Thinking about buying my first console ever. Any advice?

Note: I was pretty confused when I began to write this topic yesterday, but since then I've kind of resolved things as I did research and had a day to think about it (so now the best solution seems kinda obvious to me) But read on anyway and see if you can offer some advice/ if I made the right decision

I have been an only-PC gamer from the beginning, which has caused me to miss out on some great console exclusives over the years. Also, my laptop (with an nvidia GT 650m) is now beginning to age, meaning I need a complete gaming overhaul.

For reference, the kind of games I love are story driven, rich in atmosphere single player games and RPGs (Fable, The Witcher 1, Mass Effect, Dragon Age Origins, TES:Oblivion, Gothic 3 etc)

The games I still want to catch up on really bad are Fable 2, TLOU, Uncharted series and RDR. Of those, I need to play Fable 2. As you can see from my profile picture, (and this topic I made 8 years ago talking about how I want a PC port of it)I'm a big fan of the original and have spent years waiting for the sequel to come to the PC after eventually giving up a couple of years ago.

Money is a concern too, and I'm keeping that in mind while making my decision.

In more detail, here are the games I've wanted to play on each platform (Bold are the ones I've really wanted to play from the day they were announced) :

Xbox (360/ one) - Fable 2, Gears of War, Halo (This list seems weirdly short)

PS3/ PS4 - Uncharted 2, TLOU, Journey, Ni no kuni, Persona series,Infamous series, Heavy Rain, Yakuza, Wild, Ratchet and Clank, Catherine

Non - PC console games that I'll get either way, that make the case for a console stronger - RDR, Neir

PC games (non exclusive) that I'm waiting for and that my laptop is too weak to run - Mass Effect Andromeda, Kingdom Come deliverance - These I could play on a current gen console as well

Compiling that list for my own research, and for this forum post, made me realize that the only thing I'm interested in for the Xbox is Fable 2, and the common console games (I really thought there was something more!) So probably a Playstation would be the way to go, but I could buy a whole console just for Fable 2! (When will I ever play it if not now?)

So I could either build a great PC and buy a last gen console to play the exclusives that I've talked about, or just buy a current gen consoles and not build a PC (which would allow me to play the old exclusives, plus the upcoming multiplatform games that I'm excited for)

I could just go ahead and get an Xbox one and finally play Fable 2 along with the new stuff, or get a PS4 and play all those cool games I've missed out on over the years.

Somehow my mind has kind of settled on getting a PS4 (in between starting writing this post yesterday and finishing it today)- the thought of catching up on all those games + playing new titles without being forced to set everything on "low settings" like I've had to do on my laptop for a few years now is pretty exciting. I'll have to figure out another way to play Fable 2 someday I guess? (I have a friend who just bought an X360, maybe I could borrow it. Rental services otherwise are not available in my country/area)

Questions -

Am I missing out on something big by giving up on the PC as a gaming platform for the next couple of years that for some reason I can't think of right now? Most indie games/ rpgs seem to make their way to all platforms nowadays (Kingdom come, for example) I would probably be playing fewer games for lesser time (probably just a couple of hours on the weekends), so I probably don't need to get a PS Pro, right? Will I regret not buying a console just for Fable 2, or are there any other great exclusives for xbox that I'm overlooking now that would make it's case stronger?

Let me know what your thoughts are as I think about buying my first console ever! Thanks duders

I'd go with a PS4 pro if you are starting now, or the Scorpio of you can wait a year. I (mostly) gave up on PC gaming due to having young kids and I don't regret it.

The PC crowd will rightly tell you that PC games are cheaper, but if you get your console games on disc you can sell them online and get something else second-hand. It basically becomes a never ending swap shop. I've not bought a full-price new game for years apart from when I have saved up enough loyalty points.

I used to drive myself nuts tinkering with PC settings and testing frame rates. There is something to be said for not being able to do that so you can just sit down and play the damn game!

Fable 2 and Red Dead are both backwards compatible and Uncharted, Last of Us, and Journey all have remasters, so those are probably the best ways to experience those games.

