Nikki and Paulo, characters on LOST, were introduced earlier on this season merely as redshirts. Since then for many they've become the most annoying TV characters ever, never uttering more than an awful line or five. LOST last night however, elevated the characters to a new status within the show canon that no-one had imagined, and as is true style with the show, these are two characters that have secrets in their past.

For many viewers this was going to be quite a challenge- sitting through an entire hour of the most despised characters on this show, a challenge for the writers too admittedly, but the episode was surprisingly good, enjoyable throughout, and dare I say it, even better than some of the more conventional episodes this year such as "Stranger in a strange land". As recurring characters, Nikki and Paulo essentially acted as our ears and eyes in this episode during the jungle treks, feeling and showing emotions that we the audience too are experiencing at home with each new deliciously absurd discovery that's made in the jungle. The return of the Nigerian plane in Season 1 and the discovery of The Pearl station (chronologically before the other characters) was an interesting concept, and through these previously feeble and weak characters, we learnt a surprising amount about events and settings on the island in general. Scenes helped fill in the gaps, mini-problems were solved, and for the first time this season, the whole cast was actually in an episode together.

The flashback in this episode like the island events itself is very focussed on these two recurring characters, and while there's a brief bit of history early on in the episode, the majority of the flashback this week takes place on the island itself in a style very familiar to "The Other 48 Days" from last year. The events being covered in the flashback ensure too that some of the previous stars from past seasons can return also, and this episode features both Maggie Grace (Shannon) and Ian Somerhalder (Boone), as well as fan favourites Ethan and Dr Artz. Admittedly they're more filler than anything else, but their presence is welcomed and does complete the stories featured. As an episode really, in an inverted way this is an absolute dream if you're a hardcore fan, with settings and characters from the past two seasons being revisited as mentioned.

The on-island plot is a little wacky, even for LOST standards, the end scene featuring our two newly established character being buried-alive. As a beach episode generally there are masses of pop-culture references and spoofs throughout, the most notable being that the majority of the episode takes a very CSI approach to the island proceedings. Sure as an episode this is very much all filler, but in a season where there's a castaway that can now predict the future, a mofo submarine, and a magic 'box' that can manifest thoughts, this episode is a welcome relief mid-season, and definitely a slice of light-hearted joy that LOST seems growing ever absent of nowadays.

Via British Gaming Blog-
Great, but what the hell do I do now with my current X360?

More to the point, why didn't they just release this version in the beginning?

Even if LOST does continue to avoid answering questions there's always the three reasons to watch that are Evangeline Lilly, Yunjin Kim and Emilie de Ravin. But we all know LOST is going to pay off eventually...right?

The launch of the PlayStation 3 this weekend marks all but the end of this current generation, and perhaps to an extent too, Sony's reign as console kings if recent sales figures are to be believed. But ignoring the future, the PS2 has had a fantastic run, and certainly, a games catalogue full of triple AAA titles. So with that in mind, here's ten that stick out for me-


SSX
Undoubtedly the jewel in the PS2 launch, SSX is still incredibly playable today. Running at a fantastic framerate, SSX is a neon explosion of light and colour all set to the foreground of being a snowboard arcade-racer where the emphasis is purely on speed and style. Though the sequels meddled with the formula and exaggerated some of the title's defining features, for pure retro joy and simplicity, this is the best iteration of the series.


Grand Theft Auto III

The series' first foray into a 3D playing environment, and for many, the first memories associated with the PS2. Laden with pop-culture references and jokes on culture, GTA3 is such a joy to play because it does everything so well, whether it be exploration, shooting or driving. But it's the fact that there is so much freedom within the gameworld in the first place that makes the game successful. As with all games nowadays there's the obligatory storyline, but the notion of just being able to do whatever you want in a constricted environment previously had been unheard of. It's not revolutionary by any means, but in terms of evolution of game worlds, that it is. Like SSX it's spawned numerous sequels, but again, this is the one you want to play.

God of War
While housing numerous genres, the PlayStation 2 will always be the home for 3D action adventures, as is the Xbox(es) to First-Person-Shooters. God of War is far from revolutionary, and on the surface is just another one of those generic adventures, but a quick play and it's evident it's more than this. While far from revolutionary, GOW is an absolutely incredible playing experience with solid execution throughout. Set in ancient Greece, visual design within the game is at an all-time high. As much a platformer as it is an adventure, this is the free-roaming beat-em-up genre brought back to life and up to today's game standards. Perhaps the game lasts a little too long, but certainly, it's a game-playing experience you'll never forget upon completion.

Ico
At it's simplest level, Ico is a platformer involving the usual jumping and rope swinging, but for perhaps the first time in a videogame, the story is the main focus and admirable quality of the game. It's incredibly surreal and dark of course, but the tale of a young boy outcast from his village and a mysterious girl of light traversing a big castle while helping each other out on the way is just too charming not to care about. For once, the NPC becomes more than just that and suddenly transforms into someone you do genuinely begin to care for- not a goal, not a screen nuisance, and certainly not a chore, Ico is certainly a game that invokes emotions towards videogames you never knew possible. Visually stunning and engrossing throughout it's platforming with an adult spin.


