I haven't gotten a good game recently that's even worthy of a review...wait scratch that, I don't even have a new game at all. So I'm just going to review my slightly large PS2 collection of games, bringing back nostalgic memories of when games were successful when quality was high. So, yeah, I'm gonna do that. Just thought all three of you should know.

Windows Phone 7 has recently launched with a multitude of great phones, namely the Samsung Omnia 7, Samsung Focus, and LG Optimus 7, with the soon-to-be-released Dell Venue Pro and HTC 7 Pro definitely bringing in new customers. However, there are many doubts about the success of Windows Phone 7, and I'd like to clear that up.

Well, for one, what about the stiff competition it faces: Android and iOS? Well, Android too was once a small child, slowly gaining momentum. It wasn't until phones like the Nexus One where it got some real attention. And all iOS did was conventionalize the smart phone for the regular user, so it immediately got massive attention. However, it's popularity is dwindling as more and more mainstream options such as Android and now WP7 hit the market. So, Microsoft is fighting an uphill battle to gain a place within the smartphone podium, but I guess Microsoft knew that. They were prepared to dig in and slowly advance on their competitors. Again, this is Microsoft we're talking about, the multi-million dollar giant. They have plenty of emergency reserves to let WP7 live. After all, Windows Mobile has been living, although not popularly, for all these years.

Which brings me to my next point: the negative press Microsoft receives. For example, Vista was supposed to change up the Windows formula completely, which it did to a certain extent; however, with Vista also arose many more problems, namely the many bugs and crashes, as well as smaller problems (the downgraded Windows Movie Maker). However, Windows 7 remedied that by adding many needed patches. WP7 is often looked down upon because of it's Windows branding. It leads many to believe it's another Windows Mobile, and they do not want to be disappointed again. However, what the general consumer doesn't realize is that this is a whole new beast. It features a slick new interface, with a totally new design philosophy, and buttery smooth performance. It's vastly different from Windows Mobile. It's not that convoluted mess that we used to know. It's simple, like iOS, and with the proper additions, can be as customizable to fit your needs as Android.

So, what does Microsoft need to succeed? Well, for one, they need to appease those geeks that actually read the online reviews on operating systems and want to research on their next purchase. By adding in the key features that Windows Mobile had (to please the business power user) andthe key features of Android (to please the geek which wants it his way), WP7 can be a success. It already has that simple user interface that iOS users have been accustomed to for so long. But, if it can add options for a business user and those for extreme customization (while staying within the parameters Microsoft set itself for the whole project), then it should be a very pleasing OS.

Key features that Microsoft does need for WP7 are:

1) Copy-paste and multitasking

This will allow even the simplest of applications to have an underlying business utilization. Copy-paste's uses are immediately recognizes and multitasking is the norm these days. Even if it doesn't have true multitasking like Android, it can have something similar to iOS with the freezing of apps.

2) Email unified and ability to send .pdf files

As of now, there is no unified inbox. While for the general consumer, like me, that doesn't have more than two emails at once, it doesn't seem like a big deal. But for some people, having five or six different emails is often necessary. Therefore, the unified inbox is a nice way to tidy up a mess without overpopulating the main screen, since each email gets its own tile.

Also, the ability to send .pdf files is almost necessary. You can receive, forward, and open .pdf files, but once you open them, they save to your phone. After that, any .pdf files you may have stored on your phone are stuck forever. You can do all that, but you can't send from your phone? What if you created a .pdf file on your computer, sent it to your phone for later use, and needed to send it? Well, you can't because Microsoft left out that functionality.

3) Mass storage mode

If you want to send anything between your computer and the phone, you need to use the Zune client, similar to how an iPhone works. But what about those things I can't send with the Zune client, such as any Word documents I create on the phone? Well, too bad. Your phone cannot be recognized as a USB storage device. Fix that, and allow us to be able to view our phone's internal files through a mass storage mode. I don't want to have to rummage through random garbage to find that one hidden file that cannot be accessed through normal means.

