Added: 18.06.2015 23:14 | 4 views | 0 comments

I thought that last year would be the last time I purchased a Call of Duty game. But then I sat down and tried Black Ops 3 multiplayer, and something clicked again. I didn't have to dedicate my mind to constantly thinking about mechanics, movement, or weapons. I could just play, I could rely on Modern Warfare muscle memory.

The changes extend naturally into the core of the gameplay; the new, slow jetpack jump is ancillary to the movement rather than front and center, the new character skills enhance but don't dominate games, and the handful of new grenades are simply slight tweaks on old ideas. It's a better game than past Call of Duty titles, but it's not radically different.

Playing Black Ops 3 made me realize that maybe the key to revitalizing Call of Duty isn't to dramatically change it, but rather to jettison some of the accumulated elements that weigh it down. That's what Black Ops 3 does. There aren't an overwhelming amount of different perks or attachments, but rather the exact ones that you want and expect to be there. All of the weapons fit into the Call of Duty mold.

When my demo ended, I said, "Call of Duty is back." And that's what it feels like. Black Ops 3 seems to channel the experience of old Call of Duty games. It's the first time I've ever thought that incremental changes have made a game significantly better. Its small refinements are what make Black Ops 3 so fun.

Added: 18.06.2015 5:46 | 12 views | 0 comments




After publishing my hands-on impressions with Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward at E3 this week, I received a wealth of questions from fellow FFXIV fans. A few of them I was able to answer based on my experience yesterday, but a few required that I go back and play the expansion again. So, I went on my second journey to Square Enix's booth this morning to answer some of the current unknowns regarding the expansion, most of which are about its new jobs and skills.

Added: 18.06.2015 2:27 | 1 views | 0 comments

Did you know that Kanye West is walking the halls of E3, checking out games like? He totally is. We saw him enter Sony's demo room this afternoon, and others spotted the rapper on the show floor at the Xbox booth and elsewhere earlier in the day.

Here's a picture of Kanye meeting with Rich Taylor of the Entertainment Software Association, which is the group that puts on E3 every year.

Added: 18.06.2015 2:27 | 2 views | 0 comments

Did you know that Kanye West is walking the halls of E3, checking out games like? He totally is. We saw him enter Sony's demo room this afternoon, and others spotted the rapper on the show floor at the Xbox booth and elsewhere earlier in the day.

Here's a picture of Kanye meeting with Rich Taylor of the Entertainment Software Association, which is the group that puts on E3 every year.