So, Crackdown is kinda awesome.

My pile of shame keeps growing. I've got about 30 games I need to play, bought on personal recommendations, high review scores, and good demos. I'm sure if I hadn't spent 160 hours playing Burnout Paradise over the last four months, I'd be about half way into the pile by now, but then gaming is supposed to be about having fun, isn't it?

On a total whim I decided to try out Crackdown for a few hours. 15 hours later, it's still in my 360. It's all about collecting orbs and blowing stuff up, and I'm loving it!

Now for the "game of my dreams" thing. All my life I've been having dreams about walking or driving around normally, then suddenly hitting a steep incline and flying 500 feet into the air. The blinding thrill of hanging in the air for a second anticipating a grizzly demise upon re-establishing contact with the ground beneath me, has haunted me.

Crackdown has made a game around the central mechanics of my dream. I'm addicted to trying crazy jumps, and then falling hundreds of feet before I make it safely down... or not. It's awesome.

One of the most exhilarating gaming moments I've ever had was climbing the Agency Tower and jumping off it into a small pond. The game really gives you a sense of height, and the lack of save points contributes to the feeling of consequence to your actions. Man, so much fun.