IT'S amazing how quickly Christmas takes hold isn't it?
I got back from reporting in Afghanistan earlier this week after nearly three weeks in theatre. I come back and... BANG - Christmas it is then... in November.
When I left a few of the larger retailers were beginning to put up decorations, you know just to remind people that Christmas was coming up.
But by November 24th Christmas was in full swing.
"Only 25 or so shopping days to Christmas," one sign read.
Who cares? I considered.
You see, I'm one of the new age of shoppers. You know, the ones that are single-handedly killing city centres.
For the past three or four years I have done just about all of my Christmas shopping online.
Ok, I'm not doing my part in helping local businesses survive the credit crunch. And yes, I might be described as being "lazy" for shopping online in the comforts of my home surroundings.
But you know what...? (And this is the point that local retailers and sceptics miss)... I really don't care.
Shopping online means no queues, and no annoyingly proud Plymouth parents who drive their kiddie buggies with the level of disdain you would otherwise associate with Lewis Hamilton driving on the A386.
There's no real fear of someone in front of you buying the last one, items are cheaper and have free delivery, and you don't have to go far to get it. (For me, off the sofa, up the stairs and into my bedroom and wallah... my Pc).
For me there is no comparison to internet shopping.
I bought a nice camera last month and I found it £100 cheaper online. Even though the nice man in the shop assured me he was practically going bankrupt to give me the camera at that price.
So with Christmas coming up (within minutes if you believe the efforts of some of the city centre's stores) I can offer you some shopping tips from a near enough expert.
My first point of call for electrical bits and bobs is Amazon.co.uk. The website stocks an amazing amount of items such as portable gaming equipment, video cameras and televisions as well CDs, DVDs, hairdryers, cuddly toys or whatever you're looking for.
If you spend over a certain amount (from memory I think it's £15) you get free delivery.
If you are especially looking to buy CDs, try http://www.cdwow.com/ or for DVDs try http://www.dvd.co.uk/. Those two are the most cheapest I've found and the ones I use a great deal. They both have free delivery and are well worth a look. http://www.play.com/ is also worth a look for both DVDs and CDs. Again postage is free.
As Seen On Screen (http://www.asos.com/) is also worth a shout if you're after that t-shirt that Justin Timberlake wore on his last video shoot, or indeed some bling that vaguely looks like something Beyonce would wear.
If you are looking for something more specific, say a video camera, and you know the make and model, it's worth visiting http://www.kelkoo.co.uk/.
This website compares online prices and picks out the cheapest allowing you to click a link to visit the specific store.
In the past people, including myself, have worried about spending large amounts of money on items which may have to be returned for one reason or another.
Certainly in my experience shopping online I have only ever had to return one item and that was a simple process of emailing the site and returning it for a refund. Easy.
So there you have it. A hassle free shopping experience.
So while I've been away there have been a number of big game releases.
Here I've grouped together the reviews to offer some real ideas for Christmas presents from loved ones.
Title: Resistance 2
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 5/5
Resistance: Fall Of Man was one of the shining lights when the PS3 launched in a blaze of glory last year.
It was a tight, slick, deftly executed first person shooter that wasn’t without it’s own bout of cathedral controversy, too.
The sequel once again puts you in the war-torn boots of Nathan Hale, who is not only facing near impossible odds on the battlefield against the horrific Chimera, but is also constantly struggling with the Chimeran virus that is raging inside his own body.
Another superb single player campaign moves the story on at a fast-pace and, when complete, there’s a phenomenal eight-player co-operative campaign to tackle – where teamwork really comes to the forefront.
The classic online competitive multiplayer completes an incredible first-person shooter package and makes this one PS3 exclusive you can’t miss out on this Christmas.
Title: The Legend of Spyro: Dawn Of The Dragon
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
The previous Spyro outings have been enjoyable, if a little traditional action, adventure events, but Dawn of the Dragon does seem to mark a new day for Spyro and his chum Cynder, as you embark on a fantastic action/RPG adventure where free-flying around the many different environments will prove the sheer scale of the world you’re playing in.
Throw in some superb voice acting from Hollywood stars Elijah Wood and Christina Ricci, plus a brilliant musical score, and you have yourself a corking little adventure that will really grow on you as you progress.
