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Can the current-gen consoles reach "Best console ever" status?
- Thread starter Majine
- Start date
maniac-kun
Member
Not with this image quality.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Some loon will probably say that about the tripple. I had a friend argue that the PS3 is the only current system that produces 'truly classic next-gen games'.
But he also described CoD4 as 'a true next-gen experience'.
But he also described CoD4 as 'a true next-gen experience'.
sadaiyappan
Member
I think they have. Older people don't get it. Kids who grow up with PS3 and 360 will think they were the best when they are our age. You could argue that the NES was the first system to bring video games to the masses, so it is the best. But this gen has brought multiplayer, online stores, streaming services, HD, better sound quality, games with bigger budgets.
PumpkinPie
Banned
The Wii probably will be considered amongst the best in some people's eyes, not mine though.
I think the CoD games are crap, but how can you argue it's not a next-gen experience? It laid the foundations for the online structuring for most of the multiplayer game modes. It's had a huge affect on gaming going forward.EatChildren said:
I would say Burnout Paradise (which I also don't care that much for) is the most 'next-gen' game I've played.
Granger Danger
Member
DS has the best shot. Its library by now rivals the PS2 in diversity, quality, and quantity. It's astonishing.
The Wii has the weakest library Nintendo has ever had, there is no way it will go down in history as best console ever.
The Wii has the weakest library Nintendo has ever had, there is no way it will go down in history as best console ever.
Nothing this gen even remotely compares to the days of fixing a console by blowing on the cartridge, NOTHING!
There are some truly spectacular games out there but comparing a PS3 or 360 to the likes of a SNES or Mega Drive is nuts.
But I agree with the comments about the Wii and DS. game changing!
There are some truly spectacular games out there but comparing a PS3 or 360 to the likes of a SNES or Mega Drive is nuts.
But I agree with the comments about the Wii and DS. game changing!
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
I don't know what would constitute the "best" really. I recently re-bought a Dreamcast and looking through the game list, there's only a handful I wanted. Same for N64, PS1, SNES...
Very few games stand the test of time in that way.
I, personally, feel that the standard of games these days is much higher than ever before. Because of that there may not be as many stand-out classics that are so obviously a step above, but there's still a huge number of great games.
When I look back at this gen so far, on the Wii and PS3 I remember the great exclusives I've played, but the 360 is the one I feel fondest of. It's my multiplatform console, so I've played the best third party titles on it, as well as the exclusives, and XBLA and the great community aspect is really far ahead of anything else on the other consoles. Although I admit none of my friends have a PS3 so that's why I see 360 as my "social" console - perhaps if the PS3 was the leader this gen I'd feel differently. I do prefer the UI of the 360, though, and it seems designed much more towards social stuf than the PS3.
In terms of fun and memories, I've had five years with the 360 and I think that places it as my favourite console of all-time. The PS2 probably beats it in terms of games, but it lacked the modern features that has helped 360 maintain my interest.
That's not a very structured post, but yeah. I was trying to make my mind up as I was typing. :lol
Very few games stand the test of time in that way.
I, personally, feel that the standard of games these days is much higher than ever before. Because of that there may not be as many stand-out classics that are so obviously a step above, but there's still a huge number of great games.
When I look back at this gen so far, on the Wii and PS3 I remember the great exclusives I've played, but the 360 is the one I feel fondest of. It's my multiplatform console, so I've played the best third party titles on it, as well as the exclusives, and XBLA and the great community aspect is really far ahead of anything else on the other consoles. Although I admit none of my friends have a PS3 so that's why I see 360 as my "social" console - perhaps if the PS3 was the leader this gen I'd feel differently. I do prefer the UI of the 360, though, and it seems designed much more towards social stuf than the PS3.
In terms of fun and memories, I've had five years with the 360 and I think that places it as my favourite console of all-time. The PS2 probably beats it in terms of games, but it lacked the modern features that has helped 360 maintain my interest.
