I've uploaded some pictures of my collection. Why? Because I can.

Retro Nintendo games:

Newer console games:

There's a few missing from this picture, a couple of 360 games including Scene It, one or two GameCube games and the few DS and PSP games I have (because I forgot about them).

PC games:

Not pictured are another 50-60 'big box' PC games (mostly pre-2000 stuff). Too big and unwieldy to be moving around for pictures. Maybe I'll get some pics of my rarer and/or favourite games up: boxed copies of System Shock 1 & 2, Planescape Torment, Fallout 1 & 2, Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, the Space Quest Collection, a few Ultima games, the Diablo battlechest, Realms of the Haunting, Terra Nova, The Witcher LE, the complete HOMM collection... the list goes on.

Also, since I'm a bit of a Resident Evil nut:

I plan on getting the GameCube RE games soon, and I'll get the newer Wii titles at some point. Like maybe when I get a Wii. If I get one. I'm not too fussed right now.

And although it's not game related:

Jackie Chan FTW. I should have put my newly acquired copy of Action Kung Fu in there too. Ah well.

I'm a happy bunny. I've just learned that the European release date for Persona 3 FES has been confirmed. We must have been good little girls and boys...

October. So that's only a six month wait since the US release. A marked improvement on the seven month wait we had for the regular Persona 3. And even then we didn't get any fancy-pants special edition.

Persona 4? Pfft.

But wait! There's more. That Tales of Vespiria game? You know, the one with an August US release? Drum roll... wait for it... Spring 2009 for us! Wow. Our awesomeness must cause us to be out of sync with the rest of the space-time continuum or something if they can't even nail down a definitive date. Not that ballpark release dates make me nervous or anything.

Europe.

Second. Largest. Gaming. Market. After. Japan.

Who'da thunk it?

Feel free to pick through and find the sarcasm for yourself.

2000

Game of the Year:

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

(PC, 24/09/00)

I can't really say anything about this game that doesn't make me sound like a drooling, fanwanking imbecile and/or Bioware groupie, so I won't bother.

P.S. Best Game Ever.

Honourable Mentions:

Hardware:

Other Stuff That May Have Happened...

Kylie Minogue - "Spinning Around" (video)

Eurovision Winner:

Olsen Brothers - "Fly on the Wings of Love" (Denmark) (video)

Best Albums:

Best Films:

Boo is outraged!

Double back in time: 1999 - 1998 - 1997 - 1996 - 1995 - 1994 - 1993 - 1992 - 1991 - 1990 - 1989 - 1988 - 1987

Since GameSpot has deemed that I write too much for any sane person to digest in one sitting, here's Part 2. If you're even remotely interested, read Part 1 first.

Gridlock's Month in Review: July 2008 (Part 2)

Fallout (PC)

Time spent: 16 hours

Pulled it out in preparation for Fallout 3. Games like these, games that grab you by the skull and don't let go till you see the closing cinematic, are a rare and dying breed. Fallout isn't as good as I remember it, but it's still one of a kind. I did rush through it a bit; I did a whole bunch of the side-quests but somehow I remembered where everything was which cut down on the exploring a bit. I'll spend more time with the sequel. I did manage to keep Dogmeat alive this time around, which is no mean achievement. Review: here.

Lego Indiana Jones (X360)

Time spent: 24 hours

The first game I have got 1000/1000 gamerscore on. That's mainly because most games feature some stupid achievements that nobody in their right mind will ever be able to get, but also because this is a great little game that I didn't mind putting the extra time and effort into. It improves upon Lego Star Wars in some ways, but keeps the humour and the charm. Never mind Lego Batman; now I want Lego Back to the Future. Review: here.

No One Lives Forever (PC)

Time spent: 11 hours

It's my own fault for playing it after the sequel, which improves upon this game in nearly every way, but I was a touch disappointed. Sure, it's still one of the best and funniest first-person shooters around, but I prefer NOLF2. This one has a bit more emphasis on sneaking and much more Basil Exposition-styIe talking. It's just different, and still highly recommended. Review: incoming.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (PC)

Time spent: 28 hours

Finally finished it off after a bit of a break. Excellent all round, better in some regards than the first KOTOR but overall I still prefer the first game. Review: incoming.

Achievements

Behind the tag to cut down on image overload...

Odds 'n' Sods

Picture of the Month

Question of the Month

And that's it for this issue of War and Peace. Maybe next time GS won't throw a hissy fit and will let me write whatever I damn well please.

Also see: The Monthly Blog Union for other monthly blog type thingies

This month in review is brought to you by kung-fu fightin', dangerously low-flying mortarboards and Jason Statham (aka Chuck Norris UK).

