I have achieved the same level of integration with MechAssault as I once did with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (1-4). With the latter game, after hours and hours of play, I would find myself looking at every object in the real world as something to trick off, something to grind. Back when Tetris was all the rage, I would see the shapes of the pieces between words in books and when I was playing a lot of chess, I would play out series of moves and endgames (basic, consisting mostly of wishful thinking) as I went to sleep.
Now, I’m seeing target locks over people as I walk down the street or look around a room.
Is this game going to lead to increased violence in the world? Not until I get my hands on a 40 foot walking tank, I suppose.
Fortunately for me, in the midst of all this, I picked up one of the small Xbox controllers. It’s much much more comfortable and after a few hours of charging up a Mad Cat’s PPC cannons, I am not left with ridiculous cramps in my right hand.