Top Five Games of 2014 (According to Chris)

Greetings to all of you on this Merry 2015! (Unless you are reading this in a year that is not 2015 or, even worse, are one of those people who don't believe in the solar calender. If either are the case, get a hobby seriously.) As we move towards the end of the first week of 2015, we can start to compare 2015 to 2014, admittedly not to an fair or accurate scale, but we can. I started doing this a couple of days ago actually, and upon comparing the two years, it got me thinking: "What did I, personally, like most about 2014?" After a lot of thinking, I have finally figured it out, at least in certain subjects, such as, in the case of this article, my five favourite games of 2014 (but you already knew that because you read the title.) Just as a reminder, this is in no way some super official list, this is my personal favourites that I can remember (so I could potentially missed games out because I forgot about them at the time of writing or I didn't play them). Also, if you click the banners for each of the entries, a new tab should open with a link to an appropriate trailer. Now then, let's get on with the show! ROLL THE LIGHTS OR WHATEVER!

HONOURABLE MENTION: WWE 2K15

WWE 2K15 holds a very special place in the heart of TGOI. While Max Payne 3 saw the creation of the original TGOI, and GTA 5 saw it become active with more than just me as a member, WWE 2K15 is where 2K15 has truly began to shine through. It is definitely not the best game in the world, and I am fully aware that there are a fair few features that got removed in the transition to THE NEXT GENERATION (WOOOOOSH), but with the major graphical improvements and a seriously impressive animation upgrade, this is definitely one impressive wrestling simulation. Oh and most importantly, it's a shit ton of fun. 

While the roster only has a handful of worthy additions, and quite a mediocre list of legends, the real fun in this game is the character creator. If you are someone who buys these games every year, you may notice that the creator is significantly different from previous entries. First of all, the layout actually makes sense, and can be navigated without annoyance, secondly, the new face and body creator, while it does restrict the creation of the previously infamous abominations, actually allows for you to create characters that look like, well, human beings, sometimes to disturbing levels, and finally, the creation suite is a very welcome addition to the game. No longer must you attempt to create shitty logos on the god awful logo maker, now you can import your own PNG files and make some truly unique characters (or you could just cover your guy in pre-existing logos, because you can).  

The game contains your regular wrestling game features: an mode in which you simply select a match type, select your characters and fight, a universe mode, in which you manage all the shows and storylines, as well as two new modes. First up, rivalries mode, which is replaying matches from WWE history but with unique in-match cutscenes to match the game match to the actual match, as well as cutscenes using the original footage to tell the story between matches. The second mode is called My Career, which is a mode where you select a custom character, start in the training centre and work your way through the various shows, until you finally win the WWE Championship and have your retirement match. While the rivalry mode is very fun, the My Career mode does lack, as it can feel extremely grindy at the best of times, with very minimal unique cutscenes featuring your character. 

Overall it's a fun game, for those who enjoy WWE, those who enjoy a solid fighting game, and those who have the imagination to create characters with in-depth back stories. I basically fill all three of those characters so I'm good to go. (Also this is all in reference to the next-gen version, for the love of god don't get 2k15 for PS3 or Xbox 360, it's apparently awful. If you have previous gen, get 2k14 or '13 instead.)

#5: LETHAL LEAGUE

Now let's kick off with the actual top five. Take a look at that typeface for a second. What does that make you think of? If it's an insanely fast fighting/pong hybrid, then you are heading in the right direction. In Lethal League, you select your character, get dropped into an arena, and then you and your opponent must whack a baseball at each other, trying to hit them with it, giving you a point. The catch is, every hit makes the ball go faster, so much so that the ball can go so fast that the entire stage starts to collapse, with each extra hit freezing time and causing the world to erupt. It's thrilling to play, amazing to watch, and nerve-decimating to try and win. If I was only to ever use the word "rad" once in my life (which I hope I only have to use it once), it would perfectly describe this game. 

The art style has a sort of Jet Set Radio look to it (which is gorgeous might I add), with each character having a unique look and way of play, and the music really captures the theme of the entire game. In fact, I will provide a link to the whole soundtrack. My personal favourite is Ordinary Days, seriously I cannot get enough of that song. 

I must confess, the only reason I have played this game is because a friend got it for me as a gift, and I am so thankful that he did, this is for sure one of my favourite games of 2014. It's really easy to pick up, and you can get some insane matches going in no problem. Oh and you will start being a dick to your opponent when you start winning, it's like a guaranteed thing.

