I've been gaming on the PC for two years, now. I never really realized the difference until last month. I love console gaming, I have hundreds of console games, but I'm just losing interest in some genres thanks to the PC.
Controls
As of late, I cannot play any FPS on a console: it just doesn't feel right. Most of my friends enjoy console FPSes, but ever since I've been playing PC FPSes, I've hated the way console FPSes control. To put it into perspective, it feels like playing Resident Evil 4 on the GCN in comparison to playing Resident Evil 4 on the Wii. The controls are vastly different, even though it's the same game. The controls are customizable on the PC, so I can program the game the way I want to play it. Aiming is more accurate and fluid. Now, if you're the type that doesn't like using the keyboard/mouse for certain genres/games, you can always plug in a 360 controller, PS3 controller, SNES controller, N64 controller, Wii remote, etc. The options are unlimited.
Power
There is a common misconception that gaming PCs have to be expensive in order to play great games with high settings. That is wrong. PC games have a vast amount of graphical options. There's AA (Anti-Aliasing) availiable in most PC games, and most console games do not offer this feature. Post-Processing options are performace hogs, and are very limited/non-existant in console games. A game played on medium settings looks great most of the time. Not all games need to be played with all the settings turned on.
Back to my point, PC's have a significant amount of power. If you want alot of power, you can grab 2 8800 Ultras and play with dual monitors, at super high resolutions with the all settings on high. If you're a normal person, you can grab a 8800GT for a relatively low price. The 8800GT alows most modern day games to be played at high resolutions. Or, you can grab a x1900xt for a cheap price and play many games on high settings, and newer games on medium. These are just the many options PC gaming provides.
Online
Online gaming is, obviously, very popular on gaming PC's. This is great because games like Call of Duty 1, Starcraft, and Counterstrike 1.6 are still heavily populated by many gamers. Games like Counterstrike, Battlefield 2, etc.. offer up to 64 players online. I just can't go back to playing 4 on 4 in console FPSes. Another great feature is that there is not that much lag in comparison to console games. Alot of games have dedicated servers. Here's another misconception: There is alot of cheating in PC games. This is somewhat true, however, there are cheaters everywhere. Punkbuster is now featured in most online multiplayer games. Punkbuster makes sure gamers do not cheat. This does a great job, actually. So, the moral of the story is that there are cheaters everywhere. The end.
Game Library
PC gaming only has FPSes and RTses. These are the words of a misinformed person. PC gaming has the most genres on any platforms. If you don't believe me, look into it; you'll find genres you've never heard of. The PC has thousands of great games, and the library is continuing to grow. Unique titles are abundant on the PC. Independent gamers, modders, etc. are all based on the PC. If you want more out of your game, you can get mods that will increase your game by 20+ hours depending on the game.
Conclusion
I'm very happy that I'm a PC gamer. There are alot of superb PC games coming out in 2008, and I'm really looking forward to them. I think this will be my last generation gaming on consoles. I'm just not impressed by the gaming libraries they offer anymore. They are trying to be PCs so badly. They have become silly.
I tried the 360, and I didn't enjoy it. I can understand why gamers enjoy it, but it's not for me; I'm lucky that I was still able to return it for a refund. So far, my PS3 has only been a great Blu Ray player. I only have one game for it: Uncharted. I'm looking forward to Metal Gear Solid 4 and other games for the PS3, but it's just not that exciting.I will always enjoy Nintendo consoles, so I don't think I'll ever miss out on those.
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