Yes, I Am Part of the Problem: Ponying Up $24.99 for the Arena REQ Bundle

Beginning February 16, Halo 5: Guardians is offering a new Arena REQ Bundle on Xbox Live for $24.99. And while reading comments to any announcement of the offer is met with an internet's worth of vitriol and condemnation, I will confess I am the kind of person that will buy it.

So REQs were one of the newer features to Halo 5 (see link for more detailed explanation). They are virtual "cards" that add features to your Halo 5 gameplay. They fall into a number of categories including permanent unlocks like armor customization (helmets, armor and visors), weapons skins, assassination animations, profile stances, and Warzone weapon loadouts. There are also consumable REQs such as weapons and vehicles for Warzone use and boosts that add to potential XP or RP payouts increasing Spartan Rank and Requisition Points respectively.

To me, the REQ system succeeds primarily in two areas: 1) while the Warzone REQs can be extremely powerful and ultimately game-changing, Arena is ALWAYS an even play field and 2) REQ packs can be obtained through gameplay REQ point accumulation.

The first area has always been a reason why I have preferred Halo over things like COD, RSV, or Titanfall more recently. Those games rewards you for experience and play and so the more you play, arguably, the better you are. In addition to that, those that need the least advantage get an even greater advantage by starting with better equipment/weapons than the noob. A game in Arena, everyone has starts exactly the same and success is entirely determined on how well a person does that game, not how many games they played before it.

The second area is especially nice because it creates a natural incentive to play. The more you play, the more you can unlock. Accordingly, a player would not have to spend a single dollar beyond initial purchase of Halo 5 to access the same content as the person who purchases REQs using real world virtual money. The cost of a Gold REQ pack is 10,000 Requisition Points. I find a fairly long night of gaming (a few hours) is about right to unlock a new pack's worth of points. I usually use the 10,000 benchmark as a goal for the night and call it quits after opening up a new pack.

I purchased the Warzone REQ Bundle when the game launched. Every week, I would get to open two new REQ packs with some great Warzone equipment. Of course, I do not really play Warzone that much and when I originally bought the game, I did not really understand what REQs were. Actually, I didn't fully understand Warzone until the game was released. That said, the Arena REQ Bundle are unlockables that are STRICTLY cosmetic.

I know. Armor, helmets, assassination animations, and weapon skins that provide no gameplay difference mean I am playing "dress up" with my Spartan. And you know what, I love it. What can I say? Ever since Halo 2, I have played with more or less the same Spartan type -- brown armor, some variation of the yellow lightning bolt against the forest green background. I can't wait to order the 3D-printed collectible once I decide on my favorite armor and helmet.

The Art of Ori: My Gaming Moment of the Young Year

By most accounts, Ori and the Blind Forest was a standout title on the Xbox One in 2015. I downloaded the game fairly early on, but the game did not grab me immediately. Sure, Ori is a pretty game -- detailed, colorful animation reminiscent of the recent Rayman platformers that I love but with even greater depth. I found Ori's soundtrack and story to be mysterious and eerie and wonderfully complementary to the visual style. But the self-described "Metroidvania" characteristics of mixed genres proved an early barrier for me. I usually prefer linear action so I don't "waste" time not doing anything but wandering. Knowing there were inaccessible areas brought more frustration than determination to return.

But after seeing Ori make as many Games of the Year lists as it did, I decided to revisit the title. What happened was nothing short of reaffirming my convictions that games can be art.

WARNING: MINOR GAMEPLAY AND STORY SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

Some context is appropriate to understand and appreciate fully the video sequence. Ori, as best I understand (having not yet completed the game), is the player's character, a forest spirit tasked with survival and saving the Blind Forest. Here, Ori has cleansed the waters that will once again refill the Ginso Tree. In the process, Ori must escape the quickly filling tree.