4) Improved Microsoft Office capabilities

Currently, only OneNote runs using the cloud service. Excel and Word are limited to the phone's memory. While Excel and Powerpoint accomplishes its tasks, Word does not. Excel can create tables and do all that other fancy stuff I never got around to doing. Powerpoint can view Powerpoint files (like you need to create a Powerpoint on your phone anyways). However, Word being a dedicated word processor has very limited options. You cannot change the font, font size, are given a limited selection of colors, and cannot create bullets. Add in some more functionality and it may be of use. Plus, allow everything to be sent through the cloud. It's silly that a phone based on the cloud has some stuff not connected to it.

5) Universal search and consistent search button

To search for an app that is not pinned to the start, you must swipe to the right and then scroll through a never-ending list of apps. Some people out there like to load their phone with tons of useless apps. Others with useful apps. Either way, they need a way of finding an app quickly. All you have now is to scroll through the gargantuan list. The other option, which isn't widely known, is to hold down the Windows key, which brings up the voice search, which is like a voice-activated universal search. However, I don't want people to know what I'm doing and sometimes breaks the silence and makes it all awkward.

Also, the Search button needs to remain consistent. When I press the Search button, I'd like it to default to the Bing universal search (when it's added). If an app has it's own search engine, then allow it to remain near the bottom with all the app-specific buttons. Make it distinct, like instead of having it bordered with a circle, it can be smaller and without a border, off to the side. Or when you press the "..." key, it brings up a search bar as well as the descriptions of the keys. Just find some way to make it consistent. I can see how it can get annoying.

6) Added customization

I like the Metro UI, and anyone buying WP7 must too, unless they just want to upgrade Windows Mobile. However, add some more personalization. Please. Custom ringers is optional, but I can see some people wanting it. Instead of choosing from a bunch of pre-selected accent colors, let us choose through a color wheel. That is more convenient and allows more personalization. No need for a custom background (as that gets rid of the entire design philosophy), but I'd like to have a light background with black tiles. It just LOOKS good.

Also, allow folders so we can group similar apps. Opening a folder basically opens another start screen, with the tiles placed inside rearranged accordingly. Let us also have the choice of the status bar at the top remain consistent, whether you think it fits or not. A power user might need to know his need-to-know's on the spot. Plus, allow us to have a percentage, so we can get an accurate estimation of how much time left before recharging. Hint, place it in the battery symbol.

There's so many more additions out there, but these I feel are the top priorities.

And finally, in order to bring WP7 up-to-speed with the competition, start a new advertising campaign. Since an unknown factor has arisen (people associating it with Windows Mobile), you need a new ad campaign. Make commercials to allow consumers to knowingly differentiate it from Windows Mobile, so they don't get the negative perception they think. In fact, most people thought opposite when they tried it. The ad campaign currently also seems lackluster. I've barely seen any commercials compared to Droid, and for a day or two, Microsoft took over YouTube's front page. Take it up a notch. WP7 has gotten rave reviews, take it to the next step.

That's about it. Hope that clears things up a bit, and Microsoft, if you are reading, take some suggestions from the fanbase. I for one will be a WP7 customer when my contract ends in June, but I don't want to be disappointed.

Now, you must understand that this is coming from an ex-Call of Duty vet, after scrounging through Call of Duty 2, 3, 4, World at War, and Modern Warfare 2 (sorry, never played the original) and completing every last detail possible, I must give you my launch day impressions. I've also managed to Prestige a few times on 4 through Modern Warfare 2 before realizing its worthlessness.

I haven't played campaign, despite my super excitedness of it. However, I realized that campaign would stay static and remain there forever, and wanting to gain an upperhand, I jump into multiplayer. After getting bored to death with the same old, same old multiplayer of Call of Duty, I hoped that Treyarch could at least differentiate this from the rest. My dreams were crushed. It feels exactlythe same as previous Call of Duty games. The perk selection is decent enough, however, given enough time, someone will find some form of exploit. Weapons do generally feel powerful, and it feels just as good as 4. However, this feels like the last three installments and brings nothing new to the table.

