A couple of thoughts on the Polygon review. I don't understand these guys at all.
despite its familiar elements and concepts, the Xbox One still manages a genuine sense of wonder, all without losing sight of the strong gaming foundation the Xbox was built on.
Really, a sense of wonder? Alright then.
The new bumpers split opinions at Polygon — some editors feel they're more difficult to click than the 360's shoulder buttons.
I wish I knew which editors thought what, these sites are supposed to be about the personalities and getting to know the ins and outs and tastes of the people writing, but in this review it's one big collective for some reason. Did 3/5 editors not like it? 4/5? Who were the editors in question?
While the Xbox One's UI is a departure from the Xbox 360, it should be familiar to anyone who's used Windows 8
Great. Because we're all familiar with Windows 8 already right? Especially average joe gamer? I get them wanting to consolidate their UI experiences, but people like familiarity (I rather like the redesigned XMB, familiar with improvements)
Also missing at launch is Twitch livestreaming support. While Sony revealed its console — and its streaming ability — first, Microsoft was first to specifically announce Twitch streaming support.
Good for them?
Skype on Xbox One has the potential to be huge.
Points for potential. I really don't feel like Skype is going to be a big deal at all, but I'm willing to be proven wrong on this one. Again though it just feels like they're giving them points for stuff that is still unproven.
We're most interested in ways for Microsoft to take the SmartGlass functionality even further, both in games and elsewhere.
"We're most interested in imagining features that aren't available yet."
The Xbox One costs $100 more than its direct competition, and several third-party games run in lower resolution than they do on the PS4.
OMG THEY ACTUALLY SAID IT IN A SENTENCE.
That it has a handful of strong, exclusive games at launch only supports its legitimacy as a gaming console and not just an entertainment hub.
So a handful (2?) of decent exclusives means we can rest assured this thing will be a great gaming machine? I'm not seeing it Polygon. I'm seeing a lot of praise for features that will not work outside of the US, I'm seeing a lot of slack given to a device that doesn't do a hell of a lot more than the PS4 does (at least not yet, and not any better). The voice commands are, by all accounts, cumbersome and unreliable, and the TV angle just isn't fully realized yet. But they seem pretty confident the Bone will be a success. I am reminded of the Polygon PS4 launch stream, and how they all shit on the PS4 for being great, but not proving it's greatness
right now. smh.