While I think the controls are not as tight as Rayman, the platforming elements of Ori require fairly precise manipulation. At this point in the game, Ori can double jump, wall climb, and more recently, bash. The bash move was one that I have not had much (if any experience with). The bash ("Y") features prominently in the escape from Ginso Tree, from the earliest moments to the last of action. Finding an enemy or light to "latch" to, the gamer presses "Y" and a directional arrow appears. Manipulating the left stick opposite the direction you want to go determines the arrow's direction. For example, to bash upwards and towards the right, the gamer presses "Y", aims the left stick downwards and towards the left to the desired direction, and releases "Y."

The section is tricky. It took me over an hour to complete the 90-second or so sequence. A quick search for Ginso Tree and Ori will return a number of hits about rage quitting. While I appreciate the challenge, and again compare Ori to Rayman and what I have always described as the very visceral learning curve of improvement, the greatest drawback to the challenge during this part of the game is its dampening effect to the enthusiasm of the moment.

But the moment itself is awesome. The music excites and escalates the tension. The raging waters, though refreshing in its vitality, churn and increase as silhouetted detritus vanishes under the water's dangerous power. I gripped the controller that much tighter because of the pressure of limited time and tricky maneuvering. I sensed well after completion not only sheer joy at the accomplishment but also the still-increased heart rate from what Ori made me feel. Ori is a pretty special game and stands as a great example of why I love playing.

Xbox Elite Controller: "Need" is Relative

When I was younger, I drove a Subaru Impreza WRX. It was more car than I needed. It had a whole lot of zoom under the hood, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and steel pedals. The car had a turbo gauge on the steering column and a short-throw Momo shifter. I have since replaced the Subaru with a Toyota Camry, a sensible car for an adult. Last year, Microsoft debuted its Elite Controller, a high performance piece of tech that looks super sexy. The homepage resembles something out of Forza's Autovista. The Elite Controller is a piece of hardware one covets, but in the grand scheme of things, the controller is probably not something one "needs." But goodness, it sure is fun to take for a spin.

The Hardware
Just a brief overview for the unaware, at $150, the Elite costs half price of the past holiday console bundle rates. For comparison's sake, the standard Xbox One controller retails for $60. Honestly, unboxing the controller was just about worth the price of admission. The sheer reverence in which the hardware is treated is readily apparent, the quality of construction and material unquestioned. The controller comes in a protective case. There are six interchangeable nubs of varying lengths and textures and surfaces. Two D-pad options include the saucer (pictured above) and the NES-standard four-way cross. The parts use a magnetic system that has proven reliable and sturdy.

As I see it, however, the two features that make the Elite controller stand apart from a functional standpoint are the rear "paddles" and the hairline trigger option. The paddles consist of up to four rear buttons that can be assigned any button push from face buttons to stick clicks to bumper presses. The hairline trigger option allows the gamer to shorten the distance needed to activate fully the trigger(s). All of these options work in conjunction with the Xbox Accessories app available on the console to provide fairly unlimited choices. As an added bonus, the Elite controller has two profile slots that can be toggled via a switch on the controller itself.

How It Plays
So does it make a difference? Going in, I believed any advantage the controller conferred fell squarely in the province of the first person shooter. These days, for me, that means Halo 5: Guardians. In Halo, I have traditionally played with the game's default set-up with a significant downward adjustment to look sensitivity and inverted Y-axis.

I looked at the suggested Halo settings via the Xbox Accessories app and thought they did not make a whole lot of sense to me. In essence, I sought to map all of the face buttons (A, B, X, Y) to the paddles to more or less allow me to maintain constant right thumbstick control for camera/aiming. I still need to access the D-pad to switch grenade types and use bumpers for grenades and melee. I turned on the hairline trigger switch for right trigger (fire weapon). The basis for the change was that a quicker trigger pull could make that fractional second difference when firing, especially for SWAT.

