Of course this is where things are going, and I think it's appalling. How many other industries rape their consumers at every available opportunity? It's like they're at odds with us instead of doing business with us.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but if the account locking turns out to be true I may well be done with console gaming after this gen. I couldn't care less about used games—it's the implications a policy like this holds for collectors that gets me.

My thoughts exactly. I joked with my friends when we saw the Halo Mega Blocks, but in terms of adult content Gears is in a different league altogether. It's not as funny this time. I always hear the same BS like "ratings are there for a reason" and "these games aren't marketed to kids." I know it's up to the parents,…

Thanks for this! It sounds like you definitely take the good with the bad on this one, which is about what I was expecting. I've always wanted to play a decent starship combat simulator. I think Bethesda made a game few years back, but I never got around to playing that one either.

Makes sense to me. I've been gaming since I was old enough to hold a controller, and I can probably count my nightmares on one hand.

Free to play, eh? I've been revisiting Next Gen on Netflix and it's got me in the mood to play something. I may have to give it a shot.

I hear you. This has been my beef since the beginning, and it looks as though things are only getting worse. If you want to revisit stuff in 5 or 10 years, the only option is going to be to buy it again (if it's even available). We consumers are truly getting raped.

I'm glad we're finally hitting this point. Not that I'm saying, "Oh, it's about time we blew some kids up in games," but it's nice to see the industry growing up, facing adult issues and crossing these hurdles.

Hey, I would buy it. This is one company that really needs to get its head out of its ass.

Seeing as how I'll finally need to pick up Wii Motion Plus anyhow, this purchase is a no-brainer.

The more I see of this, the more I like. I love that the team is trying to recapture some of what made the series great in the beginning.

Hail to the king, baby. I'd buy one.

I barely finished XIII due to the fact that the first 75% of the game felt like a hand-holding tutorial. Any word on whether or not this installment will be any less linear? And dare I ask—might there be towns?

I was going to post something witty, but you summed it all up with this picture. Most impressive.

Wow, I've never seen one quite that bad before. Luckily mine hasn't suffered the same fate.

I'm definitely considering it, but I ran through the demo a few months back, and I definitely see what WAFFO is saying below. It can be a little depressing when the skill levels are so polarized.

I'm right there with you, Wess. I actually dread booting up games like this for the first time because I know the first few hours will be spent in the character creation screen. XD

The more I see, the more I like. Big fan of Warhawk on PSOne, but passed on the PS3 iteration. Always regretted it, but I plan to make amends by jumping into Starhawk on day one.

I'd be talking like Hirshberg, too, if my company's biggest IP were about to have its ass handed to it by the competition.

It's a little vanilla, but IMO this is a case of the final product being more than the sum of its parts.