Review: Microsoft Xbox is cutting edge

Last year, many in the gaming community were not sure if Microsoft's plans for a console system would succeed. But there is no longer any question about the success of Microsoft's foray into the gaming world. The Xbox, released last November, saw demand soar and many stores sold out of the product. The Xbox also broke sales records, attaining the highest ever game attach rate (average number of games purchased with each unit).

The Tartan recently tested a demonstration model of the Xbox along with three games: Project Gotham Racing, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, and Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding.

I must say that the Xbox is a very impressive piece of hardware. With a 733 MHz processor, 64 megabytes of memory, 233 MHz custom nVidia graphics processor, and an 8 gigabyte hard drive, the Xbox has enough power to rival many budget computers.

With this much graphics processing power, the Xbox's graphics should be top-notch. And they do not disappoint - the graphics are detailed, smooth, and realistic. Since all the games are recorded on DVDs, there is room for cinematic sequences and special effects. The graphics for games such as Dead or Alive 3 are simply amazing. It is very apparent that the custom next-generation nVidia graphics chip helps display realistic and processor intensive graphics.

The Xbox allows you to play audio CDs and also copy them to the hard drive so that you can hear your personal music collection during gameplay. This is a pretty cool feature because you may not have a stereo system in the same room as your Xbox or may be using your speakers for the Xbox audio already (as in my case).

The Xbox also can function as a DVD player if you purchase the $30 DVD movie playback kit, which also supplies a remote control.

The Xbox controller is larger than other console controllers, but is still easy to handle and not too overwhelming.

Although there are many buttons, a common feature on today's systems, most games will not require you to use all of them all the time. The controllers have built-in rumble mechanisms which were used in all three games tested. Every time you crash into a guardrail, or fall off a cliff, the rumble control reprimands you with a shake. The controllers also have two expansion ports which can be used to plug in Flash memory cards. The memory cards, which are often sold with bonus saved games already on them, allow you to bring your saved game to an Xbox unit at a friend's house.

Perhaps the most exciting Xbox feature is the potential for online gaming. The Xbox includes an Ethernet port and a hard drive for storage of game data. This leaves enormous possibilities for future multiplayer games. The Xbox could have online multiplayer role playing or action games with thousands of people across the world playing simultaneously. Games in the near future could incorporate simpler uses of the network connection. For example, a racing game could upload your performance statistics so that you could be ranked online versus other players.

Online gaming is something that computers have done well for years now, but as far as I know, no major console has ever succeeded in providing online multiplayer gaming.

With the Xbox, online gaming could eliminate one of the last shortcomings console systems have versus computer gaming systems.

One disappointment with the Xbox is that it does not have a port for connecting a standard computer monitor. This would be an attractive feature to college students, who often have larger computer monitors than TVs. However, it is possible to use a monitor if you purchase a TV box or similar device that allows you to connect the Xbox video/audio output to the box along with your monitor connection.

Nevertheless, the Xbox is a powerful gaming system that can remain top-notch for several years. With the strong support it is receiving from Microsoft and third party developers, it is likely that many more high quality and exciting games will be released for the Xbox.