I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Chapters 22–29
Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Games
Roadwarden
Another advantage to starting over is that the full game offers a choice of three difficulties: standard mode gives you 40 in-game days to complete your goals; “restrictive” reduces that to 30 and increases overnight damage; “casual” emphasises the story by removing the time limit entirely, giving you a small head start, and making some quests easier. (You can also customise these a little via advanced settings, which is nice if you want a mix of the aforementioned options — you can have no time limit but not make the quests easier, for example; or the standard rules but with the aforementioned ‘head start’.)
I chose the third option, because the kind of player and person I am means I’m more interested in the game’s world and narrative than beating its mechanics; then I speed-ran the opening to get back to where I left off in the demo; then I played for a couple of hours. It seems almost leisurely at first, but even one bad encounter knocked me for six, and suddenly days were racing by as I tried to recuperate, and I had no money for repairs to my armour (so that's currently non-existent). And this is the easy setting! I'm on Day 6 already, and the game has told me days are getting shorter — thank goodness they're unlimited! It feels like it would be a definite challenge to complete in 40 days. Or maybe I've just been unlucky, I dunno.
Another advantage to starting over is that the full game offers a choice of three difficulties: standard mode gives you 40 in-game days to complete your goals; “restrictive” reduces that to 30 and increases overnight damage; “casual” emphasises the story by removing the time limit entirely, giving you a small head start, and making some quests easier. (You can also customise these a little via advanced settings, which is nice if you want a mix of the aforementioned options — you can have no time limit but not make the quests easier, for example; or the standard rules but with the aforementioned ‘head start’.)
I chose the third option, because the kind of player and person I am means I’m more interested in the game’s world and narrative than beating its mechanics; then I speed-ran the opening to get back to where I left off in the demo; then I played for a couple of hours. It seems almost leisurely at first, but even one bad encounter knocked me for six, and suddenly days were racing by as I tried to recuperate, and I had no money for repairs to my armour (so that's currently non-existent). And this is the easy setting! I'm on Day 6 already, and the game has told me days are getting shorter — thank goodness they're unlimited! It feels like it would be a definite challenge to complete in 40 days. Or maybe I've just been unlucky, I dunno.
Videos
Critical Role
2x93 Misery Loves Company [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#139 'Home Is Where the Heart Is'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
2x93 Misery Loves Company [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#139 'Home Is Where the Heart Is'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x92 Home Is Where the Heart Is [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
2x92 Home Is Where the Heart Is [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Monday, 10 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x92 Home Is Where the Heart Is [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#138 'Stone to Clay'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
2x92 Home Is Where the Heart Is [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#138 'Stone to Clay'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
Sunday, 9 March 2025
TV
Daredevil: Born Again
1x01 Heaven's Half Hour
1x02 Optics
Almost eight years since Daredevil's unintended final episode ("unintended" because it was cancelled after airing thanks to an MCU/Netflix rights kerfuffle), it's back. Well, technically it's a new show, which I guess makes it a sequel or something, but it's the same characters and cast and whatnot so, y'know, it's kinda Season 4. And I still think it's pretty great. Looking forward to the rest, and delighted a second season is already confirmed.
[Watch it (again) on Disney+.]
1x01 Heaven's Half Hour
1x02 Optics
Almost eight years since Daredevil's unintended final episode ("unintended" because it was cancelled after airing thanks to an MCU/Netflix rights kerfuffle), it's back. Well, technically it's a new show, which I guess makes it a sequel or something, but it's the same characters and cast and whatnot so, y'know, it's kinda Season 4. And I still think it's pretty great. Looking forward to the rest, and delighted a second season is already confirmed.
[Watch it (again) on Disney+.]
Fiction
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Chapters 15–21
As I noted when I started, one of the main reasons I'm reading this is because everyone talks about its amazing twist. Well, I guessed one possible twist as soon as I read the blurb, and here — at the end of Part One (of two) — it comes to pass. Hopefully the one everyone's talking about is still to come.
Chapters 15–21
As I noted when I started, one of the main reasons I'm reading this is because everyone talks about its amazing twist. Well, I guessed one possible twist as soon as I read the blurb, and here — at the end of Part One (of two) — it comes to pass. Hopefully the one everyone's talking about is still to come.
this week on 100Films.co.uk
A bit later than normal, it was finally time for 100Films.co.uk to look back at February.
It's the same posts as usual: first, the general review of the month...
Then, my numerous "failures"...
More next Sunday? You never know...
It's the same posts as usual: first, the general review of the month...
Then, my numerous "failures"...
More next Sunday? You never know...
Saturday, 8 March 2025
Games
Roadwarden (demo)
Can't remember what first brought this game to my attention, but I've had the demo waiting for a while now — at one point I nearly played it to decide about a purchase of the full game while it was on sale, but I ran out of time before the offer ended... but then it seems to be permanently on sale anyway, so I haven't had a real motivator besides general interest (and I have tonnes of games waiting to be played at that level).
Still, something made me finally boot it up today, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a retro-styled text-driven (with some isometric pixel art) RPG. Lots of world building info and lore, which is engrossing. Really feels like an RPG, not just some kind of fighting game with some basic stats skinned over the top, or something. Anyway, I liked it enough that I've bought the full thing without even completing the demo (because it seems to be fairly extensive for a demo (I played for almost an hour and a half and didn't feel like it was about to stop me progressing any further), and I presumed I'd have to re-play everything I've already done in the full game anyway. It will actually let me load my demo save, but it also has a note about a new improvement patch not working on old saves, so I think I will start from scratch.)
