"So far, it's a nice console..."

Scoring the XBOX has been the most difficult thing I have had to do since making judgement on the N64. The XBOX is probably a mixed bag console, now, IMHO. The XBOX is a nice console, with nice games, but it doesn't really give that thing I'm looking for in a console. It's a feeling one gets after playing a videogame console for awhile. True, I wasn't too fond of the XBOX at first, but I went ahead and bought anyway and really enjoyed it at first, but really, I haven't touched the console in awhile.

The XBOX was first unveiled by Microsoft early 2001 and was to revolutionize gaming as we knew it. It was to feature the most powerful videogame hardware, surpassing that of the GameCube and the PlayStation 2. It also was to feature an 8 GB hard disk for storing game saves and reducing loading times. It was also going to feature Broadband only online gaming within its own network, XBOX Live. The console was also to have DVD Playback, at the purchase of a controller.

GRAPHICS: 10
There's no denying it: The XBOX has put out some extremely great looking games. Dead or Alive 3, Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams, Morrowind and Halo all look fantastic and really show that work was put into making these games. What more can I say? They all look great, and there's no jaggies, either! The detail of each of these games goes all the way to the accuracy of the sun, the color of bullets being shot, and the detail of the textures of all these games. The worlds are also very big in a sense that a humungous polygon count was used.

SOUND: 10
The sound of the XBOX, like all consoles, are similar in a sense that only people wiith absolute good hearing can make out the subtile differences between the sounds of PlayStation 2, GameCube, Dreamcast and XBOX games. The XBOX sounds great overall, and there aren't any falws to the system.

FEATURES: 10
Hey, look, we can save CD music onto our hard drive! I find that really interactive, in a sense that we can listen to our music while playing through courses in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X and 3. We also have an 8GB hard drive so we can avoid buying memory cards every 4 games we buy (*cough* GameCube *cough*). Then we have 4 controller ports, something the PS2 doesn't have, and user-friendly DVD playback (with the XBOX remote, of course). There's the Broadband Modem, so online gaming can be super fast, and that BBM can also be used to link to other XBOXs tto establish a LAN and play up to 16 players in Halo, for example. The features for the XBOX are great; while set-top-box-ish, they really are gaming related.

PRICE: 10
The XBOX is available for $200, a bargain price even when compared to the GameCube. The XBOX comes with 4 controller ports, a HDD, a BBM, music-ripping and what I've said above. It puts the value of the PS2 to immediate shame.

GAME SELECTION: 7
I will say this now: The XBOX doesn't have as many good games right now as the PS2 or the GameCube will. While the GameCube gets Super Mario Sunshine, the Legend of Zelda, Metroid Prime, Resident Evil Zero, etc. etc., the XBOX's so called killer aps (most of them anyway) will be appearing on other consoles. Morrowind, Max Payne and Halo are or will be available for the PC. Shenmue II and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 are available on the Dreamcast. Grand Theft Auto III, Wreckless, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Genma Onimusha, Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams and Madden 2002/3 will be available on the PlayStation 2. Phantasy Star Online will be available, enhanced, on the Nintendo GameCube, as will Timesplitters 2, NBA 2K3 and NBA Live 2003.

While all the games mentioned above will be available for the XBOX, it provides little reason to why someone should own an XBOX, as opposed to the other 3 next gen consoles. The difference is that the other 3 next generation consoles have namable exclusives. The XBOX does, too, like Steel Battalion, Dino Crisis 3, Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball and others, they don't really stir me excited like Devil May Cry on PS2, or Super Mario Sunshine on GameCube would.

If XBOX is your only console, bump this score up to a 9, but if you own the others, score it down to a 7.

CONTROLLER S: 10
Controller S is the Dreamcast controller put into the shell of a Dual Shock 2 and GameCube combined. This is perfect. The button layout is reasonable, while the comfort level is high indeed. The controller is responsive and the sticks are comfortable to press and to move. A fighting gamer's dream.

OLDER CONTROLLER: 6
The older XBOX controller is a nightmare. It's big, the buttons hurt your hands and the shoulder buttons really hurt your hands. Controlling games are too hard, and my hand gets cramps from using the controller for extended periods of time. Go with the S Controller.

AESTHETICS: 8
The console looks OK, but it doesn't have the ''cute'' GameCube appear or the ''cool'' PlayStation 2 appeal, and the console is bigger than a VCR. *shudders* Transporting the console is a chore, too. Hopefully one day Microsoft can reduce the size of the XBOX.

OVERALL: 7.888888 = 8
Overall, the XBOX is a solid experience, and one that, depending on the person, can be an ordinary or revolutionary experience. My experience with the XBOX has been pretty ordinary, but hopefully that will change.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/05/02, Updated 07/05/02