#4: JAZZPUNK

If you've been not watching the game trailers up to this point, I'm going to have to stop you right there. There is no way in hell I can fully describe in words what the fuck this game is, so I completely recommend watching the trailer above. It doesn't contain game spoilers, it just sets the premise for what the game is and sets out to do.

*One long Thunderbirds reference later*

Now that you've (hopefully) watched it, you can (once again, hopefully) see what I'm getting at with this game. It's an absurd comedy adventure game jam packed with bizarre references, completely ludicrous humour, and a really smashing look to it. It was created in the image of 80's films with groan-causing jokes and dumb physical gags, such as Airplane! or The Naked Gun. Hands down, this is the funniest game of the year, possibly even ever. I was laughing out loud the entire way through, and I am desperate for a sequel, or even some kind of DLC. I love how absurd the world of Jazzpunk is, and I want to go back. The only issue is it's so damn short. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS I LOVE YOU!

So if you love absurd humour and idiotic puns, this game is perfect for you. Oh, and see how many references you can spot too, it's got some corkers. I really don't want to spoil much, as the trailer didn't (seriously, the story has nothing to do with that trailer), but at one point you discover a mini game called "Wedding Quake." It is literally a wedding themed Quake. I adore it. I adore this game. WHERE IS MY SEQUEL DAMN IT!?!

#3: METAL GEAR SOLID 5 GROUND ZEROES

For those of you who know me, you will probably be shocked at me. ONLY THIRD CHRIS? BUT YOU ARE A METAL GEAR FANATIC! While yes it is true that I am a Metal Gear fanatic as you put it (well I put it but whatever), and yes I fucking can't get enough of this game, it does have a very minor issues that, while keeping it an amazing game, does mean that there are two games I think are much better than it. Enough about this, lets talk about how amazing this game is.

Before I played this game, I must confess, I had only played about half way through the first Metal Gear Solid, but I a) really liked the look of this one and b) had about two games for my PS4, so I bought it. So I suppose I have this game to thank for getting me into the rest of them. Ground Zeroes is a prequel to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (which, from the looks of things, could very likely be the game of the year next year, but until it's out I won't know), and was basically released to allow new and old players to get used to the new, rather complex controls, but good god is it fun to play.

The game is set after Peace Walker, and is about Snake trying to free two past members of his private militia, who are being held in Camp Omega by a particularly frightening fellow called Skull Face (because he literally looks like he has a skull for a face.) It is not your simple follow the objective kind of game though, oh no. You land on the base with zero clue as to where they are being held. You have to, yourself, gather intel and explore the island. Assuming once you've got them a cutscene happens and you are whisked away? Nope. You have to get out of there your self, either stealthily or being completely shot up. You then have to give your helicopter landing coordinates and wait for it to arrive so you can leave. Admittedly this (and a couple of side missions on the same map) is all there is to do in this game, the amount of re-playability you can get from it is immense. Drop in, find different routes, try different tactics, try no-kill runs, try gun-blazing runs, search for the huge amount of unlockables, and so on and so forth. I constantly go back to this game, and each time I have a ton of fun. 

Not only this, but the the game look absolutely gorgeous. As the dark map is lit up by tower lights and the world pours down with rain, you will feel absolutely immersed in this place. It is definitely one of the prettiest games on the Next Gen systems, not to mention (if you are one of those frame rate obsessed people) the solid 60fps the game gets, which is actually really impressive, considering how every texture and every animation looks top notch

You really don't need to have played any previous games to enjoy this one, you may not understand a couple of references, but there is a handy little recap feature that shows you the events of Peace Walker, so that tends to help. Seriously, if you see this cheap and want to play a really fantastic game, look no further than Ground Zeroes. Or any other of the Metal Gear Solid games seriously it is one of the best franchises out there!

#2: THE WOLF AMONG US

Okay so the trailer did say 2013, but that was only for episode 1. The other 4 episodes came out in 2014, and the game was sold as a whole product in 2014 so I'm counting it, and that's final. Sorry that sounded really bitchy please don't tell my mum.

Telltale games are well known for their heavily story driven games, and really starting making a name for themselves with the Walking Dead interactive game (but quite honestly, their Sam & Max games are where it's at) which I absolutely adore, apart from one thing. It's zombies. Why does it always have to be zombies? I then found out their next game was set in a world full of adult themed fairy tale characters. Now that's a world I've not heard before. It's an amazing world, I loved every minute I was in Fabletown, and I'd want to live there if it wasn't for, you know, all the murder and shit.

