Which new console? Game recomendations please...

[WildW]

I've not had a current games console in a while since I gave my 360 to the kids, but I find myself playing more (older) console games lately and would consider getting a new machine...but which one?

I'm not interested in playing PC games on a console (so no FPS titles), I'm not into sports games, and I don't really enjoy platformers. I enjoy Japanese games like Katamari Damacy, Parapa the Rapper, Bishi Bashi Special, I like the Soul Calibur series, would play tactical RPGs like Front Mission / modern XCOM remakes.

Since I know there's no new Katamari or Soul Calibur coming, what "alternative" games like those exist on XBox/PS4?

I have been a long time Nintendo fan but can't say I'm interested in a handheld that plugs into the TV, so I would take a lot of convincing about the Switch.

 

[ImpulsE69]

You don't sound like someone who likes games in general, I would suggest emulation and skip new gen consoles.

 

[zerocool84]

Well with Xbox One it has backwards compatibility so there's that but exclusives aren't its biggest strong suit but you don't like platformers anyways and most Playstation exclusives are platformers. I would say switch since they will eventually be releasing their Virtual Console but you don't like Nintendo games either. You're definitely not making it easy

 

[WildW]

I think I said I was a long time Nintendo fan. Never mind, I see games aren't for me any more.

 

[Oyeve]

I have every console and if I had to choose just one (excluding my PC of course) I would choose the PS4. IMO it has the best exclusives, Last of us, Horizon....etc. My Xbox one S is literally collecting dust.

 

[Stg-Flame]

For $500 you can get a mid-range gaming PC if that suits you more. The amount of games on Steam alone that fit the genres you're interested in, number in the thousands. Not to mention the Steam summer sale is quickly approaching and most games will go on sale for upwards of 75% off.

https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...drange-gaming-system-builders.2389797/page-10
Check that thread and see if that doesn't fit your budget. You can spend a little more and get a PC that will play any game on high settings for at least five years without needing an upgrade, and even when it's time to upgrade, a new GPU should put you back on the top again.

I've been in the same boat in that I really want a new console, but every time I look at their game libraries, the only games that interest me are also on PC. Considering you can plug in a 360 controller and play almost any game with a controller as well, it also doubles as a console (more-so if you think about emulation). For now, I'm happy with my PS3 being used for Netflix and movies while I keep my PS2 for console gaming and my PC for pretty much everything else.

 

[WildW]

Apologies to all, I should mention that I have a gaming PC I'm very happy with, which is why I'm not interested in playing games on console that are more suited to PC.

My peak console gaming days were in the PS2/XBox/Gamecube era (I had all three), so I was interested in the XBox One for its backward compatibility and the Playstation for the digital versions of older games (esp. PS1) that are available. Unfortunately the XBox One doesn't play some of my old games that I'm most interested in (and Microsoft refuse to be drawn on any sort of schedule or even yes/no answers on what games will be supported in future), and the PS4 doesn't yet play most of the games that were rereleased in the PS3 days.

So, I'll just buy whichever new console is getting the next Soul Calibur and Katamari Damacy games.....oh, damn it.

 

[purbeast0]

Why do you want to get a newer console to play old games? Why not just get a PS3 and Xbox/360? Those can be had for mad cheap now a days.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

The PS3 can play PS1 discs (I was just playing Metal Gear Solid 1 on my PS3 a few days ago), and I can't imagine PS3 costs much now (I got one from Gamestop back in January for $40). Plus you can find a ton of PS3 games for sale for $5 or less if you follow the PS Store weekly sales. Off the top of my head, the games I have picked up for $1 to $5 this year on PS3 from the PS Store include

Catherine
Fight Night Champion
Flower
fLOw
God of War
God of War II
God of War Chains of Olympus
God of War Ghost of Sparta
Journey
Ni No Kuni
Okami
The Unfinished Swan

Then I have gotten so many great used games like Red Dead Redmeption, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma for $7 or less from Gamestop and my local flea market. If you want to play older console exclusives not on PC it's a hell of a time to have a PS3. The only games I paid more than $7 for on my PS3 were Shadow of the Colossus ($10 on PS Store), Dragon's Crown ($20 at Gamestop since it's somewhat hard to find), and Demon's Souls ($20 at Gamestop, this game is in pretty high demand for a PS3 game).

