List-o-Mania July 2016

Every month, Team Unwinnable puts together short lists of recommended music, books and games. These lists originally appeared in Unwinnable Monthly 81, Body Horror. If you enjoy what you read, please buy the issue or subscribe.

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Playlist

“Never Land,” by The Sisters of Mercy
“Crane Your Neck,” by Lady Lamb
“Twenty Four Hours Ago,” 12 Rods
“Lune,” by Periphery
“Obstacles,” by Syd Matters
“Black and Yellow,” by Wiz Khalifa
“Los Rancheros,” by Adam & The Ants
“Hip Hop,” by Dead Prez
“No Future,” by Blink 182
“The Less I Know the Better,” by Tame Impala
“Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” by Stars
“Fa Cé-La,” by The Feelies
“Born Again Teen,” by Lucius
“Avocado, Baby,” by Los Campesinos!
“Didgeridoo,” by Aphex Twin
“I Against I,” by Massive Attack

Listen now on Spotify

Selected by Stu Hovath, Matt Marrone, Jeremy Voss, Casey Lynch, Matt Sayer, David Shimomura, Ian Gonzales, Jason McMaster, Erik Weinbrecht, Gavin Craig, Declan Taggart, Michael Edwards, Sara Clemens, Melissa King, Chuck Moran and Ken Lucas.

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Reading List

The Fisherman, by John Langan
The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes
How to Talk About Video Games, by Ian Bogost
Skin Game, by Jim Butcher
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace, Troy Nixey, and Dennis Janke
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn
Grind: Inside Baseball’s Endless Season, by Barry Svrluga
Dodger, by Terry Pratchett
Democracy Now!, by Amy Goodman
The Night and the Music, by Lawrence Block
Pond, by Claire-Louise Bennett
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Selected by Stu Hovath, Jeremy Voss, Matt Sayer, David Shimomura, Ian Gonzales, Jason McMaster, Erik Weinbrecht, Don Becker, Gavin Craig, Declan Taggart, Michael Edwards, Sara Clemens and Chuck Moran.

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Now Playing

Threes – Stu Horvath
Unwinnable’s General Counsel, Ed Coleman, mentioned a few weeks ago that he played Threes most days on his commute. This off-handed comment wheedled its way into my brain and I soon found myself downloading the game for the first time since I kicked it back in 2014. What a terrible thing, to backslide into this compulsive puzzle playing. I have played my battery dead more nights I am willing to admit and still can’t top my two-year-old high score. I’m doomed.

Shaun White Skateboarding – Matt Sayer
I had a craving for a skateboarding game, and Steam is sorely lacking in options. Shaun White isn’t on the level of Tony Hawk, but it’s got grindin’ and frontside 540s, and the mechanic of restoring color to the city by nailing tricks still feels fresh. In the absence of a good modern skating game, it does the job.

Pokémon Go – Erik Weinbrecht
I feel 10 again on the inside and that’s all that matters.

Pokémon Go – Don Becker
Because walking around near my workplace is better than sitting at my desk. (Don Becker)

Pokémon Go – Sara Clemens
My office is right by the river, so I’ve been farming Magikarp like it’s my job (while still doing my actual job, of course). Now I have a Gyarados. Ho – ho – ho.

Pokémon Omega Ruby – David Shimomura
I needed some more substance that that Pokemon Go has to offer.

Sorcery! 2 – Declan Taggart
Because I want to feel like I did when I was 10 years old, too, and Pokémon passed me by.

Fallout: New Vegas – Melissa King
I had decided to replay Fallout 3 since I’m more lore savvy now compared to the first time I played it, and all I could think the entire time was “gee, I sure wish this was New Vegas.” So, I ordered New Vegas and dropped 3 like a hot potato as soon as it was delivered to my home.