It’s a magical world and fab family game to get your teeth into.
Title: Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party
Platform: Wii
Genre: Mini-games
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
The Wii Fit balance board was only going to keep you occupied with yoga poses for so long.
Let the raving rabbids loose on this Wii peripheral and you’re soon be sat on your bum on the board wondering what the other 50 or so mini-games have to throw at you.
In the main, it’s cheeky-humoured, heavily-stylised cartoon fun from racers to remote wagglers to drawing on the screen. As with all mini-game titles, you can’t expect everyone to be a cracker, but TV Party scores a pretty high percentage of hits versus misses.
There’s no shortage of family ’party game’ titles on the number one family console in the run-up to those big festive get-togethers, but Raving Rabbids performs admirably in a crowded market and is well worth adding to your collection.
Title: Tamagotchi Connection Corner Shop 3
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 2/5
The days of simple virtual pet management have long gone.
No more can you simply press the right button at the right time on your keyring companion.
In Tamagotchi Connection Corner Shop 3 you’ve got plenty more to worry about as the owner of a variety of shops that must appeal to their every whim, from spas to gardening, ice cream to parties.
The better you work your way through this myriad of mini-games, the happier these little critters will be.
All of this amounts to a pretty saccharine and sterilised gaming experience, which is unlikely to appeal to anyone into double figures age-wise.
It’s repetitive and there’s very little challenge to attract anyone who’s not simply looking to complete their own Tamagotchi collection.
Title: Deal Or No Deal: The Banker Is Back
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: TV Quiz
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
Noel Edmonds and co have made a pretty tasty living out of Deal Or No Deal - the game of ludicrous odds and ultimate chance that has millions hooked to the TV over their tea.
And now, it’s back by popular demand, as the Banker (and Noel) return for another dose of box-picking action.
Classic modes, as well as some twists on the traditional format, are all available including the Banker’s Bonus and Banker’s Evil games.
These additional features add a little longevity to this title, and with the franchise such a family favourite, the game is a great gift idea for any family member or friend wanting to test their wits, skill and knowledge in the comfort of their own home, and without a live studio audience!
Title: Gears of War 2
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 5/5
With five million copies of the original Gears of War sold, its sequel has pretty big army boots to fill.
As one of the most popular games in Xbox history, Gears re-defined shooter action with an incredible cover system and supreme co-operative play, and guess what - it's just as good all over again! Continue as war hero Marcus Fenix, six months after the events of the original, when there's a new Locust threat from below.
It looks absolutely stunning, and the improved cover system now even allows you to use downed enemies as shields.
This feature is much-needed when you get a load of the psycho enemies you'll encounter along the way, many of whom are thirsty for all-new chainsaw duels - another highlight.
It's as intense and over-the-top as shooter adventures get, and that's before you even get a chance to sample the superb online offerings.
Title: Guitar Hero World Tour
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Music
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Not content with controlling the plectrum-plucking guitar genre on Xbox 360, World Tour opens up the musical possibilities by adding drums and the ability to sing to the guitar and bass options already on your melody-making smorgasbord.
A new innovation is the ability to create your own songs and distribute them among the online Guitar Hero community, which is sure to go down well with those serious about their music-making.
For everyone else, playing through the single player career mode is fab fun, with great new features and a host of top new tunes to make your own.
The sound quality is absolutely brilliant, as you would hope, and matched by seriously high-quality graphics. The perfect title to raise the roof this winter.
Title: Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
Oh no! A rejuvenated Neo Cortex is taking over the world, one brain at a time, with a text-messaging, do-anything device that controls both mutant and bandicoot minds.
So, armed with his quick wits and lightning agility, Crash must free his friends and the titans - and save the day! And so begins another cartoony caper that boasts all the elements for a strong 3D platformer - decent sound and a great story - but it's let down by the old classic: a dodgy camera.
Put simply, you're unable to move it as you'd like, which can become seriously frustrating when you're trying to make a quick turn.
As Crash Bandicoot titles go, this sits comfortably somewhere in the middle - it won't totally turn you off, although the camera nearly does.
