Hype.
Cutscenes.
Figuring I should jump on a "classic" I bought Metal Gear Solid 2. It's probably the best PS2 game around, right?
Maybe I'm the hardest person to please, but I was seriously let down. The camera views were awkward at first, but after an hour I caught on. Switching to first person isn't a bad idea, but (once again) you are left with that crappy controller. USB keyboard support should be on every game.
Plot: Let's face it, the story is so bad that I nearly wept. Sure, it's right out of a second rate comic book and shares the same target audience, but please. Maybe if I was a fan of the earlier games in the series it wouldn't be too bad. Granted, the X-Files type twists at the end were cool, but the first 90% was just sad.
Gameplay: Yeah it was cool knocking people out and hiding the bodies. I loved doing that in Thief: The Dark Project (1998). The cool gadgets were fun to use, almost as much fun as GoldenEye on my kid's N64 (1997).
Here's my main complaint. Cutscenes. Dammit, I felt like I spent 1/4 of the time actually playing the game. I know cutscenes are used to progress the story but why go on and on?
True story. I finished the game late at night. I was tired but figured I'd put this thing to rest. After 20 minutes of watching one cutscene after another, I fell asleep. Thanks to the Dualshock2 vibration effect in the controller, I woke up to find myself in a fight.
Just to appease you console freaks, I'll admit that I've had a blast with Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Kingdom Hearts and to a lesser extent Ace Combat 4. But right now I'm itching for something I have no time for.
With war looming on the horizon, I've been avoiding the media coverage. For some reason, this time around seems different. I remember the feeling I had before the Gulf War and I don't feel the same now. To attempt understanding the overlapping conspiracy theories surrounding this war is as ludicrous as the people spouting them. I could never be a supporter of George W. I don't think he's intelligent or responsible enough to wield the power he does (hey-who is?). But at the same time, some antiwar people just sound like idiots.
Today I read something quite alarming. Someone voiced an opinion opposing a war with Iraq and nearly defended Saddam Hussein like he was a innocent bystander. I question a lot of things about this impending war. Is it to secure the oil (yeah - probably a big part of the equation)? Is it to stimulate the economy [probably - think Kinky Sex (Makes the World Go Around)]? But some people rushing to oppose the US practically jump on the bandwagon of a vicious ruler.
Ever heard of the Kurds? How about chemical weapons against neighboring Iran? Hundreds of thousands died in a meaningless war that nealy destroyed both countries. That was no jihad or defense against western imperialism. That wasn't a defiant stance against a non-Muslim nation. It was cold, brutal, calculated attrition. Guess what, it's the same guy in charge of Iraq today.
Why is it that this protester cites the west is wrong for pushing the Christian religion on foreign countries and defends a country like Iraq with the same breath? I guess someone forcing you to bow to Mecca five times a day is better Sunday school? Btw, do you really think any leader would give a rat's ass about religion if it didn't buy him a vote or keep the peasants in line?
To tell you the truth, I feel like I have to weigh all my belief that this a scheming political war against the notion that one crazy ass madman is developing a nuke. I'd hate to see the US bomb the hell out of a country just for oil but chemical weapons or nukes in the hand of a religious psychopath isn't any better. I guess genocide is acceptable if Israel's on the recieving end.
Yesterday was the LVHC league finals and we lost big time. I was happy with the way I played so that's good enough. Something I noticed afterward was surprising. I knew I wanted to win, but I got over the lost in about 20 seconds. True story. Nobody believes me that competitiveness can end at the final buzzer. The three-peat was cool, four would have been nice, but I had a blast anyway. That's all that counts.
The bad news is that this is most likely the final season for our division. The coordinator is busy with coaching L.A.'s pro roller hockey team and the rink won't pick up the next season. The choices are to look elsewhere or join a tougher division. The latter would be fine except that it attracts jocks. You know, assholes.