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
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