Beta Band
So, this is the first column following the end of the much-enjoyed Halo 3 beta, and I wish that I could say that I stuck with it until the end, but only Scooter was actually there when the servers went dead (which prompted him to try out the horrific mess called Shadowrun). I have to say that Halo 3 appears to be the game the 360 has been waiting its entire life for, and not just because it is the system's first Halo title, but because it brings back a style of play that the 360 lacked.
Sure, Gears and GRAW are fantastic multiplayer games, but they are not Halo. Editor-in-Chief of our PC side, Mr. Sal Accardo, commented that it was funny how console gamers think it's a good tactic to run at your foes shooting... well, with all due respect Mr. Accardo, that's how you play Halo (except that you probably also want to be screaming as you run). It's not about tactics or plans or even conscious thought in any way shape or form, it's about that feeling in your gut after being tea-bagged by some thirteen year old that howls for vengeance and gives you that extra boost of adrenaline that ultimately leads you to victory.
That's Halo. That's what I want, and that's what we got during the Halo 3 beta. I couldn't be happier with it.
Wait... maybe I could be happier, because I saw a snippet of news earlier this week about a little team-up action between Bungie and McFarlane Toys. Hot. I'm excited because the white Master Chief that I currently have perched on the edge of my desk (complete with trusty shotgun cradled in his loving embrace) is looking a little worn. Plus, he's wearing old Mjolnir armor that needs to be updated. Granted, I'm not going to throw away the old Master Chief, but something about working in this industry automatically signs you up to the toy-whore club so more cool toys are always a good thing.
Shadowrun Savagery
Associate Console Editor and resident handsomest man in the office Patrick Joynt has gotten a lot of guff over his incredibly accurate Shadowrun review. Because I am not "responsible" for reviewing this game doesn't by any stretch of reasoning mean that I didn't play it, so when I call Patrick's review accurate, I feel pretty confident doing so. Of course, I may not have been so generous with Shadowrun because the only contact that I've ever had with the franchise was with the Genesis and SNES versions of the game, which rocked thoroughly. Though I'm not the least bit devoted to the pencil and paper RPG, I have played my fair share of AD&D and other games and I simply can't abide the application in Shadowrun.
But I'm digressing, because that's not even my main issue with the game. My problem with Shadowrun is that it is a train wreck of powers and abilities that ultimately is every bit as jumbled as you could imagine. People coming back to life? That's just not allowed in a first-person shooter, especially when I just shot them to pieces. Nothing could be more frustrating to me than fallen foes popping back up mid-battle (zombie jokes aside). As irksome as I may find the resurrection mechanic, I must respect that Shadowrun was trying something new, but the ridiculous maelstrom of poorly executed special effects that result from a heated firefight makes my eyes hurt. I can respect the ideals behind Shadowrun, but I can't deny that the execution is almost totally flawed.