That's not a very structured post, but yeah. I was trying to make my mind up as I was typing. :lol
WrathOfOtaibah
Banned
None of them.
All of them are highly flawed in their own way.
All of them are highly flawed in their own way.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
StuBurns said:
Because 'next-gen' is a marketing term applied to products in order to make them seem ahead of their time in the eyes of consumers. Its completely meaningless outside of its literaly definition, as in 'next generation', as in not here yet.
There are no next-gen games and no next-gen consoles. Its all current gen. People who use the term 'next-gen' to describe games or systems are talking wank.
Besides, he wasn't making any point with the statement other than "THIS GAME IS BALLIN". He's the kind of guy who thinks Half-Life sucks, but laps up popcorn shooters. Not that I care, but he is who he is.
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
collectively, there are more games being released that I want to play right now than there are hours in the day, and that's without counting all the games I have already had to skip thanks to time restraints.
In that regard, this generation has generally been the most interesting for me, but in many ways that has to do with my own branching out over multiple consoles and really getting into PC gaming more than it can be attributed to any one console.
I think the industry is presenting more and more games worth playing in more refined forms, but trying to call any one console 'the best' seems pointless. I wouldn't eat chips on their own for dinner, I'd expect salad and maybe some chicken or something. I feel the same way about games. If you're only playing games on one system then you're probably not eating a balanced diet. Granted, a PC and a Nintendo console/handheld is a good 'safe' option, I suppose. Should cover all the major food-groups.
In that regard, this generation has generally been the most interesting for me, but in many ways that has to do with my own branching out over multiple consoles and really getting into PC gaming more than it can be attributed to any one console.
I think the industry is presenting more and more games worth playing in more refined forms, but trying to call any one console 'the best' seems pointless. I wouldn't eat chips on their own for dinner, I'd expect salad and maybe some chicken or something. I feel the same way about games. If you're only playing games on one system then you're probably not eating a balanced diet. Granted, a PC and a Nintendo console/handheld is a good 'safe' option, I suppose. Should cover all the major food-groups.
AppleBlade
Member
It's all about the games and there are definitely some games that are going to be held highly when we look back (i.e. Bioshock, Red Dead Redemption, CoD: Modern Warfare, Oblivion, Fallout 3, Assassin's Creed 2, Portal, Super Street Fighter 2, Uncharted 2, Mass Effect, God of War 3, Gears of War).
The one thing that is going to hold up either console from being considered "best ever" is that many of the best games this gen were multi-plat and people tend to almost not count those. I mean think about SNES vs Genesis, when people look back on those systems they hardly ever mention the multi-plats.
The Wii will always be remembered by what it bought to the table but it's games are not going to age well, imo.
The one thing that is going to hold up either console from being considered "best ever" is that many of the best games this gen were multi-plat and people tend to almost not count those. I mean think about SNES vs Genesis, when people look back on those systems they hardly ever mention the multi-plats.
The Wii will always be remembered by what it bought to the table but it's games are not going to age well, imo.
Host Samurai
Member
By hype people will always claim that the current gene is the best, but the truth is that I have never seen more people complain about a generation of consoles more than this one. I never recalled people posting topics last generation saying that "The PS2 sucks and lacks variety" I see a topic like that now on a regular basis.
This generation has a long way to go if it ever wants to match the greatness of past generations but that also might have to do with the lack of Japanese titles on home consoles.
This generation has a long way to go if it ever wants to match the greatness of past generations but that also might have to do with the lack of Japanese titles on home consoles.
'Next-gen' in the context just means an advancement of what we had before, the online RPG structuring CoD4 introduced is essentially the standard already, and will almost certainly remain that going forward.EatChildren said:
However, if he just meant it's a great game, I agree it's a unfair label.
No. Only console I'd put up for contention would be 360, solely thanks to XBLA/Indies. Yet, the system itself is a massive PoS.
