1066 All Stars

Parts 1-4 of this feature can be found in the Videogames section, here.

Next Gen

The format war started during the previous generation with the launch of the X-Box but the dominance of the PS2 meant that this was only ever a superficial struggle.

The battle for supremacy in the next generation would be far more hotly contended with the X-Box coming out on top of the PS3 in terms of mass market perception and brand awareness, even if the eventual sales figures tell a somewhat different story.

Interestingly though, this was a somewhat redundant war. If you asked someone to look at a screen running the same game on either format, I would challenge that person to be able to make an educated guess as to which machine it was running on.

With so many multi-format titles, and with marginal differences in specs between the two machines, preference came down to a combination of brand loyalty, consumer bias, and the strength of first party exclusives. But there were some differences.

Playstation 3

As an erstwhile user of PS1 and PS2 there was an air of inevitability that I would migrate to PS3 over X-Box, swung further by the added benefit that early PS3 models were backwards compatible with PS1 and PS2 games, allowing me to utilise my extensive (unplayed) game collection.

The decision to buy was ultimately driven not by some graphics behemoth or first party must-have but rather the release of a new Lego Star Wars game. I already owned it on PS2 but now it came with extra bits!

Silly I know but I had my bonus from work burning a hole in my pocket, no kids yet and it was a game that the (future) wife and I could enjoy together, reflecting the changing nature of my videogame consumption.

The early PS3 model was a beast of a machine. Heavy, solidly built, it looked like a tank and heated up like one too. Early adopters were rewarded with backwards compatability, extra USB slots and a nice chrome finish, later versions trading these out for a cheaper, lighter build.

My launch pack included Assassins Creed, a interesting if somewhat limited and repetitive game but one that showed the capability of this new generation of consoles with its vast open world landscape. Also Motorstorm, a simple but excellent racer that I still return to today and the game that introduced me to shoulder button for accelerate control, which confused the hell out of me the first time I played it and kept wondering why my car kept blowing up when I pressed X. And finally PES, completing the line up.

It was differentiated from the X-Box in a couple of ways. Firstly the Blu-ray drive, supposedly adding masses of additional content space and of course allowing for the machine to employ the same tactic as the PS2; where that was the first DVD system for many of us, this would be our first blu-ray system. And in that respect it was effective, killing off the HD-DVD (remember that?) market.

The benefit of the extra capacity for gaming was barely noticeable, at least for multi-format titles, the ease of development on X-Box presumably overriding any desire on the part of the programmers to spend time figuring out how to get the best out of the machine. And it was slow!

Meanwhile online was offered free right out of the box, with a paid benefit service coming later, offering an online shop, online gaming, a functional internet browser. And system updates. Lots of system updates.

Of the multi-format games I owned, GTA IV was pick of the bunch. After hours of game time stumbling around in the dark, I finally realised that I could increase the brightness within the game and what I found was a fantastic piece of software. Different to the last two entries to be sure; the tone was more serious, the driving more realistic, the best friend more demanding (darts anyone?). But the central protagonist was great, the dialogue as ever witty, the set pieces phenomenal. And who doesn't want to watch TV in a game, especially when you stumble across Ricky Gervais doing stand up. A simply incredible piece of software.

Other titles impressed. Batman Arkham Asylum, Fallout 3, Call of Duty. And many others that I never played; Red Dead Redemption, Dark Souls, Battlefield.

I spent a lot of my game time with more simple titles. WWE Legends of Wrestlemania and TNA Impact reflecting my dubious long time interest in the sport of kings. I spent limited time with FIFA,  always finding games I had more interest in. Mirror's Edge, a great, original game, reminding me on some ways of D-Generation on the Amiga. And the numerous games I racked up but never played that much; the GTA expansions, Far Cry 2, Street Fighter 4.

Whilst multi-format titles may have struggled somewhat, first party titles showed the true power of the machine available for those developers prepared to look for it. I didn't have a clue what was happening in Metal Gear Solid IV but by God it looked good. Infamous was great, another take on the open world genre with divergent paths. Resistance Fall of Man and Killzone 2 were FPS experiences that compared well with those of the X-Box. Ratchet & Clank, a series I came to late but have since acquired the earlier games. And Little Big Planet, a strange platformer and one that I was never 100% taken by but a worthwhile game for sure.

But undoubtedly the greatest experience on PS3 belong to the Uncharted series. I vividly remember my experience with the first instalment, playing along almost in time witha friend, swapping stories on sections we reached. With a tip of the hat to Tomb Raider, this was everything I loved in a game; fast action, great atmosphere, tightly scripted narrative, compelling characters. And mutant zombie monsters.

The first instalment was surpassed by its sequels, culminating in the incredible Uncharted 3, perhaps the pinnacle of the interactive cinematic experience. The scale of it grew without ever losing the core of what made the game so great in the first place, the set pieces becoming more jaw dropping, online elements adding further sizzle to the satisfying steak.

