Oh 2014, what a year to be alive. Why you may ask? Well because it's the year TGOI.COM first reared it's gorgeous head. To celebrate this and that this is the final Sunday recommendation of 2014, we are re-recommending things that we deem worthy to re-recommend. Darren's up first, so take it away!
Here's my top favourites for this year. I've put considerably small amounts of effort in. I apologise to all of you but it's not a new year yet so I don't have to change anything.
Cowboy Bebop – Sunrise (Series) – Author: Darren
So, this week my pick is Cowboy Bebop. Now, if you've ever heard of anime, you've heard of Cowboy Bebop. It's lauded as a benchmark for quality by critics and consumers alike.
You probably want to know more, right? Well, I'll oblige. Cowboy Bebop is about a crew of bounty hunters aboard a ship named Bebop, struggling to make ends meet. It takes place in the year 2071, when space flight and habitation are possible thanks to hyper space gateways. A fair chunk of the action seems to take place on Mars (think today's big cities) with some pretty nifty space travel and a few jaunts to Earth.
The characters themselves and their relationships are what makes this show what it is, but in my opinion, it's main character: Spike Spiegel's arc that is the most compelling, Faye Valentine's arc is fantastic in it's own right as it offers a healthy dose of juxtaposition to Spike and Jet's stories.
If story isn't your thing, or even if it is, there's no denying that both the music and art style,as well as animation and voice acting, come together to create a truly unique experience that simultaneously entertains and tackles mature subject matter such as existentialism, the affects of the past, existential ennui and loneliness.
All in all, if you like compelling characters, science fiction, jazz, blues, deep stories and satisfying conclusions (I mean, who doesn't like a satisfying conclusion?) then this is your kind of thing. Even if, like me, you're not huge on anime. One thing I will say is that, reading reviews, Is that it's suggested to watch episode five, then one to four. I didn't and I still enjoyed it but some of you may find it slow to start.
Before you move on, I would like to say that my love for Cowboy Bebop doesn't come from nostalgia or any kind of anime bias, the first time I watched it was roughly three months ago (from time of writing) and I'd never watched an anime in my life. Yep, you read it right, no DBZ, no Bleach, no Naruto. I went in blind to anime and I loved it.
Normandy - Miracle Of Sound (Music) - Author: Darren
I think this is the second time now that I've recommended Miracle of Sound, but only because other people need to have a chance or something. This song (along with those below) is one one of my favourites, again, probably because it's Mass Effect related. It still doesn't mean the quality isn't exceptionally high. As someone who produces music as a hobby, I have to admit that this is where I aspire to be skill wise. Actually, come to think of it, better wouldn't be bad (harder, absolutely). As a person who has ears, I can also say that this is an amazing song that resonates with me on an emotional level, maybe it's the investment with Mass Effect, maybe it isn't. His music is still great though and well worth a listen, he does more than just Mass Effect, but never less than excellent. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfelfyV8LwA]
Castlevania: Symphony of The Night - Konami (Game) - Author: Darren
Castlevania: Symphony of The Night (SoTN) debuted on the PlayStation on 20th March 1997. However, since I was deeply entrenched in my mother's womb, I never had the chance to play it. That changed when it was re-released on XBLA and PSN almost ten years later. It's safe to assume that I've now played it (still not beaten it) and I found it enjoyable. It's tough as dicks. Steel dicks. Enjoyable as hell though.
The game sees you take on the role of Dracula's broody son, Alcuard (fuckin' clever shit). You take it upon yourself to storm Dracula's castle, usually a job for Belmont and Sons, Ltd. This plan goes a tad awry when Death comes and mugs you. Yep, he straight up mugs you, putting you in the classic situation of "get better weapons and shit, you faffy little cunt scrubber". Gameplay of this game is old, but good. Some things let it down just a bit. Things like Alucard's melodrama upon receiving the slightest damage and the fact that he always slashes just higher than you think. He has a sweet forward moonwalk going on though.
