I don't care what people say, if you played WoW at a hardcore level and was good at it then there is simply no way you can totally rid yourself of that game. I won't go into my history but it started in 2005 so I have plenty of knowledge of the whole thing. I last played 10 months ago and for the last few weeks, I've had that feeling, urge, itch, or whatever you want to call it to go back. Not to go back just full tilt but poke around and see if there is something worth coming back for. My main con about the game has always been the fee and the lack of solo content. I've done my share of heroic pugs so I've done my best to keep myself busy. There is simply not enough solo quests to do at 80. I've always wished they'd put in a 1-2 player instance system. They could make the loot a bit lower then 5mans or use a badge system that they love so much.
Anyway, Blizzard is offering 7 free days to old accounts so last night I gave it a go. I must say I don't like what they did to the warlocks. They removed all the skill in how you do the dots and now you can't have unstable affliction with immolate at the same time, thats a huge wtf. Sure, you didn't use both for normal stuff but for bosses it was nice to have more dots. So, you just put on 3-4 dots and just spam bolts, not exactly hard. Once I got pass that, I was even more sad that they've barely done anything in the 10 months I've been gone. One lousy faction that is a real annoying grind. No new areas and just a bunch of instances and raids, oh boy. The new badges are nice and about time they reward the non-raiders with good loot. I did do some ToC which wasn't bad at all and the loot is actually decent.
So, not much to hold people who weren't happy with the lack of content and the price the last time they quit. But, as with any MMO, one thing that can make you play is friends. I've had this one WoW friend for nearly three years. Lets just say he is committed to this game. Anyway, he got on last night and seen me and about busted a walnut. Funny how we just picked up like we always do. A little catching up and bam, doing instances like the old days. So, can friends keep me playing... time will tell.
The Borderlands' DLC is great and showssigns that the series will always be fun. I expect it and UFC Undisputed to win quite a few awards at the end of the year.
Funny thing this past Turkey weekend. All my young 6-10yr old nieces and nephews all have DS's and all were playing average games at best but loved it. Their parents have no idea about games and only check the age rating. A couple of them also have a Wii or will be getting a Wii and again, their parents buy the shovelware that gamers laugh at but kids and causals just eat up. Anyone who thinks that the Nintendo system's have anything on the main two are kidding themselves. It gets the sales because kids whine and parents don't care. Personally, I know three people who had a Wii. One was sold and the other two sit and collect dust while they play a Xbox 360. Funny, we got a console thats under engineered, the Wii. Another that is over engineered, the PS3. And finally, one that took the best route, the Xbox 360 which will win this generation for gamers.
Sorry about that, told myself that I don't care about that stuff no more but eh one more time won't work. I still enjoying reading some of the really bad and clueless posts by the PS3 suckers but you simply can't help them. It's almost like the people who say guns are baaaaaaad but have nothing to back them up. Don't QQ in your soup too much.
Simply put, MW2 is a MP game with a solo story thrown in so it'll sucker in a few more buyers. I found the story so far fetched, so impossible, and so full ofobviousmoments that it simply distracted me from the game play. This really didn't help since the game was very short for a AAA game and just so limited. There is zero replay value, not even for a single mission like the AC130 in the first game. Sure the Predator Drone missles are nice but they are nothing compared to the AC130 guns. Why they didn't include many levels of that is beyond me. It was simply the best part of the first game. No doubt there will be a third game in the series but if the second game is any indication on where the series is headed, it's going to be just more of the same and quite boring for us who enjoy the solo bits more then MP. Yeah, it has the co-op mode but it's just more of the same. Thou at least it has a AC130 mission which requires two people, lame. And whats up with allowing system link for MP but not co-op? So the one mode where it affects other people (boosting) is allowed but not the one that is for two people? Just another flaw in a long list.
