- Pronouns
- He/Him
So, I have the most amazing wife in the entire world, and upon pondering, she has given me an Xbox Series S as a huge early Christmas present. You may have remembered a thread earlier, asking if the little brother of next gen machines are worth it. I heeded your advice, and this is what I think.
I think it's important to state. I am incredibly biased. I was born in a Sony family, adopted into Nintendo..... And the only experience I have with Xbox was visiting a family friend, of whom I would play Halo with him. He was an incredibly toxic individual (but I had fun), I later learned he is incredibly racist, and is as well.... Nowadays part of the alt right. Let that sink in for you on how my perspective is on Xbox, and how it started.
I hated the Xbox brand with a passion. It was singularly responsible to toxic online gaming culture, creating a cesspool of racism, misogyny with the invention of Xbox Live. Xbox also helped the demonization of motion controls with its Kinect, it created the whole fiasco with Xbox One(trying to take away used games and even physical games). Yeah..... My feelings towards Xbox were not good, in fact, even now, when I hear the word Xbox, I shudder internally. Now that you are aware of my past, I need to let you know that I have been very critical of Microsoft. Now, lets ask the pinnacle question.
Should you get an Xbox Series S?
Oh hell yeah. This is honestly going to be my next gen driver, and this is already one of my favorite consoles of all time. Let's dive into why and parley my experience.
So, every single time I see anything about the Xbox Series S, people always talk about the performance differences. It's performance differences this and that, yada yada yada. But people get so lost in the numbers of resolution, they always forget to talk about.... Do the games look good, do the games run good? Yes yes and yes. Holy hell this little tiny machine packs a wallop, and the games look extremely amazing(even on a large blown up TV). Yes... Its not "4K". But at any respectable distance the "low" resolution doesn't matter. My main console is the Switch, then PS4. It looks far and leagues better than either of those consoles, and despite no resolution difference, it certainly feels like a generational leap. Games look fantastic, perform amazing, and the feature-set of the system is astonishing too. If you guys are at all used to the Switch level of hardware, this little box that could will blow you away.
Honestly, I give Microsoft a lot of props for making options in their machines. Honestly, the whole resolution wars is kind of silly honestly. I think that people obsess so much about these numbers that they forget to look at the games in front of them. I even hooked up my Xbox Series S to a 4k tv set, and honestly? It still looked amazing. It's just wonderful, and it honestly just works. I have to say as well, quick resume, the fast SSD, and everything makes by far the biggest upgrade. This console just feels good to control from an UI level, to loading, to, well everything.
Another "drawback" that people say too, is external storage. Again, not really a problem. I downloaded a bunch of games, still have plenty of room. Even so, I have a 1 terabyte external hardrive that I got for $20. When I get full, I will put things into external storage..... It really isn't that bad? If I want to move, say Halo infinite between those 2, it takes like 10 minutes. Just make a sandwich and plan ahead. Honestly, I have spent longer getting my disks on PS4 installed. Now that's a rough experience. Now, it doesn't have a disk drive at all.... But I don't think I will ever buy a game for this console.
The whole Gamepass thing seems kind of like a cult doesn't it? It seems like everyone that I talked to, says how great of a deal it is, it feels like its illegal, ect. It's like someone got a bug and turned into this Microsoft PR machine, and it was kind of off-putting.... And crazy. Well, you got another one to add to the list though. People just have to try it once...... And boy this service is just the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I honestly feel like a kid again.
Do you guys remember when you were a kid? Your parents would buy you games, or you would go out to the store, no reviews, no thought of how to pay for the game, just nothing? It's such a freeing feeling because you just looked at what looked cool and brought it home. My absolute favorite series got started that way, Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy, ect. As time passes, you start getting burned by games, especially as you start paying for them. "I paid $40 for Sonic Generations 3DS? What a waste of money!" It's after those, that you start meticulously looking at reviews for games, trying to make sure is specifically appeals to me. And I feel that I nowadays spend more time researching the games that I purchase, rather than just playing. With Xbox Game Pass..... I just feel... Free.