There is a definite learning curve involved with retraining the muscle memory, especially when the action intensifies. I constantly fight the urge to clutch the controller when making quick, sudden movements. I access the paddles using my middle and ring finger fingertips and so inadvertent jumps and jetpack boosts are not uncommon. I have gotten better with it, but I have played Halo for ten-plus years. Change does not come so easily.

Am I better now because of the controller? Yes. I really think it makes a difference. Am I the top of the leaderboard because of the controller? No. Not always. And yes, in fact, I still have really bad games. It really is never the controller's fault, standard or Elite. With respect to the remapped paddles, I feel more often than not, I am fairly ready to respond to attacks. With my low level of look sensitivity, there are limits to how quickly I can respond, in particular when attacks come from behind. The difference is perceptible but not game changing.

The bigger difference comes in the quickness with which the gun responds to the hairline trigger pull. In SWAT, those milliseconds can mean a lot. Of course, the caveat always come that successful play, particularly evidenced in SWAT, is about more than just twitch reflexes. It is very much knowing where and when to be, knowing where and when to expect people to come into your view. But straight up, you see me and I see you at the same time, I felt like I won that confrontation more with the Elite controller than without. Where the hairline trigger also made a big difference was with the Covenant carbine. The semi-automatic rifle can be fired incredibly quickly when utilizing the hairline trigger and I found myself using the weapon much more as a result.

How It Feels
I went into the purchase believing the benefits to gameplay were solely realized in a shooter. I still think that is largely true. But that statement does not take into account the benefit to play where performance is not necessarily the end purpose. And playing Forza with the Elite controller was just a joy regardless of whether I felt like I raced better.

I picked up a launch Xbox One and an extra controller. I cannot tell you how frustrating it has been for the last two years to hear my standard controllers creak with every squeeze. In fact, when I play FIFA 16, the Kinect controls attempt to pick up commands from the noise. I have always enjoyed the feel of the Xbox controller but my Xbox One controllers never felt solid.

I had just the opposite experience playing Forza with the Elite controller. Everything felt just right. I mapped the paddles to mimic paddle shifters for a standard transmission racer. The feedback motors of the Elite controller (adjustable) were strong and accurate. Braking and throttle felt responsive. The Elite controller is weighty, smooth and grippy. I have driven a lot of miles in Forza through the years and I have not had a better feeling playing. And I do attribute that to the controller.

Is It Worth It?
Ultimately, it is a personal decision about whether the controller is worth it. I did not think it was something I needed and after using, I do not think anyone needs to replace the standard controller with the Elite. The Elite controller may make you a better gamer. More importantly, the Elite controller will make you enjoy your gaming more, and I have no regrets with the purchase.

The Year that Was: Nintendo 2DS edition

The year on 2DS was great though a bit unexpected. The bulk of early 2015 was spent with Persona Q: The Shadow of the Labyrinth. Persona Q was a Persona and Etrian Odyssey mash-up, both games that I had minimal experience with. I went back and booted up The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, and I spent a lot of time with a new game, Yo-Kai Watch, the oft-compared Pokemon successor. I am sad to report at this point, all three of the games remain unfinished, but not for lack of desire or effort.

So I spent close to 70 hours in Persona Q. It's a RPG/dungeon crawler set with a combination of Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters. As I understand it, the Etrian Odyssey contribution came in the form of the dungeon crawling element, complete with mapping feature, supremely well-executed on the bottom screen of the 2/3DS. Not since I played Legend of Zelda had I been so obsessed with game mapping. I was intent to exploring 100% of each floor I visited.

Completely unfamiliar with both series, in the end, I wasn't sure I completely got what was happening with the Personas. The short of it each character possessed a persona that added to combat options. They could be upgraded and combined and had their own set of skills. At a certain point, I ran into enemies that I couldn't quite figure out how to get past. And like many games of this type, there often aren't easy FAQs of how to overcome these obstacles. The same derailed my Bravely Default efforts and have stalled my Yo-Kai story.

