of other systems, and of course the people who actually get the problem. It's not really as overblown as people make it out to be, and heck, I got the RRoD in my second year of owning it, my dad popped the case open and fixed it himself. ( Note : I can't remember if it was the 3/4 or 4/4 version. )

Sooo... :smallsmile:

[Terraoblivion]

The first thing to remember is that there aren't actually a whole lot of major exclusives for either, a lot of the big name games exist for both consoles but tend to be filed under 360 games on gaming sites. So the first i'd if i was you was to check how many games you are interested in exists for both. Bayonetta and FFXIII are both examples of that, though in the latter case the PS3 version is considered clearly superior, while in the former the 360 version is considered superior. And if you have a PC that can handle it, checking which of the 360 games you are interested in are available for that platform as that is much more common than it is with PS3 games.

Another big question in the choice of console is multiplayer. It is not something i concern myself with very much, but the big things seems to be that the 360 has a larger playerbase, while multiplayer is free on the PS3. Some have also said that the PS3 playerbase is more mature, but i don't know how much credence you should lend that. In any case i don't think that multiplayer should factor too much into your choice since both consoles really do have it, though i don't know how important it is to you either.

However, in terms of specific recommendations and suggestions for what to pick i don't know enough about your wider preferences to tell. Personally i am quite fond of my PS3 and think it has a fairly strong list of games if you look just a bit below the blockbuster headlines, which i think is a good idea for all platforms. The foremost example i can give is Valkyria Chronicles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyria_Chronicles), which i consider to be a very strong contender for the best game of the generation, though i cannot deny the possibility that there is a better game out there that i haven't played. A strategy RPG with much of the fiddliness removed and the strategy hinging less on arcane number-crunching than on using the right tool for the job and exploiting the terrain, it does what it sets out to do remarkably well and looks great doing it. Also despite what a lot of people will say, there are multiple ways of doing most things and people often don't learn them until they hear someone else explain the one-true way of handling a given map and see that it is nothing like what they did themselves. And it is just plain beautiful in both art and music, like a Miyazaki movie that you play.

Folklore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore_%28video_game%29) is another game i am going to throw out there. While the gameplay is fairly standard action adventure fare with few puzzles, the art direction deserves mention. While going for a more typical graphical engine than Valkyria Chronicles, it still manages to create more stunning vistas in it than i've seen even in much more expensive and higher profile games like MGS4. The Irish'ish fiddle music also supports the style and atmosphere of the game, which is its strong point and one of the best currently available. So while i wouldn't say it is the greatest game out there, i do think it is a good one.

Other PS3 games that might interest you include Disgaea 3, the Ratchet and Clank games for it, White Knight Chronicles and Resonance of Fate. I haven't played the last two, but they seem interesting and one of my friends who has love them. So it is worth at least looking into. I don't really know what games are available for sale online for either platform, whether in Europe or in Australia so i cannot comment either way there.

Ultimately the advice we can give you here will not be able to replace actual research. At best we can point out games for either console to research for yourself so you can make a more informed choice, much of the advice you will get is bound to just be people saying that their preferred console is best, rather than granting useful advice. But if you can sort through the noise you might find useful advice. The best advice i can give is to dedicate time to rather more thorough research than it appears that you have so far. Either that or just picking one and not thinking too much about it, but it seems too late for that.

Oh, and Cross Edge is supposedly terrible.

[Raroy]

Cross Edge and Heavenly Sword are both terrible. If they are the only games you are interested in, then just get the 360.

I find Heavenly Sword's dialog and voice acting to be garring and awkward, I wince when I hear it. The combat is also a bit underwhelming. You can just use your heaviest weapon and button smash your way through.

Cross Edge........ I don't want to talk about it anymore.

[Zevox]

I have a 360, and would certainly recommend it myself. It sounds like we're fairly alike in preferences - I also don't like shooters, and favor RPGs, strategy games, and action/adventure type games above all else. I have Tales of Vesperia, and it's frankly my favorite game for the console, and I'd say is even better than the other "Tales" game I've played, Tales of Symphonia, which I also loved. (Though there has been an expanded version of that made for the PS3, but thus far it has only been released in Japan, and it's unclear if it will be released elsewhere.)

Other games I have which I'd highly recommend are Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Lost Odyssey (which is very much like a Final Fantasy game, having been made by the original creators of that series), and Batman: Arkham Asylum, only the last of which is available on the PS3. I also have Soul Calibur 4, which is a good fighting game, if you're into that genre at all. And there are a few other games I plan on buying later based on liking their demos - Brutal Legend, Blue Dragon, and Eternal Sonata; an action-RTS game and two RPGs, respectively.

