A Day that Will Live in Infamy

Thursday bought ultimate shame upon me, and not just because I dropped about 4 quid on hopeless 52 tie-in World War III. No. My ego boosted by Baron Z's casting aside of his former identity to walk the earth as 'Mark Clapham' I issued a foolish challenge to battle on Puzzle Quest.

My initial concern on the appearance of a level 38 warrior to battle my own level 17 champion were confirmed by two brusing encounters resulting in gem-switching related thrashings. Pitiful stuff.

Dignity was not mine that day but revenge was had when Clapham's decrepit DS classic suffered a wi-fi breakdown thus preventing him from swiping any of the precious peaches stored in the Animal Crossing town of Camden.

I'm claiming a draw.

Made it Ma! Top of the world!

Loving Crackdown. Made it to the top of the Agency building- though that claim might have more credibility if it was backed up by a photo. It's an addictive little number for all its shallowness and the grind of getting all skills up to 4-star level is fun. At least it's fun the first time around. I imagine once I get to that level it'll lose most of its appeal. Still, good while it lasts.

In non-video game news I've been pushing up my last.fm rankings with some new music. Arcade Fire's Neon Bible is great, but Maximo Park's Our Earthly Pleasures is the real grower here all good stuff.

Fighting through the pain barrier

A little rich of me using this title considering a friend ran the London marathon yesterday but it's been a bugger of a week and am starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel (or at least this particular tunnel - another one starts shortly afterward).

Am please to report that the pain in question has NOTHING to do withh Puzzle Quest which I am ROCKING LIKE A MO-FO. Have also found time to put a bit of 'work' into Animal Crossing where I've almost scraped together enough bells to get that raccoon bastard Nook off my back. Finally (and foolishly) splashed out on Crackdown which has proved to be quite a laugh, though a bit too unstructured for long term interest. Reckon I'll hold onto it til the Halo beta at least.

Indeed, haven't really been hooked by any 360 title though I keep promising myself I'll go back to Dead Rising and Oblivion, and have the occasional pang for GRAW. Was disheartened by the news that Mass Effect's been delayed because I was counting on it to be the final bullet-to-the-head of my social life.

Puzzle-tastic

Puzzle Quest is an evil beast that calls out to be slain. I picked this up on a friend's recommendation last Thursday, having tracked down what seemed to be the last copy on Oxford Street (what's more a bargain at £25). It's a fiendish concoction of swords 'n' sorcery and Bejewelled - itself one of the few puzzle games I have any time for. I can only imagine that the development team behind crack cocaine were involved in this project, so moreish is the experience. It's so easy to have that 'one more go' that makes hours simply dissolve.

It's certainly a cut above God of War which I borrowed off the same friend. I just have little time for button-mashing fests like this one, and well it still feels good to rip off a medusa's head, or plunge a sword into the eye of a cyclops, there is a distinctly adolescent feel to the whole experience (there's even a sex minigame - tacky beyond words) which reminded me of 300. Sure, it looks good but is just too shallow overall to recommend itself.

In other news a grinding play through of a test match on Brian Lara Cricket has cooled my ardour towards this game. Given that the whole point of such games in real life is strategy writ large, a test of stamina as much of skill, it is small wonder that the transition to Xbox loses something fundamental. As a video game, cricket is about tonking the ball all around the ground - a six or ten over match is perfect for this. Any longer (and the simulated test match is MUCH longer) and interest swfitly wanes. In the end I played out an embarrasing 8 wicket loss to New Zealand simply so I could record an achievement unlocked in my first innings.