New to gaming...which system should I buy?

Choose a PS2 over the original Xbox

Choose Xbox 360 over PS3

But overall, the PS2 is SUPERB when it comes to games library and affordability. You should definately get a PS2 since it is so cheap yet offers so much good games :)

Look at the exclusives you want to play.I got XBox,XBox360 and a PS2 and pretty happy with that because my gaming-taste includes almost all types.Multi-Titles look better on the Microsoft-Consoles.

By the way,old XBox-Games aren´t produced anymore and PS2-Games only until end of the year maybe...but no good titles,exept 1 or 2 are coming anymore.Just horrible ports from PS3/360.

If you want a next-gen-system,the 360 got a unbeatable libary already,you can get many games pretty cheap already and 98% of them look and play a bit better then the PS3-Versions.If you really want a Blue-Ray-Player (which only makes sense with a HDTV) anyway the PS3 isn´t the worst choice and I think you will get happy with it too,but if you want to play,be shure to get a 360.