"So what's this? I have to buy a REMOTE to play movies? A gyp, I say, a GYP!"

Early in 2000, Bill Gates realized he had a problem. He was the successful creator of the most well-known processor system in the entire world. He had achieved a net worth of over $60 billion dollars, and was well known by both computer geeks and ordinary citizens alike. So was does he say to himself at his Washington estate?

“Sony seems to have a lock on the video game business! Or so they think, as I, Bill Gates, intend to take away their top position, and become the dominant force in yet another industry! Mwahaha! Time for a cigar.”

Finally, on November 15, 2001, the Microsoft X-Box was released to the masses nationwide. While Japan, finally realizing that it was in the waiting position, sat on its hands, America loved to toss around figures such as a Pentium III processor, with 733 mHz (note: of what? America doesn't know.) That fact remains that Microsoft stands tall as a boxy console with four controller ports. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

To the average gamer, Microsoft seems to be a worthwhile competitor to Sony's Playstation 2, with Nintendo (or is that Nintendon't?) in the rear-view mirror. And to an extent, that might be completely true. However, Sony succeeds where Microsoft falters: it simply doesn't provide enough quality games in all of the major genres, limiting it's audience.

To Microsoft, I ask a simple question: Where's the love for RPGs? What happened when you
were quoted as saying that “Square (Enix, as the company was still known as Squaresoft at the time) was inevitable for X-Box,” guys? If not Square Enix, what about Capcom and their Breath of Fire series? To their credit, I will give my applause for the attempt at a massively multiplayer online RPG in True Fantasy Live Online, as it is at least a start in the RPG genre. (Note: True Fantasy Live has since been canceled. Good luck with Fable, guys.)

However, despite the lack of support for RPGs, the X-Box can be the best place to chill for the latest games. The ever-praised Halo, the love for Project Gotham Racing 2, the beauty of Ninja Gaiden, the pretty babes of Dead or Alive Volleyball (no way in hell am I saying X-Treme, it sounds too corny... ahh, damnit), Microsoft has a large amount of hits in many different areas.

Besides having good exclusives, Microsoft can also be the home for the best version of many different games. Tom Clancy's games are a good example, as the terrible Playstation 2 version of Rainbow Six 3 comes to mind. The bad-ass Spawn makes his way into Soul Calibur II for X-Box, while PS2 owners are stuck with Heihatci. Also, a smile comes on my face as I hear that EA Sports has just signed on to X-Box Live, trouncing any advantage that PS2 had over X-Box in that department.

See what I've been doing? The readers don't need to hear me talk about the luscious graphics, the powerful audio system, and the brand-new decent controller S, which is basically the Japanese controller with a green logo on the front.

Everyone has heard the argument from both sides, and for now I'll say this: the X-Box was created for the sole purpose of getting Bill Gates into the video game industry. Once you get that fact out of the way, you're left with the fact that he's created a darn good little (yeah, right) system in the process. With a few more RPGs, and an improvement in attracting all gamers (not only the rich ones who can afford Live), Microsoft might be able to close the gap between itself and Sony. Until that day comes, my time with the future Halo 2 will dwindle when compared with my time with the soon to be released Metal Gear Solid 3 and Gran Turismo 4.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/13/04