Xbox 1 or PlayStation 4

Before I explain which of these two systems I prefer, I want to explain a little about my gaming preferences. If you are a mainstream gamer playing because your friends are, you aren’t going to get anything from my posts. Instead, I am going to explain how these consoles stack up for the rare individual who still plays games for the entertainment value.

For me, video games are primarily about the gameplay. Storylines can help with some genres, but technical accomplishments are pretty much irrelevant. Yes, technological improvements can add to the gameplay in some instances. For increasing specs, everything that needs to be represented was possible starting with the Dreamcast.

So what kinds of games do I play? That’s kind of tricky. I have enjoyed a few big-budget titles, but those games are becoming stale. I know a lot of people insist that all true gamers have to go after Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto, but I would rather buy the games that I enjoy rather than buy the games that please others. After all, I have a mind of my own. Unfortunately, the rise of the big-budget derivatives (If I have a game, why should I spend $60 on something with updated graphics but no real improvements on gameplay) has resulted in a declining interest in the bulk of the games that people actually know about. To make matters worse, so-called AAA titles are so fixated on the technical side of things that they usually neglect gameplay.

Enough about what I don’t like. What I do like is new experiences. I like gameplay first. Indie games have been somewhat mixed. Some try to capitalize on the success of other games and end up too derivative. Others are poorly executed and filled with glitches. That said, most of the entertaining games right now seem to be coming from independent developers. For example, I love Terraria on the PC (I’m not sure how well the game would work with a controller, but I might buy the Xbox 360 version if I could get it cheap).

As far as console design is concerned, I want the hardware to help with those new experiences. Simply updating a console with higher specs will not win my support. I want new features. I want the hardware to allow games that aren’t already possible.

I don’t care about fitting in. I don’t care about what the mainstream is buying. I don’t care about technical accomplishments. I don’t care about bragging rights. I don’t care about proving I’m a gamer. What I really want for my next console is the best entertainment experience I can get.

So which console am I more interested in? If you have been reading my blog, you know that I was going to turn this into a short series. I’m not ready to explain what I’m buying. You’re going to have to come back for that.

Next: Xbox 1 or PlayStation 4 II