Xbox May Steal '03 Game of Year
Stop! Thief!
It had to happen eventually, and what better way than with a title as hotly anticipated as the latest in the Crimson Skies series, High Road To Revenge. What do we mean exactly? Well, it seems as though PC-only gamers finally have a justified reason to hate the Xbox, as the console has once again snatched away what would have traditionally been a PC exclusive title. Moreover, this isn't the first major PC title to be branded with the "Only On Xbox" iron, as Midtown Madness 3 and MechAssault have both suffered similar treatment as well. Ouch.
SO why do developers sometimes target the Xbox first? However, when weighing up the pro's and con's of developing for both platforms, the reason for this is clear. Firstly, rather than having to optimize a game for a plethora of constantly evolving hardware configurations, Xbox developers only have to worry about tailoring their code to suit a single design, resulting in not only more efficient usage of resources, but also allowing developers to get a lot more out of what many would be quick to label as pre-historic hardware. Couple this with the fact that an increasing number of gamers are turning to consoles in order to get their gaming fix, and it is not difficult to identify why this market may come across as infinitely more attractive to developers. Sure, you don't get the perks of an ultra-high resolution display (well, in most cases) and mouse/keyboard controls, but the fact that an Xbox can be had for just a fraction of what one would pay for even a low-end PC makes this a more than worthy concession. Furthermore, with gamers now being able to take their consoles online, the advantages of owning a PC over a console for pure gaming purposes aren't looking too extensive, either.
Whether you glow green at the thought of coming home to your Xbox, or cringe at even the suggestion of contributing to Bill Gates' empire, if you call yourself a hardcore gamer you'd be foolish not to give Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge a look, even if it ends at that.