There are a ton of console exclusives I could recommend depending on your taste. Lost Odyssey recently went back compat and is a solid JRPG if you're into that.

I suggest building a new PC and also looking for a used PS4 on the secondary market after the Pro comes out and people start unloading the old version. Maybe you can even get it with a bunch of games for cheap.

I went through a similar dilemma with MGS4, and eventually caved and bought an PS3 about 4 years after the game came out (probably should have watched it on youtube, sick MG burn!) Personally if you need to see the Fable series out, maybe just pick up a cheap 360.

Hell if the budget is their, do the same for Playstation, play the ones you missed and scratch the itch. Maybe you could borrow them from friend?

Personally I would invest in getting a PC you can upgrade over time, at the risk of sounding elitist, I think consoles are really a step backwards at this stage. Microsoft and Sony are on the cusp of increased iterative process, and the 5 year cycles is over, better to put your money in something that is truly modular.

Honestly, if you're between an Xbox One and PS4, I think it mostly comes down to which exclusives you care more about. If you're more into the Western exclusives, like Halo, Gears, and Forza, then the Xbox is the way to go. Maybe consider waiting a year for the Scorpio, because that's apparently going to be a pretty decent power bump. If you're more into the Japanese stuff, like Persona 5, Bloodborne, Disgaea, etc. the PS4 is better for you. I'd personally wait until the Pro comes out and get that if that's the case. It's also worth noting that Microsoft is putting a bunch of their exclusives on PC, so if you have a PC that can run them or think you might be planning on building one at some point, you could cover most of your bases buying a PS4 and resolving to play those MS exclusives on the PC.

Either way, good luck! It seems like a super weird time to be buying a console. Seems like we're heading into some... Uncharted territory (I'll see myself out)

If you need to play Fable 2, buy a Fable 2 player. 360's are great, or if you have the extra bucks, get an XBox One.

I would get the Pro. For an extra $100 you have a console that will probably last longer in relevance than the PS4 and will have more stable framerates in the future while the PS4, the weakest CPU on the market, will inevitably hit CPU bottlenecks not even the Xbox One will hit (Titanfall 2 Tech Test is a good example as well as Assassin's Creed games being framier on PS4). An extra $100 for a Pro that potentially doubles the life of your purchase is probably the way to go to be honest.

I'd build a new PC and buy a Super Nintendo if I were you.

PC and Nintendo NX / Wii U?? Console exclusives have kinda been meh in my opinion, ps4/xbox/pc all have similar games on them whereas the nintendo consoles, even with them being on first party life-support, could provide a nice change of pace

PS4 pro. Tons of great shit on there including the remastered Uncharted series, The Last of Us, Bloodborne, and more.

I'd say Wii U but it's about to die and you showed no interest in Nintendo.

@armaan8014:based on what you've shared, Build a New PC that runs windows 10 in about a year when these latest new Nvidia cards aren't so brand new anymore (as they look to be a major improvement over the last couple years) and get a cheap 360 now for Fable 2. Given how much you've talked about that game I think you'll regret it if you don't play it.

Most Xbox One exclusives are now also coming to Windows 10 Store and the Steam Link makes the console experience pretty easy on the PC these days. So the new PC will give you the best of both worlds. Those Windows 10 store ports may not be great, but at least you it's a way to play them without having to buy the console.

While I'm more Team Playstation myself and Playstation has imo the better exclusives in general compared to Xbox, you should know (especially if you like or think you might like Japanese games), PS4 does not have backwards compatibility with PS3. So if you wanna play a lot those PS3 games you mentioned, you will need a PS3 and a PS4. Some do have Ps4 remasters but a lot don't. It's a bigger investment.

I personally would much rather play all those PS3 games you mentioned than Fable, but given how much you love Fable I think you'll be happier with the Xbox option. And since you have been pretty much a PC gamer, you may not like Japanese games much as you might think if you didn't grow up with them.

If you do decide to go Playstation route, PS3s are pretty cheap these days, might be a better to get one of those and see if you like the games then jump into a PS4 .

