While I was contemplating an idea for my weekly blog entry, something dawned on me; I’m not original in the slightest. I certainly write with a lot of passion and angst, but none of my ideas are truly unique.

For starters, I’m not the only person dissatisfied with “Uncharted 3.” I’m also clearly not the only person who doesn’t like the current COD games. As such, I’m beginning to lose faith in my own abilities.

Day in and day out, I fail to think of anything other than video games. My thoughts are permeated with something relating to games, yet I have nothing new to say about them. There is only so much praise one can throw at classics like “Zelda: Wind Waker,” “SFIII: Third Strike” and “Metal Gear Solid 3” before you sound like a broken record.

Not only that, but I’m usually very vocal about my general dissatisfaction with lots of current gen titles. My friend, Jim, gets the brunt of my complaints with daily messages about how I really hate “inFamous 2” or “Gears of War 3.” My criticisms never change and that bothers me.

With as much as I can say to Jim, though, I feel completely opposite to my co-workers. Their lives sound a lot more interesting to me. They go out to places, have dinner together, hang out at parties and generally have a lot to chat over. I provide nothing to their discussions.

When I come into work, the only thing on my mind is work. When standing there and waiting for something to happen, I can never muster up any kind of thought that sounds interesting. Sure, I occasionally think about video games, but not every one of my co-workers plays games.

Even the ones who do, they don’t enjoy the same titles I do. I haven’t met a single other person who actually knows what “The Binding of Isaac” even is. For that matter, I haven’t met anyone else who has played “Yakuza 3.”

My co-workers then proceed to chat about films and they almost always pick the ones I dislike. Now the only babble spewing from my mouth is how I generally loathe modern cinema and we’re back to square one. I have nothing to talk about.

When I do leave my house, I still cannot think of any ways to approach new people. What would I possibly say to them? As much as I love gaming, it’s not the only thing I want in my life, but I don’t know what else to even possibly speak about. I know nothing else!

So, I feel like giving up. My blogs aren’t getting any better and I’m running out of ideas to keep going. I may begin chatting about films, but I don’t think that has any place on Destructoid. Even if that did, I probably wouldn’t be able to conjure up any originality.

One of my dreams was to become a writer in the gaming community, but life apparently has different plans for me. I abhor school and will not return, so I guess I’m just done. Until I can create something truly individual and unique, I will not be writing any more blogs.

Much like the setup for “The Darkness 2,” I am giving in to my own darkness. My own self deprecating thoughts and asperity have defeated me. One day I’ll come to terms with my own ineptitude, but today is not that day.

Until I return, I’d just like to thank all of the people who actually enjoyed my writing. I appreciate that I was able to lift some spirits and possibly even attract you to newer genres. I just wish that I could find more to say to you.

When asked about which game I’d like to see improvements in, few things come to mind. I usually don’t actively think of ways to improve titles. I may hate on big name games, but the awful taste in my mouth leaves me wishing to have nothing to do with future installments.

There are a few rare games, though, that I feel should be given another chance or that simply could use a few modern flourishes to stay relevant. One such title is an oft-forgotten shooter by the name of “Freedom Fighters.” A game by the “Hitman” developer, IO Interative, and published by EA, a sequel could improve upon some of the few problems I had with the first.

I’ll start off by saying that I really dig the first game. I think it’s a classic, but it doesn’t have any of the modern mechanics that third person shooters now employ. For starters, it lacks any kind of cooperative play (which would work wonderfully in the context of the game). That’s a bummer, but it also lacks a focused camera and replayability.

So, I’ll take a look at some aspects from the first game that I feel could be reworked to greatly benefit a “Freedom Fighters 2,” should that game ever happen.

Plotline



The first game has a very intriguing premise. Taking a cue from “Red Dawn,” the whole plot of “Freedom Fighters” revolves around Russia invading the US after World War 2. Since they dropped the first A-Bomb, the Soviet Union never collapsed. That’s honestly about it, too.

Sure, there are characters and you assume the role of Chris “Freedom Phantom” Stone and follow his journey to retake New York City from the Russian’s. Your brother is captured and you’re left with nothing. You help some guy get away from the Russian’s and join a coalition to reclaim lost territory.

It definitely moves the game along, but the emotional involvement is just missing. Your brother dies at one point in the game and you’re not informed until you start the next mission. I feel the sequel could take this and spin it into a personal vengeance story.

What I would do is simply change actors. Get some more professional voice-overs and a better script writer. Make the game about avenging your lost family and putting pain on the Russian’s for ruining New York.

