After some trials and tribulation, my Xbox One arrived on Saturday. I couldn't wait to get that puppy up and going.
The Xbox One box felt solid the moment I picked up it. Once everything was out of the box, my initial thoughts were confirmed. The Xbox One is one solid built machine and Kinect felt equally as solid. The controller, same deal. Every piece of equipment Microsoft put in the box felt like it was built to last, even the HDMI cable. Prodding around each piece, I couldn't see where Microsoft cut any corners with the design and construction. After the "Red ring of death," fiasco, I would hope so.
The size of the console is a tad bigger than the OG Xbox 360, meaning, it's not really big. The cries of it being the size of a '80's VCR,' are unfounded. The console has a sleek design that's very reminiscent of a Harman Kardon piece of gear. The two tone black works very well in most home entertainment systems. There isn't a single negative I can point out when it comes to the design especially the cries of the system being too big.
The Kinect technology has matured and so has the design. The Kinect that comes with the Xbox One fits the overall package. It blends in perfectly with the console itself. With that, it also blends in with the rest of your entertainment system. The only thing missing is a TV mount. I'm not sure why one isn't out with the launch but Microsoft needs to get one out along with a wall mount.
I have a love and hate relationship with the Xbox One controller. Part of me sees it as one of the best controllers ever made for FPS, racing and sports. The other part of me thinks it's quite possibly the worst controller ever made for fighting games. After the disaster the Xbox 360 controller is for fighting games, that's saying a lot.
Call of Duty: Ghosts worked very well with the Xbox One controller. Movements were precise and aiming felt really good. The shoulder buttons are easier to access for me since I don't have to take my finger off the trigger and can nudge it with my knuckle. Have to take my finger off the trigger to press the shoulder button is far different than on the Xbox 360 controller. It's kind of a struggle and awkward for me. I have big palms and shorter fingers. Since I don't have to take my finger off anymore, it's not really an issue. The thumbsticks feel more sensitive than the Xbox 360's thumbsticks. It took a few rounds of CoD: Ghosts to get used to them, but once I did, it felt like heaven.
Now, why is the Xbox One's controller so bad for fighting games, it doesn't handle certain motions very well. Through out my years I've always had a problem pulling off a "Dragon Punch," motion with most controllers going right, except for the holy grails, the Sega Genesis six button and Sega Saturn controllers. I'm deadly going left. Not sure why. Direction d-pads like the Xbox One controller and PlayStation d-pads would always cause me the most trouble. With the Xbox One controller, it's beyond a chore to pull a dragon punch motion off and even a fireball motion going in either direction. This makes playing anything but charge characters a near impossibility for me. I asked a friend of mine who's also a big fighting game fan if he felt the same, he did. He felt the d-pad was a major step backwards from the Xbox 360's controller. It's a big shame because everything else about the controller is near perfection.
The trigger rumble is a cool addition. As someone who doesn't use rumble at all I found myself actually liking it. Having said that, I think I will be turning it off for everything but Forza Motorsport 5. That is... Once I figure out how to turn off that feature!
Overall, I'm very happy with what Microsoft has done with the Xbox One. It's a sleek and stylish machine that blends into everything I have in my entertainment system. The Kinect follows the lead set by the Xbox One and I have no problems keeping it as part of my entertainment system. The Xbox One's controller is a mixed bag. It's great on one end of the spectrum, racers, sports and FPS's, and seemingly everything else, but really poor on the other, fighting games. I expect Microsoft to do a revision to the controller that has more of a floating d-pad that was on Xbox 360's controller. Geez, I never thought I would see the day where I'm asking to use the Xbox 360's controller for a fighting game. Please Microsoft, give us a functional Xbox One d-pad. The controller is perfection otherwise.
The Xbox One box felt solid the moment I picked up it. Once everything was out of the box, my initial thoughts were confirmed. The Xbox One is one solid built machine and Kinect felt equally as solid. The controller, same deal. Every piece of equipment Microsoft put in the box felt like it was built to last, even the HDMI cable. Prodding around each piece, I couldn't see where Microsoft cut any corners with the design and construction. After the "Red ring of death," fiasco, I would hope so.
The size of the console is a tad bigger than the OG Xbox 360, meaning, it's not really big. The cries of it being the size of a '80's VCR,' are unfounded. The console has a sleek design that's very reminiscent of a Harman Kardon piece of gear. The two tone black works very well in most home entertainment systems. There isn't a single negative I can point out when it comes to the design especially the cries of the system being too big.
The Kinect technology has matured and so has the design. The Kinect that comes with the Xbox One fits the overall package. It blends in perfectly with the console itself. With that, it also blends in with the rest of your entertainment system. The only thing missing is a TV mount. I'm not sure why one isn't out with the launch but Microsoft needs to get one out along with a wall mount.
I have a love and hate relationship with the Xbox One controller. Part of me sees it as one of the best controllers ever made for FPS, racing and sports. The other part of me thinks it's quite possibly the worst controller ever made for fighting games. After the disaster the Xbox 360 controller is for fighting games, that's saying a lot.
Call of Duty: Ghosts worked very well with the Xbox One controller. Movements were precise and aiming felt really good. The shoulder buttons are easier to access for me since I don't have to take my finger off the trigger and can nudge it with my knuckle. Have to take my finger off the trigger to press the shoulder button is far different than on the Xbox 360 controller. It's kind of a struggle and awkward for me. I have big palms and shorter fingers. Since I don't have to take my finger off anymore, it's not really an issue. The thumbsticks feel more sensitive than the Xbox 360's thumbsticks. It took a few rounds of CoD: Ghosts to get used to them, but once I did, it felt like heaven.
Now, why is the Xbox One's controller so bad for fighting games, it doesn't handle certain motions very well. Through out my years I've always had a problem pulling off a "Dragon Punch," motion with most controllers going right, except for the holy grails, the Sega Genesis six button and Sega Saturn controllers. I'm deadly going left. Not sure why. Direction d-pads like the Xbox One controller and PlayStation d-pads would always cause me the most trouble. With the Xbox One controller, it's beyond a chore to pull a dragon punch motion off and even a fireball motion going in either direction. This makes playing anything but charge characters a near impossibility for me. I asked a friend of mine who's also a big fighting game fan if he felt the same, he did. He felt the d-pad was a major step backwards from the Xbox 360's controller. It's a big shame because everything else about the controller is near perfection.
The trigger rumble is a cool addition. As someone who doesn't use rumble at all I found myself actually liking it. Having said that, I think I will be turning it off for everything but Forza Motorsport 5. That is... Once I figure out how to turn off that feature!
Overall, I'm very happy with what Microsoft has done with the Xbox One. It's a sleek and stylish machine that blends into everything I have in my entertainment system. The Kinect follows the lead set by the Xbox One and I have no problems keeping it as part of my entertainment system. The Xbox One's controller is a mixed bag. It's great on one end of the spectrum, racers, sports and FPS's, and seemingly everything else, but really poor on the other, fighting games. I expect Microsoft to do a revision to the controller that has more of a floating d-pad that was on Xbox 360's controller. Geez, I never thought I would see the day where I'm asking to use the Xbox 360's controller for a fighting game. Please Microsoft, give us a functional Xbox One d-pad. The controller is perfection otherwise.
