Yeah it really makes you wonder.. I mean these developers are totally american.. so why isn't stuff like this on the 360? I don't mean specifically this game or even games exactly like this, but I just don't get why some genres just REFUSE to bloom on that console. Is the assumed fanbase for those games on the platform really that dire? Do they really think everyone is only into PC shooters and racing games?

I mean the Wii and Gamecube were both pigeonholed early on by sceptics to be "kiddy" consoles, but that's frankly an image I can understand was attached to them based on the nature of Nintendo themselves. But Xbox? I mean it had some in the beginning. Stuff like Jet Set Radio, Panzer Dragoon, Blinx (yeah it wasn't particularly good, but certainly adequate especially considering the likewise rather cumbersome Kameo), and others, but after just a bit games like that were never really aimed at the platform again.

Sega opted for PS2 with pretty much all their classic revivals like the eminent but mega hard Shinobi and Blood Will Tell, games that just aswell could've had a decent enough Xbox port. Install base, sure, but the Xbox didn't struggle THAT badly anymore at that point, what with piracy being possible on the console and thus sales shooting off.

During the Xbox/Ps2 years I was frustrated that there was this console with far superior graphics (in theory) and awesome online play and most companies still opted for the PS2 for their games. It was frustrating because I felt that they could be even better if they were developed for the Xbox, and frankly I still had some issues with Sony after the Sega thing going down. With the 360 I still had some slight Xbox bias even though I played and enjoyed loads of PS2 games, but when the PS3 was properly revealed last year I sort of lost track of why I was hoping for the 360 to succeed.

I mean here were two consoles that - while one of them was hugely more expensive - could produce the same graphical results, hence fulfil the exact same potential of a game. When Sony promised an online effort approaching that of Xbox Live, I was even more baffled at my own desire to see the 360 fight its way to the same level of commercial success, because if that proved to be true then there really was no difference in actual gameplay terms.

Despite that I still reckoned competition is the real mother of invention, and putting pressure on Sony will only ensure that stuff like Home happens.

But now.. reflecting on the past year and a half and also the whole history of the original Xbox I've grown a bit worried. Worried that perhaps if the Xbox platform is successful, the new model of game to which companies - western aswell as eastern - will try to aspire to won't represent what I want to play in the future.

I love good western games. In my endless ranting about colourless, charmless war motifs and space marines it's easy to forget or not understand that I do love great western games like Splinter Cell, God of War and Prince of Persia... But it honestly seems to me that on the 360 so far.. for every Splinter Cell there are four Ghost Recons with forgettable "soldiers" for characters and settings that represent real world locations.

A huge part of what makes me go on gaming every year is the knowledge that even though I love Splinter Cell, there'll eventually be a new Jet Set Radio. I could probably survive in a gaming world without Sam Fisher (unlikely, but anyway) but if the Jet Set Radios are forgotten in favour of the next military shooter, my days as a gamer are truly counted.

I dunno where I end up after a brainstorm like this, but I find myself increasingly unsure of whether I've been backing the right platform these last couple of years. Sony better strike back and keep the Xbox at bay, ensuring that there's still a balance, because there are some things each of these formats seem destined to do better.

And really, I don't think I really could live on without Sam Fisher either.

I've been hopping around so much in these threads I sometimes lose track of what thread I'm in. I totally went off ranting about Uncharted in the Folklore thread, so yeah. :D

You wouldn't even regard that as banworthy if it was pro-microsoft. He's not trolling, he's not insulting anyone nor disrupting threads in any way. He's expressing his own opinion. Since you disagree with him that's bound to make you upset, but that doesn't mean he's not allowed to express it.

If you would ban him on the basis of that post, I'm extremely glad you don't have the ability to conduct that kind of nazi censorship.

Ah yes, that nazi streak of allowing everyone to have an opinion without wanting to ban them. I really should get rid of that.

Take a while to ponder that - did I *bash* him for it? Because there's a distinction between bashing someone for their opinion and putting forth your own arguments as to why you think they're wrong about something.

Yeah, he was on about antena's post because he had implied that for him, next gen was starting with uncharted and ratchet and clank. After two posts of explaining what he meant, DC kept going "next gen started 1½ years ago!!" "sony are playing catch up!!" and I was annoyed. I'm human, I get annoyed.

In countering my points about animation he mentioned games we've barely seen anything from, thus we can't even know what kind of lip sync and animation they will be using. Therefore, whilst still being a wee bit annoyed, I said it's just wild assumption - and since they're all 360 games in order to counter any pro-PS3 talk, I said it was a fanboy rant.

I should perhaps add that I spoke to DC in pm just to get what was a rather uninteresting discussion out of the thread. We're not pissed at eachother or anything, and I sure as heck wouldn't even consider banning someone for it even if I could.

In fact I'd prolly never ban anyone, as I think it's generally a harsh thing to do unless people are being complete tits.

Not sure why I have to explain this to you just to justify the NOT banning people for their opinions, but hey.

Well, you obviously realise yourself that your ban comment was unneccessary, and that's the single thing in your post that got to me. Even I can feel the air of fanboyism in antena's posts because he's clearly a Sony fan, so that's bound to happen.

I apologize for the nazi comment. Really, a comment like that is out of line too.

No worries, I'll throw myself in front of you and shield you from the banstick if that happens.

The boon of having a slightly overprotective (and sometimes annoying) champion of balance in the console wars spectrum is that I'm pretty much an equal opportunity action-man! :)