But whilst the third game is technically superior, it is the original I still turn to, one of the few games that I have gone back and played more than once. The combination of environments, tight narrative structure and focused gameplay, as well as manageable but satisfying run time, make this a satisfying title to replay.

Truly this is one of the geat game series of all time and reason in and of itself to buy a PS3.

As ever there were a raft of titles that I never experienced - The Last of Us, God of War, Heavy Rain amongst others.

Despite its eventual sales success, I suspect that the PS3 will go down in history as something of a disappointment. It had its flaws for sure, perhaps most of all that it strayed away from its core of being a games machine, trying to position itself as a multimedia device. But as the games will testify, this was a high quality console and one that helped to create many of my most vivid, enjoyable gaming memories.

X-Box 360

I had never intended to buy an X-Box. I was aware of some of the great games sure but the Sony fan boy in me told me I already owned the superior product.

The chance to get one came out unexpectedly during a phone contract renewal, a bizarre deal allowing me to buy one for just £10. My first impressions were that the machine looked and felt cheaper than the PS3. The screens and menu looked inferior too, I preferred the clean lines and sophisticated look of Sony's XMB.

There were other differences. The paid online model meant that online gaming was off the table whilst the (far quiter) DVD player ensures the console gets greater use as the kids watch their various films. The controller was markedly different but ergonomically comfortable, howeve I question the need in the 21st century to have to buy AA batteries to power a wireless controller, Sony's rechargable unit offering a clear advantage.

My first game purchase was Halo 3, a series I had heard lots about. It was a satisfying, if not ground breaking experience. I also picked upForza 2 fairly cheaply, a natural comparison game to Gran Turisom on Playstaion but a game that served only as a distraction when not otherwise engaged.

My most satisfying experience to date has been with Gears of War. A clear influence on Uncharted, the series is fun and engaging, however I find myself preferring the more deeply nuanced and developed characters of Sony's offering, Uncharted also offering a more fluid, fast paced feel. However both Gears 1 and 2 were played to completion and whilst largely forgettable in a storyline sense (both since and during play to be honest), the games themselves were nonetheless enjoyable.

Other games await. I am looking forward to Mass Effect, although suspect it is a game that I will need to invest time in to gte the best out of. Meanwhile Batman Arkham City represents my first multi format purchase on X-Box, signalling the end of any lasting prejudices over console superiority.

Ultimately my experience with the machine has reflected the nature of its purchase; a nice to have but very much the side dish to the main course of the PS3.

Wii

Of course the format war was more than a two horse race. In fact whilst Micrsoft and Sony were busy flexing their muscles at each other, Nintendo quietly went about stealing market share with their rather underwhelming looking (and sounding) Wii.

In a sense it is strange to consider it a next gen console. In terms of graphics and power, it wasn't in the same league as its bigger cousins. It didn't even have hi def graphics! But what it did have was a unique control system and marketing.

I acquired one as a birthday present a few days after gettin married. After spending some time with Wii Sports, in truth I wasn't sure what to do with it. It seemed like a bit of a gimmick, real gaming was for the grown up consoles.

But there were quality games to be found. Mario Kart in particular became a faithful companion during my period of unemployment in late 2013. Meanwhile New Super Mario Bros continued the high quality output of the series, a tricky trickster of a platformer that I still occassionally wrestle with, a game that makes you want to smile and throw your nunchuck at the TV in equal measure. And Super Mario Galaxy, although I felt slightly overrated, is without doubt one of the most inventive games I have ever played and an enjoyable experience, one that I return to occassionally despite completing. 

As ever, there are games I have barely touched. Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, Sega Superstar Tennis and Madworld amongst them. Then there are the games not owned, such as Metriod, Super Smash Bros or Zelda.

But most of my game time has been spent with Lego. After migrating from PS3 (on the basis that my 'real' comsole was for me, this was now the joint machine), the Lego games offered an experience that both the wife and I could share. We greedily snapped up Indiana Jones, Batman, Pirates of the Carribbean and Harry Potter. The quality is variable depending on the licence, the Harry Potter series in particular resonating with us.

And this reflects the main appeal of the console, a machine with something to offer the family as a whole. Who would have thought a fitness game would bring both young and old together to play videogames? Indeed I found myself looking for games I could play for my kids, such as Epic Mickey and then coming full circle as my 3 year olds crash into the walls and drive backwards on Mario Kart and boogie away to Just Dance Disney.

It's influence can be seen with the attempts of Sony and Microsoft to cash in on motion control with Move and Kinect. But these always felt like an afterthought, an attempt to cash in.

For so many reasons the Wii shouldn't have worked. And yet it stands as one of the defining consoles of a generation.

In part 6, I look at handhelds and the rise of mobile and casual gaming, here.