Visually and audibly, this game is fantastic. There's a huge variety in enemy types, sizes and palettes as well as some great effects when enemies die or take hits (shout out to Sean Poole). The soundtrack and even the effect noises are great. Most of the music in SoTN is a strange kind of eerie synth or as spine-chilling as Sub Zero.
Now that Darren's got his stuff out the way, it's time for my favourite things that I've recommended in 2014. I was going to write new stuff about them, but I feel like a) what I wrote previously does them justice and b) I'm saving my writing power for a very special piece coming in the next couple of days. Be ultra excited for that!
In the Mouth of Madness - John Carpenter (Movie) Author: Chris
Let it be known how much I love John Carpenter, and how much I have wanted to add one of his films here (god I feel like I've said this already), and now I finally have an excuse. One time, I was rather vocal about my love of John Carpenter, and a copy of In the Mouth of Madness was flung upon me. I then proceeded to watch it. I must say, I was not prepared for what this combination of moving pictures and audio had in store for me. This film is fucking weird, and I absolutely love it. I really don't want to spoil any of it, but this is a recommendation, so I do have to state something that will get your taste buds tingling. It is a horror film, the kind that goes out of its way to fuck with your mind and your perception of the film universe that you see before your retinas. An author goes missing, one that is claimed to be more successful than Steven King, in terms of his horror novels, and our protagonist, an insurance investigator, is tasked with locating him. The main catch is, his novels seem to drive some people insane. Now if that doesn't grab your attention for twisted movies, I don't know what will (well, probably the Saw franchise, but whatever.) This is John Carpenter at his best, not that he ever makes anything less then that in my mind (apart from Ghosts of Mars, that made me bored I must admit.)
Afro Samurai: Resurrection OST - The RZA (Music) Author: Chris
So we here at the TGOI offices take our music very seriously, and we love to dive into exciting new genres, but I feel rap is an area that I'm a bit iffy about. Don't get me wrong, I do like some songs, but some are just samples repeated over and over to some dodgy words. However, this soundtrack is something else. It uses a combination of hip hop rap and traditional Japanese musical instruments to make some really stunning songs. Just by writing that I realise how bizarre that sounds, but it actually works really well, and I'm flat out admitting that this album Is up there with some of my favourites of all time (once again, Talking Heads, your time will come.) You should probably watch the anime that the soundtrack accompanies first, (which I also recommend) but if you just want a unique twist on such a genre, look no further.
Max Payne 3 - Rockstar Games (Games) - Author: Chris
Let it be known (I feel like I have used that intro before) that Darren and myself adore Rockstar Games and everything they create. Now, this game had quite a lot of trailers, all of which I watched extensively, absorbing as many small details before the game came out. I wanted this game so badly it was unreal. So when I did get this game, I bought it, popped it in, and HOLY SHIT IT IS STILL ONE OF MY FAVOURITE GAMES EVER. The game looks and plays amazingly, the story is phenominal and Max Payne himself, my my, what a performance. I quote that fucking game every day, most of the time without people realising. I don't want to brag (what am I saying, of course I do) but I got stupidly good at that game, I mean like MLG levels of good. They held a tornament with about ten thousand people and I came twentieth. I BEAT A DEVELOPER AT HIS OWN GAME. THAT IS HOW GOOD I GOT AT IT. Enough bragging now, you can pick this game up for like a fiver, and I'd say that is the best thing a person can buy with a fiver. Also the soundtrack is ace. OKAY I AM DONE FOR REAL THIS TIME.
Well shit guys, that's it. That was the last Sunday recommendation of 2014. It's all rather sad isn't it? I mean think about it, this is the last Sunday of 2014, we will never experience a 2014 Sunday ever in our lives again. Isn't that insane? Well I find it insane. Thank you so much for reading our blog throughout 2014, and we most definitely look forward to continuing to recommend some top shit throughout 2015 and many years after that. It's been a blast so far and it can only get better! So for one last time this year, thanks for reading!
