[The Final Dakar]

Oh why the hell not. Everyone who wanted to try Reach has had a chance. MW2 is still fresh in our minds and Black Ops in our near future. It's been too long since we had a divisive childish poll. These are the major players. Choose your side.

[sek929]

If I was voting for the game that has given me the most enjoyment in the last ten years then it'd be a no-brainer vote for Halo.

Honestly, at this point, Halo feels overdone and pretty much the same experience of H2 way back in 04. Over the past three days I've started and beaten Metro 2033 again, this is while a brand new campaign lay at my feet with Reach, but we all know my feelings about Halo single player.

Of course, the same could be said for Call of Duty, which has never interested me in the single player realm. I am a guy who likes a deep narrative, engaging atmosphere and all that good stuff in a single player game, and neither Halo or CoD do it for me.

So it comes down to multiplayer in both games and I give a large edge to Call of Duty. The game feels more balanced, the maps are WAAAAY more interesting and the action is fast paced and furiously hectic. Couple that with Black Ops having, what is essentially, one of my favorite games of all time bundled within (Nazi Zombies) and the transition away from reach will be quick and brutal.

Not that I am dogging on Halo, not by any means. Even Reach is still fun and I gather I will always enjoy a Halo-style shooter for multi, but that is mostly because I am damn good at it, and have been playing what is basically the same exact game for 10 years now. It's comfortable but not terribly exciting.

I think both games have their merit. Halo gives you a lot more as a package, from Forge to Theater to Bungie.net they really go above and beyond with the polish and feature set in their games. Being really new to Call of Duty all I can say is the game is challenging and huge fun to play with a full lobby. We are all Halo veterans, more or less, but we never beat people in Halo as bad as call of Duty smack-downs.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by sek929 

If I was voting for the game that has given me the most enjoyment in the last ten years then it'd be a no-brainer vote for Halo.

Honestly, at this point, Halo feels overdone and pretty much the same experience of H2 way back in 04. Over the past three days I've started and beaten Metro 2033 again, this is while a brand new campaign lay at my feet with Reach, but we all know my feelings about Halo single player.

Of course, the same could be said for Call of Duty, which has never interested me in the single player realm. I am a guy who likes a deep narrative, engaging atmosphere and all that good stuff in a single player game, and neither Halo or CoD do it for me.

So it comes down to multiplayer in both games and I give a large edge to Call of Duty. The game feels more balanced, the maps are WAAAAY more interesting and the action is fast paced and furiously hectic. Couple that with Black Ops having, what is essentially, one of my favorite games of all time bundled within (Nazi Zombies) and the transition away from reach will be quick and brutal.

Not that I am dogging on Halo, not by any means. Even Reach is still fun and I gather I will always enjoy a Halo-style shooter for multi, but that is mostly because I am damn good at it, and have been playing what is basically the same exact game for 10 years now. It's comfortable but not terribly exciting.

Of course, that's the point. GoldenEye was a fantastic game... but nowadays I think we'd find limitless weapon inventory, static reload times, and a lack of sprint/jump/climb an incredibly poor experience.

Yeah, Halo tried to innovate it's gameplay with the Armor Abilities and I feel bad that thanks to some odd limitations it can feel forced at times (Sprint is an ability, battlefield limits for Jet Packs, Cloaks balancing to near uselessness). I had a TON of fun in Halo 3. But this seems like a classic case of you can never go home again.

I think both games have their merit. Halo gives you a lot more as a package, from Forge to Theater to Bungie.net they really go above and beyond with the polish and feature set in their games. Being really new to Call of Duty all I can say is the game is challenging and huge fun to play with a full lobby. We are all Halo veterans, more or less, but we never beat people in Halo as bad as call of Duty smack-downs.

I have a poor analogy here, but I compare these games to the main characters from The Prestige:
bungie is Angier, who's strength is in his presentation and giving a show, while his actual magic is dull and outmoded.
Infinity Ward is Borden, proficient and keen, but lacking the polish and attention to detail of Angier. (If you want to go nuts, Treyarch is the twin brother)

Of course, valve is Nicola Tesla.

[Leonard]

Man, if the question was best game on the Mac, you wouldn't believe my answer, but it would have to be Unreal Tournament 2004. I bet the clan I played that with is still playing it right now. I know they were a few months ago. Now there is a game with vehicle combat, and that clan had good people making maps and vehicles.

