Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this column are those of the participants and the moderator, and do not necessarily reflect those of the GIA. There is coarse language and potentially offensive material afoot. It's strangely comforting to think that nature may yet beat mankind to destroying everything. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Mine was a Christmas of booze and blitzball - 15 stoutly-mixed Midori Coladas to temper my holiday cheer and 15-some odd hours of FFX squeezed into those rare moments when straying off to spend some quiet time with the PS2 was excusable. Circled round the tree, what's left of my family made their best efforts at civility with the help of brandy-laced egg nog, while outside, long overdue snow drifted serenely to the frozen hills of America's Dairyland.

But that was yesterday. Get over it.

Our collective greed glutted on holiday munchies and shiny new electronics (ooh, that heady new electronics smell!), we must now settle, exhausted by our unbridled avarice, back into the routine that is DA.

Get to it!

Help me! Please help me!

An Xbox unit in the Bowie, MD Target store is confirmed to not function. The loading light flashes and no audio or video is displayed, with or without a disc, according to a store employee. This happened to my Xbox after playing it for 2 hours over a span of 2 days. help me.

This sounds rather a lot like the scattered problems the plagued the initial wave of Xbox display units. For my part, I haven't heard much about problems with privately-owned units recently, and so I'll just do my usual fantastic job of stating and the obvious, and recommend that sucker go back to the store. You deserve better.

Sibling Sabotage

Yo Erin, you won't believe what happened to me this christmas. But first, an introduction. Around christmas time it has been tradition for me to create a "wish list" of games to help my poor unknowledgeable mother give me the games I want. It goes without saying that two of the big hitters this year were FFX and Metal Gear Solid 2. After seeing three DVD-shaped presents appear under the tree with my name on them, I had very high hopes, and a bit of merry wonderment (mixed with a healthy dose of I-don't-care) at what the third game could be. And so it went for 3 weeks as I was filled with torturous anticipation to get my grubby hands on some of that gaming goodness. And so the day came, when I was but minutes of "quality family togetherness time", consisting of opening presents under their scrutinous eye, from Final Fantasy X and MGS2. I opened the first present and inside was... Kessen 2. A good game, though it wasn't really under my radar, and I had little qualms with it, but it did make me a little nervous to have the first present not be on the list. I shrugged it off, knowing that one of the three would not be MGS2 or FFX, and opened the next present. Inside was... Dynasty Warriors 2. I fought not to sob silently, and to look happy (I definately looked surprised enough). I began to console myself in my head, that surely I could stand having one of the "big two" for a few weeks, and I could buy the other one soon enough. With a hope mixed with dread, I opened the last present. Inside was, and I am not making this up, Heroes of Might and Magic. I seriously wanted to cry. How could this happen! I made the list crystal clear, and even dropped multiple hints of "Mom, I want Final Fantasy X for christmas" and the like throughout December, and much of November! What made it even worse was my sister, who after every game said "oooh, no, thats my game. I love that game.", apparantly to make the games seem "even better" (I later found out that my mother made these purchasing decisions based largely on my sister's opinion.). Now I am sorting through the rubble, looking maybe to salvage what was lost through after-christmas exchanges (both Dynasty Warriors and Heroes are still in their shrink-wrap), and if that fails, to buy FFX with my own money, while a buddy sneaks off with MGS2. Wish me luck. -Keith Kinkaid

I don't even know what to say to this... except, perhaps... the latter two suckers should definitely go back to the store!

And, if it's any consolation, not everyone had their holiday wishes overruled by some ignorant, if well-meaning relative, thanks in part to you readers....

Sold Out

"This letter doesn't really leave me with a lot to say, but it makes some good arguments, all from the perspective of a non-RPG player, so I thought it'd make a nice edition to my little menagerie. What do you think, Vina? Free Popsicles to anyone who picks up that reference. " Ahhh... Christopher Pike. Star Trek: TOS. Either the unaired pilot The Menagerie, or the only 2-parter, The Cage. ;) Take your pick. Where's my popsicle? PS - I'm also the older sister who inspired the "sob-story" of the PS2 vs the X-Box for Christmas. I'm sure you'll be happy to know there is a PS2 under our Christmas tree this year. ;) -Alicia

I'm sorry... The Popsicles were a limited-time offer, and much like Pepsi's Harrier fighter fiasco, so many smartasses came looking to take me to court due to breach of contract, fraud, deceptive and unfair trade practices, misleading advertising, etc.... that, well... I'm fresh out.

As for the PS2... Glad to be of service. Medals all 'round.

D'oh.

Seduction

erin! seeing that i don't have a ps2, i'm just going to be staring at my copy of FFX, why? b/c it's staring at me, w/ its beady little eyes, waiting to strike at my fairly weak heart, waiting for me to turn my back! yay! i hope you guys have been spreading the holiday magic! and always ALWAYS remember to put on your holiday smiles!!! =) cast member tim!

FFX does not have beady little eyes. It has wide, limpid pools of glittering azure battle light. Look into them at your own risk - or at the very least don't attempt sex while you're playing. Defusing your partner's anger when he/she realizes your gaze and grip are still anchored to TV and controller is going to be a lot more difficult than those annoying Cloister of Trials puzzles, I tell you....

God bless us, everyone!

EM, *sniff* God bless that little blue box. -Red Raven

I really need to get me one of those.

Final Fantasy Xmas!!!!!!!

Hello Shmello, umm, I don't actually have anything to say,l I just really wanted to write that insanely clever subject header and send it to someone. That someone happened to be you. Congratulations, spinal cord. yours cruelly, opultaM Forward

I was just bemoaning the fact that I didn't get the ritual dose of holiday fruitcake this season... but... no more. My thanks.

A hint, people. If you don't think it'll get printed... send it in the day after Christmas.

Dare you dream..!

Erin, I got FFX, Metal Gear Solid2, Devil May Cry, and a purdy Game Boy Advance. But the best gift of all............. my shinny new GIA tee-shirt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Genji

Well, well. A GIA T-shirt. What more could you want, m'boy? I'll take all the rest of that crap off your hands and save you the trouble of walking it out to the bin....

United in suck

Am I the only one who feels like after bying 10 games in the past 2 months that I am still missing so many good ones. Arg, it sucks so much. oh well. that is all

You're hardly the only one. I have yet to lay hands on MGS2.... how sick, sad, and wrong is that?!

Indecision: the Sequel

Only $50. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Or. Final Fantasy X. God help me, it never ends. ~Ian P.

Speaking as Square whore wallowing waist-deep in the very gooey center of FFX, my objective, unbiased advice is to go for ... um ... the latter.

Closing Comments:

All right.... the flow of letters has stagnated considerably over Christmas, so I suppose what I need to do is assign some deeply thought-provoking topic to jolt your minds and fingers into a frenzy of debate.

What I'm actually gonna assign you, though, in honor of the grand old sport of Blitzball, is this:

Mini-games!

Every once in awhile a mini-game, sub-quest or unforeseen mode of play presents itself, making you go "Wow…you mean, I actually get to do something this cool?"

Did you spend more time playing Triple Triad than junctioning your party for the final fisticuffs with Ultimecia? Leave your Suikoden II fortress less jazzed about advancing the plot than you were about returning to the next installment of the Moon Bird Recipe saga?

Do you think a well-integrated mini-game can go a long way towards enhancing an overall game experience?

I guess we'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out...

-Erin Mehlos