Gaming with a Family (Part 1): Choosing the Right Console

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Gaming with a Family (Part 1): Choosing the Right Console

When you were young, time seemed abundant but money was scarce. Now, as adults with financial stability, time is a luxury in short supply. It's a cycle some of us find ourselves in, where friends lament they have 'no time for gaming' or 'crash into bed right after work.' Some persist, buying the latest gaming rigs, decking out PCs with disco-worthy lighting, pre-ordering every hot title with exclusive collectibles—only to admire them briefly before hitting the hay. It's a bit sad, really. So today, spurred by inspiration, I aim to share a series of heartfelt articles, hoping to offer solace to kindred spirits—those who love gaming but life seems to conspire against it!

In this section, let's talk about some of my experiences in choosing a gaming machine. Please note, everyone's preferences differ, so consider these lines as mere reference points.

First off, to set the record straight—or to put it another way, to silence those who claim they 'don't have time to game'—let me present my own father as a prime example. At nearly 70 years old, running two businesses, married twice with three kids, and his youngest being younger than mine, he still manages to squeeze in two hours of World of Tanks every single day, holidays and festivals notwithstanding. So to all those who say they lack time, think again. Perhaps the real issue isn't time but rather a waning enthusiasm for gaming. Though I do acknowledge that different living environments and job demands play a role. But for many, like some of my friends, it's simply boredom with gaming, not a lack of time. They're more likely to be scrolling through Facebook all day long.

One of the reasons we claim 'no time for gaming' is because we've chosen the wrong gaming machine from the get-go! So, what factors should we consider to choose the right gaming machine?

FACTOR 1: KNOW WHAT GAME YOU TRULY WANT TO PLAY

Here's some real advice, folks: don't let flashy trailers and epic battles mesmerize you. Many fall into the trap of watching a trailer and then rushing to buy the latest gadgets, like building a powerhouse PC or snagging a PS5, all to ensure the smoothest gameplay possible, chasing after every pixel of beauty. But once the machines are home, after a few hours of play, they're abandoned. Sure, there's time spent gaming, but why the abandonment? Because a game isn't just about relentless combat like in the trailer.

You start playing, and in the first few hours, your hero isn't clad in armor or armed to the teeth as in the trailer. Instead, your main task is often mundane—fetching chickens, delivering letters, walking from point A to point B. And that's disillusioning, it's boring. My friend, after watching The Witcher trailer, rushed to buy a PS4 Pro without a second thought, played for a few hours, then gave up. When I asked why, he said: 'I'm too lazy for quests, too lazy to read, too lazy for cutscenes.' I told him: 'It's not the game's fault, it's because you didn't do your research before choosing a game!'

So, a few days later, it was off to sell the machine. The writer managed to salvage it for a bargain, having bought it for around 10 million and selling it for 6 million. Self-blame ensued.

Before deciding on a machine, think about what games you're willing to invest time in. RPGs may seem enticing, but after an 8-hour workday, are you really up for watching character dialogues or catching chickens to boost Armor +100 Sword +100, with a 20% increase in mana regeneration?

Or are you simply interested in gameplay? Maybe you're just in it for the combat or shooting. Perhaps you're more suited to games like Sifu, Super Smash Bros, Hades, PUBG, or LOL rather than the usual hot AAA titles. So, if you're into Hades, for example, you might not need to splurge on a PS5 or Xbox. A Switch might be more fitting since it's portable.

Back in the day, you'd happily spend your mornings in the cyber cafe with your buddy, cracking puzzles in Resident Evil, but those days are gone. Back then, the fantastical tales in games were a source of excitement and wonder, but now, after countless sci-fi movies, action-packed anime, Marvel sagas, and especially after enduring countless plot twists from your significant other, your heart has grown cold. So, don't let the longing for childhood nostalgia lead you astray.

You might luck out—if your favorite game happens to be Slay The Spire, you can just play it on your phone, no need to splurge on a console or rig. You guys don’t have phones??

Maybe it's fortunate that your most desired game is Slay The Spire. You can play it right on your phone without having to spend a dime on buying a console or building a rig. You guys don’t have phones??

FACTOR 2: WHEN AND WHERE WE CAN *ACTUALLY* PLAY GAMES

Here's some solid advice: don't let yourself end up in a situation where you spend the whole night eagerly anticipating the release day of the PS5, only to bring it home and have it serve as a glorified Baby Shark player for your daughters.

For us doting fathers, it's a familiar tale. We have a living room, a TV. By the time we get home from work, it's study time for them. With one TV and two worlds, guess who ends up sacrificing? What's left to do? Scroll through Facebook or play Candy Crush on your phone, that's about it.

So sometimes, when you have a family, the question isn't just where or when you want to play games. It's more about where and when you *can* play. So even though you might dream of diving into a season of The Witcher on a PS5 or Xbox with a 12-month Game Pass Ultimate subscription, the reality is you can only play during lunch breaks, at coffee shops, during your commute home, or even sneakily in the bathroom to complete a few tasks.

