Which Orange Box is Right for You?
The best compilation of games since….. ever is just about here now (if you think Midway Treasures offers better value, stop reading and end yourself). You more than likely have a PC if you are reading this as well as uou more than likely have an Xbox 360 or PS3, now to determine what would be your best choice as to what version of the Orange Box you should get. The first argument is the age old “Keyboard/Mouse vs Controller.” Lets look past that though, as if it all comes down to that for you, you have already made your decision, but if you can game with a controller, I think its safe to say there are some very positive features to the 360/PS3 versions that may make some compelling selling points.
Communication: Yes, PC’s gamers have had the option of VOIP or other solutions other than having to type a message out during game play, but lets be honest, that is a very small percentage of users that make use of that option, on top of the fact that every single Xbox 360 is sold with a headset in the box.
Comfort: Having to play while at my computer or getting to kick back in my bed or on my couch… … exactly. Yes, some of you may want to argue that you have a bad ass gaming chair that is better than that Matrix weirdo from Grandma’s Boy, but for the rest of us, you just can’t compare a 19″ screen to a 32″ one.
Friends: Nothing beats a console’s friends list for the simple fact that you can nudge any one of your friends that you already game with to at the least, rent the Orange Box.
Some other points to chew on that really depend on what you are bringing to the table.
System Requirements: For Half Life 2, not such a new game, this actually isn’t a factor as much as the question of “Can I run the game” but more of “Is my PC up to par with a 360/PS3?”
Xbox 360 vs PS3 version: If it is coming down to just these two, if you didn’t know, Valve worked directly on the 360 version where as EA (”the devil”) worked on the PS3 port, ’nuff said.
Cost: Yes, the PC version will save you a few bucks and a drive to the store with the ease of Valve’s Steam (only $50), though you won’t have a physical copy, the game would be tied to your account on Steam either way, so having the disc shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Lastly, a category that PC wins hands down, is the mods. You can’t beat the ease of downloading custom made maps and the such on PC. I do await to see how the 360/PS3 will be handling this as far as cost goes, as I don’t see Valve being the sort of company that would want to charge for extras, but we will see how this plays out. I have no doubts if the there is a large enough console community playing these games and they are vocal, new maps will be made, all we can do is just pray they are free.
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PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Keyboard, Mouse, Controller, The Orange Box, Valve, EA, The Devil
November 28th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
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