I've just finished with the Blacksite: Area 51 demo on XBL, and I have to say - I'm impressed. Perhaps not so much with the demo itself, as thus far, I've yet to see anything particularly amazing, but it was strangely satisfactory. This is strange, for me, as in the wake of Halo 3 it seems unlikely to impossible that any shooter could deliver a performance worth mentioning.
"Hey, you guys play Blacksite yet?"
"No.*SPAHTAHN LAYZAH*"
I'll admit - I am one of the many, many schmoes who has become an unwavering addict to the furious torrent that is Halo 3. It has swept me up in it's solid, satisfying mechanics and permanently duct taped a Brute Shot to my virtual hands. I am forever "pwned", as the kids say.
It seems unlikely that any shooter could hope to compare for at least the next year and a half. I wonder if Midway could have chosen a less appropriate release date that less than two months after the launch of one of the most anticipated entertainment events in history.
I was doubtful that I could be satisfied with another shooter any time soon. After playing the Blacksite demo, it seems I was wrong.
In other news, Beautiful Katamari has me by the hair. I've finished the game's main, "campaign" mode, but I still find myself going back for more. It must be that addictive, "DOINK" noise that sounds every time you pick something up. Or maybe it's the soundtrack with the ridiculous Japanese music. Maybe it's the whole thing.
Going back to Halo. I realized today that if you're in a ranked matchmaking game, the map loads, you hate it, and your fellow players don't Veto(because they're morons), you can abruptly reset your console in order to exit the match, and your rank will not be affected. Not that this is a good idea, as a matter of practice. But if I got stuck in one more Crazy King match, I was gonna lose my mind.
Oh, and don't try to rent The Orange Box. It's impossible.
