A great game (reportedly - I haven't played it yet) deserves a great promo item. Unfortunately, what we've got with the Metal Arms: Glitch in the System desk lamp is a great idea for a promo item without the actual budget to back it up. It's neat to look at, but its cheap plastic casing and dim (putting it kindly) light output take the shine off this otherwise very nice freebie.

There are two buttons on the side of the lamp, the top one to release the hood, which you then raise up on two telescoping rods, and the lower to turn it on. The first button will get far more use than the second one, because at no point beyond looking at it the first time will you ever try to get light out of the thing. The rods are also hinged on the base and the lamp hood so you can tilt it forward and over whatever item it is you don't want to see very well. Still, big points to Sierra for trying, and even if it's a bit cheap and useless it only gets downgraded from "really cool" to "nifty".

· · · James Cunningham