If you include Handhelds, DS for sure.
Retail release wise, this gen has been at it's worst. Everything has just become so homogeneous. Instead of making the next big thing, they are trying to be like the current big thing. For every Bayonetta, there is a God of War, Dante's Inferno, and Castlevania. One relies on gameplay to make itself good, the other 3 rely on visual flair. It does happen every gen, but it just feels so prevalent this gen.
If you include Handhelds, DS for sure.
Retail release wise, this gen has been at it's worst. Everything has just become so homogeneous. Instead of making the next big thing, they are trying to be like the current big thing. For every Bayonetta, there is a God of War, Dante's Inferno, and Castlevania. One relies on gameplay to make itself good, the other 3 rely on visual flair. It does happen every gen, but it just feels so prevalent this gen.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
StuBurns said:
This is all he meant. There was no thought to the statement.
I also disagree with your definition to next-gen, but mostly on how the title has been handled by advertisers and marketers for this generation of systems and games. 'Next-gen' is, and always will be, a term that describes what is on the horizon. Once it becomes the norm, and I mean this in that once it is part of the mass market, it is no longer next-gen, even if it is doing something astoundingly new.
Its a fine line between current and next generation, and this generation has seen the term 'next-gen' slapped on everything to make it appear flashy and ahead of its time. I cannot take anybody seriously who refers to the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 as 'next generation consoles', because they're not, nor can I agree with people describing certain gameplay or graphics as 'next generation'.
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
I would agree that CoD4 was one of the first true "next-gen" games I played. Along with Oblivion, Gears of War and Uncharted, it felt like a complete step up from anything I had experienced in the previous generation at the time. It remains one of the most memorable experiences I had this generation. Not only did it go further than ever before in the single player campaign, but it redfined how FPS work online.
Whether you see either of those as for better or worse is personal preference, but its impact is undeinable.
Whether you see either of those as for better or worse is personal preference, but its impact is undeinable.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Legendary Warrior said:
He said it was too 'last gen', whatever that means.
It's just a semantics debate though, if someone said CoD4 had 'current-gen' online design, but CoD3 was 'last-gen' in that respect I'd also agree with it, I just think 'next-gen' is an easier way to communicate what the person is trying to articulate.EatChildren said:
I do.Legendary Warrior said:
test_account
XP-39C²
How is "the best console ever" being defined though?EatChildren said:
I think that when people say that "(insert console here) is the best console ever" it usually has a lot to do with personal feeling toward a console, so in that case, why does a person have to be a loon to think that the PS3 will be/is the best console ever?
For me the best console ever is the NES because i have most memories with that console (my first console), but for others the PS3 might be the best console ever because they have better memories with that console.mescalineeyes
Banned
A game has yet to topple Silent Hill 2, so by that standard, PS2 still reigns supreme. (gtfo with that xbox port)
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
StuBurns said:
I agree, its a semantics debate. But a vast, vast majority of people I've heard use the term 'next gen' use it wrecklessly and wankishly, with no real definition or meaning, and mostly used as way of saying "my game/console is better than yours".
Because of that, I have a grudge against it.
sadaiyappan
Member
Oh, when NES was around they didn't have the tech for HD resolution, surround sound, online etc. They do now.. But those techs are not going to change for a very long time, every future console will be 1080p, have online, perfect sound. And the budgets for future console games are not going to increase, because this gen is the first HD gen, so the budgets will be about the same. If anything it will become cheaper to design games as the dev kits become better and systems become more powerful.
There are few truly "next gen"* games out this generation. A next-generation game has to utilise the extra horsepower not only in making the games look better, but also by achieving gameplay that wasn't possible (or possible in a convincing way) before. Very few games have fulfilled that criteria for me this generation.
Sega Rally remains the only truly "next gen" racing game I've played during this entire generation, with its incredible track deformation that has a tangible effect on gameplay and visuals in a way that wasn't really possible (or at least no-one did it) with the XBOX, PS2 and GC.
