#took me listening to it in full blast and replaying in a bunch of times to realise

[melit0n]

I've just come to the realisation that at the beginning of Vore (first fifteen seconds), along with the scratchy guitar chord, there are chewing and swallowing sounds. The song is quite literally from the point of view of being stuck in the throat of a God.

[hallelujuh]

shay’s favorite albums of 2018

10. Hivemind by The Internet - TI are insanely underrated and definitely helped me remember how much I adore R&B music. I literally love the bass lines so much - I’ve learned about half of the ones off this record, honestly. Syd’s vocals are amazing as ever, seamless and sexy and gorgeous, and I just, I love R&B music so much, gotta get into more soul shit. Favorite track: Bravo.

9. Sweetener by Ariana Grande - Somehow Ari flew under my radar for years; I simply did not care about her, and rarely heard her music on the radio, let alone sought it out. But some friends succeeded in getting me into it, and now I respect her as a singer and a person. She’s been through hell, and I admire her strength. Not to mention she’s incredibly talented as a singer. I have a hard time with pop records, because of the lack of substance and depth, but this record is a look into a person I think we’d come to forget was a person at all; it’s all her feelings, her heart on her sleeve, and it’s awesome. Not to mention her voice is literally so damn pleasant to listen to, I could fall asleep to it, haha. Favorite track: Successful. 

8. Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae - Miss Monae literally has so much going for her. She’s so immensely talented at everything, and after her success in the film industry, it was nice to witness her return to music. Dirty Computer is fun, personal, and reminds you that Janelle deserves a lot more attention and admiration as a musician, because she does some really innovative and unique stuff that is always something special to behold. She’s a damn good rapper, too, and the accompanying short film to this record was really cool. Favorite track: Screwed. 

7. Pray for the Wicked by Panic! At The Disco - After being a fan for literal ages, I finally saw Panic this year, so that was pretty damn cool. Pretty much DoaB Part Two, but that’s not a bad thing. The music is fun, Brendon’s vocals are as awesome as ever, the production is smooth as hell, and the songs were a damn blast live. A little too uppity for me, but several of the songs have been on replay at times. Favorite track: One of the Drunks. 

6. Trench by Twenty One Pilots - I have a love-hate relationship with 21p, and I’m not emo anymore, so I nearly didn’t even listen to this record, but I did, and I, grudgingly, liked it very much. It doesn’t deviate significantly from the sound of Blurryface, but incorporates a lot more bass in (which I appreciate, as a bassist). It’s also notable this album was lighter in tone, at least sonically. That’s nice. Had a bit of punk, in there, a New Wave sound, almost. Pretty interesting. And deep subject matter. I wish this band hadn’t been spoiled for me. Damn. Favorite track: Bandito. 

5. Queen by Nicki Minaj - A truly fitting title. Nicki’s always exuded a majestic sort of power, a confidence, strength, and sexiness we all can admire, and she’s never faltered in that, but she’s definitely at her top form here.  Favorite track: Barbie Dreams. The Biggie-sampled beat makes an already awesome song even better. This is essentially Nicki’s Control; honest, biting, but also wonderfully comedic and light-hearted. I will literally never forget listening to this for the first time, absolutely awed at every rapper she managed to playfully go at, and how clever each sneak-diss was. 

4. KOD by J. Cole - Cole’s been my favorite for years, and each of his recent albums have resonated with me deeply because of how genuine he comes across, even when he’s rapping about the typical things a rapper might rap about. Somehow Cole does it in a unique way and always makes it his own, so I never tire of the same topics. And he’s real, real as fuck; unapologetic and confident, but not assholish or excessively cocky. I really applaud him for that. Favorite track: 1985. Cole’s proudly embracing the fact that he’s not a youngin in the rap game anymore, and taking the role of a older figure, a wise one who advises his younger peers to reconsider their careers and their admittedly slim chances of remaining relevant. It’s brutally honest, harsh but not cruel, and absolutely admirable. Not the mention the beat is chill as fuck. Whole thing gives me goosebumps; easily one of the highlights of Cole’s career. 

3. Kamikaze by Eminem - Okay, I’m a former hardcore stan who’s turned critical in recent years, but this record fully blew me away. Marsh got relevant again! With the dope flows! Damn! One of my favorite parts of this record was the reactions - watching people remember that Em is not one to be fucked with. Not to mention the now-iconic MGK beef. What a bunch of horseshit. Killshot totally roasted the dude, though. Favorite track: The Ringer. What a way to open a record! Holy shit. I re-listened to this one repeatedly because it was so unexpectedly incredible, with the way the flow is changed up frequently, and the wordplay never falters, clever as ever. Renewed a lot of people’s faith in Em’s abilities, I think; myself included.

2. Iridescence by Brockhampton - In last year’s post I said how excited I was for what the future had in store for BH; and boy, was this year a good one for them. On this record, despite the absence of Ameer, they hold their own without him; Matt, Joba, and Dom even seem to step up to the plate, in fact, and each member spits fire, so that the manic energy from the Saturation Trilogy remains. Said trilogy helped them establish their winning song-writing and production formula, and this record polishes it.  Favorite track: Weight. Absolute goosebumps. The whole track has an otherworldly energy, but the transition from Joba’s verse into Dom’s is especially visceral. Joba’s holds an enthusiastic nihilism of sorts, and optimistic perception of life’s pain, while Dom’s is deeply depressive and harrowing, his voice full of a hurt and his words holding a wisdom beyond his years. It’s a beautiful track, through and through. 

1. Post Traumatic by Mike Shinoda - This album pretty much saved me this year. I’m very thankful to Mike for putting his feelings to music, because these tracks helped me sort out mine, and I connected to each individual song in a way I haven’t in a long time. I would actually kill to go to a show of his; it’d probably be somewhat of a spiritual thing for me, considering how deeply even the studio versions resonate. Favorite track: Hold It Together. I literally love every song on this album (except IOU...), and each is uniquely special, deeply personal, and beautifully resonates, but this one stands out for some reason. I think that breakdown towards the end adds a lot. Some other favorites are About You, Ghosts, Make It Up As I Go, and Running From My Shadow. And there’s not even words for Brooding.

honorable mentions

Expectations by Hayley Kiyoko - This one very nearly made my list, but Hivemind ending up dethroning it. It’s a great debut, full of gay bops that really kicked off 20gayteen well, I’d say. (Favorite track: Wanna Be Missed. Fun fact: My most listened song for all of 2018.)

