Well it’s been a few months since I’ve had my 80GB PlayStation 3 console.  I promised that I would share my opinions of it so share them I shall.  We all know about the so called “fanboy wars” being fought all across the world but most of us rarely get to see the other side.  I’ll be your link to the real deal when it comes to which console is actually better.  You’ll find out at the end if I recommend owning both or sticking with just one.

The breakdown will be simple and I hope you enjoy reading it.  I’ll give my opinions on several features of the PS3 that are comparable to a feature on the Xbox 360 and at the end decide on a winner.  For the record, just because I have an Xbox-centric blog doesn’t mean I’m an Xbox fanboy.  I’m a gamer and I can enjoy anything that’s worth playing no matter the console.  With that said, let’s begin.

PlayStation Home

I wanted to start here because it’s the one thing that I kept hearing would destroy Xbox LIVE and change the way consoles are socially.  However, the truth is that I have no earthly idea how anyone could be excited about this.  I created my “person” and was thrust into a world with other PS3 owners.  I have to mention that first I had to download this world and in fact any part of PlayStation Home that I wanted to visit, I had to download first. 

Fancy a trip to the little movie theater area?  Download it first.  Want to hang out in the bowling alley?  Download it first.  My point is that this isn’t a free flowing social experience at all.  I guess you could spend all your time in Central Plaza chatting (texting) other people but it looks so stupid that the interest for me wasn’t there.  They offer character celebrations to animate your character but I could do only so many head banging gestures before I realized this is stupid of me to do this.  Xbox Avatars aren’t much better if at all but still.

You can also buy things for your character or buy furniture to make the experience more like real life.  I guess that is the intention.  I really don’t know what to say about PlayStation Home.  It’s MySpace on a console.  The fact that you have to access it makes it feel like a separate feature to the PlayStation 3 experience.  In the same breath, Xbox LIVE is implemented in such a way that you’re always connected.  You don’t have to download places or applications in order to enjoy parts of Xbox LIVE.  Xbox LIVE is one whole banana split whereas PlayStation Home separates its ingredients so you might get the banana at one point, the cherry at another and the whip cream somewhere else.

And I know about all the drama that surfaces when talking about the costs compared to Xbox LIVE.  I’d rather pay for a good experience to be honest than to have something free that just doesn’t interest me.  I know gaming online is free as well but really…how many of your friends talk about gaming online with the PS3…I mean really?

Winner – Xbox LIVE

PlayStation Store

I haven’t spent much time in the PlayStation Store but I don’t have many bad things to say about it.  Each time I visited, I didn’t have a hard time finding what was new or what the hottest thing for the day was.  It’s well organized and the prices are actually prices that I understand.  There was never really anything interesting while browsing the store but that didn’t stop me from being impressed with it overall.  I think I downloaded a billion free themes just because I could.

Winner – PlayStation Store

PlayStation Dashboard

It’s probably the most uninspiring thing about the PlayStation 3.  I’ve seen it a million times on my PSP so using it on the PS3 was disappointing.  I don’t know the decision behind it but for a mammoth of a machine like the PS3 you’d think they would put a little effort in distinguishing it from its handheld system.

A bonus is being able to customize it for free but even with personal customization it’s still uninspiring to look at.  I suppose it functions and Sony decided to leave it at that.  I just don’t feel any type of experience navigating it.  If not for the ability to browse photos or videos, I probably wouldn’t access it at all.

I know there is all this buzz about the browser but I’ve used it only once.  I logged on to Unscripted 360 and browsed a bit but I quickly realized how useless it is to browse on a console.  I won’t even mention how uncomfortable the whole thing was trying to navigate with a controller.

Winner – NXE

Hardware

I don’t really have to go into any detail about this do I?  The Xbox 360 has had more than its share of hardware problems.  When I opened the PS3 and set it up one of the more impressive things I noticed about it was that it was well built.  It’s a sturdy beast of a console.  It’s amazingly quite when playing a game or movie.  And I simply love the touch sensitive On/Off/Eject button.  That was great.  I loved the slot loading as well but oh how much trouble I’ll be if ever a disc gets stuck.

