Earlier this week, something happened. A certain video game YouTuber who some would call a wise man would call it “a thing.” We’re not gonna talk about that thing. It might not even be the thing you’re thinking of right now. Come on, we know you’re thinking it. Instead, we’re just going to show you where our minds are at right now, in this month’s staff picks! Consider this a time for catharsis, if nothing else.
miro – KINGSGLAIVE FINAL FANTASY XV MOVIE
“While Hollywood under the lead of Pixar and Disney continues to fuse realistic back drops with stylized characters (watch ‘the Good Dinosaur’ clash) in fear of the mythical “uncanny valley”, we have Kingslaive, directed by Takeshi Nozue, finally break that mold. And they pulled it off in spectacular fashion with in my opinion the best iteration of realistic, action packed 3D animation yet. I know little about the Final Fantasy franchise and therefore (I assume) didn’t get into the story as much, but the visuals alone, especially for 3D artists, are a must see ride of inspiration.”
Hana – 1-Hour Anime Mix
“I love to listen to all kinds of music, however when I have to work I need to focus. If I go and listen to a song with lyrics that I know by heart, I get the feeling I want to sing along. If it’s a song that has lots of things going on, I’ll have trouble focusing on the job. So, I often listen to soundtracks! This can be from games, movies, anything. But in this specific link you’ll find one of the many anime soundtrack compilations, more specific the emotional kind. Why? Because I think they are beautiful and soothing, and they can be very powerful at the same time.”
Inari – The Scribbler
“Halloween may be long over, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a good psychological thriller once in awhile! The Scribbler follows Suki (Arrow’s Katie Cassidy), a young woman who seeks to rid herself of her multiple destructive personalities with the aid of a device called “The Siamese Burn.” This experimental machine is designed to purge Suki of her violent personas. But the closer she is to “curing” herself, a chilling thought occurs – what if she is a false persona?”
Bianca Rose – Lucifer
“It’s rare that I actually enjoy a show while it’s on television. I’m a little more like someone who finds a show everyone loved 30 years ago, binge watch all of it, and then cry because not only is it over, but everyone’s probably also dead. But Lucifer is on NBC in America and available on Hulu. It’s based on the one time character of the Devil from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman comic and it’s a masterpiece. Blending America’s ever growing skepticism in religion with hard questions that come up in our lives like family betrayal and divorce, Lucifer doesn’t ever quite come up on top. But he does come up mythical, terrifying, sexy, and talented. And I think that’s all anyone really needs.
“Watch as he helps Detective Decker and her motley crew solve murders and as she keeps him in the mortal realm. And listen for the few, bone chilling times he plays piano and sings. So. Worth. It.”
The Dude – The Midnight – Sunset
“I was born in the late 80’s, so most of my conscious childhood in the 90’s was spent on popular culture from ten, fifteen years earlier. Most movies, most music on the radio, really most of the things I saw and listened to as a kid came from the decade I was born in. As a result I have a really nostalgic view of what the 80’s represent; and whenever I talk to people who actually lived in that era, they confirm that sense of nostalgia. Everyone agreed, the 80’s were great fun.
“So imagine my delight that there exists something like Retrowave and Synthwave. I only discovered this music genre recently. While most nostalgia-driven media misses the mark by just a bit, this a genre full of artists who just get it. If I didn’t know better I’d think these were all 80’s hits. I’ve been listening to a lot of songs over the last few weeks by great artists, but one of my favourite ones by far is Sunset by The Midnight. I can’t stop playing it. Put it on, close your eyes, drift away. For more, check out the New Retro Wave channel that song is posted to.”
Alexa – 13 Cameras
“Moving into a new city and finding a new place to call “home” can be a bit nerve wrecking. Especially when you have a baby on the way. You find a home to rent but the landlord seems a bit….off. He doesn’t talk much, doesn’t have the best hygiene and something about him concerns you. Your husband tells you that you won’t have to see him unless something needs fixing and that the house is actually really nice. You cave in and agree to make this your new home.
“This is the situation for Claire and Ryan in the movie 13 Cameras. Things get weirder as the days go by. The two find out that the lovely landlord who rented the house to them has a hostage in their basement…and that’s not the only thing he’s done. 13 Cameras isn’t a masterpiece but it’s good if you’re wanting something that’s a little unnerving.”
Shad – Dishonored 2
“I haven’t been this excited for a game since No Man’s Sky. Despite what happened with that game, at least we know what to expect with Bethesda. They may not be the best but they are predictable and with predictability comes credibility. If the first installment of Dishonored is anything to go by, the sequel is already right up my alley. Its entropic levels coupled with dark plotlines and imagery really gets me into the groove of a true gaming escape. The possibilities are endless, and as a gamer who hoards potions and refuses to spend in game gold, anything infinite is big turn on.
“Maybe that’s why the idea of No Man’s Sky hyped me (and countless others) so. But Dishonored 2, makes great strides without promising us the moon. Procedurally generated it may not be, but Bethesda really does single player role playing right. It keeps things fun, fresh and unique without ripping off on the open world likenesses of the Witcher series. If you’re considering a game for this thanksgiving break, look no further than this little gem of political intrigue and assassinations.”
Elayn Wilde – Human By Design Conference
“The developers of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, in an effort to hype the game, presented the Human By Design Conference. It was a full day event that looked at philosophical, primarily ethical, issues regarding modifying and augmenting humanity. The organizers examined the topic from the perspective of how we are already augmenting ourselves, and how we are likely to do so in the future. I totally nerd out over transhumanism, so I was really excited when I first heard about this event. Thankfully there is a video of the full conference, since attending wasn’t an option.
“Fair warning, the video is seven hours long, so it’s probably not something to tackle in one sitting. Seeing a video game company sponsor an intellectual event like this is awesome. It is a far more engaging promotional measure than ‘Dude, slug an energy drink so you can stay up and play our game, bro.'”
andi – Leonard Cohen: Prayer For Messiah
“Leonard Cohen died yesterday at age 82. There are many, many tributes out there to the great man, primarily for musical talents. But I came to him from his writing and poetry. And he was an amazing writer at that! He had the rarest talent of giving sexuality a sense of normalcy, an equally respectful place in our humanity as religion and other issues. He showed that it was something so integral, we could not separate it from our lives in any way.
“Above is an abridged reading of his poem ‘Prayer For Messiah’ from the 1960s. I remember first reading this when I left my hometown for college many years ago. It shook me in ways that still resonate to this day. Here’s the full poem, if you’re curious:”
His blood on my arm is warm as a bird
his heart in my hand is heavy as lead
his eyes through my eyes shine brighter than love
O send out the raven ahead of the dove
His life in my mouth is less than a man
his death from my breast is harder than stone
his eyes through my eyes shine brighter than love
O send out the raven ahead of the dove
O send out the raven ahead of the dove
O sing from your chains where you’re chained in a cave
your eyes through my eyes shine brighter than love
your blood in my ballad collapses the grave
O sing from your chains where you’re chained in a cave
your eyes through my eyes shine brighter than love
your heart in my hand is heavy as lead
your blood in my arm is warm as a bird
O break from your branches a green branch of love
after the raven has died for the dove
And finally…
This week, our good friend and Store Manager Supro packed his things and moved on to greener pastures, ending a five-year career here at Affect3D. He was a great worker, and a funny person to be around. For this, we owe him a small tribute in the form of a song he loves:
Feel to visit him at Intrigue3D and say hello, or support his Patreon!
Dianaranda
November 11, 2016Hmm Supro gone? That is no good.
Quite funny to see Future Fasch on this site.