The game plays like the other Telltale games play: you control a protagonist, in this case, Bigby Wolf, the town sheriff and former big bad wolf, by choosing what they say in conversation, making time restricted decisions and picking where to investigate, as you try and solve the big mystery of the game, which I won't spoil. It's a fantastic game, with a really cool art style and amazing characters that you will love and/or hate, because seriously, some of them are dicks. The only big tragedy is the episodic aspect of the game, as now that all episodes are out, the time period in which you have to wait and analyse what happened and what will happen next episode has gone. But hey, no one is stopping you from waiting a month between episodes, but the game is just too damn good to stop playing.

If you love really bizarre worlds with really unique characters, you will love this game, and probably most of Telltale's other games. Oh, and don't forget that everyone remembers decisions you make through out the game, and the story is adjusted based on those decisions, which is pretty damn awesome. I bet no one will forget Telltale's decision to make a Jurassic Park game, because hey, that game was a bit shit.  

#1: WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER

Do you know that feeling you get when you play a game or watch a film and it's like, "Hey, that world felt extremely fleshed out and carefully crafted, I want to explore it further"? Wolfenstein: The New Order (woah look at that, the top two games had Wolf in the title what are the odds? Well pretty high considering they are both fantastic games) is one of those products. They could have just made another run around murdering Nazis game, but oh, MachineGames decided, "You know who could be a great influence for our Nazi-bopping game? Quentin Tarantino." 

I'm not just talking about the violence (because the violence in the game would make Tarantino himself shed a tear of joy), but I'm talking about the universe side of things too. This game has one of the craziest and fleshed out worlds in a modern video game to date. In this alternate history, the Nazis beat the allies to the bomb and won World War II, leading to the world being overrun. It is not a simple take over though, oh no, they take our culture too. This world is so detailed that MachineGames commissioned original songs, in German, themed off of actual 1960's music, as well as a couple of covers. Not only are the songs really good, but they even have their own backstories (seriously, and the songs only appear in the background of some levels, because the guards might be listening to them or something.) If that isn't detailed I don't know what is. "But Chris" you ask, like you always do for some reason (I'm getting the sense that this is just because of my writing style, same with the constant brackets), "why the 1960s?" Admittedly, the Nazi's do win around the same time, but our protagonist, BJ Blazkowicz, wakes up from a coma in the 1960s to discover this world, fully developed. We then take over him and follow him on his quest to find the resistance and take down the Nazi leader, Deathshead (but he doesn't like that name, he's a happy person.) It is not told in a traditional story way, it is filled with bizarre characters and plot points, much like a film by Tarantino, as well as being interlaced with the previously mentioned music (again, like Tarantino.) It even has this neat story feature where you make a game decision, not at the end so it only affects the final cutscene, but at the beginning, so you have to live with the consequences of that choice through out the whole game. Now that is how it's done.

On a mechanics level, the game is absolutely solid. Every weapon feels super meaty, enemies react to every single bullet, and blood and gore flies around like it's going out of fashion. It has a traditional health and armour meter system, just like any old school shooter, as well as a neat cover mechanic, in which you hold a button and can raise, lower or move the gun around corners, but you can do this from any position, even in the middle of the open (which is a bit pointless, but it's neat that it's there) to get a feeling of a soldier actually trying to hit an opponent without getting shot himself.

This game, described as accurately as possible, feels like playing a Tarantino movie (as I have mentioned about thirty times), and I loved every second I was in this universe. I want to just keep playing this game over and over, and I can with the various modes and the early game choice that changes the story. In fact, I love the game so much that I bought the original soundtrack on vinyl. And yes, I have been listening to it as I write this, it's that damn good. In fact, here it is right now, for your pleasure. Enjoy the sounds of Neumond Recordings! It's worth 25 minutes of anyone's time.

So there you have it, after a lot of hours, it's finally done. Now that I write this final paragraph, I feel quite sad. I mean, I won't be doing another one of these for a whole year (unless I do my five favourite films of 2014, but only if you're good). Well it's been a fantastic 2014 for TGOI, and whilst it wasn't the best year for games, we did get some corkers, as proven above. Now 2015 does look like it's got some great games, so here's to that! Hope you had a great week, and look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Happy 2015 dickbags!