Mania by Fall Out Boy - It’s unfortunate that my long-time favorite band didn’t make the list, but I just couldn’t get into the sound of this record. (Favorite track: Sunshine Riptide)

Bloom by Troye Sivan - He’s so big now! A big boy! I’m so proud of how far he’s come. I wasn’t as big on this album as I was on Blue Neighbourhood, but it’s still a solid sophomore record. (Favorite track: Dance to This)

Be the Cowboy by Mitski - Mitski’s sound is an aquired taste... I’m still not entirely in love with it, it’s so otherwordly in a jarring way? But I applaud her innovation. (Favorite track: Nobody)

extended plays

they’re too short to be included in my top albums, but i wanted to mention them anyway.

Lake Effect Kid by Fall Out Boy - The Chicago fuckers strike again! While the themes took away from the, uh, relatability, of the music, they’re still solid tracks that deviate from their earlier 2018 effort in a pleasant way. (Favorite track: Super Fade)

My Dear Melancholy by The Weeknd - Abel is one of my favorite musicians of all time (and was my most listened to for two years in a row) and he’d never disappoint me. MDM is sad, harrowing, and visceral, proof that Abel continues to be one of the best artists of this decade. (Favorite track: Call Out My Name)

[schraubd]

David's Personal Top Ten Video Games

This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time. It is a personal list, reflecting the games that have stuck with me the most over the years. I'm not enough of a gamer to claim it is anything comprehensive, and it has a strong bias to the sorts of genres that I like. Nonetheless, I'd stack these games against any that have been made in my lifetime. Anyway, without further adieu ....

Honorable Mentions:

Portal 2: How can a game with virtually no “dialogue” (if that means conversations between two characters) have some of the best spoken lines in all video game history? I have both the original and a capella versions of the Turret Opera on my iTunes (yes, I have “Still Alive” as well).

Railroad Tycoon II: A brilliant simulator that makes you actually feel like a turn-of-the-century robber baron (by far, the game is most fun to play when set in the late 19th century). If every man goes through his “trains!” phase, this was mine. As in real life, I am not good at playing the stock market.

Horizon: Zero Dawn: Robot dinosaurs! Incredibly, Horizon: Zero Dawn takes a core concept that sounds like word association from an over-caffeinated twelve-year boy and makes an entirely serious game about it—and it works. It works so well, in fact, that I loved it despite the fact that the plot and entire world-building background centers around my single greatest phobia (no, not that—being alive for the extinction of humanity).

10. Sid Meier’s Gettysburg: I find it odd that very few games have sought to replicate Gettysburg’s spin on an RTS—focusing combat around regiments rather than individual units and prioritizing morale over raw numbers. But the thing I like best about Gettysburg—and sadly it’s mostly unique too—is in how it concentrates on controlling territory (and terrain). Many RTS games, for me, might as well have a blank screen over 80% of the map between my base and my opponent’s base. You build up your force, and then try to swarm your opponent before he or she swarms you. But in Gettysburg, the goal of missions is not “wipe out your opposition”. It’s to capture and hold a ridge, or dig in and hold an exposed farmhouse.

My only critiques are that I want this game to be bigger. I want it to encompass dozens of map spanning the entirety of the Civil War. I want to be able memorize even more obscure Union and Confederate generals and wonder if they really were “mediocre” or if that was just a game balance decision. The random battle generator is okay, but this game screams for user-created expansions which I’ve never been able to find.

9. Crimson Skies: A pulpy fun flight simulator taking place in an alternate history 1930s where America has fractured and Zeppelin travel rules the day. The game doesn’t hesitate to lean into its concept (phrases like “broad” and “floozy” abound), and it does a great job world-building in a relatively short period of time. Somehow, I could meet an enemy “ace” for the first time in the middle of a mission and yet still feel like we had a history of epic dogfights together of which this was only the latest. Meanwhile, each of the locations the game takes you to (Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, Hollywood, the Rocky Mountains, and New York City) are a blast and a half.

A sequel, High Road to Revenge, was released on Xbox and leaned a little too hard into the arcade-y elements (power-ups, automatic evasive maneuvers with the press of a button, and so on). But the original PC game was just right—planes flew exactly like how someone who knows nothing about planes thinks planes fly, which is just perfect. You felt like an ace pilot because of your skill (even though behind the hood the game is really holding your hand). Piloting a gyrocopter through half-built New York City skyscrapers, or a prototype single-engine through the Hollywood "O", is great. Doing it to evade local security, then doing a loop and turning both guns on them -- well, that's the cat's meow.

8. Mass Effect (Trilogy and Andromeda): As far as I’m concerned, the definitive space opera (even muscling out Halo). Fabulous voice acting (listening to Martin Sheen play evil Jed Bartlett is one of the great joys of my life) and memorable plot lines pair with a morality system that at least inches away from “basically decent person or utter asshole.” The universe feels genuinely alive, like there’s an ecosystem and civilization that you’re very much apart, but also moves in your absence.

I can’t really separate out the core trilogy games from one another (each sequel seemed to simultaneously step slightly forward and back), which is not I think an uncommon position. What may be more uncommon is that I think Andromeda stands right in there with the core series. Yes, it was disappointing that it took us to a brand new galaxy and only gave us two new species (while eliminating many of the more backgrounded Milky Way aliens). But I was much more disappointed that there will be no DLC or sequels to continue the story and tie up loose ends.

7. N and N++: There can’t be any serious controversy that N is the greatest Flash game ever made. While Flash demands simplicity, N is not so much simple as it is elegant. It is the perfect balance of speed and control, thoughtfulness and twitch-trigger reflexes, serene relaxation and butt-clenching tension. Once you master the floaty physics and the unique enemy styles, you will truly feel like a ninja—stripped to its core essence and deprived of all the usual but unnecessary bells and whistles. A virtually unlimited supply of levels guarantees you endless gameplay.

