Almost back to normal

Well after yet more hospital related trips the object of my affections is finally back on the mend, hopefully for real this time, so now that she is on the road to recovery I can but hope that things get back to regular programming.

In between driving all over the land (or that is what it feels like) to see her, I have just been chilling out with a variety of projects. Easy stuff like Fallout 3 (PC), Terminator Salvation and CSI Deadly Intent have been and gone. Plus, I sank sixty odd hours into getting the full 1,100 from Dragon Age Origins too - which was an absolute blast to play.

I'm now trying to finish up with Tropico 3 - which for some reason was released in PAL regions in November but is not out in the US until next year. Strange for us Euro folks to get ANYTHING before anyone else but I'm not going to argue with good fortune.

The game is amazingly addictive and a strategy game to boot which is not normally my thing. Basically it plays like Civilisation but with less of a global landscape. You have to build up your city from the ground up - successfully managing the industry, agriculture and housing of your people. If that doesn't float your boat then you can always go for tourist money by building airports, hotels and attractions. You also need to look after their religious needs and desire for entertainment amongst other things. The game has a fun sense of humour as you can arrange for dissenting voices to be silenced or have 'accidents' plus you can sneakily syphon money into your own slush fund should you so desire. Though if you upset people too much you could be on the wrong end of rebels, a military coup or a general uprising so a careful balane is needed.

I got totally lost in the game for a whole week to be honest and enjoyed my time immensely, at the moment I am five campaign missions away from finishing the full 1k but it was time well spent. My only quibble would be the fact that after playing the same thing over and over the charm has kind of worn off and I just want to be done now, ha ha!

Next up will be either Planet 51 or Sherlock Holmes Vs Jack the Ripper - I'm not expecting great things if I'm honest but yo never know.