I have been a fan of the Xbox ever since it launched. When the 360 came out, I camped outside of Best Buy for my Xbox 360. I had originally tried Xbox Live for the original Xbox, however I was not a huge fan of it. Perhaps because I was playing MMORPGs at the time.

A few years later, I decided to try Xbox Live on the 360, with Call of Duty 4. Before I even get to how awesome Xbox Live is, I have to put in a little plug about how amazing Call of Duty 4 is. The game play is realistic, and it offers hours on hours of fun.

If you have Xbox Live, you probably agree that the online system for COD4 is beyond wonderful. Players have to “level up” to unlock new weapons and “perks” to better their character. When a player reaches the maximum level, they have the option to start over and get access to even more equipment and perks.

Here are the pros and cons to Xbox 360.

Pros

• Everyone has the same system — so you are not limited based on your hardware
• You meet people and make friends
• Private and public games are available — so you can find a game or make one for just your friends
• Player rating system - you can review players based on their behavior in the game. Based on your rating, you can choose to avoid the player

Cons

• Voice chat. Occasionally you get the annoying kids who do nothing but scream and whine. Luckily you do not need to use the headset
• If you do not have a good Internet connection, you will be at a severe disadvantage
• Wireless? Sure - for $100.00. The only “officially supported” wireless adapter is very expensive. However it is worth it. There are other things you can use — but they are more difficult to set up. Besides - most people agree that a wired interface is more stable — if you can do it

If you are a fan of console gaming, try Xbox Live out. It is $7.99 a month (or less per month if you pay in advance). If you do not like it, cancel your subscription. Be cautioned though — once you sit down, you will not get up until the night is long gone.

Justin

PublicRadar.com