Bump... This is a good description of the gut feeling I've also had about the game. I've had a lot of self-dialog about rationalizing spending time playing the game more. "Self," I said, "you don't like doing PvP because you're not good at it, and the in-story rationale for Guardian-on-Guardian combat is weak, as are the game types, but that's just your personal preference." "Yes, this is true, and mostly my own preference as opposed to the game" I've replied on many occasion. "The Raids sound cool, but no one you know is on the same platform, but that's just the effect of a short friends list and not enough motivation to go online and find folks," and again I reply "yes, this is true also." But then I must also opine, "I just wish I could create ridiculous game types to use with matchmaking as in Halo (Griffball anyone?), or participate in more story oriented PvP like when one team was the Covenant first round, the other Spartans, and then switched; or simple swarm-based fights like ODST Firefight with matchmaking or friends to practice tactical team-work and weapon skills on the full gamut of maps... Also, why can't I choose my armor colors anymore?" And on the discussion goes, touching your well made points. It always seems like the devil is in the details, but sometimes he's found in the empty spaces, the darkness, the places you stumble into that raise the hairs on the back of your neck and tell you something more is here, but you just can't see it.