Game of the Year. Yes, it's silly mentioning such an accolade only six months into the year, but after buying multiple games that I ended up not liking and thus, ignoring to finish, Burnout Paradise is the one game this year that's truly impressed. 'Course there's another six months of releases, and having not played MGS4 yet (next month, hopefully) handing out the award still seems a little premature. That aside, Burnout Paradise is a stellar collection of great ideas and an example of how things should be working this gen.

I'll admit, after playing the demo earlier this year I was heavily disappointed, but mere hours of playing the game properly I am in love. Here's some reasons why:

• The game is fast. You will crash, a lot. It's a fucking rush that demands your undivided attention. Even better, it's a racing game without those horribly fenced courses- the city is yours, the racetrack is the route you choose. A racing game without a track seems baffling, but it works, and how.
• Again side-stepping racing-game law, the AI of the opponents is what it should be, intelligent. Your opponents crash, they cheat, they win and they're just as deviantly sneaky during races as yourself. They don't stick to the roads, they take the time-saving jumps and they go out of their way to prevent you from winning, even if it means taking themselves out.
• It shows GTAIV what a sandbox play area really looks like. Districts and areas are unique, vibrant, and remarkably different from each other- everywhere is worth exploring, and reward lies in adventuring.
• The soundtrack is awesome. Brand New, Junkie XL, LCD Soundsystem, Soundgarden, and the seemingly misplaced but equally awesome Avril Lavigne. Turn them up loud though, they compliment the driving and drown out engine rattle and metal meets road screeching.
• As a single player experience the game is great, online, it's eight times better, and a hell of a lot more competitive to boot. Team challenges and a free-play online mode where the city is yours and seven others dominate the line-up, while high-scores are broken, boastings and stories made.
• Flames come out the back of cars that glow greens and entire mountains can be driven off of across lakes, all while performing a double barrel roll. The game is full of moments of satisfying omg car porn, and despite not being anywhere near a petrolhead, I love it.

Burnout Paradise, then, is surprisingly my favourite game of the year so far. I say surprisingly because, yes when it comes to racing games (or god forbid driving in any game) I roll my eyes right out of their sockets, but 'Paradise not only completely refreshes the stale genre that is racing, but feels so complete that it's a great game in it's own right. With promised continued developer support through DLC, my interest and new found love of this game is sure to continue for more than the next few weeks, unlike that 'other' supposed game of the year...

The fifth season of Channel 4's Peep Show came to an end recently, and by that I mean, yes, I was meaning to write this mini-review sooner. As my favourite TV comedy the thought that it's ended is obviously pretty upsetting, but the good news is that now thirty half-hour episodes in, the show is still going strong.

Once again, and inevitably they're nowhere near as good as the opening two seasons, but that these episodes can't match the standard set by the early seasons is only because of time and just how pivotal and fresh those first few episodes were. That's not marking them down in anyway, because the core idea and formula of the show, as ever, remains interestingly unique- after all, how many shows exist on TV today that are set for the most part in first-person with audible thinking of the characters? The answer's irrelevant, whatever the number, this would probably be the best example of such an idea.

Following on from Mark and Sophie's disastrous wedding that dominated and closed the entire fourth season, series five returns to the single episode narrative of previous seasons while still retaining the story arc of the previous year, this time the fallout and consequences of that very wedding. Highlights include Mark's attempts to get back into the dating game as well as the constant rivalry with co-worker Jeff Heaney. Jeremy meanwhile runs out of money, commits credit fraud and joins a cult, while collectively the two manage to get their widescreen TV stolen (and the subsequent one smashed), fall out, go to some gigs, and play a game of 'Who's The Daddy?' when Sophie becomes pregnant. As ever, those scenes and thoughts of pure cringe that dominate the episodes, are also in place. Similar to last year the real focus of the show seems to be on Mark's adventures while Jeremy once again seems to get the short straw, but as has always been the case, it's the chemistry and exchanges between the two that really make the show to begin with, and fans will be pleased to know there's plenty of comedic exchanges between the two.

