Weekly Recommendation - Week #017 - The Lemons Formerly Known As Life's

Life is shit. Really shit. The world is full of so many problems and issues that can turn a person into a depressed sack of shit if dwelled upon for too long. There are good parts of life don't get me wrong, and while I have had a very finite number issues with things in the past, I can safely say that so many people have had it so much worse, and that I am extremely lucky with how my life has been so far. Despite the hardships that people face, some use their poor life experiences to create something more positive, to create art, and more often than not this stuff can be amazing. Just think; how many songs are about the cruelty of life? I can guarantee it's a lot. So for this week's recommendation, we are showing you some pieces of media that really reflect on that side of life. Buckle up, it might get bumpy.

BoJack Horseman - Netflix Original (Series) - Author: Darren

BoJack Horseman is about a man, a horse actually, who was the star of a famous 90's sitcom but now... well, now he's a middle aged man-horse trying to hold on to the stardom of his past.Don't get me wrong (please, that'd be embarrassing for both of us), this is a comedy to, a funny one at that. However, this series makes really makes you feel emotions (whatever they are) and invest in the character of BoJack. It's not all about the titular character though, there's a strong supporting cast of characters. For example, Todd, voiced by Need For Speed star, Aaron Paul, is a lovable stoner who slept on BoJack's house after a party one night and hasn't left in five years. Other characters include the well fleshed out female character Diane Nguyen and somewhat moronic 'rival' Mr Peanut-butter (a Golden Retriever).
Personally, I real enjoyed both the comedy and the overall story. It's satisfying in a morbid kind of way but still makes you feel sympathy for arseholes like BoJack (something that I loved about Ajax in The Warriors).

Sign o' the Times - Prince (Music) Author: Chris

Selecting a song was hard because, as I said in the intro, there are a hell of a lot of songs that feature the cruelty of life. Short-listed songs included Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Show Must Go On by Queen, which have really interesting lyrics when you listen to and analyse them (or just look up the meanings on the internet, I mean you may as well get something useful from it for a change), but in terms of sheer power and meaning, nothing quite comes close to Sign o' the Times (the song) by Prince. When you hear this song's beat, you can feel how deep and powerful, as well as unbelievably funky,  it's going to be, but then you listen to the lyrics and, wow oh wow, this song covers all of life's diabolical bases. It's about AIDS, gang violence, natural disasters, poverty, drug abuse, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and if that isn't enough, you even get an impending nuclear holocaust chucked right in there. This song just goes to show just how shit life is, while at the same showing just how amazing it can be, through it's incredible beat. This song is a masterpiece.


Always Sometimes Monsters - Vagabond Dog (Game) - Author: Darren

Always Sometimes Monsters is a bit of a misleading title. They're aren't monsters, well, not unless you count people, in which case you're in luck. The game deals with a lot of themes and issues (which I will list for your reading pleasure):

• Sexism
• Racism
• Relationships
• Greed
• Poverty
• Homophobia
• Politics
• Addiction/Drug Abuse
• Gambling
• Theft
• Choice
• Consequences

These are by no means the only themes, they're just the notable ones. They're really emphasised in the story with every choice you make. Choices that you make can be good or bad, but not in a black and white sense. For example, in one situation  got my friend and his girlfriend into rehab for their heroin addiction while in another situation, I orphaned a family in order to get one step closer to stopping my ex's wedding. It's never really presented as typically good or evil, you have a goal and how you achieve it is up to you. It's your morals that help you make the distinction. That and the bit near the end where the game asks you if you feel remorse for any of the decisions that you make.
Gameplay wise, this game is pretty decent. It was made in RPG Maker so it plays like a traditional RPG mixed with a social sim (fear not, it's not about getting the cutest boy in school to fill you with his semen in the most intimate, romantic way possible). It can be a little frustrating backtracking and
generally faffing about but the story is engaging enough that it doesn't matter too much.
If your looking for a 'real human story' then this little indie surprise could be just what you're looking for.

There you have it. As always, comment if you liked it, didn't like it, think your opinion matters or want to express and racism/sexism/homophobia/transphobia or other disgusting behaviour, go ahead and comment . If you want to congratulate us, FUCK YOU. Comments on the Facebook post are OK, too. Have a satisfactory week.
TGOI