@slag: I agree w Slag here. I'd get a 360 and maybe look at a PS3. Everything you mentioned Sony wise you can play on a PS3.

Fable II is an awesome game too. Just played through it again recently.

Haha Im actually used to 720p and ~20fps on low settings if I'm lucky nowadays, so either hardware will be a big upgrade for me!

Haha you have really confused me now. A 360/ps3 lets me play all the games I missed, an Xone allows me to do that but also removes the need for a PC for upcoming games, and a PS4 allows me to only play the remasters of the games I missed but also removes the need for a PC for upcoming games. Maybe this means an XOne now + a PC sometime next year? That seems to be a comprehensive solution, but I miss out on Tlou and Uncharted. Decisions.. decisions

Lol you're definitely right about that - this is a weird time to buy a console, which is why I'm so confused. But I also kinda really want to (I should mention that I just started earning this year) I do need to get through those previous console generation games though, and it almost seems like the decision lies between Fable 2, RDR, Neir (Xone) vs Uncharted, TLOU, journey (PS4). A PS3 would allow me to play a lot of the older games in my list except Fable 2, but when I'm done with the list, then what? I can't play any upcoming games on that, whereas a current gen console can. Even with a PC, it'd probably become a waste of space after I'm done with the list

@frostyryan: @plop1920: @sodapop7: Yeah, as of now I've not had any interest for getting into the nintendo area. It's more about scratching the itch of those games I've missed out in the past decade, while also maybe covering my bases for the next few years. Thanks!

I kind of did not really know this. But that changes things! That means I wouldn't be able to play games like RDR (next priority after Fable 2) and Neir. So Xone vs Ps4 almost becomes Fable 2, RDR, Neir vs Uncharted, TLou and Journey, which makes Xone look better than it did before to me.

I'm considering not going for a last gen console because after I'm done with the few games I'm interested in in my list, I'd not really have any use for the console and that would feel terrible/ like a waste. If I go for a current gen console, I could play the list and also cover the upcoming games, while probably getting myself a gaming PC sometime later (like maybe next year)

I've been gaming on a gt650m laptop with most games on low settings, 720p and ~15-20 FPS, so I'm not hard to impress/ my standards are low. Keeping that in mind, do you think playing Andromeda and KC: deliverance on something like the Xbox One would feel much less satisfying than playing it on a 970 gtx? (would there be a major difference?)

And yeah, I'm not that into japanese games (having tried a couple that made their way to the PC), it's only the 3 that I've mentioned before that I'm interested in. Thanks for the input!

@tpoppapuff: I'd probably like to get the cheaper option (therefore not pro), but what you said supports the case for an Xone in comparison. Thanks for the advice!

In that context Xone seems a better option. After Fable 2, RDR and Neir, I'd have no use for the 360. For a few more bucks, an Xone could play all that and potentially fill in for a PC which I could maybe buy next year

@artisanbreads: I'm thinking about not going for a last gen console, just because of the possibility of it collecting dust after I'm done playing the games on this list. That's making the Xone look like a better option - a bit of last gen and a substitute for a PC for a year maybe

If you've been a PC Gamer for a long time, it's going to be rough to go back to those old games; a lot of them haven't aged well, including Fable 2.

Some of the games like Catherine, Persona and Heavy Rain are to me better watched. Especially since we have a Persona 3 Endurance Run on this site.

If money is a concern I would personally advise in getting what you are already leaning towards, a Playstation but maybe also be prepared to sell it off. That's what I did for Journey(loved it), RDR(was ok with it), Demons Souls(ok with it), Uncharted 1(disliked it). Maybe a secondary question is if you intend to be able to always go back to those games or not? If not I don't see it being that much of a monetary loss, but you will be paying for a fleeting experience.

Also worth considering things like FF7 is on Steam and I see smaller japanese devs on Steam as well. Also going forward I've not see that much narrative heavy games being exclusive amidst the e-sport flu floating around.

