Are Xbox 360 And PS3 Games Really Next-Gen?

By William Usher: 2007-05-25 04:32:43

Are Xbox 360 And PS3 Games Really Next-Gen?

Many of us in the media have taken time out to label every single Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game as “next-gen”. We say the graphics haven’t been done before and that the gameplay is unmatched with anything else on the market. But are these games really....really the evolution and next-generation from past games? It almost doesn't seem like it.

This question came hard and heavy, though, when PS3 fanboys started bashing the Xbox 360's Gears of War. I have to admit, apart from all vertices being completely concealed from the human eye, due to an amazing amount of polygons put into the beautiful character models, there wasn’t a lot of weight behind Gears of War gameplay. Yes the shooting was solid and the story was an apocalyptic masterpiece, but what did it do gameplay wise that we haven’t already seen before? Is “next-gen” really only applicable to beefed up resolutions and character designs that look like real-life plastic?

“Next-gen” became even more allusive to its use when applied to Resistance: Fall of Man. Again, it had solid graphics and quite a few characters and effects occupying the screen at once...but what else? The maps were fairly large, but none of them contained any unbelievable, jaw-dropping effects that would make you say “Holy (insert appropriate expletive here)”. Have you seen the recent footage of Blazing Angels II? The opening sequence with all those dog-fighters filling up the sky is almost overwhelming just to watch. That’s what the next-generation of gaming is supposed to be about. I suppose it’s one of the reasons why many journalist have yet to say that the “next-gen” is the “current-gen”. Because we’re still waiting for these games to actually fulfill that emplacement. In a way, when we say “this next-gen game...” we’re really saying, “everything else is still very much like the current generation of gaming.”

Now before you fanboys start ranting “The PS2 and Xbox didn’t come out of the gates with next-gen games.” Actually they did. PS2's Gran Turismo A-Spec was nonpareiled to Gran Turismo 2. The Xbox came out of the gates with games like Halo, Project Gotham Racing, and third-party exclusives like Knights of the Old Republic. Literally, none of those games could even be remotely replicated in any way on the PSOne or N64. It just wasn’t possible. We didn’t even compare them to any PSOne, Saturn or N64 games. They were too big, too good looking and contained way too much processing power.

While Perfect Dark on the N64 was nice in its own right, when you compare it to Halo it’s just outclassed, easily. But Perfect Dark Zero was not the same coming out of the coffin for the Xbox 360...it was not like Halo's nascence on the Xbox. PDZ was an embarrassment (i.e., Wall Guy?) and a complete let down. And Project Gotham Racing 3 was nice, but nothing that was strikingly remarkable. Chrome Hounds also failed to ignite a spark the same way the original MechAssault did on the first Xbox. And Virtua Fighter 5 shows very little acclivity over Virtua Fighter 4 – as compared to the Saturn going from Virtua Fighter 2 to the Dreamcast’s Virtua Fighter 3.

Yet publishers, marketers, and even us journalist are quick to say “next-gen” whenever the PR pushes a fact sheet in our face for “another shooter” or “another epic”. This is not to say that ALL Xbox 360 and PS3 games are fit into this “next-gen” fait accompli. On the contrary, I’m just concerned that it seems many of us in the industry are spoon-fed the concept of “next-gen” a little too soon.

For example, if by “next gen” we relate to graphics, then in what way? Is it the amount of polygons per character? Or the lighting used? Should graphics even be considered for labeling a game of the next-generation? If not, then Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Bullet Witch wouldn’t really be considered a part of the next-generation of gaming. Alternatively, is gameplay the only thing in which we judge to be next-gen? Because Zelda: Twilight Princess and God of War II both trump just about any other game (with the exception of Elder Scrolls IV) on the PS3 and Xbox 360 when it comes to gameplay depth. So does this mean that God of War II or Twilight Princess (which also appeared on the “last-gen” Gamecube) could be labeled as “next-gen”?

