I WAS, keyword was, thoroughly enjoying the next gen entry of Madden to Steam. I had a superstar mode QB that I was having a lot of fun with after work whenever I had the time. After consistently playing since August I had finally played through my rookie contract. With expiring contracts and retirements on my team I had decided to sign somewhere else in free agency, I got an offer from ONE team, but it turned out to be a bug. I actually wasn't able to sign and it FORCED me to retire. What? WHAT. EA, Oh boy EA, you have done nothing to fix and improve my two favorite gamemodes since I switched to PC and stopped buying your games back in 2018. This game is still a buggy Ultimate Team cash cow with cheese plays and weird gameplay. I won't be tricked again. I'm sure youll find someway to ruin the new NCAA game.

After avoiding this game for half a decade due to it's controversial launch, the boys have finally all picked up this game. Personally, I'm having fun playing a Bungie game in 2023, as I had played D1 and the Bungie made Halo games religiously. The story itself is lackluster IMO, although I am impressed by Lightfall thus far. However, that does not take away the great feeling that comes with getting an exotic drop or light level boost. If you're returning or just picking the game up, it's well worth picking up the DLC's on a sale!

I can't leave a positive review in good faith. I bought this game for full price a couple years after the early access release, and after waiting over a decade for the next installment in Mountain Blade, I'm fairly shocked at what was accomplished. The AI and battle flow feels about the same as Warband, a game that came out well over a decade ago. The quest not only feels like a hastily put together item, but it's still full of bugs post release. The large scale battles are fun, but I simply don't see this being worth the $40 pricetag. The game feels like a re-skin of the previous installment rather than an actual sequel.

All I had to do to launch the game was uninstall Steam and all of my games. Easy. COD is back baby.

Honestly, if this is what you have to do it's well worth the price of admission, and hopefully the last resort helps. Beta was great. Haven't had that much fun in a COD let alone any online game in a long time.

EDIT, 3 DAYS LATER : I have not religiously played a COD since MW 2019, and before that WW2 and AW. I like this game. The attachment system provides incentive to use every gun. Most of the maps are fun. However, like any other COD launch it has glaring issues that can't be ignored. The spawn system on half the maps are just bad, really bad. It's a common occurrence to have multiple people spawn in front of you, and unless you're on a bigger map like Taraq there's no reason it should be happening.

Riot shields, snipers and shotguns also feel broken. You could shoot someone in the head with a shield and they wont get hit. It's common to have half, if not the entire team use iron sight snipers that are one hit, meanwhile shotguns are a tossup to kill your enemy even at close range. A lot of re-balancing is in order.

The maps, I know they've caught a lot of slack but after getting used to the flows they have grown on me. However, the omission of Museum is a sin in itself. Taraq and Bagra are just BAD. Like leave the lobby bad. Taraq has a saving grace with it being so open I suppose. But Bagra is chaotic and a snipers paradise with plenty of long lanes, windows and tight corridors. The rest of the maps are a sure step up from having to play Shoothouse 24/7.

At this point I see the game having a lot of potential, but the aforementioned can't be ignored for it to survive. I'd love to see Museum added back in, as long as classic MW maps such as Terminal, Highrise and others find their way back in. Still fun, and COD is still back baby.

PRE SEASON 1 UPDATE : After a disgusting amount of time played in a Call of Duty game, as much as I had in the first weeks of the first couple Black Ops, I can say my previous sentiments still hold true. There are still snipers about but people have begun to move onto other guns in preparation of Warzone and to unlock more attachments and camos.

The maps are honestly better than I originally thought. With Bagra and Taraq still being my most frustrating maps. The SBMM Ill say is a bit weird but I feel like the games are evenly matched, or they tend to be slightly in your favor. Most of the maps tend to have a flow which you can narrow down to a science.

The aim assist outcry is overblown. It honestly is. If you have any merit on mouse it's instead an advantage. Being able to quickly and accurately flip on the enemy isn't something I was able to do on console back in the day and I feel as though it still rings true. Both platforms have their advantage.

NOW for my thoughts on the shown season one content? Abysmal. As I wrote previously, I hated Shoot the Ship in 2019. It KILLED the game for me. I don't want to see these MEATGRINDERS in the normal map rotation. The maps were bearable for a month or so because the only other playable map in that game was Hackney Yard. Now, we'll likely have that playlist again for the foreseeable future while we wait for Season Two and the aforementioned classic maps.

Ill hold my thoughts for Warzone, as I plan to play it but was not around for long enough to play the first version.

EDIT 6/8/23 - Go woke, go broke.

This game deserves a comeback. An unfortunate flash in the pan that arrived before other big name releases. Great concept, it's literally Halo with portals.

This is a pretty good John Daly simulator.

I lost my unique weapons when I healed a certain dog. The game also forces me to restart my entire PC due to crashes at least twice a play session. Still 3000 out of 10, game of the century.

I effectively made Detroit when I kicked everyone out with high taxes. When they moved back in, my unemployment went from like 6% to 30%. It's pretty good I guess.

Everything WILL go wrong, but you'll love it.

Absolute masterpiece. One of, if not the best single player experiences ever. Pick it up 4 years on and you won't regret it.