CoD: MW | Season 6 ... Trick or Treat?

Bringing more treats than tricks Activision, and Infinity Ward's Season 6 of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare battle pass presents some noteworthy additions to the growing cosmetic collection, and arsenal. For $10 you can gain access to the 100 tier grind for what looks to be Call of Duty's coolest season of offerings yet. Somewhat themed for Halloween it includes a bat take down named Edward, several Halloween themed gun blueprints, some Halloween themed baubles (key chains, stickers, emblems), and some new character skins. The skins this time include a Nikolai skin set with a trio of Nikolai disguises. You'll even gain access to the new operator Farrah as well. Freebies are nothing to shake your fists at either. You get two new weapons for the grind including a new bolt action marksman rifle (SP-R 208), and the (AS Val) auto-rifle. Those into the vehicle cosmetics will also find some creepy new Halloween skins that include bloody patterns as well as more monstrous creature designs. There's even a magic watch with a glowing green time display that raises outside of the watch's face.

Call of Duty | 3 Battle Passes In

Call of Duty for me is a love/hate relationship. On one hand it is my go to guilty pleasure. I enjoy playing it for the laughs, and the grinding. It gives me something to work towards, and with the latest installment there is so much more to earn, and unlock. With the battle pass being as generous as it is it gives even non-paying players a reason to grind. On the flip side of all that is the glaring problem that is the online multiplayer. That, and matchmaking. It is plagued by a handful of problems. These problems include the usual player mischief as well as decisions made, and implemented by the developer in such a way as to steer the player base towards a certain type of experience. With the latter I'm talking about the throttling of players' internet speed when they opt out of crossplay. They seem hellbent on forcing crossplay despite the community collectively calling it out as bad. I've personally known before the cross console play was a thing that going up against PC and mobile gamers was a major issue. With different controls, and netcode between the platforms there are both advantages, and disadvantages to some. This of course still has not been addressed by the developer.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | The Multiplayer Experience As Seen By A Returning CoD Player

I know you guys, and gals have likely got a million questions running through your mind if you have not already bought into the new Call of Duty game. You've likely heard that the camping is causing people to cancel their pre-orders, and that the maps are littered with so many camping spots that it forces players to camp. Having currently spent six hours in multiplayer I can say that it is very campy, but that it's more on the side of realism than it is simply an experience built around camping. It is a very tactical war-like multiplayer that makes you advance as if you were in a real war, and to that extent it's not all that bad. Infinity Ward does good to give you all the necessary tools to combat the threats at hand, and offers counter vantage points that level out the playing field no matter which direction either team of players might be approaching from. With the usual gun setup that is very similar to past Call of Duty games in a lot of ways also comes the ability to mount your gun against surfaces Rainbow Six style for sneaky peeking. I'd say, all things considered, this new Call of Duty is a mixture of the old CoD experience, Rainbow Six Siege, and Battlefield. Borrowing a little from each in a well balanced format that is most definitely an esports worthy venture.

Hobby Destroyers The Gaming Industry Dilemma As I See It

While the title of this post is broad I'd like to focus mostly on gaming, and the game industry. I'd like to talk about the key points that would turn me away from gaming should they come to fruition. I'd also like to talk a little about the direction gaming is taking, and what this possibly means for the future of gaming itself ...

In the past several years we've seen mainstay creators in the gaming industry twist, and taint the entertainment offerings thereof in a variety of concerning ways. Both for gamers, and for the developers who create the content said gamers consume. We've witnessed Microsoft, and Sony start a console war in which they each released a few different versions of their new-gen console hardware while completely ignoring how it impacted early adopters, and the fact that it made useless consoles that in previous generations would have had a much longer lifespan where games were the focus instead of the consoles themselves. This race to win over the gaming crowd has cost these companies trust among the gaming community, and lost some dedicated service subscribers that would have possibly stuck around if it weren't for the poor decisions made.

