> If an action game says one can play on twenty different levels and says NOTHING about unlocking the levels or progressing through the levels, the game should allow the player access to all twenty levels.

I must conclude, then, that you are pissed at virtually every video game ever made. If you look at the box for pretty much any action game, it'll boast about the game's variety of weapons and yet most start you off with just a pistol (if that). Are you upset that RPGs that offer multiple classes don't let you create a SuperWizardMaster right off the bat? In the "About the game" page for Murkon's Refuge, Sam says there are ten levels to the dungeon, but you only start on level one!! Should we be upset at Sam for false advertising? Hell, my Civilization II box says you can command AEGIS cruisers and stealth fighters -- should I be upset when I can't do that when the game starts in 1500 B.C.?

Honestly, I was sort of agreeing with your frustration over not having enough stuff unlocked at the beginning, but now I think you're being a bit irrational. Video games generally require some time investment to see all that the game has to offer. This is such an implicit part of gameplay that I hardly see why it needs to be spelled out. It'd be like if you bought a new car that was advertised as being able to do 150 miles per hour, and then screamed at the dealer because you didn't realize you'd have to start at zero mph and work your way up.

> If a video game says that you can play on any of the twenty levels, there should be an option to play on any of the twenty levels.
>
> How can I make this clearer?

I think I get your point now, but I find it completely distasteful. I don't think I'd like to start up a new game of Half-Life and have it ask me which level I'd like to start on -- half the fun is the feeling of accomplishment you get upon unlocking cool new things.

Stephen