Were you good all year, but didn’t get a new console under your tree from Santa? You’ve earned it, so this guide will help you choose your new favorite gaming system for 2018 (aside from your gaming PC, of course).
Online play
If online gaming is important to you, you might want to buy whatever system your friends already own. Since we are still living in a world mostly without cross-platform play (sigh), if you want to play with your friends, you’ll need to be using the same console. And don’t forget to consider the monthly annual cost of your system’s online services when purchasing your system!
To 4K or not to 4K?
If you have a 4K TV or are planning on getting one in the future, it may be worth it to invest in the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One X. Keep in mind that you’re looking at a significant financial premium for doing so, especially when you compare the PS4P and XB1X’s prices to the price of the original systems. However, if high-end graphics and HDR are your main priorities, these powerful systems are options you should consider.
PlayStation 4
Exclusives, in my opinion, should be your first consideration when choosing a game system, so I’ll be mentioning a few of the more prominent ones for each system.
PlayStation 4 has a wide array of Japanese games, including titles like Persona 5, Danganronpa, and the Zero Escape series. It’s also the top system for fighting games. Do you want to play Street Fighter V? BlazBlue? Guilty Gear? Better get a PS4.
The system also has some great American exclusive games like Horizon Zero Dawn and the Uncharted series. Until Dawn, the teenage horror movie simulator, is a flawed but fascinating exclusive. Racing sim fans can enjoy Gran Turismo Sport, the last entry into the storied car fanatic franchise. Personally, I’m also looking forward to Detroit: Become Human, the android-themed story game exclusive by Quantic Dream.
Also, the PS4 is the only console with its own virtual reality system, so if you want a VR experience without putting a lot of money into a VR-capable gaming PC, PSVR is the way to go.
Xbox One
The Xbox One is the exclusive home of two of the biggest shooter franchises, Halo and Gears of War. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Cuphead, big hits on PC, are currently only available on the console side on Microsoft’s Xbox One. Fighting games are thin on the ground, but the latest installment of Killer Instinct is exclusive to Microsoft’s console. Racing fans get the popular Forza series, Microsoft’s answer to Gran Turismo. For folks looking back, Sunset Overdrive was a wacky open world Xbox exclusive title.
The Xbox One X is also hands-down the most graphically powerful game system in this generation. If you have a 4K HDR television and you prioritize amazing graphics, this is the one to choose. (The PS4 Pro is no slouch – I own one – but it’s objectively weaker than its competitor.) However, the extent to which a game takes advantage of superior hardware is up to the game’s developers; it’s good to do your research first, especially if there’s a particular game you have in mind.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is an interesting value proposition. Its core lineup is wholly unique and exclusive (if you don’t count Nintendo’s own Wii U), with The Legend of Zelda, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart and other franchises you’ll recognize from your childhood joined by newer names like Splatoon and Fire Emblem. And we can also expect Smash Brothers and Metroid titles in the future. For folks looking for more adult fare, Shin Megami Tensei 5 will be a Switch exclusive.
Unlike its competitors, it’s the only portable full-scale game system. Folks who like to take their games on the go, folks with long public transit commutes, and people who share their television with roommates or family should consider the Switch. And based on the very impressive 2017 sales figures for the Switch, it’s very likely Nintendo’s console will continue to be a huge hit in 2018.
But many titles that the PS4 and Xbox One share will not be ported to the Switch, or if they do, they’ll be toned down in order to run on its weaker hardware. If you can afford it, the Switch’s unique library and portability make it a terrific companion to one of the other two systems.