Well ... CoD WWII Got Good

After my candy coated meltdown about CoD WWII being an abomination, and bastardization of a pivotal war in human history I logged back into the game to find it did a near 180. As if on cue the developers fixed two of the main issues I was complaining about. The loading times are greatly improved, and you can now back out of matchmaking after a match. The whole matchmaking bit looks entirely new for some odd reason, and it is itself a huge improvement over what once was. So, adding back in a little of that maple syrup flavored sweetness I think the game is alright now, albeit with the inclusion of the usual community tampering. The experience is probably more along the lines of an "8/10" at this point, and that is me still tacking on the historical inaccuracies I mentioned in the previous write up. The whole diversity for diversity sake BS. I close with a slow congratulatory hand clap from yours truly to those at Sledgehammer. Way to pick yourself up out of the trenches, and soldier on!

Gaming Impressions - Black Ops 3 & Fallout 4

I know there's a lot of conflicting opinions going around social media in relation to "Black Ops 3", and "Fallout 4". Some people think they are the greatest games ever to grace the new-gen consoles while others think they are steaming piles of sh*t not worth the deflating US dollar. I tend to have an opinion somewhere in the middle though, and for my own gathered reasons. In this article I'll briefly go over the pro's, and con's I've found with each game with said opinions included. Keep in mind I've played them only on the PS4, so my opinions are strictly in regards to those versions. I've also spent several hours with each game sampling most of, if not all of what the games had to offer. Fallout 4 being the only exception since it is a massive RPG. One which I am still far from completing.

Pre-Orders, Call of Duty & The Gaming Industry

This morning I had the pleasure of carrying on a twitter chat with a like-minded gamer who is also very passionate about what's going on in the gaming industry. We discussed what I, and so many other gaming supporters have said over the years in regards to the business side of gaming. The slogan, "Speak with your wallet" came up as it usually does in such a conversation, and both of us talked about what needs to be done to change things for the better. What one has to understand going into such a debate is that certain marketing ploys that are being put into play via publishers, and the greed driven product pushing that follows suit are ultimately dictating the quality of video games that hit the store shelves as well as the online store listings. One publisher in particular, the one behind the modern-day "Call of Duty" franchise has set the standards that other publishers go by. They think that since the majority of gamers will pre-order the game despite the company's reputation of having released a sub-par game in the past that they can continue to do so, and milk the franchise for what it's worth. This leads to the "Half-Assed" game development that I'm constantly preaching about ...

Staying Socially Relevant & Other Stuff ...

Socially relevant, I shall stay socially relevant. That's what I keep telling myself. Honestly, though my coverage of gaming is fading due to several different factors. For one thing I find that games worth reviewing, or talking about are becoming fewer, and further between. Most games are half-assed pieces of shite that never live up to the hype. Some are even blatant rip-offs meant solely for cheating gamers out of their hard earned money. In light of these blasphemous gaming developments my review requesting has waned, and rightfully so. I've found my passion for covering such games, and gaming topics dwindling. Gaming in general has become aggravating for me on so many levels. The online multiplayer experience that I once loved is being snuffed the f**k out by hackers, and is leaving a lot to be desired in it's wake. Even the offline only games are leaving a lot to be desired with their half-baked delivery. Seeing as new-gen consoles are mostly built for the online experience the consoles themselves are also posing a potentially threatening problem for the future of gaming. Where does a passionate journalist go from here? What does one do when they've reached a realization of what is truly happening to one of their most beloved hobbies? It's a question that I'm going to have to answer for myself before the new year comes into light as I may, or may not continue on this journalistic path due to the oppressing factors that weigh so heavily on me now. Heck I might even go retro before it's all over.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - "Impressions"

If you have been following my rants about the latest CoD release you'll know that I've had some mixed opinions this week. These opinions which favor, and insult the game for it's features continue to evolve as I type. Unlike most of the CoD games I've played in the past this was by far the most frustrating of them all due to it's complexity, and failed functionality. Taking a different playthrough path than what I usually do in a CoD game I opted to go with the game's Campaign from the start. I found for the most part that the Campaign was brilliant in delivery, but that it contained a few design flaws that sometimes would hinder my progress. Things like the lack of distinct objective direction, and the poorly crafted enemy/ally ID system really made the playthrough aggravating at times. Other than those issues the campaign was certainly the best the CoD series has ever seen, in my personal opinion. On the flip side, when it came down to multiplayer delivery though things got a bit messy, and half-assed.