As others mentioned, Final Fantasy 13 is available on both the PS3 and 360, so you can get that with either. I haven't played it yet - not a huge FF fan. I'll probably rent it at some point, but I'm in no hurry to do so.

It's curious you say the PS3 would be several hundred more dollars than the 360 though. Maybe it's different in Australia, but here, the PS3 slim is only $50 more than the 360 model I bought, and it's the same price as a 360 with double the memory space of the model I bought.

Personally, as it stands, the PS3 simply lacks enough exclusive titles to make it worth buying. I'm interested in Disgaea 3, God of War 3, and maybe Metal Gear Solid 4, but that's about it. Of course, with my luck, Atlus will announce Persona 5 as a PS3 exclusive and thus force me to buy one in a year or two...

Zevox

[potatocubed]

Both have FFXIII, but doesn't the PS3 have something similar to Xbox Arcade where you can download some of the older PS1 games, like FFVII? If you've never played those, it could be worth it. I've also heard both good and bad things about Demon Souls.

Oh, yes, the PSN. Bear in mind that outside of North America you get far less choice on that (which in turn is the bastard cousin of the PSN in Japan). If you're going to go for the PS3, check which games are locally available on the PSN first. (I did, which is why I didn't buy one. If I could access the Japanese network I'd have my grubby paws on a PS3 right now...)

[Airk]

Other posters have more or less nailed it. It's really about what games you want to play. There is SOME overlap between the 360 and the PC, but it's mostly in the category of the FPS/3PS games that you say you don't have any interest in anyway, so that's mostly irrelevant.

A cogent point that no one EVER seems to mention in these threads is that the PS3 is region free for games - if you buy an import game (not movie, mind) you can pop it into your US PS3 and play. That may or may not factor into your decision. (You can get Vesperia for the PS3, for example, but uh... Japanese only might make it hard to follow the plot, plus, the PS3 version has Patty Fleur, whose mere presence is enough to ruin the idea of getting it for me. :P )

Really though, you'll have to do your own research and find games you want to play. These (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_exclusives) lists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS3_exclusives) may be useful.

[Terraoblivion]

And western RPGs, Airk. I have both Mass Effect games and Dragon Age on PC for example. Just wanted to mention it.

And those lists are actually pretty bad, they have Bayonetta as a PS3 exclusive for example and had the Gamecube Super Robot Wars game as a 360 exclusive. So you might want to check if it is true about any game you see on either of them, before making a choice.

[Rawhide]

Oh, yes, the PSN. Bear in mind that outside of North America you get far less choice on that (which in turn is the bastard cousin of the PSN in Japan). If you're going to go for the PS3, check which games are locally available on the PSN first. (I did, which is why I didn't buy one. If I could access the Japanese network I'd have my grubby paws on a PS3 right now...)

You can. You need a separate profile for Japan (or Hong Kong, which is in English) though.

[potatocubed]

I can? Is it the sort of thing I'm going to need a technical guide to do, or are the instructions right there on-screen?

[kc0bbq]

The vaunted "Red Ring of Death" gets a lot of claims from people who want cheap fixes for self-done-damage, from people who join in the hype, from fanboiz of other systems, and of course the people who actually get the problem.My launch 360 just finally got a RROD. I'm trying to decide whether to fix it myself (it's not too hard if it's what normally causes the RROD) or send it in and pay the $99. The 360 has had a lot of use, many hundreds of hours as a media center alone. And for games, just the time I have racked up from Rock Band and sequels should have turned it into a melted bit of slag.

My PS3 got the Sony equivalent of the RROD after less than a year. Both have heat caused failure points. No one uses quality solder anymore. Failures happen. Sony sent a box and I had a working PS3 again in a pretty short time.

I use the 360 FAR more than the PS3. Other than Disgaea 3, which is a bit disappointing, and blu-ray I don't get much use from the PS3. The only time I really fire it up is for games where the title was sold out for the 360. I don't like the PS3 controllers as much. The 360 is much better as a media center. There are only a couple video formats I've ever had problems with, and I'm still using Transcode360 which has been obsolete for a couple years.

Personally, I'd also recommend the 360 over the PS3.

Plus, you actually get a decent racing game on the 360 since GT5 will never be released.