Despite this, recurring characters are again, thankfully plentiful. Super Hans continues in many episodes to be Jeremy's sidekick and partner in crime, while Mark's boss Alan Johnson once again has recurring appearances. Big Suze from previous seasons is in a reduced capacity, while Nancy, once again, has disappeared entirely. In their place however there's the new character of Dobby, a character so well-materialised and crafted she seems as if she's been on the show for absolute years, and is undoubtedly one of the best things about these episodes. With luck, a return for next year will be inevitable.

Earlier this year writer and creator Jesse Armstrong announced that there was no intention to stop making the show, as a result of the characters never changing. While this is true for even this season, the continued adventures and troubles Mark and Jeremy find routinely find themselves in continue to amuse and entertain, and the prospect of more episodes of an already winning formula, is an exciting one.

My Toynami 3rd Wave Futurama figures arrived today -after the usual minor issues and obligiatory feud with the Royal Mail of course. They'd been on pre-order for a few months now, and while I think they were scheduled to be released in August, i'm well chuffed the date was brought forward and they arrived today.

 
Wave one and two was Fry and Zoidberg, Leela and Zapp, while the third wave sees the arrival of Bender and Kif- TV most infamous robot and the ever depressed green space sidekick. As with the previous figures there's a range of props and accessories -again annoyingly, most of them can't be held properly- and they compliment the character and maybe even add to the figure's appeal. Bender comes with extra pairs of eyes for 'angry face/sad face' lark, while Kif comes with his hat from Where The Buggalo Roam, and one of the sphere 'enemies' from the War Is the H-Word episode. There's also a framed photo of Amy, but this is a weak addition, second only to the possibility of an actual Amy figure.

Out of the two, Bender is undoubtedly the better figure, and perhaps even the best out of all those released so far. Even better, is the fact that his head can be unscrewed and replaced with Nixon's head-in-a-jar, as depicted in, A Head in the Polls, the best episode ever, fact. Wave Three also means that the Robot Devil figure is finally completed. The figure is all long and skinny compared to the rest, but it matches the character, and he's still a lot better than the horrible Fry release from earlier. And he's got a magnetic top hat, so, win.

The fourth wave of figures (which I think are already out?) is a Fry reissue, this time with superhero attire dressed as Captain Yesterday, and Nudar, from the recent DVD film. I'm passing on them both, but future releases include a Leela as Clobarella, Lrrr and Calculon. All must haves, and if they're anywhere near as good as the existing figures, fans are in for a treat.

Summer.

The weather-too hot or too wet, but never a nice in-between compromise. Endless attacks by beasties. Sleepless nights, and going to bed when it's still daylight. Shit TV, and the horrible stench of barbecues. Glares on screens, and the forever pouring sweat. Hayfever, that time when all the annoying little school kids are on holiday, holidays in general, and people either wearing too much clothes or not enough. Shorts, hairy legs, topless male bellies. Altogether, a culmination of awful.

Turns out it's my birthday today- yeah, really!

I'm now 22, but i've yet to feel any difference. Okay, so maybe there's some mild fears and apprehensions that i'm a year older and even further removed from being a teenager and more an adult, but these feelings will probably get worse before they get better. I think. But the good news is that with each additional year comes a whole lot of goodies people have kindly bought too celebrate the occasion, undoubtedly, the best thing of any birthday. Here's what I got.

• Leonardo da Vinci, The Complete Works
• Father Ted, The Complete Scripts
• Castles: England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales
• Radiohead- "Kid A"
• Radiohead- "Amnesiac" (from the rather awesome Jon- thank you kind sir!)
• ...Trail of Dead- "Source Tags and Codes"
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (on DVD- read the books, catching up with the films)
• That Mitchell & Webb Look, Season 1

...and finally, The Sims 2 'Teen Stuff' expansion pack.

I sent a link of my Amazon Wishlist to my parents before my birthday, so this is all the nice stuff they brought back with them. More than I was expecting, but I wont complain about that. I'm hoping to review some of the stuff for here too, but, well...better not make any promises. The three books are particularly good, and though there may not be any Lego or games -i'm pretty sure I can cover that myself- i'm pretty chuffed.

I still don't feel '22' though...

MOO Minicards