I have an unbelievably careful and ritualistic approach to every new game I get. Firstly I hold it in my hands and turn it around and around reading the cover and back cover. Then I take the cellophane off quite carefully as though I’m going to save it for something but then I scrunch it up and throw it in the bin. I try not to get fingerprints on the box and open it really carefully. I slip out the manual and close the box again trying not to look at the picture on the disc. I then read the manual from cover to cover memorising as much as possible along the way even if it’s something with really simple and obvious controls like a driving game or We ♥ Katamari. Then and only then do I take the disc out of the box, stare at it for about a minute and then put it the console. When the menu screen appears I go through all the options and training before I’ll play the main game. As bizarre as this process might seem it’s born of the desire to get the most out of my gaming experience and has always stood me in good stead.

The other day however I was overcome with a desire to throw caution to the wind. I can’t think what could have caused it but I tore the wrapping off Dead or Alive 4 and flung it at the 360. Having never played DOA before I went straight into story mode, picking Hitomi to play and bluffed my way through to the boss battle. At this point I realised I’d made a terrible error. Of all the games to throw myself into without working out what I was doing DOA 4 was not the one to choose. There was swearing. There was sweating. There were screams of incredulity at managing to almost kill the boss but then with a sliver of life he would pull off a massive combo to K.O. me. The pay off when I finally did beat him though was the most outrageous scene of food preparation in history as Hitomi tossed salad while dancing in an outfit that wouldn’t pass any kind of food prep health and safety regulations. I’m glad that I threw my rather uptight rules out the window for once. Now I can go back and do the training and learn the ropes of the game with full knowledge of the treat in store at the end of each characters story. Next stop Leifang.