We max out at level 8, and I have a bunch of awesome higher level armor in my inventory that I can't use. From what I've seen so far, customization is pretty damn awesome. And it will only get better in the real game! As for competitive multiplayer, it's pretty hectic. It's similar to Halo in a way, but the action is a LOT faster. With double jumps, Supers, and sprinting, the game is very fast paced.