GameStop PowerUp Rewards - "Mystery Grab Bag May 2014"

For those of you GameStop patrons who still shop at the store, and still redeem your PowerUp Rewards points for prizes I have a little sneak peek just for you. During my latest amassing of rewards points I chose to get the "Mystery Grab Bag" prize for May 2014. I've seen the Mystery Grab Bag offered for quite some time now, and have been dying to see what such a prize entails. I was curious as to if the prize cost would be equal to the prize point value of what was contained inside, or if it would be a much better deal. I'm sure some of you were wondering the same thing, so without further adieu let us get into what May's Mystery Grab Bag has gifted me ...

Microsoft to Ban Campers

Recently during my browsing of my favorite Youtube channels I happened across a disturbing commentary by "ReviewTechUSA". In it the commentator stated that Microsoft's decision to ban gamers who camp in "Call of Duty" games was an "Awesome" move. His reasoning behind this was simply that he despised being killed off by campers. I think we can all agree that being killed off by campers in-game sucks, but at the same time I personally do not agree with his brand of thinking. There's ways around the "Camper" phenomenon, but there's no way to combat the immense amount of hacking that is the true threat to online CoD. Microsoft, and Sony both do not want to deal with the nagging complaints from gamers such as myself who constantly remind them that hacking is a prominent threat in online gaming. Not only do these corporate bigwigs want to pass the buck off to some other issue such as 'Camping", and ignore hacking altogether, but they are also ill-equipped to handle the ever-growing issue that is hacking.

Let's Talk - "How to Make a Proper FPS"

In the FPS (First Person Shooter) genre universe there are several different sub-genres. You have arena based shooters such as "Unreal Tournament 3", horror survival shooters such as "Doom", competitive shooters such as "Call of Duty", and even offline shooters just to name some. As a long time FPS fan it has come to my attention over the past several years that developers of these types of arcade style experiences have lost touch with what made them so great in the first place. The introduction of such things as larger maps, poorly executed spawning systems, and lag compensation have almost ruined the genre completely. Factor in the corporate greed of companies who want to take your money, and run with it while giving you a less than finished product, and you'll have a proper "coup de grace". As a gamer I want to think that there's hope for this genre, but the cold hard fact is that it's likely never going to see the golden years again. With the crowds that such games attract, and the type of developers who worm there way into the genre in order to make a killing off of doing much of nothing for the gamers I find that my feet are firmly planted in the reality that the FPS experiences of yesteryear are a long gone thing of the past.

A GHOSTS-ly Xmas Gift From Yours Truly!!!

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope your Holiday is grand in every way, and that you get to share it with those you care about! Since it is the season of giving I have taken it upon myself to find something worth giving to all of you. While I can't mail out individual presents like Sanity Clause I think what I have to offer you in it's stead is pretty darn good. Seeing as 'CoD: GHOSTS' is the go to game for most gamers, and will no doubt be so for the Christmas noobs I figured I'd spread some holiday cheer by sharing with you my super secret GHOSTS loadout. Awesome, right!? This loadout which I have named the "Panty Thief" will guarantee you some much needed holiday fun. Not only that, but if used correctly it can potentially up your k/d to a respectable percentage.