(Fanboys you better cover your eyes for the next part.) But Halo 3 and Lair are teetering on a borderline that could either make them marketing fodder for the “next-gen” fad, or actual candidates for serious next-generation gaming history. Right now Lair seems like a really big, very fast, good looking Panzer Dragoon spinoff (which isn’t bad, but not necessarily uber). And there still hasn’t been any news regarding serious “next-gen” gameplay features for Halo 3. It almost makes you question if those facts will really unveil something spectacular, given the game’s September release. Another game in an even worse position is Shadowrun, which is basically a normal Xbox game on steroids. The features are rather shallow and as it nears its release, it seems terribly unlikely that it will break any sort of ground in the world of interactive gaming....Of course, other than possibly being a lag-conduit for Windows users competing against Xbox Live subscribers for the very first time (remember Square’s cross-platforming disasterpiece, Final Fantasy XI?)

If we are to consider the next-generation of gaming as something that’s collectively graphics and gameplay, we would have to exclude a lot of titles from the library of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Because many of them fail to do both exquisitely. Jade Raymond, the Producer for Assassin’s Creed, even kindly acknowledged that a lot of so-called “next-gen” games are more-so graphics with soft layers of gameplay upgrades. More accurately, though, instead of going from Ranch to Italian dressing, it’s more like we’re getting stuck with spicy Ranch.

A while back LucasArts’ Chris Williams brought out an interesting point in an interview with Gamesindustry, saying that... “it's not just graphics which must improve if the new consoles are to hold gamers' interests.” He went on to say, “I don't believe that someone's going to go out and spend the kind of money that it's going to cost to buy a new system just for the pretty graphics. It really needs to play differently, and that's where we're trying to advance the industry."

Sony’s disappointing software sales for the PS3 this year and EA’s mega-loss during the launch of the Xbox 360, had nothing to do with bad marketing or lack of exposure. It was just that the games were (and still are) being hyped for their visuals and they didn’t even look all that great.

Sadly, we have a lot of “bigger” and “better” slogans coming from publishers, but nothing necessarily revolutionary. Especially considering that the PS2 can still pump out games that collectively receive 9 and 10s across respected magazines such as EGM and GamePro (and the PS2 manages to keep games in the top 10 charts, something the PS3 couldn’t even do for April). It really does make you wonder if we call the games on the Xbox 360 and PS3 “next-gen” just to make the distinguishing difference between them and the PS2.

The year isn’t over with, though, and Final Fantasy XIII, Assassin’s Creed,Uncharted, Mass Effect and Too Human still have a lot to prove. Hopefully these games will deliver the kind of gameplay experience that will cement the “next-generation” of gaming, as the current generation of gaming.

Tips N4G

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Hemp Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 05:19
Next generation is just that, next gen. I think you are over rating the term. When you die your kids will be the next generation, doesn’t mean they will be any better.

CB G: William Usher Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 05:25
Hemp, really think about that...

If it is the "next generation" and it costs more to develop and for us to purchase, it SHOULD be better. Otherwise why is it the next-generation? Why not keep with the current hardware if it's not going to be better?

That's obviously one of the downfalls the PS3 is facing right now. Why would someone pay $600 for a console if they can have the same kind of experience (if not better) with God of War II on a $100 console?

Ryan Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 06:31
All this next gen nonesense really agrivates me, reason? Because everyone assume next gen means better, COME ON! Goldeneye is still the best shoot-em-up, Super Mario 64 is still the best platform game, and so on. Gears of war was great not because of high end physics, graphics, or anything else, it was because it played fluidly and was fun to play.

If you want my honest, humble, oppinion Half life 2 is the only 'next gen' game i have played since the year 2000.

If next gen is better, then Ocarinia of time, Super mario world, and many other old games are more next gen then any games on the PS3, Xbox 360, or PC.

always me Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 06:31
you tool, FFonline never was and never will be a disaterpiece. you turd.

any game which has devs like sage sundi and players like myself who love and believe in the game itself (why ive been playing since the ps2 beta) will tell you that it outshines any criticisms you can throw at it.

@topic. hemp said it right!

Hemp Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 06:31
Some people would say, why spend money on a console when I can go kick a ball around for free.

That’s probably why the PS2 is still selling by the bucket loads. The Next Generation of consoles is here and given time will show their worth.

In the end you get what you pay for.

