I don't know about anyone else but I've been feeling thoroughly depressed of late.
The clocks changing and the dark days, the horrible blustery rain-in-your-ear weather, the countdown to Christmas, ya dee ya, it's all a bit pants isn't it?
The only winter warmers have been the release of Unchartered 2 and PES 2010 which have gone down a storm with gamers across the country.
So in a bid to kick start my mood I've been looking into holidays - and big fat ones at that.
Shopping for a holiday is not like it used to be.
While some people might still prefer to pop into a local branch of Thomas Cook, I believe the best deals can be found by shopping online.
While I do try to shop in city and town centres as much as possible to support local business, there comes a time (in economic meltdown) when needs must. And if I can find something say, 30 per cent cheaper, it's got to be a winner.
There are plenty of websites which deal with flights alone (such as airline websites), while there are countless others which deal with package holidays (including flights, hotels, hire cars, tours etc.)
Like anything it is best to get in there early to get the best deal but, nine times out of ten, web prices are cheaper than those on the high street.
A good starting point is expedia's website which offers cheap city breaks, beach breaks, ski holidays, budget deals and even Christmas deals.
I've used the site quite a few times to book flights, and flights and hotels and it's been fairly reliable.
One aspect which is particularly good is that the website allows customers to rate their hotel stay so you can form a good picture of what is to come.
You can even use your Nectar points to get money off.
Most people will have now heard of the budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair, both of which offer seriously good deals on flights throughout the year.
If you're quick enough it is possible to bag a return flight for a few pence to many of Europe's top destinations. It's well worth checking out their websites every few weeks for the best deals.
Another useful website is lastminute.com which does exactly what it says on the tin.
One of my favourite travel websites for gaining inspiration has got to be Lonely Planet's.
It offers features on spectacular places which you normally wouldn't consider and information and advice on getting there and having the best time.
It also has a handy trip planner feature which guides you through your itinerary.
While I admit I have never used it, I'm reliably told that Teletext offers as good - if not better - deals online.
If none of the above help, why not simply tap 'cheap' or 'budget holiday' and 'deals' into Google's search engine and see what comes up. There's sure to be enough inspiration in there somewhere to help shed some light on the looming winter blues.
If that's not enough, for now why not check out the latest games releases?
Title: Band Hero Bundle
Platform: PS3
Genre: Music
Price: £149.99
Hit count: 5/5
If you’re struggling to think of a fun, interactive present for all the family to enjoy this festive season, relax – you’ve found it.
Gone are the days when a 48-hour Monopoly marathon was considered the best way to spend Christmas and Boxing Day.
Now, for a pretty tidy £150 you get a band in a box, quite literally. Packed with guitar, drum kit, microphone and a bursting list of 60-plus tracks, it’s another brilliant addition to the Hero series. You use familiar controls and interfaces to allow gamers to jump straight in, while the presentation has been polished in almost every area.
Whether you’re a Lily Allen fan, a David Bowie groupie or you swoon at the sight of Taylor Swift, there’s something for everyone. And gaming together as a group in the living room feels as fun as it would up on-stage.
Roll over board games, the real festive fun has arrived.
Title: Wii Fit Plus
Platform: Wii
Genre: Fitness
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5
Pre-empting the millions of people who’ll be huffing and puffing in January after a week of ludicrous excess over Christmas, Nintendo has already come up with the remedy for those podgy guts and chubby cheeks – the next instalment in the Wii Fit series.
Picking up where the introduction of the balance board left off, Wii Fit Plus succeeds in moving the series on because it offers a much more tailored experience, allowing you to build your own routine.
The main new addition, however, is the bundle of 15 or so mini-games, and these really bring you a hi-energy workout with some serious fun.
From skateboarding to snowball fighting, many of them make brilliant use of the peripherals at your disposal, although there are a few duffers in there too.
All in all, an excellent, good-value upgrade to the series, and one well worth considering.
Title: Borderlands
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter/RPG
Price: £44.99
Hit count: 4/5
Tossed into a strange world with quests to complete and a crazy array of enemies to encounter, you could be forgiven for thinking that Borderlands is just like any other action/adventure title.
But, as you’ll soon discover within a couple of hours, behind the trigger-happy first-person-based action lies a deeply statistical and customisable engine, which may prove to be a bit of a ’marmite moment’ for many gamers.
While the bloodthirsty, brutal action itself and stylised cel-shaded graphics really make the game stand out in its genre, the need for careful attention when levelling up and upgrading your arsenal may prove to be something of a turn-off for the more casual gamer.
But sticking with this will reward you with a really engrossing experience, combining challenging enemies, brilliant weapons and a wicked sense of humour to great effect.
Title: Shaun The Sheep: Off His Head
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action/Adventure
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5
Is it too early to be talking about stocking-fillers? Not if you look at the mince pies and mulled wine on supermarket shelves right now.
So, for all Aardman fans, it’s an exciting prospect to dive into episodes of Shaun The Sheep and recreate the fun and unique silent-movie humour – this could be nice little extra to wrap up on Christmas Eve. With the Farmer all set for a big date, his toupee has gone missing.
It’s up to you to explore the areas based on the series - the field, the barn, the Farmer’s house and the circus tent – calling on Bitzer The Dog to help you out when the Naughty Pigs are up to their dirty tricks.
Offering three modes including regular story, mini-game and colouring book options, this is a decent little action/adventure package for the kids that should keep them entertained for a few hours – and hopefully give parents a lie-in on Christmas morning.
Title: Marvel Super Hero Squad
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £24.99
Hit count: 2/5
After the success of the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance sequel, it’s perhaps surprising to see another game in the comic-based franchise come out so soon on Wii.
Perhaps it’s the desire to strip the series back to basics to appeal to the youngest audience possible.
With slightly more cutesy characters and more simplified controls, Super Hero Squad certainly does that, but to the detriment of the game overall.
This becomes little more than an exercise in button mashing through your mission against Dr Doom’s Lethal Legion of villains.
While you can mix and match up most of your favourite characters, this is really only a cosmetic sprinkling of enjoyment, as the gameplay itself is so repetitive that you’re more likely to find yourself counting how many times you bash the A button than actually caring what you’re doing on-screen and what’s coming next.
A real shame for such an otherwise credible franchise.
GAMES CHART: ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1. Football Manager 2010
2. Wii Fit Plus
3. FIFA 10
4. Forza Motorsport 3
5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
6. Grand Theft Auto Episodes: Liberty City
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
8. Tekken 6
9. Borderlands
10. Wii Sports Resort
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
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