And so it is unsurprising that N was one of the rare flash games that made a successful jump to a full true game (in the form of N++), one that has a strong claim on being the greatest platformer ever made. The developers were wise not to disturb the basic formula: run, jump, and slide around a level, dodge obstacles and traps that will kill you instantly, reach the exit. Repeat ad infinitum. But N++ adds just a splash of additional flavors and spices into the mix. A perfect trip-trance soundtrack that sets the mood perfectly (and may single-handedly stave off keyboard-smashing frustration). A few new enemy types that deepen the game without ruining its austere grace. And perhaps most importantly, it adds a bunch of extra, semi-secret challenges (which can be used to unlock still more levels) waiting for the very best-of-best players.

Of all the games on this list, I might be in absolute terms “best” at N++ (there are a non-trivial number of levels in the game where I have a top 100 or even top 10 score on the global leaderboards). And yet there is not the slightest chance that I will ever perfect this game, or even come close to it. Nor is there any chance I will become permanently sick of it. A simple concept, executed brilliantly. The perfect N++ level is also the perfect description of the game.

6. Final Fantasy IX: The question was never whether a Final Fantasy game would make this list, only which one. I’ve long had a soft-spot for FFIX, which I feel is often overlooked inside the series (in part because even on release it seemed players were already looking ahead to the Playstation 2). Yet it’s hard to find fault in Final Fantasy IX as an emblem of a straight-forward JRPG. It has a moving story, fun gameplay, beautiful music, loads of quests to do and places to explore, a fabulous supporting cast (Vivi might be my favorite Final Fantasy character ever written), and a lead character you don’t want to punch (*cough* Final Fantasy X).

Final Fantasy IX is often described as “nostalgic”, and despite the fact that it was only the second game in the series I had ever played, I got that feeling instantly. Try listening to the soundtrack for “Frontier Village Dali” without feeling a little melancholic. You don’t even have to have played. But I recommend that you do.

For the record, my ranking of Final Fantasy games that I’ve played goes: IX, VII, XII, XV, X, XIII.

5. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood: One difficulty in judging games within a series is how to compare an earlier game which still had some rough edges but represented a quantum leap forward versus a later game which didn’t do anything super-novel but tweaked the formula to perfection. That, in a nutshell, is the difference between Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. Now, for me, this is an easy call for idiosyncratic reasons—I played AC:B before AC II, and so I experienced the former as both the perfected model and the quantum leap forward as compared to the original game. But I respect that for those who played the series in order, this is a harder call.

What should be easy for anyone is to agree that together, Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood represented the AC series reaching its full potential. Ezio continues to be the best protagonist the series has seen to date. Renaissance Italy likewise is the ideal setting for both AC’s vertical and horizontal platforming elements and its shadowy-conspiracy/secret-history plotline. As a franchise, Assassin’s Creed really launched the parkour/open-world exploration genre, and Brotherhood was the first game where every single element of what that genre could be came together. Other more recent games have been tons of fun (Black Flag and Syndicate are I think highlights), but these two games are the reason this series is so iconic.

4. Might and Magic VI: The same problem posed by AC2 versus Brotherhood emerges with Might and Magic VI and VII—except here, I did play them in order. Like the previous entry, I do think that VII ultimately improves upon the formula set out in Might and Magic VI. It’s more versatile, has more replay value, a touch more balanced (and that’s not getting into ArcoMage) … all in all, probably a better technical game.

But Might and Magic VI is for me iconic—it may well be the first RPG I’ve ever truly loved (and given the way this list is stacked in that direction, that’s saying a lot). Virtually all the things that characterize what I love in games today, it had in at least skeletal form. Open world exploration? Check: It was the first game where I felt like I was a true pathfinder—meticulously crawling over every corner of the map to find each obscure bandit’s cave and goblin fortress. To this day I still have the lay of the land in Enroth basically memorized. Overly detailed worldbuilding text to read? Absolutely: my obsessive-streak came out in reading every single artifact description, conversational option, and quest backgrounder (it is canon that Enroth, and the entire planet it resides upon, was blown up in a magical explosion—a fact I’m still resentful towards 3DO for long after it disappeared into bankruptcy). Slight genre-bending? The splash of Sci-Fi onto the fantasy setting was delightful to discover for someone who had never played any of the prior entries in the series. And some of the music—well, the White Cap theme is a thing of beauty, and on my computer “Adagio in G Minor for Strings and Organ” is still listed as “Church Dungeon Music.”

3. Heroes of Might and Magic III: If comparing earlier, more revolutionary games against newer more polished ones presents a problem in the Assassin’s Creed and Might and Magic series, it presents no trouble at all in Heroes of Might & Magic. That’s because the third installation in the series both represented a huge jump forward from what came before and is unquestionably the best entry in the overall sequence.

Sure, some of the expansions are a bit goofy, but they still work—sharpshooters and enchanters are massively overpowered, but they’re generally used in missions that would otherwise be impossible. But the main campaign is fabulous—a surprisingly intricate and interwoven plot that bridges Might and Magic VI and VII compliments outstanding strategy gameplay. And that doesn’t even get into the acre of standalone maps provided, plus countless more available on the web thanks to a map editor so intuitive, even I can use it (I’m terrible with map editors).

As a result of all of this, Heroes III is maybe the only game on this list that can compete with N++ regarding infinite replayability. This is fortunate, because—given the fact that Heroes III was a full-budget release and was not supposed to be “simple”—it ages incredibly well. Even the graphics hold up (no need for that remastered remake—which doesn’t even include the expansions!).

2. Witcher III: As you may have noticed, this list has a strong bias towards RPGs. My preference is toward “Western” RPGs (which have a go-anywhere/do-anything exploration mentality) compared to “Japanese” RPGs (which are more linear and story-driven), but Witcher III does an incredible job of synthesizing the best of both. It has a huge open world to explore, one that feels alive and dynamic—but there is also an incredibly rich story filled with deep, well-written characters (of which Geralt—the player character—is but one).