CB G: William Usher Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 06:50
Heh,

Have you played FFXI on the Xbox 360 with no headset support? With the constant lag and having to use the controller to chat? It was an awful, awful, awful experience.

kevin Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 07:33
hi all, for me this time around, it`s all about the graphics! there is only so many ways to "play". and fo 400-600 dollars.... they better look GOOD!

CB G: Andrew Groen Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 07:49
I think this is an interesting topic. Personally I think the answer isn't that most games aren't up to snuff and aren't pushing the envelope. It's that there just isn't as much room to jump from last gen to current. There were a lot of ideas explored in the PS1 era that just didn't really pan out as well as they could have. That's basically what the PS2 era was all about: taking an existing (though faulty) formula and refining it.

Now as we jump into a new generation were trying to stick to the same game types and are in essence trying to refine what was already refined. That's why everything seems so familiar except with more donut glaze.

It's like what happened back when Sega Saturn came out. It was this system that was the ultimate sprite processor. Sega bet all its chips that the future was in makign mind blowing 2D games. Then Sony made a whole new era when they innovated and introduced a machine that focused on 3D. Sega was screwed now because nobody cared about 2D games anymore.

It's the same thing here, and I suspect that Nintendo is playing the role of Sony this time around. I may not like it, but neither did most of the hardcore 2D fans back when it was the Saturn's turn to fade into dust.

nic Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 08:12
i hate the term 3rd gen, or next gen when applyed to software, it is very easy and apropriate to aply the concept of generatoins to hardware, as hardware moves forward in massive leaps. software on the other hand does not, it slowly progresses forwards, games out now for the Xbox 360 are notisably better than those that came out at the launch, and just look at the PS2 games look fantastic on that not even comparibal to some of the lesser titles on the 360, but just compair them to the launch titles. it takes software developers time to fully utalise the raw power that a new generation of hardware gives them for this reason there is NO 'next gen' in software, it is a continus spectrum of improvement!

Kevin Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 08:13
I totally agree! but with sony "copying" nintendo`s remote alittle, this may have saved the gaming fun on the ps3. I think that the wii and 360 is for the present, and the ps3 is for the future (and anyone who has alot of $$$) but when the ps3 starts putting out graphics and intense gameplay that the others can`t, I think sony will do great. the graphics are very important in this "next-gen" race, but also the way it`s played, kudos to nintendo for the wii-remote, and M$ for "live",. but in the end, the ps3 will have all of it i think. (not a fanboy, i have the ps3 and 360--not in to the wii)

D.Vader Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 10:13
Gran Turismo A-Spec wasn't a launch title. It came like a year later. Halo wasn't a world wide launch title ONLY in North America, it wasn't released in some territories for a year later. Knights of the Old Republic didn't come out for 2 years after launch.

Of course Xbox would have better launch titles. The Xbox was basically a PC, so all the dev tools were readily available.

The fact is that the Devs only means of harnessing the power of next-gen at the moment is via graphical bells and whistles. It will take a bit for them to work out real next gen environments and gameplay.

Early games never take advantage of the hardware. Don't poo-poo an entire generation of game consoles just because of the early games for it.

I would be worried as an Xbox 360 owner. They have been out for 18 months and still only a dozen or so good games for the system.

Pouria Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 10:48
They only upgraded the graphic in new consoles (Xbox360 and PS3),so when we say next-gen games it means next-gen graphic only.we still need next-gen consoles which have upgraded the gameplay(to be honest,my reason for buying my Xbox360 was the greatest graphic possible with the lowest price possible)

bill Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 10:49
So by your logic, the SNES was really not that much better than the NES.

From what I understand, the only way you think something can be truly 'next gen' is to change gameplay. The only thing that even has the possibility of doing that right now is the Wii with the whole motion sensing thing, which gets a little boring after the initial shock wears off IMHO...basic console gameplay has been pretty much the same for decades, man. You twiddle your thumbs on a controller to move something around on screen. With added horsepower comes added possibility, such as the ability to have lots and lots of characters on-screen at once. Call it frivolous all you want, but I'd love to see the PS2 try to pull off something like Dead Rising - actually, they kind of did try that. It was called State of Emergency and it totally sucked.

So yeah, next-gen=better hardware=better graphics & more complex games.

