To me (being a huge Braid and Portal fan), it's because are both oozing with charm and personality.

Braid uses its mechanics as a metaphor for the frustrations of a lover, and it's environment provides a unique experience with its impressionism inspired artwork and endearing soundtrack.

Portal plays with the room by room gameplay of puzzle games by hinting towards a greater, darker backstory, through the increasingly suspicious remarks by Glados and the hidden rooms.

Their mechanics made them good games, but their charm made them great games.

Sorry to hear that. Best of luck with fixing the situation. Having a bad grade is always a bad situation.

(Sounds like it doesn't happen to you often, judging from the 'letting this happen' part?)

Thanks for the support, I've calmed down a bit now, but I'm still disappointed in myself. I know that it was partly due to the leap in require effort between uni and high school, but it was still mainly due to my own laziness.

It turns out I failed about half my courses for this semester, I am so god damn angry at myself for letting this happen, I really need to learn how to study for exams better.

GG&S is a great book. I absolutely loved it.

Also, Snuff looks soooo good. I was so tempted to get the hardcover. But alas. 30 bucks is out of my reach.

I have been currently reading some China Mieville, and loving it! I am about 200 pages into Perdido Street Station, which is nice so far (no spoilers!), and I also have Kraken and Un Lun Dun lined up for afterwards. So far, so great!

I also read The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch before Perdido, which was a very, very good book. Highly recommended for those who like brain-twisting speculations on reality!

That reminds me, I have a China Mieville book that I have yet to read after impulse buying it at a local Borders as it was selling everything on sale.

As for what I'm currently reading : Crime and Punishment.

I like Yahtzee's viewpoint of seeing it as a "best beaches tax".

I bought this as soon as I saw that the music from VVVVVV was in it.

Brograbs to Sinclair. Losing grandparents is hard, I never knew either of my grandfathers that well, and my grandmother is going through deep alzheimers; I know it sounds kind of morbid, but I think it will be more of a relief when she passes... if she could see herself in her current state, I'm sure she would be horrified.

I understand your view, my grandmother died last year after suffering from alzheimer's for years and it was tragic to see her change so much.

Hugs to both you and Sinclair, losing a grandparent is never enjoyable.

This man speaks the truth.

I'm becoming more apprehensive about these bundles as I'm no longer confident on how beneficial they are to the industry.

I've always wanted to create a turn-based stealth game. I'm not sure how it would really work, but in my head I can see a cross between a roguelike, and Splinter Cell... The only barrier stopping me is time ...Oh, and skill

That could be quite awesome, it would substitute the timing in most stealth games with planning and strategy.

This idea gets my seal of approval.

Honestly, how are we supposed to make Christmas games without sleigh bells?

That second banner is especially awesome.

Add me into that sweet, sweet Sakar/peanutbuttershoes sandwich (the 11th).

How is it so hot here?  IT'S NOT EVEN SUMMER!

Nowadays I seem to focus more on writing, than the actual story of novels, but then again, where do you set the line between the writing and the story?  Would you consider the themes/motifs/images of a novel to be part of the story or part of the writing?