There's a point in time where I can get fed up with something. I'm usually very tolerant of what goes on in the video game industry and very understanding but I just read on Gamespot.com that Modern Warfare 2 XBL avatar clothes are coming--hopefully some will be free.
Hopefully? With all the DLC, the crazy pre-orders, etc, this content should be, without a doubt, free. This is the point where I am truly fed up with the DLC market and how it attempts to empty our pockets. Of course, I don't have to buy it and I may or may not--maybe if it's free I'll get it--hopefully. I just find it disgusting right now.
My feelings may be based on all the crazy hate on Activision and their cash-cowing as of late but to be honest, I don't want to pay crazy amounts for some clothes. Frankly, I don't want anyone to pay for game-based clothing. It should be a small bonus for buying the game in the first place. I think that's fair. Buy a game, get some free avatar clothes. We have to pay for themes and icons, at least give us some free clothes.
This is the first time I've ever posted this sort of rant on a forum. They always seem so illogical and stupid when I read them so I won't be surprised if this sounds the same way. Oh well. I hope the clothes are cool, at least.
The game felt more and more like Halo 3 as I got further into the campaign. I know I'm playing as a ODST and I know they are not at the same level as a Spartan but because they can pretty much do everything a Spartan does, it makes it a little less satisfying.
An ODST can wield a Spartan laser with ease; pick and walk with a turret with the same strength as a Spartan--basically, the only difference between a Spartan and an ODST is the jump, melee strength and the health system which is similar to Halo: CE's health system. That doesn't mean the game isn't fun. It just means that there's not much difference between the two games and you can pretty much play through ODST as you would Halo 3 or even Halo: CE.
Once I got past the fact that it was the same Halo formula with minor differences, it remained as the fun experience that Halo always brings. However, I was dissatisfied with the single-player campaign at the end mainly because it felt rushed at the end. There probably could have been one or two more levels but before I knew it, the game was over.
Overall, ODST got weaker as the campaign progressed. The dialogue became forced (although the actors voicing was fine) and pointless man-drabble and the levels became bland and uninteresting. There were some fun standoffs but once those were over, it was back to uninteresting hallway exploration.
The story can be pointless if you're not into the Halo universe. You play as different ODST's who go through different troubles after their crash landing on New Mombassa. You play as a quiet ODST called "The Rookie" picking up clues as to the whereabouts of your teammates. I was looking forward to an interesting end but the final revelation is nothing special. What's shocking is what the revelation is. Still, if you like the Halo universe, you will probably get something exciting from it.
There is side-story which you can receive by finding audio logs throughout the city. These provide the perspective of a woman and her trials through New Mombassa and dealing with the Covenant. I found these to be more entertaining and worth collecting more than playing through the actual story.
Firefight is a nice saving grace to the game. It is much more difficult than Horde mode in Gears of War and Left 4 Dead. While I played by myself, it was super difficult. The enemy count becomes relative to the amount of players involved but it's not a noticeable difference. If you play by yourself, there is little cover. You will be swarmed.
With four players though, Firefight became a game of protection and teamwork. After playing by myself so many times, it became easy to survive and kill and it became easier to focus on protecting my teammates and getting them what they needed. That is critical for survival in Firefight mode as it gets overwhelming very quickly. It's not uncommon for Wraiths to appear from the start and Brute Chieftains with Hammers to spoil the party by the fourth round.
The only major complaint is that health in Firefight mode is not relative to the amount of players. If there are two health packs playing by yourself, there are only two when playing with 2-4. At that point, it becomes a question of who to give the health packs to--the weaker players who keep losing it or the strong who will keep life count fresh.
There are no major graphical changes. There is better anti-aliasing and the lighting engine had been improved but beyond that, it is still Halo 3.
The sound did have a change. Guns sound more powerful and provide a more threatening sound--shoot a Sniper shot off and you'll see what I mean.
Overall, ODST is not a bad game. It's just not as satisfying as I would have liked it to be being that I am playing as an ODST and not a Spartan. Still, playing the tried and true Halo formula is still fun even though everything gets bland at the end and using the formula in Firefight mode, with friends, has never been dull.
Pick it up if you have friends over Xbox Live or local and if you don't, rent it or buy it cheap as the campaign is worth playing through if at least for the audio logs.
Family Reunion
This weekend I will be going to a family reunion on my mom's side of the family. Sometimes I'm really excited to go, other times I'm not. The fact that I don't know my mom's side of the family all that well and that my family has suddenly begun to put emphasis on family, the excitement they have seems to be fabricated. I'm not saying that it is fabricated but it does seem like it.
On the other hand, I would like to see the rest of the members of my family and maybe hopefully some cousins that are my age. It's always cool to stay in contact with family that's around the same age as myself as I do frequently with my dad's side.
The reunion will be in Tuscon and hopefully it will be a nice warm temperature. Good for swimming but not so hot that I'd want to be inside all day. It is fall. Hopefully where we are will reflect that.
Updating Resume
My resume is still getting worked out and it seems to be taking longer than it should but the person helping is swamped I'm sure. She works for the school checking people's resume's and likely, a whole lot of graduates are submitting their resume's. In this economy, having a good resume is key so I have to make sure mine is a step above the rest even if I don't have crazy good qualifications. It's gonna be interesting to see how God works this one out.
