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August Recommendations
🕑 Added 2020-09-07 21:41:51 +0000 UTCThese were the things we were reading and watching and some case, snacking on, during the month of August. At least, we're pretty sure last month was August? Or maybe it was May. Or are we still in March??? Either way!
Spiritfarer (Game)
An absolutely breathtaking and emotional ride, where you and your trusty cat help various souls finish any business they may have and get them safely to the eternal thereafter. Plus ad in a really smooth farming, travel and mini-game mechanic... along wit the smoothest couch co-op I've seen in a while, and you get a game that will stick with you long after all the sols are at rest.
Bill and Ted Face the Music (Film)
The exact film and feeling I needed right now in my life. It is funny and irreverent, but also kind and very clear it was crafted with love from all involved. Plus it's an excellent take on the "chosen one" trope and makes you question what a "legacy" really means.
Palm Springs (Film)
A spiritual sucsessor to Groundhogs Day with three of my favorite actors. Nuf said :)
Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History (Book)
Every once in a while I like to read a history book that's not part of series research, just to broaden my horizons and get ideas for future topics. This one is an audio lecture series that's part fo the Great Courses Plus, and is a great survey of the development of intelligence work and espionage from Biblical times to the present. As a survey it's less about specifics for each time period and more about broad themes connecting the world of espionage from the concept of belief (whether it's religious belief from the days of the wars of religion, or political belief like in the Cold War), loyalty, and secrets. It's a very introductory level requiring no specialist knowledge and will introduce you to a lot of characters worth reading up on (including some you may see in our show soon!). Well worth it.
Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress (Game)
My game group has just begun starting to meet again, and we're diving deep into the Blackstone Fortress. BSF is essentially a dungeon crawler set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with players taking on the role of a misfit group of explorers leading expeditions into an ancient space station full of secrets, enemies and precious artifacts. Though there's some learning curve, once you get the hang of it the game plays quickly and smoothly, with enemy movement automated through a d20 action chart—which also means you can play it solo, pretty useful in these times of social distancing! Each expedition ends when the explorers discover four "Clues," at which point they can go back to the trading hub and gear up for a new expedition that ends in a boss fight and the capture of an ancient artifact that will help you on subsequent forays. Rather than sticking to one character, the players actually have a pool to recruit from, meaning you can spread out your experience-building or replace those permanently killed. It's a well-designed game which also includes one of the most varied and neat set of miniatures GW has ever produced, all of which have rules to use in Warhammer 40,000 if that strikes your fancy. We're only halfway through the core mission set, and I'm already eyeing expansions...
Queer Eye (TV)
I love Queer Eye. It just makes you feel good to watch, and I like to feel good, don't you? But beyond that it's a really good "discussion show" and I find as we watch it my wife and I tend to pause and talk between ourselves about clothing, home renovation, or relationship questions. I don't know, the world is just kind of a nightmare right now, so go watch Bobby paint an accent wall and Karamo tell someone they're worthy of love. It's like the visual version of hot coacoa and you'll feel a little bit better about people.
M*A*S*H* (TV)
A friend of mine recently let me know that M*A*S*H is on Hulu right now, and slipping back into the series has been a real joy for me while I've been doing work off stream. I watched through the whole series in college, but the way I feel about it has evolved in the time since then, and I feel like it's a good rewatch for context on the way that American political opinions have shifted over time.
Root (Game)
The digital version of Root just hit early access on Steam and I'm already in love with it. It moves quickly, offers a Very good tutorial system on the way the different factions work, and I already want to spend entirely too much of my free time playing it.
Rat Queens (Book)
Do you like the fantasyland of D&D? Do you like adventuring parties that are a little more... Complicated in their interactions? Rat queens is a mature take on an adventuring party and their backstories, triumphs and heartbreaking failures. The world of this graphic novel series clearly feels inspired by classic D&D tropes, but with twists and turns that draw the reader deeper in as time goes on.
