Is that an Atari belt buckle or are you just happy to see me?

I'm all for geek chic. Wear it proud, wear it loud and often. I'd probably be more interested in a guy at a bar if he was wearing something promoting his geekdom (as long as it's genuine and not to be ironic) but the last thing I want while at a bar is to be poked in the back. By anything.

NESBuckle has created a line from authentic video game controllers. Here's the night-out nightmare from above, the Atari Buckle, which, it hurts me to say, is sold out. Shucks. In their words:

The Atari controller is something that should never have been turned into a belt buckle. For this reason, we had to make it. Wear it for instant nostalgia and to be the hit at your next party or crowded subway.

"Hit" is exactly what you'll be on the subway or if you happen to frequent the bar I'm currently visiting. If you're really into it you can go for something with a little less overtone like the classic Nintendo Buckle, the Genesis Buckle or the Super NES Buckle. Or, for you really fashion forward fellas, why not try the NES Advantage Buckle (below)? Or if you're risky, not to mention strong enough, the *gasp* Nintendo Entertainment System Buckle?

Naturally I would have shown the giant gaming system buckle since it would have been more shocking but they only had a "simulated" picture of it. What sold me on this shot was the shirt the guy's wearing. It's a vintage MDA fundraising run t-shirt! What are the odds? Also, who knew it was so "cool" to wear one. Those puppies have been piling up all over the house for years! Looks like somebody's got a date with Ebay.

If you're someone who's into buckles they've also got a small line of superhero items as well. I'm not really a fan of belt buckles in general, especially large, obtuse ones, but I get what they're going for. I just wish they were a little less cheeky about it. I guess that's there thing. Actually, it almost feels a little like blasphemy to see real controllers turned into fashion. I'm hoping they were old one's that didn't work any more but still, I'd rather see them framed and hung as art than hung...above someone's crotch.

I may not have been alone, but I was in the dark.

You couldn't pay me to walk around New York's Central Park, alone, at night. So why is it that's what Eden Games is asking me to do in the new, Alone in the Dark? Because it's scary, that's why.

Last night I got a preview of the new game hitting stores this week. I only got to see about the first board or so but I liked what I saw, or could see, rather. Hence the "dark" in the title. But don't worry, it's not long before you find the obligatory flashlight, or you know, your building goes up in flames.

Speaking of flames, you're going to spend a lot of time setting them and putting them out. You won't get bored with it though because it's entirely unpredictable, kind of like a real fire. Plus it looks amazingly realistic. Lucky for you the fire extinguisher never run out.

You play the typical amnesiac who has no idea the hell he's just woke up in. And with all the fire, it might as well be. There's some sort of demonic force at work which I only got a small look at during my preview. Bloody rips form in the walls that move like tentacles and suck people into the floor, wall or ceiling. A helpless (read, annoying) damsel gets possessed and leads you to believe you're a part of all the crap that's going down. Luckily all that fire comes in handy with these demon people. As long as you hit them in the right spots, setting them on fire will dust them like the vamps in Buffy.

Since I didn't get to see much of the game I'll be honest and say I got bored with it pretty quickly. I didn't even get to see the park. Though there seems to be a lot of room for a quick progression and a lot of fun. Items in the game have an almost limitless variety of combinations for use. If regular bullets aren't good enough for you, add some alcohol to them and you've got fire bullets. Players with a big imagination will likely be creating some stuff that will become popular on game forums and wind up being the standard.

Playing into television drama fans, Alone in the Dark follows the new episodic format last seen in the Lost video game Via Domus. You get a preview of the next episode when you finish one and see a "previously on" type of recap the next time you load up. Oddly enough you have the ability to fast-foward if the game gets to hard. Blasphemy to hard-core gamers but it sounds like a great idea to me. The last thing I want to do is get frustrated enough with a game to never finish it so I hope other games follow suit down the road.

Anyone looking forward to this? Play the original?