If you look back, you can see a post where I compared MW2 and Borderlands features and Borderlands easily won. Now that both are out and I've played both, Borderlands is easily the best new IP of the year and top 3 overall while MW2 is Top 20. I've had many friends play both and all give the nod to Borderlands. The biggest complaints about MW2 is the story and that the gameplay just feels like the first one but with better visuals. Anyway, MW2 will steal quite a few awards this year due to just it's name and hype which shows how bad the industry does the rewards. Really sickens me. I mean come on, Borderland's story is four times longer and the DLC that is coming out tomorrow is the same length as MW2's story, how is it that MW2 is even in the same class?
Anyway, MW2 is gone from my machine andI shall never see it again. Borderlands is still going strong for me and my friends. We are very excited for the first DLC tomorrow. You have no idea how happy we are with Borderlands, I mean we never buy DLC except maybe once a year. It truely is the game we have been waiting for.
Speaking of DLC, I plan on getting Fable 2's two DLC for xmas. I know I'm quite late in getting them but stuff changes and I change my style. I'm still going by the completion of a game motto but I'm a little more open with my rule. I mean with Borderlands, I gotta be since I've been playing that since it came out. So, I got Forza 3 going and I did have Enchanted Arms going but I simply couldn't stand it anymore and had to put it back until some point in the future. After I play Borderlands DLC a bit and after Turkey, I might play Assassin's Creed 2. I tried the first one on the PC and didn't care for it at all but from what I seen, this game seems to have fixed the issues.
In other news, got a 29g fish tank for tropical fish. Still breaking it in which is a slow process but looking forward to when it's full stock. It's my first tank since I was a kid so brings back some good memories. Going to my parent's for Turkey and the whole family will be there. Going to bring a Xbox 360 so my brother and I can play. It's also good kid control.
As you may not have noticed, Wal-Mart is having a one day sale thats being unadvertise. You can find details only on their site. I believe IGN did a feature on it because they are selling a Xbox 360 Arcade at the normal price but with a $100 gift card. There seemed to be confusion with the gift card because the site says its only valid online but I have first hand knowledge that the card can be used in the stores also. So, pretty much you get a Arcade for $100. The sale started at 8am and at 8:30 they sold out while I was waiting in line to buy mine. I got the 2nd to last. I've heard from a friend in another city that has been to two with no luck and said there was even a fight for the last Arcade at one of the stores. So, on to more stores he goes. I'm waiting to hear back from another friend if a small town's store has any left.
True, we all three have a Xbox 360 already so why are we geting another one, it's quite simply, the deal is amazing and something that would normally only happen on a Black Friday sale. Shoot, I'd even buy a Wii/PS3 if they had a deal like this going. For me now, I have three 360s. Two I bought and one I got in a trade. Sure, I don't feel as giddy with this purchase as I did when I got my first one but I still enjoyed taking it out of the box and setting it up. All in all, I'm very happy with the purchase and I'll be playing Xbox 360 games for quite awhile. This will surely boost the numbers for MS for the month.
Moving on to games. I've played a ton of Borderlands and still very much enjoy it and recommend. We all know they have some DLC coming out but we still don't know what the release date is. The lastest news is that there will be new info about it next week so I'm hoping that includes a release date. I must say I'm happy/impressed that I saw tv ads for it just a few days ago during the Ultimate Fighter and World Series. Thats three weeks after release and you just don't see that. I mean shoot, all the ads for Uncharted 2 have stopped so again, good for Borderlands. I'm hoping for a top 5 placement in the Oct NPD data.
Last thing I want to talk about is Halo. If you have played any Halo games, you need to download the free Halo Waypoint. It's like a Halo hub for news and achievements. The really cool this is that it gives away free avatar clothing based on your achievements you have earned in Halo games. I was awarded a ODST combat suit and matching helmet plus a toy or whatever they call it. A flying eye thingie, I don't recall the name but you can see it in my gamertag picture. Anyway, it's a nice reward system and yet another thing the PS3 can't match.
