Mario Kart 8 is wonderful. Due to the laws and regulations of the all-empowering embargo I can't say anymore than that, and please take everything from this point on in a 'preview' context.
With all that said, the plumber's return in a vehicle is everything you're probably hoping it would be. Much more inline with the DS iterations than the Wii release a few years ago, it's casual enough for the passer-by to get a kick out of, but intricate enough that people like myself - and that mother Brett Phipps - can spend hours trying to shave inches off lap times for nothing else than bragging rights.
The new courses range from enjoyable to all-out excellent, and even the challenge feels like a step up from previous games should you opt for the 150cc option. Obviously it's nowhere near the test you'll get when taking on friends, but at least it's not a walk in the park.
I don't believe Mario Kart 8 will 'save the Wii U', but who cares if it does? It's on its way and it's absolutely fantastic.
This week I've been playing Daylight, a horror game which is both procedurally generated and tremendously boring. It's mercifully short, however, so there's that.
Apart from Daylight, I've been spending most of my energy this week either writing about Unreal Tournament's 'Overlord' stage, or furiously scouring Twitter to see whether Manchester United have a new manager yet.
Finally, and best of all, I've been reading the YouTube comments on my Watch Dogs piece. The gift that keeps on giving.
I'm currently only playing the first track in Trials Fusion, attempting to better the time set by former VideoGamer writer Jamin. Annoyingly, he's now got a time that puts him almost inside the top 250, whereas I'm 0.5 seconds away ranked about 800th. It'll be hard to beat him, but I'm not going to stop, in the hope that I can wipe the smug grin off his hat-wearing head.
I've also fitted some Grip-it thumbstick covers to the DualShock 4, as the rubber on the left stick completely peeled off. They're doing a good job so far, and I'd recommend to anyone who is facing a similar problem.
I bought Diablo 3 when it launched on Xbox 360 and couldn’t get on with it. The lower resolution coupled with controller-mapping just didn’t quite click. But now, on PC, I’m having a blast.
On Normal, Diablo 3 is a great game to chill out and play after work. I know that on the higher difficulties, it can be a nightmare, but right now I’m enjoying the kill-loot-reward pattern that it brings.
The Witch Doctor is way overpowered, though, not that I’m complaining. My zombie dogs are doing all the hard work while I sit back and reap the rewards of their exploits. Onto Act 2.
