Music I’ve Been Jamming To Recently
Best Indie Games I Played in 2024
There’s something magical in the passion and creativity that drives indie developers, sometimes working solo, to create. They learn how to make visuals, graphics, music, code, design, write, and craft non-linear interactive worlds, in the end it comes together as beautiful work of interactive art that no two people have the same experience with. 2024 was a golden year for independent games, let me show you some of the best.
Animal Well
Unabashedly unique, Animal Well blends raw exploration and discovery with secrets in every corner of it’s intricate, hand crafted map. It’s without a doubt the best game created by a single person ever made earning a place in my favorite experiences ever.
Balatro
Who would have expected a poker rogue-like to be the most popular game of 2024? Featuring an addicting mix of solatiare, poker, and deck-building, Balatro master class in game design and game feel, making every hand against the house feel dramatic and punchy.
Tactical Breach Wizards
Unexpectedly, this quirky turn-based, tactics game about a team of misfit wizard SpecOps taking down a global conspiracy of PMCs & drug dealers has some of the best writing, dialogue, and character development in a game released in years.
I am in love with the creativity that comes from story telling in visual mediums especially artistry required by animation. My favorite stories are those that find ways to break the mold or create entirely new approaches to story structure. This year I explored some anime for the first time after resisting for years, finding charming stories and compelling inversions of standard tropes.
Best TV I Watched in 2024
Frieren – Beyond Journeys End
A beautifully animated and thoughtfully framed inversion of the classic hero’s journey archetype, following one of the heroes after they’ve defeated the antagonist/villain. It explores the themes of loss and implications of an ageless being in a changing world.
Mob Psycho 100
As to be expected from the creator of “One Punch Man”, Mob Psycho 100 breaths life into a brilliantly wacky and eccentric world. Surprisingly, it shows some of the deepest character development of any media property of watch in years, while tactfully exploring heavy themes of isolation and emotional repression between the over the top fight scenes.
Cowboy Bebop
A cross between Western, Noir, Cyber-punk & Sci-fi, Cowboy Bebop oozes style with every beat of its intense, driving sound track. It’s episodic format allows for tight, self contained stories that are perfect if you’re busy and can’t track a multi-hour saga as has become common.