The feature set of Halo 3, with its constant recording of all gameplay, community features combined with the (now bigger) sandbox gameplay of previous titles made it one of the first truly classic titles that justified the current generation for me, even if at its core it was still near enough the same game it has always been since CE.
Outside of the console space, Crysis had the same "this wasn't possible before" vibe about it. The crowd that forever cries Crysis is all visuals and no gameplay is objectively one of the most ignorant groups of gamers ever born.
In-between the "this couldn't be done before" and "it's the same but prettier" categories you have an odd-but-so-good middle ground occupied by titles like Uncharted 2. The gameplay itself isn't enhanced by the extra muscle of the new hardware, but the way the environment constantly moves and morphs around you as the set-pieces unfold certainly add to the experience in a way that wouldn't have been conceivable in previous generations.
Summation: not quite enough games that truly justify (ie. more than just a prettier face) the extra horsepower of the consoles this generation to make any of them truly be considered classics. However, there are plenty of classic games that will go on to be remembered as such, even if the consoles they were born on aren't.
*Where "next-gen" = current-gen as it should be.
Sega Rally remains the only truly "next gen" racing game I've played during this entire generation, with its incredible track deformation that has a tangible effect on gameplay and visuals in a way that wasn't really possible (or at least no-one did it) with the XBOX, PS2 and GC.
The feature set of Halo 3, with its constant recording of all gameplay, community features combined with the (now bigger) sandbox gameplay of previous titles made it one of the first truly classic titles that justified the current generation for me, even if at its core it was still near enough the same game it has always been since CE.
Outside of the console space, Crysis had the same "this wasn't possible before" vibe about it. The crowd that forever cries Crysis is all visuals and no gameplay is objectively one of the most ignorant groups of gamers ever born.
In-between the "this couldn't be done before" and "it's the same but prettier" categories you have an odd-but-so-good middle ground occupied by titles like Uncharted 2. The gameplay itself isn't enhanced by the extra muscle of the new hardware, but the way the environment constantly moves and morphs around you as the set-pieces unfold certainly add to the experience in a way that wouldn't have been conceivable in previous generations.
Summation: not quite enough games that truly justify (ie. more than just a prettier face) the extra horsepower of the consoles this generation to make any of them truly be considered classics. However, there are plenty of classic games that will go on to be remembered as such, even if the consoles they were born on aren't.
*Where "next-gen" = current-gen as it should be.
Anasui Kishibe
Banned
can I sneak the DS into this thread?
ITT: Old gamers.
This is an argument that will be resolved 10-20 years from now by today's youth, not today's mid-to-late-30s Gaffers (whose children will be graduating from high school by the time this is a meaningful claim to make). Just as GAF looks with fawning eyes at the NES/SNES now, so will this generation with the Wii then -- which has both sold more and has been responsible for the first gaming experiences of many more kids.
tl;dr: It's-a-Wii
This is an argument that will be resolved 10-20 years from now by today's youth, not today's mid-to-late-30s Gaffers (whose children will be graduating from high school by the time this is a meaningful claim to make). Just as GAF looks with fawning eyes at the NES/SNES now, so will this generation with the Wii then -- which has both sold more and has been responsible for the first gaming experiences of many more kids.
tl;dr: It's-a-Wii
360 is my favorite console ever. At least it gave me a whole new world of things to play and communicate. Online play wasn't novel to me since I played PC shooters, but the Xbox just made things easier. The graphics (initially) blew me away and I've had limitless fun with the little thing.
Yes, this little white box has gone beyond the fun I had with the SNES, N64 and GCN... and PS1 too. People are usually bound by nostalgia too much.
Just my 2 cents ;-)
Yes, this little white box has gone beyond the fun I had with the SNES, N64 and GCN... and PS1 too. People are usually bound by nostalgia too much.
Just my 2 cents ;-)