so im getting a ps3 here real soon, i already bought it, im just waiting for it to ship in....so what i would like to know is, what can i expect?...what games should i look at to get for it, i know infamous, metal gear solid, but are there any below the radar ones?, does the console itself have problems (like how the xbox has the rrod, is there anything like that with the ps3), things like that...all the good and bad stuff...all opinions are welcome, and NO FANBOYS please

please dont mention price, ive already bought one, so price doesnt matter...

thanks
-trevor

I have both a PS3 and 360 and I'll be upfront I play my 360 more and like my 360 more. The PS3 is still an excellent console though. As far as having any serious flaws in the same sense as RROD the hardware itself has none, though a while back there were rampant reports of updates bricking consoles. Been about a year since I heard anyone say they had it happen to them so nothing must have come out of it.

The PS3 is a little bare bones on the features side but what it does do it does well, it is a vastly superior media machine compared to the 360, sound and video quality is much better and the console allows you to rip music and videos straight to the HDD from any flash drive, CD, or MP3 player (ipod support is a little goofy though), or straight from your PC via streaming. But a little tip, rip your media to your HDD or run it off a USB device, do not stream from your PC as it runs atrociously slow.

Playstation Network for being free runs smoother than expected though like a lot about PS3 it skimps on the features a bit, online features are not as diverse and the amount of content is nowhere near as robust but hey its free.

As far as games go I mainly stick to exclusives, if your into shooters get Resistance 1/2 and Killzone 2. Definitely get Uncharted it belongs in every PS3 owners library. And if you like platformers Ratchet and Clank is great. As far as under the radar I've heard Folklore was an amazing low key RPG and I've been meaning to pick it up myself.

If you like playing online I suggest picking up the official headset, even though people talk crap on PS3 for not including a mic the official Sony one is a great piece of technology. One of the things about PSN that I envy about the 360 not having is that mic. And if you have an HD-TV grab some cheap HDMI cables off Amazon they're like $6 there. They really make a difference, anyone who tells you otherwise is either blind and deaf, or has some sort of weird bias for component cables.

As someone who waited in line 10 hours at a Wal Mart to get a launch 360, while missing a Vikings-Packers MNF game, but waited until January of 2008 to get a PS3, here is my opinion. From a hardware prospective, the Playstation 3 is miles ahead of the 360. The 360 is a loud, hot, injury prone piece of hardware (I'm on my 4th, or 5th, can't remember). The new dashboard lags even worse than the old one, and the lack of built in wi-fi, at least for my launch model, is kinda poopy. Games wise and XBL wise, it's excellent. But when compared to the PS3, it's not even close, PS3 is better from a hardware prospective. The cross media bar is excellent, there are loads of menu options, little things like auto-off after 1 hour of inactivity (360 has this, but after 6 hours). I just wished PS3 had Netflix support as well, then I wouldn't ever need to use my 360 for anything other than games.

Mordukai, PercyChuggs and Ket87: thanks guys, your comments were very helpful.

if anyone else wants to comment, feel free

As a guy who has xbox and ps3 consoles heres some stuff you my find useful. Most has been said, so I'll try to be obscure

Get Killzone 2, an awesome game, you won't be disappointed : )

There are a lot of threads like these, but games I recommend that are exclusive and you did not mention: LBP, Valkyria Chronicles, Ratchet and Clank, Folklore, Killzone 2, Flower, Noby Noby Boy, and Uncharted. That's off the top of my head. SOCOM is also really really good and underrated, get it in the bundle with the official headset its very very good. Other than that all I can say is upgrade the firmware to the latest one, Home is as of right now a waste of time, get in the store and check out the demos for the games I recommended.

A couple of under-the-radar games I enjoy are Disgaea 3 and Valkyria Chronicles.  For PSN gaming, Wipeout HD is excellent.  I also really enjoy the hell out of Resistance 2, but that's a little less "under the radar" than the other games.

If you're into retro gaming, the PSN also has Suikoden and Final Fantasy 7, both of which are still great games.

I ended up selling my Xbox 360 and all of the games for it except for Halo 3 and GoW to get my PS3. I have been enjoying my PS3 a whole lot more than I ever did my Xbox 360, I actually credit Sony for reviving my passion for gaming. Now I do have another Xbox 360 that I have tucked away, it RROD but I plan on sending it off to get fixed. So I think that the PS3 is the best console of this generation. Now for games for the PS3 you should get Killzone 2 , and Uncharted : Drakes Fortune .

If you've got a few mates who also have a ps3 then I think mirrors edge is a brilliant purchase, provided they also have it. The best part about that game is trying to beat your mates times on each of the online levels (Which are small maps based on the campaign levels). But thats not to say that the offline 'campaign' isn't worth the purchase alone. I had great fun going through that game without using a weapon to shoot people (Though you have to use a weapon on some electronic equipment), which on a side note the shooting is awkward and is best avoided anyway.

Also wait for Modern Warfare 2 to come out if you want to conserve your outgoings in these hard times rather than buying COD Modern Warfare. Might sound odd since it's in the top 3 games released on the ps3 IMO but the experience is likely to be just as good if not better on the new revision. Also there are plenty of other FPS's to try in the meantime. For instance Killzone 2 which provides a different online experience than COD and also a really good single player campaign.

I can't afford to be adventurous with my gaming so i've not tried under the radar games yet. Although heavenly sword might have been forgotten by some as it came out a while ago and can be picked up on the cheap probably £10 (Don't know where you live). Provides a decent game similar to god of war and with excellent use of the sixaxis control.

Also check out pixel junk monsters for the best tower defense game I have ever played, available on PSN.

For "under the radar" i'd have to say Heavenly Sword, it often gets overlooked, which is a shame. It's worth a purchase for the characters and story alone. A tad short though, so find a bargain.
Ratchet and Clank often gets overlooked aswell, due to people assuming its for kids. However i think its an essential purchase.

I never had any problems with the PS3 media server, You need to check your parameters and optimize it for wifi sharing.  Do you use Windows or Mac?

Its a great system. Uncharted is a good game to pick up. I'm a first time Sony gamer and I've been happy with the system so far. The only problem I had was my first PS3 died after 13 months. I don't know what the cause was, but it wouldnt produce audio or video...etc. It was fried. That happened two days after the 2.6 firmware update, but I doubt that could have done the kind of damage to fry my system. I did notice a lot of freezing and some glitching in the weeks leading up to failure. Here is hoping my new system will last me till the PS4 comes out. Hope you have fun with yours.

thanks for all the help guys, i appreciate it. please continue to discuss.

Resistance 2 co op is fun
Valkryie chornicles
Warhawk
Heavenly Sword
LBP

alright guys, i got my ps3 today.....i ordered it from amazon on tuesday, and got it today....im very pleased with amazon.....and i messed around with it a little, but i cant really get into it, because i have to head to work. but thanks for the info guys, im enjoying the ps3...

thanks
-trevor

Per request of the OP, locked :)