It had to end...I finished Prof Layton and Pandora's Box last week. The ending of the storyline actually brought a little tear to the eye - considering it's 'just' a puzzle game, the background story was quite moving. For just about the first time though, I'm determined to finish everything in the game (well, the first time since Worms on 360, anyway). I'm going back and finding all the puzzles, I'm playing the camera minigame, I've created all the blends of tea (with some help from a brilliant walkthrough on blogspot as I was going tea-bonkers), and my hamster is fit and ready (I'm guessing this all sounds a bit odd if you haven't played the game).

It's unusual, for me, to be this determined to finish up a game. There's definitely something about Layton that really hooks you in. An industry analyst told me recently that if a puzzle game captures people, they are the most dedicated fans of all. No idea of that's true, but it seems about right at the moment.

Henry Hatsworth is up next. I'm hoping that takes me through to the release of the new Zelda game!

(How am I still only level 30 on GameSpot?!)

Commuting is boring. Really, really boring. It's also the only way to get to work when you live out in the middle of nowhere (a slight exaggeration, but outside the M25, anyway). Luckily, my order of Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (why the Diabolical Box in the US? Do they not study mythology?) arrived on Friday and the game has, for the time being, solved the problem of boredom during commuting. I loved the first one, and this one is just as good - the storyline even feels a bit less forced. My brain was aching by the time I got to work this morning! I've only had to purchase hints once so far, because I just cannot do those 'take the longest route possible' puzzles. My brain doesn't seem to understand them.

Managed to sneak my way back onto the podcast last week, which was great fun. Next time (I'm being nice to Guy in the hope there will be a next time!) I'll even have played a game or two. The lads let me join them for a session on Beatles Rock Band on Friday afternoon, which was great fun. I grew up listening to my parents' Beatles albums and have always loved the music, although some of the lyrics were even more bonkers than I remembered. Despite my appalling singing, we even managed some triple-harmony successes. These music games, they could really take off.

It's that time...After 9 1/2 months off (I use the word 'off' loosely - it's hardly been a holiday!) I'm back at work. My role at what is now CBS Interactive has changed; I'm working within a central team. I'll still be working with GameSpot UK, but not as site manager. GSUK will remain in the capable hands of Guy, Alex, Luke and Mark. I'm hoping that if I'm nice to Guy he'll let me come and be a guest on the podcast. Go on Guy, you know you want to!

Coming back to work also means becoming a commuter again. Ergh. I've preordered the new Professor Layton game (and the new Ace Attorney Miles Edgeworth game, but that's not out until February) but run into a slight hitch - sometime in the last 9 months I have put my DS charger 'somewhere safe'. Hopefully I'll find it before Layton is out on the 25th! Scribblenauts also looks really intriguing. It's very odd to have the time to even think about games...