Gameplay-wise, Witcher III really hits the perfect balance. I simultaneously felt like the biggest bad-ass in the room, but also like a single slip in concentration or bit of overconfidence and my corpse would unceremoniously end up at the bottom of whatever cave I was in. But Witcher III particularly stands out in how it subverts certain common RPG tropes. You are a hero, but you’re not particularly well-liked. You’re a powerful warrior, but you’re still ultimately treated as a pawn in larger political machinations. Your interventions do not always save the day, and sometimes don’t even make things better. If a mission starts with a villager worrying that their beloved has gone missing, nine times out of ten that person has been devoured by a monster well before you ever get there. While many games claim to place the hero in difficult moral dilemmas, Witcher III is a rare case of following through (some games might give you the choice to let a trio of witches eat a group of kids whom you recently played hide-and-seek with, but few make it so that might actually be the more moral of the options in front of you). There’s even a quest where you help a knight rescue a lady in distress from a curse, then lecture him that he’s not entitled to her romantic attention as a reward (talk about a timely intervention in the video game genre!). Over and over again, the game reinforces the message that being really powerful and doing “the right thing” isn’t enough to fix a fundamentally broken system.

Most impressive is the emotional impact that Witcher III dishes out. Sometimes this is a result of rich character development that pays off over the course of the entire game (as in “The Last Wish” quest). But sometimes it shows up in even relatively minor sidequests—the epilogue of the “Black Pearl” quest was one of the more brutal emotional gut-punches I’ve experienced in a video game. Ultimately, this was a game where one always felt like each character was a person—they were imperfect, they had their own interests, hopes, dreams, strengths and foibles, and while you were a little better with a sword and gifted with some preternatural abilities, you were still only one player in a much bigger narrative. As a result, Witcher III might well be, in my estimation, the perfect RPG.

Oh, and Gwent is ludicrously addictive. Let’s not forget that.

1. TIE Fighter: I don’t think this list has a particularly “modern” bias. Still, there’s something impressive about the number one game on this list also being the oldest by some measure. TIE Fighter originally came out in 1994, and the definitive Collector’s Edition was released in 1995. It is, to this day, one of the best games ever made. And that’s not a retrospective assessment. Star Wars: Tie Fighter holds up even played right now.

For starters, it is one of the few elements of the Star Wars universe to get the Empire right. I’m not saying that the Empire is the real protagonist of the series. I am saying that they wouldn’t view themselves as evil—as much as naming spacecraft “Executor” and “Death Star” might suggest otherwise. TIE Fighter is quite self-assured in presenting you as being a force for law and order in the galaxy, battling not just seditious rebels but pirates, smugglers, and other anarchic forces that threaten to tear civilized life apart.

Let’s start with something often overlooked in TIE Fighter: the music. It’s probably the only context that the phrase “kick-ass MIDI soundtrack” makes sense. But that’s not even the half of it. The iMuse system dynamically and seamlessly arranges the musical cues to reflect what’s going on around you in the mission—you can literally follow important mission updates (e.g., a wingman being shot down, or reinforcements arriving) simply by the way the melody shifts. I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered anything quite like it since. To this day, the number that accompanies an incoming enemy capital ship fills me with exhilarated dread.

Gameplay-wise, TIE Fighter is almost shockingly rich. The core mission requirements are challenging, but by no means out of reach. But embedded in each level are a series of secondary and secret bonus objectives. These unlock a parallel plot of the Emperor’s Secret Order—but always present a brutal risk/reward calculus. That’s not unrelated to the fact that you’re often flying, well, TIE fighters (not noted for their durability)—but the challenge extends well beyond physical peril. TIE Fighter actually gives you an “invincibility” option if you want it, and yet even with it on some of the later missions and bonus objectives will strain every piloting skill you’ve ever developed.

Most importantly, the secret objectives usually are more involved than “blow up everything in sight.” They reward initiative and exploration. Maybe your primary mission objective is to destroy a rebel space station. But just before it goes down, you spot an escape shuttle fleeing the station. Take it out? Maybe—but maybe the occupants are VIPs best taken alive. So you switch to ion cannons and disable it for capture. Yet that extra time you just spent has given the rebels enough breathing room to summon reinforcements—now an enemy cruiser is bearing down on you. Take out its missile launchers and clear path for bombers while praying that your own Star Destroyer will arrive soon to back you up. All on the fly. All while dogfighting starfighters, dodging mines, giving your wingmen orders … it’s insanely, beautifully chaotic.

Did I mention this is all happening in 1995? 90% of games released today don’t have that kind of depth or spontaneity. In terms of playability, replayability, and just plain fun, TIE Fighter stands alone, and unchallenged.

via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/2HbDTEl

[optionalobjectives]

Prime Cut

You know what is all kinds of good? Getting out of the city, buying a ranch, rolling around in a new Dodge Ram blasting Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country.” Oh yeah. That’s the kind of thing that just doesn’t feel as good sitting parked in traffic on the way to K street in DC. Some folks in my profession are pissed that they either have to move out to Grand Junction to keep lobbying the BLM or find ways to schedule regular flights and split their time. Or they would, anyway, except they’re doing everything over Zoom these days. Not me. I sold up in Bethesda and plowed some money into a couple thousand acres in Mesa County. My commute is shorter, my sky is bigger, and I can roll all around my new property however I see fit. So I’m not in the center of power anymore. Big deal. The steakhouses in Washington might have more power brokers per square foot, but the beef is better out here.

And it’s not like I had to settle for some falling apart, tin-roofed shack, either. The new place is pretty recent construction - two stories, plenty of square footage, jacuzzi out back. Smoking room with a pool table. Built-in gas grill on the patio. A kitchen sizable enough that I got a personal chef a couple days a week just to make good use of it. A movie theatre where I can run my own damn screenings of the latest Christopher Nolan film or whatever else. It’s a shame Disney pushed back Black Widow, because I’d love to get a hold of a screener and throw a life-sized Scarlett Johansson up on the wall. She’s hot. Not hot enough for me to watch that Jojo Rabbit bullshit, but hot.

Anyway, since nothing new is coming out to watch in my new theatre, I thought I’d take a break from re-watching some of the Duke’s finest and walk my property. Give the Dodge a rest, and take an afternoon on foot.

So I’m hiking around, boots crunching on this sandy gravel, picking my way through some overgrown and dried out grass (which I should probably get a fire crew up here to thin out and burn), and I head up this gully. It looks like a seasonal creek, but there’s nothing running at this point. It’s right at the end of summer, heading into the fall, and it’s plenty dry. I know from the property map that this gully cuts into some foothills, but I want to check out the grade. Really find out what I’m working with in case I get a few head of cattle and one of them heads in this direction. If it’s too steep or too narrow, I might need to fence it off to avoid some trouble further down the line.

