[KraftSLU]

Alright, Im going to try and give as unbiased a gaming opinion as I can for all this... so here goes:

PS2

Pros:
Wonderful gaming library
Backwards compatibility to all your original PS games
Great 3rd party support
Built in DVD playback

Cons:
2 Controller ports
no Hard Drive (estimated to be 80 dollars for add-on)
no modem (estimated to be 40-50 dollars for add-on)
stats less impressive than gc or xbox

What I think: PS2 is a great choice of console to pick up. The day you buy it there are lots of great games that you can get with it and take home to play. Unfortunately those few games seem to swim in a sea of mediocre to crappy games when compared to other system lineups. Also, with less hardware there is the chance you will get less life out of your ps2, but there is also the chance that it will go on for a long time, just like the SNES did. The PS2 has, and will get more great games. Their online venture is kinda unsure at the moment, you will need a 50 dollar modem to even access the net... and the network they showed set up at e3 lagged so bad the game was unplayable. Severe embarrasment. Also, if you want to play rpgs that require a lot of save info (like the new FF) you will have to also buy an 80 dollar hard drive.

Gamecube:

Pros:

portable, great if you take your game system places
nintendo has a tradition of great gaming with familiar characters
advanced hardware design that beats out xbox hardware in areas

Cons:

Will always be seen as 'kiddy' and won't get as many adult titles as other consoles
People will argue that games are being rehashed to death
no harddrive or internet connection without addon

What I think: Nintendo realize they screwed up with the N64 and are out to redeem themselves with the cube. They had a wonderful E3 show and have people anticipating metroid prime, mario sunshine, starfox and zelda amongst other titles. Nintendo has a long line of gaming tradition and most likely won't let consumers down, whether they are looking for kid games or adult games. If you are looking to play dvd's you might want to avoid this, unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks to get the Panasonic Q.

XBox

Pros:
Advanced hardware, HD and ethernet included
DVD playback, but 30 dollar remote is required
In-game Dolby 5.1 encoding
MS is backing it up....

Cons:
DVD player costs money
ethernet port excludes people without broadband
some complain about standard controller

What I think: Xbox is arguabely the most technically advanced machine out right now, though GC is about equal due to extra texture pipelines and hardware lights. Xbox definately won't be beat in the sound department as it is capable of dolby 5.1 encoding *in game* which no other system can do. So if you are an audiophile, big + there! Xbox is probably the best geared up for online play as the ethernet and hd is included. No modem users is kinda crappy, but that keeps the system from lagging. Lag probably won't be much of a problem anyways as MS is investing 3 Billion dollars into the system. Of course, the XBox's main concern is RPGs... or the lack thereof. Morrowind is coming out soon, but that game is iffy... so XBoxers are left to wait for Project ego (slated 2003) and Star Wars: KOTOR (slated holiday season).

K, now that I've gone through all of that, here is why you should buy each system.

PS2: A definate if you want a large selection of games from action, to RPG, to whatever else you have in mind. Be wary of online play, as you have to buy the accessories, and it looks like each game is going to set up it's own server, which means if they decide to charge money, you will have to pay a charge for every game you want online. also, only 2 control ports means you have to buy an adapter if you want to play with 4 friends, so tack that on to the bill. I do find it rather ridiculous that a ps2 (200 bucks) plus the hard drive (80 bucks) plus the modem (40 bucks) will cost much more than an xbox with the same components (200 bucks)

GC: Buy this if you are a nintendo-junkie. Most of the blockbuster games you will see for this will star mario, link, pokemon, metriod, etc. etc. There will be other quality games out, like Res. Evil, but the focus will always be on the nintendo line up for sure. Also, GC has no DVD playback and has smaller disks so you can't play cds or anything on it.

XBox: Probably the biggest gamble. MS is looking to be in your living room and this is their tool. Most impressive as far as power and innovation are concerned. Ingame dolby is pheomenal, Hard drive was a wonderful idea, so was the ethernet port. Now that people have seen its power, developers are less cautious to jump on board. I think Xbox has the most chances of having a successful online launch also. MS is running all the servers and chargin a flat fee (50 bucks for a the service for a year, a free game and the voice communicator) and is dumping tons of money to ensure lag free game. As mentioned before, if you are huge into RPGs, this might not be your system.. at least not until Ego, KOTOR, Galaxies and some other games come out. Yeah, the box might be the biggest gamble as it is the new kid, but it has the potential for the biggest payoff.

Im not going to tell you what to do, but hopefully that helps a bit. If you make me tell you what to buy then I also want to tell you what clothes to where, what to eat for breakfast and who your friends are just for fun