Argh. I just pressed Tab instead of Caps Lock, pressed backspace and killed my entire, finished post. Life is good.

So instead of demanding a new copy of Evil Zone, it seems I need a new PS2. I tried it in my friends horrible, vertical console and it detected and ran it 5 times in a row. Something needed to be bludgeoned. I don't want a new PS2, the PS3 will be out soon enough to not get sufficient enjoyment out of a new console. Besides, the "classic" PS2s aren't on sale any more, and I hate those new, ugly, "Oops, we forgot the drive bay. Oh well." PS2s. I probably won't be able to afford one either, as I need a new phone and PSP, whenever they remember Europe exists.

So the solution seems obvious. Tell them it still isn't working and demand a new copy and hope that it works. Oh Erel, why couldn't more people have bought you? Sigh.

But I digress. A while ago I sold out every respectable gamer (although I think that's an oxymoron) and bought GTA. Don't worry, I just bought it as some sort of silent protest against all the "gamers" that think it's "revolutionary" or "kewl". Death to them. As I mentioned before, Ireland gets the crumbs (if even) of the veritable loaf that is European game distribution, so there was somewhat of a GTA famine for a while as we were getting something like 1,000 a week. There was one copy left in this particular shop, and in front of it stood a horrible looking type, deliberating over whether to get the latest yellow Lacoste pullover or "one of those new fangled game things", so before he could finish I yoinked it and took it up to the counter. Spite-tastic!

I've never been a big fan of the GTA series by any stretch of the imagination, as I said this was a spite based purchase. GTA 3 was alright, Vice City was mediocre at best. San Andreas never got me in a lather unlike most people because:

a) I've never been a fan of Boyz in da Hood, rap music, or the gang culture phenomenon in general.

b) They're using the same engine as was in 3 & Vice City, they just sanded down some animation and moved the camera closer to make it look better. Admittedly they tossed in some RPG-esque elements, but that can't carry a whole game.

c) Modern gang culture, maybe. Early 90's gang culture? Go away and die in a barrel of vomit. Perhaps in the States this game would be understood and appreciated better, but no one in Europe cared about whatever plight happened in LA around that time. Media coverage over here about the goings on of gang bangers was a nonentity at best, so already the game's potential overseas has gone way down (didn't stop it selling by the pseudo-gamer-load though).

What's with Rockstar's obsession of making a game not set in the now? This is why I hated Vice City (besides the abhorrent, obese-person's-sense-of-self-loathing sized missed opportunity of a soundtrack and the fact that the graphics seemed to get worse), when will people realise IT'S TOO EARLY TO MAKE EIGHTIES PARODIES? Eh? When? This is why That Eighties Show didn't work. We know what the 80s were like, we're hardly out of them! Another 10 years, that decade will ripen. Just leave it until then please.

Due to the fact that I don't want to play the game, that I'm still engrossed with Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires, that I'm almost playing Evil Zone, and that I have to watch Yu Gi Oh! and various Australian soaps every night, it's still in the plastic!! I know some of you nay-sayers may not believe me, so from now until I do open it (if I do) I'll cap it and put a time and date stamp on.

I tried to capture the unmistakable sheen of light on plastic, as the cases shine without it anyway. Just above the Rockstar logo is a little strip you use to tear the plastic with. PROOF, that it's unopened! If you'll notice the date on the receipt you'll see that it's been unopened for 12 days.

Thanks for reading, even though I know you just read this line and "Argh. I just pressed Tab instead of Caps Lock..." you bloody ingrate.