The new multiplayer systems, CoD points, Theater mode, Combat Training, etc., while fun and entertaining in their own right, are also non-innovative. Theater mode feels like an only slightly updated version of the one from Halo. They added a few basic additions to add texture to the pie (the basic editing tools to create your own clips), however, Treyarch also takes the bulk of the pie that made it delicious in the first place. What I mean is that while they added some basic editing tools, that should remain for professional programs like Sony Vegas where you can insert your own voice commentary and have a higher amount of precision. Not only that, but they took what's so fun about Halo's Theater mode: being able to capture all your moments, regardless of game mode. I can take pictures, record clips, or just take the whole thing with my and share it with fellow player. In Black Ops, that's just limited to your multiplayer experiences. While it may not affect you all, if you find a pretty interesting glitch or hidden spot that Bungie's well known for and you want to share it with the world while still being credited with the discovery, then this form of replay is necessary.

The File Share system is also a straight rip from Halo. However, it is also similarly limited compared to Halo. You can't add in custom maps or game modes for obvious reasons, so that leaves film clips and screenshots. Halo allows the aforementioned game modes and maps. Also, I haven't seen any form of a custom search system within the game itself. Reach allows you to search by gamertag, search for a specific file, search the Most Downloaded, search the Most Recommended, and search for Screenshots of You, depicting any screenshot that had you in the frame. Therefore, you can find your best mugshot and thank the stranger. Also, Black Ops uploads directly to callofduty.com I believe, but after that, has no direct way of converting said file to a format YouTube can support. You'd most likely have to download some file converter that probably comes with malware and infections, so it's a no-go. Bungie, however, provides the nice option of allowing you to "render" your files so it is compatible with YouTube, so you can upload directly to YouTube without the hassle of third-party software.

Overall, I'm not impressed with what I've been presented with. It's just not new. Or fun. I'm not hating. I'm trying my best to like it. I'll most likely end up playing it anyways since "everyone on my friend's list is playing it." Or at least, that's what everyone tells me. Hopefully campaign wins me over. Otherwise it's bye-bye Black Ops and hello Crysis. 2. Crysis 2, that is.

I've always had some unnatural fetish for flying helicopters. Anytime I see a game that involves helicopters, I will be playing it as soon as possible. So, when I saw the title, I imagined some '90s top-down arcade adventure game, similar to Assault Heroes. And the cover didn't help at all (felt so last decade, and no epicness at all).

So, starting up the demo, I figure to be disappointed. Massively. However, starting off the tutorial, I was immensely surprised. There's quite a bit to like about it. It immediately reminded me of Ace Combat, but for helicopters.

The graphics aren't stellar, but they're great and do their job. The amount of detail put into the game is enormous, considering many recent games just don't have that much polish AND more. The difficulty is fun and varied, and the missions themselves are a cross between what Medal of Honor was trying to accomplish with realistic scenarios and the huge battles and awesomeness of Black Op's helicopter segment.

It itself is a flight simulator, so expect quite a bit of getting used to. However, this is one of those games that tacks on difficulty just right. As of now, you have Training mode and Realistic mode. Training mode simplifies the HUD and allows easier control over the helicopter. Realistic mode adds in a ton of variables for flight difficulty and adds in the complete Apache HUD. It strikes a perfect balance between the two. Either you suck (Training), or you're halfway decent and can fly the thing (Realistic). The demo mentions something about Veteran mode, which I can't even think about.

The tutorial is great and mixes in what a real combat scenario perfectly with the tutorial segment. The missions are also fun and varied. The first mission has you defend the base from a massive assault, and helicopters and tanks and cannonfire are exchanged everywhere. The second mission then shifts gear and is more of an everyday patrol mission. Although a bit slower paced (you do have to traverse long distances, sometimes upwards of five minutes in travel time), it does have plenty of action moments to keep you on your toes and wanting more.

