Jack McAuslan ’16
THE ROUNDUP

8/10

Microsoft released the much anticipated, and criticized, Xbox One in November of 2013.

The launch was a huge success, leaving video game stores and shops empty of Microsoft’s next generation console.

Out of the box, the Xbox One comes with the console itself, power chords, HDMI cable, the new Kinect system, one wireless controller with batteries and the new default headset.

Just like last generation’s Xbox 360, the Xbox One’s power chord is split in two and includes a large power adapter.

As if this was not cumbersome enough for gamers who move their consoles often, the Kinect is bigger and heavier than last generation’s Kinect.

The console itself is enormous, and it seams to weigh quite a bit more than the 360.

I do not see any upside for the huge mass of the Xbox One.  It simply doesn’t need to be as big as a small computer tower.

Where the aesthetics are difficult to cope with, this console shines as soon as you hit the power button.

Once you create or recover a profile, a new and well organized dashboard pleases the eye and, with some practice, becomes second nature to navigate.

While playing any game, the player can return to this home screen while the game is paused by simply pressing the home button or telling the Kinect to do so.

This is one of the Xbox One’s best features as it allows players to multitask like never before.

The One boasts a 500 gigabyte internal hard drive, automatic wifi connectivity and extremely advanced Kinect technology.

It also has a plethora of television and movie connecting abilities, making it not only a game console but a television console as well.

There are some drawbacks to how the Xbox One performs though.

Inviting friends to a party is difficult because the home button brings you to the dashboard now.

It forces you to search for either the friends window or party window, which can be hidden depending on recent activity.

If you find the party window first and select it, a larger window should open up on the right side of the screen.

This can be done while playing a game but reduces the size of the window the gameplay takes place in.

This window is also annoying to get rid of because it requires the player to return to the dashboard again.

The graphics of this next-generation juggernaut are clear enough and colorful enough to rival those of todays gaming pcs.

Although not many games have been released on the Xbox One so far, games that have been released on both the One and the 360 are simply more enjoyable with the next-gen experience.

The new graphics coupled with seamless multitasking is a huge reason to own this console.

Once more huge gaming titles are released regularly on next-generation consoles there will be almost no reason to ignore the Xbox One.

The Xbox One is a good example of a next generation console that has impressive stats and abilities, but has many drawbacks aesthetically and a can be difficult to manage while trying to play games with friends.