360: First Thoughts

It's been about a month now that the Microsoft machine is in my living room. What are my thoughts? How has the relationship evolved? Here is a quick recap of my experience: Over the course of the month, I have bought 3 games: EA Fight Night Round 3, Dead or Alive 4 and Rockstar Presents Table Tennis.

EA Fight Night Round 3: Clear winner in my case if you count the number of hours played with a 360 game. The graphics are supperb! The dual analog stick punch control is very well done and gives the player the impression that he is truly in control of his boxer. I have not yet ventured on Xbox Live as I feel that my skills are not yet up to the challenge. I have enjoyed the career mode as my boxer from Philly, Rocky Balboa climbs up in the ranks. All in all, a wonderful first game with lots of replay and a great game for showcasing the power of the 360's graphics. 8 Mini-Gates out of 10.

Dead or Alive 4: A classic fighter game - The players are smooth and the improvements are primarily the environments. The little streams, the shadows, the beautiful grass, etc. A fun game with a lot of replay. A cautionary note not to venture on Xbox live unless you are a master at controling your guys - I got wooped in less than 20 seconds on-line. 7 Mini-Gates out of 10.

Rockstar Presents Table Tennis: Beautiful game from the makers of GTA. Who would have thought that in 2006, a Pong remake would be so fun. It truly is. Easy to pick up and play with friends. Beautiful, yet simple graphics. I cannot see myself ever needing another table tennis game after this one unless the Wii comes out with one that uses the wiimote someday. I have not yet tested the Live feature of this game. 8.5 Mini-Gates out of 10

My other gaming time has been spent with the 360 Demos that are downloadable from Xbox Live. I must say that this is an amazing feature that has a lot of potential for sales. Strange that the 3 games I actually bought are not games that I tried via a demo though.

The Xbox Live arcade is easily where most of my time has been spent. I have yet to buy a game online but it's a matter of time before I do so. The selection is okay - no more. The games are good but there could be more in the catalog in my opinion after a year of development.