I got to try out so many games. Big games, small games, indie games, AAA games..... And I am honestly crying. I cried, over a tetrimino in Tetris Effect. A game that I just pushed off because I normally hate puzzle games. I hit a huge dose of Nostalgia seeing Plants Vs. Zombies and playing it. I got to play a top rate racing game(which is again a genre I don't normally like) and really feel it. I played some final fantasy, I played shooters, I played... Everything(well not everything but it certainly feels like it). I normally put a lot of pressure on myself, to finish the games I purchase. If I don't eventually finish a game, then it often feels like money wasted. But with Gamepass? I can just play it. I can just worry about having the most enjoyment I can. And it's just amazing. This, plus quick resume makes this the most astonishing value. It allowed me to enjoy games in a way that I haven't for all these years, and I can quickly switch between games, play a little bit, switch to a new one. I am so used to buying a console, and starting from ground zero(no games). While that can be fun in its own right, it is the most freeing experience to get a new console, and being able to play 100s of games right away.
I know, I know, you guys are probably really tired to hear about Gamepass. But I have to say I was one of those people annoyed too, and the fact that this happened.... Ooof it's kind of scary isn't it? But its such a positive perception. Now I have a lot of thoughts of the games themselves, but I think I am getting a bit long in the tooth for an OP.
The last things I will say is the quality of the hardware. So, overall I have every Nintendo console sans the virtual boy, PS1-PS4.... And I got to say, the quality of the design of the hardware honestly is my favorite, and it feels just as durable ass the GameCube. The Xbox Series controller is a huge upgrade from the cheap, plastic feeling DualShock 4, and is mildly better than the Pro Controller. Honestly though, I want Gyro aiming. I can't say how the controller stacks up to the Dualsense(I honestly haven't seen a PS5 out in the wild). But the controller feels like amazing quality. I love the D-Pad too. It's perfect for tetris, and RPG's, and 2D games in general. The triggers and analog sticks feel absolutely amazing too. It gets an A+ for me, and I previously hated Microsoft's previous controllers.
So overall, I am so impressed with Microsoft's opening, and this console. As a Nintendo fan, this is honestly one of the best first days I have ever had with a new console. You know, I was sort of planning to get a PS5 after it gets in stock after a year or so. Time will tell, but honestly, I think I might just stick with my Series S.... Especially with $70 games, an insurgence of big budget games for exclusives(meaning high quality, but low quantity). Time will tell. I know it will stand alongside of my Switch for sure, and they work quite well together! I definitely need portable play so its a good fit.
I want you to take this recommendation really to heart too. Honestly, a glowing praise of a microsoft console is actually quite a lot coming from me of all people. I would love it if you guys had any questions about my experience too, considering that I know most of you all are Nintendo only or Nintendo + Sony people.
I think it's important to state. I am incredibly biased. I was born in a Sony family, adopted into Nintendo..... And the only experience I have with Xbox was visiting a family friend, of whom I would play Halo with him. He was an incredibly toxic individual (but I had fun), I later learned he is incredibly racist, and is as well.... Nowadays part of the alt right. Let that sink in for you on how my perspective is on Xbox, and how it started.
I hated the Xbox brand with a passion. It was singularly responsible to toxic online gaming culture, creating a cesspool of racism, misogyny with the invention of Xbox Live. Xbox also helped the demonization of motion controls with its Kinect, it created the whole fiasco with Xbox One(trying to take away used games and even physical games). Yeah..... My feelings towards Xbox were not good, in fact, even now, when I hear the word Xbox, I shudder internally. Now that you are aware of my past, I need to let you know that I have been very critical of Microsoft. Now, lets ask the pinnacle question.
Should you get an Xbox Series S?
Oh hell yeah. This is honestly going to be my next gen driver, and this is already one of my favorite consoles of all time. Let's dive into why and parley my experience.
So, every single time I see anything about the Xbox Series S, people always talk about the performance differences. It's performance differences this and that, yada yada yada. But people get so lost in the numbers of resolution, they always forget to talk about.... Do the games look good, do the games run good? Yes yes and yes. Holy hell this little tiny machine packs a wallop, and the games look extremely amazing(even on a large blown up TV). Yes... Its not "4K". But at any respectable distance the "low" resolution doesn't matter. My main console is the Switch, then PS4. It looks far and leagues better than either of those consoles, and despite no resolution difference, it certainly feels like a generational leap. Games look fantastic, perform amazing, and the feature-set of the system is astonishing too. If you guys are at all used to the Switch level of hardware, this little box that could will blow you away.
Honestly, I give Microsoft a lot of props for making options in their machines. Honestly, the whole resolution wars is kind of silly honestly. I think that people obsess so much about these numbers that they forget to look at the games in front of them. I even hooked up my Xbox Series S to a 4k tv set, and honestly? It still looked amazing. It's just wonderful, and it honestly just works. I have to say as well, quick resume, the fast SSD, and everything makes by far the biggest upgrade. This console just feels good to control from an UI level, to loading, to, well everything.
