SSFitzgerald
Shaun joined
I'm a writer. I also like to draw. I've been told that my drawings are nice, but honestly I don't like doing it too much. I love "thinking on my toes." I am one of those jarheads that believe that the Marines are better then the Army, although I respect both equally. I love shooting, it is my passion. I study weapons to fine point, and I can tell you the hundreds of differences between the AK-47 and the Type-81 and I hate when people pretend to know what they are talking about when it is clear their weapon knowledge is from video games. Well that's all you should need to know about me, if you're interested in talking to me, drop me a line in any one my forms of contacts.
My Blogs
(This is coppied from my blogger at blogger "Random Thoughts")
So for quiet sometime I have felt the gaming industry has
been producing mediocre games. I thought it was just me, and that I was moving
past games. But then I decided to just play a few of my old Playstation games
(yeah the first one), and I realized, no modern games are just not as
interesting. My girlfriend and I burned several days playing fun, interesting,
and exciting games. Which brings me to my first point.
been producing mediocre games. I thought it was just me, and that I was moving
past games. But then I decided to just play a few of my old Playstation games
(yeah the first one), and I realized, no modern games are just not as
interesting. My girlfriend and I burned several days playing fun, interesting,
and exciting games. Which brings me to my first point.
WHY ON EARTH DO MODERN GAMES NOT HAVE SPLITSCREEN?! In fact as there aren't split screen games coming out, why do consoles have ports for 4 controllers?
Well I’ve looked into this, and first I’m going to address
the common man’s argument first. So I often hear that splitscreen is outdated.
Um, no, sitting with your FRIEND or GIRLFRIEND and playing a game together is
not outdated. Sometimes friends just want to kick back and mess around with a
fun game. Don’t believe me? Does anyone remember 007 Golden Eye for the N64? I
recently popped in Time Splitters 2 for the PS2 and my girlfriend and I wasted
a whole week on that game alone. This is 2012 and the most interesting
splitscreen game we can find came out nearly 10 years ago? Now granted there
were a few games recently that do have splitscreen, but it seemed they lacked
content for the two of us to stay interested in them. But they deserve a
mention in case any readers are looking.
the common man’s argument first. So I often hear that splitscreen is outdated.
Um, no, sitting with your FRIEND or GIRLFRIEND and playing a game together is
not outdated. Sometimes friends just want to kick back and mess around with a
fun game. Don’t believe me? Does anyone remember 007 Golden Eye for the N64? I
recently popped in Time Splitters 2 for the PS2 and my girlfriend and I wasted
a whole week on that game alone. This is 2012 and the most interesting
splitscreen game we can find came out nearly 10 years ago? Now granted there
were a few games recently that do have splitscreen, but it seemed they lacked
content for the two of us to stay interested in them. But they deserve a
mention in case any readers are looking.
-Resident Evil 5 (the only redeeming fact of the splitscreen
here is that there is a Mercenary Mode which will keep it interesting much
longer than the story)
here is that there is a Mercenary Mode which will keep it interesting much
longer than the story)
-Halo (they all have it, but it seems that only the first
kept us interested in the story, which when it comes to splitscreen is key)
kept us interested in the story, which when it comes to splitscreen is key)
-Rainbow Six Vegas & Rainbow Six Vegas 2
-Left for Dead & Left for Dead 2 (although these games
become far too easy after a single play through)
become far too easy after a single play through)
-Boarderlands
-Call of Duty Black Ops (you can go online splitscreen as
well, although I’m just not a big fan of the series)
well, although I’m just not a big fan of the series)
-Portal 2 (I have no clue why the first one didn’t offer
splitscreen)
splitscreen)
As you can see it’s not a very big list. Now I know a few
others exist, but again, they didn’t keep our interest for very long, often the
problem became they didn’t last longer then a single play through which is
somewhere around 4-6 hours, any play through after that you know where
everything is and is basically just a run through, for example Army of 2. Those
being the racing games and any of the Lego or ‘super hero’ type games. But just
in case, for my readers who are looking for splitscreen games and are willing
to play older games here’s a short list.
others exist, but again, they didn’t keep our interest for very long, often the
problem became they didn’t last longer then a single play through which is
somewhere around 4-6 hours, any play through after that you know where
everything is and is basically just a run through, for example Army of 2. Those
being the racing games and any of the Lego or ‘super hero’ type games. But just
in case, for my readers who are looking for splitscreen games and are willing
to play older games here’s a short list.