Gridlock's Month in Review: July 2008 (Part 1)

The Damage: New Acquisitions

DS

GameCube

PC

XBox 360

DVD

The On-Going Quest: Game Progress

Doom 3 (PC)

Time spent to date: 6 hours

I started playing this again so I could go straight into the expansion pack with everything fresh in my mind. It's still good, but it still tries too hard to be something it isn't. Advice to iD for Doom 4: keep it simple. Nobody cares about a plot in this sort of thing anyway.

Dungeon Siege (PC)

Time spent to date: 4 hours

Just another of those games I've had for years and never managed to finish. The problem with this game is that when I first played it, five or so years back, I got about halfway through and got so bored I gave up. I pulled it out again on a whim to see if it had magically become any better. Actually, it has. The test will come when I'm 20 hours in and feel like mutilating the pack donkey just to liven things up.

The Simpsons Game (X360)

Time spent to date: 3 hours

I'm really enjoying this one. It has the styIe of the series down to a tee and is much funnier than the last few seasons of the show have been. However, at the moment I'm encountering some frustration with a giant donut boy, a level which has been conjured from the depths of hell to annoy and torment gamers. I know exactly what I'm supposed to do, I'm just having difficulty doing it. It doesn't help that the stupid donut boy can turn around faster than Bart can run around him, so lining up those shots can be awkward, especially when under constant attack from waves of foes. Then the whole jumping up to disable him... damn those camera angles.

Right. This thing now has to be in two parts, something I've never had to do before even though I'm sure I've written more than this in the past. Anyway, this is Part 1. The other monstrosity will be entitled Part 2 and will be up when I've finished beating GameSpot about the head with whatever comes to hand.

*sigh*

Alrighty, so I bought another GameCube. I'm gonna keep this one. It's so insanely minty fresh it still has the inner plastic bags for the console, controllers etc. It has been used, but probably about twice.

Along with it I picked up Starfox Adventures and Luigi's Mansion.

The big question is... what games should I get? With my old GameCube I only had a handful of titles, hardly any of which were anything to shout about and this time I'd like some decent games. Since I never really payed much attention to what was available on the GameCube I may need some help here.

I've already got the following on my internal to-buy list:

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (Origins never got released in PAL-land sadly)

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door

Resident Evil 0 (already got most of the others on other platforms and I'm not bothered about remakes, RE0 is the only one I haven't played)

Skies of Arcadia: Legends

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Tales of Symphonia

Zoocube (had this before, Awesome with a capital A)

Anything else I should look out for? Or maybe some of those games suck and you want to save me?

I'm an RPG/adventure fan mainly, but I like a little of everything so go nuts. Thanks muchly...

I've just had the strangest argument and I'm venting. I'm not sure how it came about but I'm sure womanly cycles featured heavily; specifically womanly cycles and their mystical significance (or lack of IMO). To all men reading this: I'm entitled to squick you out once in a while so just go with the flow. Pun most definately intended. And to all those women who bang on about their connection with the moon and having a special bond with their body and celebrating their womanhood: Newsflash! Having a period is not an achievement. Well, sometimes it is, but most of the time it's about as much of an achievement as urinating: "I have to practice five times a day to get this good, you know!" Shut up. It's sad, it's pathetic, it makes me hungry and all in all it's about as disturbing as Disney erotica and as ill-conceived as scented f****** tampons.

So here's to the biggest PMT b**** in gaming history.

1999

Game of the Year:

System Shock 2

(PC, 11/08/99)

I'll never forget the first time I walked slowly down a dark corridor, lights flickering, shadows creeping. I'll never forget the first time I heard a mutant monkey howl and let off a few round of precious ammunition before I could get my shaky trigger finger under control. I'll never forget the first time I was attacked by crazed zombies, defending myself with a pipe and a broken pistol. I'll never forget the first time I picked up a dead crewman's log and listened with rapt attention and baited breath. I'll never forget the first time I read the last words of a dying man scrawled in blood on a battered bulkhead. I'll never forget the first time a ghostly echo appeared in front of me, oblivious to my presence. I'll never forget the first time Shodan spoke to me, sweet words of delicious evil. I'll never forget the first time I felt like crying because it was all over.

Honourable Mentions:

Hardware:

Other Stuff That May Have Happened...

A.T.B. - "9pm (Till I Come)" (video)

Eurovision Winner:

Charlotte Nilsson - "Take Me to Your Heaven" (Sweden) (video)

Best Albums:

Best Films:

Red pill please.

Double back in time: 1998 - 1997 - 1996 - 1995 - 1994 - 1993 - 1992 - 1991 - 1990 - 1989 - 1988 - 1987