I also loved the networking and wireless feature of it.  I synced my PC up easily and my wireless connection was a breeze.  I didn’t have to purchase any additional adapter for it so that was cool.  I haven’t tried the external hard drive thing but knowing that I can attach a much larger hard drive at a cost that’s a fraction of what I would for an Xbox 360 hard drive, makes me smile a big smile.  I won’t ever do it but knowing that I can makes a difference.

One thing about hardware that I don’t like are the controllers.  I’m not a Dual Shock fan.  Even though I actually like the Six-Axis in some games, I’m not a fan of the controller.  The triggers are stupid on it.  They just feel off for some reason when compared to the 360 controller.

Of course I can’t go on without mentioning Blu-ray.  I favored HD-DVD because of the feature comparison between the two so I was upset when it bit the dust.  I hate the fact that I have to actually install movies before I watch them but there’s no other option right now.  (more on installing things below)  Once the movies do install and playback begins, Blu-ray on PS3 performs rather well.  I’ve been able to watch movies in 1080p and the picture quality is great.  My daughter loves Bolt and Wall-E in Blu-ray.  I myself can’t get enough of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans right now.  It looks amazing.

One annoying thing about Blu-ray, however, is the lack of extra features.  I briefly mentioned this above.  More often than not, there aren’ t any special features on the disc.  I was used to having all kinds of behind the scenes and other interactive experiences with HD-DVD but with Blu-ray it’s hit or miss.  You might get some cool bonus features and you might not.  It’s good to have a gaming console that also moonlights as Blu-ray player though because of the new releases on the horizon that I must see in high definition. 

Winner – PlayStation 3

Game Selection

I won’t lie to you.  I just didn’t get into Metal Gear Solid 4 or Killzone 2.  I know those are the heavy hitters on PS3 but they did little for me.  They were both very impressive visually though and I can tell they would be fun for a lot of people.  I guess I wasn’t one of those people.  I even tried Resistance (both of them) and didn’t get the feeling like I had to finish this game.  Perhaps I needed to fast for seven days or something from Xbox gaming?  I doubt it because I did enjoy Uncharted.  I’m waiting on God of War III.

If I’m talking only about exclusives then I have to say the PS3′s exclusives haven’t held my attention.  That will change when God of War III comes out I imagine.  The only multi-platform title that I own is Soulcalibur IV.  I haven’t even bothered owning any other because if it’s on both consoles, the Xbox 360 version wins out due to Achievements and Xbox LIVE.

Should I talk about Trophies?  Probably not because they’re of little interest and not all games even have them.  They’re more like an add-on that Sony attempted after the Achievement sensation on 360 games.  They don’t even make a cool little sound when you achieve one.  How cheap is that?

Should I also mention the need to install every damn thing before you play?  That’s probably the most annoying thing about playing a retail game or playing a download from the PlayStation Store.  Once you download a game from the store, you have to install after you’ve just waited to download it.  So there’s double duty on every game just about.  First the download and then the install.  It’s annoying.

And right now I’m going to share with you how one game changed my entire impressions of the PlayStation 3.  A glimmer of hope was given by the most unlikely gaming event this past weekend.  My faith in all things PS3 was restored by way of a free downloadable game in the PlayStation Store.  Rag Doll Kung-Fu: Fists of Plastic just saved me and my PS3.  This one game nearly trumped every Xbox LIVE Arcade title I’ve ever played.  Scratch that…it does trump every single one.  This one game nearly had me give the edge in game selection to the PS3.  It was a ton of fun to play (Six-Axis on it rocked) and the in-game music was perfect.

Winner – Xbox 360

Final Thoughts

My PlayStation 3 has gone unplayed and collected quite a bit of dust more than I’d like to admit.  This has happened in a variety of spurts depending on if a Blu-ray movie release interests me.  Although it has collected more dust than my Xbox 360, I’m slowly beginning to see the benefits of having one.  It’s nice to be able to play both fields when something on PS3 is announced that interests me.  I can go play it and put an unbiased look on things for you guys. 

If you can afford both consoles, then I don’t see the harm in owning them both.  Despite the fact that my PS3 rarely gets used, it’s still a good console that offers something.  I didn’t go over the price for this reason alone.  Most people know what they can afford and what they can’t so that decision is ultimately left to you.

Feel free to hit me up if you have a PlayStation 3.  PSN = DeaconBlade