Perfect Dark

After months of shivering, weeping, wailing, flailing and generally debasing myself in anticipation of playing Perfect Dark, today saw it silently creep onto the marketplace. So after a frustrating wander round town trying to find somewhere I could pick up some Microsoft Points I finally got to settle down with it after so many years away. The first thing you notice is that everything feels the same, the music, the graphics, the sound effects. It's pretty much unchanged, which is for the better really in terms of fan service. Those expecting Modern Warfare graphics though are probably best off sticking to the upcoming Stimulus Package (5 maps, 3 new, 2 old for 1200MSP! What value!). It does feel dated in some places, it's worth pointing out. The controls feel imprecise, especially whilst aiming. When you hold down the L trigger it feels like you're dragging a corpse along the screen when scrolling sideways. Voice acting is not the best, but hey, no-one really cared about that then. One amusing point was when a scientist sarcastically claimed he would "help me out" but "accidents may happen" but then didn't press the alarm as I'd done the objective in the wrong order. Oh hilarity. One new addition would be the Xbox Live multiplayer. This again was a miss for me. Almost quite literally. A ten minute match on Felicity turned into a slapping match in the bunker area. Frustrating at best, plain ridiculously shit more accurately. However, it just works. The game is massive and (quite rarely for this gen) has a hell load of multiplayer options for split-screen and online. For 800 points you could do a whole lot worse but if you loved the original anywhere near as much as I did you need to pick this up right now.

As I only could buy 2100 points I had a few pennies left over. I say had to, I chose to. So after an hour of debating whether I buy Peggle again I went for Fifa Ultimate Team and the Big Surf Island add-on for Burnout Paradise. I've only played the former so far as I decided to come downstairs and watch Barcelona destroy Stuttgart. I mean destroy as well, Man Utd and Arsenal are probably worried. Rightly so. Anyway, Ultimate Team is like Manager Mode meets the Pokémon Trading Card Game (which was a guilty pleasure of mine on the Game Boy Colour). Seems to be quite fun so far and a nice little diversion from the main game, so probably quite fairly priced at 400 points then.

The Typing Of The Dead, Modern Warfare 2, England v Egypt

I fulfilled my teenage dream tonight of owning The Typing Of The Dead. As soon as I heard about this game I knew I wanted, no, needed it. The premise is simple, it's House Of The Dead 2. Only our favourite agents are now equipped with keyboards and over sized back-pack Dreamcasts. You then type increasingly bizarre phrases at the oncoming horde. I don't want to spoil the sentences, but they are fantastic. "Suffer like G did" will seem like the pinnacle of dialogue after you've been forced to type some of the rather more obscure ends of the game's dictionary. The most surprising thing though is that the game is amazingly fun. If it wasn't so late when I started playing I would have been hooting and howling over this gem. Find it, hunt it down and whip out your keyboard because this game is surely a forgotten classic. I guarantee you'll smile merely at the opening "The Typing....Of The Dead" voice over.

In face shooting related topics I've continued on my Veteran difficulty play-through of Modern Warfare 2. Just finished the Gulag level and I must say that it's not been too bad this time. Bar some frustration on the Favela level and a lot of frustration the smoke bit of the oil rig level it's been smooth sailing. Shall pick up again tomorrow from the first level in destroyed Washington (the name escapes me). Could do with the G boost really as well as I'm in a race for the month of March. That and the one with my friend is still happening (I'm just over 30,00. He's just over 7,000). The lack of any news from Swapgame is also worrying, that was going to be my ace in the hole. When it's been a week then I'll start to panic.

Finally another England game another satisfying win. A poor first half performance led to a solid second half display. Personally I think maybe dropping Lampard from the first team might be the way forward, Carrick's passing is top notch and can really bring something to the game in mid-field when you've got the likes of Rooney and Gerrard in front of him. Crouch also scored again, I don't think anyone knows how he does it, he just does. He's got a scoring record better than John Terry away from home. Ah, better late than never with that one.

