Takahashi's writing style is to the point and readable. His interviews and sources provide plenty of information to keep things moving forward and the access he was granted to Microsoft insiders is quite impressive. Debates on key Xbox 360 issues, such as backwards compatibility, hard drive inclusion, and selection of chip manufacturers, are recounted in gripping detail.
Unlike Takahashi's earlier Xbox book, the sequel includes significant coverage of Sony and Nintendo consoles. The unease that gripped the Xbox design team as they watched Sony grab PS2 share is captured perfectly. Details like this help the reader get a sense of the desperate competition between these two rivals.
In the end, what makes The Xbox 360 Uncloaked required reading for video game fans is the incredible amount of inside information it contains. Readers will continually be amazed at what the secretive Microsoft crew allowed Takahashi to hear and report.
The author deserves high praise for providing us with a comprehensive record of what goes into the development of a video game system. The behind-the-scenes drama makes for a juicy, entertaining read regardless off one's console allegiance.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!