"It may be big, buts its awesome"

The Xbox is probably the best console ever made. Its fast, produces excellent graphics and has awesome games. Xbox is by far the best on the next gen consoles. I was very shocked when I first heard that Microsoft was going into the gaming buisness. I knew that the company had the skills an hardware, but I didn't think it could grab any die-hard fans like Sony did with Playstation. Man was I wrong.

Graphics: 10/10

You cant really expect better graphics on a console than this. Amazing detail, high resolution and no "jaggies" make Xbox an immediate winner in this category. The graphics certainly are better than Playstation 2 or Gamecube.
Most games have HDTV support of up to 1080i, which can make games look much better. Not to mention that there are no jaggies!

Sound: 10/10

Audio on the Xbox is awesome. The Xbox supports 5.1 surround sound, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Pro Logic. It really makes a difference hearing everything happening around you rather than just in front of you. You can even rip music off of CDs to your hard drive. Some games also support custom soundtracks, which is a definite plus. Almost all games with the exception of the launch titles support all of the features.

Big Controller: 4/10

This is one of the few flaws the Xbox has. The Big Controllers is a huge dreamcast like controller with buttons that stick and Triggers that are uncomfortable. While this controller is excellent for people with big hands, for people with small hands it can be a real pain. When I tried to play with it it hurt my fingers to press the awkwardly placed triggers. The buttons stick out and hurt you finger tips after a while.

Controller S: 8/10

After everyone complained about the original Xbox controller being so big, Microsoft released the Controller S. The buttons are now round and flatter, taking the pain out of your finger tips. It is now much smaller and the Triggers are easier to reach. But the buttons still stick out! Why does Microsoft love making your fingers hurt? The Thumbsticks are also curved in know, making your thumbs more comfortable.

Game Selection: 9/10

Xbox games are awesome. Knights of the Old Republic, Halo: Combat Evolved, and Elder Scrolls III Morrowind are some of the best games ever made. Most games that are released on other consoles are better on Xbox as well. The only problem with this is that there aren't a lot of Xbox Exclusives that are really good. While almost all games are moderately entertaining, there are only a few extraordinary games out there.

Features: 8/10

Xbox can play CD'S, DVD'S, and Xbox games. You need a $30 DVD Kit to play DVDS, which could have easily have been solved by just allowing the controller to be used as the remote. One major problem of the Xbox is that it will not read CD-R's. This can be very frustrating when you make six CD's and only to find out the Xbox doesn't play them. The Xbox is revolutionary in fact that it has a 8GB Hard drive. It also has a 8MB memory stick in case you want to play your game at your friends house.

Final Verdict: MUST BUY. Its the best console out there.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/12/04