Last year, I lamented having done so little to only have five recommendations. This year, I just barely beat that with six recommendations (and one honorable mention). Let’s get into it.
Honorable Mention – TTRPG – Daggerheart
I am very excited about Daggerheart. Not only have I started a new gaming group to play, I also started a Daggerheart blog just so I can write more about it without diluting my personal blog.
Last year, I realized that I should stop making excuses for not finding time for my favorite hobby. When I asked myself why I didn’t want to play more D&D, I found an alternative.
Daggerheart, an upcoming TTRPG from Darrington Press, the publishing arm of Critical Role. It is clearly inspired by D&D, but it cuts through a lot of the finicky parts of the rules to focus on better narrative gameplay.
I can’t quite recommend it because it’s still in beta, but assuming the final version doesn’t veer off, it will make an appearance next year.
Video Game – Frostpunk
I have become extremely fickle in my video game preferences. Usually, I try a game, quit for the evening, then argue with myself about whether it was fun. And sometimes I convince myself that it was.
But then, I play a game like Frostpunk, and I remember what it’s like to really, actually enjoy a game. I’m hooked and can’t wait to play again.
Last year, I started doing an “Epic Games Challenge” where I spend at least one hour playing each of the free games in my Epic Games library.. It was my attempt to find the gems sitting in my library, and it worked.
In my first scenario, I misunderstood the rules and lost horribly. However, I wasn’t discouraged and didn’t feel deceived: I wanted another shot. Over the course of a week, I kept finding extra moments to play. And afterwards, I felt like I had really mastered something.
That’s felt great.
Of course, I had to immediately uninstall after I finished my first scenario lest it completely consume me. However, when I have a long stretch of time to kill, I’m ready to get back in.
TV Show – Delicious in Dungeon
One evening, Julie and I were searching for a show on Netflix. Siri misheard me, so the search results were all wrong, but Delicious in Dungeon appeared as a top result.
Still, we decided to give Delicious in Dungeon a shot, and we were instantly hooked. It perfectly mixes four things that I love.
First, it’s clearly inspired by D&D-esque adventuring. Check.
Second, it’s about cooking. Check.
Third, it feels geeky. There’s a lot of thoughtfulness about the ecology and worldbuilding that feels tightly considered.
Fourth, it’s very wholesome. I have shied away from so much popular media because it’s grim and dark, and I just want people to get along and everything to be okay in the end.
Recipe – Mixed Berry Ice Cream
I cook quite a bit, but I’m usually following recipes. I don’t trust my own instincts to invent or create dishes. On the few occasions when I have gotten creative, the results are usually fine but uninspired.
But this one: I was really proud of this one.
We had guests coming over, and I wanted to get rid of a cup of heavy cream. I looked through my ice cream cookbooks and my cupboard and couldn’t quite make anything particularly interesting. The closest I got was a blackberry ice cream recipe from the Bi-Rite cookbook because I had mixed berries in the freezer. However, their base is also a lot of work, so I combined the berry compote idea with the Ben and Jerry’s base, and made up this ice cream.
And it was really, really good. The berry flavor comes through, and the ice cream itself retains its typical smooth, creamy texture. It helps that we ate it freshly churned, but I’ll take credit for the recipe, too.
Board Game – Heat: Pedal to the Metal
I actually started playing Heat before this year, and I wasn’t really into it. The gameplay didn’t seem deep enough to be of interest.
And yet, I lost my first 10 games, so clearly I was naive about what it took to win this game.
Eventually, I started doing better, and then I really started to enjoy the game. It hits a sweet spot in my preferred level of complexity in a game. It feels approachable but with some depth to it.
Video Game – Heave Ho 2v2
Heave Ho made my list before, so why is it back?
Because we found a new mode that plays totally differently and is a delight to play.
Before, we mostly played co-operative or free-for-all. However, this year, we started playing 2v2, which blends the cooperative and competitive aspects into total chaos and moments of triumph. If you can laugh off disaster and seemingly unjust outcomes, this is the party game for you.
TV Show – Star Trek: Lower Decks
I’m surprised I haven’t pitched Lower Decks yet. It has just been overshadowed by Strange New Worlds in recent history, but this show is awesome.
I can see how a Star Trek fan could get the wrong impression. Take this thing they love and slap some Adult Swim on it, and it’s just mean.
But this is truly a show written by Star Trek fans who know how to skewer Star Trek for its warts but also to let the real heart of it shine through.
And in the end, it’s very wholesome.
Final Thoughts
This year’s recommendations came from a mix of sources. Some were by accident, some were deliberate, some were out of necessity, and some were a fresh perspective on an old thing.
However, I notably didn’t pick anything specifically recommended to me by others. This observation does seem hypocritical in sharing my own recommendations here. I will need to think more on this.
I also didn’t pick any books or movies from this past year.
This year is starting differently. Julie and I have found time to watch more movies, so I’m hoping to find a winner there.