Title: Carnival Games: Mini Golf
Platform: Wii
Genre: Golf
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 2/5
Hot on the heels of the million-selling original, Carnival Games: Mini-Golf brings its larger-than-life, theme park style to the world of miniature golf courses.
Whether you're stepping back in time to the land of dinosaurs, keeping order in the Wild West or searching for a buried treasure in Pirate's Cove, you'll be mixing it up with traditional mini-golf fare as well as some unexpected action-oriented gameplay using the Wii Remote.
Sadly, the poorly-realised swing mechanics mean your amble around the excellently-designed holes will turn more into a frustrating lurch from one green to the next, and the desire to snap your putter across your knee will gradually increase.
It's a shame, because the game looks really nice, but ultimately it's riddled with bogeys.
Title: America's Next Top Model
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Modelling
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
The US reality TV show has given aspiring supermodels an access-all-areas opportunity to forge a career in the modelling industry, and now the DS brings the same career path to gamers.
You take control of one of 10 aspiring models who compete in a variety of different categories, including 'Make-Up', 'Fashion', 'Catwalk' and 'Photoshoot'.
You can probably guess that there's a bit of a female flavour to proceedings, as the stylus helps you strike a pose for a photographer, keep your walk timed perfectly on the catwalk, or ensure your make-up is a match for the occasion.
It's all quite good fun and the pressure to survive every eviction keeps the interest running for a while. Good stuff for girl gamers on the go!
Title: Mirror's Edge
Platform: PS3
Genre: Action
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 5/5
This is no ordinary first-person title - let's make that very clear from the start. And that alone should send you shooting to the shops to snap up this instant classic from EA.
Your character is Faith, a 'runner' in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of information is closely watched. Be prepared for a bumpy ride as one of these high-octane, adrenalin-pumping couriers.
From the off, you'll see first-hand how the incredible perspective and pace of movement push this game to the limits. Find yourself on the edge of the city and the wrong side of the law, as you attempt to discover the truth behind your sister's wrongful framing for murder.
Superb chases, intense combat - this is an awesome, high-flying experience.
Title: Call Of Duty: World At War
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
After a fantastic foray into present day, the Call Of Duty plunges back into more familiar territory - World War II - and forces players to survive the final climactic days of a world at war, to thwart the advance of Axis powers on multiple fronts from Europe to the Pacific.
Play as a US Marine or Russian conscript across a variety of European and Pacific infantry, vehicle and airborne missions. This game delivers just the kind of shooter experience we've come to expect.
No holds barred, superbly recreated battle sequences don't give you a second to breathe. A new capability to play through the entire single player campaign cooperatively online, also adds new depth. A first class WWII recreation.
Title: Football Manager 2009
Platform: PSP
Genre: Football Management
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
There's nothing more frustrating than having to keep your stat-crunching, life-sucking virtual football management career confined to a PC desktop.
But fear not - now you can lose yourself in all those tactics, transfers and numbers, numbers, numbers whether you're on the bus, train or maybe sneaking in a pre-season friendly under the desk at work.
What's more - for the first time on PSP, the series now features a 2D match engine with two camera angles, allowing you to view the full match or zoom in on the action.
You can also run up to four playable divisions at any one time so you can move your career around the continent, too.
All while your real life career disappears down the swanny! Addictive, engrossing, football entertainment.
Title: What's Cooking? Jamie Oliver
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Cookery
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Taking a break from his campaign to teach Rotherham residents how to knock up a stir-fry, the most successful small-screen celebrity chef of our time turns his attention to conquering the even smaller screens of the Nintendo DS.
This is yet another of those 'edutainment' titles that seem to be all the rage right now. Essentially a virtual cookbook with portable capabilities, in aims to instruct and inform in the kitchen, by the barbeque or while scanning supermarket shelves.
The recipes are cracking Oliver fare, with high quality photography to match, but this type of idea doesn't fit the DS medium. As a result, it's likely to become another obscure cooking ingredient relegated to the back of the cupboard.
Title: World Heroes Anthology
Platform: PS2
Genre: Fighting
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
Another one of gaming history's most famous franchises is bundled up into this bumper collection, pulling together the 2D fighting classics of World Heroes, World Heroes 2, World Heroes 2 Jet and World Heroes Perfect.
