"Dear diary..."

Today the skies are grey, my apartment is chilly, and I'm being serenaded by Bruce Springsteen (by way of my stereo).

Ah...Saturday.

If Sunday is the Queen of Days, then Saturday is surely the King. After a surprisingly exhausting - and intriguing - week, I slept in guilt-free today, ate breakfast, and browsed the Net. No stress. I don't have to do anything today. Except change the kitty-litter. And vacuum. And do laundry. And...oh, good grief.

Last time, I did a brief "been reading lately", so now I'll do "been playing lately", and give you some idea about what fills the little game-playing time I have left.

First things first: Sim City 4. I installed it yesterday, and it's as good as I'd hoped it would be. Better looking than ever before, with more detailed buildings, 3D elements, great effects. It's also got a more streamlined interface than the last one, and (at first sight) more fluid gameplay - fewer frustrations, more fun. It's not easy, but it's logical, and with perseverance I'll be able to build my dream city. Mmm...dream city. Of course, I demolished my first city yesterday using the new disasters, which are pretty darn cool. Especially the twister. Destruction is fun.

I've also picked up Star Fox Adventures again, and I intend to get a bit farther into the game - maybe even complete it - before putting it back on the shelf. It's good, simple fun, visually stunning, with tight controls and a plethora of interesting game modes. It's not hugely original, or a stunning piece of work, design wise, but I likes it.

I'm still very much into Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and every time I sit down to play it, I spend at least an hour, complete a few missions, and have tons and tons of fun. It hasn't paled yet, more than two months after release, and I'll be playing it two months from now. The proof's in the pudding, and this pudding's tasty (groan). I loves it.

Burnout 2 is still one of the best racing game I've ever played, and though I've completed the standard championship mode, I'm constantly going back for an adrenalin fix.

I haven't played The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for the PS2 nearly enough - partly a lack of time, partly a frustration with having to restart a level after almost completing it the last time around - but I expect to return to it soon, because it is a good game; great graphics, solid controls, and lots and lots of Middle Earth action. Plus, I want to see all the levels and unlock all the secrets!

There are other games, too (Kingdom Hearts, Jak & Dexter, Asheron's Call 2), but this'll have to suffice. I play waaay too many games for the time I have to do so - often, I don't get more than a few levels into a game before putting it on the shelf. Sometimes, I tell myself I'll get around to them, but mostly I resign myself to the sad fact that there's not enough time in the world to play 'em all. But I try. God knows I try.  ¶ 14:17