Get a 360 and a PS4. Is that an option too? Otherwise I'd skip the 360. I mean, Fable 2 is great and the 360 has a vast library of outstanding games, but you're only interested in three of them. That makes it not really worth it, especially because the library is more or less definitive. In the meantime PS4 has more games for you to play and it will be alive for at least 3 more years, if not a lot longer than that.

You can play the remastered edition of The Last of Us on PS4 (that is a really fantastic game) and I'm pretty sure Journey is on it as well. Uncharted 2 is not as far as I know, but you definitely missed the window to play it though. In my opinion all the Uncharted games are way overrated, but even series fans will admit going back to Uncharted 2 now will not give you the experience they had when that game came out. It was impressive for several things, none of which are still valid today.

Journey is on the PS4. Uncharted 2 (the single player portion) is on the PS4 in the Nathan Drake collection.

I'm a big Xbox One fan, but if you want a console to supplement a PC the Xbox One is not a great choice unless you plan to use the "Play Anywhere" feature because all the big Xbox One games going forward will be on PC. It also just doesn't seem like OP has that much interest in the Xbox ecosystem games so PS4 and cheap 360 may be the way to go.

PS4 also has a decent and growing selection of PS2 games so you would get an opportunity to try out some of that stuff if you're interested in going back to an earlier generation of console gaming. Something like Mark of Kri might be a good choice just to see what console games used to be like.

Also, and this is both premature and a whole lot more money, PSVR seems promising to me so far.

Here's something I forgot to mention. Playstation Now! (their game streaming service of old Ps2/3 games) has recently been made available on to PC gamers

https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/explore/playstation-now/ps-now-on-pc/

The Uncharted Series (1-3 not 4), TLOU, most of the Ratchet series, Heavy Rain and Journey are all available through it (Persona & Catherina and a lot of third party exclusives do not appear to be). It does have a monthly fee, but they often have free trial months etc. Don't know how the experience is, it's probably best for RPGs versus things like Uncharted but dunno. Of course that's also available on PS4, so I was wrong. There is a way to play some Ps3 games on PS4 that I forgot about.(It's just that you can't bring over a library you own like I have) But you could just easily do that on your new gaming PC if you get one. That doesn't help you with PS4 exclusives like Until Dawn, but imo the PS3 had better ones (so far).

I'm not sure how well it's doing or performs on PC so no guarantee it will continue to be supported. It's an option anyway.

But in any event I think that makes the Xbox One/ Gaming PC 2017 an even better option for you given what you've said. You can get some of the best of both worlds of what you want going Xbone/PC.

Re: ME: A & KC- I really don't know as those games aren't out and I've never heard of the second game. My suspicion would be ME would be just fine, while KC might better on PC given dev/publisher team sizes etc. There is also the question of Mods (if you use them), XboxOne does allow support for Mods but I don't how rich the mod experience will be on console if you care. Whatever Xbox One will have will likely be better than what Playstation will allow, as they don't seem to "get" the appeal of Mods. And of course PC will be even better yet.

Since you are talking about playing them on a 970 as opposed to a 1070 (which the devs of Mass Effect may shoot for specs wise for recommended specs. Fwiw 1000's is supposed to be a pretty large improvement over the 900 series), My conjecture is that the console version of Mass Effect will likely be a somewhat comparable experience to the PC one if using a 970. It might be locked at 30fps, but it does seem like the console market is Bioware's primary customer base these days so it may actually be the better designed port. Fwiw Dragon Age Inquisition has kinda not so great KB&M controls if that tells you anything about what Bioware is like these days. But no one can really tell you that.

I guess the biggest thing you have to ask yourself is if you'd like playing these games with controller if you are used to KB&M. Any KB&M peripherals on console are likely to be clunky, although I do think they exist.

Based on all the info you've given out, here is what I suggest.

• Get an Xbox One now-ish (if you can wait till Black Friday if you are American there will likely be steep sales on it given Xbox's likely tough holiday against the PS4Pro) and play the oldest stuff like Fable 2 & RDR first.
• Wait till ME:A is out and see how the performance reviews are for the various versions and factor how it performs on PC before deciding which components you want in your gaming PC. You don't want to spend that kinda money and get something that's struggling immediately (they all eventually age, but I think you ought to at least shoot to be able to have play new AAA games easily in year 1). Build it, then go crazy however you want to.

