Customize This!

Whether or not you play the AAA First Person Shooter's, Massively Multiplayer Online's, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena's, or Role Playing Games, you are more than likely still playing a video game that encourages customization. Remember Goldeneye 007? I can remember each time I'd be rushing to the tube TV to play it with my friends on split screen, and yelling "I get to be Oddjob!". Picking over the weapons I'd always go for the golden PP7, RC-P90, Rocket Launcher, or throwing knives. I loved picking up the proximity mines and throwing them on the ceiling in the entrance of a stair well so that my friends would run into them unknowingly, and I'd pick up an easy kill. That game was amazing, and in 1997 those particular things were considered "customization" in my book.

The Golden PP7!!

Today customization has quickly become popular in almost every video game, and I can personally say that I have and will spend countless hours getting my emblem in Call of Duty: Black Ops II right, or molding my characters face in Mass Effect 3 to look like a spitting image of yours truly. If you're not great at creating an emblem in COD:BOII, then have no fear because it's likely you can find it on Youtube. There are several videos that will explain each and every step of creating what you want. Just come up with the logo or character you want to be your emblem, and the rest will be explained to you. Some may say this is a cop-out, but let's face it. Some people are meant to be artists, and some are meant to enjoy the art.

Yep. All of these emblems were created in Black Ops II. 

I feel that customization is a huge part of video games because it brings the player that much closer to the game itself. The stories in video games these days are bringing an ever growing connection to the player, but developers step up the game even further by allowing the player to customize the main antagonist to their liking. Being able to choose armor, clothing, skin color, tattoos, eye color, eye brows, cheek bones, nose width/length, chin width/length, height, and weight, any player can make their avatar look exactly like they do, or how they feel their character should look. And it goes even further than the character itself, with weapons/weapon attachments, grenades, gadget preferences, powers, health, shields, abilities, strength, etc.

All of these amazing options in video games today add to the treasure trove that are already provided upon their release, and are one of the main reasons I have made them my hobby and passion. If you haven't picked up any of the titles I have mentioned above, I highly recommend all of them!

Until next time, keep on gamin' on!