Being Human, Baftas & Bioshock 2

It's slowly become my guilty pleasure Being Human. In many ways it feels like a televisual equivalent of Modern Warfare 2. Trying to be gruesome, philosophical and humorous all in a show that is essentially like a slacker version of The Munsters. But it is endearing though and at times pretty good. This week's show was the best so far for me, a fantastic scene in which George (our werewolfy friend in the middle there) began transforming at a school parent's evening. Every imaginative parent's nightmare I'm sure. The BBC are good at making implausible rides of entertainment these days. Doctor Who has brought them a whole new appreciation for the fantasy genre as well. I'm sure next week's (what can be presumed to be final?) episode will also be a cracker. Roll on season 3 then as well?

Last night was also the Baftas, which smugly decided to snub Avatar. Well, deservedly so. Haven't seen this year's gold sweeper The Hurt Locker yet though. Hopefully it will fill me with joy and slightly confused feelings about my sexuality like Bigelow's seminal homoerotic masterpiece Point Break. Nice to see some Brits win the big actor awards as well, always feels like the Olympics where we're usually an outside bet to get in amongst the shiny. In awards given out by us. Brilliant. Also glad Moon won something, even if it wasn't Best British Picture. Reminds me, still need to watch Fish Tank too actually. And An Education. And A Single Man. Pretty much every film that won then.

Finally Bioshock 2 has tested my patience for it today. An unwarranted crash half an hour after my last save left me seething so much I almost dug out a Rage Against The Machine record. Almost, still clean. The crashing has been plaguing me in the multiplayer you see. Every fourth to fifth game will crash at the lobby leaving me staring at a non moving counter stuck on 57 seconds for a good while before I realise I've been got again. Come on 2K, this isn't on. What's worse is that you've announced 400MSP DLC for a game that is pretty much broken. I don't think I've even heard anyone asking for new DLC yet anyway. I think we'd all prefer a patch instead eh? As for the multiplayer when it works it's perfectly enjoyable. Personally I much prefer the brighter, tighter mania of Modern Warfare 2. Probably should have just left it at the already exemplary single player game then.

2009 - Anticlimatic & Somewhat Predictable Lists

That title can only mean one thing! Not quite as snappy as it could have been but hey, I don't get paid to write this. In fact I only do it to amuse myself and that title fulfilled that role for me. So I'm just going to bash them out like a thirteen year old home alone with the internet. Charming.

Top 10 Films

1. Where The Wild Things Are
2. (500) Days Of Summer
3. Up
4. Watchmen
5. Star Trek
6. Adventureland
7. Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince
8. Fantastic Mr Fox
9. Avatar
10. Drag Me To Hell

Top 10 Games

1. Fifa 10
2. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3. Batman: Arkham Asylum
4. Left 4 Dead 2
5. Halo 3: ODST
6. Borderlands
7. Resident Evil 5
8. Red Faction: Guerrilla
9. Prototype
10. Halo Wars

Top 10 Artists/Albums/Songs (Via Last FM)

1. Radiohead (643)
2. Biffy Clyro (396)
3. Frightened Rabbit (336)
4. The Maccabees (331)
5. LCD Soundsystem (316)
6. Future Of The Left (315)
7. Dananananaykroyd (206)
8. Blur (169)
9. Bloc Party (151)
10. Tubelord (150)

1. The Maccabees - Wall Of Arms (256)
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (241)
3. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (230)
4. Dananananaykroyd - Hey Everyone (188)
5. Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions (164)
6. Future Of The Left - Travels With Myself And Another (161)
7. Radiohead - Amnesiac B-Sides (133) *
8. Karen O + The Kids - Where The Wild Things Are Original Soundtrack (131)
9. The Dodos - Visiter (115)
9. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (115)

1. LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends (77)
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Modern Leper (53)
3. LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great (52)
4. Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk (51)
5. The Maccabees - Young Lions (47)
6. Biffy Clyro - That Golden Rule (42)
7. Frightened Rabbit - Keep Yourself Warm (40)
8. Blur - The Universal (37)
8. LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum (37)
10. Radiohead - Worrywort (36) **

So there you have it. Amazing how little of my music is from this year, but that's the truth it seems. Good job there isn't a similar program for the 360. That one would be all out of whack too then. Bloody Blue Dragon would be in there too. Anyway, roll on 2010 and that.