So pacing, check. Difficulty, check. Graphics, check.

Being a simulator an' all, it needs to incorporate many real-life elements into the game. The complex Realistic HUD consists of a digital altimeter, an analogue version of the radar altimeter indicator, digital compass, radar, forward speed, direction of turret, and engine throttle, amongst others. You can switch to DVO which allows you to manually control the turret and switch to FLIR for thermal viewings and easier bearings on personnel on the ground. Don't worry, I'm just acting smart.

Realism. Check.

However, the game isn't without it's problems. While graphics are pretty [for a console], the framerate cannot keep up in the oddest circumstances. While the framerate is stutter free during intense battles between multiple ground elements, when free-looking the framerate just appears chopped and screwed. It doesn't hold up at all.

Mission objectives are also sometimes unclear, and the map doesn't do a very good job of pointing you in the right direction. During the second mission, the final objective was the land the helicopter. However, you must land within a specific LZ, which sounds reasonable. However, I had a hard time finding said LZ. The game didn't even provide some form of a waypoint or something, which is odd considering all vehicles and objectives contain waypoints besides this one. It wasn't until a half an hour of tinkering that I finally found out where to land.

Also, when free-looking within the cockpit or anywhere actually, the camera is oftentimes jerky and I cannot pinpoint where I want to shoot. This is for those that want to fire the cannon without actually switching to manual fire, because I cannot move as accurately in that mode, and I risk getting shot down.

The replay option is also very lacking. Coming from Halo, or even GRID, which allows more camera angles than what this offers. It's the standard camera angles plus some dramatic view that doesn't allow you to rotate the camera and instead wanders off on its own.

So, great game, but needs a little more polish in some more areas. Otherwise, I might consider picking this up.

A couple days ago, Treyarch has released the all mighty singleplayer trailer of Call of Duty: Black Ops. So, I'm going to tear it down and show you every nook and cranny in this video.

1) At 0:06, a freighter fires upon a convoy of Huey helicopters with heavy machine guns. One of them flies into the camera. This might be the daytime equivalent of Crew Expendable from Call of Duty 4. But, it at least shows the intensity is high.

2) The next scene, starting at 0:08, shows some lone soldier, probably one of the protagonists, milling about some parts graveyard. In the distance, you can see a missile's prepped for launch.

3) The same rocket launches at 0:10. You can tell it's the same rocket because the placement of lights are exactly the same. Note the Communist star on the rocket, indicating it's Russian.

4) At 0:12 is a pretty interesting scene. Some person in everyday clothes runs up to a police car and starts spraying everywhere inside. Maybe Treyarch is taking that controversial element from Modern Warfare 2's campaign and turning up the notch.

5) You see the Pentagon at 0:15, and it's probably around the '80s. You can tell because of what appears to be those hippie caravans you see down in the parking lot.

6) A couple bad arse guys walk through hallways in the Pentagon at 0:16 with super reflective glasses. They're obviously integral to the plot. Why? They have super reflective glasses. That's why.

7) One thing to note, in the same scene, at 0:17, you can see in the light blue patch, it says something like 1985 or 1995 or 1975. It's pretty small, but this indicates the game goes waaay beyond the Vietnam War. This was already confirmed, but now we see gameplay evidence of it.

8) At 0:18, you see some underwater base. This totally reminds me of the old James Bond games, specifically Agent Under Fire, where you had to infiltrate an underwater base. It looks unnatural with the red and blue lights, as well as the white spotlights. If only we had a green light somewhere, we could be playing Red Light, Green Light...

9) At 0:23, IGN pointed out that this man looks a lot like a younger version of Zakhaev. If that's true, then that means Black Ops, World at War, and the Modern Warfare series might finally intertwine. World at War is included because without that, there would be no Reznov.