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Also since you mentioned PaRappa, a remaster just got released on PS4.

 

[WildW]

Do people feel confident about the continued existance of the PS3's online services? I'd be wary about investing in online purchases for a console that's no longer sold new, given they could just decide to end the service at any time.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Do people feel confident about the continued existance of the PS3's online services? I'd be wary about investing in online purchases for a console that's no longer sold new, given they could just decide to end the service at any time.

If you want to get a PS3 to play Resistance or Killzone online I guess you'd be playing with fire since who knows how long they'd keep the servers up for that. But for buying single player games I wouldn't worry. It's almost free money for Sony by now. Put a 500GB drive into your PS3 and you could just download everything you buy onto it and never have to worry about running out of space so you'd never have to download them again in the future if the PS Store stops supporting them.

 

[WildW]

Why do you want to get a newer console to play old games? Why not just get a PS3 and Xbox/360? Those can be had for mad cheap now a days.

I guess I'm trying to solve too many problems in one go. I used to own almost every console going but for various reasons like moving home too often in the last decade I got rid of almost everything and swapped to using a living room PC and emulation...which is great, you get instant access and upscaling and wireless controllers and so on. But alas emulation isn't perfect. Some systems can't be emulated of course, and with those that can some games don't work right or have off glitches. I've had issues with controller configuration, especially trying to keep 4 wireless controllers configured in emulators that tend to forget them if they aren't all powered on. Soul Calibur 3 has vertical lines all over the screen if your emulation resolution isn't configured as a multiple of 200. Such a lot of hassle.

I saw how many older games are now working on PS3 in updated versions and was somewhat jealous of a console based system that ought to just work. Additionally I know there are PS3 games I'd like to play but never have. If I could still buy a brand new PS3 I'd consider it, but that generation of consoles, both PS3 and 360, had such a lousy reputation for reliability (RROD/YLOD), plus who knows how long online services will be kept running.

So, far better to buy the latest and greatest system if I can. I was disappointed when I looked at the games available and so many were PC games (by which I guess I mean if I was going to play that I'd get it on PC and use a mouse+keyboard). I guess I was hoping there would be some hidden gems on the new systems that I would like, while I wait for the back-catalogues to be converted over.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I saw how many older games are now working on PS3 in updated versions and was somewhat jealous of a console based system that ought to just work. Additionally I know there are PS3 games I'd like to play but never have. If I could still buy a brand new PS3 I'd consider it, but that generation of consoles, both PS3 and 360, had such a lousy reputation for reliability (RROD/YLOD), plus who knows how long online services will be kept running.

Buy a PS3 Slim then. I have seen PS3 Super Slim for sale new at Walmart within the last few months, so you still might be able to find a new one. I'd buy a used Slim in good condition over a new Super Slim though, as thy're both on 45 nm lithography but the Slim has far superior build quality to the Super Slim. The PS3 that were notorious for the YLOD were the launch models from 2006 since they used 90 cm cpu & gpu and consumed a ton of power. By the time they launched the Slim in 2009 they were at 45 nm and dropped to consuming like 100W. Similar story with the 360: the early ones were horrible with RROD and any time your console died you got a refurbished RROD early generation console back. But I don't recall the later ones having those kind of problems.

 

[WildW]

Was excited earlier when I googled what was available on PS1 Classics, and resolved to take a closer look when I got home from work...

Just took a look at the UK PSN Store, then Googled a bit... The PS1 Classics have been removed from the store here in the UK as of sometime last year. This is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about.