*I made a compendium album of the b-sides and labelled it thus. Can't believe it made it to be honest.
** It was a three way tie but I went for the one that wasn't by Frightened Rabbit

Various Titbits #4

So been on a nice little holiday, come back and got a job. Its been a productive week for this old Captain. Even up to date on my washing now. Only taken me about a year. Even those old pants that have been lingering under the bed have been put through the spin cycle. The only downside of this is that the house is now adorned with my underwear. Boxers of various sizes and shapes dangling from radiators, doors, pictures. I considered draping some over my fish but thought better of it. They don't deserve to witness such horror, they've seen enough in their time already. Anyway, so in the lull before I start my new found employment on Tuesday (at 4am!) I've been enjoying and enduring some movies and games as ever.

Whilst on my foray north I went to see 2012 at the cinema. The cinema was a lovely little independent place, bigger than here but still quite quaint really. However, the loveliness of the venue in no way prepared me for the film. Honestly, its the most astonishing thing I've ever seen. I've never laughed so much in a cinema before, everything about the movie is pretty terrible. I never thought I'd get bored of watching stuff get blown up, but I did. To sum it up really, someone said "my god" within the first twenty minutes or so. I can't really get across how bad this film is, but I also can't recommend it enough for that very same reason. With a group of like minded friends the laughs will just keep on coming. I'm going to forward it for comedy of the year. But be warned, it goes on for about three days.

I was speaking to my friend the other day about great films and we traded a couple of recommendations, I told him to watch In Bruges (a great film) and he told me to watch Click (...). I approached it with trepidation, as it has Adam Sandler in it. The amount of movies I like with Adam Sandler in I can count on one hand. None. Probably should have realised I wouldn't love Click when my friend began said conversation by praising You Don't Mess With The Zohan. I do partly want to see it out of morbid curiosity, it sounds so bad that it won't be good but highly offensive. That's very morbid curiosity I'm aware, but I'd like to see Sandler fall flat on his round punchable face. The cock. Anyway, Click. Christopher Wowlken (phonetics) gives him a remote that changes time. Which is good, you can fast-forward arguments with your ridiculously attractive wife, mute annoying people, watch your parents spawn you. You know, the usual scrapes that Sandler gets into. The thing is the story, acting and general concept of this film is quite flimsy. You can poo-poo it very easily but it does work quite nicely in a Disney kind of mold. But it also rests on the likability of Adam Sandler who makes me cringe with annoyance whenever his nasally drawl saunters into my innocent ears. To put it short, I would have liked it if anyone else played the lead. But Sandler grates me so much that I can't say I enjoyed it. Even though the acting gets rather straight by the end, the seeds are already sown by his madcap antics in the first half. Nice try Sandler, its probably the best film you've done. Probably, I'll never build up the courage to watch another to test that though.

Finally film wise I watched The Life Aquatic again today. I'm a bit of a fan of Wes Anderson. The font of writing on screen, the wide shots, the quirky dialogue, the great soundtracks. I could wax lyrical about how much I enjoy his movies for a long while. Although to be honest I covered a lot of the bases in the second sentence there. Would have struggled after that. Probably would have just put Bill Murray and then would have started scratching my chin for further thoughts. Anyway, its a great film. Two great things to take from this movie even if you don't like it; the acoustic Bowie covers and the submarine scene near the end. Both wonderful in their own way. I'd go as far as saying its my favourite (maybe second after Tenenbaums) Wes Anderson movie.

