All I have to say is this: anyone that claims that the Xbox games/hardware isn't really that impressive obviously hasn't seen Dead or Alive 3. We just got a build today and, well... wow.

Sighhhh ... wish that was a Gamecube title.

Well, the Gamecube is getting Soul Caliber 2, so at least that's something.

Haven't tried DOA3 yet, but I've given Mad Dash a spin or two. Kinda fun. The Xbox does put out some pretty nice graphics.

Speaking of nice graphics (and gameplay), has anyone here tried ICO on the PS2? Amazing game. Short, but sweet.

I went to my local Babbages today to see this X-Box for myself. This is the same store my friend told me refused to do presales because they were said the X-Box was so overrated that people wouldn't come in to make good.

I went in and the X-Box demonstration wasn't even on (which could be a good thing based on what folks have said about the inferior quality of the looping movie display). "It was too loud". I convinced the girl there to try it out for me but she couldn't figure out how to get it working.

We did get into a discussion which resolved that we agreed that the Dreamcast was the best console out. However, she really seemed to have a hate on for the X-Box. "Microsoft is buggy." "I've talked to all the distributors and it's going to get returned in droves." "Only difference with the PS2 is it's slightly faster." "We won't presell because Microsoft insists that each store sell $500.00 for each person on bundled goods with the console and that must be paid for on the day of pickup. We think that's wrong."

I tried to point out that there are divergent opinions about the X-Box. That many of the upcoming titles for the X-Box blow most console fare out of the water. It wasn't going anywhere fast so I conceded that many folks in the media do agree with her perspective that X-Box is doomed (which she seemed to believe, on the word of her 'reps', steadfastly) but that many others I respect hold divergent opinions and then headed out.

What's a consumer to make of this? Microsoft isn't making it any easier to love X-Box. The crappy demo displays combined with an initial mass media exposure in Taco Bell ads really hurts the image of this as the killer console to have. Do I get a free X-Box with my Taco Supreme? Yeesh. Meanwhile PS2's individual games have their own television ads.

I am wondering how many tens of millions of dollars Microsoft will pour into this lemon before they give up on it.

I am also wondering how much money Nintendo and Sony reps are paying stores to ignore X-Box advertising.

Meh. We had IBM reps trying to sell us on OS/2 beating Windows into the ground and Apple reps telling us that the PowerPC architecture would kill Intel. Some people bought that too.