But I enjoyed the game, I loved the exploration aspect. I dug the soundtrack, repetitive as it got. The characters were weird and quirky. I don't expect that I will ever return, but I see myself keeping an eye on any Etrian and Persona entries in the future.

I was excited to play Yo-Kai Watch last year. While I understand the desire to compare it to Pokemon, it certainly rested on its own merit. I found the stories and yo-kai to be interesting and the combat to be nice and active. The game is very Japanese and while I understand some care was taken to localize it, the game reminded me a bit of the Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! conversion to Elite Beat Agents. Part of the attraction is the exotic aspects of the underlying premise -- yo-kai or spirits are among the human world and have real effects on our attitudes and affairs.

The interesting thing about combat is there appears to be underlying mechanics that I am not sure how necessary or involved they may become. In Pokemon, it's fairly easy to see and become familiar with the elemental aspects of Pokemon and moves and how choices are accordingly determined. For the greater part of Yo-Kai Watch, I didn't seem it so necessary to pay attention to Yo-Kai dispositions. The characters themselves act and attack or defend on their own. The player's role is limited to choosing or managing the fight, what characters to have in play and when to activate special attacks.
And so while less active as far as making selections go, the game requires the player to be very active in choosing how to approach the fight.

Like Bravely Default, it was a new fight system that I came to appreciate in its innovation. And like Bravely Default and Persona Q, I hit a wall where multiple attempts at a boss have proven unsuccessful. I think it's actually the final boss though I can't say for sure. And like Pokemon, I think the game offers more than just beating story mode. There are a lot of side quests and yo-kai to befriend. I got very close and have tried making adjustments without luck. Unfortunately, I think I am at the point where some of the bonuses I had through previous play (a fair amount of money to purchase things like medicine/HP restorers) have been depleted and I cannot just approach the final battle as I had. So one of the nicest things of the game had been the lack of what I feel was RPG grind, I am now in position where I might have to do just that. We'll see.

I got Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon for my birthday and I'd like to finish Zelda. I have enjoyed the latter though it seems to be less a pick up and play title because I want to devote some time to finishing each dungeon. Certainly, there are few things that bring a smile to my face as hearing the Legend of Zelda theme song even though I have really only played the original and sequel on the NES. I think a Bravely Default sequel is on its way and I always wish I had the wherewithal to fire up Monster Hunter 4 again. That was one that I had really hoped to have a new 3DS for to make use of the second analog stick/nub. But alas, I am still playing my 2DS and MH4 collects dust.

I sometimes wonder what's up with Vita, but am almost pushed to apathy because Sony, itself, seems not to be too concerned with it. Now if Shadow of the Colossus or Kingdom Hearts or Valkyria Chronicles made appearances on the handheld, I'd begin to charge it post haste. But until then...

The Year that Was: Xbox One Edition

OK, so 2015 ended up not being the Year of Hearthstone for me, but it was a good year of games. I spent a lot of time with Rayman Legends, actually maxed out 1000/1000 gamerscore. The end of the year saw the Xbox One working overtime with a whole lot of Halo 5 played. FIFA 16 and Forza have been sprinkled in there, and there is more Disney Infinity 3.0 to be explored. The 2DS saw a lot of game time this year as well. Almost 70 hours in Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, 20 hours with Yo-Kai Watch and 19 hours in Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. While there are a number of games I missed (The Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 probably topping the list), I have few gaming regrets.

I loved Rayman Origins on the 360. I was skeptical of Rayman Legends, knowing that it was originally designed as a WiiU exclusive. How does one shoehorn those controls into a game that I loved for just that - precision yet forgiving platforming? Rayman Legends did it with an added control scheme of button pushes that added complexity without sacrificing feel.

The game has great animated visuals and controls as good as any Mario game in my opinion. Platforming games can be very frustrating and I do not consider the genre as a favorite of mine. But with generous save points and a very visceral learning curve in which I recognized repetition led to skill and knowledge acquisition, Rayman continued to keep its hooks in me. Daily and Weekly Challenges kept/keep the game fresh.