If you want a brand new experience, you should find a hobby other than video games because there really isn't much else they can do at this point in time.

Add Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:09
Gameplay, graphics, controls, storyline, whatever; regardless of what defines next-gen there is only one thing that is pretty consistant with that definition:

Cost.

The price of next-gen is stupidly expensive. Not nessessarlly for the consumer end (though really it is with the weight of the price tags crushing the console) but specifically for the developers. To make all these nice next-gen graphics budgets for making a game has gone from around 5 million to 20 million.

The scarey thing is that despite the 400% balloon in budget there is relatively (and I say relatively for a reason) little upgrade from last-gen to next-gen. With such an increase in funding one should expect breath taking games that should make people go wow but it is all been done before. One of the last few wow games in recent history is God of War, but it was not because of graphics, it was because of artistic flair.

In all the previous generation of consoles there were signifigant upgrades. More buttons on a controller, doubling of graphical and processing power, rumble, introduction of 3D graphics, large storage capacity mediums, dance pads, guitars, eye toy, and motion sensing.

Games are like movies. It is all about the style and execution. It does not matter if all that CGI makes something look real if it is not worth being made to look real.

I feel console gaming, like movies, is at the end of a long road. At least in terms of graphics. The Star Wars and the Matrix stuff is all done. The only thing that is truely left to do is to create something engaging and intresting, lest the gaming industry falls into the exact same situation the movie industry is in: Falling sales with only sequals and threequils the only thing driving the industry anymore.

jim Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:09
The debate depends more on what specific question you are asking. These ARE the next generation of systems, but the games for the system are not living up to the expectations we've set for them. The new systems are not being adjusted to very quickly by the game developers, and the prices of the systems are set so rediculously high that it leaves us wanting more. Unfortunately we are all going to have to be patient... the true quality of the various systems will reveal themselves in the next year or two as games are better created. This is a good article though... as a 360 owner the games that have come out so far have been very dissapointing. I've had the system for 4 months and I've only bought 2 games because there haven't been that many titles released that I've been that interested in owning. $500 for a system I've only bought two games for? That sucks any way you look at it. Let's just hope that Forza 2 is good enough to keep 360 owners distracted until Halo 3 or GTA 4 come out.

soodz Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:09
I think the evolution of gaming is a lot like when atoms jump to a higher energy state. The higher you get the smaller the gap is between the current and the previous state. It takes a huge amount of energy to jump from ground state to level to, but not so much as from leve 5 to level 6. In the same way, SNES to N64 was a huge jump, but XBOX to 360 is not that much of a jump.

albrnick Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:10
So what about Motorstorm? I'd say is too big, too good looking and contains way too much processing power to be done on the PS2. And certainly Oblivion fits that description as well. And Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is looking to be a contender as well IMHO.

kevin Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:10
I think that is why the 360 is doing so well, and lets not forget that this is sony`s first time of encountering "real" competition. most that bought a 360 might have purchased a wii for the kids and it will be a while or when good games finally arrive on the ps3 for them to purchase one. as for truly next gen, I still strongly believe it`s the graphics, how much further can we go with gameplay? I can still have loads of fun with super mario brother 3, and killer instinct. HD is what this "next-gen" is all about, not gameplay. sony may have gotten it right this time, just going to take a while to build a library to justify the price, or when hdtv`s become standard. who knows

bolitas100 Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:10
In my opinion only ps3 need the label next gen because i have one and i never play so much like now and others reasons like software and the online service i gave 100%.Thanks Sony to make my days happy.

bednet Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:47
IMHO there are "Next-Gen" games and "Next-Gen" consoles...we do have the latter, but there are very few games that I can call "Next-Gen". If it were about graphics, you could say that by upgrading to a better Video card on your PC, your games are now "Next-Gen" games. "Next-Gen" is about inovation , doing things in a game that was not possible with "Current-Gen" consoles.

"Next-Gen" graphics is like getting Chrome rims, new paint, spoiler and a bodykit on a 2000 civic...It does not make it newer, faster or better, just prettier...in fact it may very well make it not as fun to drive.

VoodooHack Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:48
Did we really expect anything new from the games? I sure didn't. The games will be the games with familiar game mechanics and concepts.