[deuxhero]

g:other:Upgrade your PC to gaming qualiity! >_>

Of the answers you gave, PS3 seems to be the console the inevitable next console MegaTen is going to be on, plus the failure rate is lower. Plus most of the supposed 360 exclusives are also on the PC (and better there)

[Terraoblivion]

If there is a next console Megaten. Lack of sales is the reason that SMT 4 was on the DS, a desire to market it overseas is why it wasn't numbered.

[potatocubed]

Actually, a DS is also an option - there are plenty of excellent games available in the action/adventure/rpg/strategy genres.

[Poison_Fish]

I
Other games I have which I'd highly recommend are Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Lost Odyssey (which is very much like a Final Fantasy game, having been made by the original creators of that series), and Batman: Arkham Asylum, only the last of which is available on the PS3. I also have Soul Calibur 4, which is a good fighting game, if you're into that genre at all. And there are a few other games I plan on buying later based on liking their demos - Brutal Legend, Blue Dragon, and Eternal Sonata; an action-RTS game and two RPGs, respectively.

Actually, dragon age is also available for the ps3.

But I'll say, everything there is better on a PC save for lost odyssey.

The concept that the 360 holds more exclusive titles, and ergo more games, is false. They have about an equal distribution available to them, and most big name games are available on both platforms. in terms of exclusive RPG's it favors the PS3, with Disgaea and Valkryia chronicles. In terms of exclusive shooters, it favors the 360.

[Flickerdart]

Metal Gear Solid 4 (a third person sneaker)
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/mgs-trainers.jpg

:smallbiggrin:

[Zevox]

Actually, dragon age is also available for the ps3.
Ah, wasn't aware of that. Still, no Mass Effect or Lost Odyssey.


But I'll say, everything there is better on a PC save for lost odyssey.
Can't speak for the OP, but I don't really do much PC gaming outside of RTS games. I prefer a console controller to a mouse & keyboard for any other type of game. Plus my PC's graphics card can't handle newer games anyway.

Zevox

[Shas aia Toriia]

I'd reccomend a PS3, because of the free online. The lower playerbase isn't reallty an issue as long as there are enough people to make a game, which there always are.

Also, PS3 has a lower failure rate, and almost all games are shared between them anyways. Also, its a Blu-Ray player, which is awesome.
They are however, very similar, but Xbox is more expensive thanks to Live.

[Trixie]

g:other:Upgrade your PC to gaming qualiity! >_>

This :P

Get your games at twice the resolution for half the cost! :smallyuk:

[Pie Guy]

My xbox RRoDed and Microsoft fixed it for free. The problem is pretty much isolated to launch consoles, so you should be fine.

[Poison_Fish]

Can't speak for the OP, but I don't really do much PC gaming outside of RTS games. I prefer a console controller to a mouse & keyboard for any other type of game. Plus my PC's graphics card can't handle newer games anyway.

Oh, I understand not wanting to go for the computer option when you could go for a console. I prefer computer myself for most things, but that's because I view it as the most diverse investment. That being said, things like Mass Effect and Dragon Age also come out for the computer, so I've only really be interested in the console only games out there for myself. This can be different for others.

So, I suppose we should ask the OP, how good is your computer?

[Lord Loss]

I got PS3 because, first of all, I've always been a PlayStation User. barring that however, there's one main reason to Get The PS3:

Free Online. As for game variety, It,s more a matter of personal taste. On PS3 you won't gat Halo, but you will Get Killzone 2. You will however, Get Disgaea 3 ( I think this has been mentioned) which is a great game (not my genre, but still a great game). Demon's Souls is yet another PS3 exclusive which is awesome (But It's VERY' VERY DIFFICULT, may not be your type of game).

[Anteros]

I own both, and personally I tend to use the PS3 far more than the 360. I feel it has better online support, a more comfortable controller, and is less prone to messing up. I also feel that it is simply sleeker and looks better on the shelf.

That said, both systems are good, and I wouldn't want to give up my 360 either. Just get both. It's not that expensive.

[Aragehaor]

Speaking as someone who owns both systems i recommend the 360 just for the larger game selection.

Hell, i'd recommend it just for Mass effect I&II
but on the other hand the PS3 does seem to have more rpg games and the like.

The xbox RRoD is always used by people who prefer the ps3 to prove its the better system for some reason, despite the fact that PS3 systems are just as capable of failing. (Or in my case more so, I got my launch xbox(I bought.) and it hasn't had the RRoD once or any problems whatsoever. My launch PS3 (which was a gift.) on the other hand has broken twice in all the time i've had it*.)