10) You see the same guy with the super reflective glasses at 0:28, except now he seems to be in some sort of military HQ. IGN pointed out that in the map at the bottom, it seems there was activity in Brazil, Australia, as well as Eastern Europe.

11) This scene at 0:30 reminds me of F.E.A.R. a lot, primarily because it's a long corridor with papers strewn about and odd lighting. Alma is back!!!

12) Some poor soul is being tortured at 0:34. It seems like an American is torturing someone else. I have to say, because this sort of lighting just means American. Shortly thereafter, Alex Mason's name is crossed out in black ink, possibly indicating their interrogating him because he knows too much.

13) At 0:35, that rocket in the beginning of the trailer seems to go haywire and just explodes.

14) At 0:37, some Huey helicopters attack a dam.

15) What does CCCP stand for? It's a Russian abbreviation for the USSR. This man is obviously not Russian, as he attacks his fellow soldiers. Or should I say enemies? Gahh, I'm confused.

16) The Models return!!! At 0:43, you can see the protagonist riding a motorcycle alongside his friend and shooting people on a bridge with his Models. Don't know why, I'd personally much rather use an AT4, considering how many powerful weapons Call of Duty characters can now carry in one hand.

17) What appears to be an A-1 Skyraider at 0:44. Two of them.

18) A scene probably from the mission WMD at 0:45. Some teammate falls of a plane presumably. It seems like he HAD a parachute on.

19) At 0:46, absolute chaos erupts. A radio tower (or something along those lines) falls upon a Russian base (once again, note the star).

20) An interesting scene at 0:49. You see a Chinook helicopter being attacked with rockets. One man flies out and the spotlight of the helicopter is erupting from the belly of the helicopter, where there is no spotlight at all. This was produced in 1961, so this should be pretty early on in the game.

21) Alex Mason, one of four (I believe) protagonists, is being held hostage at 0:50. They hand him a revolver, presumably similar to Two Face in The Dark Knight, where you can choose your fate. If it doesn't have a bullet when you shoot, you're lucky. If it does, well, you're done.

22) At 0:52, you can see Mason looking down at the revolver. Two men holding rifles appear behind him. It's kind of hard to tell what weapon they're carrying, but judging from their uniforms, probably Korean.

23) Shortly thereafter, Mason is smacked in the face. Went by too quickly for me to see what he got hit with.

24) Shortly thereafter that, Mason begins screaming. Possibly because of a torture scene? I don't know, but that sets the tone. A lot.

Trailer ended. What'd'ya think?

I've been playing Halo: Reach for what, the past three weeks. I haven't been able to post just because Halo: Reach is that addicting. I tell myself I'll get up next game, but before I know it, the next game has already started. I don't want to be put on probation (come on, 15 minutes without Halo? That's hell right there), so I play, and the process just repeats.

That's saying a lot. But, I feel Bungie's big send-off to the well-established Halo community could've been a lot better. Multiplayer is already at it's peak and couldn't be any better. Firefight, Forge, and Theater are already great. My main concern, however, lies with campaign.

I already pointed out that the campaign needed better character development, but in truth, that was being nice. There was so much more that could've been added to create the ultimate Halo experience and as a great wave goodbye to the universe they took so long to create.

Starting off with everybody's concern: we don't care much about the characters. An easy solution: extend the cutscenes a bit (maybe by like 7-10 minutes) and let the characters drool their emotions out to you. The cutscene at the end of New Alexandria (warning: SPOILER) could've extended a bit longer to let you see Carter weep over Kat's death, since she is the only original Noble member, thus making her his closest friend.

