Will This Game Work On Windows 7…

It was my Grandfather’s funeral earlier this week which, though it probably isn’t gracious to admit it, was actually a fairly enjoyable affair because it meant we got to get the whole family together. It was sad too, obviously and I read a eulogy and there were many tears, but it was great to see all my cousins and sisters and my brother. It’s also meant that I’ve been out of the work at an awkward time though and perhaps haven’t been totally focused, so I haven’t got many links to put up. The postal strikes in the UK haven’t helped either – my copy of Borderlands only just arrived, though I’ve had Torchlight and Dragon Age: Origins to keep me busy.

The first joint Bit-tech and Custom PC awards are coming up soon and, though there’s only one gaming category in the awards and I’m not really sure how it’s all being organised, it should be a fairly good night. I’ll admit to being nervous about it though, as I’m not really very good at smalltalk and schmoozing unlike most everyone else in this industry. I’d much prefer to be sat in the corner with a tall gin and tonic than having to watch my sobriety and make chit-chat. Ah well. Here’s some links.

• Gaming Podcast #6 – IWNet, Windows 7 and Yak Meat (Audio)
• Deus Ex 2: Invisible War retrospective (Blog)
• Windows 7 Games Compatibility Testing (Feature)
• How Far Has PC Gaming Come? (Feature)
• 18 Movies That Scared Us (Den of Geek Contribution)

There’s also this, though it isn’t by me. It’s a fairly good set of reasons why IWNet for Modern Warfare 2 will suck ass. And this, which is a new feature we’ve rolled out on bit-tech lately. And this; Frank Turner, who I’ve been listening to lately.

That’s about it really. I do have other stuff to say, including an update on The Baldur’s Gate Challenge, but I can’t be bothered right now. Long story/short – I finished Durlag’s Tower and it was a right bitch.

Joe, Out.

The Brutal Legend…

My review of Brutal Legend is going up on bit-tech today, with a second review going up on Den of Geek in a few days. I’ll save you the tension and just say that the game is awesome; I love it. Honestly, I found it quite hard to write the bit-tech review, but once I got going it was OK – my main problem was trying to make it clear that the main fault of the game is an array of somewhat bland gameplay tropes. The characters, plot and multiplayer make up for it though. I actually met Tim Schafer again not long ago, asking him a bunch of questions and getting him to sign my copy of Grim Fandango. He was very much like I expected; quietly uncomfortable with the reputation that’s been built around him and not totally willing to be serious for more than five minutes thanks to a very shrewd sense of wit and quietly mumbling voice.

In other news, I’ve been reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand lately and I really like that too. Unlike most books that are actually about explaining a deeper philosophy, Atlas Shrugged doesn’t stray into the usual diatribes and monologue bollocks. Instead, it just stays with a really interesting array of characters who communicate their philosophies by their interactions with the world around them. The book is well written too – something I didn’t wholly get from The Old Man and The Sea by Hemmingway, which I finished reading just before hand. I can’t believe that won a Nobel Prize for literature in all honesty;  the Christ imagery was semi-interesting and all, but it’s no compensation for a dull plot and staid writing.

Here’s a round-up of other stuff I’ve done.

• Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising review (5/10)
• Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box review (9/10)
• Remembering the Sega Dreamcast (Feature)
• Alpha Protocol preview (GamesCom Preview)
• What Makes You Quit A Multiplayer Game? (Gaming Blog)
• I’m An Evil Basterd (Baldur’s Gate Challenge)

What else? Well, on top of my classic book reading binge, my Father is preparing to launch a whisky tasting event company, I reviewed the next game from Tale of Tales; Fatale, and I’m preparing for a slew of features on the site. I also did a column in the latest issue of CustomPC Magazine that I’m quietly proud of, asking whether PC Games Journalism is mired in Nostalgia. On a somewhat ironic counterpoint, I’ve been playing Duke Nukem 3D on the iPhone an awful lot.

I also went away for a weekend with Ed from TrustedReviews and Hannah and we learned how to skin a deer, make jerky and survive for 48 hours in Wales.

That is all, Joe.