America’s inability to be normal is always on full display, but God, Daylight Savings Time has to be one of their most heinous offenses — and that’s really saying something.

Fun fact that I don’t think I’ve ever spoken in public before: I do all my long-form writing with my eyes closed! It makes it easier for me for some reason. Sometimes if I have music going I do that while rocking my head to the beat of the track. One time my mom walked in on me doing this and thought I was possessed by a demon. Maybe I am! I have no idea why this helps but it does, so I haven't stopped. This is exclusive newsletter lore.

Anyways, let’s get into some stuff, shall we?

Interesting Stuff

Pentaton

This is a .flac player for iPhone. I don’t have one, but I know some of y’all are audio freaks (like me) and might appreciate it. Just point it to a folder on your phone and go. Very set and forget.

Wikipedia Gacha

You’ve probably already seen this floating around the net already. One of those time-sink links that I urge you to click with caution. But if you do, send me your rarest card(s)! My only SSR was a british railway article before my ADHD caught up to me and I moved on to something else.

Noclip_2 Video on PICO-8

A very cool channel that has a lot of great vids. This one is about the Fantasy Game System PICO-8, which some might know is where indie darling Celeste’s first prototype was created.

Just a QR Code

Every QR code website is straight ass for some reason. This one does what you want it to with no bullshit.

Media Corner

Games

Finished:
Aeruta
Finally wrapped, great game overall but get ready to get stat-checked and grind like hell, switch to casual mode, or play perfectly because the bosses get crazy. They make Sans look like a joke. I sweat more finishing this than I did Nioh 3. But yeah, cute and good time, and a great effort from such a small team.

Angeline Era
I actually don’t have much to say about this game. It was fine mechanically, but I didn’t care for the plot, which is sad because I really liked the ones from Sephonie and the Anodyne games, both by the same devs. The bump-slash combat is fun and increases in complexity as the game goes on, and the music slaps, but that’s pretty much all I can really conjure up into words. Hoping their next game catches me a little more.

Playing:
Romeo is a Dead Man
I need to make more progress, I’ll just say that it’s the best feeling Suda51 game, which is nice. The moment-to-moment gameplay isn’t anything special, but I don’t need it to be, I just need it to feel good.

Beyond that it has the usual Grasshopper flare. I love that it’s self-published, and I need the soundtrack yesterday.

The Last Story
This game is a bit of a white whale for me because I think it’s the first game I think I ever officially backlogged. Up to this point I’d finish every game I’d play, but my options were finally starting to catch up with the amount of time I had in a day and I said I’d “get back to it” (I didn’t). So getting through it will be a nice bookend. It’s a lot of fun, and I like how physical everything is. You bump into enemies, people, bang your head against signs in the city. The small scope and D&D-esque energy of the cast is delightful. Curious to see if the combat’s depth increases.

Pokemon Pokopia
I tend to shy away from “cozy” games and honestly hate the word, but I love Dragon Quest Builders and this is basically Dragon Quest Builders 3 in all but name. It is stealing my time in ways that would have been worrying if I wasn’t between jobs.

Music

• SQ Relax - Krystelle’s Chillwave - Square Enix Music

• Pure Heroine - Lorde

• IMI - PASSEPIED

Status Update

This newsletter will intersect with at least one more week of Ramadan, and then I have to start remembering how to be a human again. I’ve been working out at least. Weird time to start, but right now I’m just kinda letting my subconscious take the reigns.

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by everything I want to do, both minutely and at scale. I’m trying to learn how to be more mindful! Let me know if you have any tips on that.

Also I’m starting a podcast soon, more details to come :D

Signing Off

I hope your Sunday is treating you well! Hit the ko-fi link if you like and want to support this letter. Thanks for reading!