Interestingly, I was fairly skeptical about Halo 5 as well. With the debacle that was the launch of Halo: Master Chief Collection, I was not completely sure what to expect with Halo in 343 Industry hands. I didn't think Halo 4 was terrible, but it certainly didn't have the legs of previous iterations. And perhaps ultimately, the same can be said of Halo 5. But I have enjoyed it much more than I thought I would in light of early descriptions of Halo's move towards updating and upgrading movement to change the combat.

The campaign was fine albeit forgettable. I only played short amounts in co-op and on Legendary, it was a downright unpleasant affair of insta-deaths. Solo on heroic seemed to hit a sweet spot of difficulty and though I did the cheat to escape the multiple Warden Eternals, I don't regret it for a second. In purest form, Halo 5 and Halo in general, to me at least, is about the competitive multiplayer and here, I find it as the series best effort since and perhaps including Halo 2.

To be fair, I played a lot of Destiny and Titanfall. But there is something so honest and fair about starting a Halo match with the same weapons and armor as your opponent. Sure, once power weapons are secured, it's a different matter, but that everything is literally earned on the field of play makes it seem like such a true test of skill. And unlike Gears of War, when I vanquished an opponent or an opponent vanquished me, I always felt like that was the proper outcome. The fear of updated movement, sprint and spartan abilities, was unfounded. In fact, the fluidity keeps the game fresh. It does not feel like I am just playing Halo 2. Balance is such key and Halo 5 Arena has it.

I was on the fence with Warzone early on. But the big change came for me when 343 included Daily Win REQ packs for Warzone and Arena victories. I have played it much more frequently and I do like that it feels less competitive. I don't like losing in it and I hate dying and waiting to respawn to run to an area only to die on the way there. I don't really save many REQs and perhaps my teammates more than me feel the consequences of such choice. Unlike my favored Arena matches where everyone starts out equally, REQs can make pretty big differences pretty quickly in Warzone. But taking the time to find out where things are, how and when to use upgrades (be it changing loadouts or adding abilities without using REQs) made the gametype tons more enjoyable.

I have been a little disappointed that Halo 5 has not seemed to catch on as I had hoped with my Xbox friends. I understand in many ways, it doesn't necessarily have the incentives to return as much as other games (e.g., updated loot system in Destiny). Yes, REQs are disposable and Arena is really only about rank. But it is fun to win.

I have been enjoying FIFA 16 and I am exploring the FIFA Ultimate Team options. I have not really done that in the past and really wasn't sure what type of "campaign" there was in the game. I have Forza to fall back on and I've heard good things about the multiplayer. I had some difficulty connecting in the past but I may revisit to change things up. I haven't played much Infinity 3.0. I do have the Rise Against the Empire playset and have enjoyed that. I also have the Toy Box playsets. I have always liked Infinity and it's one that I'm hoping will be a great place for Player 2 to cut her gaming teeth though that's probably still a bit of time away. Never too early to start thinking about it though.

Pull Up a Chair: My Year's Hearthstone Gaming Quest

While there are many things I look forward to this year in gaming, one of my long term goals is to see if I can crack Rank 10 or better in Hearthstone.  Though I can't remember for sure, Rank 15 is about the best I have done.  For some perspective, Blizzard stated last year that 75% of Hearthstone players are rated between Rank 25 and Rank 15.  My goal is to be part of that top 7.5% of players.

Where Have You Been?

For the completely uninitiated, Hearthstone is a free-to-play collectible card game in the Warcraft world.  It is available via Battle.net on PC, iOS (iPads only), and was recently added to Android tablets.  Each player selects a hero and compiles a deck of thirty cards that will be used to reduce the opponent's health to 0.  Heroes fall within different classes and possess a special ability and class-specific cards at their disposal.  Gameplay is based on maximizing effective use of cards with limited resources as to when and how cards can be played.  Game Informer awarded Hearthstone its Competitive Multiplayer Game of the Year.

