Modern Warfare 2 from Infinity Ward and Activision will probably be the first person shooter that pops up on most Game of the Year lists and end 2009 as being one of the most award-heavy titles while also having the biggest sales of the year. And, were I a player who spends hours upon hours each week playing multiplayer, shooting other people and searching for the perfect loadout, I would certainly award Modern Warfare 2 the "Multiplayer Experience of the Year Award."

My history with FPS goes back to Nightmare runs of Doom in the '90's, so the single player experience is the most important element for me. Halo 3: ODST might be a misshapen beast that should have not sold for 60 dollars, but at least it manages to offer a campaign, which delivers a lot of action, some quiet moments and a great side story without insulting the intelligence of the player.

There's no Master Chief to be found in ODST and that's both the main strength and the weakness of the release. I wish Bungie had taken greater advantage of the freedom that the New Mombasa setting allowed them, emphasizing the human cost of war and the calamity of the urban combat (like Sadie's story briefly does).

I wish the flashbacks to the other members of the team had been longer and more fleshed out, moving out of the combat-heavy segments and allowing for some ... (read more)