It's been a while since I've written a blog, and there's a reason for that. I could blame it on my vacation (in Tenerife for a week) and being busy at work, etc, etc, and that would be partly true. However, the real reason I've not been posting much is because I just got my Wii and 360 online and I'm just loving every second. Anyway, hello to everyone, I hope you're all okay.

So, to business. What games have I been playing? Well, there's the obvious one:

But I've not got very far with this. Despite owning it since the day it was released, I still only have 14 stars. I've enjoyed what I've played so far, but I find myself being distracted by other games. Maybe I'll get time to play through Super Mario Galaxy over xmas. I certainly hope so.

I think what may be putting me off slightly is that the levels feel a bit disjointed... they don't seem to all fit well togther. The gameplay is amazing, but I don't feel a strong urge to play the game just now. Very strange...

The next game is one I've been waiting on for a while, and it's not left me disapppointed. Ace Combat 6 is one of those games that is simply jawdropping; it looks incredible!

Looks aren't everything but I've never played another game that's able to capture the sense of wonder as you fly low over huge, sprawling landscapes with no noticable pop-up or framerate issues. The gameplay is also silky smooth and the planes are very enjoyable to pilot. Missions are varied and the planes certainly feel fast, more so the close to the ground you get. The only downside might be the rather cheesy story.

However, it does make you think and the cutscenes are nicely done. The undertone of the story seems to be how a western country may feel if it were being invaded, which is something that I doubt people think of very often. It made me question the validity of war... but some scenes are a bit too over the top and spoil the story. In the end, it's a game I wanted, not a story, and Ace Combat 6 is the best flying game for a long time.

Back to the Wii for my next game. I've always liked the Resident Evil series, so I had no hesitation in buying Umbrella Chronicles. First impressions weren't that good though; the game left me feeling cold and I had no real desire to play on. The guns don't have a great feel to them, which is criminal for an on-rails shooter! Later guns get better but there's none of the satisfaction you can get in Resident Evil 4 by pulling off a headshot.

All of which leaves me kinda puzzled. Both games have headshots, both are very messy... what's missing? Well, it's the restriction of the game being an on-rails shooter. It seems silly to slag off a game for being a certain genre but I'm not sure RE works so well as this type of game. What saves the game from being a bore is the multiplayer, in which you and a friend get to take shots at the same screen. On-rails shooters were always better with a friend and this is no exception.

Even still, I'm not sure if I'd recommend this over any other game in the RE series. It's worth a play though, if only because it's so short and it's one of the few chances you'll get to play RE with a friend.

The game that first distracted me from Super Mario Galaxy is something really rather different. It's called Endless Ocean and it doesn't get released in the US until January 2008. Luckily, us PAL gamers have the chance to play this game already and it's been a worthy addition to my collection.

It's a diving simulation where you have very open ended goals; find and identify as many types of marine life as possible, become a well respected diving instructor, etc. The game has a very laid back pace which will no doubt put many gamers off playing it. I think the easiest way to sum it up is by saying that if you didn't enjoy Animal Crossing then you won't enjoy this. Both games have a similar feel even though they look vastly different.

It's easy to spend hours just exploring the reefs and looking for new species of marine life. The animals you encounter change with the time of day and the seasons so your time never feels wasted. As you progress you are rewarded with new items, new skills and new friends. It's a great way to relax.

Now I come to the game which has soaked up my time like water to a sponge. The Orange Box is literally never out of my 360 these days. I decided to play through Half Life 2 for a second time, and have enjoyed it as much as the first. Having completed that I've moved on to Episode 1 and just now I'm about half way through.

I decided not to play Portal until I had finished Episodes 1 and 2, as I've heard it's amazing and it'll be a good way to finish off the game... until Half Life 2 Episode 3 gets released! But the majority of my time is spent on Team Fortress 2. I'm finding it more enjoyable as an online game than Halo 3!

I usually pick either the soldier or demoman character and both are equipped with heavy weapons (rocket launcher and grenade launcher respectively). I'm getting pretty good as a soldier and I really want to try to learn all the characters. The game offers so much; strategy, teamwork, endless options, great maps, excellent weapons and balanced characters. It's my game of the year.

With a little practice I might not even see this screen so often:

"You were killed by..."