Chindie

Ezio isn't the point (I don't really think the character matters all that much in this series to be fair). It's the game itself, I think it's wearing a bit thin, and another game, unless it's markedly different in some manner to keep it fresh, isn't going to help matters.

I've gone back to Brotherhood today and I think it's reaffirmed my suspicion that this series doesn't have the legs for an annual evolution of it without something significantly changing. I downloaded and started playing the Da Vinci DLC, and all that went through my mind throughout it so far is that it's a little tired and a little dull and, at times, a little hokey. The movement issues have been present since day 1 and they have never really been resolved - I was failing some missions not through my own fault, but because it's never quite clear what direction you might go in, especially when jumping which has a kind of semi-automation to it. When it works, great, when it doesn't, it's intensely frustrating and of course it is revealed most heavily when you need to do things fast - the convoluted chase sequences (the 'And this guy is gonna run down there but he's going to close a door so you have to find some other way', that sometimes is rather unclear and other times as utterly pointless as run into sideroom, run back out onto same path also needs to be refined or given a makeover, it's a tired idea after 2 games let alone 3) require you to be immediately aware of where you're going and what you need to do to get there instantly, which isn't always the case and then the flaws of the movement mechanic mean you make a mistake which leads to a retry inevitably. And it does all feel a little tired now to me. For the sake of the series I think Ubisoft, barring them innovating wildly with this release, could be making a mistep with another entry in Ezio's story. I'm not even sure a new enviroment massively helps, the game itself needs a rethink to keep it fresh. I'm not sure Assassin's Creed 2:3 does that.

Yahtzee review. Pretty bang on for my money. I have similar feelings. The original was great, I think a large part of that came from it being such a surprise, no one thought some stuff thrown together to make the Orange Box was going to be GoTY. It just doesn't have enough substance or variety for me to think much of it as a stand alone game. I can understand people not liking it. I think you need to buy into the style, the quirkyness, the humour. Playing the first definitely helps (though as I said earlier in the topic, I think it's perfectly possible to play and enjoy this a lot without having even heard of the first). If you don't buy into it, you won't enjoy it as much I don't think. I don't think it's as good as the first, it's a little more baggy and it's a little less original, it lacks a little of the charm of the first game partly because it is a longer experience and because it obviously lacks the surprise novelty of the first too. But it's still great.

IIRC loyalty effects the likelihood of a squad member dying if you make certain decisions. The things that affect who lives and dies are the ship upgrades, who is picked for what roles, and the loyalty of each character - loyalty plays a smaller part than the other 2, as it is entirely possible for unloyal characters to survive based on the decisions you make and the ships upgrades. There are vague hints to who might be good for what role, and some are fairly obvious, but the game never makes it clear the criteria for roles being successful or not. Which is a good thing of course. It's a been a while since I actually polished off the game so can't say more accurately than that.

My first attempt saw me lose the mercenary fella and Mordin (losing him was gutting). Second attempt, perfect run

I really like it. I suspect it may sell rather well.

I was quite amused by the comments from one of Citeh's high ups today pretty much imploring Bayern to buy Adebayor.

The solution to this is clear. You go to Scholars with your 2 best mates, then Harrys, then the Cambrian (Deathstar), Rummers for a philosphical 3 pints, pop into the Ship and Castle to catch a quick one in nice surroundings, then drown yourself between the Angel and Yokos and pull something you'd not touch with a bleached barge pole under other circumstances after some horrendous concoctions from the cocktail bar and shit vodka. It'll work out. I speak from experience on the above. To the letter.

A mate of mine did the working visa thing whilst effectively back packing through Australia. He stopped in Sydney for a while (couple of months IIRC) and worked in a call centre. He spent 6 months out there, had a great time that I'm deeply envious of him for, and actually made cash out there (though admittedly he worked hard and was a fairly good salesman). If you really want to do it, going out there for 6 months and being prepared to go looking for some low end short term work for a couple of those months, could be something you genuinely remember for life. I'd be slightly more wary of the TEFL thing. I looked into it briefly, it's a bit of a minefield and there are lots of horror stories. I also found that the places you can go to are pretty limited - in my case I had no interest in going to any of the places that are pushed by the TEFL orgs. It's something you need to do the leg work for yourself though.

Exactly what I thought when I first saw that. It should come with some onions a beret and some red wine. Looks a bit Rugby-ish too to me.

