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A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display on a device. However, with the popular use of the term "video game", it now implies any type of display device. The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms; examples of these are personal computers and video game consoles. These platforms range from large computers to small handheld devices. Specialized video games such as arcade games, while previously common, have gradually declined in use.

The input device used to manipulate video games is called a game controller, and varies across platforms. For example, a dedicated console controller might consist of only a button and a joystick. Another may feature a dozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early personal computer games often needed a keyboard for gameplay, or more commonly, required the user to buy a separate joystick with at least one button. Many modern computer games allow, or even require, the player to use a keyboard and mouse simultaneously.

Video games typically also use other ways of providing interaction and information to the player. Audio is almost universal, using sound reproduction devices, such as speakers and headphones. But other feedback may come via haptic peripherals, such as vibration force feedback.

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Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express is a 2006 point-and-click adventure game developed by AWE Productions and published by The Adventure Company for Microsoft Windows. The game is the second installment in The Adventure Company's Agatha Christie series, and is the sequel to Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None. The story follows an amateur sleuth, Antoinette Marceau, and her investigation of a murder with twelve possible suspects aboard the Orient Express, which has been blocked by an avalanche in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during 1934. She is aided by famous detective Hercule Poirot.

Murder on the Orient Express retains the main plot elements of Agatha Christie's novel of the same name. An additional ending is presented in the game which differs from the conclusion of Christie's novel. As with And Then There Were None, Christie's novel has been bundled with the game. Some reviewers of Murder on the Orient Express criticized the game because of the repetitive nature of tasks the player must complete, and also complained about the inefficient and cumbersome inventory system. Others have praised it for improved graphics compared to And Then There Were None, as well as convincing voice acting and audio effects. (more...)

Current events

• A rare, mint condition Atari 2600 game, The Music Machine, sells for US$5,250 on eBay. [1]
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 sells 4.7 million units its first day in the United States and United Kingdom. [2]
• The Game Boy (pictured) is inducted into the United States' National Toy Hall of Fame. [3]
• Nintendo announces the fourth hardware revision of the Nintendo DS to be released in early 2010 called the Nintendo DSi XL in North America and Europe and Nintendo DSi LL in Japan. [4]
• Sony launch a redesigned version of the PlayStation 3 at the Gamescom trade fair in Germany. [5]
• Part of Electronic Arts' marketing campaign for Dante's Inferno is negatively received. [6][7]
• Kuju Entertainment opens a new development studio in the Czech Republic. Vatra will initially work on two titles for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. [8]
• Dragon Quest IX sells 2.3 million copies its debut week. [9]
• UK video game developer Rebellion buys the rights to several games (Ground Control, Evil Genius, Empire Earth and Lords of Magic) formerly owned by Vivendi Games. [10]
• User generated content for Relentless Software's Buzz! series of quiz games passes 1.7 million questions. [11]
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This month in gaming history

• January 2001: French game publisher Infogrames took over Hasbro Interactive.
• 1997-01-02: Blizzard Entertainment released Diablo for personal computers.
• 2006-01-09: Take-Two Interactive acquired Irrational Games.
• 2005-01-12: Video game companies and players worldwide donate money to the UNICEF South Asian Tsunami Relief Fund.
• 2006-01-26: Nintendo announced a redesigned version of the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo DS Lite.
• 1999-01-31: Konami released Silent Hill for the PlayStation.

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