Not long ago, I published a post discussing what I like and dislike about the Wii, and seeing as the next console of this particular generation that I bought was the XBox 360, it makes sense for Microsoft’s console to be the subject of the second post in this series.  It’s a funny thing, though, how I got this console in the first place, because I am more of a PlayStation fan than an XBox fan, so it would stand to reason that I would have been much more inclined to purchase a console made by Sony over one made by Microsoft.  Unfortunately, at the time, the PS3 was much too expensive, and it didn’t have any games I really cared for yet that weren’t already on the 360 (this was obviously before I became a “Ratchet and Clank” fan…).  Since the games I wanted at that time were all on the 360, plus that console would also allow me to play any new “Halo” games, this became the next console I added to my gaming family.

And when I first started playing the 360, I was immediately impressed with the graphics, which were way ahead of the Wii, and even though the first two games I played were not as good as I was expecting (“Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts” and “Sonic the Hedgehog”, the 2006 version, shudder, gag, shiver), I did have a good time playing “Halo 3” (even though it was short) and “Final Fantasy XIII” (despite its flaws), the latter of which came with my console.  (I even got this little waste of time thing on one end of the console that says “Final Fantasy XIII” on it.  Jealous?)  Plus, I was just pretty thrilled that this new XBox had “Final Fantasy” games as part of its library now, as during the last generation, only the PS2 had such an honor.  My game collection was further improved with the addition of “Halo: Reach” and “Halo 4”, which were awesome, and I even had the pleasure of expanding my game library with over 40 Sega Genesis games on “Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection”.  In the end, I ended up really enjoying my 360, and I loved it way more than the original XBox.  And now, anymore of my thoughts on this console will be listed below.  (As usual, my main focus is on gaming, not the other features the 360 has to offer, and extra info was found on Wikipedia.)

Pros

• I think the 360 has a much better game library than its predecessor.  It has more “Halo” games, “Final Fantasy” games are now available for it, not to mention you can get such fantastic games as the two from the “Portal” series and “Rayman Origins” and “Rayman Legends”.  Good stuff.
• After buying the PS3, I was disappointed to find that it takes a really long time to start new games.  It just takes forever installing trophies and other such things I don’t even care about.  If I recall correctly, the 360 starts new games much faster.
• The 360 feels a lot…friendlier than the original XBox.  Maybe it’s just because the main screen is much lighter, but it feels a lot more, well, inviting.  If that even makes sense.
• Like the Wii’s Virtual Console, the 360 has the XBox Live Arcade, which lets you download a variety of games, from old games to new ones.  I’ve actually never used it, but I’m still sure it’s pretty cool.
• The batteries in the controller last much longer than they do in the Wiimote.  I get a good couple of months from this controller.  (Though, the rumble pack stops working when the batteries get low.)
• The graphics are amazing.  They are clearly better than those of the XBox.
• It is definitely more attractive than the XBox, as well.  (And easier to dust.  Stupid XBox and all those ridges.)
• And I suppose the achievements are okay, even if most people don’t seem to like them.  But, sometimes I do have fun completing them, no matter how useless they actually are.
• Now, I’m not sure about this one entirely, as I have not pulled my original XBox out of the closet in some time, but I’m pretty sure the 360 is not quite as annoying, noise-wise, as its predecessor was.  It’s still pretty horrendous, but at least the noise level didn’t bother me quite as much.  Not quite.

Cons

• Nevertheless, the 360 is still a loud beast.  It is so darn noisy!  So much more so than any other console I own (aside from the original XBox, of course).  I’m almost considering buying PS3 versions of all the games I have on the 360 that are actually available on both consoles just so I can play them in peace and quiet!
• But, I probably won’t, because the games for the 360 and the PS3 are $10 more expensive than those of the Wii or the previous generation.
• It’s not very backwards compatible with XBox games.  People do play the games from the previous console on this one, but I have read about so many darn glitches, with pretty much every XBox game that I own, even my “Halo” games, so I have just never tried.
• I have found it strange that most of my games on this console only allow for one save file.  It might be like that on the PS3, as well, but I don’t recall having such an issue with the Wii.  And I really don’t want to delete my only file in order to start a new game, so I have quite a quandary on my hands….
• It’s also really big.
• And the price tag was pretty big, as well.  Not as big as the PS3’s used to be, at least.
• And I wish they didn’t change the main screen.  I liked the original version the best, and then I was forced to update, and it’s never been as lovely ever since.  This saddens me.
• And for a while, it was quite a pain having no battery level meter.  Yeah, I guess the rumble pack dying on me and the crazy lights should have been enough of an indication, but I wanted a meter for the longest time.  I believe they added one in an update, but still.  They have already lost points for such a mistake, and so it is included as a con.  Sometimes the Duck is unforgiving.
• Most unforgivable of all, though, is that I hear that a lot of people have problems with the 360 (such as the Red Ring of Death, not to be confused with the Blue Screen of Death, though I am seeing a trend that people have in naming such unpleasant phenomenon).  Thus far, I have had no issues, and usually my consoles tend to be rather immortal, but this is quite an upsetting possibility.  I have heard no such tales of terror and woe concerning the Wii.

And there you have it, my epic list of pros and cons for the XBox 360.  I was not a big fan of the original XBox, but I think Microsoft did a great job making a console that was so much better than its predecessor.  It improved in graphics and in its gaming library, and it just turned out to be so much more fun than the old XBox.  At least, it’s fun until you get the Red Ring of Death.  Because that does not sound particularly great.  And it’s a shame that this console’s reputation has to be tarnished by frequent failures, because otherwise, it would be pretty fantastic indeed.  I guess the lesson to be learned here is, enjoy it while it lasts.

To Fit with the Naming Trend, I am the Purple Duck of Death, Except for the Purple Part, and the Death One, Too