Luckily, this thing seems pretty much flat. The hill it cuts into doesn’t have much of a slope, and by the time the vegetation gets too thick the walls are only a little over head high, maybe six and a half, seven feet up. I figure that it’s worth climbing up to get a different perspective on the whole thing and check out the terrain. I grab into the hard clay of the wall, pull on an exposed root, and swing my right arm over the top. It looks like there’s a tree stump or something up there, so I grab a hold of that.

It crumbled in my hand as I grabbed it, which was inconvenient. What was worse was that it was some kind of anthill or termite mound, because as soon as the damn thing crumbled I could feel the bastards inside of it swarm all over my hand. I dropped back into the gully, barely avoiding sliding down on my butt and staying on my feet. My hand was already stinging, burning like hell, swelling up. Needless to say, I made it back out of the gulley in less than half the time it took me to walk up.

It’s about a half mile back to the house and, even with my hand in searing pain, I clear the ground quickly. Claudia should be around today to make dinner, and sure enough, I spot her Durango in the driveway. Bursting in through the door, I yelled, “Claudia! Hey, it’s an emergency!” She came running around the corner, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel and looking concerned, asking “What is it, Mr. Connoly?” I say it’s my hand, it’s been bitten by some local bugs, what kind I don’t know, and can you give me that towel. She walks me over towards the sink instead and gently runs some cool water over it. I can barely feel it, though, because of how badly my hand is burning up. It’s swelled up like I blew into one of the plastic gloves she uses when she’s preparing a spice rub.

I keep it together, but I’m still cursing and swearing, not at Claudia but at this whole stupid situation. She runs over to the freezer, asking over her shoulder, “are you allergic to anything?”

“No, not insects or anything that I’ve ever found out about. I get poison ivy, I guess, goddammit, nothing, uh, hey, thanks.” Claudia interrupts me interrupting myself, handing me a baggie full of ice cubes, wrapped in a kitchen towel. “So, Fred, listen,” she says, “That looks pretty serious, and I know you’re new to the area, but you have to know there are some venomous things out there. We should get you to urgent care or a hospital right away.”

“Yeah, fuck, I know.”

“Good.” She’s steering me away from the sink by my shoulders now, as I hold the cloth-wrapped ice-cubes. “Let’s get you into my truck. You shouldn’t drive with that hand or the amount of pain you’re in.”

“Yeah, okay, fine. Where’s shit,” I wince with pain, “where’s the closest one?” Claudia opens the door to her truck and helps me climb into it. “It’s probably the Redlands one. C’mon, let’s get going. It’ll definitely be faster to get you there one way, instead of waiting for an ambulance to come out here and drive you back to a hospital.”

We get going, Claudia tearing ass down the road. I tell her not to worry about any kind of speeding ticket or anything - I’ll pay any ticket or court cost at this point, and you could say I know a few good lawyers. I try and keep it quiet, and Claudia doesn’t talk much in the 15 minutes there except to continually check in on the condition of my hand. It’s holding pretty steady, with my fingers inflamed to something like twice their usual girth. Extraordinarily painful. I can’t move any of my joints much, everything is so swollen, so I’m just holding it, resting it on top of the wrapped ice. Sonuvabitch it burns!

Claudia screeches to a halt in the mostly-empty parking lot and helps me out of the car. We’re already making a scene, me cussing up a storm, Claudia practically carrying me over her shoulders. I’m blinking back tears as we move through the automatic doors and into the lobby. They take me in back quickly, seeing as I might be poisoned. Claudia says she’ll wait for me in the lobby. The nurse practitioner on duty, named James something-or-other, checks my heart rate, blood pressure, all that. It doesn’t seem like a snakebite or any of the more venomous spiders, at least. He says they’ll need to run more tests, but since he doesn’t see a stinger or anything to remove that the swelling will probably go down. He prescribes some prednisone, wraps my hand, and advises me to contact my PCP. I’m supposed to return if symptoms get worse or if any new ones appear.

My hand feels a little less like I’m sticking it into an open flame, at least, and is mostly hot and numb. I’m not feeling much when I touch anything with it, although I can feel the cold of the ice cubes. They charge my insurance a ton for a few more fancy ice packs, and I head back into the lobby to sign paperwork. Or attempt to sign it, anyway, since I can’t really write anything. I ask if they have some digital way of signing things, or if they can send it to my secretary, and then I remember to call my secretary and cancel appointments for a few days.

Claudia drives me back home and makes me some kind of soup in a hurry. Then she finishes the salmon she had in progress even though it goes straight into the fridge. It’s for tomorrow, she tells me. After I hear her close the door on her way out, and hear her truck’s tires slowly crunch the gravel at the end of the paved driveway, I drift off watching some tennis replay on ESPN.

When I wake up, the stream has ended and my TV is sitting dimly on some menu screen with a bunch of recommended “30 for 30” documentaries. Something smells incredible, and my stomach rumbles. It’s hard to describe. A meaty, seared smell, like finished pit barbecue. Or the first sizzle of a steak hitting a searing hot pan, salt and fat and high heat. God, it’s irresistible. I lurch off the couch, and head into the darkened kitchen. It smells like Claudia came back - maybe she started some ribs in a slow cooker or something, just to make sure that I had food prepared for the next day or two. The clock reads that it’s about 2:30 in the morning, so that seems unlikely, and everything is off. I’m checking the inside of the oven, putting my good hand over the stove to sense if there’s some residual heat, looking inside the refrigerator, but there’s nothing new, just the platter of salmon.

I switch the lights on. That’s when I notice that the bandages on my hand are soaked. They feel looser, too, but they’re a concerning light pink, mixed with some yellow. It’s like blood and pus saturated the wrap all of the way through. There’s no way it’s good to keep that kind of thing on.

It doesn’t seem right to unwrap that in the kitchen, so I head into the bathroom. The delicious aroma comes with me, without fading at all as I traverse the house to the downstairs master bath. I find the end of the wrap and start to peel it off, and I catch a big waft of something amazing. Just fresh cooked meat. I speed up, which has the effect of squeezing juice out of the bandage and into the sink. It’s mixed with bits of skin, which swirl down the drain. I get the whole thing off in a flash.

