Ah... the election is over. I'm so happy to return to playing games. I had a nice quiet evening of nerdery last night. I had lost my appetite for games over the last few weeks, as I became more glued to the 24/7 news networks and to the internet. That is over. I thought I'd write up my impressions of the games I'm playing now.

Far Cry 2-

The game isn't perfect, but it is a lot of fun. It falls victim to a problem that a lot of sandbox games have and adds a few new ones of its own. The game is repetitive in ways that most sandbox games are, but the lack of a strong story makes that repetition a little more frustrating. My biggest issue is that traveling is often more of a pain in the ass than it has to be. There are too many guard checkpoints on the roads.

Those complaints aside, this is a great game. For all of its faults, it still has absolutely incredible combat that is dynamic in ways that most games aren't. There is nothing like starting a huge fire and changing the whole flow of a battle.

LittleBigPlanet-

Now that the awful launch is over, I've really settled into this game. I do think it is the game of the generation. It is certainly the game that should define how people remember the PS3 after this gen is over. Those are lofty words, but this game really is something special. Not only is it technically solid, it is oozing styIe. This game is one of those rare games that truly manages to feel hip and cool. The soundtrack is as amazing as the art styIe.

I'm building a level right now that involves going into a tall tower to battle a huge monster and rescue someone in the process. It is so easy to build and playtest as you go to make sure everything is working right. My level will pale in comparison to the excellent levels that Media Molecule has included in the game, and they will certainly pale in comparison to the stuff that other folks in the community are playing. If you haven't seen it yet, check out this Gradius LBP level. This game is amazing, and the possibilities seem endless.

Fallout 3-

This game is phenomenal. In a lot of ways I think it is better than Oblivion which is one of my all time favorite games. Fallout 3 is much more focused, and it has a spectacular sense of styIe that was missing from Oblivion's bland cities and towns. I'm playing stealthy and shooting for good karma. I saved Megaton from certain doom, and have arranged a deal with some "vampires" to protect a small town that they had previously been raiding and stealing people from to drink their blood. This is so much more than Oblivion with guns. It would be a great game if it was just that, but it is so much more.

This is the best year of gaming that I've ever experienced, hands down. I'll be getting Valkyria Chronicles on Friday too. I can't wait!