Dragon Quest- The Journey of the Cursed King
In terms of progressing the RPG genre, Dragon Quest is far from revolutionary. In fact, the game is very decadent, free from a lot of the malarkey that current plagues the genre. But despite both these points, Dragon Quest is an absolute joy to play. A back to basics approach, everything in this title is by-the-numbers, but that's why it's so good in the first place- this is simply an old-school RPG in a "next-gen" environment. As should be the case with all RPGs, character design is a real highlight with cel-shading illuminating the game visually, and while in regards to many free-roaming titles this title is pretty restrictive, it's still a lot of fun. And hey, that's what all games should be about, right?


Canis Canem Edit
Originally titled "Bully", Canis Canem Edit ran into problems with the media very early on in it's lifespan. From Rockstar, the similarities to Grand Theft Auto are very clearly there, and Canis could easily be best described as just being "GTA with schoolkids", but that's a lazy comparison. A third-person "action-adventure", Canis Canem sees you playing young Jimmy Hopkins- trying to dodge the school bullies, find his way and life, and generally just survive his time at school. On it's concept alone it just sounds like another chance to revisit your horrible adolescence, but the game is incredibly quirky and full of humour- much like it's bigger-brother of a game. Aesthetically the game has that washed-out visual grain that's familiar with so many PS2 titles, including of course the GTA games themselves. Not that it matters, because despite this, Canis Canem is a game full of interesting ideas, and a gameplaying experience that few games can house.

Metal Gear Solid III- Snake Eater
The third installment of the popular stealth-em-up, MGS3 turns things on their head early on in the game when you soon realize that for the first time in the game, you are alone, and you are exposed. On paper the notion of placing MGS in a jungle setting doesn't sound too revolutionary, but the game is radically different from it's predecessors (and all the other stealth genre titles) as a result. The production of the game is impressive to ensure that you do really feel as if you're in a jungle, with leaves and grass slowly blowing in the wind, waterfalls heard from a distance and choruses of wildlife the number one priority on the soundtrack agenda- it truly is such an immersive gameworld. The game still sticks to series traditions however as the endless cutscenes show, but this is a great story of worldwide fear and panic on a small scale. Plotholes and absurdities are present naturally as there is in all MGS games, but for cut-scene game endings, there really is no better than the one featured here- it truly is incredible.

Final Fantasy X
The series' first title on the second PlayStation, but certainly not the last with the twelfth edition coming out only recently. Final Fantasy X is like the other games in the series, and if you've any general experience of RPGs you'll know what you're up against here. New features present in this title are the Sphere-Grid means of levelling-up and Overdrives. As with all titles in the series, the storyline is undoubtedly the main concern of the game, and while in some cases it's a masterpiece, in other areas it's completely awful. Again, if you've experience with the series you'll know what kind of things to expect, but as a newcomer it can be quite enjoyable, and dare I say it, emotionally engrossing, so much so that after eighty hours you'll still be playing. The game starts off reasonably slow but with interesting characters and locations, once you're in you'll be staying for a while.

(the) Ratchet & Clank (series)

I only discovered Alamos earlier this year. but i've quickly become a fan, so much so that recently I picked up their self-titled debut from last year. Going into the listening of it and based on my experience of the band live I was expecting them to be incredibly similar to Jetplane Landing, but the album isn't as heavy and rocked out as I imagined, and incidentally, is kind of the complete opposite.

The album throughout is very disco-indie and fuelled by funkpunk rhythms. That's not to say they're like The Killers or Pretty Girls Make Graves, but certain songs do feature a similar sound to that of We Are Scientists, or even to some extent, Maximo Park. Along with the guitar rhythms, this notion is reinforced by the laid-back funky basslines, as well as the continual looping of lyrics. Again, there's no dedicated keys or synth in place, but certainly there is an indie-funk aspect to the album that will, depending on your comfort levels in public eye, make you dance (or want to).

The band thankfully aren't afraid to turn up the heavy, and their sound can be very schizophrenic with "dance" and "mosh" being two actions you'll be switching between on a regular basis. "Kill Baby Kill" and "Small Ships" are just two examples of this combustion, combining that deep, raw, under-produced rock with that oh-so-sweet grooves notably with successful results. Moments like these remind you that despite your take on them, this band are undoubtedly creators of rock music first and foremost, evident with the grainy instrumentals and wailing guitar beats present on many of the songs. Melodic instrumentals between the verses do remind of the sound of Jetplane Landing on occasion, but really, there's no way possible to describe the sound and flow of this album without listening to it with your own ears.

Calling it perfection would be perhaps a little too much, but with such a fantastic sound throughout, it's certainly a great listening experience. The worst thing about the album then, is that the listening experience is cut short, and at only thirty minutes there's not a lot here. But the lasting impression you'll be left with will mean that it's not long before your replaying the entire album. Despite the band's sound, the album's length, the lyrics or musical construction, there is only one real word to describe these guys-

Underrated.

I've started playing Animal Crossing: Wild World on the DS again. And when I say "started again" I really mean it, i've completely re-begun the game.

It's made me fall in love with the game all over again. Completing simple tasks to pay off my mortgage, entering fishing competitions, meeting the locals and writing to them on a daily basis- it's just such an incredibly laid back and charming game playing experience, and unfortunately one that i've neglected for just too long. Switching on the DS and playing the game everyday is no longer a chore or mundane ritual, it's a joy and a pleasure. Sure my house is under-furnished and I have next to no in-game money whatsoever, but it's all just so much fun (and hey, maybe even better and relaxed than real life).


Like my sofa? I found it in the recycling bin. I could do with a carpet too, but no-one's donated one for me yet. I can always pawn my fishing trophy...