The Big Decision

With the release date for Final Fantasy XIII announced to be spring 2010, a fork in the road is rapidly approaching for me. At last, a choice has to be made as to which of the next-gen consoles will win me over? I asked the advice of my friends and acquaintances (via Facebook), and I've started to narrow things down between purchasing either a Playstation 3 or an Xbox 360.

I'm told the PS3 is more powerful than the 360, which makes sense as the PS3 came out after the 360, but I haven't really been able to tell the difference in terms of graphics or performance. The PS3 has a Blu-ray DVD player built in, which is a plus as buying the console is the cheapest way to purchase one. There are rumours that an external Blu-ray player may be released for the 360, similar to its now obsolete HD/DVD player, but I would have to pay extra for that.

In terms of games the 360 is the winner at this moment in time. There are a lot more exclusive games out for it that I would definitely play, such as Gears of War 2 and Halo 3. MGS4 is probably the only exclusive for the PS3 that I would really be interested in, possibly Little Big Planet as well. However there are a few games available for both platforms that I would definitely buy, such as Fallout 3 and Oblivion. So that slightly levels the playing field.

Longevity is a very important factor in my selection. I'm still playing my Playstation 2 and that console has been out for years. In fact I'm still playing some of my PS1 games on it. So I want to know that the console I buy next will give me a few years before it becomes obsolete. The 360 is coming to the end of its life expectancy, and it would seem the PS3 will last longer. However, the cynic in me thinks that as soon as a new Microsoft console is released Sony will drop the PS3 and focus on its next project. But then again the PS1 and 2 have hung on for quite a while, so maybe I should trust Sony on this one.

The internet capabilities battle is easily won by the PS3. If I have to choose between free online play and paying around £50 for a years usage, the choice is a pretty simple one.

In terms of looks the PS3 and the 360 are both able as ugly as each other. When it comes down to it I'm going to end up using either console as a coffee table, regardless of how 'slimline' the new PS3 is supposed to be. Both the consoles controllers are equally aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing my opinion, so no clear victor there either.

So there you have it. I'm probably leaning slightly more towards the PS3, because it might last longer and has the built-in Blu-ray player. However the Xbox 360 has a lot more games out for it, and is slightly cheaper. I've got a few months to decide, we'll have to see if the situation changes by the spring!