Lancer (TTRPG)
If Gundam Wing was a pen and paper RPG, it'd be done in lancer. Your pilots have relationships, your mechs fight in huge crunchy tactical combats. It's an excellent and refreshing take on the ways of looking at the modes of play in RPGs, even if you don't want to play mechs yourself
Lovecraft Country (TV)
If you are a scary movie fan or a lovecraftian fan you should watch this show wich started it´s frist season right now. Makes the racism more scary than the monsters almost all the time! , the performances are great , the music , the 1920s clothing and historical issues , it´s a treat for any call of cthulhu rpg fans like me.
Legend of Korra (TV)
We have been rewatching Korra since it landed on Netflix. I remember not being a huge fan of it when it originally aired, but upon rewatching it, I am pleasantly surprised. It's not perfect, but I'm really enjoying it the second time through.
OSR Tabletop RPGs (TTRPG)
I know this isn't a specific game, but I have been obsessed with watching videos about all sorts of OSR, Old School Renisaunce tabletop, RPG's. I love the focus on simple rules and absurd settings.
The Mandalorian (TV)
My wife and I were a bit late to the “baby Yoda” hype, and both really enjoyed this series. Seeing Star Wars done as a Western was something that I didn’t know that I needed in my life, but it completely is. Impressively, this series can stand alone and is enjoyable even if you’re not big into Star Wars.
Umbrella Academy (TV)
Just finished watching season 2 of Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and both my wife and I were pleasantly surprised how this season felt even tighter than season 1 which is impressive, considering that we’re dealing with themes of super powers, time travel and happily dysfunctional families. Definitely recommended!
Gideon the Ninth (Book)
Queer science fantasy horror. Need I say more?
League of Legends (Game)
OK I know this is super mainstream and kind of silly to recommend, but honsetly I hated MOBAs until I started playing league with friends. Now it's our go-to hangout game. I'd recommend turning off group chat and finding a dedicated group to play with. It's actually really rewarding to grow and improve as a team together. <3
Doom Patrol (TV)
Doom Patrol did dark, messed-up superheroes before it was a thing. This show is so wonderfully surrealist and funny in a way that most shows can't pull off, while still being pretty dark. The characters might have a touching moment together or make terrible decisions that harm everyone around them, but no matter what happens, you can't look away! It's also a fun show to watch alongside Umbrella Academy. This is probably my favorite superhero show, and (slight spoiler)it has my favorite superhero in it, Danny the Street, a sentient queer street.
Tell Me Why (Game)
This one's a little tricky since at time of writing, only one chapter has been released so it's hard to tell how the full story will play out and this might fall off my list eventually. BUT I'm including it because uh guys. It has a transmasc MAIN CHARACTER. Trans masc characters can be really difficult to find in media, and one done competently?? Be still my beating heart. I got a couple of issues with the way Dontnod handles a few aspects of transness in the narrative, but I appreciate that they convey a trans identity without a) deadnaming the main character and b) making transphobia the only narrative tension. They also had an FAQ on their website that functioned as a nuanced content warning page essentially and I wish more games would take that kind of approach.
Dead By Daylight (Game)
Is this cheating because I've been playing this game for longer than a month? Probably. Still gonna recommend it. If you ever want to ask how to make a multiplayer game appeal to people who don't like multiplayer games, this is a great example. It takes advantage of one of the core weaknesses of team-based games, namely a lack of communication, and builds it in as a fundamental principle of design to create a horror atmosphere. Nothing is worse than not knowing where your teammates are, only to see one sprinting towards you, the killer in tow because they have no idea you're hiding there. Playing the killer is equally delightful to indulge in suddenly having all of the power. Basically the only multiplayer game I enjoy.
Comments
Rick Brasche
@ Rob: a quick fun read on the subject of covert operations: "Don't Step On My Cloak and Dagger' by Roger Hall.
Smiling Walrus
I already have that on my wishlist. 😉👍
