The Definitive Multiplatform Decision Guide

[Ruined]

ok, so i got a high-end PC, an xbox, and a ps2.

often the same games come out for all three... so the question is which platform has the best version? Being that I enjoy doing technical comparisons and whatnot, I have bought and or rented several versions of the same game to do comparisons. And, when I haven't I'll post here what seems to be the general consensus based on others experiences, tho that isnt too often. the format is:

Title Name - Preferred System (other systems its on) - primary reasons its the best in order of importance

So I'll get started:

Armed & Dangerous - XBOX (PC) - controls
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance - XBOX, PS2 (GC) - graphics
Beyond Good & Evil - XBOX (PS2, GC) - sound
Burnout - XBOX (GC > PS2) - controls, graphics
Burnout 2 - XBOX (GC > PS2) - controls, graphics
Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO - XBOX (PS2 > GC) - online play
Dead to Rights - XBOX (PS2, GC) - gameplay, sound
Doom3 - PC (XBOX) - controls, graphics (yeh I know it aint out yet on XBOX, trust me)
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Toss up (XBOX, PC)
Escape From Monkey Island - Toss up (PC, PS2) - PC better gameplay, PS2 better controls
ESPN NFL 2K5 - XBOX (PS2) - better online play, graphics, sound
Fatal Frame - XBOX (PS2) - graphics, gameplay
Freaky Flyers - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee - XBOX (GC) - gameplay
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack - XBOX (PS2) - graphics
Half Life - PC (PS2) - controls, gameplay
Halo - XBOX (PC) - graphics, controls, gameplay
Haunted Mansion - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
I-Ninja - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb - Toss Up (PS2, XBOX, GC)
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy - PS2 (XBOX, GC) - graphics, gameplay
Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds - XBOX (PC) - controls
Max Payne - XBOX (PS2,PC) - graphics (PS2), controls (PC)
Max Payne 2 - XBOX (PS2,PC) - graphics (PS2), controls (PC)
Medal of Honor series - PC (XBOX, PS2, GC) - controls, gameplay
Mega Man Anniversary Collection - PS2 (GC) - controls
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System - XBOX (PS2, GC) - sound
Midnight Club 2 - XBOX (PS2) - controls, better online play
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance - XBOX,
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 - PS2 (XBOX, GC > PC) - controls, graphics
Need for Speed Underground - XBOX (GC > PS2 > PC) - controls
Oni - PS2 (PC) - controls
Rallisport Challenge - XBOX (PC) - controls
Phantasy Star Online Eps. I & II - XBOX (GC) - less cheating (still much duping tho)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - XBOX (PS2, GC) - graphics, sound
Roadkill - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Serious Sam - PC (XBOX > PS2, GC) - controls, gameplay
Simpsons: Hit & Run - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Simpsons: Road Rage - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Soldier of Fortune - PC (PS2 > Dreamcast) - controls
Soldier of Fortune 2 - PC (XBOX > PS2) - controls, graphics
Sonic Heroes - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Soul Calibur 2 - XBOX (PS2 > GC) - graphics (ps2,gc), controls (gc)
Splashdown - XBOX (PS2) - graphics, gameplay
Spyhunter - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Spyhunter 2 - Toss up (XBOX, PS2, GC)
Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast - XBOX (GC > PC) - controls
Starsky & Hutch - Toss up (XBOX, PS2)
Super Bubble Pop - XBOX (GC) - sound
Syberia - PC (XBOX) - controls
Tetris Worlds - XBOX (PS2, GC, PC) - online play, sound
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon - XBOX (PS2, GC, PC) - controls/gameplay (PC), online play (PS2, GC)
Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six 3 - XBOX (PS2, PC) - controls/gameplay (PC, PS2), better online play (PS2)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell - XBOX (PS2, GC, PC) - graphics/sound (PS2, GC), controls/gameplay (PC)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: PT - XBOX (PS2, GC, PC) - graphics/sound (PS2,GC), controls/gameplay (PC), better online play (PS2, GC)
TMNT - Toss up (PS2, XBOX, GC)
Unreal 2 - PC (XBOX) - graphics, controls

in progress...