Can't remember what first brought this game to my attention, but I've had the demo waiting for a while now — at one point I nearly played it to decide about a purchase of the full game while it was on sale, but I ran out of time before the offer ended... but then it seems to be permanently on sale anyway, so I haven't had a real motivator besides general interest (and I have tonnes of games waiting to be played at that level).
Still, something made me finally boot it up today, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a retro-styled text-driven (with some isometric pixel art) RPG. Lots of world building info and lore, which is engrossing. Really feels like an RPG, not just some kind of fighting game with some basic stats skinned over the top, or something. Anyway, I liked it enough that I've bought the full thing without even completing the demo (because it seems to be fairly extensive for a demo (I played for almost an hour and a half and didn't feel like it was about to stop me progressing any further), and I presumed I'd have to re-play everything I've already done in the full game anyway. It will actually let me load my demo save, but it also has a note about a new improvement patch not working on old saves, so I think I will start from scratch.)
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Number of titles in collection: 3,485 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 987 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,498 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 442 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,396 [up 5]
Number of films: 4,420 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 439 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,871 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,225 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Number of titles in collection: 3,485 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 987 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,498 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 442 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,396 [up 5]
Number of films: 4,420 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 439 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,871 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,225 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 7 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x90 Bathhouses and Bastions [2nd half]
I love these guys, but jeez, they're bad at politics. Any time they're in front of a ruler or some such, they're so busy trying to make speeches or sound intelligent that they skip over vital information and the arguments they're trying to make ping all over the place. Matt's kindness is almost palpable as he tries to redirect them back to the point, or simply lets the NPCs ignore what they *actually* said in favour of keeping the important parts moving. It's somewhat in character for the Nein, at least, but I'm not convinced it's wholly a character choice.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#137 'Lingering Wounds' & 'Bathhouses and Bastions'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
2x90 Bathhouses and Bastions [2nd half]
I love these guys, but jeez, they're bad at politics. Any time they're in front of a ruler or some such, they're so busy trying to make speeches or sound intelligent that they skip over vital information and the arguments they're trying to make ping all over the place. Matt's kindness is almost palpable as he tries to redirect them back to the point, or simply lets the NPCs ignore what they *actually* said in favour of keeping the important parts moving. It's somewhat in character for the Nein, at least, but I'm not convinced it's wholly a character choice.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Talks Machina
#137 'Lingering Wounds' & 'Bathhouses and Bastions'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]
Thursday, 6 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x90 Bathhouses and Bastions [1st half]
Welcome to 2020! I'm sure it's going to be a great year...
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Daggerheart Ep 2: The Menagerie Returns!
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
2x90 Bathhouses and Bastions [1st half]
Welcome to 2020! I'm sure it's going to be a great year...
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Daggerheart Ep 2: The Menagerie Returns!
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
The Menagerie Returns! [2nd half]
Cliffhanger ending! Good thing there's a third one.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
The Menagerie Returns! [2nd half]
Cliffhanger ending! Good thing there's a third one.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
Videos
Critical Role
The Menagerie Returns! [1st half]
Watch the Menagerie level up to L4 on YouTube or Beacon (if you like basically just hanging out with the CR cast for 25 minutes), which is where they start this second adventure. (I watched the first almost six months ago — where does time go?!)
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
The Menagerie Returns! [1st half]
Watch the Menagerie level up to L4 on YouTube or Beacon (if you like basically just hanging out with the CR cast for 25 minutes), which is where they start this second adventure. (I watched the first almost six months ago — where does time go?!)
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Monday, 3 March 2025
TV
The 97th Annual Academy Awards
aka the Oscars — the actual ceremony this time. I thought it was fine — nothing bad happened; nothing really great or surprising. Conan was an adequate host: some jokes landed, some didn't; nothing really bombed, but nothing really shone.
[Watch it (again) on ITVX.]
Friends
6x03 The One with Ross's Denial [5th or so watch]
6x04 The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance [5th or so watch]
6x05 The One with Joey's Porsche [5th or so watch]
aka the Oscars — the actual ceremony this time. I thought it was fine — nothing bad happened; nothing really great or surprising. Conan was an adequate host: some jokes landed, some didn't; nothing really bombed, but nothing really shone.
[Watch it (again) on ITVX.]
Friends
6x03 The One with Ross's Denial [5th or so watch]
6x04 The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance [5th or so watch]
6x05 The One with Joey's Porsche [5th or so watch]
Sunday, 2 March 2025
TV
The 97th Annual Academy Awards
aka the Oscars... though not the ceremony itself, because that starts at midnight, but an hour-and-a-half of build-up on UK TV.
[Watch a selection of Oscars-related programmes and films on ITVX.]
Friends
6x01 The One After Vegas [5th or so watch]
6x02 The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel [5th or so watch]
Towards Zero
Part 1 (of 3)
Part 2 (of 3)
Part 3 (of 3)
[Watch the whole series (again) on iPlayer.]
aka the Oscars... though not the ceremony itself, because that starts at midnight, but an hour-and-a-half of build-up on UK TV.
[Watch a selection of Oscars-related programmes and films on ITVX.]
Friends
6x01 The One After Vegas [5th or so watch]
6x02 The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel [5th or so watch]
Towards Zero
Part 1 (of 3)
Part 2 (of 3)
Part 3 (of 3)
[Watch the whole series (again) on iPlayer.]
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