It's official, winter is here (in the northern hemisphere anyway, s_h_a_d_o is busy unpacking flip flops and a sunhat). I know this because yesterday I turned on the heating. As a person who is usually too hot and resents spending money on luxuries like a warm living room when there's a spare jumper in the cupboard, I am always reluctant to switch on the boiler but last night was just too much. The next stage is 'depths of winter' which will come one night at 3am, I will have lost track of time playing online and will suddenly realize I need a massive pee but can't get to the loo because my feet are completely numb with the first stages of frostbite. Ah, good times.

Speaking (or is that writing) of online play, I have developed a taste for Battlefield: Bad Company which is an absolute blast. The whole squad thing works really well and it's great to spawn next to your mates instead of having to traipse across a massive battlefield to get to the action (only to get sniped before firing a shot). Vehicles are fun too and they never feel too overpowered especially with demo soldiers lurking about with RPGs (my personal favourite cIass at the moment).

Also on the gaming front my DS is finally getting the love it truly deserves. After pre-ordering Scribblenauts I finally broke Zelda: Phantom Hourglass out of the packet and it is great. It has all the charm, exploration and dungeon delving that made Wind Waker so playable and the touch screen is completely indispensable. I can't believe how I played Zelda in the past without notes on the map. I must be about halfway through by now and it makes a nice change of pace from Ninja Gaiden which has started giving me the jitters it's so damn nasty!

Well, I am off to catch up on all the reviews and On The Spot I missed in the last month or so of working so hard and put some serious thought into pre-ordering Tekken 6 with my overtime money. Choices, choices.