Call of Duty: Ghosts (PS3)

If you know me then you'll know that each year I swear up, and down I will not be getting another CoD (Call of Duty) game. You'll also know that I usually don't make good on my word, and that I end up getting the game anyways. In all honesty part of me loves the arcade style FPS experience that CoD has to offer, and the other part of me loathes it's repetitive bad points. Playing a game that requires one to camp instead of "run & gun" in order to stay on top of things doesn't exactly make for a fun experience. Unfortunately over the years, and through several releases this is what CoD has evolved into, a camping, and sniping competitive multiplayer battle that caters to the worst of online participants.

I could complain all day about CoD's long list of faults, but we all know about Infinity Ward's, and Treyarch's stance on the whole thing as well as the poor efforts they apply to making each release an enjoyable one. I also know that you've probably heard everyone share their concerns about the game via the social sites. Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one. Even so I'm here today to let you know what I think about the whole thing, my two cents worth as it were. I'm going in unbiased, and will try to explain everything in a thorough, and professional manner, so that you can better understand what you're getting into if you have not already bought the game. Without further ado let us get into this ghastly review of the arcade shooter known as "GHOSTS"!!! ...

Blog Update & Black Ops 2 Custom Emblems

There's been a lot going on in my life this first month of 2013. I've been busy tending to my adult blog, and getting business in order on that side of the spectrum in hopes that it might become as popular as my gaming blog. So far I've secured a lot more contributors, and have gained access to some new adult entertainment options for my blog. I know that has nothing to do with "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno" directly, but it partially explains the reason why content has been so lacking here. As far as game reviews are concerned I have received some requests from XBLIG devs, but have heard nothing from the higher up devs leaving me to almost abandon my hopes for the future of this blog. My fear is that small time gaming journalists such as myself are not going to be able to get the XBLA, and retail games like we previously were able to in 2012. This can likely be attributed to the boom in gaming blog sites, and to the fact that a lot of the "so called" blog journalists out there were not being legit with their requests. In other words they wanted something for nothing, and devs fell for it. It gives honest, hard working journalists such as myself a bad name, and in turn causes developers not to trust us.

OtakuDante's Black Ops 2 Custom Emblems!!!

When it comes to video game customization options there's nothing I like better than something that allows me to express my artistic talent. Games like the original 'Black Ops', and 'Soul Calibur V' rank among the best customizable games. In the original 'Black Ops' they introduced a truly awesome emblem customization menu that allowed the gamer to create almost anything they could imagine. The emblem designs that spawned from this customization mode ranged from the mundane to the truly awe-inspiring. The feature added a more personal touch to the less than personal gameplay. In the case of 'Soul Calibur V' the character customization was just as detailed, if not more so. You could design some amazing custom characters that were each brought to life right before your eyes. Not only that, but you were also able to use the newly created characters in offline, and online gameplay. In retrospect it's features like these that really make a good game stand out even more.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Xbox 360): "The Sad Truth"

There's been a lot of things really getting on my nerves about online games lately. No doubt you have seen my rants & raves via Twitter about the subject. The fact of the matter is that online gaming is rapidly declining in quality, and has been doing so for quite some time now. With each online oriented game that is released there are also lobbies of cheaters, hackers, and spammers. I realize this sounds like a lot of whining on my part, but it's 100% accurate. Getting back on track though with the topic of this article ... Modern Warfare 3, or MW3 as most gamers know it has become a cesspool for campers, and all the bad types of gamers imaginable. To further add salt to the wound "Infinity Ward" & "Activision" have released 3 new DLC maps all of which are 100% camper friendly. With the release of the first to maps there was a video by "Infinity Ward" literally saying that they were "camper friendly". I also found out today after downloading the latest DLC content drop of the "Overwatch" map, and trying it out that they have continued with their camper friendly bullcrap. I tested the map out as soon as I downloaded it, and found more camping areas in it than on any map in the entire game. Needless to say I'm very pissed about the whole ordeal. I spent an extra $50 to get the Elite CoD membership, and I can honestly say it was a bad investment. I hope you guys & gals learn from my mistake, and stay the heck away from CoD games & CoD DLC.

- Brad (OtakuDante)