I was about to raise exactly the same point. I know Edge is something of a 'Marmite' publication; some people hate it with a real passion, labelling it pretentious or that most White Van Man title of "wanky art-bollocks". But it does remain to my mind one of the few places that treats games with any kind of reverence or actual critical appreciation, and try to at least transcend their seeming perception as an opiate for numbskull, gadget-addled teenagers.

Personally, I've always been a fan of games that never really end.

- The Civilisation series.
- numerous Microprose simulations.
- The Football Manager series.
- MMOs (WoW & Eve in particular).

None of these ever finish and as such have more replayablility (if that is an actual word).

Of the games that I own that do 'end', very few have made me want to. Notable exceptions being Half Life 1, 2 & the episodes so far, Deus Ex, the first KOTOR game.

I think, what I'm trying to say in a very round about way, is that a lot of games are failing to create any kind of narrative that are making players *want* to finish them and the games that succeed despite this lack of narrative are ones in which the player creates it him/herself.

No, men aren't ready for the responsibilty of implied risk free sex.

My attitude to the male contraceptive pill has always been the same as my attitude towards making the undesirable elements of society do some form of National Service - While its a nice idea, I don't think the recipients are ready for that sort of power or responsibility.

But I'm English and therefore have a reputation to maintain.

I also got it and voted accordingly.

It's also made me realise that I haven't listened to any Tom Waits for a long time, and as soon as I get home I'm going to indulge in a bit of a WaitsFest. My fiancee will not be happy. (Nothing divides the sexes like Tom Waits).

The article did not confirm if any Unobtanium reserves were discovered.

If these are confirmed, it may hint at the reason Bin Laden has yet to be discovered - heavy post-production on his video releases have cunningly disguised the fact he is actually 8 foot tall. And blue.

I was going to make the same point.

Simply using the term 'Games' or 'Gamers' in this context is far too narrow. Oversimplify RPGs, or Civilisation, or the Football Manager games and you remove the game.

London would be a fantastic setting for a GTA game; its street layout would be more fun and varied than the grid design of the US cities - I remember the carnage that could be had in the Midtown Madness game set in Paris.

The whole "Geeze, cock'er'ney gangsta, innit" schtick is already very tiresome though (seemingly every single British crime film or TV drama already features it).

The screams of the citizens on fire still haunt me to this day.

The games that have kept me occupied for the most time would be the various Microprose sims. F-19 Stealth Fighter, M1 Tank Platoon, Falcon 4.0. Admittedly, it may have been the manual that kept me occupied. Good times...

I would also make an honourable mention for Sir Geoff Crammond and his Formula 1 Grand Prix series.