Hey, ya'll. I am doing a little bit of double time tonight. I just got a call back and I am going to do my 'ranting' on the X-Box 360 now because I REALLY need to 'Get Amped' for this (Big ups to Teq! Check him out Saturday!) interview, it's with the CFO. Big things in store for your boy. It sounds like a kick-ass position after some research on it. I hope I get it.

Another reason I am doing my X-Box 360 commentary right now is the fact that I just spent about 2 hours at Gamestop playing it to avoid the weather. My god is it craptastic outside! And I must say they are cool people. They allowed me to play different games and everything. I spent a good bit of time on Need For Speed and the demos for Dead or Alive 4 and Perfect Dark. I must sat this, and I may regret this later, but the X-Box 360 is not a BAD system. It has just done three VERY bad things:

1. It did not live up to the hype
2. It's not the best thing out RIGHT NOW
3. It won't be the best thing out in a year, or even six months

First off, the hype. I was over at a friend's house at Christmas (Greg, I got your gift btw and it is hella late. My bad.) and they had video of a launch event at a Best Buy about the release of the 360. They were showing clips of the games, and we all were rather impressed. Until they got to the direct ports (Madden, Tony Hawk, etc.) and I realized that nothing had changed. The graphics are impressive and touched up, but not MINDBLOWING (http://www.gamespot.com/features/6140621/index.html). Normally that aint a problem, but it is when they have screenshots and press events hyping the power of the unit. The results were disappointing at best for the launch titles.

I'll get to that later, but my big 'issue' with the 360 is they fact that the games coming out for the PS2 and in some cases the GAMECUBE are just as impressive graphics wise. When I put Resident Evil 4 for both units up against the 360 titles, only DOA4 and Need for Speed beat it out. Even God of War has a equal look, and the game speed is fast as hell. Z played Fight Night 3 and I didn't believe him about the speed until I played it at Best But in Denver yesterday. My GOD, its like the Matrix (the last two, not the first one). He said it best: 'What's with all the polygons if they can't move?!'

Now we have already seen the pictures of the PS3 titles. If the game-gossip sites are true and the launch titles are correct(MGS4, FFVII remake, God of War 2), then there is no way the 360 can survive in a head on battle later on this year. Even the Nintendo Revolution with its 'French Tickler' controller has the new Zelda and Mario titles and if they have a Mario title with Kart after it I am SO in it to win it.

Ok, I will never quote 50 Cent again but he had a pretty good twist to a Tupac line:

Look in the mirror,ask yourself,who are you If you don't know who you are,how could ya dreams come true

Sony has always been focused to be and become a mainstream system. Like how people say 'Xerox' for a copy even when they may have another brand of copier. Or a Kleenex, Band-Aid and Kool-Aid. At my old job, they called it branding when you get so big you are known as an action (KOBE, for you Chappelle Show fans). Playstation is generic for video games like Nintendo was in the mid-80's and 90's. Nintendo has earned its spot and can really do no wrong, kind of like Robert De Niro. That's why he can make a movie like 'Showtime' and no one with bat an eye because he is Bobby Frickin-De Niro. Even is Nintendo releases a boatload of crap, we are guaranteed a kick ass Mario, Zelda or Metroid game to make up for it. Microsoft has not found its place yet. Until it does, it will always be 2A as a console option.

Now, full circle time. I mentioned the launch titles and how disappointed I was. I have softend my stance on the ol' box. I always said that the first 'Box was a Halo away from being the next 3DO and I stand by that. But really think about it. For those of us old enough to remember the original Playstation launch, remember ToShinDen? I swore up and down it was a '3D Samurai Showdown'. I told Griff to check it out and he said 'This ain't next-gen, this is next crap!' and he was so right about it. Every launch game looks bad and sometimes plays worse. Hell, remember Bouncer for the PS2? That thing didnt even work on half the systems! And once it did, we realized it did indeed suck ass. So for those hating on the XBox 360, don't bash the system because of the quality of the games, because time has showed they will improve. Bash the system because its 400 damn dollars. I already bought XP and Office, does Microsoft just want my direct deposit number so they can take all of it? Well, that's all for that. That probably won't help any of you, but I hoped it helped you give the little white box a shot. If you have half a 'g' to blow.

*phew* that was long but it had been on my mind.

Back to me. I will try to let all of you know how everything goes tomorrow or Saturday morning at some point. Also, I had my last beer watching the Seahawks/Redskins game last week. Yep, I am giving up drinking. Actually, seeing as I have only had two drinks since I got laid off a month ago (I got a Mojito on New Year's Eve. And no it's not a gay drink. It's a land-owning drink.) it should actually be very easy to not do it anymore. I also figured out how to do polls, as well. I should have one up hopefully by the end of next week, even if things work out and I back among the taxpayers. Can't leave the peeps hanging. It's about the love. Wish me luck and until next time, stay up.

Chachi (finally) out.

R.I.P.

Wilson Pickett (3/18/1941-1/19/2006)