Battling through history in a tournament facilitated by a time machine, many of the games' dozens of characters are based on actual historical figures, providing an interesting twist to the combat.
Aside from that, though, it's pretty much what you'd expect from a now aging fighting series - slightly dodgy graphics, limited special techniques and strange English translations. Big fans of World Heroes will enjoy the trip down memory lane, but everyone else should probably pass.
Title: Tomb Raider: Underworld
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
This is the kind of big-budget, classic franchise release that you're just desperate to be a hit as the festive period comes around.
And it's so good to report that Tomb Raider: Underworld marks a next-gen return to form for Lara Croft, as she embarks on an incredible journey around the world to uncover the secrets of a forgotten power.
Where Indiana Jones came up all crusty this year, Lara is re-invigorated, with a wealth of new acrobatic abilities and weaponry to tackle the treacherous landscapes of Thailand, the Arctic sea and Mexico, and so on.
Graphics to die for bring a new crispness to a Tomb Raider adventure, and the environments cleverly hide a host of devilishly devised puzzles to tackle. Combine this with an advanced combat system that puts you in complete control of the beautiful Croft, and you know you're onto a sure-fire winner here.
Title: Need For Speed Undercover
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
You should know by now that the Need For Speed series doesn't do things by halves, and Undercover is no exception - combining stunning gameplay and big-budget Hollywood-style live action movie segments.
Before you know it you'll be racing through speedways, dodging cops and chasing rivals as they go deep undercover to take down an international crime syndicate. While you'll have seen the high-intensity police chases in the past, Undercover introduces the all-new 'Heroic Driving Engine' - a unique technology that generates incredible high-performance moves at 180 miles per hour during breathtaking highway battles - and it's incredible.
Racing fans will lap this up and for followers of the series it's another satisfying shot of adrenalin-fuelled road action.
Title: Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Fighting
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
As brute strength, console credibility and meaty franchises go, this is a true clash of the titans as the Mortal KombaT warriors go head-to-head with Batman, Superman and their comic counterparts in a fab over-the-top fighter.
Simply choose your side and challenge your opponents with the all-new fighting system including Freefall Kombat and Klose Kombat, along with dynamic multi-tiered environments.
Character-specific signature and finishing moves tap into the true Mortal Kombat experience, while some of the visual bruising and torn clothes bring a real gritty realism to your unfolding battles, making this more than just a comic-book scrap.
Whether you're taking on your opponent in Gotham City, Hell, Metropolis or online, this is a welcome collision of larger-than-life worlds.
Title: WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2009
Platform: PS3
Genre: Wrestling
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Memories of TNA Impact! are quickly quashed once you step into the ring in WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2009.
THQ give their popular series a much needed polish, bringing gamers a hugely improved story mode, smoother visuals and an altogether more exciting wrestling experience.
There are improvements almost everywhere you look, from the ability to create your own finisher to the amazingly detailed Highlight Reel movie creator, where you can edit your in-ring action to the nth degree.
Perfect presentation, next-to-no loading times and the best combat system yet means this 2009 release is the new reigning champ as far as console wrestlers go.
Title: All-star Cheerleader
Platform: Wii
Genre: Cheerleading
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
There are fewer and fewer sporting stones left unturned on consoles. Fishing's been done, horse-racing covered.
What about cheerleading? Well, taking advantage of of the Wii Balance Board's capabilities, it's here for you now, as you get the chance to ride on the crest of the High School Musical wave and perform dozens of real-world dance moves.
You can customise your team's look and also string together your very own choreographed routine. Fans of this kind of dancing title are going to love the new direction that the Balance Board allows them to take.
Obviously, if you're a football and first-person-shooter loving gamer, you'll give this a miss, but for the target market, it makes all the right moves.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1 (-) Call Of Duty: World At War
2 (5) FIFA 09
3 (8) Mario Kart Wii
4 (-) Need For Speed: Undercover
5 (-) Wii Fit
6 (-) Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training
7 (3) Football Manager 2009
8 (9) Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
9 (-) Tomb Raider: Underworld
10 (-) Wii Play
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