Your heart deep down really wants Fable 2 man, it has to you've mentioned it so many times. So I think you ought to listen to what your heart is telling you.

@an_ancient:You're right, I could get something with the mindset of selling it off when I'm done with the games I wanna play

Yeah that's looking like a good option too, although maybe a slightly expensive one. But if money weren't a concern, a 360 + PS4 would be the ideal option. Maybe I'll think about whether I can stretch my budget accordingly or not. Also, apart from the three exclusives I've mentioned for the 360, haven't most narrative, single player games come over to the PC/ also on PS3? Unless I'm forgetting something.

Interesting point about Uncharted 2. Maybe it'd be worth it if I only got the newer ones for the PS4 (if I do get that)

That does seem like the ideal situation. I'll just have to see if a 360+PS4 is worth it financially at this point, because that will mean delaying getting a good PC further by a year or so. But I guess since I've now understood and researched my own priorities through these posts, I should be able to make a decision on it.

Thanks for the help everyone!

@slag:Really gotta thank you for all the in-depth help you've given man!

The PS now thing is interesting. While I did read about it, I'm still a little skeptical about the performance I'd get over my average internet connection. But if it does work, it kinda makes the case for a PS4 strong as well (allowing me to play some of the PS3 games, plus I realized PS4 has some good exclusives coming up such as God of War. On the other hand, Xbone has slightly less interesting exclusives for my taste)

I used to be involved in modding up my games, but nowadays I barely have the time to play games, let alone mod them. So that wouldn't be a loss for me. Also, I'm pretty used to using a Xbox 360 controller hooked up to my PC, since most games nowadays seem to be designed with controllers in mind!

The only thing confusing this up, as you said, is the existence of Fable 2 :P Yeah my heart is on it, and I really should go through with that (and also RDR and Neir, since PS4 wouldn't be able to play those)

I guess my options after all this have narrowed down to either 1) Xone now and PC in the future or 2) X360 and PS4 now and PC in the later future. (maybe when the console generation ends)

The decision shouldn't be too hard to make now, and it only depends on how much I think I can afford + what games are the most important. I think the answer should come to me in a few days, thanks to all the information and discussion I've had here.

Again, thanks for the help!

@armaan8014: Yes, they have. By the way, have you played Fable on PC yet? How much do you love that game? If you're constantly replaying it, then Fable 2 would most certainly be a great game for you. If not though, that's another reason not to get an Xbox.

There are valid reasons to get either an Xbox One of PS4 for sure, but based on what you told us so far, it seems to me like PS4 offers more of what you want to play. Xbox is limited to one game: Fable 2. You can play Halo and Gears on PC. The Last of Us is a fantastic game that you'll surely not regret buying and playing. Heck, I really disliked Naughty Dog when that game came out (because I think Uncharted is one of the most overrated series ever) and it still ended up being my favorite game that year, even beating BioShock Infinite which I thought was really fucking great. I don't particularly like Journey myself, but that game is also highly regarded.

Maybe you should also tell us what your general taste in games is? Perhaps if you've been an outsider for so long, you might be missing some games you'd probably really want to play. Also, what exactly is the current state of your PC? Can you run older games/current games at all?

@zevvion:Haha I've obviously played Fable on the PC, that's kinda the reason I so want to finish off the one that didn't make it to PC. I never replayed it though, but that's just a thing I do with movies and games I love the most - I just watch or play them once and then preserve that memory (so no, I wouldn't replay Fable 2, and would probably sell off the console if it is an X360 after playing through the list)

Yeah, over the past few days I've realized there are tons more exclusives on the PS4 that I'd like to play compared to the Xbox one, which has led me to think that getting an Xbox 360 first and then a Ps4 some months later might be the best way to go (and later sell the 360 and not get a PC until next year or the year after that, making PS4 my main platform for that duration)

