Your top ten most anticipated games of 2003

[OB1]

Just when I thought you ran out of stupid juice.

Having a set path to follow for the entire level makes it linear. I thought that was pretty clear, given the word "linear" present in every other sentence when I describe the main reason I dislike the game. But you've been making a habit of mis-understanding perfectly clear sentences lately, so I'll let it pass without drawing too much attention to it, and without rambling on about it unnecessarily so as to make myself look smart, when in actual fact I am making myself look like an ass.

Ok, let me repeat myself one more time. WHILE THE LEVELS THEMSELVES ARE LINEAR, THE GAMEPLAY IS NOT AS THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH EACH OBJECTIVE.

The linearity of the levels effects the gameplay greatly. It's like saying Crash Bandicoot plays just like Jak & Daxter.

Oh what a fabulous comparison. Yes I can see where you see the similarities. In SC you can accomplish each seperate goal in any number of different ways, making for a unique gameplay experience each and every time you replay the levels. In Crash Bandicoot you run in a straight line and jump over people. Wow.

That's funny. Given that there are so many more obstacles, and patrolling guards, and different routes, and just generally different ways to go, it's hard to imagine it being only one way to accomplish your goals. In Splinter Cell, you may hide in the shadows and let the guard pass, or you may jump up and split kick the walls and let him pass under you, or you might shoot him (although another major fault in the game is the limited number of people you can kill). In MGS2, you might wait for them to pass, or you might crawl under some boxes, or you might take out the radio in his hand so he can't call for backup, then shoot him, or you might distract them and run/crawl/climb past etc. etc.

Haha, you tickle my funny bone. There is only one (count 'em: one) level in SC where you cannot kill anyone, and that's because the place you're sneaking into is CIA Headquarters.

MGS 2 is likle Ace Combat where SC is like MS Flight Simulator 2002. The stealth aspect is very restricting in MGS2 compared to SC. In SC there is a far greater emphasis placed on stealth so you really have to be careful with what you do. I've played through MGS2 several times, and after playing SC I can honestly say that I almost can't even call MGS2 a stealth game since is really is such a simple game. Each time I played MGS2 it was pretty much the same experience. Sure I could take a left instead of a right at certain parts, but you are extremely limited in what you can do in the game. Each time I replay a level in SC it's a completely new experience, as I've stated numerous times already.

There really isn't much difference about the number of ways you go about accomplishing your goals. But the style of having a single path to follow for the entire mission is VERY ditracting (at least, AFAIC).

That is a blatant lie. As I've repeated over and over to you (you really don't get it, do you?), there are many more different ways to each goal in SC than there are in MGS2. That is a fact.

I just play it, and picture how awesome it would have been if there was one big environment,

All of the environments in SC put together are around five times as big as the two main environments in MGS2. And each level in SC looks and feels different from the rest so there is a lot of diversity.

...with multiple goals

Um... have you ever played Splinter Cell before? There are dozens of goals in each level of the game.

, and patrolling guards and radio check-ins (instead of the dead bodies MAGICALLY being found if you leave it in the open).

Obviously you haven't played the final version of the game since you would have noticed that they fixed that bug. The guards also do regular radio check-ins.

Being able to explore different areas of your environment to find completely different routes to take to the end. NOT being forced to move FORWARD the whole time (being on the set path). [quote]

Despite the level design in MGS2, the game is extremely linear. You also have extremely long cut scenes and radio transmissions that get in the way of gameplay every few minutes.

[quote]Why bring up Deus-Ex??? They are completely different. Or are you comparing them for linearity? In which case... I don't agree, but whatever.

Deus Ex is similar to SC in the sense that there are several different ways to go accomplish each goal which makes for some great replay value. I've beaten both games. Have you?

Anyways, I certainly agree that MGS2 isn't as stealth based as Splinter Cell.

So... what was your argument then?