It might sound dire, 'What a mess,' you say, but the truth is, there are many people like this around us. Some come home exhausted from work but still crave gaming, particularly AAA titles with stunning graphics. So, to sneak in some PS5 time, they wait until their kids are asleep, negotiate with their spouse for alternating nights, like Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for gaming. Sneaking out to the living room at 10:30 PM to play for a couple of hours before bed. And even then, they can't make a sound. You defeat a boss and want to shout but your mouth opens, and no sound comes out. You lose and stomp your foot a few times, then stop halfway through realizing you shouldn't wake anyone up.

'Why don't you just play with your kids for fun?' Many ask. But have you ever had a kid who won't let you win? In a fighting game, you can only run, if you're lucky enough not to get hit. In a shooting game, you can't even squeeze the trigger. Sound familiar?

So in my opinion, for those of us constrained by both space and time, and especially by the unique traits of Vietnamese men—fear of their wives and fear of their children—to avoid the scenario of buying a console only to sell it a few days later at half price with the excuse 'no time, 99% new (non-negotiable),'

Don't ask when or where I want to play games.

Instead, ask when and where I *can* play games.

After asking, you might lean towards a PS5, but sometimes getting a Switch makes more sense. Or perhaps mobile gaming is the most practical. I might write about the pros and great games on mobile soon, proving that it's not all 'trash games' as many claim.

FACTOR 3: THOROUGHLY RESEARCH THE TYPE OF CONSOLE YOU WANT TO BUY

Here's some real advice, when buying a gaming console, it's not just about purchasing the machine itself, but also becoming part of its ecosystem. And within an ecosystem, there are many factors to consider beyond just gaming. Like costs, service benefits, community, and so on. It's impossible to cover all the details about each console in this article, and I haven't delved deeply into every type of console, so I can't accurately share every aspect.

In essence, there's no perfect console, and what suits one person may not suit another. As for whether Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, or anyone else like Apple reigns supreme, I couldn't care less. My gaming paradise is about having any console and being able to play any game I want. Whether PlayStation or Xbox wins, whether one is superior or richer, it's irrelevant.

In real-life examples, let me illustrate the basics of console systems: Buying a Nintendo Switch is convenient; you can plug it into a TV or play in handheld mode. Nintendo's exclusive titles like Zelda and Mario are fantastic. The Switch also has a great selection of indie games. However, if you're into AAA titles, it might not be the best choice due to hardware limitations. Nevertheless, with future iterations of the Switch, this issue may be addressed. Switch games, especially exclusives, tend to hold their value well, and the Vietnamese Switch community is large, making trading easier.

Purchasing a PS5 offers many great exclusive games, but the price point is high for many. Personally, I find the design a bit bulky, taking up more space in the house and being somewhat inconvenient to transport. The lineup of exclusive PS5 games is still somewhat limited at the moment.

Buying Xbox comes with Xbox Game Pass, which is amazing for the price.

With a PC, you can both work and play games, and it's easy to 'work undercover' in front of your wife while secretly gaming. PC games from the Steam store are often cheap, especially during Steam Sales.

But if I say buying games on Steam is cheaper than subscribing to Xbox Game Pass, or vice versa, am I right or wrong? Clearly, the answer depends on each person's needs. Take Game Pass, for example. Many people consider it a bargain, but it's not for everyone. Some buy Xbox just to play Hades for 500 hours straight, while others play PUBG or FIFA day and night, rendering Game Pass unnecessary.

On PC, after buying Overwatch, you naturally play online PvP (it's obviously an online shooter game!), but on Xbox, you need to purchase an additional Live Gold subscription to play.

However, upon researching, you'll find that purchasing the Xbox Pass Ultimate, which includes the Live Gold subscription, might be worth getting the Game Pass service altogether.

Buying games cheaper on PC and using it for work is fine, but the initial investment cost may be higher. Finding a reputable seller and getting a PS4 Pro (I bought mine for 5.5 million before the pandemic) to enjoy Red Dead Redemption 2 comfortably, at that price, finding a PC to play RDR2 smoothly might be a bit challenging.

Xbox supports cloud gaming, but only has the official app on Android, while on iOS from Apple, it's a mess. So, you have to go through the hassle of playing via a web browser.

You're a Call of Duty fan and you're planning to buy a PS5, but Microsoft just placed a $70 billion order on Shopee to buy Activision Blizzard (free shipping), so should you still buy a PS5 or should you get an Xbox instead? Hearing the Xbox boss promise that Call of Duty will be cross-platform, but can you trust that? And what benefits will Call of Duty on Xbox get in terms of items, etc.?

Apple Arcade has a lineup of simple yet enjoyable games, but Google Play Pass offers some great games for hardcore gamers like Stardew Valley, so should you buy an iPhone or a Xiaomi F3 Pro?

Clearly, there are pros and cons to each gaming system that require some research to uncover. Plus, the landscape is always changing; who knows if Sony or Microsoft will swoop in and bring the entire Assassin's Creed series to Xbox tomorrow?

FACTOR 4: AVOID GAMING UNDERGROUND DUE TO SANITARY CONCERNS

This one's just for fun, Mr. Chairman, please don't punish me. I'm writing this article simply to contribute to Mytour's revolutionary cause, not for any personal gain.

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