Link's full hands-on Xbox 360 impressions...

[Link Antilles]

A couple of days ago I was fortunate enough to pick up an X-box 360. Yes, *I* of all people actually got an X-box 360 near launch. So, what swayed me over? Nothing Microsoft said, I can tell you that. Aside from their water-balloon and pulled gunfight adverts, I think the marketing was “mehâ€

[gungrave]

O.O I want one/will get one when they come back in stock lol. I was wondering about PDZ(perfect dark zero....but you already know that) Can you turn the blood off? cause if not my parents are gunna **** when I get it LOL...AND...have you had any overheating, scratching, and/or freezing problems, and if so....how frequent!

[uc pseudonym]

I'm fairly curious about the GamerCard system. How exactly does the Rep aspect of it work?

[Tommy]

How is this sytem different than the original Xbox other than a small graphics enhancement?

[Link Antilles]

I was wondering about PDZ(perfect dark zero....but you already know that) Can you turn the blood off? cause if not my parents are gunna **** when I get it LOL...AND...have you had any overheating, scratching, and/or freezing problems, and if so....how frequent!

1. Yes, you can turn off the blood. However, if you play co-op or two-player, your friend also has to have the blood opted as off.

2. As for overheating, none what so ever. Yet, I've made sure to play in three-hour sessions at the most.

3. I've had no scratching, but I've kept the system in the hoziantial postion the entire time. I believe the scratching is cause by having it in the upright postion, then shaking it. This is according to IGN

4. No freezing. Perfect Dark's framerate will drop pretty low, but no freezing. Call of Duty 2, on the other hand, runs like a dream.

I'm fairly curious about the GamerCard system. How exactly does the Rep aspect of it work?

First off, everyone starts at three stars. When you view another player's gamer card on Xbox Live, you can vote if either they are a good (in the since of fair and respectful) or bad player. Depending how many votes they get will increase or decrease their rating by a certain fraction of a star. Seeing how I only have one friend I’ve been playing with on Live, you can see my rep is up a little tiny bit from the norm.

How is this system different than the original Xbox other than a small graphics enhancement?

While the graphics jump isn’t like the N64 to the Gamecube, I still wouldn’t call it small. -The crappy Wal-mart demos are as reliable as the jaggy screenshots.

But, here are the main new nuances to the 360:
-Ability to connect to your computer and play videos and music stored on it.
-The Game Card System – keeps track of your achievements in all games and coverts that into a one big score. Not a reason to buy the system, but nice to have.
-Working first-party wireless controllers
-Much better Japanese support in the future.
-Live lets you download demos, arcade games, trailers, etc.

[gungrave]

1. Yes, you can turn off the blood. However, if you play co-op or two-player, your friend also has to have the blood opted as off.

2. As for overheating, none what so ever. Yet, I've made sure to play in three-hour sessions at the most.

3. I've had no scratching, but I've kept the system in the hoziantial postion the entire time. I believe the scratching is cause by having it in the upright postion, then shaking it. This is according to IGN

4. No freezing. Perfect Dark's framerate will drop pretty low, but no freezing. Call of Duty 2, on the other hand, runs like a dream.

off teh 81_00|)? Thats awesome. now I wont have to defy may parents and my brother and I love Co-op(dats one of the reasons I get a game e.g. Timesplitters 2 and teh newly accuired Halo 2<---this Christmas lol)
oh and one last question: what about Call of Duty 2? is there alot of blood? or any?

P.S. if your wondering, my parents are just gunna put up wit teh blood in Halo2 .....dont freakin ask, they weird.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Finally a review by a CAA persons! I want one so bad now! I heard though that the 360 is having issues left and right and some people are all ready suing Microsoft.

[CookinLikeSanji]

I'm suprised you haven't had any freezing yet. I work at GameStop and we've had numerous reports of the 360 freezing up. It's been said that there's some type of problem within the wiring of the console, although not yet confirmed. However Microsoft said whatever is causing the freezing to happen will be fixed by the next shipment (Mid-January)

[Yojimbo]

Well my preordered 360 should be in my hands by Friday. But I'm pretty much set now on selling it on Ebay. I was dead sure I was going to keep it then I was torn for a couple days about selling it but I've made up my mind. Its a priority things really. I'm about to buy a set of very good tires that will cost me quite a bit. I'm almost positive I'll be getting a PSP for Christmas so having two new consoles at pretty much the same time will encourage me way too much to get new stuff for each. I haven't been playing that many games lately anyway. I'd only be getting Perfect Dark Zero and when it comes out next week Dead or Alive 4 anyway.

The next batch of 360 games that really interest me won't be out till next Spring anyway and by then I can just get one off the shelf. I know I'll be getting one then so why not double my money off it? It will at the very least cover my new tires and not be another thing I'll be tempted to buy new stuff for after the inevitable cash flow that is Christmas and my birthday in January. So I can wait till the stuff I really want comes out in Spring (minus PDZ and DOA4).

I think about this stuff way too hard...

[Link Antilles]

I'm surprised you haven't had any freezing yet. I work at GameStop and we've had numerous reports of the 360 freezing up. It's been said that there's some type of problem within the wiring of the console, although not yet confirmed. However Microsoft said whatever is causing the freezing to happen will be fixed by the next shipment (Mid-January)

It's been over a week and I've had no freezing what so ever. PDZ's framerate likes to seriously drop in some online games, but that's probably from lag. Granted, I still haven't given the system a good 'ol marathon gaming session (meaning I haven't gone over 4 hours straight) and keep the system well circulated (not something to store in a enclose entertainment center).

As for M$ openly talking about fixing any problems is a first by me. Last I heard, they were praising their Six Sigma 1% defects stats. Of course, I haven't paid much attention after I got my system, so do you have an article?

Well my preordered 360 should be in my hands by Friday. But I'm pretty much set now on selling it on Ebay.

Personally, I'm not sure if I could do that. I'd probably feel bad charging double to a gullible E-bay goer. Still, tires *are* expensive...

[Yojimbo]

Personally, I'm not sure if I could do that. I'd probably feel bad charging double to a gullible E-bay goer. Still, tires *are* expensive...

I could. It's called supply and demand and this is a luxury item, if people are going to pay this much for one then they got plenty to burn. It's not like I'm a manager of a supermarket extorting people during nuclear winter or anything.

Besides so much for selling mine goes...I called last Friday and they were like
"um dude, yeah you're number 5 now on our new shipment." I was number 13 before. And they said there's almost a zero chance they'll get more in before Christmas. Oh wellssss.