There’s also a half-baked romance thrown into the original, so I’d immediately kill her off. While that sounds harsh, it would work to get the player truly invested in Chris Stone. Now that he really has nothing left, his plight against the Russian’s would be more enduring.

The intro could make a quick recap of the events from the first game by having Chris and Isabella (the love interest) explain how they got to this point. They could reminisce about their first meeting and even include some flashbacks. She would then be sniped and this would throw the player into the action with little recourse.

The middle section would include some “What-If” scenarios where Chris has to deal with the reality of his loss. He can dream about how he’d save her and his brother and even rewrite history in his mind.

While this sounds fairly flimsy, I’m sure that given the proper attention and care, the story could definitely become very involving and affecting.

Controls



There actually isn’t a whole lot that is wrong with “Freedom Fighters” control setup, but modern shooters just play so smoothly in comparison. For starters, the camera is drawn too far back. When you aim in, the whole world zooms and your character sometimes gets in the way.

Fixing that problem by moving in the camera would be appreciated. The radial menu for weapon selection could also use tweaking. It never seemed to work for me and nobody would give the game a chance if that were the only option.

I’d hate to suggest cutting down on the weapon count, but that may be the best solution. Since everything is squad based, maybe limiting yourself to one or two weapons would be the best way to go about things.

There are also levels in the first game that task you with climbing over boxes, but the mechanic for that is so clunky. You have to be aligned perfectly straight with your desired object and then jump.

Making this similar to “Uncharted” would make the battles tenser and faster paced. It could also allow the developers to provide a more open level design and give players the opportunity to explore new options for replaying.

I will say, though, that I do not believe a cover system should be added. The first game works perfectly without one and I wouldn’t want to see that flow ruined.

Cooperative Play



What “Freedom Fighters” is known for is a fairly unique and innovative squad mechanic. It was the first shooter I can think of that let you recruit grunts to help you in battle. With a point system that rewarded you for completing secondary objectives, you were also able to increase the amount of lackeys you could have with you.

Since the entire game was built around this feature, why not add in multiplayer? I think basing the game around cooperative play would really work. It certainly isn’t uncommon to see you with 10 other people in the first, so having a bunch of those grunts as friends would just be awesome.

Having extra buddies would also fix the first games problem of not being able to command individual NPCs. For some reason, you can either send 1 person or all and you have no control over which person moves. To the first game’s credit, no NPC had better stats than another. That could be changed, though.

Varied Stats



Since the first title allowed you to recruit different people off the streets, why not include some stats for them? Make certain people better at defensive abilities and others really good medics. Carry this over to the single-player and cooperative play and allow for humans to pick specific classes.

Much akin to “Borderlands,” you can now have a game that is less a straight shooter and more a tactical game, just like the whole squad mechanic should be. While its fun to steamroll the Russian’s with 10 NPCs, it could be less frustrating if they wouldn’t all be the same, idiotic soldier.

Medic classes would also fix the problem I had with dying in the first game. While I’m certainly okay with challenge, it was extremely frustrating to have to restart checkpoints when only I died. It makes no sense how 10 other people couldn’t lend a hand.

Extra Modes (Replayability)



While the first game is very well paced and the action is always entertaining, it lacks a lot of replayability. Once you finish the game, you’re done. While the console versions had a throwaway competitive mode, the PC version contained only a cut level.

So, why not do similar things with the sequel and then provide even more? Horde mode is an obvious, considering the game is structured similarly to “Gears of War” and “Uncharted,” but I think we could do one better.

I’ve already mentioned cooperative play, so why not get a more fleshed out competitive mode? Let teams square off against each other with NPC grunts. 4 humans enter the arena and equip themselves with various lackeys. Chaos ensues when players are ordering their grunts around the levels and looking for various weapons, “Unreal” style.

Since we’re dealing with squads, though, why not turn the multiplayer into a completely different genre? “Brutal Legend” actually had a fairly decent console oriented strategy setup, so how about provide a mode akin to that. Let the player fly around the arena, building various units and setting them into battle. The player could then jump into battle when they feel fit.

I would also like to see some developer commentary, a la Valve. Let me replay the game and get some insight onto the various decisions for set pieces and level design. If that is too extensive, then how about a documentary on the making of the game?



Due to some licensing issues and a lack of knowledge of the first game, I doubt a sequel will ever happen. EA isn’t working with IO Interactive anymore and Eidos no longer owns the rights to “Freedom Fighters.”

EA has been losing a lot of faith with gamers recently, though, and I do believe that revisiting this game would be a show of good faith. Everyone loves squad based shooters and having this gem touched up with modern staples would make everyone happy.