[Brikar99]

I will ALWAYS sacrifice graphic quality for better control, so xbox will lose out to PS2 and PS2 will lose out to the PC.

[IKEA_boy]

TMNT Tournament Fighters SNES, Genesis (NES) - Two buttons? Hah!!

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Brikar99

I will ALWAYS sacrifice graphic quality for better control, so xbox will lose out to PS2 and PS2 will lose out to the PC.

not true. mouse/keyboard dont work well for racing games or third person action games compared to a controller and ps2 lacks triggers which is problematic for racing games. Overall I'd say xbox has better controls than ps2 since it has real triggers, but there are certain games that play better on PC and vice versa.

[Notoriousaurus]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Mega Man Anniversary Collection - PS2 (GC) - controls

Disagree, the GameCube control on this game is superb.

[SilentBob]

I own all the systems and i always go with XBOX in the end. I have never been a PC gamer so i can never get use to the mouse and board control. PS2 is collecting dust in my room as i didn't like the controller, load times, only 2 ports ready and the graphics aren't too great (plus it killed my Dreamcast) GameCube is my 2nd fav system to play on because it has 4 controller ports ready, good controller for most games, smoother graphics then PS2(not as great as XBox) and fast loads. But the have the weird button alignment, bad Z Button (why did they movie it) and no Online support. Now XBox wins almost all category's for me. Great graphics, 5.1 Dolby for all games, DC like controller (which i loved), fast loads, no memory card needed and a hell of a lot better Online play compare to PS2.


So when it comes to gaming i always go in this order: (if i want they game badly)


XBox
GameCube
Ps2
PC

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by Notoriousaurus

Disagree, the GameCube control on this game is superb.

I would assume the button layout on the PS2 is more like the original... plus you get turbo with the triangle button, and I have no idea where turbo would be on the cube's two-button face... Also, the four shoulder buttons switch between Rush stuff and weapons... which I can't see the cube being able to do at all. The PS2 clearly wins there.

[Enzian]

The technical aspects and the surge in XBox games makes the XBox a no-brainer, for me. Gamecube has the exclusive titles and a crisp look and feel, which is good, but the lack of titles is depressing. PS2 has a few exclusives that might or might not matter to you, but for the most part, each game looks, plays and feels better on an XBox - except DDR. Live! is a big draw that only the XBox has.

If you want to go the PC route, be prepared for major loot. If you can swing it, though, I highly recommend it. The PC and the XBox complement each other nicely. There's overlap, which feels wasteful, but so be it. There are some things made for computers (FPS'ers in general, strategy) and some for the XBox (racing, arcade, fighters, whatnot).

[Notoriousaurus]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I would assume the button layout on the PS2 is more like the original... plus you get turbo with the triangle button, and I have no idea where turbo would be on the cube's two-button face... Also, the four shoulder buttons switch between Rush stuff and weapons... which I can't see the cube being able to do at all. The PS2 clearly wins there.

The original NES controller did not have extra buttons. In a series like this I want it to replicate as close as possible. In that case, the GC control ownes.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Notoriousaurus

The original NES controller did not have extra buttons. In a series like this I want it to replicate as close as possible. In that case, the GC control ownes.

From what I've read the GC control has the jump and fire buttons backwards from the original controls - in fact from a big thread on this forum with gc owners complaining in it. PS2 does not. Therefore PS2 wins

[Notoriousaurus]

Originally Posted by Ruined

From what I've read the GC control has the jump and fire buttons backwards from the original controls - in fact from a big thread on this forum with gc owners complaining in it. PS2 does not. Therefore PS2 wins

You are teh suck! :p

[downhuman]

Originally Posted by Notoriousaurus

The original NES controller did not have extra buttons. In a series like this I want it to replicate as close as possible. In that case, the GC control ownes.

Actually, the GC version of that game has it completely backwards from the original NES versions (I assume that you're talking about the Mega Man Anniversary Collection). That was the one thing that bugged me about it. You might want to go re-check your original NES versions again (I checked it myself). From what I hear, the PS2 version actually does a better job of dupicating the original button layout.

[MooglePorn]

*victory dance*