How long have you been playing video games? For me, it's been since the orginal Atari console. I've lived through, the 2600, the battle between Amstrad, Commadore and Spectrum, with each bringing out a slightly better version to try take the larger market share. I've also had a NES, SNES, N64, Master System, Mega Drive, Playstation, Xbox and my current console du jour, the 360. It's been quite expensive.

The reason I ask is because I just moved home and I'm as reluctant as ever to get rid of the consoles I still have. So much so, that I've unpacked the N64 and rebooted an old friend, Banjo (and Kazooie). Much to my pleasure, the game hasn't dated. The graphics might not be as crisp as the ones I play on the 360 but the gameplay is there and the thrill of playing over old ground is really fulfilling.




The music is driving me mad, but it has a certain charm. ;)

So, I find myself caught in a cross wind about what I think of the announcement of a thrid (or fifth if you count the two Gameboy Advance versions, which I don't) Firstly, it's great news that there will be a new addition to the series as the humour of the games is one of it's major selling points but secondly it could all go so very wrong as the premise of the games seems to have shifted from a platformer to racer/vehicle challenge game.

So I guess the question is this: Are Rare cashing in on a character or are they giving us a new spin which will turn into a real gem?

My worry is it's the former.

I thought about wearing a baseball cap backwards and putting on a pair of fluorecent pink leggings to write this: I decided against it. You see I've just downloaded the demo for Rez HD and although it's not an ancient game, it is still old. I have to say, when it came out I didn't really get it. My brother-in-law had it, I think for PS2, and he loved it.

Anyway, I decided to revisit it and you know what? I'm really glad I did. I played through the first level and it clicked. I got it. The music was pumping, I was shooting those basic looking graphics and yeah man, I got it!

I'm now planning to download the entire game and spend the evening getting back to basics and tripping out to techno tunes... I'm just hoping it lasts until the glo-sticks arrive!

Assassin's Creed is the latest disc to find it's way into the white goddess that is my 360. A mate told me it wasn't up to much and I can sort of see what he means, I am still enjoying it though. Some of the controls are a little bit clunky, I keep jumping off huge towers instead of shimmying, I think it's more down to me pressing buttons when I don't need to. Some of the fighting is a bit repetative but as you go along different skills keep getting unlocked. Also the locals in the game do all tend to complain about the same things... maybe that's art imitating life though ;-)

Since I'm still in achievement collecting hell, I'm persevering and I think it'll be worth it in the end. It's a very good looking game and has a LOT in it, maybe a bit too much, I can't see me ever managing to collect all the flags in all the districts in all cities without using a guide - just like visiting a real city, it would take months to see every street, nook and cranny - not that I jump from roof-top to roof-top in London mind you.



The one positive thing I will say about Assassin's Creed (there's plenty more but I wouldn't want to spoil the game for anyone) is that it is the only game that has ever given me vertigo, even if it only lasted for a few seconds.

I've just finished Bioshock. Fantastic game. I loved playing it, even if it has driven my housemates a bit mad with the amount of TV hogging I've been doing. The only problem is, I have developed an unhealthy addiction to gaining achievement points.



BeforeBioshock came along I was happy to add 40 or so points every now and then but now things have changed. Now I need to collect all the points that are out there in the game or I won't be happy. I have even started replaying the game over again on hard with the vita chambers turned off to try for the Brass Balls achievement points, thankfully there are a few other ones to play for too as I missed a few of the audio diaries along the way.

Does this mean my life is over? Not really, I think I'll be able to nail the game in less than a week and then I can move on to others. Assassin's Creed will just have to stay wrapped in it's plastic for a little while longer.

I went to Sainsbury this weekend and spotted they were doing a 20% discount on DVD's, CD's and Games. Well, it would be folly not to buy a new game with that offer on, even cheaper than getting something from eBay. The best deal of all was Tomb Raider Anniversary, retailing for £24.97, bargined out to £19.97. Get in!

I've only scratched at the surface of the game so far but it is so reminicsent of the original game but brand new at the same time. I'm feeling all nostalgic for the original game but not too much that I'm prepared to dust off the old Playstation and boot it up - I did that a few years ago and even though it was a great game and I enjoyed it for a moment, it was so hard to go back to such poor graphical standards (not that they were at the time).

Lara looks good, dur. The game looks slightly below par compared to something like Gears or Bioshock but the puzzels are still there which is what kept me buying the franchise in the first place. The sound too is almost perfect, though the 100% settings in the option menu are a poor balance, when you encounter a beast the music kicks in far too loud.

All in all, a fun game, that I can't see me putting down too quickly, though I dare say I'll finish it quicker than I want to.

I know that a lot of people have issues right now regarding Eidos but the way I look at it is this, if the rummours are true that Eidos got heavy with Gamespot, then it's really down to Gamespot to stand their ground. No fault can be put on Eidos, except that they didn't want to share their ball anymore, which ultimately harms them more than it does anyone else. That's all I'll say about the matter as I don't have the facts, probably never will.

When do you find time to play games? For me it used to be almost ritual-like. Pressing the power button, followed by the surge of electric and whirring of a fan (which has become louder as I have grown older) as the console du jour begins to heat up. I'd play before school, on the bus to school - I have somewhat fond memories of headbutting a gameboy during a failed attempt to gain a high score in Tetris, resulting in a large devastating black crack on thescreen - during lessons, during breaks, after school when my mum thought I was asleep.

I played a lot as a kid.

Things have changed. Now I'm in my thirties, I still boot up the 360 but nowhere near as much as the Megadrive. It is, at least partially, down to being older, more mature (ahem) and having both a career and a girlfriend (who when asked yesterday what I'd done and I said, "...played on my 360 for a bit." She said, "What's a 360?") That's not the only thing that stops me playing. It's the games.

How many times can you shoot the same person with the same gun in a different game?

How many times can you drive around the same circuit and justify £40

How many times can you jump on the same ledge, swing on the same rope and land on the same enemy?

Not many, not any more.

When I think about the games over the last how-ever-many years, it's always the ones that werea mark above that stay with me. Silent Hill (though not really any of the sequels, though I've played them all), Tomb Raider (1 yeah, 2 probably... the others not so great), Sonic (only in 2D please), Metal Gear Solid (we're talking PS1 here), Splinter Cell (most of them) stand out as the most fulfilling. Gear of War is pretty and allbut it's essentially just a blast 'em up. Same with Halo, even though I've bought them both.

My gaming has declined, possibly because I've played all the games before. I need more stimuli than before, I'm not prepared to compromise. I think I'd rather just not bother.

Argh! Grrrrrr! M*&%*$$Fnarrrrr!!!ARGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

That's what I've been thinking for around about two months now.

Let me explain. My Xbox 360 was treated to a full 12 months of glorious XBL about 3 months ago. This turned out to be a bad move. Not because XBL is bad, it's quite the reverse. No, it was because I've been disconnected from the community because I moved house.

My Broadband supplier, which shall remain anonymous, told me, "Oh yeah, no problem, you can get our services at your new address, should be ready for when you move in." Two months later and my RJ 45 is collecting dust.

The good news, other than my new home is better than the last is that I have been promised connection next Thursday. They better deliver as I'm going to get all Wargames on them if they don't!

/RANT