Another "drawback" that people say too, is external storage. Again, not really a problem. I downloaded a bunch of games, still have plenty of room. Even so, I have a 1 terabyte external hardrive that I got for $20. When I get full, I will put things into external storage..... It really isn't that bad? If I want to move, say Halo infinite between those 2, it takes like 10 minutes. Just make a sandwich and plan ahead. Honestly, I have spent longer getting my disks on PS4 installed. Now that's a rough experience. Now, it doesn't have a disk drive at all.... But I don't think I will ever buy a game for this console.
The whole Gamepass thing seems kind of like a cult doesn't it? It seems like everyone that I talked to, says how great of a deal it is, it feels like its illegal, ect. It's like someone got a bug and turned into this Microsoft PR machine, and it was kind of off-putting.... And crazy. Well, you got another one to add to the list though. People just have to try it once...... And boy this service is just the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I honestly feel like a kid again.
Do you guys remember when you were a kid? Your parents would buy you games, or you would go out to the store, no reviews, no thought of how to pay for the game, just nothing? It's such a freeing feeling because you just looked at what looked cool and brought it home. My absolute favorite series got started that way, Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy, ect. As time passes, you start getting burned by games, especially as you start paying for them. "I paid $40 for Sonic Generations 3DS? What a waste of money!" It's after those, that you start meticulously looking at reviews for games, trying to make sure is specifically appeals to me. And I feel that I nowadays spend more time researching the games that I purchase, rather than just playing. With Xbox Game Pass..... I just feel... Free.
I got to try out so many games. Big games, small games, indie games, AAA games..... And I am honestly crying. I cried, over a tetrimino in Tetris Effect. A game that I just pushed off because I normally hate puzzle games. I hit a huge dose of Nostalgia seeing Plants Vs. Zombies and playing it. I got to play a top rate racing game(which is again a genre I don't normally like) and really feel it. I played some final fantasy, I played shooters, I played... Everything(well not everything but it certainly feels like it). I normally put a lot of pressure on myself, to finish the games I purchase. If I don't eventually finish a game, then it often feels like money wasted. But with Gamepass? I can just play it. I can just worry about having the most enjoyment I can. And it's just amazing. This, plus quick resume makes this the most astonishing value. It allowed me to enjoy games in a way that I haven't for all these years, and I can quickly switch between games, play a little bit, switch to a new one. I am so used to buying a console, and starting from ground zero(no games). While that can be fun in its own right, it is the most freeing experience to get a new console, and being able to play 100s of games right away.
I know, I know, you guys are probably really tired to hear about Gamepass. But I have to say I was one of those people annoyed too, and the fact that this happened.... Ooof it's kind of scary isn't it? But its such a positive perception. Now I have a lot of thoughts of the games themselves, but I think I am getting a bit long in the tooth for an OP.
The last things I will say is the quality of the hardware. So, overall I have every Nintendo console sans the virtual boy, PS1-PS4.... And I got to say, the quality of the design of the hardware honestly is my favorite, and it feels just as durable ass the GameCube. The Xbox Series controller is a huge upgrade from the cheap, plastic feeling DualShock 4, and is mildly better than the Pro Controller. Honestly though, I want Gyro aiming. I can't say how the controller stacks up to the Dualsense(I honestly haven't seen a PS5 out in the wild). But the controller feels like amazing quality. I love the D-Pad too. It's perfect for tetris, and RPG's, and 2D games in general. The triggers and analog sticks feel absolutely amazing too. It gets an A+ for me, and I previously hated Microsoft's previous controllers.
So overall, I am so impressed with Microsoft's opening, and this console. As a Nintendo fan, this is honestly one of the best first days I have ever had with a new console. You know, I was sort of planning to get a PS5 after it gets in stock after a year or so. Time will tell, but honestly, I think I might just stick with my Series S.... Especially with $70 games, an insurgence of big budget games for exclusives(meaning high quality, but low quantity). Time will tell. I know it will stand alongside of my Switch for sure, and they work quite well together! I definitely need portable play so its a good fit.
I want you to take this recommendation really to heart too. Honestly, a glowing praise of a microsoft console is actually quite a lot coming from me of all people. I would love it if you guys had any questions about my experience too, considering that I know most of you all are Nintendo only or Nintendo + Sony people.
I hated it when Sony flipped the controls for internation audiences.