Weekly Recommendation - Week #025 - Change the Industry!

You know people who say new year, new me? Don't trust those people, they fill their own heads with lies and then within weeks ultimately fail their so called "achievable goal." "Why am I talking about these people" you may ask? Well because it's still relevant! Also because we are going to recommend some of those pieces of media that completely changed how people create media, for the better. Unlike those "New Year, Same Old Lies" type people, these changes were actually successful and very beneficial for the various industries today. So happy new year to those people! Unless they are dicks in which case we appreciate your contributions to the industry but don't appreciate you. Cheers!

The Godfather: Part II - Francis Ford Coppola (Film) - Author: Chris

Okay let's be honest here, if you haven't seen this film you are a sinner. This is one of the most fantastic films in existence, hands down, no contest, cliché after cliché. But why is now the time to mention it? What is so important about this film? Apart from how fantastic this film is, it was actually the first numbered sequel. Before this there was a few instances of films with different names that were part of the same lore, but this was the first to literally state that is was a second part. So all your Lords of the Rings and you War Stars have this film to thank. The music is superb, Al Pacino gives a top performance, as does Robert de Niro, and it is the perfect continuation from an already perfect first film. If you haven't seen this or the first one, you are, as previously stated, a sinner  and you must cleanse yourself by watching them. The only issue I have with this is that the creation of awful sequels made to cash in on franchises became a popular way of film making, ironically enough, the third Godfather fits into this category perfectly. Seriously, you don't need to watch the third one.

Gorillaz - Gorillaz (Music) - Author: Chris

The idea of a virtual band has been around since about the 1960s, with that damn Alvin and those fucking Chipmunks, but the actual idea of a virtual band did not become a popular until the year 2000, with the unveiling of Gorillaz: a completely animated band that actually produced some fantastic music. Because of this, I'm recommending their first album, entitled "Gorillaz", because originality! But seriously, this is a corker of an album, with each song sounding very different to each other. It feels like at this point they were trying to find their song, and crazily enough, every song is superb. If you are like me, it will take more than one listening to truly start to love this album. This is not an excuse for it maybe being a bit shit, it's just all so different, you really need the time to appreciate each song at a time. I had my favourites, and now the whole album is favourites, not just the singles. Now go my Padawan! Go listen to the album! Wait actually read Darren's bit first! Also I know this isn't Star Wars but I mentioned Star Wars before so I'm going to do it again!

The Secret of Monkey Island - Lucasarts (Game) - Author: Darren

So, I know what you're thinking. It's an odd choice considering it's not their first game. I agree but let me tell you why (or don't). The reason behind it is simple, it revolutionised a lot of their finer systems and mechanics. This is aside from their more forward thinking approach to player friendliness than rivals Seirra.
Onto the actual telling you why it's good bit. The story's tight, the atmosphere is great, the characters are unique and interesting plus the humour and charm set an excellent standard that more games should follow. The HD remake goes above and beyond by adding voice acting, new sounds and a new interface. Essentially, a full remake that incorporates hot-swapping between 'modern' and 'classic' modes. I won't lie, I much prefer the classic interface despite the quality of the visuals and voice acting of the remake. The higher quality does obscure some key items however and the new interface can make some puzzles tremendously difficult. It still receives a recommendation though because of the sheer quality. If you're looking for it, it's The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition.

First one of the year is out the way, next week is something special. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Excitement. Yeah.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #024 - Bye Bye Miss 2014

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!

Weekly Recommendation - Week #023 - Merry Chris-tmas & Darren Exists Too, I Guess

So, Christmas is ahead of us and Hanukkah behind (I think). That just leaves us with one thing to do. One that matters, anyway. Darren is back from the dead and here to spread the holiday joy or something. Many people have requested the use of necromancy but Darren came back of his own volition to recommend shit to you. Well, not shit because bodily waste isn't a category for the weekly.
Let's get under-way then, it's almost 2015 and we have one last recommendation to work on (other that this) before we become completely different people.

