XBox 360

[English Invader]

I'm thinking of getting one of these. The main selling points are GTA IV, V and an uncompromised version of Ghostbusters: the Video Game.

It will be the first console I've bought beyond 6th Gen and I haven't got a contemporary flat screen (may have the opportunity to get one in the near future but not a definite thing). Will the 360 run on a CRT through either composite or RGB?

Are there any other things to look out for with 360 hardware other than the infamous red ring of death?

I would also appreciate any game recommendations or any other reasons why the 360 is a good idea.

[learnedrobb]

You can run a 360 using a crt. IIRC, though with some games (Dead Rising being one I remember), you might find in game text unreadable.

[Antiriad2097]

Since you're looking at GTA, you really want to have a peek at Red Dead Redemption. It's basically Wild West GTA, but much more engaging than GTA 4.

I still throw on the Project Gotham game I got with mine now and then, top racing game.

Gears of War is a no brainer suggestion.

The Batman games are good.

[The Beans]

Since you're looking at GTA, you really want to have a peek at Red Dead Redemption. It's basically Wild West GTA, but much more engaging than GTA 4.

See also: Crackdown. Open world mayhem without the baggage of story.

I'd also go for the original Dead Rising. The sequels are also great but lack the depth of the original.

[theantmeister]

You can get a VGA cable for the 360. That might be an option.

[English Invader]

You can get a VGA cable for the 360. That might be an option.

VGA would be perfect. Thanks .

[PostieDoc]

Buy Vanquish, that is all.

[aztecca]

Buy Vanquish, that is all.

Really ?

[The Hardest of All Freds]

Buy Prey.

If there was an XBone sequel announced, I'd buy one tomorrow.

[ALK]

You'll find plenty of second hard bargains in places like CeX or Game that'll see you through for quite awhile.

For recommendations, I adore Super/Ultra Street Fighter IV, Batman Arkham Asylum and City are great stuff, the Burnouts are great fun too.

As someone who started his 360 gaming on a CRT it's more then acceptable. One thing to keep in mind is that subtitles and some text will often appear tiny in quite a few games, so you'll have to look quite closely or just tune the volume up when characters talk.

[Mayhem]

I was going to mention the possible text size problem in some games with not using a flat screen, but ALK said it. Dead Rising I think was a notable one from the early releases for the 360.

If you get a new 360, then you won't have to worry about red ring really, Microsoft managed to deal with the problem by the time the second wave of Elites released. The newest redesigned budget models are even better in that regard.

Don't forget about XBLA, there are a ton of great games available to download only that shouldn't be ignored: Braid, Castle Crashers, Pac-Man DX, Walking Dead, Super Meat Boy, Shadow Complex, Costume Quest, Stacking, Portal: Still Alive (if you've never played it and don't want The Orange Box), Torchlight, Limbo, Geometry Wars. I would say Outrun Online but it's gone now.

[PostieDoc]

Buy Vanquish, that is all.

Really ?

I don't mean just buy that game, that is all I had to say.
Vanquish is great.

[aztecca]

Its a great time to get a 360 for the first time im a bit jealous to be honest there is a ton of great games that can be picked up for pennies.

Hardware wise I would go for one of the slims 250gig or a newer one.I wouldn't bother with one of the older arcade or 20 gig, 60gig white consoles.You will soon fill up a smaller hdd if your getting xbox live.

A few games I would recommend off the top of my head are.

Gears of war 1-3
Gta 4 and 5
Driver san francisco
Star wars force unleashed
Telltale game collection
Fallout
Bioshock
Deadspace
Pinball fx 2
Limbo
Trials
Marvel vs capcom 3
Left 4 dead
Earth defence force

And a ton more.

[HalcyonDaze00]

best machine ever.

As others have said there are loads of great games to pick up cheap and then loads more from XBLA.

Lots of games mentioned so far and I would add:

Dark Souls 1 & 2
Spelunky
Skyrim
Virtua Fighter 5
Rayman Legends
Mirrors Edge
Mass Effect Trilogy
Bully
Black Ops 2
Borderlands 2
X-Com
Monkey Island 1 & 2
Castlevania SOTN
Sleeping Dogs

[jdanddiet]

I'm thinking of getting one of these. The main selling points are GTA IV, V and an uncompromised version of Ghostbusters: the Video Game.

It will be the first console I've bought beyond 6th Gen and I haven't got a contemporary flat screen (may have the opportunity to get one in the near future but not a definite thing). Will the 360 run on a CRT through either composite or RGB?

Are there any other things to look out for with 360 hardware other than the infamous red ring of death?

I would also appreciate any game recommendations or any other reasons why the 360 is a good idea.

Def a good idea, I love mine, although it has been a bit neglected since I got an xbox one.

As to games - depends what you like really. If you're into sci fi and/or RPGs then Mass Effect and Fallout games are my favourites.
Shooters are well represented in XBLA I believe but they weren't really my thing.
If you like Superheroes then Batman Arkham Asylum is a must.
Resident Evils are a bit hit and miss, 5 was ok, 6 poor - I enjoyed Revelations best.
I like my Survival horror so Dead Space (love both 1 and 2, 3 is ok) and Alien Isolation are both faves of mine.

As others have said, get one of the newer ones, get to CEX and enjoy!