But back to the console. Halo, gets my vote due to the vehicles, the new firefight mode and the feature set. It could use some help on the guns and maps from MW2.

[mattyb]

There is a 'rawness' to CoD that I don't find in Halo. Halo is too 'clean' for me. It misses the atmosphere, the dirt, the crap floating about etc. I enjoyed 70% of the games that I played, but the game types are too limiting when you just want to hop on and do a few TDM style bloodfests. I still play CoD2 on the PC every now and again.

[The Final Dakar]

Meh, I don't fina Halo all that clean. The spartan models all banged up, the weapons worn.

Anyway, I get sick of the fact that every place you fight in COD is completely trashed. Even the nice places have the paint chipping, walls crumbling... it gets old. The "Modern" setting feel older than god. For once I'd just like to play somewhere that look new and clean (The offices in Highrise were a step in the right direction).


Funniest unrealized undercurrent of Halo: In 3 people wanted the ability to vote on your game or map. In Reach people are complaining the same shit gets voted all the time.

[The Final Dakar]

A lot of the forum regulars have neglected to vote yet. You lazy bastards.

[Stogieman]

You already know my answer.

[The Final Dakar]

Not really. And definitely not your reasoning.

[Rumor]

I could never get into Halo. It may have something to do with me not liking being cussed out by 12 year olds.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

I could never get into Halo. It may have something to do with me not liking being cussed out by 12 year olds.

I feel like Modern Warfare wasn't much better. Just older hicks calling you a fag or camper. Anyway, in Halo I have the enemy team set to auto mute.

Moreover, I'd rather this be about the gameplay presented.

[Rumor]

Interaction with the other players is part of the gameplay.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

Interaction with the other players is part of the gameplay.

An optional part.

Really, do I have to go so far as to brand what ships on the disc as "core" gameplay? That's what this is about. 12 year-old, rednecks, storylines and online stats are just window dressing in the end.

[Rumor]

In that case, I still choose MW over Halo. I actually finished the campaign in MW, I could only play Halo 3 for about an hour before getting bored. Maybe it was because I didn't know the back story of Halo, not sure.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

In that case, I still choose MW over Halo. I actually finished the campaign in MW, I could only play Halo 3 for about an hour before getting bored. Maybe it was because I didn't know the back story of Halo, not sure.

I doubt it. If the gameplay was awesome, would a terrible story stop you from playing?

I enjoy Halo's campaign for the vehicle slaughter, not the story.
Hell, I was openly mocking the story when sek, saint and I were going though it a week a go.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by Leonard 

Man, if the question was best game on the Mac, you wouldn't believe my answer, but it would have to be Unreal Tournament 2004.

UT2004 was and is awesome, and the UT series remains the best FPS series. I also love the original UT and UT3:Titan Edition.

[The Final Dakar]

C'mon Bogues, we know what your vote will be, get to it.

[Kevin Bogues]

Voted.
I almost voted Wii Play

[The Final Dakar]

Alright, adolescent oreo's turn.

[SpaceMonkey]

Although I own a PS3 (and not a 360) for its exclusives, I've always preferred Halo and its style of multiplayer.

[exca1ibur]

I went with Call of Duty. Halo always felt seriously overrated to me. Wii Play?... not a chance in hell. I gotta agree above with UT being better than both. Fun times with the original. 2004 took me a while to get into, because I hate the tank style character design, but grew on me after a while. My personal favorite multiplayer still is Return to Castle Wolfenstein because it forced team play. Hi-scores were based on attacking the objectives and using the ability of your character (heal, ammo, support), not just kills. If I want chaos I, time to time, fire up the old classic Urban Terror.

[The Final Dakar]

UT isn't console, scumasses.

[sek929]

Originally Posted by exca1ibur 

My personal favorite multiplayer still is Return to Castle Wolfenstein

That whole game is a little underrated IMO. I had a blast with SP.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

UT isn't console, scumasses.

False. The original UT was on PS2, and UT3 is on both 360 and PS3.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

False. The original UT was on PS2, and UT3 is on both 360 and PS3.

...

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

UT2004 was and is awesome, and the UT series remains the best FPS series. I also love the original UT and UT3:Titan Edition.

Originally Posted by exca1ibur 

I gotta agree above with UT being better than both. Fun times with the original. 2004 took me a while to get into, because I hate the tank style character design, but grew on me after a while.

None of the UTs either of you mentioned are available on the PS3 or 360. So, you know, mention a better online FPS on the PS3 and 360.