If nothing else, an HD remake with these added options would be pretty awesome, too. Not many people have ever played the game (sales figures were never released, but the game did poorly), so getting it out to a larger audience could help generate buzz for a sequel.

Whatever happens, these points are exactly how I’d improve “Freedom Fighters.” I know for certain that these improvements would really get people hyped. Let’s make it happen, EA!

I’m a habitual complainer. If there’s one thing you can count on me for, it’s realistic and consistent criticism. I do not let things fall through the cracks. If I see a problem, it’s promptly put on trial.

Still, I’ve noticed something recently; my cynicism has made me completely jaded. I either just really hate modern gaming or I dislike everything popular. That cannot be the case, but those reasons certainly explain my utter hatred of “inFamous 2” and a few other titles from last year.

My older groups of friends always dismissed me and my friend Jim’s musings because of our similar thoughts. Every time we explained why we disliked something, they’d turn around and state, “That’s just because you hate everything.” Well, what if that is true?

There has to be some starting point to all of this bitterness. Maybe it happened in middle school? I remember meeting some new friends and quickly adjusting my gaming tastes to match theirs. It ended up with me loving the Unreal series, so that doesn’t make sense.

Maybe it was high school? My first few years were pretty awful, but I always talked about “Grand Theft Auto” and how fantastic that series was. That can’t be it either…Hm?


This has me in a cynical fit, though!

I think the problem is just more modern. My pessimistic interest in modern gaming probably stems from the fact that I’ve been gaming for close to 20 years now. When you’ve played and been exposed to something for more than half of your natural life, you’re bound to notice repeated trends and styles.

When every fighting game started to end up like Street Fighter in the mid-90’s, I stopped playing those and hated the new ones. Now I’m back into that genre and “Street Fighter IV” is a favorite (sort of). Where the others failed to me, IV reigns supreme.

When “Guitar Hero” began to overstay its welcome in 2009, I looked to “DJ Hero” for revitalization of the genre. That paid off in spades, but “Guitar Hero” wouldn’t stop for another year. I couldn’t muster any kind of pleasant words about the franchise.

Shooters stopped being a lot of fun for me after “Call of Duty 4” and only recently have I started to get back into them. With the yearly installments of COD, that genre just seems like the same shit to me. There is only so much brown and grey one can tolerate.

But is my waning interest in these games due to the series growing stale, or simply because I “hate” everything? 2011 had me playing the fewest amount of new games that I could remember. I believe my total count was around 15, which is a huge downgrade from the 30-something I played from 2010 or close to 50 in 2009.

As I grow older and watch the industry mature alongside me, I just get an overwhelming sense of sameness. Trends repeat every 5 or 6 years and it’s becoming tiring to watch people praise things I loved almost a decade ago. Yeah, open-world games were great back in 2001 when GTAIII first did it, but we have to move on!

Maybe the whole thing is because of how I view myself? My life has certainly not turned out the way I thought it would in senior year. I believed I would be a Chemist and concocting different formulas for some drug company. Now I bag groceries.


Even Letterman bags, so you know it's awful!

Today, a former classmate ran into me at my store. He immediately recognized me and I was stunned. Why did this kid have to come here? He shook my hand and began to explain how he was employed at a hospital, working in their IT department.

Well, I’m so thrilled for you! When is it my turn to reap some rewards? While that thought is completely selfish, maybe that’s a part of my apathetic nature. Maybe my own self-pity and egocentric thoughts are why I’m jaded.

Or maybe gaming really does just suck? There has to be something wrong when big titles like “Skyrim,” “Uncharted 3” and “Saints Row: The Third” are just pure trash to me. I can’t be alone in my antipathy.

Whatever the reason, I just know that I’m a jaded gamer. If something isn’t good enough to me, the world will know. If I come off as somebody who “hates everything,” then I guess that’s just the cross I have to bear.


I can't even use the word "jaded" without thinking of them...

Guns, guts, glory and gore,
When gripping the trigger, I'm craving more,
Lining up my shots and firing away,
Making sure you won't see another day.

Stalking the prey and counting my shells,
Grabbing ammo so all is well,
Stacking on armor to prevent expiration,
Cooking grenades for your brains evacuation.

Rounding each corner with reckless abandon,
Hoping to rapid fire shots from my cannon,
Itching to see the dye in your eyes,
Screaming to hear your blood-curdling cries.

Spinning turrets to cause you blight,
Piloting vehicles to any height,
Sprinting faster to chase you around,
Curb stomp you until you're down.

