I Get an Xbox 360 and Christmas Comes Early
And in from left field, I now have an Xbox 360. While browsing online stores at school [read: trying to waste time], I came across an Xbox 360 bundle at Future Shop for $449. A steal, considering you get an Xbox 360 Pro, Wireless controller, Gears of War, Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged, Ghost Recon: AW and Ridge Racer 6, which I swapped for WWE Smackdown! vs., Raw 2007. For the past month I’ve been following Gears of War and the sheer beauty of it, trying to persuade my only friend with a 360 to get it. Now imagine my shock when I’m standing at the Future Shop register a few days ago getting it.
I was reluctant to step into the next-generation of gaming, my argument being that I’m playing the same games with better graphics. But after playing the 360 titles I picked up, all I keep telling everyone is how amazing the graphics are. Gears of War literally looks like you’re playing Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and I’ve never been so excited to see someone sweat as I was playing WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2007.
It isn’t just the graphics though, as the system has so many innovative features that just keep me smiling over the thought of my purchase. Like the fact that I can listen to my iPod while playing any game, which means goodbye to Smackdown!’s crappy nu-metal & low budget hip-hop soundtrack and hello to any of the thousands of songs on my iPod.
Microsoft also deserves a hand for the fine controller they’ve crafted, considering they started out with the most ridiculed and atrocious controller since Atari Jaguar’s game pad which featured more buttons than a cellphone. The design of it fits my hands perfectly and its white shell looks extremely sleek.
I was a little pissed at first that my HDD only held 10GB as opposed to the 20GB it’s supposed to, but then I realized that those nice folks at Microsoft had filled it with video content that I will most likely never watch. Well, except for that episode of Justice League Unlimited, but only because of Batman. It’s actually a nice little idea and I’m surprised they hadn’t advertised it similarly to Sony advertising the free Spider-Man 2 UMD with the PSP launch.
So, $626.98 later [They tried to talk me into the Product Service Plan and being the idiot I am, I got it. I always get it, even though I say I never will], I’m the proud owner of an Xbox 360. After attending the PS3 Launch Party and getting a chance to dick around with every PS3 launch title, I’m happy with my decision. My girlfriend was going to by me the Nintendo Wii on launch day, but once she found out I bought a 360, those plans were axed. But who needs a Wii when there Locusts to kill in Gears of War, belts to be won in Smackdown! vs. Raw and Croissanwiches to be distributed in Sneak King?