Why Now?

Along with the release of Hearthstone on Android tablets, Blizzard released the Goblins vs. Gnomes expansion in December, introducing over 100 new cards to the mix.  Being limited to the iPad (my wife's tablet of choice) did prevent me from playing as much Hearthstone via portable device than I would have liked.  But the introduction of the new cards was something that intrigued me and re-ignited my interest in the game.

I have only really dipped my toe in to see how serious people are about their Hearthstone.  There are no shortage of sites and forums devoted to the game.  I saw a lot of talk about the Meta and have been scared away.  But as complex as the game can be, it has always seemed fair and rewarding of the time you spend learning and mastering new techniques.

I always wanted to be good at Hearthstone, but I grasped at the "free-to-play, but pay-to-win" excuse.  I want to believe it's not necessary to pay a lot, and the truth be told, I have spent some money on Naxxramas DLC and an occasional $20 pack of cards.  While I think there is certainly truth to legendary cards making decks, I think taking the long view, I can get what I need by grinding is also true.

With the new cards, a) not everyone will have them all yet and b) people are still figuring out ways to use them.  So while I may not be getting in on the ground floor, my Hearthstone history has me with a good deal of the regular decks, a few legendaries, and a start on the GvG.  I did make the choice earlier on to "abandon" certain heroes and have disenchanted their class specifics.  Rogue, Warlock and Warrior I never quite liked their style though I've certainly lost my fair share to all.

So What's the Plan?

Much like a coinciding plan to get healthier this year, I am going to try and gut it out on my own for a little bit.  It's probably a big mistake, but I'm trying to remind myself, it's a marathon, not a sprint.  So instead of falling into the Meta, finding a tried and true deck and going out there with "proven" cards in hand, I'd like to think that I've seen enough and played enough that I have some ideas of what I could and should do.

My daily goal is to complete the available challenges.  The dailies typically offer 40 gold for completion, sometimes more.  I figure every other day or so, I will have enough gold to buy a new pack of cards (100g).  Ten gold is also rewarded for every three wins and I believe I have seen you can earn up to 100 gold per day this way.  I don't think I will be able to play and win thirty times every day.  That is a lot of Hearthstone.

I am looking if there is a single character to stick with for my ranked play.  The challenges will often require different classes be used.  I think I probably need to be better about an explicit strategy.  I have vaguely set decks up with early game and end game in mind, but I don't always take into account defense and flexibility.  I think about the bell curve of where and when my cards fall and I have not been really convinced one way or the other which is best.  When I did get to Rank 15, I used a lot of low level minions and tried to overwhelm early.  The rush is fine until your cards are tapped or can't deliver the finishing blow to the heavies.

I am experimenting with the Beast-centered Hunter (much to my own chagrin).  I have used and liked the divine shield inspired Paladin deck.  I am looking into combinations of early Murloc use in a Shaman deck.  For finishes, I had relied on Leeroy with the Faceless Manipulator or Youthful Brewmaster.  Blizzard certainly has an eye on what's OP and does a good job tweaking those cheaper tactics (Release the Hounds, e.g.).

I am going to give myself the month of February to go solo and see where things are.  I wonder if I should be heading to the Arena to maximize gold, but typically, I find myself with little success and the game is played quite differently there.  I would like to add Ragnaros and possibly The Black Knight to my legendary collection, but I'm not holding my breath on those.  I hope to also get a better handle on the mech class and the GvG expansion in general.

We'll see what happens.  I am Rank 19 today and got on a bit of a roll with the Murloc-inspired Shaman deck.  I crafted a couple of Annoy-o-Trons.  Here's to an exciting 2015 and some Hearthstone fun!

Halo Goodbye Halo Goodbye

I was away for the weekend and was curious to see the state of Halo: The Master Chief Collection upon my return.  Spoiler alert -- matchmaking is still broken.