Friday, July 28

Dreamcast vs. PlayStation 2: The 128-bit battle begins

So you want to know what system is better, the Sega Dreamcast or Sonys PlayStation 2? Pretty tough question actually, and most definitely a subjective one. As Sega braces for the September release of Sonys behemoth, it may seem as though the only answer is an obvious onePlayStation 2. The thing is, you may not be correct in your assumption. There is no better system, but both will offer benefits that the other does not possess. Still, unless you are one of those gaming enthusiasts out there that buys every system, it comes down to what console you wish to spend your hard earned money on; and you certainly dont want to be stuck with another Jaguar or 3DO.

On one side you have the Dreamcast, the last chance Sega, the little game company that could, has at staying in the console market. Having already shafted gamers worldwide with such flops as the Sega CD, 32X and Saturn, Sega needs to restore faith to the consumer whom, for the most part, is gun shy to give them a second chance. They are widely considered one of the best software designers, consistently producing such classic titles like Sega Rally, Ecco the Dolphin and House of the Dead, but with the exception of the Genesis, have largely failed in the hardware biz.

Capcoms Street Fighter EX is the first of the PS2s fighting titles.

Then there is Sony and their upcoming PS2. In the early 90s Sony muscled their way into the gaming market with PlayStation. With PlayStation, Sony redefined the industry and made video games a mainstream entertainment medium. They have the money and marketing savvy to once again dominate the next generation of video game consoles. People are comfortable buying a Sony product and have come to embrace the PlayStation as the best gaming system. Considering that the PS2 will be backwards compatible (i.e.: able to play PlayStation games as well as PS2 games) and act as a DVD player, why move to another brand at this time?

There is a reason to move to another brand though, and that is availability and quality of game titles. I dont know about you but I want to play some of these 128-bit titles now, not September. The Dreamcast has been on the market for almost eight months now and has some of the coolest games I have ever played on it. NFL 2K redefined the football genre; Resident Evil: Code Veronica offered new frights; Zombies Revenge resuscitated the beat-em-up genre (remember Double Dragon?). These are just three of the phenomenal titles currently available on the system, not to mention Ready To Rumble, Power Stone and the jaw-dropping Soul Calibur.

With the imminent release of the much-anticipated Shen Mue and DOA2 as well as a new Ecco in the works, Dreamcast is already either offering some of the best games ever made, or poised to launch them. Remember, we were all Genesis fanatics before we jumped ship to PlayStation. There was a reason for that: Sega is all about making quality original titles that excite us. Sony, on the other hand, resembles more of a movie studio, churning out generic material and sequels. Have any of you truly been happy with the PlayStation games that have come out over the past two years? Other than Tony Hawk Pro Skater and a couple more, I cant think of any games that really sucked me in.

The PS2 has already launched in Japan and posted record sales. The list of titles, while mostly lame, still are beat those available at the Japanese launch of any other system. For Americans, the only titles of note are Ridge Racer V and Street Fighter EX. Both are familiar franchises with some impressive graphics, but are they so much farther ahead of what we see on the Dreamcast now? Not even close. Launch titles or not, neither game can boast being better than their Dreamcast counterparts. Street Fighter EX, in particular, isnt even in the same league as Soul Calibur (a Dreamcast launch title). So what if the PS2 can generate more than 70 million polygons a second and has had its picture on the cover of Newsweek; certainly didnt help their developers make better games, now did it?

The NAMCO racer, Ridge Racer 5, sure looks pretty.

This brings us to the last and most important factor to consider: the ease of development for the system. The PS2 is, without a doubt, the more powerful of the two machines and will have a marketing budget behind it that Sega will never be able to match. What it doesnt have is a developer friendly reputation. Companies are already complaining that getting the PS2 to perform to its potential is a frustrating process. The Dreamcast, on the other hand, is much easier to design on, making for shorter development periods and some really impressive games. This may not seem like such a big deal, but witness the demise of the Saturn, Segas 32-bit debacle. It was much more difficult to develop for than the PlayStation and look what happened as a result? Mind you, Sega also had the momentum and consumer favor, coming off the enormous success of the Genesis; see any similarities?

There you have it, the pros and cons of both 128-bit systems. In the end, there is little doubt that PS2 will control the lions share of the market and produce some brilliant games, destined. History has proven that there is more than enough room in the market for two game consoles, so dont expect Dreamcast to go anywhere soon. Sega and its partners will continue to supply their customers with some fantastic games sure to excite the imagination.

Owning a Dreamcast will not make you look like a chump. While my personal belief is that Dreamcast will offer much more interesting titles, I highly doubt that PS2 wont be worth the wait. What you need to ask yourself is whether or not your current system still does it for you, and whether or not you can wait another six months until the U.S. PS2 launch. Personally, I couldnt be happier with my Dreamcast and its wonderful library of games; it may be the best $200 I have ever spent. Not to complicate the decision making process for you, but what do you think of the 2001 releases of Nintendos Dolphin and Microsofts X Box?