I’m on my hols. Some recommendations.
Watch The Ballad of Wallis Island.
Charming, poignant comedy about a washed-up folk musician and loss. By Tim Key and Tom Basden.
Now I knew Basden can write - the first episode of Party is the tightest wittiest 25 minutes of ensemble radio you’ll hear - and I love everything Tim Key does as a comedian. But Key really is the revelation. Who knew he could act like that.
Watch on streaming and then listen to the soundtrack.
Play A Short Hike (I played it on Switch).
Indie video game about a cartoon bird hiking and climbing. A play-through will take you about 3 hours.
It’s cute and gentle and fun with a dozen subplots, and by the time I achieved the ostensible goal of the game I had forgotten what the purpose was and it totally took me by surprise. (Which made me cry, for personal reasons, another surprise.)
Also my kid just played this, her first self-guided video game experience. A Short Hike is deftly designed to nudge you forward through lo-fi NPC interactions, and invisibly gates levels of difficulty using geography.
Once you’ve played, watch Adam Robinson-Yu discussing A Short Hike’s design (GDC, 2020).
New daily puzzle: Clues by Sam.
A logic game that’ll take you 10 minutes each day. Follow the clues to figure out who is guilty and who is innocent. It’s easiest on Mondays so maybe begin then.
Meanwhile I’m running woodland trails in Ibiza and the scent of wild rosemary and sage fills the air in the morning. Right now I’m on a cove beach listening to the surf and the others are variously exploring, snacking and sunbathing. See you on the other side.
I’m on my hols. Some recommendations.
Watch The Ballad of Wallis Island.
Charming, poignant comedy about a washed-up folk musician and loss. By Tim Key and Tom Basden.
Now I knew Basden can write - the first episode of Party is the tightest wittiest 25 minutes of ensemble radio you’ll hear - and I love everything Tim Key does as a comedian. But Key really is the revelation. Who knew he could act like that.
Watch on streaming and then listen to the soundtrack.
Play A Short Hike (I played it on Switch).
Indie video game about a cartoon bird hiking and climbing. A play-through will take you about 3 hours.
It’s cute and gentle and fun with a dozen subplots, and by the time I achieved the ostensible goal of the game I had forgotten what the purpose was and it totally took me by surprise. (Which made me cry, for personal reasons, another surprise.)
Also my kid just played this, her first self-guided video game experience. A Short Hike is deftly designed to nudge you forward through lo-fi NPC interactions, and invisibly gates levels of difficulty using geography.
Once you’ve played, watch Adam Robinson-Yu discussing A Short Hike’s design (GDC, 2020).
New daily puzzle: Clues by Sam.
A logic game that’ll take you 10 minutes each day. Follow the clues to figure out who is guilty and who is innocent. It’s easiest on Mondays so maybe begin then.
Meanwhile I’m running woodland trails in Ibiza and the scent of wild rosemary and sage fills the air in the morning. Right now I’m on a cove beach listening to the surf and the others are variously exploring, snacking and sunbathing. See you on the other side.