I rented BLACK on the PS2 over the weekend just to take a look. So far the reviews have been luke-warm, with the general consensus being that the game was a solid, if uninspired, shooter. Based on this, I went in with only the shallowest of expectations. What I found instead was a great looking game that did a fine job of balancing the best aspects of the fast action shooter with more tactical games like Ghost Recon. This isn’t an all out run and game – situational awareness and judicious use of cover (as well as the extraordinarily abundant exploding vehicles) are the keys to your survival. The few maps I played were nicely varied and all flowed well. The only real drawback for me was they absurdly durable heavy-armor shotgun guys. (Tip: don’t waste bullets on these fuckers – rush ‘em and wail on them with the butt of your rifle.) Other than that, what I saw was shiny.
In other news, I saw that Bioware is opening a MMO studio in Austin, I assume to take advantage of the large number of talented folks who have been left adrift by a nasty string of corporate implosions. What can I say – more Bioware can’t be a bad thing. Ever. Baldur’s Gate is still probably my favorite game of all time (if you are wondering, StarCraft is a close second). While I think their last few games have been a little flat, they are still better than most of the shit out there today. Beyond that, Co-CEOs Greg Zeschuk & Ray Muzyka just seem like good, savvy dudes, who are doing things for all the right reasons. I hope they kick some asses in that space, because right now Blizzard is the only shop that even kind of gets it, and frankly, they probably get it just a little too well for the good of the market.
On that note, tonight marks my exit from the lands of Azeroth. I’ve been playing World of Warcraft since about a month after retail, and I have to admit that it’s been one of the most amazing gaming experiences I have ever had. The depth and breadth of the world Blizzard has created is astonishing. But, as with all things, there comes a time to move on, and for me, this week is it. At this point, the high-level content is just too much of a time sink. Between work, wife, and kids, I just can’t find a continuous three to four hours to get a decent group and run an instance. Still, the game is a masterpiece, and it’s hard to leave behind a character and a group of people that you’ve grown so attached to. It’s been fun.
Now, it’s onto Oblivion. I picked up the Collector’s Edition last night (a nice package by the way) and dove in. I haven’t made it too far yet, because I spent over an hour in the insanely detailed character generation. The game itself looks amazing (even if there is something somewhat disturbing about the character's faces) and it has the same epic, wide-open feel that made Morrowind so great. I can’t wait to dig in deeper.
Labels: consoles, MMORPGs, RPGs, video games