Here's my top favourites for this year. I've put considerably small amounts of effort in. I apologise to all of you but it's not a new year yet so I don't have to change anything.
Cowboy Bebop – Sunrise (Series) – Author: Darren
So, this week my pick is Cowboy Bebop. Now, if you've ever heard of anime, you've heard of Cowboy Bebop. It's lauded as a benchmark for quality by critics and consumers alike.
You probably want to know more, right? Well, I'll oblige. Cowboy Bebop is about a crew of bounty hunters aboard a ship named Bebop, struggling to make ends meet. It takes place in the year 2071, when space flight and habitation are possible thanks to hyper space gateways. A fair chunk of the action seems to take place on Mars (think today's big cities) with some pretty nifty space travel and a few jaunts to Earth.
The characters themselves and their relationships are what makes this show what it is, but in my opinion, it's main character: Spike Spiegel's arc that is the most compelling, Faye Valentine's arc is fantastic in it's own right as it offers a healthy dose of juxtaposition to Spike and Jet's stories.
If story isn't your thing, or even if it is, there's no denying that both the music and art style,as well as animation and voice acting, come together to create a truly unique experience that simultaneously entertains and tackles mature subject matter such as existentialism, the affects of the past, existential ennui and loneliness.
All in all, if you like compelling characters, science fiction, jazz, blues, deep stories and satisfying conclusions (I mean, who doesn't like a satisfying conclusion?) then this is your kind of thing. Even if, like me, you're not huge on anime. One thing I will say is that, reading reviews, Is that it's suggested to watch episode five, then one to four. I didn't and I still enjoyed it but some of you may find it slow to start.
Before you move on, I would like to say that my love for Cowboy Bebop doesn't come from nostalgia or any kind of anime bias, the first time I watched it was roughly three months ago (from time of writing) and I'd never watched an anime in my life. Yep, you read it right, no DBZ, no Bleach, no Naruto. I went in blind to anime and I loved it.
Normandy - Miracle Of Sound (Music) - Author: Darren
I think this is the second time now that I've recommended Miracle of Sound, but only because other people need to have a chance or something. This song (along with those below) is one one of my favourites, again, probably because it's Mass Effect related. It still doesn't mean the quality isn't exceptionally high. As someone who produces music as a hobby, I have to admit that this is where I aspire to be skill wise. Actually, come to think of it, better wouldn't be bad (harder, absolutely). As a person who has ears, I can also say that this is an amazing song that resonates with me on an emotional level, maybe it's the investment with Mass Effect, maybe it isn't. His music is still great though and well worth a listen, he does more than just Mass Effect, but never less than excellent. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfelfyV8LwA]
Castlevania: Symphony of The Night - Konami (Game) - Author: Darren
Castlevania: Symphony of The Night (SoTN) debuted on the PlayStation on 20th March 1997. However, since I was deeply entrenched in my mother's womb, I never had the chance to play it. That changed when it was re-released on XBLA and PSN almost ten years later. It's safe to assume that I've now played it (still not beaten it) and I found it enjoyable. It's tough as dicks. Steel dicks. Enjoyable as hell though.
The game sees you take on the role of Dracula's broody son, Alcuard (fuckin' clever shit). You take it upon yourself to storm Dracula's castle, usually a job for Belmont and Sons, Ltd. This plan goes a tad awry when Death comes and mugs you. Yep, he straight up mugs you, putting you in the classic situation of "get better weapons and shit, you faffy little cunt scrubber". Gameplay of this game is old, but good. Some things let it down just a bit. Things like Alucard's melodrama upon receiving the slightest damage and the fact that he always slashes just higher than you think. He has a sweet forward moonwalk going on though.
