I discovered yesterday that lunch is not a meal, as I had originally understood, but is in fact a form of currency.

If you thought the drumbeat leading up to the release of Grand Theft Auto was deafening, post-release the Goddamned thing is completely ineluctable. We each bought copies, I think because we weren't sure the other would, and we've been suitably impressed. I'm honestly not certain how you're supposed to review it: I guess you just decide what portion of the experience you're going to address. Multimedia as a term used to describe technology is already an artifact, but the new GTA needs a gangly word like that to describe its approach: they haven't just simulated the physical city, they've simulated its culture with more sophistication than they've ever brought to bear.

With a game this gigantic, who knows when you've actually seen enough to speak intelligently about it. If our interaction with the franchise's endless buffet operates as usual, I may never arrive at that point.

I'm not sure I would stand out much: the existing dialogue is completely incoherent. I have heard about gamestopping crash bugs on either all platforms, the 360, the Playstation 3, or only the sixty-gig PS3. I'm given to understand that the 360 version looks both worse and better than the Playstation 3. Multiplayer on the Playstation 3 is either hopelessly sundered or luminous visitation. Apparently the Playstation 3 version isn't running at full res, but is "smoother"? I think I need to withdraw from these threads until more of the participants have killed each other. Since Genesis and SNES owners clashed at the Lincoln Monument, this is the worst it has ever been.

After only one day of this catshit, the urge to run from the game was exceedingly strong. I'm not sure this is entirely possible to do at the moment, but I was reminded of a possible escape vector by Jeremy's 1up review. An inscrutable, theoretical particle known as a Bozon checked in a video review of the game, its narrator discernibly breathless with reverence. They are not in any way wrong, and playing The Worlds Ends With You is much, much better than simply covering my ears and screaming, which was the whole of my original plan.

(CW)TB out.

let me tell you what

Just a quick reminder that May 7th is the deadline for submitting your independent game to the PAX 10. Once we've got all the submissions we'll have our panel of 50 industry experts digest them until we're left with 10 stand out titles. Those ten will then be showcased at PAX 2008. For all the details hit the PAX 10 site located here.

Speaking of PAX did you know that we made a Wil Wheaton shirt? Well, we did. Wil's keynote speech from last years PAX was so amazing we had to try and capture it using our patented shirtification process.

One of the Mods over in the PATV chatroom was kind enough to put together a PATV FAQ. A lot of the questions that pop up in the chat I don't see just because I'm drawing at the time. This FAQ answerers tha majority of them I think. Thanks Amber for puting this together.

We recently got some feedback from a few of our partner hospitals regarding their participation in Child's Play. Since you guys are the ones that actually make CP such an incredible success each year I thought you deserved to see it.

"Wonderful news! We are truly grateful for everything we have received so far via your incredible program. Keep up your good work! Our young patients will benefit from it." - Montreal Children's

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. How exciting it was yesterday afternoon when we received the two boxes sent from Child's Play filled with Nintendo DSs, a Wii and numerous games! Our Child Life team was so thrilled to receive such a generous donation and they are now busy putting the gifts to good use in the hospital." - Legacy Emanuel, Portland

"I wanted to thank you and everyone at Penny Arcade & Child's Play, we got a couple of packages from you this week and ... we were both so happy to get this for the kids to make their stay here at the hospital as pleasant as possible. They are going to install a Wii & a PS3 in both of these play rooms for the kids....it will be awesome! - Arizona Children's

"Congratulation for your hard work, you have earned this success. We appreciate that you have chosen our children at Hospital 57357 as the recipient of you charitable efforts in the Middle East." - Cancer Hospital, Egypt

"Wow...this has been such a great thing for our hospital. The care package, I don't know what to say. We are so excited about it. Thank you so much for including our hospital in this great drive." - University Medical Children's - Las Vegas

"We received our shipment and it was a wonderful surprise! Thank you so very much, the games will be a welcome addition and the patients are very excited about the Wii!" - Nebraska Children's Hospital

"We just received your care packages yesterday, WOW!!! They are wonderful! A great big thank you to Child's Play Charity for all of your support!!" - Montefiore Children's, NY

"I saw the return address and knew they were from our friends at CP! The Child Life Specialists are soooo thrilled. One had asked me not long ago about a DS for a teen with very limited mobility. Now she has one for him. What a treat to be able to help our patients with your help." - Texas Children's

"We are so pleased with our relationship with Child’s Play and look forward to another wonderful year. On behalf of the thousands of children we see here at Children’s Hospital of Alabama each year, THANK YOU CHILD'S PLAY FOR MAKING HOSPITALIZED KIDS HAPPIER!!!" - Alabama Children's

-Gabe out

The live stream will be starting in 10 to 15 minutes.

-Gabe out