But there so many other points that could've been improved on. Continuing on with the story, it could've integrated the little references to all the Halo characters a lot better. I'd much rather see Buck than just hear his voice. Considering that Master Chief, Cortana, Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, Sergeant Johnson, Sergeant Buck, and Dr. Halsey were all critical (or simply took part in) to the defense of Reach, I'd actually like to see them in action. Maybe a level where you are on the streets of New Alexandria (like a daytime version of ODST) where you begin by pushing back the Covenant assault on a government building where you meet Stacker. Then you get transported through the city by Falcon for a thrill ride and then link up with an elite ODST squad commanded by Buck and then take back a critical building. Or perhaps a level where you are sent to space to defend an ODP (orbital defense platform) alongside Master Chief.

And the mysteriousness from Halo: CE could've been brought back as well. Maybe a couple levels fighting alongside SPARTAN-IIs. Halo lore always describes them as mysterious soldiers, but why not let us gamers see it? Why not have them be treated rudely by fellow soldiers? When the SPARTANs are turned around or far away, a couple Army troopers might comment that "the freaks were just here".

The fact that an entire planet was under attack was also never apparent to me. I saw one level (Exodus) where it felt somewhat like we were under attack, but not enough. I'd love, scratch that, die to see some more emotional impact. Maybe even chance their game with a little controversy. Picture this scene in your head. Noble Six is milling about fending off Covenant squads when he/she notices a large plasma mortar inches away from killing him. Thus, utilizing his reflexes, he locks his armor. But because of the excess heat left from the plasma, his/her suit malfunctions and he cannot leave this state. Now, all these civilians are running past him, and he/she watches helplessly as THEY are bombarded with plasma mortars. Or you are defending an airport terminal as wave after wave of civilians board a transport. Maybe even include teenagers and children in the mix, so you feel at home. I mean, what kind of city doesn't have kids? You face increasingly difficult waves of Covenant aliens, and your objective is to not let x amount of civilians die (with x lowering with each difficulty). Then, a Covenant Corvette shoots down the transport. You scream in terror as all that hard work you just put up with now is gone with those civilians. This would've raised the emotional bar immensely. Even at the expense of some controversy, many would overlook it for it's storytelling capacity if it were done well.

My final complaint would be none of the levels were really memorable. Maybe Tip of the Spear and Exodus, but other than that, not really. It didn't feel Halo-like with massive set pieces and giant levels. It seems Bungie went in favor of intricacies and small details than large wide-open levels. I especially appreciated The Ark and the Covenant just because they were huge. And I loved those Warthog runs scattered throughout Halo 3's campaign. But in Halo: Reach, you don't get these massive Warthog runs at all, simply because there's nothing Bungie created with that long of a stretch of path. The new physics engine for the Warthog fascinates me because now, not only do you need to worry about enemy fire, but also how you drive as well. Driving through Hemorrhage at full speed will give you many, many, many flips and rolls. Driving through a little bit more careful will result in less roles. This feels better than Halo 3's Warthog physics model, where you'd drive perfectly no matter the terrain.

Scratch that, THIS is my final complaint. This being their swan song to Halo, I would've appreciated a bit more to those true Halo fans, and those that actually completed Halo: Reach on Legendary, more so on solo. I like the ending cutscene (warning: SPOILER) for The Pillar of Autumn, being an HD remake of the original opening cutscene for Halo: CE. But I would've liked to see a bit more. Finishing on Legendary, I'd like to see a bit more from that HD remake, maybe even the entire beginning cutscene, redone and redesigned. And for those that finished on Legendary solo, maybe even a small hint at Master Chief's next adventure, similar to the Legendary ending of Halo 3.

So, there are quite a few "mistakes" with campaign. But given their dream for what this game should've been, I don't blame 'em. Look at all the detail in the game, with the massively expansive game modes included. Nonetheless, I am satisfied, but I am one of those people that enjoy a good campaign, specifically a good Halo campaign.

...and fight of the behemoths part 2!!!

Okay, so I reviewed Halo: Reach, like massively.

