Guys, you're being unfair to the Xbox here. It comes down to a simple choice if you can't choose between them (and I can say so, because I have both, bonus of working for developers!).
The Xbox 360 is far, far superior to the PS3 in every single way except one, and that's HD films (Blu-ray). The social experience over Xbox Live introduced me to friends all over the world, and got me (believe it or not), my job (albeit temporary one) working for Rockstar North on GTA4 (music dept). The friends system, achievements, gamerscore, messages, video-chat, they all help to build an amazing experience. Plus, games that are released multi-platform (GTA4, CoD4 are the 2 that come to mind) are much more immersive (and look prettier, regardless of what the stats might indicate). Just to follow on on that, the 360 did hold GTA4, but it was much easier to work on that platform that it was for the PS3 (thus the glitches I suppose). CoD4 utilizes Xbox Live to perfection in my opinion. I've been playing a lot of Cage Match lately (1 on 1), and even though there's been about only 300 people worldwide (not just in Europe, like PS3), I've found games nearly instantly. I could go on and on, but I'll quickly post about the good things about the PS3 so I don't seem to be biased (I'm not a fanboy, I don't align myself to one thing, I just choose the one which for me has given me the best experience).
The PS3's Blu-Ray function ruined it from the get go (£450 at launch), but is currently saving it from flat-out losing this 'console-war', with it's ability to play HD films. I just got the Dark Knight on BR for Christmas, and it's genuinely breath-taking. So that's one thing it does well. I also think Home could be something big, but not until Sony open up PSN to a world-wide service, and not just a region-locked one.
Game-wise, there's not many Playstation franchises that I'm a fan of (I loath Metal Gear Solid, much prefer Splinter Cell in that category), but Gran Turismo is the finest console 'automobile-showcase'. I call it that (as I do Forza) because they're not great racing games, they get boring, but GT:5P looks life-like, and that's amazing in my eyes. The addition of the F1-2007, and Suzuka, well that's a match made in racing-game heaven! It trounces Forza 2 in every way, but that's got nothing to do with the fact it uses blu-ray discs, or apparently has more power inside, it's got everything to do with Polyphony Digital being masters at making games.
Finally, I can't comment on Little Big Planet, because I really don't like games like that anymore (I'd have loved it if I was 5 years old, but not 23!). Here's a quick pro/con list for James mainly, but it could help a couple more of you open your minds!
Xbox 360
Pro's:
Fantastic Online Play
A huge array of brilliant and enjoyable games that you literally get lost in. Halo, GTA4: The Lost and Damned, Gears of War, Splinter Cell, and Forza for online racing, are all in-house to Xbox.
It's the most social console, Xbox Live being open to the entire planet, and not just restricted to your continent. I have many American and Canadian friends, and I can't play with them on my PS3.
Xbox Live Arcade: Uno, Sonic (the megadrive, and best versions), Castle Crashers, small games you download. ALL have a free trial you can download, before you buy.
The Recently added NXE (new dashboard) added one amazing new feature, Party Chat. It enables me to talk to up to 8 people, whilst we all do either the same thing, or our own thing. e.g. I could be playing Call of Duty 4, whilst one of my friends play Halo, and another watches the a film (or plays Ship Sim on the PC).
The controller is the best game-pad made to date.
Con's:
Older console models, built prior to May 2008, have I'd say a 50% chance they'll suffer the RRoD. I've lost 3 this way, and waiting 2 weeks for a replacement every year is a pain in the backside. This has finally been addressed according to some friends I have in the industry, with this new model that should be on shelves now (uses a new CPU called 'Jasper'. No relation to Carrot).
It can't play Blu-Ray. You can download HD films from Xbox Live Marketplace, but they're nowhere near as crisp as they are on the PS3.
PS3:
Pro's
Built-in Blu-Ray drive, enables you to watch HD films at their best.
Has the Gran Turismo series on it.
Con's
Not many other games to choose from. If you loved Metal Gear Solid, or you love children's style platformers, then the PS3 has you covered. Apart from that, the only other exclusive is Resistance: Fall of Man 1 and 2. I found they absolutely paled in comparison to Gears of War for example though. It's meant to be a trashy, interactive action-movie, and it took itself far too seriously for me.
Controller feels cheap. It's far too light, and is really uncomfortable for me to use. Whenever I play mine, I use a modded Xbox 360 controller anyway, so that's no problem for me.
Both consoles are as good as each other at displaying games (Full 1080p), both of them have HDMI ports, it's just the Xbox 360 has far more to choose from. You'll find things like framerates and anti-aliasing to be much better on the 360 though, and the social experience is outstanding. Whether you just meet and play with people, or you argue with a small-minded American at 2am in the morning who thinks you have bad teeth, and make love to the Queen on a regular basis, crumpet in one hand, cup of tea in the other, I just find it a lot better! (sorry if the last part is offensive to anyone
).
Quick summary.
Xbox 360 if you're a competitive, harcore gamer.
PS3 is it's just for racing games, and watching films on Blu-Ray.
EDIT: sorry for going hugely off-topic, but we're all Racing game fans, so I just wanted to elaborate a bit.
