Top 10 Reasons to Purchase the Microsoft Xbox 360
10.The Aesthetics
The Xbox360 is a great looking system. The system itself is customizable as is the user interface. The entire front of the system snaps off so a new faceplate can be snapped on if you choose to do so. Other options include purchasing custom skins to make the console represent your individual style. The user interface can be customized with your personal background, which can be chosen from selections available through the Xbox Marketplace, or you can import your own pictures and set them as background. You also have the ability to create a custom gamer profile where you can set your own avatar that is visible to other gamers. The controllers are quite possibly the best controller ever made. Unlike the original Xbox controller, these are the perfect fit for your hand, even for girls like me whose hands are smaller. The analog sticks are within the perfect grasp and the buttons and triggers are easily maneuvered. The aesthetics of the Xbox360 not only make it one of the top reasons to purchase the console, but also a great way to express your individuality as a gamer.
9. Adaptability
Everyone knows about the problems Microsoft has had in the past with having to issue patches for various aspects of their software. The Xbox360 is no exception. There will forever be problems with consoles when they are released. The same will occur often within games. One of the best aspects of the Xbox360 is the availability to adapt. Take the release of Call of Duty 2. When the game was first released, there was considerable lag time during online gameplay. Microsoft eventually released a download that corrected this problem. They have also made changes to the Marketplace, such as being able to download up to six items at a time as opposed to one download at a time prior to the fix. While it is impossible to expect for there to never be issues with games or consoles, the Xbox360 has made great strides in listening to their consumers and making these downloadable fixes possible and accessible.
8. The DVD Player
The Xbox360, like all the other available systems, can also play DVD’s. The VGA HD AV cable upscales DVD movies to 720p. The VGA cable is available for under $40. While this may seem like more of hassle than a positive reason to purchase the Xbox360, with the addition of the VGA HD AV the picture quality is amazing. Of course, you need a high definition television, but if you are using your Xbox360 on a nonHDTV, then you are already missing out on the graphics capabilities and this reason does not apply. For those with an HDTV, the addition of the cable makes the DVD player one of the best reasons to purchase the Microsoft Xbox360.
7. Media Center
While for most people this may not be a priority, it is an incredible feature to have. If you have a Microsoft PC with Media Center, then it can be streamed through your television via the Xbox360. This means you can view your pictures, listen to music, and stream high definition movies and videos from your PC to your television. Eventually, it will be possible to surf the internet through media center. This capability makes the Xbox360 a great console to purchase.
6. Halo 3
Halo 3 is the follow up to the immensely popular Halo 2 and the original Halo. The Halo series has been the platform game for the Xbox. The first person game lured people in and then the Xbox Live kept them there. Halo is arguably the biggest franchise in modern gaming. The entire Xbox gaming community is looking forward to the release of Halo 3. This franchise is so large that there are books that have been written and a movie produced by Peter Jackson in the works. Hardcore gamers have already pre-ordered their copy of Halo 3. It is sure to make incredible amounts of money on its opening day. Halo 3 is a major reason to purchase an Xbox360. If you want to be at the forefront of gaming then you need to be playing Halo 3.
5. Xbox Live Arcade
The Xbox Live Arcade is a great addition to the Xbox360. The arcade comes with some games already on the hard drive, such as HexicHD, a highly addictive game. Other games can be purchased by using Xbox points. These games include Uno, Hardwood Spades, Frogger, and Street Fighter II. These games are hugely popular on Xbox Live. These games are all available to be tried before purchase, they are all in HD, and each has its own achievements and leaderboards. While many may balk at having to pay extra for these games, most of these games provide just as many hours of entertainment as the $60 games available for the console. The Xbox Live Arcade is one of the top 10 reasons to purchase the Xbox360.
