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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2018)
P O D C A S T S continued More Perfect in Middle of a Supreme Court Case Over the course of the show’s two seasons, More Perfect’s host Jad Abumrad (of RadioLab fame) explores controversial Supreme Court decisions such as big money in politics, the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the death penalty. More Perfect uses superb audio production and storytelling to explore the decisions made by the Supreme Court and the impact they have on the U.S. today. More Perfect does deep background research on the cases it explores. In season one’s first episode, one of the show’s guests tracks down the United Kingdom-based distributor of a non-FDA approved drug used in a death penalty case in an attempt to answer the question, “What is cruel and unusual punishment?” Through interviews with the subjects of the cases, the podcast humanizes a headline, explains what brought the case to the highest court in the land and proves how it is still relevant today. Recently, the Supreme Court overturned Korematsu v. United States, the landmark case that deemed that President Roosevelt’s Japanese internment camps were constitutional. Following the decision, More Perfect rebroadcasted their episode about Fred Korematsu, the Japanese-American who took on Roosevelt’s policy. At a time when most people are closely watching the executive branch, More Perfect is a reminder that the decisions of the judicial branch still wield an enormous amount of power over Americans’ lives. — Michael Tobin Dive into the Minds of Iconic Serial Killers You could say I have a morbid curiosity — an affinity for the occult, if you will. After spending countless G A M I N G Terrifying Teens Imagine that you’re stressed. This may not be hard because, let’s face it, it’s 2018. Imagine you’re at your breaking point. Right before tumbling into chaos, you see yourself. Except it isn’t you. They are who you wish you were, who you want to be. Richer, smarter, more attractive. What would you do? How would you feel? This is the premise for English-developed visual novel Lynne . While the game is categorized as horror, there are no jump scares, no frightening monsters and no real threats. Instead, the kinetic game takes you through a real life terror: being a teenage girl. The player is told the story of Lynn (with no e) through her family, her friends and her nightmares. All of her experiences, both real and fake, culminate to produce a truly chilling experience for the reader, who is unable to change the story. The novel contains adult issues such as masturbation and teen pregnancy, but also contains adolescent themes of feeling ugly, lacking confidence and worrying about exams. The raw emotions alone made this game worth playing, even without the nerve-racking soundtrack and eerie visuals. The whole tale can be enjoyed in about an hour, making it a top choice for a summer evening. Available on Steam and itch.io. — Amber Cecil It’s a Classic Okay, Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Classic Edition came out a long time ago — last year. But it took me a long time to get it. Hell, I even surrendered my privacy by signing up for a Target credit card, so I could try and finally get one (a friend of mine ended up snatching one at Toys ‘R’ Us, back when there was a Toys ‘R’ Us). The wait was worth it. See, back in commuting hours listening my way through every true crime podcast I could get my hands on, I stumbled upon Parcast, a network of engaging, scripted, story-driven podcasts. Curating a wide variety of true crime shows, Parcast brings several binge-worthy podcasts to the table — particularly Serial Killers, a future cult classic of the podcast world. Narrated by Vanessa Richardson and Greg Polcyn, each episode delivers an engrossing look into the deepest reaches of the minds of some of our most notorious serial killers. The podcast deviates from the ordinary true crime format (i.e., covering the events and assessing the aftermath) by starting at the beginning — covering every last drop of trauma, stolen childhood and circumstantial experiences that led to these terrifying dark crimes. With a harrowing look into psychology, Serial Killers brings a tale that is well-researched, acutely informative and entertaining, albeit deeply macabre. Subject profiles are divided into two episodes, running just under an hour each. Each installment is wickedly well written and executed perfectly. Serial Killers offers a podcast experience that fully immerses us into the world of these real life boogeymen, explaining their motives, perceptions and, most of all, why these individuals committed these chilling crimes in the first place. — Elisha Young Immersed in this Strange World We Call Home RadioLab is, hands down, the best science podcast traveling the radio waves. Although RadioLab is insanely educational, it doesn’t feel that way while you’re listening. The production values