CliffyB: Console sellout

It would seem everyone has got their opinion on what the outspoken lead designer of Epic Games has said about the state of PC gaming. Xbox kids finally have the chance to mock their superiors for a valid reason after it was revealed that Gears of War 2 would not be released on PC, and PC gamers have been left reeling after CliffyB's explanation why. He claimed that "PC gaming is in disarray". His connotation of 'disarray' being that piracy is affecting sales, nothing to do with the quality of the games, which of course continue to lead the way.

I've reluctantly given in to corporate selfishness and given half of the money to my brother towards buying the game. I feel like a dirty little child when playing it of course, so the sooner it's completed the better. Throw in the fact that it's too similar to the original and therefore somewhat uninteresting and I start to wonder whether PC gamers are missing out anyway (not just sour grapes).

If Cliffy wasn't so blinded by greed he would have noticed that the PC still enjoys a stronger release schedule than all of it's kid brothers combined. If he's abandoning the PC for good, I hope he refrains from attempting to damage it's reputation with his desperate PR.

Memorable experience 5: No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way

This game holds a very special place in my heart. It was a close call that it even made it into my pile of Christmas presents in 2002, as my Mum told me she'd been asking shop assistants if they stocked No One Ever Lives. I'll be forever grateful that she was alerted to her ignorance. The undoubted quality of the sequel came as a surprise after the flawed original had split opinion down the middle.

I mainly remember NOLF 2 for it's slick, fluid gameplay, glorious graphical style and it's wonderfully imaginative weaponry. Also, the female protagonist, Cate Archer, stands as the coolest female to ever appear in a computer game. A factor which set NOLF 2 apart from other shooters was its locations. Hugely varied, and always a joy to be part of, they ranged from a trailer park in Ohio during a tornado to a Japanese ninja village. Beautifully lavish with colour, they were a relief from the usual bleak, grey corridors. The game tells the best secret agent story I've heard. It's delightfully tongue-in-cheek and unpredictable.

James Bond meets Austin Powers, but without the lameness, NOLF 2 is an outlandish masterpiece that stands out as somewhat of an anomaly among shooters. Technically, it's aged magnificently, to the extent that returning to it wouldn't dampen the nostalgia too much. If you missed it when it came out, pick it up for a pittance and be thankful you're a negligent enough gamer to have not enjoyed it yet.

The tricycle chase

Recommended game and music combinations (Part 4)

Thanks to the well-publicised feast of top quality shooters that were released at the end of 2008, my earlier recommended game and music combinations now seem very last-generation. It is a homage to the strength of those few months that I deemed this update necessary. Judging by the vibrancy in the industry at present, expect to see part 5 in a year's time.

Single-player

Fallout 3
The best game in years, this RPG masterpiece has you roaming the wastes of a bombed-out Washington DC after emerging from an underground vault. Satisfying, absorbing and at times breathtaking.

Grand Theft Auto IV
Rockstar have edged slightly closer to free-form perfection with the latest in their brilliant crime series. Still flawed in some ways, but wildly fun nonetheless and packed with things to do.

Far Cry and Far Cry 2
I've used the recent arrival of the beautifully realised sequel as a chance to add the glorious original to my recommendations. The first is set in paradise, the second in harsh African wastelands. Both will make you feel very lonely and can be brutally difficult.