-Star Wars Battlefront & Star Wars Battlefront II
-Sims 2
-Half-Life
-Time Splitters 2
-Ghost Recon (whole series)
-Killzone (the newest one sadly does not offer splitscreen)
The list goes on but these are all older games, and despite
their fun, the limited technology of their time period usually allows a couple
(friends or otherwise) to burn through these in roughly a weeks’ time. But as I
stated earlier, I will dispute the arguments of the developers. The first and
most common is it’s hard to render today’s graphics into splitscreen. Well
first off this is just plain wrong. But I’ll keep the argument valid for now,
but let’s accept the reality that not every game that comes out has the best
graphics in the world. For example the fun (in my opinion) game Dead Island definitely
could have, and really should have had splitscreen, the graphics aren’t as
sharp as Call of Duty World at War or Call of Duty Black Ops and yet both
feature splitscreen. In fact Dead Island was pushed back several times, and is
a little behind times. Well let’s assume
now that graphics and content play a role, as Dead Island definitely has more
content crammed into its system. Well Borderlands has the same if not more and
is also splitscreen. Now I understand also that for this generation and new
gamers graphics seem to be of high regard, although I find it funny Half-Life
is still amazing to this day, so I won’t say the typical argument of gameplay
> graphics. Because really we have seen, and I will give a few more
examples, that graphics can be done well in splitscreen. Let’s say now, we’ll
take a game still in this generation, but older. Saints Row 2, in fact this
game was supposed to be splitscreen, but it ended up not being splitscreen.
Just about every splitscreen game (in this generation) I reference earlier has
better graphics. Which, mentioning Saints Row 2, what bothers me so much are
games that really should have had splitscreen. Resident Evil Operation Raccoon
City, this is a game based around team work, and didn’t offer splitscreen (go
ahead and say survival horror games shouldn’t have splitscreen, then go play
the game and tell me how much of a survival horror that game it really is). In
fact the game didn’t even advance that much compared to its predecessor RE5
which had splitscreen! Far Cry 2 is (even with all its faults) one of my
favorite open world games, and I really feel that it had features that would
have been better splitscreen, (i.e. driving and shooting). In fact in reference
to Far Cry 2, the whole game would have been more interesting splitscreen
considering that you had to ambush your enemies in several parts of the game.
their fun, the limited technology of their time period usually allows a couple
(friends or otherwise) to burn through these in roughly a weeks’ time. But as I
stated earlier, I will dispute the arguments of the developers. The first and
most common is it’s hard to render today’s graphics into splitscreen. Well
first off this is just plain wrong. But I’ll keep the argument valid for now,
but let’s accept the reality that not every game that comes out has the best
graphics in the world. For example the fun (in my opinion) game Dead Island definitely
could have, and really should have had splitscreen, the graphics aren’t as
sharp as Call of Duty World at War or Call of Duty Black Ops and yet both
feature splitscreen. In fact Dead Island was pushed back several times, and is
a little behind times. Well let’s assume
now that graphics and content play a role, as Dead Island definitely has more
content crammed into its system. Well Borderlands has the same if not more and
is also splitscreen. Now I understand also that for this generation and new
gamers graphics seem to be of high regard, although I find it funny Half-Life
is still amazing to this day, so I won’t say the typical argument of gameplay
> graphics. Because really we have seen, and I will give a few more
examples, that graphics can be done well in splitscreen. Let’s say now, we’ll
take a game still in this generation, but older. Saints Row 2, in fact this
game was supposed to be splitscreen, but it ended up not being splitscreen.
Just about every splitscreen game (in this generation) I reference earlier has
better graphics. Which, mentioning Saints Row 2, what bothers me so much are
games that really should have had splitscreen. Resident Evil Operation Raccoon
City, this is a game based around team work, and didn’t offer splitscreen (go
ahead and say survival horror games shouldn’t have splitscreen, then go play
the game and tell me how much of a survival horror that game it really is). In
fact the game didn’t even advance that much compared to its predecessor RE5
which had splitscreen! Far Cry 2 is (even with all its faults) one of my
favorite open world games, and I really feel that it had features that would
have been better splitscreen, (i.e. driving and shooting). In fact in reference
to Far Cry 2, the whole game would have been more interesting splitscreen
considering that you had to ambush your enemies in several parts of the game.
