Previously...

Currently getting to grips with the 24 video game which, somewhat to my shame, I dashed out and bought on its release yesterday. A lot of the reviews have been rather negative, and have a certain point when it comes to the gameplay which isn't nearly as polished a third person stalk 'n' shoot as MGS or as good a driving/pursuit-a-thon as... well pretty much anything out there, including the rather shoddy Getaway. That said it's as impressive an effort I've ever seen at an interactive movie. The cut scenes aren't the best graphically, but there is a real sense of story unfolding (and a story as frenetic and convuluted as any broadcast series of 24. What's more the preponderence of entry-level simple puzzle games controbute to this feel, breaking up the expositional moments (something Resident Evil 4 has also toyed with and something from which MGS could learn) but not demanding so much that they become frustrating. At the moment it's the best thing ever (and unlike Resi 4 hasn't paralyzed me with fear). Mind you, this may have something to do with my Jack Bauer obsession. Not sure if a more neutral observer would get quite as much from it.