Review: JOE gets hands on with the Xbox One

One of the resident JOEs has been hard at work reviewing the Xbox One (he keeps telling us it’s “real” work), so here’s a look at how we got on with Microsoft’s latest offering in next generation consoles.

Okay, where to start? A lot of people are expecting MASSIVE differences with the latest generation of gaming consoles and while certain aspects of the devices certainly make for a better gaming experience (i.e. the graphics and in-game physics, but more on that later) the major selling points of both the Xbox One and PS4 is that they’re ‘entertainment devices’ and not just somewhere to play FIFA 14. So with that in mind there are some big changes that will improve your overall entertainment experience at home, but that will also take a bit of time to get used to. There was actually a lot more to reviewing the Xbox One than just playing games (now there’s a first world problem if ever I’ve heard one…), which meant making the console the sole entertainment hub in the living room. With the Xbox One you can forget all about your old DVD player and, if you’re provider allows it, your set top box too. While it’s handy having everything ‘on one box’ you can’t shake the feeling that it was designed in America for Americans, so it might take some time before us Europeans can really get the most out of our consoles. Now, if you’re planning on getting the Xbox One for someone this Christmas, then be warned, as there will be a lot of updates required from both the console itself and any new games you get along with it. If your internet connection at home isn’t the best (which was sadly the case for this particular JOE) then you could find yourself waiting that little bit longer for everything to install. However, one of the best parts about the new console is that games can be played even when updates are being downloaded, so once your game has updated by roughly 10 per cent (for most games) you can get into some action. When we first received the Xbox One console here in JOE Towers, we were told that the voice functionality of the Xbox One Kinect was only being rolled out in five markets on ‘Day One’ and that Ireland sadly wasn’t one of those markets. However, some of the voice functionalities actually worked perfectly for us, albeit mostly when we were playing the games themselves. For instance, if you want to change a song while playing Need for Speed Rivals you can simple shout ‘Next Track’ at your Xbox One and it will change it over to whatever song is lined up next. It’s a pretty cool function, but when half the family is gathered around the TV, as if they were waiting for Neil Armstrong to finally walk on the moon, and you’re shouting at the Xbox One you start to feel like a bit of an eejit. We’ll have to wait a little bit longer before we can fully test out the Kinect’s voice controls, but we’re certainly looking forward to it… once everyone leaves the office, that is. The console itself is... a little boring, to look at that is. So much so that it's actually hard to find a decent picture of the console. While it's nothing to write home about, it's whats on the inside that counts, right? RIGHT? The new controller is slightly different from the Xbox 360’s version and hardcore gamers might find themselves stretching a little to reach the shoulder buttons. It’s not something that should affect your gameplay and you’ll definitely get used to it. Windows 8 users will notice some similarities between the Xbox One home screen and your PC’s desktop and overall, the home screen is very easy to use – certainly an improvement on the 360. Speaking of 360, you might want to hold onto the old console if you haven’t completed certain games on it, as we tried to play AC4: Black Flag for the 360 on the Xbox One, but to no avail. Sadly, the Xbox One does NOT come with backwards compatibility… Apps like Netflix and Skype work well on the console and give you yet another reason to throw out your laptop, but the majority of people who will be eagerly searching for an Xbox One shaped box under the Christmas tree this year will be looking to play some games… We’ve already talked about the new controllers, so how do the actual games fare? Well, JOE was lucky enough to get our hands on FIFA14, NBA Live 14, Madden 25, Need for Speed Rivals, Battlefield 4, Ryse: Son of Rome, Deadrising 3, Forza 5 and… wait for it… Zoo Tycoon – it’s like GTA, but for kids. So expect to see full reviews rolling out over the coming days. Overall, the graphics in the sporting games are absolutely unbelievable, and that’s putting it lightly. With NBA Live 14, everything from the way the crowd reacts to how individual players move on the court is as close to ‘lifelike’ as we want to get right now. Next we’ll have LeBron sticking his head out of the TV to tell us we’re playing like “sh*te”… thanks, LeBron, but you don’t have to tell us! http://youtu.be/HjuTvTt1Kik For each and every game we’ve played, from Forza 5 to Deadrising 3, the detail in the background was mesmerizing and you’ll probably find yourself crashing into a wall or being half eaten by a horde of zombies as you unknowingly stare at the breath-taking scenery that surrounds you. There are obviously a few minor problems with regards to ‘regions’ that will (hopefully) be ironed out over the next few weeks, but that’s to be expected with Microsoft’s ambitious plans for making the Xbox One your ‘one’ stop shop for living room entertainment. We have to admit that so far, they’re doing a damn good job. For more on the Xbox One, check out the official website here.