What is "next gen"? In my eyes, it's any feature that makes things fresh and new.

In the case of Microsoft's Xbox 360, they've added things to expand, even redefine, the gaming experience as a whole, and not the games themselves. The dashboard alone has truly made the videogame console a multifunctional machine. From the blade system to the separate components to its multimedia capabilities, it's really stepping outside the box of what a traditional videogame console was.

Achievements have become a small phenomenon. And the evolution of Xbox Live has really forced me to rethink what being online is really about. It's not just online multiplayer anymore.

Like I said, the games will be the games. I didn't expect much to change about them. But the 360 has really made those games stand out with a more holistic approach to gaming. Here, the console experience doesn't start when you're playing a game. It starts the moment you power up the console.

To me, that's "next gen"

VoodooHack Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 12:48
Did we really expect anything new from the games? I sure didn't. The games will be the games with familiar game mechanics and concepts.

What is "next gen"? In my eyes, it's any feature that makes things fresh and new.

In the case of Microsoft's Xbox 360, they've added things to expand, even redefine, the gaming experience as a whole, and not the games themselves. The dashboard alone has truly made the videogame console a multifunctional machine. From the blade system to the separate components to its multimedia capabilities, it's really stepping outside the box of what a traditional videogame console was.

Achievements have become a small phenomenon. And the evolution of Xbox Live has really forced me to rethink what being online is really about. It's not just online multiplayer anymore.

Like I said, the games will be the games. I didn't expect much to change about them. But the 360 has really made those games stand out with a more holistic approach to gaming. Here, the console experience doesn't start when you're playing a game. It starts the moment you power up the console.

To me, that's "next gen"

ganja Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 17:55
"Next generation is just that, next gen. I think you are over rating the term. When you die your kids will be the next generation, doesn’t mean they will be any better. "

couldnt agree more hemp

Stush Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 20:37
As technology advances the returns appear to diminish as they become more about fine detail, it's pretty simple. You see the same thing in PC gaming where the jumps from generation to generation of games are becoming less revolutionary and more evolutionary, and now that all consoles are using GPUs that are derived from PC video cards console games tend to evolve in a similar manner.

On could argue that the focus on HD this generation has limited the graphical advancements over the previous generation because the games now need to output at a significantly higher resolution which requires more power. If you use an HDTV 720p/1080i is a huge, delicious step forward. If not then you're missing a big part of what is so nice about the 360 and PS3.

As for the gameplay one can argue that change for change's sake is a very risky proposition (see the ratings for Wii games as developers struggle to put the new controls to good use -- even compare Twilight Princess Gamecube reviews to Wii version reviews for more on that). What should "next gen" games be if not better looking, more refined versions of the games we loved on the previous generation? The argument that next gen isn't delivering would hold more weight if bolstered by some actual specific ideas as to what next gen gaming should entail.

I also think that a lot of what the 360 (and PS3 to some degree, though it still needs time to mature) bring to the table in terms of network features and overall system refinement are being overlooked. There is so much about these consoles that is better than the previous generation from their interfaces, to controllers, to things like achievements and downloadable demos that it's impossible to think of going back. I'm very happy with this generation so far, and it's only going to get better.

Jonathan Keys Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 20:37
I understand Halo 3, but Lair? Lair? Have you not seen the Gametrailers videos? That thing is the most technologically impressive thing on the imminent horizon*, and has beyond Gears level graphics to boot!
(*I'm specifying the time frame because Uncharted knocks everything dead and that's later this year.)

ace Says:
May 25th, 2007 at 21:01
I just streamed media from my new nokia n95 on my ps3! now thats next gen lol but yea, ps3 is next gen from hardware to games......... games to come that is. the hardware - cell, bluray, slot loading drive and touch sensitive functions, motion sensing, built in wifi. As for next gen to come on the ps3 - big little planet, home, that card game thingy. thats innovation! naway its js the wii and ps3 thats bringin tru nexgen to the table. 360 iv all seen b4 but they could hav aleast included built in wifi and rechargable pads lol.

