Rudie Recommends (October 2013)

While Texas remains way way too hot for me to consider it fall here’s 5 things to check out in October!

1.  Silent Hill 2 (PC, PS2, Xbox, HD collection)

I’m sure every year that goes by the problems with Silent Hill 2 The Game get worse.  I’m also certain the things that make it an important work in video game evolution remain.  It’s not very fun to play, but it’s methods of video game narrative still haven’t been adapted widely.  Like Ico, we’re only starting to see it’s influence crop up in the indie games.  Even then it is more on the western scene than the Japanese scene.  That’s curious.  If you never gave it a try, or if you are like Chris only played it once and then wrote an essay about it, it is time to pick it up and play it again.

2.  After Dark by Haruki Murakami

Something about Haruki Murakami (as opposed to Ryu) just clicks with my brain.  I devoured this semi-recent work by him and enjoyed every page of it.  His most recent tome 1Q84 was almost unbearable for it’s lack of payoff.  Here the writing about the mundane goings on of a Red Light District in Tokyo was delicious.  As soon as I can write like this I can satisfy myself forever.

3. After Hours (directed by Martin Scorsese)

I think I mentioned this movie in my Dog Days essay.  This lesser recognized Scorsese has a man going into 70s New York intending to get some and then spending the rest of the movie trying to get out of the hell that is 70s New York.  Don’t look at the trailer do not do it.  It is the problem of old trailers (and trailers this year) that they show you the whole movie.  It’s a lot better than King of Comedy.  It has jokes for one.  And situations.  And no one seems to care about it so it should be cheap or just available.

4. Dance Beat by Oginome Yoko

I just really like this song and the silly 80s Japan of it enough to look past the creep. It can be found for download on this absolutely amazing blog of old Japanese Pop music.

5. Ripple Dot Zero

Why is this a flash game?  Why is it free?  Go try it now!   Wish I could play it on a handheld.  Once again those Europeans blowing my mind with their effort on a non-monetary project.