I stare at my hand. Who wouldn’t? It’s gone down in size, but it’s raw as hell. And completely pockmarked up and down with tiny holes. No maggots, no worms, no sign of anything except that it looks like dozens of small openings all up and down, front and pack, each dripping with fluid.

The sight should turn my stomach, but instead it rumbles. I’m famished, ravenous. I can’t tell you how good this smells. It’s more than a smell, it’s a goddamn aroma.

I lick my hand. At first I hesitate, like I’m about to touch my tongue to a dish that just came out of the oven. I chuckle a little bit, imagining a waiter saying, “careful sir, don’t touch the plate, it’s hot.” What the hell am I doing.

What the hell am I doing.

It tastes good. It’s like the seared edge of a filet, perfectly seasoned. Maybe some brown butter, maybe some truffle. Rich. Dry aged. Tender.

I pull back, staring at my hand, waiting for something to fly or crawl out of it. But nothing happens. It’s just me, the aroma, and the aftertaste.

Have you heard about how much closer a shave you can get with a straight razor? I switched a few years ago and I’ve never looked better and never looked back. It’s such a clean feeling, sharpening the blade and then running it gently, and at just the right angle, across your face and neck.

There’s my razor, right there on the counter. I grip it lightly in my left hand, not my usual grip, but I can make this work. And I’ll tell you, I’ve never managed such thin slices before.

[umusicians]

UM Interview: Bea Kadri

Lebanese singer-songwriter Bea Kadri has always had a love for music. Tackling topics of self-discovery, empowerment, and all matters of the heart, Bea has found her niche as an artist. Although her rise into a career as an artist was gradual, Bea’s love for music can be traced back to her days growing up in Beirut, Lebanon where she glued to her iPod, MTV, and YouTube to get her musical fix of Pop, Hip-Hop and R&B. 

In 2018, Bea moved to London to pursue a master’s degree in music business management from the University of Westminster, with the hope of obtaining a job in the music industry. To date, Bea has landed a number of songwriting opportunities and sync placements, as well as performing at the BRIT AWARDS 2018 with Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton as a member of their choir.

Amandah Opoku sat down with Bea Kadri to talk about her latest single “Be Alright”, songwriting and more!

Amandah Opoku: Hi Bea, thank you for doing this interview with UMusicians! Can you introduce yourself to our viewers and tell us about one new song you’ve discovered in the last few months that you love!  Bea Kadri: Hey UMusicians! It’s my pleasure. Thanks for having me. I’m Bea Kadri, an alternative RnB / Future Pop singer songwriter from Beirut, Lebanon. Recently been obsessed with Teyana Taylor’s Bare With Me!!! The music video, the track and that mix are so fire and constantly on replay.

AO: You recently released “Be Alright”, what is the story behind the song?  BK: I wrote and recorded “Be Alright” with rapper Isaac B in a studio session in London back in August. It really started off with us just discussing how tiresome, changing and fast life can be and how much we miss simpler times from our childhoods. We put the Jan Pastor’s beat on loop with that mindset and came up with this sort of reminiscing and melancholic call for peace as a reminder to stay chill no matter the chaos. 

AO: “Be Alright” features London based freestyle rapper, Isaac B. How did the collaboration happen?  BK: I was in London for shows throughout July and August and Isaac B is a hardworking talented rapper and a good friend of mine. We just thought why not explore what we could come up with musically together, he had access to studio time at The Rattle London so I went by and “Be Alright” was created in those few hours and recorded it on the spot. I only added a couple of adlibs and back ups later from the comfort of my bedroom studio. 

AO: Do you have any artists and/or songwriters you’d like to work with in the future? If so, who?  BK: Songwriters: I would LOVE to work with Nija Charles, she is insanely talented and has written a lot of my favorite on-replay tunes. Julia Michaels’ words hit different too, so definitely her. Sarah Hudson’s songwriting is always popping and she seems super fun to collab with and just get to know in general. Oh, and Pharell Williams, he’s ultimate feel good vibes.  Singers: Post Malone, Jhene Aiko, SZA, Beyonce, Rihanna, PINK, H.E.R, 6lack, Jessie Reyez, Lolo Zouai, Drake, Daniel Caesar... the list is long. 

AO: What inspired you to pursue a career in music?  BK: The realization that it’s all I could think of growing up and that it didn’t go away when I became an adult is a big one. It’s always been my dream as corny as that sounds. But also, every time I found myself at a low point in my life, dreaming about it and escaping to that space in my head was what kept me up. So at one low low I decided to move away and just do it once and for all : pursue a career in music, by both studying the business side of the industry in my masters and releasing music. 

AO: As you pursue your career as an artist and songwriter, what is one of your biggest fears?  BK: I think the instability that lies in an artist’s career is somewhat of a worry. Even when I reach high levels, I need to stay innovative, creative and be smart with my income streams, especially if later I have a family to provide for, it can’t be that fluctuating. 

AO: If you could describe your music in three words. What words would you choose and why?  BK: Chill, transparent and emotional. 

Chill because a lot of the music I release and tone I use is relaxed and laid-back. 

Transparent because I write and pull from real experiences and reflections.  Emotional because I make sure I truly channel the same raw emotion that inspired my writing a song. I aim to match that in recording too. Like my last break up track B4WBU was full of takes of me choking up and sniffing. So I’m kinda glad this follow-up release “Be Alright” is a happier lighter one lol. 

AO: Some of the music you’ve released to date has been synced in a number of television shows and films. What was your reaction when you received your very first sync placement?  BK: Yes!! I was ecstatic, jumping around in disbelief as I watched my songs play in these dramatic scenes on the Australian soap opera “Home and Away”. That was the first one. Ah! Loved every second of that! 

AO: Looking back at songs that have been released within the last year, what are your favourite lyrics you’ve heard that you wish you had written?  BK: “Remember when you got my ass arrested. At least when I was in jail, I got some rest in” has got to be one of my favorite lyrics this year. It’s from Die for Me by Post Malone feat. Halsey & Future. I don’t know why I love that line so much, it makes me laugh and just simply and strongly paints how toxic whoever she is was. Posty’s energy in the delivery of the song is truly FELT. 