DoggySpew Says:
May 26th, 2007 at 06:45
Next gen for me is physics in animation and material. Euphoria and Digital Molecular Material show things not shown before in games. These technologies are used in for example: GTA4, Uncharted Drakes Fortune, the new Indiana Jones game and Fracture.

dedalo Says:
May 28th, 2007 at 07:19
"I think that the wii and 360 is for the present, and the ps3 is for the future"

^^^ By the time the PS3 begins to get some momentum it will be too late. In 5 years or less, you'll see the next batch of consoles from Nintendo and MS coming out. We know what to expect from MS (more powerful and faster console) and from Nintendo, due to the success of the Wii and DS, they will have a huge pile of money to spend on their new console. They will be more confident in it's success and thus will probably be more agressive in creating a Wii console that still uses a Wiimote (probably with some enhancements) but the console itself will be as powerful or even more so, than a PS3.

dedalo Says:
May 28th, 2007 at 07:19
"I think that the wii and 360 is for the present, and the ps3 is for the future"

^^^ By the time the PS3 begins to get some momentum it will be too late. In 5 years or less, you'll see the next batch of consoles from Nintendo and MS coming out. We know what to expect from MS (more powerful and faster console) and from Nintendo, due to the success of the Wii and DS, they will have a huge pile of money to spend on their new console. They will be more confident in it's success and thus will probably be more agressive in creating a Wii console that still uses a Wiimote (probably with some enhancements) but the console itself will be as powerful or even more so, than a PS3.

johnson Says:
May 30th, 2007 at 15:11
quit double posting! this is sony`s prime example, by the time you spend your money buying all them consoles, you only needed to buy 1!! and no, they will not be better then the ps3, they still will be based on cp`s! this is about home entertainment, and the pc`s time is just about over. I know there will be some pc lovin` creep that says he can make his pc outperform the 360 or ps3, but hey pal, HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND TO DO THAT???? wii will die off, xbox 360 will lose in the graphics department, they already lost in the stability department! the ps3 is the "future", not present as the wii and 360 are! xmas is around the corner, domination is at hand

Cedric Says:
May 31st, 2007 at 03:18
It seems that this article struggles with what next gen really is when its quite simple. It seems alot of people are looking in the wrong places. The next gen is all about making this more real. We are seeing games where the NPC's are not just stationary figures or stupidly walking around. They are actually doing things, they are adding to the immersion feel of games.

We are starting to see level design where you can interact with everything on levels never thought possible, we are seeing stadium crowds where its not just a pixelated field of things you pretend are people but actually fully independant people.

On the gaming side, its all about the little things that you don't really notice because they seem logical, but weren't ever present in previous games. Next Gen this time is all about polish and finishing touches. For the first time in games we are seeing more, we are actually given reasons to explore our enviroment and look at the backgrounds and see what the people and the crowds are doing. That kind if interactivity is just not possible on the xbox for ps2, or gamecube or the wii.

Then on top of all that, you have new dynamic interfaces that allow you to navigate your system unlike anything before, then theres the ability to stream music, and video from your computer, you can create your own soundtracks for every game you play. Thats what next gen is about on the console side.

As far as which next gen system is actually doing better, thats hard to say. Yes the wii is selling well, but most of there unit sales are in japan. I think this is the first time we are actually seeing a split in terms of the gaming world. Next Gen has created japanese gamers and the american gamers and for the first time they are on different systems. In the U.S. microsoft is king with almost seven million units sold, where wii its next competitor is just over 2 million. But in japan are seeing the situation reversed. Where nintendo is clearly the dominant platform.

So Next Gen is also about the seperation of Japanese and Americans gamers as Japanese development compnaies will have to develop for a different platform then whats popular in japan and becuase of the fact that the Wii is so different in terms of controllers and hardware specs developers wont be able to just develop one game and toss it out everywhere. Things have to be re-thought.

So this "next gen" has clearly drawn the lines in terms of japanese and american gamers, and in presentation in regards to the way we access the content outside of the game with such revolutions as blade system used by microsoft and then finally with the games themselves by adding details in terms of greater realism in terms of enviroment and with what your interacting with instead of prevous generations where it has been oh look twice as many polygons make up this character.