Visually and audibly, this game is fantastic. There's a huge variety in enemy types, sizes and palettes as well as some great effects when enemies die or take hits (shout out to Sean Poole). The soundtrack and even the effect noises are great. Most of the music in SoTN is a strange kind of eerie synth or as spine-chilling as Sub Zero.
Now that Darren's got his stuff out the way, it's time for my favourite things that I've recommended in 2014. I was going to write new stuff about them, but I feel like a) what I wrote previously does them justice and b) I'm saving my writing power for a very special piece coming in the next couple of days. Be ultra excited for that!
In the Mouth of Madness - John Carpenter (Movie) Author: Chris
Let it be known how much I love John Carpenter, and how much I have wanted to add one of his films here (god I feel like I've said this already), and now I finally have an excuse. One time, I was rather vocal about my love of John Carpenter, and a copy of In the Mouth of Madness was flung upon me. I then proceeded to watch it. I must say, I was not prepared for what this combination of moving pictures and audio had in store for me. This film is fucking weird, and I absolutely love it. I really don't want to spoil any of it, but this is a recommendation, so I do have to state something that will get your taste buds tingling. It is a horror film, the kind that goes out of its way to fuck with your mind and your perception of the film universe that you see before your retinas. An author goes missing, one that is claimed to be more successful than Steven King, in terms of his horror novels, and our protagonist, an insurance investigator, is tasked with locating him. The main catch is, his novels seem to drive some people insane. Now if that doesn't grab your attention for twisted movies, I don't know what will (well, probably the Saw franchise, but whatever.) This is John Carpenter at his best, not that he ever makes anything less then that in my mind (apart from Ghosts of Mars, that made me bored I must admit.)
Afro Samurai: Resurrection OST - The RZA (Music) Author: Chris
So we here at the TGOI offices take our music very seriously, and we love to dive into exciting new genres, but I feel rap is an area that I'm a bit iffy about. Don't get me wrong, I do like some songs, but some are just samples repeated over and over to some dodgy words. However, this soundtrack is something else. It uses a combination of hip hop rap and traditional Japanese musical instruments to make some really stunning songs. Just by writing that I realise how bizarre that sounds, but it actually works really well, and I'm flat out admitting that this album Is up there with some of my favourites of all time (once again, Talking Heads, your time will come.) You should probably watch the anime that the soundtrack accompanies first, (which I also recommend) but if you just want a unique twist on such a genre, look no further.
Max Payne 3 - Rockstar Games (Games) - Author: Chris
Let it be known (I feel like I have used that intro before) that Darren and myself adore Rockstar Games and everything they create. Now, this game had quite a lot of trailers, all of which I watched extensively, absorbing as many small details before the game came out. I wanted this game so badly it was unreal. So when I did get this game, I bought it, popped it in, and HOLY SHIT IT IS STILL ONE OF MY FAVOURITE GAMES EVER. The game looks and plays amazingly, the story is phenominal and Max Payne himself, my my, what a performance. I quote that fucking game every day, most of the time without people realising. I don't want to brag (what am I saying, of course I do) but I got stupidly good at that game, I mean like MLG levels of good. They held a tornament with about ten thousand people and I came twentieth. I BEAT A DEVELOPER AT HIS OWN GAME. THAT IS HOW GOOD I GOT AT IT. Enough bragging now, you can pick this game up for like a fiver, and I'd say that is the best thing a person can buy with a fiver. Also the soundtrack is ace. OKAY I AM DONE FOR REAL THIS TIME.
Well shit guys, that's it. That was the last Sunday recommendation of 2014. It's all rather sad isn't it? I mean think about it, this is the last Sunday of 2014, we will never experience a 2014 Sunday ever in our lives again. Isn't that insane? Well I find it insane. Thank you so much for reading our blog throughout 2014, and we most definitely look forward to continuing to recommend some top shit throughout 2015 and many years after that. It's been a blast so far and it can only get better! So for one last time this year, thanks for reading!