AO: At the 2018 BRIT Awards you performed with Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton as a member of the choir. What was the experience like and what did you take away from the experience?  BK: It was honestly surreal! Such icons! And I got to be in their choir on my first year in London! Just madness. I remember the gratitude and excitement that filled my heart, I felt so lucky witnessing what it’s like at The Brits that I never miss tuning in to. Although, when I was there I had this fear that I’d mess up or overstep so I kept to myself really as I watched Dua’s dancers and Stormzy’s crew get ready backstage. Looking back now I really wish I had been more relaxed and networked more or sparked conversations even with the rest of the choir. We were backstage for hours and everyone seemed friendly and happy to be there. I was just way too caught up in my shyness and unsure how lil Lebanese pre-releasing me got there in the first place. 

Listening to the song we performed “Say Something” is a quick way to take me back to that day though. And my dad blasts it all the time he’s so proud. I’ll remember the details of that day forever or until the next time I’m there (ehem, universe, do your thang!). 

AO: Aside from your music career, you also have a fashion e-commerce brand Young Wilderness & designer for Fashiontv Eyewear. What inspired you to jump into the fashion/accessories world? And how does this connect directly to your music?  BK: Well, I was in fashion for years before pursuing music. I launched Young Wilderness back in 2013 and recently re-stocked it, now I sell it online and at live shows whenever I can. It’s this super comfortable, durable, funky brand that’s meant to add colors and good vibes to people’s lives. It also helps pay for my music-related things. 

Designing for Fashiontv Eyewear was an interesting challenge, I never studied eyewear design, I just had ideas and did massive research about trends and color combos so that was a pretty cool chapter of my life...safe to say I have more shades than one woman needs. Would love to full-on dive back into fashion after I establish myself more musically, they can definitely go hand in hand beautifully. 

AO: In 2018, you moved to London to pursue a master’s degree and to be closer to your passion and to possibly get a job in music. You took a leap of faith. To those who may also want to pursue a career in music, what would your advice to them be?  BK: Depends on what side of the industry they want to be on. But whatever it is, I say definitely do your research and gain some knowledge in the field you’re interested in. Understand the legalities, understand royalties, take online courses, read up and consume on the subjects that interest you and most importantly, act on it. It doesn’t need to be 100 from the get-go. Take small to large steps in the directions that intrigue you, even if you’re unsure, even if you realize later you have a change of heart, even if you’re scared to fail. It all leads to you finding answers and gaining experience. I’ve very much become this annoying follow your heart and trust the process type of person, but if you love it, it’s worth it. 

AO: For a new fan that may across your music on digital music platforms, what do you want them to take away from your music?  BK: I can’t really say what I want them to take from it, that’s their personal business. But I do hope my music resonates with them on some deep level and sparks up memories and all types of feelings and healings and things. :) 

AO: Bea, thank you for sitting down with me to do this interview! Before you go, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans and our readers?  BK: I’d like to thank you for your awesome reflective questions, they’ve made me remember and smile. And to whoever is reading this, if you vibe with my music I got news for you: NEW MUSIC coming soon! I got the wheels rollin’ on a bunch of projects in this quarantine that I CANNOT WAIT to put out. Keep streamin’ my released til then. And thank you for choosing to spend your precious time reading this interview til the end. You’re a fuckin’ gem! Much love xx

Connect with Bea Kadri at the following links: https://beakadri.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bea.kadri/ https://twitter.com/beakadri https://www.facebook.com/BeaKadri/

[entergamingxp]

DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Tanner’s Top 10

January 1, 2020 1:00 PM EST

While my list includes a couple familiar favorites, 2019 still had a bunch of other great games that I got to enjoy all throughout the year.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

Come one, come all. Gather ’round kids, it’s finally time to listen to Tanner’s tale about what he thinks were the best games of the year. This year was a bit of a slow year for games, to be honest, as 2019 really only picked up right at the tail end of the year. Like many, I feel like this year will have a lot of variety of opinions between people, rather than just the usual lists like every other year where a couple games dominate the conversation.

While you’re reading, please keep in mind two things: one, this is just my opinion of the games I had the most fun with this year. Some of these titles weren’t released this year, so I want to make that clear right from the get-go. Secondly, this is not comprehensive of every game released in 2019. I still have yet to play Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry 5, and The Outer Worlds, among other titles. If your favorite game isn’t here, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. It might mean I just didn’t play it. Unless your name is Apex: Legends, which I did play, and hated.

Honorable Mention: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

I started Fallen Order only a few hours ago as of the time of this writing and, honestly, I already wish I could put it higher on my list. Given the fact that I just started it though, I felt that was cheating a little bit.

That being said, Fallen Order‘s gameplay feels absolutely incredible and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here. Despite a few graphical issues and bugs here and there, I feel like if I were to have played the game earlier, it would be very high on my list, possibly even my Game of the Tear. Sadly, I must keep pressing on.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

10. Fortnite

I’m kicking off my list with a couple of repeats from last year because I feel like they both, once again, deserve shoutouts. For as many problems I have with the game (mostly in terms of the building aspects), Fortnite had an absolutely killer year. Between its insane The End/Chapter 2 event and its surprising Star Wars crossover that added freakin’ lightsabers, the battle royale game garnered my attention too much for me to not put it on the list.

Something about the Chapter 2 event changed my opinion on this game and while I can’t put my finger on it, I’ve been having a great time with it ever since the update. For that, I feel it deserves a spot on my list.

9. Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links has been on my top 10 lists at DualShockers for three years now and, honestly, I don’t feel bad about it one bit. This game is absolutely phenomenal. Konami just keeps on adding content to the game and it’s rare that it’s not good.

In the past couple of years we’ve been getting content based on the anime spin-off series, but in 2019 Konami decided to change it up a bit by adding cards and characters based on The Dark Side of Dimensions anime movie (which was funnily enough released in America the same time that Duel Links originally was back in 2016) and, once again, it’s mostly all solid content. I still play this game on a weekly basis and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Until that happens, I feel like it deserves a shoutout on every top 10 list.

