7. Thou shalt let us play your game with real-life friends.

I cannot emphasise this one enough. It is #1 on the list for me. Online gaming is great, no doubt, but it does not match hanging out in the same room as a good buddy, loaded up with soda and snacks, working together right there to get done.

6. Thou shalt not pad the length of your games.

Obvious seems obvious, but the examples given are pretty bs. I didn't feel any length padding at all in Mass Effect, for instance. Oblivion is up to you, in fact the fast travel option was roundly DERIDED by people. The fast travel reduced the padding, but reduced the immersion as well. Morrowind's system was far superior. Immersion is part of the experience, and if that means every now and then you spend a little while travelling, no problem. A game should be able to do that well, like GTA IV does. I would say pad the games well, not don't pad them.

5. Thou shalt not force repetition on the player.

Repetition itself isn't a problem for me. I mean, games are repetetive. That's how they work. A good mechanic is what matters; I still get tons of fun out of Dynasty Warriors and that series has consisted of mashing the same two buttons for about seven years now. It works for me. However, the save point issue is a more interesting one to address. A punishment for death is fine, but it's not fun when you get to a hard boss who you have to get through ten minutes of annoying stuff to face, over and over again. It just isn't fun at all. (I'm looking at you, Fatal Frame)

4. Thou shalt make killing fun.

I agree wholly with making things more visceral. You know what's awesome about GTA IV? It's when you shoot someone and they stumble and flop and fall like they were really shot where you shot them. I also agree with not filling the entire place with enemies who are nothing more than an annoyance, or an ammo sponge.

3. Thou shalt admit when enough is enough.

They're correct about escort missions. I have yet to enjoy one. I don't have problems with computer controlled squadmates anymore though, I think they've mostly figured that stuff out. I certainly never had that problem in CoD4. First person jumping puzzles? Yeah, well, first of HL has always tried to do stuff aside from run-'n'-gun, second off Ravenholm is the most terrifying thing in games I've ever played, and thirdly... Portal.

2. Thou shalt make sure your game actually works.

No way to argue with this one.

1. Better graphics do not equal innovation and/or creativity.

I agree with the stuff on endings and voice acting, etc. But better graphics is more debatable. It seems pretty simple to criticize chasing better graphics, but without better graphics GTA IV would just not be what it is. Without a powerful PC, Company of Heroes isn't what it is. The graphics are necessary in that instance for immersion. You think Halo would have worked on the NES, or Half Life on the Model B? Good graphics are not an adequate replacement for anything else lacking, but they should not be discarded as a useful tool either.