Some of the more surreal commentaries I've heard, throughout that tournament. My personal favourites - Marc Albrighton takes a volley from the edge of the box, catches it perfect and the ball arrows towards the net - 'Aaaaand he hits the LAAAAASSSEERRRR!!!!' and 'Nigelle Reo-Cock-er'. In a way it was more entertaining.

Fell asleep about 4 rounds into the Arce/Vasquez fight, so missed the main event. My main bets came in though, yay. And my complete punt on a KO included the round Mosley was shaken in, so had he gone down then I'd have earned either way.

We can't afford not to get rid of him. Sadly, it looks far from certain that will ditch him.

I'm considering stopping up for it, but I'm lagging already. That first fight didn't help, **** me nothing happens for 3 rounds and the fella quits. I've got money on Pacquiao UD, with a complete punt on a group round KO. Since Mosley's never been stopped that really is a punt, and even if he is 39 he looks in incredible shape.

I've seen a bit of MLS, going so far as to watch some form of final last year in it, one of the teams had the leading scorer in it, Polish sounding name beginning with a W, think he played for San Jose. It usually hilariously bad. The defending is just... off. Its like watching an early summer friendly, the ideas sorta there but it all a bit lax. What somehow makes it worse is the US-ification of the coverage. Constantly little stat things would pop up on screen, but not the kind of stats you get in European coverage (possession, shots/on target etc). It would pop up with individual stats that were like an extrapolation from Baseball or American football. Stuff like 'Game winning goals' from one guy. The commentary was this curious mix of guys who had clearly heard European commentary (or more accurately, British), but were unused to it, coupled to the kind of commentary you get in traditional US sports. It's a curious league. I'd rate it pretty poorly, it's a league were individuals with an edge (usually a modicum of natural talent from what I've seen) can make a team do markedly better it seems, which is why I suspect Angel went there and became the best player in the league over night. However from what I've heard from some Americans, it used to be far worse, so all power to em.

Draw methinks.

My grandad met Tommy Cooper, they served in the same regiment in the war. Apparently even away from the stage he was a funny bloke but also capable of being very stern and a skinflint in the extreme. I never got the Young Ones. It's before my time and was never something the family watched. The best laugh I ever got from that series came from a trip to the pub at uni. My best mate looked a like like the character played by Nigel Planer, a bunch of locals noticed this and spent all night shouting the characters name at him and asking him to say some of the characters famous lines. And by all night I mean a good 4 hours straight. I'd never noticed the resemblance before.

...Christ.

Mel Gibson has a new film out. Its about a man with depression who starts to project his personality onto a beaver glove puppet (not a euphemism). It apparently features a sex scene between Gibson, Jodie Foster playing his wife, and the beaver glove puppet. I'm genuinely at a loss for words.

He's started 11 competitive games 08/09 FA Cup v Gillingham and Doncaster 08/09 UEFA Cup v Zilina, CSKA and Hamburg 09/10 FA Cup v Brighton and Blackburn 10/11 Prem v Fulham(a) and Blackpool(h) 10/11 FA Cup v Blackburn and Man City And has made 42 appearances in all. EDIT - correction.

First one looks great, has some good ideas but doesn't quite come together. It's very repetitive. Theres the basis for a good game in it though. The second is that good game. A few new abilities, a sorted combat system, etc etc, lots of nods to history, better characterisation and so on. Starts slowly, builds to brilliance. And the third is effectively the second but given a slightly tighter setting and bringing in a few more new features that, on paper, sound a bit naff (the main one is you are head of a guild of assassins, you can recruit throughout the game and send these guys round the world on tasks to earn you things, and also have some of them as a back up you can call in if things get hairy) but are curiously addictive - I had to max out my little posse of assassins for example. The second and third are great games, well worth your time. The first is pretty but a pretty empty experience - I liked it, but I wouldn't call it a great game.

It'll be October/November time. Ubisoft are keen on Assassins Creed being an annual thing. Not sure it's quite got the legs for that long term, but hey.

I agree that No today will mean I will be well into middle age before it's even thought of again, if at all. The same would be true of a Yes, but I think a Yes suggests a breaking of a dam of change, while a No locks the bolts, not to be thought of again for quite some time. And given that No will romp home tonight, I guess thats that.

Nah, sorry mate, not for me. Like I say it just doesn't quite sit right with me somehow, but I get why other people might do it. Plus at this moment in time I'm quite ok being single.

'Magic User Level 20'