And I just wanted to point this out for all those Call of Duty freaks that'd give Treyarch and Activision a blowjob if they asked. Modern Warfare 2 got $310 million within 24 hours, while Halo: Reach got only $200 million. But wait, there's more! Modern Warfare 2 was a multi-platform release. That $310 million isn't from one consoles, it's from all consoles. If Halo: Reach were a multi-platform release, it would've generated around $600 million, given those same numbers applied to the PS3 and PC. If one game on one system managed to nearly outsell another game that was on three consoles, then there's something good about it. Really good. Black Ops, I doubt, will manage to make as much money off of one system alone. It would make more money simply because it has a larger pool of potential buyers. There's 21 million people on Xbox Live and 18 million on PSN. Think about how many people are on PC.

It's no doubt that September will be a HUGE month for games. You've got Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Brink, Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions, H.A.W.X. 2, and Medal of Honor amongst others. But concerning the two mega-monsters known as Call of Duty and Halo, who will win?

It seems to me that the damage Infinity Ward has done to the Call of Duty brand name is irreparable. At least somewhat. Treyarch has done plenty to bring Call of Duty back to it's roots and why it was great in the first place. It has an engaging campaign (with a little conspiracy thrown in), with an excellent co-op mode, and redefined multiplayer. But something tells me even Treyarch knows that Call of Duty won't stand up to the massive release of Halo: Reach, Bungie's last known direct involvement in the Halo franchise. Posters of Halo: Reach are being plastered up above the Black Ops posters at Gamestop, with even Call of Duty players buzzing around for Reach's release.

But not even that would convince me that Treyarch is afraid. What is most striking is the similarities it shares with Reach. While Bungie announced it's challenge system (which rotates every day and week) as well as it's customization options (THOUSANDS of different combos) and the theater mode, which was a given.

Except this time, Treyarch has stolenall of those and used them in their own game. Their edition of the challenge system is called contracts. Basically, it rotates every day or week. See something similar? To add their own twist, you must purchase them, and they are time limited. But, if you finish a contract, you get an exponential EXP or CP boost. Fail, and you cannot enter a contract for another 24 hours, thus reducing the amount of time you have to complete it. While it is a tad better than Halo: Reach's challenge system, it's not all THAT better. I prefer simplicity over flashy products.

Now, the weapon customization and Create-a-Class 2.0. You can customize your character avatar, but I find it more similar to Vegas 2, except it doesn't affect gameplay as much. However, the emblem editor was STRAIGHTout of Halo: Reach. You can customize a primary emblem, secondary emblem (background), as well as individual colors. The custom reticules are something Treyarch made up.

And finally, the theater mode. It's obvious Treyarch ripped this from Bungie's game to compete with it. It is a bit better, with a timeline showing when this player got kills and when that player died, allowing you to insert transitions and set the speed for each of the clips, as well as showing 100 of the latest matches from the last 7 days opposed to Halo: Reach's 25 recent matches. However, it hasn't been confirmed how the user will store their videos, and since Halo: Reach has a confirmed of 100-1000 (not sure, Brian Jarrard said at Comic-con that it's around 1000, but a Bungie blog said 100). That's a heck lot.

Point is, if Treyarch's gotta steal stuff from a rival company, then it means one thing: Black Ops simply won't be as big as Reach. No doubt it WILL be big, but not AS big. Heck, I think Gamespot released pre-order numbers, with Black Ops in the 300,000 mark (the highest for any Call of Duty, apparently) and Reach at 500,000 and both are still growing. That's a shame, since Halo 3 alone had 1.3 million pre-orders.

I know the demo's been out for a while now, but I kept on getting the same error message.

Error 762: This item has been removed from the marketplace.

When it clearly wasn't. I saw my friends playing it. But here I am, providing my own in-depth review as to why H.A.W.X. 2 didn'tdisappoint me.

