Review: Xbox One worth every penny of price tag
Birthdays do not come sweeter for Scott Edwards – he got the new Xbox One on his special day. Scott, a University of Wolverhampton journalism student, gives his feedback:
After queueing for just under four hours in the bitter cold, and on the eve of my birthday I might add, I finally managed to get my hands on one of the first 50 Xbox One consoles in Wolverhampton.
With seriously steep competition from PlayStation 4, which is released this time next week, Microsoft's answer to the next generation of gaming really had to impress from the off, which for me it has.
Let's start with the unboxing. The first thing you set eyes on is the newly designed Xbox One Kinect, a hi-tech piece of kit which is able to track your every movement without moving itself – a big leap up from the 360 Kinect which moves quite a bit when it's on and tracking you.
When hooked up to the console, you can choose whether you want the Kinect to recognise your face and link it up with your Gamertag.
I chose to do this, and now, every time I'm not logged in, the Kinect recognises my face and automatically signs me in without the hassle of passwords. A very good touch.
The controller was another area highly scrutinised ahead of its launch today. The overall feel is brilliant and I think Microsoft's testing has paid off. Now onto the console itself. Many thought the Xbox One was stuck in the past with its big bulky design. However, I really admire it.
Now, the important thing is, of course, the gaming. The first game I chose was the latest instalment of the Forza franchise, one of the many launch titles on offer for Xbox One investors to choose from.
Nothing prepared me for the free flowing, fluid arcade feel to this game. I can only describe the graphics and gameplay as unbelievable.
Despite all this praise, one thing did slightly annoy me. The simple task of setting up the internet connection seemed difficult for the Xbox One.
And making a £429.99 hole in my bank account got me wondering whether it would be worth it, bearing in mind that the PS4 will be £80 cheaper on release.
But overall, I have to say the Xbox One, so far, has been worth every penny.
Have you got the new Xbox? Share your first impressions of the console in the comments below:
