Why we Sony Fanboys are the “Worst of the Bunch”

Fanboy articles have been flooding the internet for the past few weeks with the recent “PS3 Fanboys are the Worst of the Bunch” topping them all. The outright ignorance portrayed by the author was juvenile, if not entirely inaccurate. His attempt at attacking the Sony fanbase could have paid off, had he gotten his facts straight.

Before beginning with rants, writers tend to sugar coat the biased nature of the article by saying that the focal point of their attack isn’t all bad; that they don’t mean any harm to the opposing side. Well, I’m not about to lie to you. My goal is to be as frank as humanly possible.

Microsoft and Sony have been at war since the Playstation 2 era, but this generation is when the blatant flaming broke out. It used to be just lines drawn in the sand. Now, a day doesn’t go by without seeing bloodshed on a video game forum. Fanboys are real people, and some take their position all too seriously. But is that really such a bad thing?

In the past, Sony has taken some major gunfire. When they announced the $500 and $600 dollar systems at launch, they not only lost fans, but made some mortal enemies. When release day approached, the line-up was a mere 22 titles, half of which were just ports of the 360. Eventually, sites and magazines tore apart the PS3’s existence. Electronic Gaming Monthly went as low as to depict a tomato plastered Playstation 3 in a cover story, fueling more hatred in the process. Things weren’t looking well for Sony’s next step in the new generation.

The problem was obvious. Sony wasn’t ready for the future just yet. Microsoft took the advantage and launched when the Playstation 2 was still booming. I am willing to bet that Sony’s next console wouldn’t of transpired till years later had Microsoft not stepped up to the plate. It wouldn’t have been surprising at all to see titles like Killzone 2 at launch in this alternate reality. Sadly, it would have been a detriment to the Sony brand, not to mention fanbase, if they didn’t act accordingly.

Now however, we stand four years later, and people’s heads are still stuck in the year 2006. A grudge has developed, and to this day, Sony hasn’t received the credit they deserve. If you are still wondering why we are complaining, there are quite a few other factors to consider.

Exclusitivity Is Important

In 1997, the Final Fantasy series found its footing on the Playstation console. Nintendo might have given birth to FF, but it was adopted and nurtured until it was practically synonymous with the Playstation brand. To see such an iconic symbol get ported over to the 360 felt like treason. The same could be said for the Grand Theft Auto, Tekken, and Devil May Cry franchises, but no use in pulling up the past since we now have to worry about Metal Gear Solid making the multiplatform switch. Maybe you don’t care about these “exclusive” figures. I understand that some think that every game should be multiplatform, but then what is the point of having multiple consoles in the first place? Exclusives define a console. They give personality to the brand they represent. Mario belongs with Nintendo, Master Chief resides with Microsoft, and Solid Snake should stick with Sony. We get the short end of the stick for complaining about games remaining exclusive, yet I know plenty of Halo Fanboys that would go nuts if their beloved icon went multiplatform.

If the symbolism of gaming icons isn’t enough to warrant an exclusive, then the sheer quality lost in the transition should at least provide some insight. If you try to compare a game such as Modern Warfare 2 to an exclusive like Killzone 2, you will find that the latter is far superior in terms of merit. When a multiplatform title gets released, all the effort that could have gone into one system, is now being split into two, meaning something suffers in the process. GTA 4 for instance, shined mechanically, but lacked graphically. Metal Gear Solid 4 also comes to mind – a game that already didn’t fit on a Blu-Ray disk. There is no doubt in my mind that the next installment in the series will sacrifice even more content because of the smaller size of the 360’s storage capacity. When a game isn’t able to follow through on its potential due to multiplatform restrictions, there is an adequate reason to be upset.

Exclusitivity in general is really out of anyone’s control. It’s wholly about money in the gaming industry today, and all the signatures in the world couldn’t stop a game from going multiplatform.

Scores Do Matter

Sony Fanboys have been attacked with the claim that we complain about our exclusives not receiving the score they “deserve”. To a point, there is some truth to that affirmation, but to pin it on Sony Fanboys entirely is complete bull. Gametrailers is thrown around constantly when discussing fanboysim, because there are strong suspicions that the reviewers are biased towards Microsoft. I won’t make that unfair adjustment, but I will say that there are inconsistencies in the reviews themselves. Any good writer knows that the review needs to compliment the score, but GT has time and time again failed at this. Halo 3 and Uncharted 2 are perfect examples by what I mean. The review for Halo 3 touched on how it didn’t set any real benchmarks for the series like its predecessors; that everything there was done before, but done very well. Uncharted 2 on the other hand was said to have a few issues including lack of originality, yet the overall experience was incredibly put together. Halo 3 was given a perfect 10 for design, while Uncharted 2 was given an 8.9. You might be rolling your eyes at all this talk of scores and how its “just opinion”. But this is what causes so much strife among Fanboys. Uncharted 2 raised the bar. It went where no other game has gone before, and most that have played it will agree to that statement. Gametrailers however gave a game that did nothing new in terms of design a perfect 10. Does nobody else see the issue here?

Many will agree, reviews are subjective, but with this generation, there have been quite a few defining moments that desperately need mention. Killzone 2 perfected the cover system in the First-Person shooter genre. Uncharted 2 provided the adrenaline rush that was missing in a third-person action game. God of War 3 introduced boss fights that were too epic to describe with mere words. Is it really so bad to give credit where credit is due?

Microsoft Is No Saint

At times, the rivalry between Sony and Microsoft gets a bit childish. You know - the kind where one sibling coaxes the other to stir up trouble? Microsoft has been known to try to steal the lime light at certain points in this console war, and the way they handle multiplatform titles is a little unnerving. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but did you see the “Till I Collapse” trailer to Modern Warfare 2, but more importantly the lack of a PS3 logo at the end? Whether Microsoft paid for the campaigning for the game or not, the game was clearly multiplatform, and they frequently tried to sell it as an exclusive.

Not surprisingly, Microsoft has tried to play the same game with the recent release of Final Fantasy 13. Somewhere in the process of advertising, they sent out a newsletter to their avid fans, but with Playstation 3 footage used. Yet again, another multiplatform game was portrayed as a 360 exclusive.

If none of this matters to you, then just take a look at the “Game of the Year” Lists in the past year. While Sony released exclusive after exclusive, the only games Microsoft had to lean on were multiplatform titles. Batman: Arkham Asylum and Modern Warfare 2 dominated the best 360 games of the year, while actual exclusives held the upper hand on Sony’s side.

Another thing that added more fuel to the fire was the recent “retweeting” of the very article I’m defending. The fact that a Microsoft spokesperson felt the need to quote another Microsoft Fanboy was a dick move, which only showed how desperate the company is.

The argument I’m presenting isn’t an assault toward Microsoft or their devotees, but simply a defense of what I feel deserves more recognition than is currently given. Playstation 3 has proven time and time again to give me the experience I’ve been after, and if you get that on the 360, then all the power to you. The separate consoles add more diversity to the mix; keeps things fresh and exciting. Why is it that the two sides have to be regularly at each other’s throats? It feels as if the only time Sony gets its shining light is when something goes wrong. When PSN went down unexpectedly a few weeks ago, it was deemed the “death of PSN” by IGN and is now an excuse used by some to not even buy the system anymore. Why was there no big backlash when HD-DVD lost to Blu-Ray? What about all these Red Ring of Deaths nobody seems to care about?

To put it plainly, yes I do believe we can be the “worst of the bunch” when it comes to voicing our opinions. There are too many legitimate reasons not to give a damn.

Modern Warfare 2 Review

The hype surrounding Modern Warfare 2 was beyond ludicrous. Infinity Ward has a track record of improving on their previous efforts, but it would seem as if they let the success of the original Modern Warfare get to their heads. While the game is by no means terrible, some very poor design decisions really fracture what could have been an otherwise amazing sequel.

The Game is broken down into three parts: Campaign, Co-op, and Multiplayer. A nifty percentage is given for each, which will surely satisfy completionists. Along with trophies, Modern Warfare 2 gives the impression it has a lot of content. Well, to a point it does, but the appeal doesn’t last as long as you would think.

Call of Duty 4 really traversed into new territory with its online experience. Multiplayer became the focal point of the series, and the campaigns started to suffer. The campaign in MW2 followed suit with a mere five hour story. Luckily, it’s worth multiple playthroughs.

You take control of Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson with one primary mission: eliminate Vladimir Makarov and his men. From the onset, it’s clear that the story was left on the back burner, and a preposterous twist midway proves that the plot mechanics weren’t thoroughly thought out.

After a brief tutorial mission, you set out across a variety of levels that put the game’s gorgeous graphic engine to good use. Whether you are hanging off the edge of a cliff during a blizzard, high tailing baddies in a riveting boat chase, or charging the White House, the set pieces never cease to impress.

The controls are just as fluid as any other Call of Duty title, although the lack of a cover system is a bit of a letdown after playing Killzone 2, and a number of the weapons are too much alike.

When you get down to it, the campaign is short and sweet. The level design is great for what it’s worth, the voice-overs are well done, and the score by Hans Zimmer is exceptional. It’s just a shame it all ends so fast.

Sadly, that isn’t the end of the disappointment. Multiplayer this time around is a flat out mess. The developers decided to go for a more blockbuster approach and used killstreaks that looked cool, over what actually makes sense. On top of that, the weapons and perks are extremely unbalanced, and until you reach some of the higher ranks, dying will feel cheap. Some feel that this is what makes MW2 stand apart from other first person shooters, but there is no denying that it’s up for debate. When you get down to it, the multiplayer will make or break the game for you.

Just when things are looking down, the newly implemented co-op mode literally saves the game from falling off its hinges. There are 23 levels to master, and each one has a different goal. One moment you’ll have to survive waves of enemies while fortifying a burger joint; next, you may be racing downhill on a snowmobile against a friend - all the while dodging trees and gunfire. Obviously these moments are borrowed heavily from the campaign, but with a buddy, everything feels fresh and exciting again.

Unfortunately, this leads to another small, but noticeable problem. There are no leaderboards, and more importantly, no way to pair up with anybody outside of your friends list. Yet again, another flawed design decision.

Modern Warfare 2 is probably not going to sit well with most fans. There is fun to be had, but you’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t feel guilty about buying it. Multiplayer is a risky endeavor, as it could very well ruin the entire experience, and the campaign could easily be finished in one sitting. A rent from your local video store would probably be the safe bet.

B-