As for my general taste in games, besides what I mentioned in the OP, this list should give a good idea (mostly story driven single player games and RPGs) And yeah I can run current games, but at the lowest settings, 720p, ~15 FPS (Witcher, Mafia 3) I can run GTA V on medium at 900p and about 25-30 FPS. These frustrations have made me realize it's time for an overhaul!
Thanks for the help :)

since you have never owned a console i would suggest getting a ps3 so you can get the metal gear collection. i bet you can find one really cheap. then get mgsv on ps4 maybe? it came out on last gen but im sure it ran very poorly.

in fact my recomendation would be to buy a last gen console, (PS3 or 360) which i bet you could find for $100 or less. then build a budget pc. you can get a fairly decent pc for not a lot of money these days.

@armaan8014: Cool. Just in case you never played it, Mass Effect. You need that.

Advice? I'd build a PC instead :P Games are cheaper and it all just runs better http://www.toptengamer.com/top-400-gaming-computer/

Id honestly say don't buy a console (at least just yet) and give PS Now on PC a shot. There is the 7 day free trial to test out the performance, which when i was in the beta worked pretty well, and you can save a good deal of cash by getting all the subscription based games for the monthly price vs. buying them individually. Not all the games on there are included in the superscription on PS Now, but you could always rent them for about the same price as buying from a store or PSN unless its a bargain bin game or in a flash sale. It looks like a good portion of what you want to play from PlayStation is on there, which would save you the cost of the console also.

And if you find out after playing some games on PS Now that you really want to get a console, you can then check those PlayStation games off your list and reconsider which console has more games you want at that point.

That's my two cents at least. I would also recommend Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for games with a rich atmosphere and good single player, which are also conveniently included in the PS Now subscription.

@armaan8014:

no problem, Good luck and happy gaming!

@lego_my_eggo: That is a good idea actually, and I'll give the free trial a shot - especially since I don't intend on buying anything till december (I'll be saving up for whatever I choose) Thanks!

@pr0fpser: I'll definitely build one, but probably later. I regret missing out on all the console exclusives!

@mattimus_prime: I've thought about that option. I think a 360 is now sure, I'll sell it on later. Maybe followed by a PC or PS4

@zevvion:Haha that's number 2 on my all time favorites (also mentioned it in the OP) Played that since it came on the PC. Love that series!

Get a PC, subscribe to humble monthly, play whatever games you get for the month.

@armaan8014: Prove it. Play it again.

I own that series on Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Because I'm crazy.

@zevvion: Haha no I think I'll just build hype for Andromeda by starving myself of the series until then :P

XBone - Don't sell the Halo series so short, that series its self is really damn long.

PS4 - Don't forget the inFamous series. That and local coop in Diablo 3 are the main reasons I bought a PS4. Xbone also has local coop on D3, but I remember reading somewhere they the number of enemies was reduced for that machine.

I'd say get both. A regular PS4. The "Pro" is such a half-step it doesn't seem worth it, especially if you don't own an HDR tv. And maybe wait for Scorpio.

Honestly, if money is a concern I'd maybe just say get one of the current model PS4s. The PS4 Pro and the Scorpio are just such half measures.

Story quality wise I'd go with a PS4. Not much can touch Uncharted and TLOU. Also if you like Infamous you may also enjoy Gravity Rush. Lets also not forget about the chance that Horizon Zero Dawn will be awesome. Guessing you might like Persona 5 as well.

I've owned most consoles since the 2600. PS4 is in the top tier IMO so buy a PS4 Pro. FYI having been a console guy this whole time I'm going the opposite and finally building my first PC.

@armaan8014: Just a heads up because i wasn't thinking about it when i mentioned it, you will need to buy a controller to use PS Now. On Sony's site it says it requires a Dualshock 4, but the internet is saying most gamepads work and the app was patched to work with the DS3. So you can probably pick up and older one for cheaper if you go that route, or just use a 360 pad if you have one.

Edit: looking into it a little more, looks like if the game uses the Sixaxis you might have a problem. Most games don't even use it, but Uncharted one uses it in a way that is not optional and required to progress, and probably Heavy Rain because it seams like a game that would have used it (don't know for sure).