"Playing a game like UT3 is possible, just not optimal. I managed to win two competitions hosted by OnLive, and that earned me $125 total. I played both competitions on my netbook, which has trouble playing some flash games. I played not on FiOS, but at a local college library sharing the Internet with thousands of other students, and over a hundred in the same room. No other service would allow for something like this to happen.Yes, one could argue that I could buy some laptop that's small and thin that can play games. But I was playing UT3 at 720p on a computer I already owned, and using minimal power. I didn't need to buy any new equipment. I didn't need to use a power cable, nor did I need a recharge immediately after the hour long tournaments. All I needed was my existing hardware and an Internet connection. Oh, and a gaming mouse. "
To Stream Or Not To StreamAs a technology, OnLive is exciting. It's Netflix for games, but not limited to games. In the future, it could do TV, movies, music—theoretically, it can do everything, on a little box, with minimal lag. As time progresses and the code is cleaned up, and as more users get better Internet with lower latency, it will improve. And, as some European users have noted, it's actually playable across the ocean too, though lag times are in the seconds, not milliseconds.You don't need to take it from us, though; install the client and try the service out for yourself, because connection speed is the only thing that really matters for the service. Also, all the games have free trials. Trying games this way is easier than even downloading a demo.There are some downsides here. You're limited by your Internet connection, the selection of games is slim, and if you buy a game you're still tied to the service. The upside is the ability to play the games on nearly any system. All told, OnLive may not be a slam dunk, but it's a great first step into a brave new world.The Good * It works! Games are faster than on consoles or PCs * Free service, games are all PC-priced ($50 or less) with free trials * Works with gamepads and keyboard + mouse * "Owl" gamepad excels over Dualshock 3 and 360 controller * Simple and slow-paced games feel native * Works on any Windows and Mac computer, regardless of power * Works over Wi-Fi (not the microconsole) * Has amazing potential for future useThe Bad * Overall video quality suffers greatly based on connection errors, spurts * Microconsole bundle is expensive for an unproven service * Ridiculously stressful on your Internet, low latency requirement can be a killer * Only 35 games, and new releases are few and far between * Social aspect still very weakThe Ugly * If you're on a metered connection, you're going to be owing some money
