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Fiercely Engaging
Among the many rhythm games that dominated the late 90’s and early aughts, Amplitude was the only one that hooked me. I sank hours into Harmonix’s 2003 successor to Frequency and precursor to Guitar Hero. Maybe it was a “right time, right place” kind of thing, but no rhythm game before or since has felt like much more than a shiny chore. My fondness for Amplitude survived a two-generation break from gaming, and upon returning to the hobby, I found a few modern games which seemed like they could scratch that itch.
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The Wrong Monster
Contrary to what you might expect from its cutesy advertising, the 2017 visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club! comes with the following content warning:
This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Having taken the bait, I can say that the work is indeed disturbing. Unfortunately, its perversion seeps into its very thesis, debasing the exhilaration it elicits.
(Heads up: I’d like to discourage you from reading the thing, but I’ll have to spoil it to make my case.
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Crumbling Alternatives
Despite the positive critical response to 2013’s Depression Quest, and despite its accessibility (just an hour to complete and free-to-play in any web browser), I still felt some reluctance to give it a go. In the limited time I reserve for frivolous button-pushing, I’m more inclined to fight shadow monsters than to reflect on the experience of mental illness. Probably it would have been easier if I didn’t think of it as a game.
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Fast Fantasy
When this 2019 novella arrived in my mailbox, I didn’t know what to make of the boisterous title and cover. I ignored the temptation to research before diving in, though; a friend’s recommendation was more than enough to get me reading.
The novella rewarded that curiosity by slowly and skillfully revealing its fanciful premise. The heavily impressionistic tone allows the characters to speak freely (even brazenly) of their inhuman cultures, godlike abilities, and fantastical surroundings, all while sidestepping the task of explaining the impossible.
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Heart of a Gamer
I remember the outpouring of grief over the 2015 death of Satoru Iwata, former CEO of Nintendo–so many touching homages to the man’s iconic work and public persona. When I learned that his writings had been collected and translated to English (by an old friend, no less), the book shot to the top of my reading list. I didn’t even bother to learn the premise.
This isn’t a book about Nintendo (though it includes some anecdotes) nor is it a book about management (though it includes some advice).
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Media Highlights for 2023
Trying out a different format from Januaries gone by.
Books Albums NPR’s Tiny Desk Videos Articles Books Image: Penguin Random House Highlight: Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder My thoughts here Honorable mentions: What We Build with Power by David Delmar Sentíes The Internet Con by Cory Doctorow My thoughts here Disappointment: (none) New to me: John Adams by David McCullough My thoughts here Albums Image: Diamante Eléctrico Highlight: Leche de Tigre by Diamante Eléctrico Honorable mentions: Diagnosis by Sen Morimoto Currents (Instrumentals) by Jose Docen Disappointment: Memento Mori by Depeche Mode What would happen if a 40-year-old rock band tried to emulate a 30-year-old rock band?
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Chaotic Good
Alan Wake is one of a few titles whose seemingly-universal acclaim left an impression on me that survived an entire decade without gaming. Like Mirror’s Edge, I knew only just enough to sustain a hazy, idealized anticipation. “I’m going to love that some day,” my subconscious predicted, “whatever it is.” Having just completed the game along with its two “special features” and subsequent spin-off, I’m satisfied to find my hunch was correct, though I’m also surprised by how flawed the works are.
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All Too Believable
Modern crime TV shows like The Ozarks and Animal Kingdom always get under my skin. It’s been hard to reconcile that aversion with my appreciation for classic noir–how is it that I enjoy the dark, violent, and even cynical aspects in some works but not others? The Fade Out has an answer.
Brubaker and Phillips bring many of the elements which keep Criminal and Incognito on my bookshelf after every cull.
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Pretty/Sentimental
I forgot a lot during the decade that I wasn’t watching anime. Naoki Urasawa’s Monster reminded me of the emotional heights that Japanese animation can reach. A few months later, 2021’s Belle reminded me that it doesn’t necessarily take some 24 hours of storytelling to get there. 2017’s Erased1 reminded me that not every series has such lofty goals, and it taught me that my interests have changed. These days, I’m less excited by sci-fi gimmicks and more interested in artistic range and emotional depth.
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A Crash-Course in Adversarial Interoperability
The Internet Con is a book about subverting corporate overreach. More practically speaking, it’s about standards and interoperability, but even I recognize that you can’t lead with that. Whether author Cory Doctorow uses the term “adversarial interoperability” or “competitive compatibility,” he’s describing a set of practices which would deny private firms the technological advantage they currently enjoy over the rest of us. Doctorow writes with relatable explanations, plentiful anecdotes, and approachable prose, doing justice to a cause that’s near-and-dear to my heart.