Multiplatform Games

Better on PS3, 360, or PC? OXCGN Discusses

by exterminat and dkpatriarch

©2011 Nicholas Laborde and David Hilton

We at OXCGN are known for our hard-hitting opinion articles.

Sure, we do reviews. Sure, we do interviews. But at the end of the day, our bread and butter is that of opinion.

And sometimes, these opinions can clash in what some men have deemed a ‘debate.’

I got into it again with David Hilton, OXCGN’s second-in-command and resident historian, this time for a somewhat short contention…

What is the best platform to play a multiplatform title on?

The Debate

Nicholas Laborde:

So, here we are once again debating a topic that will undoubtedly stir up the opinions: multiplatform preference.

What system do you buy your multiplatform titles for?

I buy all of mine on 360, even though I own all platforms (including the PC; avid PC gamer). Simply put, nine times out of ten the 360 version trumps the PS3 version in terms of overall quality and display.

Heck, some games even run at a [slightly] lower resolution on the PS3!

360 was the entry into this generation, and that’s where my collection of games (and friends) grew the most.

David Hilton:

I’ve converted to PS3 for multiplayer games. I started with a launch 360 console and got sucked into the achievements addiction. But I’ve kicked the habit.

Since I have increased financial concerns I am no longer able to justify buying Live Gold when I can get a new game instead. Especially when I can get a multiplatform game on PS3 and play multiplayer online for free. I certainly don’t see much difference when playing Brotherhood online, and certainly not enough to want to pay to play.

With single player-only multiplatform games (few as there are these days) I do tend to keep with 360; it has to be used sometimes afterall and I like the controller better.

NL:

See, that’s where we differentiate.

I loathe the PS3 controller. It’s not a natural fit for the human hand, and literally makes my wrists cry. The analog sticks are cheap pieces of crap that have little to no sensitivity, and somehow I have the problem of clicking the sticks too easily on PS3 titles, which makes multiplayer add up to be a no-no on PS3 games for me (except exclusives, where I deal with it).

I much rather Achievements over Trophies, even though I’ve sort of grown out of the whole craze behind them.

In a position such as yours, PS3 is preferable and completely justified.

If you have all of the systems, such as myself, then it really comes down to where your friends are.

I buy most multiplat titles on 360, but the ones meant to be played on PC are bought on PC by me. Titles such as BioShock, any Valve title, the Fallout series, and even upcoming titles like RAGE and Deus Ex are meant for a keyboard and mouse, not a controller.

DH:

Umm…I was saying I liked the 360 controller WAY better…In fact it was only a month ago that I upgraded my PS3 controller from the plain Sixaxis to the Dualshock, so I didn’t even have rumble on it!

Another negative for me with the PS3 is the huge time it actually takes to get to play a title for the first time. All that loading when I can just stick a 360 game in and play right away. With PS3 sometimes you don’t get the choice of installing it or not.

That aside, the PC is a no go zone for me: I can’t stand sitting at a desk for hours playing with mouse and keyboard, though I used to do it when I was much younger. I want to sit back and relax in my Lazy-Boy and use my controller.

As for friends…I prefer to play anonymously.  I don’t want people to know I suck so bad at multiplayer.  Oops…gave it away.  

In summary, my position is that multiplatform games hardly have any differences these days, and the advantage of playing multiplayer online for free and all the extra little missions (like Brotherhood’s Copernicus Conspiracy Missions, Batman Arkham Asylum’s Joker extras, and Medal of Honor’s Frontline HD remake) makes PS3 the easy choice.

These advantages offset by far my achievement fixation and preference for the 360 controller.

NL:

Well, you’ve got me there. Developers are seeming to support the PS3 more and more these days, so if you have no convictions to a specific platform, you’re probably in the best position you could want to be in.

It still makes me laugh, though, that people such as Sony try to say stuff like “Battlefield 3 will be the best, on PlayStation 3.” You wish! I’ll be enjoying bigger maps, 64-player battles and true 1080P HD on my PC like Battlefield is meant to be played.

It all really comes down to where you have the most friends and interest, because if you had a ton of friends that make your Xbox Live subscription worth it, the subscription fee is nothing.

Aftermath

Blows are taken, points are made, but at the end of the day, we are here to provoke YOUR thoughts; let us know in the comments what YOU think.

Who reigns victorious?

The hefty PlayStation 3?

The stagnant Xbox 360?

Or the rigorous PC?

Could there possibly be a world where everything really is equal, and it’s just our personal choice that some extremists like to shove in the faces of others, causing for this whole console “war” to be a huge myth perpetrated by the government?

No? Gotcha. Back to the tinfoil hat club!

©2011 Nicholas Laborde and David Hilton

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