Overall though, it seems to me that the PS3 has more of the type of games you seem to want. (Previously mentioned.) While the only notable RPGs from the xbox that immediately come to mind are Mass effect one/two (Both excellent.) and dragon age.(Also Excellent.)

But regardless of all I've said, upgrading your computer to gaming levels would be a better investment IMO, failing that get the PS3 as it seems to be more suited for you. (Games-wise at least.)



*Note, im not saying the PS3 is inferior to the xbox 360 merely stating that I've had more problems with it then i did the xbox 360.

[Inhuman Bot]

Personal opinion: Get the 360, unless you're planning on using the non-gaming features of a PS3, too.

[Moonshadow]

Well, if Cross Edge is crap, I won't spend the 80 bucks on it, which helps.

and I can't afford to upgrade my PC, my current laptop cost me 1800 bucks and its only a year and a half old, and I just don't have that kinda money on me right now.

And as for Mass Effect/Dragon Age/Bioshock etc, I have all those off Steam, so I don't need to fork out and buy the console version >_>;

[warty goblin]

Ah, so it's not a case of not having a gaming capable computer. You need a compliment to it. In that case the PS3 is probably a better bet than the 360, since there more games there that haven't been ported to the PC, and more of those aren't shooters.

Although personally I cannot stand the PS3 controller. I can almost come to grips with the 360's, but the duel shock makes gaming feel like walking through an ocean of snot, or possibly the first time you kissed somebody: slow, sticky, awkward and just generally not quite right.

[Poison_Fish]

Well, if Cross Edge is crap, I won't spend the 80 bucks on it, which helps.

and I can't afford to upgrade my PC, my current laptop cost me 1800 bucks and its only a year and a half old, and I just don't have that kinda money on me right now.

And as for Mass Effect/Dragon Age/Bioshock etc, I have all those off Steam, so I don't need to fork out and buy the console version >_>;

Well, if your getting them to run on Steam for you, then you should be fine for most gaming there.

I'll echo the sentiment that Cross Edge is bad.

Heck, I honestly think if you want more RPG's and fun there, get a DS. But as someone who mostly does PC gaming (MoBA's, RTS's, RPG's, strategy, etc), I feel that the PS3 aids with my tastes better then the 360 could.

[Zevox]

Heck, I honestly think if you want more RPG's and fun there, get a DS.
Good advice (assuming Naoto doesn't already have one, anyway). The DS is, frankly, my favorite system this generation, in no small part because of its great JRPG library. Just to list off the ones I own:

- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- Magical Starsign
- Final Fantasy IV
- Dragon Quest IV
- Dragon Quest V
- Disgaea DS
- Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (technically western - made by Bioware)
- Chrono Trigger
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
- Nostalgia
- The World Ends With You

A couple of them are unimpressive (mainly Nostalgia and Magical Starsign), but most are very good. Devil Survivor and The World Ends With You are especially exceptional games. And that list doesn't even include some other games I intend to get or which are yet to come, such as Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Dragon Quest VI and IX, and Golden Sun DS. Or the games you can get with its GBA backwards-compatibility (assuming you get a Lite rather than a DSi, anyway) if you don't already have a GBA, amongst which are two Fire Emblem games and the two extant Golden Sun games.

Yeah, if you like JRPGs, the DS is the system for you, more so than any of the current consoles.

Zevox

[Terraoblivion]

I concur the DS is freaking awesome and especially for jRPGs. If you care at all about platformers it is the place to go as well.

[The Rose Dragon]

I would buy the 360, but only because I already have the PS3. It has awesome things like MGS 4 and God of War III, Ratchet & Clank, Folklore and Valkyria Chronicles. If you like awesome things, you should get a PS3.

Of course, you'll miss out on Mass Effect 2, but that's what PCs are for.

[MoelVermillion]

Most of what I've wanted to say has already been said however I would just like to add that if importing games is important to you then you'll want to grab the ps3 as it is not region locked.

[JabberwockySupafly]

Gonna poke my head in here and say a few things. If you want a multimedia hub that will compliment a good home theatre system and play games, get a PS3. If you want just a gaming machine full stop, get a 360. Both have great merits and glaring negatives, both have some fantastic console exclusives and both have a positive goulash of utter shovelware, and it really comes down to which console is going to have the current, and future, exclusive games you want. I am lucky enough to own both consoles, and while I definitely play more games on the 360, the games I do get on PS3 I tend to enjoy more just because of how high of a quality they tend to be (Demon's Souls, Heavy Rain, and Folklore are all good examples). Plus I'm a media junkie and I have a definite affection for BluRay.

