Skyrim has to be the open world game I recently spent the most time dicking around in. I didn't do too much exploring in GTAIV or GTAV, but I spent a lot of time simply mucking about in GTA: San Andreas, the weird military base, jetpacks, parachuting, and general craziness lent itself more to wacky hijinks.

I think it's the lack of cities, sure there are the orc forts and strongholds, but there's nothing like a city vibe. As an "open world" it was pretty much just a big field. And a big field you could basically stand at one end and look out to the other end.

I want to see the numbers on the classes people used for their first run. In my mind, how could the first play through not have been as a Jew. I'd take the over on 70% selecting the Jew.

Getting the "Clinger WInger" (11th) level of Battletoads (but never beating it) without cheating.

I thought the Rube's Choice Awards were next week.

It took me a long time to come around to playing an FPS on a controller, after years of Counterstrike, UT, Half Life, and the rest, but finally I did. Now it's been so long since I've played with keyboard and mouse it feels terribly awkward. To mix analogies, it's not like riding a bike again.

Damn, that's what I'd thought it was but I a) didn't feel like googling it, and b) didn't want to have an error in my post correcting the article.

That's largely how I see it and a good analogy. I usually just log in, run the daily, maybe snag a bounty or two, log out. Good 30 minutes or so of mindless activity keeping my shooter skills sharp. Maybe run the nightfall or hop in the crucible on a weekend.

We all remember that past nastification.

Correction, it was Violet Something that was turned into a giant human blueberry, "Violet, you're turning violet!" Veruca Salt was the spoiled brat who was dropped down the garbage disposal as a bad egg. And possibly later incinerated.

Good thing Bungie worked those storytelling kinks out with Destiny … wait a minute!

Even god can't get a line piece when he needs it.

Alex basically gave the answer away too, when Elliot answered "anise," Alex said they needed more (affirming anise as the spice part of the clue), and the clue called for the damn shape.

Alex is going to have to start the next show with another little life lesson about having temper-tantrums when you lose.

I think this is the problem with freedom. Most players given too much freedom will naturally fall into a rut. They'll find their favorite (or easiest) puzzle-solving mechanic and just reuse it over and over, despite the challenge and availability of others. Even if it's not breaking the game I'm sure the creators…

They're long-winded for the (not good) reason that they all contain "double clues," with the second easy clue allowing people to get the answer right even if they don't actually know the substance of the category.

Well Sean Avery is largely known for that comment, the "Avery Rule" about screening goaltenders, and generally being an ass.

Agree with the positive spin as that's about the only way to think of the ugliness that surrounded a lot of gaming this year. It was the last violent lashing out of the "games as dumb entertainment" crow before they recede from primacy. They'll never fully go away (as idiots, bigots, racists, sexists and the rest…

I can't look at the link at work but would those be Binicorns?

I'm already planning my future self-flagellation on a Vita playthrough, where it seems like a perfect fit (and maybe it'll be cross-buy). As is though it's at some point in the future when the backlog dies down and I get the JRPG itch.