Finally games wise its been a mixed bag. Whilst I was away got a fair bit of Modern Warfare 2 happening split-screen. Lots of fun in the 2v2. I never dabbled in multi-player on COD4 so it was a new experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so I've slipped a little bit into the online mode back home now. A little mind. Because Borderlands is my latest Swapgame. Choosing the "top three only" package I had to wait a full week for it but I think its worth it. Sunk a fair chunk of hours into it last few days and found it very rewarding. I've always been partial to a bit of grinding. I, of course, refer to the nerd term of repetitively killing foes to gain levels and loot not the urban style of dance. Although, if the liquor is the right the hips may sway. But, good fun. Given up on the story, some guff about alien technology. Honestly couldn't care less. The mechanics are fun and the quests, if a little simple and predictable, are quite addicting. Should slot nicely in to that end of year list (not long now!).

Mass Effect, Banjo Kazooie, Beneath A Steel Sky & Heroes Of Might And Magic III

That's probably the nerdiest blog title I'll ever have. It was like a sliding scale really. Part of me was tempted to mention the football happenings of the last couple of nights but there's not an awful lot to say. Liverpool played terribly and so did Man United. Well, from what I saw of both anyway. I had them both on while I was playing the previously mentioned games. So, Mass Effect. That was a good game wasn't it? Yeah it was and still is. I decided to hop back in and whore a few achievements I'd missed. I know, its low isn't it. I feel dirty just thinking it. Knowing the shame I've committed. But hell, I got an easy 100G or so and remembered why I loved the game in the first place. For all its flaws, its a lot of fun. I'm now super-ready for number two. I'm not paraphrasing a constipated child there, merely trying to reveal my excitement. How many more games are going to creep on to that must buy list for next year?

I'm going to stay with a friend this weekend and I figured that if gaming happens then Fifa and Modern Warfare 2 are going to be on the cards. So I should play some stuff I won't play while I'm away. Phrasing it like that makes it sound like I have an addiction. I don't. I think. My 360 has been played every day for the last 5 days now though. Hmmm. Anyway, Banjo Kazooie is a fair bit of fun. Starting to get into making my own vehicles now. I'm still not very far though, got about 15 jiggies or so. It can be frustrating, destroying some balls attacking a crocodile's eyes was a real teeth clencher for me. Looking back on that sentence though, it sounds riveting doesn't it? Still, glad I picked this game up on the cheap. My new Swapgame will be here next week, so I can put it back on the chill pile till the next drought.

I also found out today that Beneath A Steel Sky was going for free on GOG.com. So me being the tight-fisted mofo I am, rushed there to pick it up. First thing that struck me is the interface on their website, its fantastic and you can download a game however many times you want. Awesome! The game itself is a point and click classic from before my time. I mean I was alive. But I was six when it was released. A game based around post apocalypse Australia was a little beyond my reach. First game I loved was The Lion King on the Mega Drive. Used to hate that level with the monkeys in the trees, was always shit at it. Oh, and the Mickey Mouse one too! The ghost level used to get me on that game. Anyway the game is a complete throwback, it feels dated in most ways. But it was free and came with a walkthrough so even if I don't play it, it at least deserves to be cheated through so I can see what I missed out on all those years ago. Which finally brings me to Heroes Of Might And Magic III! Which has just finished downloading! I'll be brief: I want a game to play on the train and I absolutely loved this when I was younger. Finally convinced myself its worth the $9.99 I paid for it and I'm going straight for "Vikings We Shall Come" (I think it was called). Its exciting fucking times.

Gaming Tuesday

Seems quite strange really that Modern Warfare 2 has been out for only a couple of weeks because its already slipped from my disc tray. I just haven't found the will to throw myself into the multiplayer yet. Instead I've thrown myself back into my Fifa 10 management career. This has probably happened after my inevitable downfall in the new Football Manager. But anyway, its been a successful return to the helm of St James Park. Just finished my second season third in the Premiership with both the FA Cup and the League Cup under my belt. Not bad considering I haven't bought any new players, only signed a few scouted ones. Just won the Charity Shield in my third season and about to kick it off proper, but I'm going to take it easy. Trying to make my "EA Game Face" for my Be A Pro player now. Hahaha. Oh dear me. Just finished it. Its terrifying. I look completely evil, even complete with the "Glitler" moustache from the photo I used. Knew I shouldn't have used that photo from Reading. Anyway, going to dive into it proper now. Lets hope its more fun than it was last season.