Now with the fact my girlfriend and I are preparing to get
married, it has come to the point that we won’t buy games simply because they
do not offer split screen. We have our hopes up for the upcoming Aliens:
Colonial Marines game, and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier game. My girlfriend
constantly tells me that she hopes the new BioShock will have split screen, but
considering that the last two didn’t we aren’t getting our hopes up.
married, it has come to the point that we won’t buy games simply because they
do not offer split screen. We have our hopes up for the upcoming Aliens:
Colonial Marines game, and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier game. My girlfriend
constantly tells me that she hopes the new BioShock will have split screen, but
considering that the last two didn’t we aren’t getting our hopes up.
I also understand that many don’t and won’t support split
screen online. That would be fine for me as well, although my friend and I love
getting the number one and two spots in CoD Black Ops, but consider just
offline. Especially in games where story or cooperation is important to the
game, splitscreen is a must. The newest Aliens vs. Predators came out for the consoles;
I would have loved playing survival or the Marine storyline with my friend or
girlfriend.
screen online. That would be fine for me as well, although my friend and I love
getting the number one and two spots in CoD Black Ops, but consider just
offline. Especially in games where story or cooperation is important to the
game, splitscreen is a must. The newest Aliens vs. Predators came out for the consoles;
I would have loved playing survival or the Marine storyline with my friend or
girlfriend.
I also noticed that games with splitscreen lost much longer than
their online coop counter parts. Online diminishes, and servers shut down,
splitscreen allows that game to retain some value (a trade in of $1.10 is not
value). I don’t pop in old games to play alone in the dark, I do it with
friends and we do it because the new games don’t offer splitscreen.
their online coop counter parts. Online diminishes, and servers shut down,
splitscreen allows that game to retain some value (a trade in of $1.10 is not
value). I don’t pop in old games to play alone in the dark, I do it with
friends and we do it because the new games don’t offer splitscreen.
The last thing I noticed is the lack of adding bots. I
remember this feature made games in the past extremely unique and it suddenly
died off. It would be amazing to see splitscreen return, it would be a miracle
to see both splitscreen and bots return. But as lives change, it seems to me I
won’t bother purchasing games any more unless splitscreen is offered. And that
is simply because if I want to play alone I’ll play on my computer. But most of
the time I like being social, I enjoy sitting back and relaxing with friends
and my girlfriend and playing games with each other. And I know I am not the
only one. I’m not going to go out and sink more money into buying a whole new
console plus game, just to play ‘system link’ with my girlfriend. I’m not going to ask each one of my friends
to get the same console as myself, pay for online play (xbox), just to play a
game. I’m going to go out on a limb here
and say that if anyone really thinks sitting in the dark alone playing online
with just a headset is more fun than splitscreen, then they never have opened a
pizza with friend(s)along with a few
drinks and just played. I would even
make an argument that games aren’t as deep and whole as they used to be, but
that’s another argument for another post.
remember this feature made games in the past extremely unique and it suddenly
died off. It would be amazing to see splitscreen return, it would be a miracle
to see both splitscreen and bots return. But as lives change, it seems to me I
won’t bother purchasing games any more unless splitscreen is offered. And that
is simply because if I want to play alone I’ll play on my computer. But most of
the time I like being social, I enjoy sitting back and relaxing with friends
and my girlfriend and playing games with each other. And I know I am not the
only one. I’m not going to go out and sink more money into buying a whole new
console plus game, just to play ‘system link’ with my girlfriend. I’m not going to ask each one of my friends
to get the same console as myself, pay for online play (xbox), just to play a
game. I’m going to go out on a limb here
and say that if anyone really thinks sitting in the dark alone playing online
with just a headset is more fun than splitscreen, then they never have opened a
pizza with friend(s)along with a few
drinks and just played. I would even
make an argument that games aren’t as deep and whole as they used to be, but
that’s another argument for another post.
In the end I believe this is just the companies’ way of
getting more of their products sold (haha! Now you must buy two copies of our
game!). I wonder if the next generation will even have the ports for more than
one controller.
getting more of their products sold (haha! Now you must buy two copies of our
game!). I wonder if the next generation will even have the ports for more than
one controller.
I haven't been on in a long time so I thought I'd write a little blog with my opinions on some games I have had the chance to play.
Playstation 3
Call of Duty Black Ops: Nothing great, just Modern Warfare 2 with revamped weapons and new maps. Interesting idea in the "buy" your upgrades, but the upgrades were pretty predictable. I won't get off on a rant on how the game has no real call to "realism" and its historical inaccuracies because in the end people play it for the fact you get to shoot people in a video game. So 6/10 why this rating? There's nothing new to it. It seems like a game which just claimed glory from the series, and with how recent it came out there's already clips from the next Call of Duty. What's that about? Something I did like about this was the fact you could play split screen online with your friends. Great idea! Now if only more games could do this.
