I won't call this a review because I don't feel like going that in-depth on the subject but allow me to share my thoughts on the game.

Pros:
Fantastic visual presentation
Wonderfully interesting narrative
Fun gameplay mechanics at times

Cons:
Sometimes feels non-interactive
Boss battles seem not up to series standard
Ends weakly

Overall I don’t think I’m disappointed in the game but I won’t say that I’m overly impressed either. Much like GTA4 I think if you look past the glitter and shine you find a game that either refuses to or can not match the luster and be as special as their predecessors.

Got to love the press... I find it most amusing that the author references the editors of PS Magazine or 1up.com as he would a professor of woman's studies or a think-tank pundit.

... or Xbox 360. So I got the red ring of death today. After a couple years of dreading this more than likely occurance it came upon me as I unsuspectingly turned on the console after a day of non-use. So obviously it's not an overheating issue.

It's disappointing, especially because I've been getting back into Rock Band and NBA2k* again, but actually Microsoft seems to be handling this whole thing not too badly.

I had always hoped that I'd be one of the lucky few not to get this but really I'm a little happy with the timing. Nothing huge and pressing right now for Xbox.

So the Patriots weren't able to stop me from getting my hands on a copy of MGS4 and god damn if I'm not overjoyed about it. 4-6 hours in and it's just sheer joy, nostalgia mixed with an incredible graphical presentation mixed with Kojima's trademark crazy ass narrative.

You know a game's good when you are considering replaying it even before you're finished.

So Age of Conan, it's incomplete. There's largely no real endgame material yet, which wouldn't be that big of a deal if it wasn't so darn easy to reach it. Within 10 days of release legitimate players using legit means were reaching the max level of 80. And then they started building their guild cities. And then I think we all realized in horror that there's nothing to do with them after that. At some point guilds with big fancy safe guild cities will be able to plant their flag in contested land and defend their square footage of dirt and cinder blocks. But for now all we can do is whine.

But don't get me wrong the gameplay is highly amusing. I'm using a controller to play for the most part and am having a blast in the thick of the fight. I think when more content gets added the game could be a real special experience. But for now it feels very limited, small and unfinished.