When I started this newsletter, the idea was to provide commentary and analysis on the games that I was playing, both on- and off-stream. That remains and always will be its primary focus, but I also wanted to take the opportunity to talk about a few of the things outside of gaming that I’ve enjoyed so far this year.
This is something of a critical exercise - sharing my tastes in media might help readers understand why or why not I enjoy certain games or aspects of games - but also summer is here, and so looking into these recommendations might give you something to do the next time it’s uncomfortably hot.
Media
I’m far from the most engaged person when it comes to media - I don’t really watch movies or television, and I don’t read nearly as much as I used to. The things that I’ve enjoyed the most in the first half of this year have been recommendations from bloggers, YouTubers, or other streamers. Here are the things that I’ve enjoyed the most over the past six months.
Chainsaw Man
I’m really not much into comics or manga, but I had kept hearing really great things about Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man. I gave it a chance and became so captivated that I ended up reading all 97 chapters in about three sittings.
Denji is a teenaged orphan who dreams of a regular life. He has also inherited his father’s massive debt to the yakuza, placing even the simple pleasure of eating bread with jam outside of his grasp. Denji lives in a world filled with Devils - monsters that represent objects or concepts, with their power based on how much they are feared - and along with the Chainsaw Devil, a dog-like creature he names Pochita, he becomes a Devil Hunter to pay his debt and make a living.
The designs of the Devils are grotesque, and its action scenes are dripping with style. Where it succeeds the most, though, is in the development of its characters, how these disparate and imperfect people, all in pursuit of self-preservation, evolve into a surrogate family.
If the video above didn't tip you off, Chainsaw Man is getting an animated adaption from MAPPA, who are coming off of one of the biggest series in recent memory in Jujutsu Kaisen. Despite how unconventional it is, I’m fairly confident that Chainsaw Man has everything it takes to also become a sensation, so now is the perfect time to get in on the ground floor.
Scruffy
This is a bit of a cheat since I discovered him in December, but the YouTuber Scruffy has consistently put out interesting, insightful videos on the often overlooked topic of music and sound design in games. A musician and composer, Scruffy splits his time between analysis and arrangement, with his current project being the creation of 24 one-hour tracks, covering an entire day’s cycle, for a fictitious Animal Crossing game.
Scruffy’s content is informative and engaging, with a simple yet incredible style. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about sound intensity or the Doppler effect, or just want to hear great arrangements of beloved video game music, check out Scruffy.
/r/TwoBestFriendsPlay
I’m not a fan of Reddit conceptually, but /r/TwoBestFriendsPlay is one of the coolest and most interesting communities on the platform. Ostensibly a subreddit dedicated to the now-defunct YouTube channel Super Best Friends Play and the current projects of its creators, “Better AskReddit” is constantly filled with memes, news, and discussion threads filled with people sharing the things they love.
It’s not often that a community can take on a life of its own independent of the thing it was created for, but this subreddit is all the stronger for it. If you want to learn about things you never knew you needed in your life, someone’s probably writing about it right now.
Streamers
Twitch is a vibrant, ever-changing platform, though I traditionally have struggled with finding new people to watch. With that in mind, here are a couple of streamers that I’ve started watching this year and would gladly recommend to anyone looking for great communities to hang out in.
ALevvee
Disclaimer: Levvee and I go back quite a bit, but even if that weren’t the case, I’d still be hanging out in his stream. It does help that we have similar tastes in games, sharing affinity for series and creatives, but what I appreciate the most is his insightfulness and open-mindedness, carving out his own niche on Twitch in a way that I’d never given much thought to.
Levvee has frequently shone a spotlight on Japanese pro wrestling, and some of my favourite moments in the last six months have been getting invested in the skill and athleticism of these competitors half a world away. While his gaming content is top-notch, seeing a streamer break away from the conventional and share what they love outside of games has been an exciting journey.
krevinfry
I first came across Krevin during his playthrough of Outer Wilds, a game I played earlier this year and absolutely loved, and I’m very glad I found him. He is an incredibly laid-back and thoughtful streamer with an eclectic taste in games, tackling everything from Blasphemous to Killer7, Crusader: No Regret to The Horror of Salazar House. That I’ve watched him play six of the ten mainline Resident Evil games certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
What I appreciate most about Krevin is how passionate he is about so many things. He streams most weekdays, sometimes even two or three times a day, but it’s not unusual to come into his channel and hear him talk about mixed martial arts, literature, or his charity work. He’s a great dude and I heavily suggest you check him out.
What are some of the things that you’ve enjoyed in the first half of 2021? Let me know! You can always find me on Twitch.