are extraordinary, with well-placed sound effects, impeccably curated interviews and ambient music. RadioLab hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwhich have mastered the art of a truly immersive listening experience, and their narratives do not disappoint. Covering my day, video games had a storyline. It wasn’t a scam to make you buy online memberships, in-game perks, etc. And we didn’t spend all day online hurling insults — we said it to each other’s faces. Once I got my hands on this $79.99 nostalgia in a box, I immediately went to one of my childhood favorites: Donkey Kong Country. If Shakespeare had been alive then, you’d see his name on the credits. Donkey Kong Country is all about kicking out invaders (King K. Rool and his goons) who have exploited an island’s natural resources: bananas. So, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong go around reclaiming their land. After spending some thinking about it, I’m positive it’s really a metaphor for the U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, which was rooted in upholding the United Fruit Company (now called Chiquita Brands International). Sadly, real life doesn’t end like Donkey Kong Country. The system comes with 20 other games and is probably only available by buying it secondhand. — Henry Houston Frog Games If you loved the hit cat-collecting game Neko Atsume, then this frog sequel is right up your alley. Tabikaeru ( 旅かえる/ Journey Frog) is a fully Japanese app made by Hit-Point available for Google Play and the iPhone App Store. A frog (whom you get to name) relies on you to stock it with food, lucky charms and other adventuring essentials for its journeys across Japan. In return, the frog gives you photos: beautiful renderings of actual places in Japan. Don’t be afraid of the Japanese characters — more than a few English-language guides are online to help you understand the basic mechanics. With stunning charm and an incredible heart, this game is surely one you won’t want to miss. Did I mention that it’s free? Available for iPhone and Android. — Amber Cecil a wide variety of subject matter — from the obscure to the ordinary — RadioLab brings science to the masses and somehow makes it cool. Every episode is intensely involved, with Abumrad and Krulwhich walking down a rabbit hole and breaking down their subject matter while researching on air. This leads to an informal conversational approach, a lot of hilarious questions and a podcast that makes you feel like you are sitting around with friends discussing the complex microbiology of laughter. A word to the wise, though: RadioLab may make all of your other podcasts seem lacking — once you experience the mesmeric flow of sound and narration, nothing else can compete. — Elisha Young The Wisdom of D’oh City officials in Springfield often end social media posts with #TheRealSpringfield. If they want to own up to the horrors of being the Springfield from The Simpsons, that’s fine, I guess. But we should be asking all kinds of questions. Like who would be Mr. Burns (Phil Knight)? What about Kent Brockman (Rick Dancer)? And how much do Mayor Christine Lundberg’s and the City Council’s policies resemble Mayor Quimby’s? Well, I’m sure these are the type of questions that would be pondered by the guys at Four Finger Discount if they lived in Eugene or Springfield rather than Geelong, Australia. The podcast, named after an obscure quote from Jimbo’s slang for shoplifting, manned by Aussies named Mitch and Dando, was started in 2015 with a review of “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” That episode only had 13 downloads. But now the podcast is one of the top- 10 most downloaded podcasts on the Podbean service. From laughing over Homer’s buffoonery to Bart’s antics, these are just a couple of dudes who love The Simpsons. Chances are, if you’re a huge fan of The Simpsons like me, you’ll love hearing these guys deconstruct the show or interviewing people who were involved in its production. The downside of Four Finger Discount is it makes you wish you had friends with whom you could make random Simpsons references. — Henry Houston H O L L O W N I G H T Hand-drawn Dark Narrative Metroidvanias are everywhere. The phrase, a combination of the games Metroid and Castlevania, refers to a style of difficult platformer that became wildly popular in the independent game scene. While Hollow Knight is just this, a metroidvania, it delivers far more than its predecessors could offer. The game takes place in the fictional Hallownest, an underground world where the Knight must fight to defeat an evil force called the Shade. Created by Australian developers Team Cherry, the game combines stunning hand-drawn graphics, tough level design and a dark narrative to create a completely unique experience. The difficultly may deter novice gamers, but the beauty and ingenuity are worth the trouble. Available for Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux. — Amber Cecil eugeneweekly.com • A ugust 2, 2018 13