500 Days Of Summer

Reading back through some of my posts I realised that the majority of the updates of late seem to be around three in the morning. No wonder my sleeping pattern is so out of whack. I would have left this till tomorrow but its still very fresh in the mind. This is the last of my little romance binge and probably better for it. If I watch one more romantic film I think I may unwittingly swap genders. I'm pretty sure I'm generating a large quantity of oestrogen at the moment already. No wonder I can't grow a beard. Anyhow, the aforementioned film is something rather special in my eyes. Quirky, individual and very warm-hearted. I found it a genuinely touching movie with the two leads both absorbing you in from the off. It helps that Zooey Deschanel is beautiful. I mean stunning. But, restrained lust aside, its just the kind of romantic comedy you don't get enough of these days. There's a few staples of the genre in there, and it does stick to the blueprint in its own way but it really is just a lovely little film. Although, I think I might give it a little while before I watch it again. Overall I found it a fantastic little gem. I really can't stress that enough. Right, probably time I shot some civilians in the face on Modern Warfare 2. I can almost hear my sperm count dropping with every positive I lavish upon this film.

Gaming Tuesday (On Wednesday)

So its been out a week now, well for those who didn't get it delivered early and Modern Warfare 2 has has the majority share of my disc drive. I polished off the single player campaign on the day I got it, not a massive achievement as such as it was only on regular difficulty. I'll wait until next year to tackle Veteran mode I think, it worked with COD:4 anyway. Apart from that damn aeroplane level. Never even got close on that one. Brrrr. In the time since then I've dabbled both in Spec-Ops and online multiplayer, with mixed results. Spec-Ops is a pretty addictive little pack of bonus missions based around levels from both Modern Warfare games. They work much better when played with a buddy too, as me and mine found out when our desperate calls of "Juggernaut!!!" before our demise after 7 constant failures on "Snatch and Grab" grew too much. Online multiplayer is a different kettle of fish. I've always been a Halo man myself, been playing them covenant since I was yay high. Not that much shorter actually. I'm a little bit older than the Halo franchise. This is why I never really got in to Call Of Duty multiplayer. Its all stealth, one shot and skill. Where Halo is mainly madness, beat downs and sticky grenades. I played a few rounds but I grew frustrated quickly. Getting thrown in with people 40 levels higher than you is not fun for a start and then being killed by campers as well did not help. I did ok for a first timer, generally one or two places from the bottom. I'll need to give it a lot more time to get any good. Something I may or may not do depending on what Swapgame send me next (No time for Batman's challenges I'm afraid).

In between all the face shooting and airports I've managed to knock in a bit of virtual lego 'em up (kind of) Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Its a sweet and fun little game basically. The humour isn't as sharp as good old Conker's Bad Fur Day but it brings a smile to your face. The difficulty isn't overly hard yet although I've only been messing about in the first two or three zones so far. My own problem is that I really cannot be bothered to try to build vehicles yet. I know this is essentially the whole game, but I'd rather just do the little challenges. My heart genuinely sinks when I realise its a "build it yourself challenge". Still, it was a cheap purchase off eBay so I'll keep it for the down time in between Swapgames I think.

Finally I come to temptation that's been knocking on the door. Part of me is referring to Left 4 Dead 2, which I'm going to forward to Santa I think. But no, its Football Manager 2010. It is the most addicting game of all time. I caved in and got the demo from Steam and I've already got to November. Its been one day. I have of course made a bit of a shit up already with my Newcastle team. We're only third. I've signed Danny Simpson, Jack Wilshire and Nathan Delfounso. Delfounso has played two games and been awful (good recommendation there coaches), Wilshire has been good though. Anyway, £29.99 off Steam. Its really tempting and considering my disc drive is buggered I can't shop around either. We'll see how long I can last. I give it one to two days.