Die Hard - John McTiernan (Film) - Author: Chris

Ahh the age old question: Is Die Hard a Christmas film? Of course it bloody is, it's set at Christmas, it has Christmas music in it and John McClane does that one thing with the "ho ho ho I have a machine gun," therefore it has to be a Christmas film, end of discussion. Oh what's that? It wasn't originally released in December? WELL NEITHER WAS IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE SO BE QUIET! Anyway, Die Hard is an absolute classic. Bruce Willis plays John McClane, a cop who gets caught up in this crazy heist and has to shoot all of the bad people and Snape because the real cops are a bit shit. It's a top film that, to be honest, I'd be surprised if you hadn't heard of it. I think everyone has heard of Die Hard, it's just one of those classics. It's tons of dumb fun, the action is over the top, and, this is a personal thing, they use a shit ton of blood squibs instead of CGI blood, which looks really dumb and amazing at the same time. Check it out if you haven't, and if you have, do it again, it is Christmas after all! YIPPEE KI YAY MOTHER FUCKER!

If It Has To Be Christmas - Simon Vilkund & Pete Gold (Music) - Author: Darren

So, we all have our opinions on the Christmas and this adequately conveys mine (Chris' too, I believe). It's from the Payday 2 Christmas Soundtrack and is the only song not really about robbery. That leaves us with a question: Why are you so talented Darren? Well, I'll tell you. It's because I relentlessly apply this attitude to myself. Also, the song's is about the Christmas season, if you care about that. Why would you? We were talking about me, after all.
On the subject of being selfish and what the song's about, it's about that too. Give it a listen and tell use what you think, if you have the capacity to process thoughts that is.
Enjoy, wankstains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IviXt2ydOJU

Batman Arkham Origins - Warner Bros. Games Montreal (Game) - Author: Chris

"WHAT'S THIS GAME GO TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS?" You probably ask quite aggressively. Well, it's set on Christmas eve, so there you go. You then proceed to ask "BUT ARKHAM ORIGINS IS SHIT ISN'T IT?" Well, you are actually wrong there good sir. People seem to have this idea that Origins is awful, well it's actually a really bloody good game. I myself am an unbelievably massive fan of the Arkham games, and I firmly believe that this one is a solid entry. It plays exactly like the previous two, which is one of the things people think is bad about it, but hey, if it isn't broke, don't fix it, and, lets be honest, the Arkham games are far from broke. So, Origins tells an origin story of sorts, surprise surprise, as we see Batman still fighting as a vigilante, unlike Asylum and City, in which he is on good terms with the cops. Black Mask puts a bounty on Batman's head and a combination of well known villains and some really obscure ones try to claim it. Being an Arkham game, that is not at all all there is to it, but that's the basic plot in a nutshell. If you loved the previous games, you will get a massive kick out of this one, but if you are new to the series, I seriously recommend starting from Arkham Asylum, but don't let people convince you to skip Origins, it's well worth your time. Oh, and they added multi-player for some reason, which I actually really enjoyed. Go figure. OH AND AS ALWAYS THE SOUNDTRACK IS PHENOMENAL GEE I ALWAYS SAY THIS.

Well that's it, those are your Christmas recommendations. We could have made last week's recommendation the Christmas one, so you would have time to acquire these things while it wasn't last minute, but hey, the thought is there right guys? But seriously, have a lovely Christmas everyone, and thank you for sticking with us. Seriously, we're so close to hitting the six month mark it's unreal. You guys are the knees of a giant bee. Which is a bit creepy.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #022 - Chris Gets Political

"What does this title mean?" you probably didn't ask. Well I'll tell you whoever you are! It does not mean I'm running for some kind of political position (good lord, can you imagine that?), but instead, it means that a) this week's theme is political items, and b) I, Chris, am writing the whole thing! Yes, every word you see in this article was written by me! Don't believe me? Well that's fine, you are entitled to believe what you want. Except in fascism, because just don't do that. See that comment? It was relevant to the topic, and it was humorous! This is exactly what you should expect from me. I can also personally state that all the stuff recommended is really top notch. Enjoy them my pretties!

District 9 - Neill Blomkamp (Film) - Author: Chris

I must confess, I was waiting for an excuse to recommend District 9. Apart from maybe The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, this is my favourite film ever, and Darren, I do actually mean that. Let's not go off track for once! District 9 is a documentary style sci-fi film about aliens landing in Johannesburg, then being forced to live in slums and treated like lesser creatures while the government take advantage of them. Sounds awfully like the actual apartheid that happened in South Africa. In fact, if you swapped out the aliens for black people, then it would basically be a true story (minus the aliens mechs and weaponry of course). I don't think I could come up with any words that could truly describe just how much I love this film: the concept is superb, the aliens look amazing, the political themes are so important, the music is entraps you in this world so perfectly, and god damn I could watch this thing every week. I am really underselling this film, I honestly am trying not to, but I just am! Maybe you won't like it as much as I do, or maybe you will. I suppose that's why we have opinions. I suppose.