Nick Says:
December 11th, 2007 at 02:08
I believe this is the "Next Gen" we were waiting for. Unlike the release of Halo for the original xbox, most games released in the first year or so had little time (in comparison) to learn the new systems and put out a product that fulfills the abilities of the systems. Looking at Assassin's Creed and Mass effect, and then looking at the games from the end of original xbox's run you can see a clear difference in gameplay and quality. This is due to the greater amount of time being spent with the 360 to learn how to more fully use the system. Trying to argue that Halo3 shows that the next gen isnt that much better doesn't work either. The game has to stay faithfull to the originals and the graphics must be easily recognizable as being from the Halo lineage. Looking at scrren shots from the upcoming ghostbusters seams to tell me we are continually moving in the right direction. The screen shot are not prerenders, but honest to god game play. I have not seen a bad word printed from anyone who has had a chance to preview it. AND IT IS NOT EVEN IN FINAL PRODUCTION!

How can anyone complain these days about what they get. My 360 with wireless controller and hardrive cost only $400. Compair that to any gaming computer and the price tags become obviously fair. The AI is better, gameplay is smoother, graphics are lifelike, the systems produce a high def picture, great online content is available, you can preview games with downloadable demos, and (at least from my expierience with 360) the online play has signifacantly less lag than before. This is truely "next gen".

Nick Says:
March 26th, 2008 at 16:48
The "next gen" starts offically out on april 29th with Grand Theft Auto IV. Why do I say this? Because Grand Theft Auto is very popular, No? But GTA IV will have things no other game like it will have, like 128 miles of full HD graphics with soposible real life physics in cars, guns, and people. And all this can not be played on ANY past system only the PS3 and Xbox 360 can play this because of 3 things... The processing power, the video graphics output, and my favorite the hard drive cashing support. So the games can run off, not only the cd, but HDD (hard drive disk) too, so the loading times WILL BE, and ARE, 6 times faster then if only on the CD. NOT ONLY THAT, but the PS3 can process the exact same things the PS2 can, except at around 15 times the rate.... That's why they call them the "next gen" the Xbox 360 is faster then the Xbox by around 6 times the speed as well. (Not as fast as the PS3, but I don't see Microsoft losing money on each sale of their system do I?) Also if GTA IV is not the official "next gen" starter GT5 (Grand Trismo 5) WILL be.. I'm possitive.. How possitive? 100% possitive. You've seen a car in real life right? Well then I'm done with explaining the graphics. You've driven a real life car and felt the corners it takes, accelerating, and braking too, right? Well I'm done explaining the physics. That's GT5 only on PS3 because the Xbox 360 CAN NOT handle what GT5 is putting out. Not even the best PC you can find can play this game. Why? Because each car has over 500 million pixles per car and you've played or have seen people play Crysis for the PC and it always lags on full settings no matter what. Well one car would crash your PC not lag it. That's why PS3 and the Xbox 360 are "next gen," but more over twards the PS3. I own both systems and any same game my friend brings over always looks better and loads faster on the PS3 mostly because of the 50 gig blue ray dvd's, but also because it uses both the CD and the HDD and the 360 only uses normal 2 layer DVD's not even a bit close to 50 gig and not even more then 9 gig. Also HD DVD's (also so called DVD 9's) are 9 layers and DON'T EXIST ANYMORE. When they did exist they held only 30 gig of memory. Why did blue ray succeed? Because HD DVD players had many flaws, while blue ray had... NONE!

FYI: Sony sold rights to microsoft to use blue ray dvd players for the next version of their xbox... if they make one.

CRazy Jo Says:
August 31st, 2008 at 12:11
When the ps2 came out the graphics and gameplay where not overly different from that of the ps1. It took a lot of time, love and devotion to improve the PS2 system to where it is today, in other words its reached its limits due to processing power and graphics card type. So Sony made the ps3 to take over from where the ps2 left off. The PS3 really does not need all this stick from random "media" people who can not see the PS3s (and to a certain extent the 360's) multimedia capabilities ever when it hits them square in the face. Their not just Game consoles their the next gen of multimedia players, think of it as a multi-purpose Computor that specialises in gaming as aposed to just a Gaming console.

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Are Xbox 360 And PS3 Games Really Next-Gen?

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