Looking at current games

Today i have spent my time playing and looking at what i like from games currently out. I wanted to see what i find makes these games fun and why people play them and see how these ideas then can be built upon for my game. The first game i am going to look at is Halo: Reach. It was released on 14th september 2010 and after a week of its release it had 70 Million+ Games have been played also 235 Million+ Player-Games have been played. Figures are from http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=28805

After Spending time playing on this game i has made a list of my likes and dislikes:

Likes:
Choice of weapon, along the game there are many weapons to choose from so there is always ammo avaible but then theres the choice of sticking with your favourite weapon through the level. I also like how there is a large choice of weapons to choose from both human and alien and each with the individual abititles and reasons to be used.

The Melee concept it good because there are points in all games were your close enough to the enemy to physically attack them so why would you shoot them from that distance. It brings another level to the game were you can change how you play, instead to sticking with a gun and shooting the whole game it gives you ways to engage a enemy. The same applieds for the assassination attack you can perform because without that shooting an enemy that close would just give away your location when real life you would do something more quiet.

Vehicles are good in this game were it allows you a wide choice of vehicles and allows you to feel how big the levels are.

One of the main things i like in reach is how you can customise your character but this customisation isn't just in campaign or multiplayer its for both and how the cut scenes show who you are dispite customisation. you get the feeling you are playing not taking over a person.

Mix of combat from small areas to large battles some levels you face enemies in small corridors then the next bit you are fighting in a large area with tons of vehicles and enemies.

Dislikes:

A to B missions, every level in Halo Reach you are being told to go from were you are to another building then back again then some were else. Its to linear, they are large levels in which there is space to explore but its not exploring when you know theres no way got leaving this path you have to follow.

Reach also lacks co-op excitement, i was always a fan of how halo had a good co-op multiplayer but each one is the same its just a extra person in the campaign helping you or you helping someone else, you are more of a extra gun than a extra player.


Why i think reach has done so well:

From the beginning of halo one, bungie created a shooter that had more than just guns it had a story that you could get into and it was fun, before this FPS's weren't fun they were either too serious or just a pure lack in story. Halo broke into the gap and filled in with a story so great that there has been 6 games that have came out of one storyline. I fell without this story the game functions itself wouldn't of held strong enough to be able to hold the interest of gamers for that long and that well. This is something i will have to explore in my idea, building a story that can keep people interested and hold strong for maybe more than one game.