Night of 1000 Candles - The Men They Couldn't Hang (Music) - Author: Chris

Shall we continue our bonus theme of confessions? Well I'm writing so I get to decide and I decide yes we shall. So this is the only The Men They Couldn't Hang album that I have heard, so I don't know if any of their other albums are more suited to the political theme, but hey, this one works well and is generally a great album, so overall no worries are to be had. This album has a lovely combination of punk and folk music, creating some really upbeat and danceable tracks with some serious political messages (like "Ironmasters" a song about the treatment of modern day workers, that used to end with "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" until they were forced to change it. I wonder who this iron lady is they refer to?), as well as some slower, but equally top pieces of music. You can probably get this album cheap, and if you like it, check out one of their many other albums, I know I will! Eventually. Also fuck Margaret Thatcher. Shit, Google recognises that name as a real word. Please change that, I want it to be underlined red to reinforce just how wrong that name is.

Papers, Please - Lucas Pope (Game) - Author: Chris

Final confession, I really wanted to not use Papers, Please for the game. Not because it's a bad game, quite the opposite, but because it's really obvious. If you ask any avid gamer for a political game, they would probably say this game. Oh well, I suppose it is with good reason. Paper, Please is a game made by Lucas Pope (who made the game we recommended way back in week 1, go check it out if you don't believe me), in which you play as an immigration officer for the fictional country of Arstotzka. You watch as person after person comes through your booth with their various pieces of entry forms, in which you then decide whether you let them into your country or not. Sounds boring right? Well, this rabbit hole falls much deeper my friend. This expertly incorporates a fascinating system known as "moral standards." How does that work? Is there some kind of moral meter you have to try and fill? Nope, the only thing effected by your choices is who gets into the country, the newspaper headlines, whether you feel like a dickhead or not, and whether your family lives or dies from no food or no heating. Why is this? Well if you let someone in who doesn't have proper ID, but claims they desperately need to enter, you get fined, same if you don't let someone in who has the proper papers, but will probably murder that last person you let in. For such a simple game, it has so many political points to make, and that's what makes this game so good. Oh, and the theme is bloody amazing. Glory to Arstotzka! 

Well, I managed to get through this without bashing the current political system, so I suppose that is a good thing. After all, my job is to entertain and recommend, not to cause anger and hatred, or just generally force my views down peoples throats, because let's be honest, that's not the right way to do thing. Oh wait I made that one comment about fascism right at the start. Whoops. Oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine, no fascists read this blog, at least I don't think so. Hey, if you are a fascist and you read this blog, stop fucking doing that. Go away. Cheers.
-Chris

(Disclaimer: Chris' words are his own, and do not necessarily represent TGOI as a whole. It might, I mean I haven't really asked Darren. He might be a dirty fascist for all I know. I do have a good feeling he isn't though.)

Announcing... Serial Filler! A New Product of TGOI.COM!

Darren and I often come up with ideas for new content, and one of our first (apart from, you know, the Weekly Recommendation) was a series known (quite cleverly we feel) as Serial Filler. "What is Serial Filler?" I assume you are asking. Well let me tell you right bloody now! We take a series we like and give an in depth analysis of each entry in that series. Unlike the Weekly Recommendation however, there is no set date for when we release new entries, so yeah, don't expect them on a regular basis. But who knows? Maybe we will release that extremely frequently? (Don't get your hopes up).

So yeah, expect one to be up very soon. I will be writing the first one solo, and it is about a series I am very passionate about. I just need to finish the bloody second one and I'll be good to go. See you soon amigos!

-Chris

Weekly Recommendation - Week #021 - The Future is Fun

You know what I love? How society's concept of the future changes through out the years. I mean, in the 1950's, we had all that flying saucer and tinfoil space suit nonsense (that quite frankly I adore), in the 60's and 70's, we had Star Wars and Star Trek (iconic as fuck), and now, we have this idea that the future will either be extremely gritty, or extremely simplified and smooth. To be honest, my perfect future vision is neon. Just neon everywhere. I really like neon. Anyway, today we recommend past and present people's own visions of what the future will be like. Hint: They are not necessarily nice visions of the future. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go stare at some neon signs in the rain and at night. Oh yes.

