I guess I'm just a sucker for punishment. Despite years of
disappointment - whether in the form of new movies or licensed games -
I still have hope for the Terminator franchise. And why shouldn't I?
Conceptually, it has everything going for it if you want to make a
video game: an interesting setting, a compelling villain, futuristic
weapons, and lots of action. Who doesn't want to blow up implacable
killer robots in the near-future? Hell, that's the plot for at a huge
chunk of video games already. So a "Terminator" game - which
popularized the idea - should be a slam dunk, right?

Except too often its not. Even at their best (e.g., "Terminator:
Future Shock") the games are janky. And too often, "Terminator" games
are nowhere near the best. Even the most recent game, "Terminator:
Resistance", was merely passable, elevated more by its license than
anything else.

So there's no reason to hope that this newest game, "Terminator: Dark
Fate: Defiance" (there's a mouthful), will be any better.

But I can't help it. Ever since the original movie, the future-war
scenario - briefly filmed in shades of blue - has intrigued me. Forget
the nonsensical time-travel aspect; THAT was the part of the franchise
that I was most interested in. I've fought in that epic war in first
and third-person numerous times, but always as a single heroic soldier
swept up by forces outside my control. For the first time, "Defiance"
allows me to set the strategy and direction. What's not to love?

Except... it's a "Terminator" game. And - having just played a similar
titles recently ("Starship Troopers", "Aliens: Dark Descent") and
finding both to be lackluster translations, there's no reason to think
this one will be any better.

It is being developed by Slitherine, Ltd., though. They've a long
history of creating strategy games. Maybe that should give me hope?
(They're also the ones who published "Starship Troopers", though...)

The game's gonna suck. In my heart, I know this. But still, my finger
lingers over the "buy now" button. Maybe this time, things will be
different...