Timmoru Suzuki

Got the NJPW stuff from Steam. Just played a few matches but loving it so far. Highlights have included discovering BUSHI does the Mist as a striking move, accidentally discovering Naito can do Destino as a corner-to-centre attack and critical-ing Ibushi with the Skull End. I did load up the story mode and got as far as the creation stuff but didn't have hours and hours and the doctorate required to go through that. I liked how they've voice captured Yugi Nagata chortling at you though. >_> Oh, and Ishii is a beast. Literally countered the Skull End 9 times and took three Destino's before he stayed down in a big LIJ vs. Chaos match I played.

I actually prefer Season Two of The Wire; after a fairly impenetrable opening episode it really rewards patience with some great arcs for the one-season-and-done characters and a compelling greek-tradgedy of an ending. I'd also say Season Two of Justified for a near perfect 'Villain of the season' type story, and likewise S4 of The Shield for the same.

First season of Next Generation. I'm glad at the time it aired I jumped on board quite late on and then re-watched it on repeat as I don't think I'd have survived the show trying to be a fan from the very first episode through.

Was worried when I got swapped from a starting pitcher to a reliever (under protest) but it lasted all of three games and I'm back again. I hated barely earning any XP >_>

Watched Angels vs. Athletics. Tuned in just before the Khris Davis 3-Run Homer followed up by the Matt Olson Home run....and managed to go to bed just before they won in the 11th. >_> Fun game though.

As it's the time of year where I try and get into Baseball, I brought The Show 17 (it was around £16 not £40 for the newest one). Have played it for about 2 hours so far but have spent most of the time choosing which control scheme to use (so far Pulse pitching, zone batting, everything else CPU) and creating a guy to play through RttS with. Chose pulse pitching beccause I don't like meters and classic seemed a little risk free and pulse just seemed better for me than analogue. Pure analogue batting seems like something I'd have to get used to the game to use first, and I had more joy with zone over directional batting while still finding it a challenge. Really impressed with the level of options to tailor the game to your own strengths/wants and the depth of customisaton options and game modes, it feels really "all in" in those respects. Anyway, for RttS I created a starting pitcher. Just got taken by the Yankees. Here we go.

My housemate and I have a habit of going to the pub then coming back and watching re-runs of Bullseye on Challenge TV. We admired how easily Bowen seemed to be able to build a rapport with guests and just have a chat. And yet, didn't mess around, no pauses and artificial ways of trying to build tension, he just got on with the show. If Bullseye were hosted by anyone else it'd be half as long again. Anyway, this was sad news. R.I.P.

F.C Union Berlin after I discovered an article about their fans a few years ago (I think in the Guardian's football section) about how they helped rebuild a stand; they donated blood and then donated the small fee you get in Germany for doing that to the club when they fell on hard times (or possibly to help fund the stand rebuilding, I can't remember exactly now); and how they meet at Christmas and sing carols for 90 minutes. Certainly an example of the fan base attracting me to a team. I sort of still like Swansea: I admired how when they came into the Premier League they kept their principles and tried to carry on "playing football" using some previously unsung players (like Dyer and Routledge) and for a while they seemed really progessive and forward thinking with their choice of managers and long-term planing. Obviously those last two factors no longer apply, so my 'soft-spot' for them is hardening >_> For the NFL, the Titans; mainly because my American friend is a massive Titans fan and she's one of these people whose passion for something is infectious. Also Delanie Walker was epic for me two fantasy seasons in a row so I completely love the man. Finally while they're not exclusive to me in termsof having some younger players whom I like, I do like Mariota and Henry also.

We're about 24 hours in and I'm fighting myself between thinking he's taking us to the Superbowl next year, and calming the fuck down because, ya know, it's the Lions we're talking about here. It's the hope that kills ya. Although I imagine at this stage of the off-season fans of most teams are trying to figure out scenarios where they make it. I'm certainly not judging his entire coaching career on one game where he didn't have the arugably his best player in secondary; and I'm encouraged by how many of his ex-players have come out and said how great a coach he was and how passionately he seems to care about them all as people then players.

Just lost 5-4 in a game I was winning 4-2, and 6-5 in a game I was winning 5-2; all the CPU's comeback goals in period 3, most after they had shot after shot which blocked and deflected back to them over and over until they put a slap shot into the roof of the net from the blue line; or got a deflection that gave them a half open net from inches out. Gonna take a break from this for a bit as I'm fairly certain the game is trolling me at this point >_>

My only particular criticism so far is with Goalies. Either almost every shot I have against the CPU goes in, or almost every shot they have at me goes in, with no middle ground. Like my last two games in Franchise (I've brought back the Hartford Whalers as a 32nd team), I beat the Oilers 8-2, then lost 5-1 to the Stars despite out-shooting them 36-13. I know obviously it's not a dead on comparison with them being different teams, and yes that is partly hockey itself but I feel like I could pick any two games I've played so far and they'd be similar. Anyway, still having fun with this generally. I'll probably have a play with the sliders a little.

So I actually liked Metalhead the most of all of them. It was so visceral and stylish and Maxine Peake was terrific. It's unlike everything else they've done so far. USS Callister and Black Museum were strong too. Hang the DJ was the one I got the least out of. It was enjoyable, but felt like the most comfortable filler episode of the lot. Crocodile and Arkangel were both good but flawed. Archangel for me started strongly, and the best episodes tend to feature technology which is immediate and feels like it could happen which that cetainly did; but for me it didn't go far enough with the rammifications of it. Annd Crocodile bugged me too. Felt like a good pilot for a crime thriller with a slight SF tint, but hardly a Black Mirror episode. The tech was an afterthought and the characterisation was all over the place. Beautifully shot though, to give it some credit.

Or, you know I'd use to to ensure my rescue >_>

Not really agreeing with the list so far. San Junipero, White Christmas and The Entire History of You are comfortably my top episodes (so I hope the latter is your #1 >_>), National Anthem and Waldo moment aren't bad but aren't that special and White Bear is my least favourite Black Mirror by several country miles. It's forty minutes of people shambling through some trees next to some houses then a twist and once you know the twist it has no rewatch value. But good to see some love for Shut Up and Dance; I always felt like it was an underappreciated episode

Picked this up in the PSN sale. Have only played a handful of matches so far but like it. I last played 16 on and off and had real issues with the difficulty settings (I could score 4 or 5 on semi-pro (or whatever the equivalent is called with no issue, had to work hard to not lose by the same amount on the next setting up) and could never get the sliders right. That issue feels less pronounced so far, but to be fair I've barely played with the difficulty or sliders yet. Having read around it, I can understand why someone who plas a lot each year feels it's not a big enough step forward; but as a casual, occasional player the insane depth of creating a new team in franchise and the 3 vs. 3 arcade mode was just too good a deal to pass up at £25. Now all I need is a few spare hours in a block to actually start my own team. >_>