Bladerunner - Ridley Scott (Film) - Author: Darren (barely)

I probably shouldn't be recommending this, I've not seen it for some time. You know what? Fuck it. I'll do it anyway. Bladerunner is a top bit of 80's sci-fi and deals with a few fairly complex themes (I don't want to say too much as I'm lazy. Also, I want to say it about the book) such as 'what is real?' and 'if the fake stuff's good enough, does it matter?'. It deals with these questions well and still fitting to the sci-fi setting and sheer 80's feel. It really shows I've not seen this in a while, if at all, doesn't it? Well, that's why you look at what I have to say about the book because it may surprise you Bladerunner  is a relatively loose adaptation of a book. Y'know, the things that nerds read?

Papua New Guinea (Hybrid Remix) - The Future Sound of London (Music) - Author: Chris

The idea of futuristic music is very much up for interpretation, considering we are in the present, and will always be in the present. The only way we can possibly know what future music will sound like is by guessing. So for my guess, I went with the Hybrid Remix of Papua New Guinea by The Future Sound of London. Before you say anything, yes the fact that the band name has "The Future Sound" in it did swing my vote quite substantially.  The original version isn't bad, but I feel like this remix has a lot more going for it, especially in terms of futuristic music. Again, this is just my interpretation of future music, but I think this song really captures the feeling. I feel entranced by it, like I'm actually in some form of futuristic paradise, despite the song being set in, you know, 2001. But wait... 2001: A Space Odyssey is set in 2001, and that is futuristic! Could this be a sign? A sign that I am currently using filler? I think it might just be! Okay, to be brief, it is a good song, with a futuristic, sci-fi feeling. I reckon it's worth a listen, and considering this is the Weekly Recommendation, I think I've done my job.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Relic (Game) - Author: Chris

In the words of the false God Emperor, "They are my Space Marines and they shall know no fear." In his infinite wisdom, he did forget to mention how stupidly overpowered they are, or how great they look in a variety of colours. Sorry, I got distracted thinking about the lore of one of my favourite sci-fi, nay, my favourite games of all time: Dawn Of War. It is a real time strategy game, based upon the lore of the tabletop game Warhammer 40,000, and quite frankly, it is phenomenal. It perfectly captures the violence and scale of the Warhammer universe, as being a generally fun game for those who know nothing of it's lore. In the base game, you can play as one of four races; Space Marines, Chaos, The Eldar, and ME ORK BOYZ. YOU 'ERD ME, WE'Z GONNA STOMP DEM HUMIEZ WHO THINKZ THEY'Z TUFFER DEN US! Sorry, got distracted by my favourite race in the game. There also three expansions for the game, all of which I highly recommend: Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm. Listen to those titles. Aren't they they the coolest thing's you've ever heard. Each adds two new races (apart from Winter Assault, which added one) as well as new unit types for pre-existing races and new maps and campaigns. Love Warhammer 40,000?  You'll love this! Never really heard of it? You'll love this! Despise Warhammer for being nerdy? Fuck off you prick, no one wants that kind of judgemental shit in their lives. IF SOMEONE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING NERDY LEAVE THEM ALONE SHITHEAD! Sorry about that, had to get that off my chest. It's a fun game, with a still active fan-base, that actually seem relatively friendly for new players (at least from my experience.) Oh, and let me know if you get the game, I'd love to play it with you lot. Did I forget anything? Let me see... oh yeah! ORKS ORKS ORKS ORKS ORKS ORKS ORKS ORKS!

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Phillip K Dick (Bonus Book) - Author: Darren

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is one of my favourite books. It deals with a myriad of themes such as reality and our perception of it as well as what classifies as life. The main character is a bounty hunter who hunts androids (much like in the film) who lives the lie of owning a mechanical sheep in a world where owning real animals shows status. He also has a common appliance that can change your mood which his wife  goes a bit mental with and he uses reluctantly. Emotion and the replication of emotion are fairly big themes in the book, as is religion. It's really fucking good. Go read it.

What did you expect from a return to normalcy? Full disclosure: I will be back fully in due time. In the meantime, expect pilots. YOU ARE WELCOME.

PS or whatever: I really undersold the book. It's great. Personally in my top three in the genre.