Blood flows down like a river,
Reminding me of how you shivered,
Turn my head to walk away,
Bullet collides and ends my day.

The cycle repeats for what seems like hours,
Lives lost and new blood cowers,
Shooters provide such visceral thrills,
To this day, I still get chills.

Endless arsenals full of ridiculous gear,
Games dedicated to eliciting pure fear,
Gory romps through hell and space,
Tension making your heart race.

Plotted tactics in a realistic style,
Or mindless killing to drive you wild,
The range of titles is limitless,
But they all fill me with pure bliss.

I'll never tire of the fights,
Popping off rounds and setting foes alight,
Masterful killing is what I can do,
But certain death is not good enough for you.

It seems I’ve done it again. I’ve fallen hard for my old friend. Snake just has a way with words and his blue eyes are so enchanting. Yes, I’m talking about Metal Gear.

This past weekend, I beat “Metal Gear Solid 3” again. Long considered my favorite of the series, I was eager to jump back in when I purchased the HD Collection last month. Finishing off my plate of titles from 2011, I immediately threw the disc into my PS3 when I had a clean slate.

That’s not the only thing I’m falling for. No, just like all those years ago, I believe I’m coming down with a case of love sickness. My recent efforts to expand my rapport at work have led me to develop a lust for one of my co-workers.

If any of you still haven’t played MGS3, then I apologize for any spoilers. Considering the game is now close to 8 years old, though, I don’t believe I’ll be including any tags. Your only warning rests here.

My first time with the game was in 2004, when I was a Junior in a brand new high school. I had trouble making friends and since I was depressed beyond reason, I actually couldn’t muster up the will to even play the title. I was content with having it and “Metroid Prime 2” become bookends in the future.

When the New Year rolled around, I began talking with my now best friend, Jim. I mentioned that I had gotten MGS3 for Christmas and his eyes lightened up. He was in love with the series and demanded I play the game.

Well, I somehow got myself to suffer through the awful camera and I became entranced. Nothing was stopping me from fully loving this title, even some of the hammy dialog. I experienced all the highs and lows that Snake did. I cried multiple times throughout the plot.

When it was all said and done, I went back to Jim and professed my love of the game. We quickly became close friends and haven’t faltered that badly in the years since. Well, it couldn’t have been too troublesome as Jim is almost as close as family to me.

During my journey, though, there was a girl I had admired at school. While it wasn’t on the same level that I would eventually have for the girl the following year, I was fairly smitten with her. Sadly, I only admired her from a far.

Every chance I went to speak with her, I would freeze up. I didn’t possess the courage to simply talk to her. I would talk to my friends about how I thought she was beautiful and I would fantasize about her during class. It was simply a voyeuristic lust.



Now, my current situation isn’t anything like this. I’ve actually spoken to my fellow co-worker, so that’s already a step ahead of my 16 year old self. Still, the types of conversations I’ve had with my co-worker aren’t exactly what you’d call romantic.

She will sometimes mutter to one of our superiors about how she wishes she had a boyfriend or could spend her time with someone. Even today, she made some crack about being alone with a box of chocolates. I never really know exactly what to say to these quips.

When she’s busy with customers, I sometimes catch myself staring at her. I’m taken back by how alluring and magnificent she is. When she talks, I fall on her every word, though not enough to reveal my hidden interest. I try my best to brighten her day, even if my advice is often too truthful.

This makes me think back to the character of Eva from MGS3. While she doesn’t come into play until around half-way through the game, she is quickly established as a love interest for Snake. The funny thing is, though, that Eva has no true interest in Snake.

My attraction back in 2004 felt like his, but is now perfectly summed up by my current desire. Snake knows how to get Eva's attention, but it's not exactly for the reasons he would like. Eva will carefully listen to Snake, but only because she's a damn triple agent looking for any details.

At one point, she even removes most of her clothing to tempt Snake. Well, forgive me for taking Snake's side, but a man can only be pushed so far. Thankfully my co-worker hasn't revealed any part of herself to me (or maybe that's bad...).

Diving back into the jungles of this game couldn’t have happened at a better point in my life. My maturation has let me see the game in a new light, but the ties to my past within my present are keeping me fully engaged.

I’m not sure if my chances are any better currently, but I do know that lust is taking over me. Just like Snake, I’m craving the attention of someone who probably won’t discern the same emotions.

For the hell of it, I’m going to re-rebeat the game. And, for once, I may finally talk to a girl about my feelings. Maybe she’ll be able to see through my rough exterior...