The Mist & COD:MW2

So taking a break from my horrendous binge of Lost I watched The Mist. Continuing Frank Darabonts seemingly exclusive Stephen King bumming he again adapts another one. Something a bit different to The Green Mile and Shawshank though and refreshing for it. Think Lord Of The Flies meets The Fog meets Evolution. Its clever and entertaining, bringing you a few shocks and scares along the way. What must be said though is that the ending is horrible. Not in perhaps a predictable gross out horror way but more in a disturbingly empty way. It feels a little bit like when you watched Requiem For A Dream for the first time. Still, a decent watch and it feels nice not to be hearing the string stabs of the Lost soundtrack for a while.

I don't know why I've decided to do this to myself but I've taken it upon myself to investigate the hype around Modern Warfare 2. There's two sides to it really and I'm not sure which I dislike more. Firstly you had the "glitzy" premier of the game. I say glitzy, when they're limiting shots of fans lining the red carpet you have a fair idea what's actually happening. But in the defence of the people who went, the stars did show. Vernon Kay, Goldie and the array of ex-Eastenders actors who voice the game. I can see why the game got the attention it did. Its the biggest media launch in history after all. But it all just looked a bit shit didn't it? Pretend soldiers, posters for the game, hot girls dressed as soldiers. It was a very tacky way of doing it really. But I also don't like film premieres for the same reason, so I can't complain about that. The second side is "No Russian" and the ensuing debate. This is where it gets really frustrating. People are obviously calling for Infinity Ward to be shot and the game to be banned, this was inevitable. However, the defence is either "Its a game, I shot those civilians in the face and I'm fine!" or "Actually, that bit was kind of nasty, still the rest is a great game". It kind of begs the question, why is it in there anyway? For the story? I thought it was justified, that was until I played through the story. It ranks with Die Hard 4 for realism. Its essentially James Bond starring Jason Statham and directed by Micheal Bay. Its explosions, madness and shooting people in the face. Which is fine. But the airport scene adds a weight of depth that is never really accounted for. Which makes the game harder to defend when its standing up and practically provoking the other side. They may as well chucked in some paedophilia and the corpse of Princess Diana just to really rile up the tabloids. I love the game. I really do. But its given my past time a bad name it doesn't deserve. Although funnily enough everyone has stopped talking about the Wii and the inane parade of mindless tat that gets Grandma waggling her wrist like she's turning tricks in Soho. So silver linings and that.

Gaming Tuesday (On Thursday)

Not fitted an awful lot of gaming in recently, but I have been playing what will probably turn out to be a few of my favourite games of the year. I managed to polish off Batman Arkham Asylum a couple of days ago and I must say I was thoroughly impressed with the game as a whole. Everything about the game is just very solid, all the gameplay works brilliantly, the voice acting is superb and while the plot is not revolutionary for a video game it is entertaining enough to make you persevere. The stealth sections of the game were my personal favourite, sloping around atop gargoyles and under floors picking off guards one by one provided ample opportunity for improvisation and nail-biting tension. Whether or not the game is a solid purchase though is a different matter, I'm yet to attempt the challenges, scout out the hidden extras or tackle hard mode but I'm also not really encouraged to. I would however say its one of the few next gen games that everyone should at least rent. You'll struggle to find a campaign with the diversity to keep you on your toes the whole time.