8. My Friend Pedro

So this was a very late entry, only getting my hands on the title a few weeks ago after The Game Awards. My Friend Pedro is just pure fun. Plain and simple. It feels, control-wise, what the Deadpool video game should have been. The controls feel great and slowing down time while blasting enemies is so much fun; I legitimately get goosebumps every time it happens.

Do I care about the story? Nope. Do I have any ideas what’s going on in the world? Nope. Am I have fun doing flips, pulling off trickshots, and jumping on walls? Absolutely. My Friend Pedro needs to come to more platforms so more people have a chance to play it. Hell, bring it to Vita. It’ll probably feel right at home there.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for My Friend Pedro.

7. Trials Rising

Trials Rising, besides Yu-Gi-Oh!, is probably the most niche title on this whole list. Its gameplay is certainly not for everyone, but as a huge fan of the series over the years, I loved my time reviewing the title. Completely and utterly failing a level and still having fun at the same time is why the Trials series, in my opinion, really shines.

It’s ridiculous, and this game is absolutely no exception. It doesn’t try and take itself seriously, and that’s totally fine. For god’s sake, you can even use a tandem bike in Rising and it’s hilarious to struggle with controlling, even though you are quantifiably failing the level each and every time. Plus, the user-generated content allows for even more fun, ridiculous times.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Trials Rising.

6. John Wick Hex

Well, I’ll be honest, I never thought I would put a strategy game in my top 10 Games of the Year list, and yet, here we are. John Wick Hex is a title that completely took me by surprise earlier in 2019. When it was announced, only the fact that it was being made by Bithell Games got my attention. But after playing it at E3 2019 and reviewing the whole thing in October, it quickly became one of my favorites of the year. The gameplay is tight, the art style is awesome, and it feels both authentically Bithell and John Wick.

Now, bring the title to consoles so I can play through it again!

Check out DualShockers‘ review for John Wick Hex.

5. Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution

I know what you’re thinking to yourself: “Two Yu-Gi-Oh! games on the same top 10 list? That’s a little cheap, don’t you think?” Honestly, I felt the need to put both on here because I liked both equally in 2019. While Duel Links does have a lot of content, it is a more condensed experience. That’s where Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution comes in.

This Switch title includes the full card lineup, full five-card field, as well as story and character missions for the first five Yu-Gi-Oh! series. Plus, since it’s on the Switch, I can also take the game on the go, just like Duel Links. And with more content coming in 2020, I’ll be playing Link Evolution even more as time goes on.

4. Ori and the Blind Forest

After not being able to get my hands on Ori and the Blind Forest for years due to it being exclusive on Xbox One, I was finally able to sit down and play it thanks to the game’s Nintendo Switch release earlier in 2019, and I absolutely loved it.

Between the game’s stunning locales and tight platforming, I adoring my time with the game. And the fact that I got to play it on Switch and take it wherever I went made it an even better experience. Now I just need Moon Studios to port the upcoming sequel Will of the Wisps on to Nintendo Switch, and all will be right in the world.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Ori and the Blind Forest.

3. Super Mario Maker 2

I have to say, I’m not a Nintendo first-party fan. I didn’t grow up with these properties, so I have no affinity for them whatsoever. I’m only saying that because if I think a Nintendo first-party game is one of the best of the year, that’s really saying something. I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of Super Mario Maker 2‘s “story” mode (if you can even call it that). However, I am a huge fan of user-generated content, and in that regard, the game absolutely delivers. I spent hours just diving into the various user-created levels, in awe by the creativity that members of the community have.

Games with UGC included will always gain my attention to their–essentially–unlimited replay value. I could easily see myself coming back to the game in a year or so and seeing just how much the community has come up with.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Super Mario Maker 2.

2. Death Stranding

Ok, so Death Stranding easily became my most anticipated game of 2019 when the release date was announced. I personally didn’t think it was hitting at that time, so when that got announced I was incredibly excited. Finally, we would be able to dive into the crazy world that Kojima had built for us.

After the first few hours of the game, I was hooked. I was ready to learn more. And then Chapter 3 showed up and that feeling went away after I realized I was going to be spending an insane amount of time in this one section. My friends and co-workers encouraged me to keep pushing forward, that the grind was worth it in the end. And once I saw the credits rolling, I found myself agreeing with that sentiment.

The story and performances found in Death Stranding are phenomenal. While Mads Mikkelsen and Tommie Earl Jenkins definitely deserve praise for their performances, I feel like Troy Baker’s performance as Higgs was also one of the best of year. I constantly found myself on the edge of my seat every time he would show up in the world, wondering what he would do next.

And there’s no way I can talk about Death Stranding without mentioning how gorgeous the game looks, even on a base PlayStation 4, which is where I was playing. Regardless of how you feel about the overall game, you have to respect how well-polished and visually stunning Death Stranding is. Was it worth the hype? In my opinion, yes.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Death Stranding.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

In my opinion, no other game had a better overall package than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Everything in the title was top notch. The campaign was absolutely exceptional, leaving behind Call of Duty‘s traditional, action movie feel for a more nuanced, thoughtful experience. In addition, new life was brought to Captain Price, making him a more sympathetic and relatable character than his previous incarnation, while at the same time introducing new characters with their own unique personalities.

On top of that, the multiplayer is also incredibly solid and, beyond some balancing issues with claymores and shotguns at launch, continues to be the most fun experience I have had in a game all year. I may be in the minority on this, but I feel like Modern Warfare‘s map design is some of the best and most unique we’ve had for the series in years. Of course, I don’t like every single map in the game, but I feel like overall there are way more great maps than bad maps.

While I’ve put the least amount of time into Spec Ops, the little I’ve played seems to be a ton of fun. These are more akin to raids than anything else, which requires extreme coordination. While I haven’t really been able to sink my teeth in the mode, the little I’ve played of it is extremely fun and I could see myself spending hours in there when I get some raid buddies.

Is Modern Warfare perfect? Nope. But my top Game of the Year doesn’t have to be that. It has to be the game that I enjoyed the most this year and, in that regard, this title certainly takes the cake.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor  December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager // Kris Cornelisse, Staff Writer December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer // Laddie Simco, Staff Writer

January 1, 2020 1:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/01/dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-tanners-top-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-tanners-top-10