Craig Ostrin

More on what I’ve been playing.

Halo Wars

It’s probably best that this has some separation from the bit on Killzone 2. Sure, they’re not in the same genre, but we all know how crazy the Internet can be.

It’s hard to tell how much my enjoyment of the Halo Wars demo stems from my fondness for Halo, and how much from the actual gameplay. Ensemble really nailed the feel of the franchise, from the way the Warthog bounces and swerves to the use of the original assault rifle’s crosshairs for the selection reticule.

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My parents instilled in me a deep love of reading at a young age. So, naturally, I thought I wanted to be an author when I was a kid. That is, until I learned how few novelists actually “make it.” But I was still passionate about books and knew I had a knack for telling good writing from bad, so I adjusted my goals: Editor at a book publisher—different job, same skill set, right?

More recently, as my gaming hobby grew into a passion, I went through a similar cycle. First, the same thought that strikes every devoted gamer: “If I like playing games, wouldn’t it be great to make them?” I didn’t have much interest in art or programming, but I could write. Right? And considering the quality of most videogame stories, games writing looked like a pretty viable field for me. (Design and production seemed like appealing alternatives too.) That wasn’t the issue though.

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I’m still planning to write up my thoughts on why people don’t finish games, and why it matters, but this week is incredibly hectic for me. So, instead of leaving this page barren for almost two weeks, I’m going to bang out a quick article on what I’ve been playing (answer: mostly demos). I hope this gives you a sense of my perspective and taste in games.

Killzone 2

The first of two big demos dropped last week, and while the gushing reviews are rolling in, I can’t say I’m so impressed with the snippet we’ve received. Although, part of it could be that I can’t stand the DualShock 3 for first-person shooters. (The sticks are too loose and too close together.)

Aside from general complaints about the PS3 controller, it was the little things that disappointed me in Killzone 2. I’ve always liked it when your character reaches out a hand and turns a door knob or pushes a button rather than the object magically operating itself when you press X. It grounds you in the world. So, how can Guerrila nail that one aspect of immersion, but then completely neglect to give your character feet?

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