[lpkmckenna]

UT3:Titan Edition is the same game as UT3, silly.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

UT3:Titan Edition is the same game as UT3, silly.

You're right, I misread wikipedia. So, UT3, better than Halo or CoD for you?

It's worth noting that it gets a noticeably inferior rating compared to its PC only predecessor, UT2004. And, of course, it gets no console buzz.

[lpkmckenna]

The UT3 launch was very, very buggy. And the lack of modes like Assault and Invasion bothered some series fans. And in the end, UT3 was really just prettier, faster, and more polished UT2004.

I'm not a console player, but I don't care for the "hide and heal" system in "realistic games" like CoD, which just slows it down. And I prefer the UT weapons and vehicles over the Halo stuff.

[sek929]

My 2¢,

No console game has ever come close to the level of control and fluidity seen in the Halo vehicles. I play games today that have vehicles sections that Halo CE would still embarrass.

Didn't play a huge amount of any Unreal game, but I never found the vehicles to be noteworthy.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

The UT3 launch was very, very buggy. And the lack of modes like Assault and Invasion bothered some series fans. And in the end, UT3 was really just prettier, faster, and more polished UT2004.

Well, either launch soured console gamers or console gamers aren't interested in UT type FPS'.

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

I'm not a console player, but I don't care for the "hide and heal" system in "realistic games" like CoD, which just slows it down. And I prefer the UT weapons and vehicles over the Halo stuff.

Could you recommend a video of good UT team game I could watch?

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

I could never get into Halo. It may have something to do with me not liking being cussed out by 12 year olds.

vs being cussed by 8-10 year olds in MW2???

I think you can go into any online game and be cussed by kids younger than those that should know cuss words.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

None of the UTs either of you mentioned are available on the PS3 or 360. So, you know, mention a better online FPS on the PS3 and 360.

Yeah, but quite a few games on the console use a version of the UT engine and I'd say Halo is quite similar to UT2004. Both have various vehicles, both allow for user customizable content (probably UT2004 more-so, probably because it's on the PC/Mac). Heck Unreal (the first one which was single player and multi) was probably the first time I saw 3D look so beautiful on the computer.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Could you recommend a video of good UT team game I could watch?

Apparently not. I did find some 1 v1 s on youtube and watched. I didn't realize people even played games like that anymore. It looks like the Doom on fast forward. You'd have to be on meth to enjoy it.

It reminds me of my Super Street Fighter II days, where I'd crank the turbo to four stars and go apeshit on my friend's ass with Vega. Trying to overwhelm by sheer speed.

I suspect UT works better on PCs, too because of the controls. You'd be hard pressed to play like that on a controller. But honestly, I enjoy the more paced gameplay (by comparison, I suppose). UT looks like it plays too strongly towards raw reflexes.

As far as the regening health is concerned, its a necessity for keeping the pace (and balance) of the game up. If a member of your team is permanently injured that leaves them playing conservative til they die, or too gimped to contribute til they die. Not good.

Originally Posted by Leonard 

Yeah, but quite a few games on the console use a version of the UT engine and I'd say Halo is quite similar to UT2004.

Graphics engine ≠ same gameplay. Pretty sure Gears of War used UT. Also, watch a UT video. Halo spartans run like they're in mud compared to UT. Jump faster, too.

[sek929]

Bungie used the Unreal engine, yes, but it is so heavily modified it barely resembles Unreal in any way. GoW also used Unreal as does a myriad of other games. It's merely a framework and has little do with how a game ends up controlling.

[lpkmckenna]

Bungie doesn't use the Unreal engine, they have their own.

Regarding UT speed, the console version speed is apparently a little slower than the PC version.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Could you recommend a video of good UT team game I could watch?

Not really.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

Not really.

Thanks, I already figured that out.

[The Final Dakar]

Suck it, Halo.

[BionicDissonance]

Who cares? They both suck. The only real shooter is ARMA II and that's far too complicated for your typical console or PC weenie (gathering from the posts preceding this one, that's most users here).

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by BionicDissonance 

Who cares? They both suck. The only real shooter is ARMA II and that's far too complicated for your typical console or PC weenie (gathering from the posts preceding this one, that's most users here).

Have you considered that most people in the universe other than yourself are not 15-year-old virgins?

[Rumor]

My favorite FPS of all time is still Star Wars Battlefront 2.

[sek929]

That's a Third Person Shooter there chief.

[Rumor]

Depends on the view you choose.