4. Xbox Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a great addition to the Xbox360. The Marketplace contains game demos, movie trailers, game trailers, several options for customizing your Xbox360 and gamer profile, and of course the Xbox Live Arcade. The game Demos and trailers, movie trailers, and many of the customizing options are all available for no cost. Some of the customizing options and Xbox Live Arcade games can be purchased with Xbox points. If you are a media buff, as most gamers are, the Marketplace is a great place to find the latest movie and game trailers and movie demos. There are times when my household looked forward to the days when new trailers and demos come out. Often times my husband will call from work to ask me to download something. Halo 3 trailers have been immensely popular, as well as trailers for movies such as the recent Superman Returns. The Demo for Dead Rising was very popular. This availability keeps gamers in the loop about the progress on their favorite games as well as insight into movies they may be interested in. The Xbox Marketplace is by far one of the top reasons to purchase an Xbox360.
3. The Games
The current generation of Xbox360 games have fallen into very few categories. There have been the shooter games, RPG’s, Driving Games, Sports Games, Thrillers, and several war games. Many people are not satisfied with the game selection currently available. If these types of games are high on your list then purchasing the Xbox360 is necessity. The series of War games, including Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Battlefield 2, Call of Duty 2, and Chromehounds have been hugely popular on Xbox Live. These games allow for buddies to get together and fight with or against one another. There have also been several third party tournaments held for these titles. Oblivion is the quintessential title in the role-playing genre. There is over 100 hours of gameplay, making your money worth every penny. The details on this game are truly realistic while the story arc and side quests keep you engaged. The sports titles have been extremely popular with several titles including games based on football, basketball, baseball, tennis and even table tennis. Games such as Condemned have built upon the thrillers such as Resident Evil and taken it to an entirely new level. The game is thrilling, bone chilling and at times downright scary. While it seems that the genres are limited, each title within the genre is drastically different from the next. The online capabilities add to these differences immensely. The games thus far have been great. However, with the upcoming release of the PS3 and Wii, Xbox360 will be releasing its second-generation games. These games have been promised to be even better story and graphic wise compared to the first generation titles. Two upcoming titles that will be highly sought after, besides Halo 3, are Madden 07 and Gears of War. These will both be released prior to the Christmas season. While there would be no console without the games, Xbox360 has provided fantastic titles with incredible gameplay to make purchasing the Microsoft Xbox360 a wise investment.
2. The Graphics
The graphics on the new Xbox360 are incredible. For those of us who are not entirely tech savvy, it is quite simply a beautiful picture. In many of the games, the characters are so lifelike that facial lines and individual strands of hair can be seen. Each Xbox game can play at 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i.This means that you are supported regardless of the specs on your television set. For those of you who are technologically savvy, the following specs for the GPU (graphical processing unit) are pulled directly from xbox.com:
� 500 MHz core frequency
� 48 Vector ALU
� 48 Scalar ALU
� 16 Texture Fetch Units
� 16 Interpolation Units
� 16 Vertex Vetch Units with programmable tessellation
� Dedicated shader control flow unit
� Custom high-speed EDRAM
The graphics will only continue to get better as new games are released. The graphics make the game and these games are amazing to play. The graphics is the second best reason to purchase an Xbox360.
1. Xbox Live
Xbox Live is quite possibly the most brilliant addition to any console to date. Through Xbox Live, a subscriber can play multi-player games with friends or complete strangers and often make friends in the process. Xbox Live does cost an additional $50 a year, but for the amount of time most gamers spend on Live, they are getting their money’s worth. Not every game can be played multi-player, however most of the titles are set up it. This can become quite fun and addictive when playing to gain ranks on the leaderboards. There is also the possibility to join clans in some of the games. A clan is a group of people who get along fairly well and have decent skill sets in any given game. These clans can battle against other clans, or often find themselves getting together regularly to play their favorite games. Xbox Live is a great social outlet for gamers to get together and discuss their favorite games, strategies, and skills.
These are the top 10 reasons to purchase the Microsoft Xbox360. While there are people who will disagree with these viewpoints and have arguments to attempt to discredit them, the Xbox360 has been a staple on my home since it’s release and I feel confident and stand by the points that I have made. Whether you choose to agree or disagree, there is no mistaking that Microsoft has stepped up to the plate with the Xbox360 and has made the money to back up every statement I have made. Go ahead, try it, and buy an Xbox360. You won’t be disappointed.