Its somewhat strange that the two games I happen to complete within a couple of days of each other also happen to be the best I've played (and most likely will play) all year. I am of course referring to Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. With a single player campaign rather short in comparison to Batman (I completed it within one day) it may not have the same depth of single player. But the immersion, and again fantastic gameplay more than alleviate these detractors. With plot so ridiculous even Steven Segal would wince the game plays with its mind closer to the latter Bronsan James Bond films more than Generation Kill. This however does stand at odds with the now infamous "airport" level, which I personally found rather horrible to play. The pace you're forced to walk at encourages you to stare at the screaming, bleeding civilians on the floor. This level of course also stands in very close proximity to one in which you escape from an air base in a hectic snow-mobile chase. Hmmmm. Well the campaign is enjoyable enough, with more twists than a Cheesestring a fair bit of variation as well to keep you interesting. Spec Ops is also a welcome addition, letting you (and a friend if you wish) tackle a few challenges based on both Modern Warfare games. A friend and I spent a good few hours powering through a couple of them and I was very impressed. Great fun and a welcome bit of extra gameplay when you're fed up of feeling depressed in the airport. Its going to be everyone's game of the year, so why not mine as well.

Modern Warfare 2 (2) & Them Crooked Vultures

So sleep does not come. Its a common problem for me. As soon as the lights are off and the night is silent I suddenly decide to take the time to send myself into a panic about everything and nothing. Its worse now when I have nothing to get up for, my sleeping patterns can get very bizarre very quickly when you only sleep when you're tired. Lucky for me tonight has brought me a 5am bounty of things to enjoy and ponder. I earlier wrote about the furore over the new Call Of Duty. It raised a lot of emotions in me, mostly about my dislike for the Daily Mail and the constant games bashing of middle England. But also the realisation that I really wish I had bought the game. Well fate was shining down on me tonight, seems unfortunate that luck only creeps towards me at this time of night though. A small trip to Sainsburys (virtually, our branch is closed for refurbishment) has shown that you can pick up the game for the insulting price of £26. That's more than half the RRP, on the day it comes out. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. Delighted that I got it for that price. Also the fuck you to Activision's frankly unfair £54.99 price-tag. Well actually pretty happy all round really. Its a shame that proper game retailers can't compete with that price but at least they can still deal in second hand games for their profit.

The other plunder preventing my late night slumber is the Them Crooked Vultures album which has leaked. By them. To Youtube. Is that a leak? Because the cat is most definitely out of the hat now. Anyway, I'm up to track six (Scumbag Blues) at this point and so far so good. At this rate it may creep into my inevitable top albums of the year list. I may actually get cracking with that soon, I can barely remember what's come out this year. Let alone what I've actually enjoyed. So a good head start will do me well.

Modern Warfare 2

So tonight the biggest game in history saunters on to shelves on a wave of five stars and 100%'s. Almost as predictable as the reviews is the moral outcry against it. Including the rather fantastic statement on the Daily Mail website that players "could plot terror attacks against civilians". This is of course nonsense of the highest degree, taking something completely out of context. But this is also the world we still live in. Video games make more money than any other medium of entertainment, the Wii has even brought gaming into the living room (albeit through the medium of scales and waggling). Yet still the Daily Mail and its blinded followers cannot realise that just because its a video game that doesn't mean its for children. Its got an 18 certificate for a reason, its not there just to make it look like a DVD case. Its there to prevent little Jimmy from blowing off a terrorists head after a tough day of SATS tests. Its like we're in the moral outcry of Betamaxes of Evil Dead circa late 80's all over again. Keith Vaz even had the moral superiority to raise the issue in parliament while opening with the statement "I've neither played nor seen the game". This does not mean you are on the high horse for avoiding it, it means you have no idea what you're fucking talking about. Thankfully my new hero Tom Watson shot him down (HEADSHOT) with a surprisingly knowledgeable viewpoint. Even saying he took the time to see the game. Probably lucky enough to get his pre-order delivered early. Probably on expenses too. Lucky git. He also has taken the time to set up a Facebook group called Gamers' Voice with which he aims to set up a pressure group to stand up for the industry as a whole. This is new ground now, maybe we're on the road to change? Who knows, its too early to say. But with around 3,000 members already after one day you can't shake the feeling that something may well be afoot.