It’s Sunday, and you’re suddenly struck by the realization that ages have passed since you last ventured behind your wardrobe. You carefully pull the heavy piece of furniture away from the wall, unleashing a cloud of ancient dust bunnies, remnants of forgotten cleanings. And there he is – Adrian Edmondson! You politely inquire if he still feels youthful in spirit. He responds with a loud demand for an ambulance. You gently push the wardrobe back into place.
This week, we begin with something born from nightmares. Nightmare Kart, previously known as Bloodborne Kart, now exists as an arcade cabinet! Ashley Bardhan from GamesRadar visited Arcade Commons, the creators of this unique game box, and lead developer Lilith Walther in their “small, windowless room” located in East Williamsburg, New York.
Although the location no longer resembles the guitar-filled, beer-soaked venues of the past, Arcade Commons still exudes the DIY music scene coolness that was prominent in the 2010s. While much of that scene has disappeared from the city, my high school years were often spent sweating in Williamsburg, waiting for a hardcore drummer to spit water into the crowd. In this context, we find Walther wearing a witch’s hat, intently studying something on the screen of the Nightmare Kart cabinet.
Next, we highlight Henry Stockdale’s piece for Rewinder, a relatively new independent site. He explores the joys of recreating significant sporting moments within video games – something many gamers can relate to. He discusses how German F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg recently achieved his first podium finish from 19th place after many years of hard work and attempts. Henry attempted to replicate this achievement, reflecting on the unique appeal of live sports, despite any surrounding controversies.
This experience differs significantly from completing the ‘Race Moments’ featured in Frontier’s F1 Manager 23 and 24, which are largely based on specific moments from real-life races of those years. These in-game moments are intentionally designed to either replicate a particular outcome or allow you to alter that outcome. Achieving these moments organically, through chance, is surprisingly much more rewarding.
What’s that buzzing? It’s Sarah Thwaites’ review of Time Flies, a game simulating the lifespan of a fly, published in The Guardian. I’ve previously written about this game but haven’t played it yet. This review only enhances my desire to experience it soon.
Perhaps the compelling nature of Time Flies lies in the sheer frustration of controlling the fly, and the annoyance of its constant buzzing as you strive to complete objectives. Directing the fly requires tapping and holding arrow keys, but during tasks demanding dexterity – like gathering coins while avoiding a scorching lightbulb or navigating through a statue’s intestines to trigger a fart – the controls feel appropriately clumsy. Over time, the repetitive cycle of reincarnation becomes an eerie reflection of our own futile pursuit of order within a world filled with unpredictable hurdles.
Finally, something that isn’t directly game-related, but tangentially connected. As reported previously by RPS, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has links to companies involved in game development and the hardware used for gaming. Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif was among the Al Jazeera staff killed in an airstrike last week. A last testament he wrote is featured in an article by Hassan Abo Qamar in the same publication. I first encountered this text at the beginning of an episode of the Chapo Trap House podcast.
I have experienced pain in its full spectrum and suffered loss repeatedly. Yet, I have never wavered in conveying the truth as I see it, without embellishment or distortion. May God bear witness against those who remained silent and accepted our killings, against those who stifled our voices and whose hearts remained unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, and against those who did nothing to stop the massacre that has plagued our people for over a year and a half.
This week’s music selection, prompted by my recent completion of Mafia: The Old Country, is this rendition of Nino Rota’s “The Immigrant” from the Godfather II soundtrack. It features Rota, Paul Bateman, and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.