In all honesty, though, I'm going to throw my hat into the DS ring as well. Get a DSI XL and revel in the fact your games are going to cost a great deal less than a proper console, and you get to take them on the go. Not to mention that vast army of awesome Strategy, RPG, Action, Adventure, and Platform games the DS boasts. Plus, Pokemon.... Pokemon.

edit: and since I just noticed both your Avatar and Screen Name, need I even mention that the PS3 will be getting the next Persona and the next SMT games? But, even better, another great couple of points towards the DS would be Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey.

[Oslecamo]

+1 for the DS. It's the living proof that super-shiny 3D graphics aren't needed for epic games. Lots and lots of good games to keep you entertained, and cheaper than console titles.

Also, you can take it everywhere with you, wich is really an huge bonus compared to the brick boxes that are the Xbox 360 and PS3!

Not to mention it can take a considerable amount of damage. Unless you throw it in a fireplace or the ocean, it will keep working for years (mine is).

[Moonshadow]

Thank you to the helpful people suggesting the DS, but I already have my super awesome DSi and PSP, most of my games are those, and I use them lots =)

I saw Folklore today though, and I have to say it looks interesting too. I think the PS3 is winning out at the moment, now the fun part is finding one cheap enough to buy...!

[Airk]

I'm fascinated by all the love for Folklore in this thread, because I was very curious about it when I first saw the trailer, but when it came out, it got a resounding "meh, nothing special" from everywhere I looked at - basically, really pretty, but not really interesting to actually play. Is that really that far off base?

[The Rose Dragon]

Gameplay wise, probably not. It is mostly an above-average action game with a weird gimmick for increasing your powers. However, where it slightly falters in gameplay, it makes up for in story and presentation.

[Trixie]

and I can't afford to upgrade my PC, my current laptop cost me 1800 bucks and its only a year and a half old, and I just don't have that kinda money on me right now.

Um, what did you buy, then? :smallconfused:

My current laptop is 2 years old, cost me 1350$, and outperforms PS3 and X360 combined (GF 9800M will do that).

As for suggestions, it wasn't to get ME, but ME2. That game is epic :P

[Oslecamo]

Um, what did you buy, then? :smallconfused:

My current laptop is 2 years old, cost me 1350$, and outperforms PS3 and X360 combined (GF 9800M will do that).


Aparently in Australia where the OP lives most tech stuff is much more expensive than in the rest of the world. Your 1350$ comp would probably have costed twice as much there.

[Anteros]

Let's not derail this into (another) console vs computer thread guys. The OP stated he already has a gaming computer. (And I don't want to have to read fanboi posts :smallbiggrin:)

[Moonshadow]

Aparently in Australia where the OP lives most tech stuff is much more expensive than in the rest of the world. Your 1350$ comp would probably have costed twice as much there.

Tech stuff is more expensive =/ PS3 games costs 110 bucks brand new, and the price doesn't seem to drop at all. I don't know why we get shafted and get forced to pay so much more than other places, but we do, it sucks, and there isn't anything I can do about it :smallfrown:

[Terraoblivion]

Because you don't and about pay the same as people in Europe, adjusted to make prices seem non-awkward in the local currency. I mean upon release the Wii cost more in Denmark than the PS3 price everyone in the US was whining about.

And Airk you are sorta right. Folklore is not a game you play for the gameplay, it isn't bad but it is utterly standard. However, plot and presentation is excellent, so if that is important to you it is worth playing, and if it is the most important to you, the game is excellent.

[Mtg_player_zach]

I have a 360 that I never play, I'd go for ps3 if I had a second go. Metal gear solid 4 just looks like tons of fun.

[Airk]

Um, what did you buy, then? :smallconfused:

My current laptop is 2 years old, cost me 1350$, and outperforms PS3 and X360 combined (GF 9800M will do that).

As for suggestions, it wasn't to get ME, but ME2. That game is epic :P

Unless you know what you're doing when you buy a laptop, you're likely to get stuck with some lousy, probably intel based graphics chip that will pretty much cripple the device as a gaming platform. How much you paid doesn't factor in nearly as much as how much attention you were paying to this factor.

Good to know about Folklore. If I ever get a PS3, I might try to get it for cheap.