The combination might seem more than a bit awkward at first, but I think I've found a title that combines both series perfectly. And while, objectively, it's more of a "Matrix done right" than anything like Silent Hill, the series in question somehow felt much closer to Silent Hill 2 than anything I've previously seen.

I'm talking about Serial Experiments Lain (don't ask me what the title means, because I have no idea). It's a 13-episode anime series from 1998, which tells a story of a young girl called Lain. At first the story is very similar to the one of Matrix, minus kung-fu and gravity-defying stunts. Nothing surprising, considering Lain's constitution. However, the series quickly delves into the inner world of its lead character, whose journey into the Wired (a mix between Internet and Matrix) becomes quite similar to James' journey into Silent Hill. Somehow, Lain is also very similar to James, with both of them unwilling to accept something they know is true. In the later episodes, reality is twisted in a way that allows the use of some impressive and surrealistic psychological horror elements. And that sure is lovely, don't you think?

Overall, I think the series was definitely one of the best serious titles I've ever seen, anime or not. If you like sci-fi and psychological horror and don't mind the complete absence of light-hearted elements, you should definitely give it a try.

As some of you may have noticed, I haven't updated my blog for a while. A month, maybe? Anyway, I've had some personal reasons not to be very active, and have been pretty busy with my job, too. My studies start in two weeks, though, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to abandon my job and get more spare time to spend.

I've had some other things to do that just rot and work. First of all, I've watched Slayers. All episodes. In case you don't know, it's an anime parody series... that has 78 episodes and three seasons. I haven't had such good laughs for a long time. And haven't wasted so much time on one single thing, either

Other than that, after beating the most advanced AI of Age of Wonders 2 in a 1 vs 7 I realised I have to find something else to do. So I took my copy of GTA: San Andreas from a shelf and continued playing it. I still find it pretty boring compared to Vice City, but whatever. At least now I have something to do.

I also tried playing Manhunt. That game just sucked. I can't believe what a fuss they created over a mediocre stealth action game that looks awful and plays even worse. However, that game doesbring up one interesting question. What the hell is wrong with today's society?! Can you really get so much cheap popularity by showing people getting stabbed in their eyes? And now they have that Manhunt 2 scandal. I bet Rockstar did it on purpose...

And, finally, I've updated my CD collection. As some of you may know by now, I'm a huge fan of grunge music. Now I've got every single CD of Nirvana. That's in addition to a full collection of Soundgarden's CDs. Next is Screaming Trees. Too bad their discs are so hard to get hold of...

Today I read the GS preview of Witcher, and holy cow that game looks like it's going to be the first good CRPG to come out in years. I just hope that the freedom of choice presented in it will be different enough from the "you can kill him with a sword or an axe" present in "RPGs" like Oblivion.

I've also read other great news. Majesty 2 is coming. Even better, it's being made by Paradox. The 1% who have played the original Majesty will probably backflip right away, as for the others... oh well, let's just say that it wasn't a game you can easily forget. I'm glad that a capable studio will make the sequel.

I'm going to Denmark tomorrow. Will be back in two weeks. No Internet there, so I guess GS will have to survive without my marvelous personality for a while