As a follow up to the pic I took, here's me with Richard Garriot afterwards. Two things to notice are the Electronic Arts words on the front of Richard's shirt as well as the Ultima Online pin on his collar. Also, I no longer have glasses as I had Lasik and I was 20lbs lighter 11 years ago.

I meant to post this last week, but it got busy between my birthday, training for a 5k, and waiting to hear about my next work assignment so I let it slide. But here is my first impression of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episodice Adventures .

 It's fun. And I mean a lot of fun.

There are a lot of tie ins to the humor of the Penny Arcade online comic strip, but even if you aren't a big fan you can enjoy this game. It's cell shaded, there isn't much sound, and the combat can be a bit reptitive at times, but otherwise it's a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Combat is turn based, but thing are so well done you don't really notice how much you've done the same thing over and over again til the game is done. They've even included combo attacks letting you maximize the potential of all 3 main characters.

Set in the period when many people belived magic could be real, and machines were just really getting their start, this game combines fruit-violating robots, a little girl with a penchant for invention (and destruction), as well as the typical Penny Arcade irreverant humor. This game can be taken seriously, even though it doesn't take itself seriously.

The only bad part about it is waiting for Episode II.

I was struck with a case of post-late night hockey insomnia last night, and having downloaded the early-release Battlefield: Bad Company demo yesterday afternoon, I decided to put it through it's paces until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.

 The single-player demo gives you some nice glimpses of the plot, the squad based action, and in my opinion some of the nicest graphics seen in a sandbox on the 360. This is particularly true because I was playing on my standard definition tube, and still felt like the scenery was mostly lush, even up close. I noticed some issues with the destructible world elements graphically in solo mode but overall came away impressed.

Where this game shines (like all the prior Battlefield games) is in multiplayer mode. Not to ruin too much of the plot, but your squad this time isn't driven simply by patriotism. It seems the fellows of Bad Company have a bit of Jack Sparrow in them, and are equally motivated by the prospect of gold bars. In the multiplayer demo, you play on a level called "Oasis", which has several small villages laid out across the map. Mountains and water make up the left and right of the terrain, giving a good indication of the types of play available in the various levels of the final game.

Combat is sharp and balanced, and even a mostly below average combat/action player was able to move up a few ranks after only a couple hours of time. If I have any gripes at all, its that the helicopter will need to be "nerfed" slightly, because right now a helicopter pilot who knows what he's doing completely takes over the game. Perhaps with some of the unlockable demolitions weaponry it will be easier to counteract this, but as it stands, tanks and AA guns are little trouble for the choppers.

One last interesting item of note is that progression through the ranks in the demo earns you unlockable item that can be used throughout the real game. I won't give away what it is, but if you plan to play the game regularly, it's probably worth your time to get into the demo.