While I can’t say for certain that my feelings for her are strong, I can claim certainty about my love of MGS3. I will always love this game, regardless of where my life takes me.


I will always love this face paint, too!

Image courtesy of Next Gen Gaming Blog.

Gaming trends have changed over the past few years. The rise of online passes and DLC clubs has led me to come to one sure-fire prediction for 2012: Game of the Year Editions!

Even two years ago, this trend was starting to become big. Some of the biggest releases in 2009 were given “GOTY” editions even when they weren’t awarded top honors. How, though, can “Arkham Asylum,” “Gears of War 2,” “Borderlands” and “Uncharted 2” all be the game of the year?

The past year may be a small step towards changing this, but I really don’t see that. DLC clubs for “Uncharted 3” and “Gears of War 3” just make me believe that developers are trying their hardest to nickel and dime first adopters while rewarding the late comers with fuller versions.

What really took the cake in 2011 was “L.A. Noire.” Not only did the complete version come out in the same year, but Rockstar didn’t even try to label it as anything different. It’s literally called “L.A. Noire: Complete Edition.” Well, why did I spend $60 on the first print?

I remember a time when GOTY Edition was simply a repackaging of the game at a lower price point. Remember “Unreal Tournament?” That GOTY came with some free mods and retailed for $20 less; totally awesome!

I guess we all bought too many of them. Now GOTY editions come with content that should have been included with the main game. With the confirmation of a “Mortal Kombat: Complete” for 2012, here are my predictions for what we’ll see in 2012:



“Saints Row – The Third: Gang Bang Edition”

With a completely lackluster ending and a campaign mode that feels way too short and repetitive, “Saints Row – The Third” is a strange title. Its core missions are fantastic and outdo even Uncharted, but its small size and lack of innovation are just disappointing.

Well, THQ already announced a DLC season pass, so what’s to stop them from double dipping with a complete edition? Why not make the name of that edition something ridiculous and offensive?

I have no idea what THQ could have cut from the game, but a proper ending is definitely in store. I’m sickened at how developers feel the need to just short change us and then provide closure after the game is released. Stop charging full price and maybe I’ll get some of your DLC.



“Batman: Arkham City – Dark Knight Edition”

I think that title is actually the name of the collector’s edition. Maybe I made that up, but with all the post release character packs and cut content in the form of an online pass, why would WB Games not release a GOTY version?

This is doubly true because of how they released one for “Arkham Asylum.” Now, the content included in that version wasn’t necessary to the story and all of the DLC released thus far hasn’t added a single thing to City’s campaign mode.

Still, why are any of these maps released as paid DLC? I grabbed Asylum: GOTY on Steam for $5 and I felt that the extra levels were totally underdeveloped and pointless. Why even bother with a double dip when you can release the extras for free?



“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deceptions Game of the Century”

The amount of praise for this game is unparalleled. While I don’t agree with all of it, Uncharted 3 has been declared GOTY by most websites. NaughtyDog would be silly to not release a version with the entire multiplayer DLC on the disc, especially since “Uncharted 2” had the same.

But, I see NaughtyDog actually rewarding late adopters with some bonus content. With the announcement of “The Last of Us,” I think trailers and documentaries for that game will be included on the disc.

In edition to that, I believe NaughtyDog will also include “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” with the package at no additional cost; either that or a PS3 version of “Golden Abyss.” The later is less likely.

So, not an entirely bad deal, then.



“Gears of War 3: Brothers Till The End Edition”

The conclusion of the Gears trilogy sees a lot of upsets in story development and a DLC season pass for Epic to milk gamers with. While not all the content will be multiplayer focused, the fact that Epic is going to expand the story further and expect players to own their newest game is just silly.

If it’s DLC, why can’t the content be a separate XBLA release? Regardless, I know Epic will work quickly to capitalize on the GOTY nominations they received. Not only that, but they’ll probably go out of their way to criticize the critics who gave the game an 8 out of 10.

Expect the bonus content to be nothing more than the DLC season pass, but missing all of the golden bonus guns and skins that come with it.

It’s a shame that developers can’t provide fuller experiences with their new releases. While I can understand wanting to expand your game beyond the original scope, why do most titles not finish now a days?

I hate reaching a fever pitch in story development only to have the campaign abruptly stop and tease me with DLC. I don’t want DLC if my story mode never ended! It’s some kind of reverse psychology that isn’t cutting it!

So that’s my prediction for 2012. While some of you may see “complete” editions as a bonus, I see it as a horrible trend. I know, for one, that I’m buying a hell of a lot less games next year because of it.