Metal Gear Solid 4: I'm not usually attracted to third person games but MGS4 does a great job at keeping the game running smooth, and for people like me, allows you to use your iron sights (for those of you who don't know that's what the sights on the weapon(s) are called) making it an usual combination of first person and third person. Now granted this game is older then say Black Ops, but still it offers some great features and the graphics stand up to the most recent of games. Online gives you everything you would come to expect from a shooter plus some interesting modes which enhance the "stealth" game feel to it. The customization in both online and offline play beyond what even newer titles offer. 8/10, why not a perfect score? Well most of you will disagree with me on this but I believe every game, and I mean EVERY GAME should have an option for split screen, no it's not outdated, I like sitting back with my friends after a long day of doing a PFT and be able to play a game. But granted MGS4 is probably the best title on PS3
Bioshock and Bioshock 2: I lump these two together as they only change in to advance the story. Great story behind the game. Unfortunately the replay of the game is low as nothing changes, and for those wondering there's no online, and no split screen (shame would have been perfect if they had implicated something like the decay mode found in the original Half-Life). The graphics are good and the whole game comes together to deliver a great shooter and a great story. It's a fun mix between a first person shooter and a survival horror (as ammo is some what limited). But a very fun game for the casual player as well 7/10.
Battlefield Bad Company 2: When I think of a war game this is the game that comes to mind. Now first I'll say the story mode is horrid. The story is uninteresting, unrealistic, and sometimes just frustrating (spoiler, like the car case scene early in the game)
But online is where this game shines. A fully destructible environment makes urban warfare amazing and fun (something I hope to see in more games). The customization could be better with the basics offered, and some perks that gives you a slight edge mattering on the kit you're using, but the game is well balanced in that aspect. Bullet drop is added in the game which adds to the realism although sometimes (coming from my real experience) I feel the bullet drop is exaggerated. Unfortunately like most amazing games that are online it lacks the split screen option. However online game play is great and with the up coming title soon to be release with better graphics and more game play options I can't wait. 8/10
Xbox 360 (And computer)
Left 4 Dead: (I didn't group the two together because they aren't just continuations like Bioshock) Finally a great first person shooter all about zombies for the new generation of games. Granted the graphics aren't the best, but hey, it's a game about shooting zombies! There is no real story line, it's just shoot your way through the zombies and get to the safe point. The game is the same off line as online, and online players can play as one of the special infected in a verses mode. There's not a great weapon selection, pretty basic but very balanced for all modes of play. I originally got the game for the computer and that's what I suggest you get it on as you'll eventually get bored and with the computer there are plenty of mods to download which aren't on the 360 version to keep the game interesting. The 360 version is just like the computer counterpart, just harder (if not impossible) to mod for online play. Oh did I mention it has split screen? 8/10
Left 4 Dead 2: I thought the game would have some big bonuses considering I liked the first one so much. Unfortunately it's just like the first one with a few changes. But it's not bad. The graphics are pretty much the same, a slight improvement on the environment. There are more effects added to when you killed the infected too, which makes it fun to unload on them. There's some new weapons but there isn't a great diversity making it seem like every machine-gun is the same thing with a different skin, unlike in the first one where every weapon had a significant difference i.e. power, scope, penetration, to fit the role. I suppose it's nice to have a variety of options but usually the weapons are found it bulk laying around. It's fun they kept the split screen mode though. They changed up the infected which personally I think instead of changing them they should have kept the originals and just added all new ones (they kept the basics but it just seems like they rushed it). The biggest thing I disliked about this was I never felt like I was actually fighting for survival like the first one. The challenge for the original seemed to have gone away. Even on the hardest difficulty I had no problem finishing the game by myself (in the original you pretty much need 4 people playing to do this). 5/10.
Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare: As stated before, I'm not a big fan of third person shooters, especially Grand Theft Auto which this basically is, but I loved this game. I loved the western feel, reminded me of where I grew up (I really grew up in the middle of no where in the West where buildings from the gold rush still stand). The shooting system worked great and the variety of weapons made sense, (although some seemed outdated for the year). The story line was great, and made me want to come back to do it all over especially as there are many choices you get to make in game. Online play suffers a little, it almost becomes a game of World of Warcraft (sorry I hate the game) but the shooting stays the same which is great. The add on Red Dead is a fun addition to make it a zombie game, and playing this online was better then the original version online (ok yes you just fend off waves of zombies but it made more sense then running around in free roam). Unfortunately the back of the box said Red Dead was split screen and is not (yeah you can read all over online how that was a mistake on the box) which upset my girlfriend and I as we love shooting zombies. 7/10
Far Cry 2: I have to say I love game. The story mode is fun, long and the graphics are amazing. Unique things were used in the game such as pulling bullets out of yourself after being shot or fixing your ankle from a fall which added some great moments. Shooting is alright, I hate that I have to waste a magazine into the body of someone to kill them or score a head shot. Despite what some say I love that the weapons jam, I like that part of realism and would enjoy seeing it in more games. The effects from explosions and fire are amazing, a fire can end up burning sage and grass and spreading (unfortunately the buildings are not destructible). The character customization isn't that great either, you can finish the whole game without ever needing to buy any of the "manuals" unless you use one particular vehicle a lot. Which brings me to a great point of the game, driving boats and cars are fun and run smoothly in the game and the added ability to open the hood to do repairs relieve you of being to mad when your car or boat slows down from the damage taken. The game could use some improvements such as a fraction system, everyone in the game shoots at you all the time, no matter what you just did for them (i.e. missions). Online play looks greats, and runs surprisingly smooth how good the graphics are and the fact that players can create their own maps and play on them. The down side is it's hard to find a match some times, and even though there's a few different game types, it's hard to find certain game types. With a game that's free roam offline, and especially as you spend a lot of time just walking from point to point I would have liked to play this game split screen, especially as most of the vehicles have a gunner's spot which you have to man (Spoiler and the fact that your "friends" that you meet throughout the game never use your vehicles with you just makes the fact they added that option in single player odd). 5/10 (I know I like the game but it has a lot of flaws).
Dead Space and Dead Space 2: (for someone who doesn't prefer 3rd person shooters I play a lot of them don't I?) The perfect third person game and personally my favorite survival horror game (sorry Dino Crisis and Resident Evil but your series have become pretty bad) The view of right over the shoulder of your character is great and almost makes you forget it's third person and more like an effect for suspense (which it is). The enemies are disturbing and great for the series. The upgrades make sense and really help you out in the quest of survival in the game. The story is pretty basic (from a survival horror stand point) but keeps you going and guessing about the characters you meet. The second game was fun, not as complex but stayed true to the first game (I wish more games would do that) and added enough to make me really like the fact there's two whole games but separate games. The online play (only for Dead Space 2) is a little laggy and I'd say uneven. You play as either the "necromorphs" or humans. But it seems that (from personal experience) if you're the human, even if you team gets killed you can finish the round by yourself because your arsenal is so powerful compared to your foes (although updates might have fixed this I doubt it). Now unlike all the other games, I have to say I am happy this game is not split screen, it would have ruined setting. 10/10
Alien vs. Predator (computer): I love the Alien movies (actually I love Alien 1-3) and I liked the Predator movies (the AvP movies are ok I guess not a big fan) but this game, worse investment ever. First let me say I played the old games, AvP, AvP 2, AvP 2 Primal Hunt, so I thought this new game was going to be amazing. It is painfully obvious this game was rushed. The story mode is short, and boring. The graphics look great, but sometimes major errors can be seen if you run play enough such as seeing through walls are trees into nothingness like under the ground. Online each species has only one option, which brought the game down quickly (in the old game each species was broken into classes). Worse is you do unlock skins for your character for kills, these skins do nothing, and some aren't too noticeable in game. The game modes are promising but the rest of the game drags them down. Movement of the Aliens and Predators are a little harsh especially for online play. A fun feature in this game was the survival mode where you last as long as you can against wave after wave of Aliens. This however gets boring quickly. I never tried this on the 360, I heard it is the same, and the fact it has no split screen for my girlfriend and I to kill Aliens with means I never will pay a penny for it. 1/10 (so much promise wasted)
Company of Heroes (computer): I won't lie, I was upset that the free online version shutdown, it was a nice change from the usual Company of Heroes. The game is dynamic, but the story lines are short and easy to play through offering no real reason to go back and play them again. But this game, like most now days, are made for multiplayer. The game is decently balanced online, the Americans and British can stand up on their own with their tanks so no worries about a single tiger destroying six Shermans in a row. But even online play becomes pointless. There is a little rank system that the game offers players to show others how long they have been playing online but offer no benefits. Where the game does shine is with the ability to be modded very easily and has several strong mods to offer. These mods are allowed by the publishing company Relic and thus most of them can be played online as well. The graphics are great for an RTS, and even more so is probably the most tactically oriented RTS that doesn't have a huge learning curve. All in all 8/10.
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