Starting off as to why I didn't like the original H.A.W.X. It was very arcadey. When you stalled, you immediately stopped horizontal motion and plunged like the world's fattest rock. The graphics were too colorful and over-saturated for my tastes, dropping that bleak war color scheme everyone uses and adopted this almost cartooney feel. You also carried an enormous amount of rockets and bombs and whatnot and could take up to 12 hits or so. The AI was weak and forced you to go around in circles until you managed to get a bead on him. Very boring and unfun. Very easy too, even on the hardest difficulty, thanks to the ERS mode that automatically plots a route to take out the target with ease.

But now, Ubisoft has learned from their mistakes and fixed everything wrong with the game. Instead of being solely a semi-realistic flight combat simulator, it has more variety to it, with AC-130 gunship missions, escort missions, UAV scout missions, and night-time bombing raids, you also get a more Hollywood feel to it. Dogfights are more visceral, with planes flying nearly a couple fight above your own.

Plus, everything wrong with the original is now fixed. Physics are more realistic, with heavy-duty planes being harder to turn and lighter planes being extremely maneuverable. You also only get around 40 rockets on the normal mode, and can only sustain two hits, with the first dropping your plane's health to 36. The damage model is also improved. In the original, you'd take damage and that's that. This time around, damage affects your plane, and it starts veering off course should enough damage be taken. Color scheme is now more realistic and I can see myself flying there in real life. Heck, AI is even better, although not by much.

Basically, instead of flying in circles around the sky, the AI tends to take the scenic route. In the first mission of the demo, in the second half, I was tasked with destroying CAS aircraft. Once I locked on and fired my first rocket, the enemy was alerted to my presence and immediately began dodging. They would fly mere inches off a mountain wall, and the way they flew forced you to take the same route or suffer the consequences. It felt like a movie all in once. You just have to see it to believe it. Friendly AI was also improved, doing a lot more work this time around. If it weren't for them, that mission would've been a good 40 minutes. But, it's not without it's faults. AI tend to fly the same routes, and they have unlimited flares, unleashing them whenever you have a lock. It's even worse than them playing hide-and-seek in the sky.

But, there's more variety at least. Like I said, you have escort missions, AC-130 gunship missions (surprise), escort missions, full on air assault missions, CAS missions, etc. You can also perform landings and take-offs, as well as mid-air refueling. However, landings and take-offs are very unrealistic and easy, comparable to the original. Taking off, you must start your engine, then engage the afterburners (or throttle or whatever). You go from immobile to an instant 700 mph (exaggerated of course, that's not the actual speed). And for landings, you must touch the aircraft carrier or runway and you immediately are treated with a cutscene. Add on ERS help and that makes it extremely easy. Thankfully, the mid-air refueling is a challenge. In the demo, you get 4:00 to start the refueling. It took my 3:00 because of the intricacies of lining up your gas nozzle to the plane.

Overall, I'd suggest this game to any flight combat enthusiast. It's well an improvement over the original, but for those looking for a realistic game, don't bother here. It's another Hollywood type game.

My rating, well, it's an 8/10. In fact, I might even purchase this at a later date.

Okay, so judging from the gameplay vids that Bungie posted on their YouTube channel, I have deduced a number of things.

1) Countdown is set in the Sabre launch facility...

2) ...and correct me if I'm wrong, but Boardwalk takes place on a yacht, a park, or a boardwalk. Any one of them should suffice.

3) Scripted death animations are in. Similar to how in Bad Company 2, if your character got sniped [online], then sometimes he would clutch his throat. In the boardwalk video, at about 5:23 you can see that the Spartan tumbles backwards. The physics engine isn't good enough to randomly generate death animations like that.

4) A regular Headhunter game is 8:00. This might've been the time limit in the beta, but considering they're changing everything, that might be a new time. I don't remember much from the beta, except my uber t3h l33t cloaking abilities that got me 3-12 in a match.

5) Team SWAT is in (this time on launch). A Team SWAT match is 12:00, and it seems they've rebranded it to simply SWAT. Everyone starts with a DMR and Magnum with unlimited ammo, no shields or motion sensor, and the Sprint ability.