The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
Chapters 15–16
Wednesday, 22 April 2026
Video Games
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition
Last time I said I should definitely concentrate on quests more than crafting going forward. So today, I... spent an hour-and-a-half mostly building my third house, and moving materials around to do said building, and other such tasks (and one very minor quest along the way). Oops. But hey, at least this is the last house, so once it's built I won't feel the need to do it again (because I won't be able to) — hurrah! Although, all my houses (eight owned, ten not — yet) still need a lot of decorating...
Monument Valley II
The Lost Forest
Whereas Monument Valley I's expansion was like a whole extra game, more-or-less doubling its length, the sequel's is just a single level.
There's now a third game, but as it only came to PC less than a year ago (following a period of Netflix mobile exclusivity), it's still a bit overpriced for my liking (assuming it's of a comparable complexity and length to the first two). I'll get it someday.
Last time I said I should definitely concentrate on quests more than crafting going forward. So today, I... spent an hour-and-a-half mostly building my third house, and moving materials around to do said building, and other such tasks (and one very minor quest along the way). Oops. But hey, at least this is the last house, so once it's built I won't feel the need to do it again (because I won't be able to) — hurrah! Although, all my houses (eight owned, ten not — yet) still need a lot of decorating...
Monument Valley II
The Lost Forest
Whereas Monument Valley I's expansion was like a whole extra game, more-or-less doubling its length, the sequel's is just a single level.
There's now a third game, but as it only came to PC less than a year ago (following a period of Netflix mobile exclusivity), it's still a bit overpriced for my liking (assuming it's of a comparable complexity and length to the first two). I'll get it someday.
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
TV
Critical Role
4x12 The Giant's Belt [2nd hour]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or for subscribers on Beacon or Twitch.]
4x12 The Giant's Belt [2nd hour]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or for subscribers on Beacon or Twitch.]
Video Games
Monument Valley II
Finished the main game. It's probably better than the first game's original levels, because it's a bit longer and has more variety; but that was greatly improved by its expansion, so it's much for muchness overall. That's not a criticism — these are both fun puzzle games.
Finished the main game. It's probably better than the first game's original levels, because it's a bit longer and has more variety; but that was greatly improved by its expansion, so it's much for muchness overall. That's not a criticism — these are both fun puzzle games.
Monday, 20 April 2026
TV
Critical Role
4x12 The Giant's Belt [1st hour]
Dear God, I am so far behind — this episode is from January. It was a lot easier to watch tonnes of CR when I also hadn't got back into gaming and reading and was just ditching film watching for it. Ah well, I persevere, because whenever I do make time for it, I still enjoy it.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or for subscribers on Beacon or Twitch.]
4x12 The Giant's Belt [1st hour]
Dear God, I am so far behind — this episode is from January. It was a lot easier to watch tonnes of CR when I also hadn't got back into gaming and reading and was just ditching film watching for it. Ah well, I persevere, because whenever I do make time for it, I still enjoy it.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or for subscribers on Beacon or Twitch.]
Sunday, 19 April 2026
Video Games
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition
After another few days off, back to Skyrim! It's not that I've got bored of it or something, it's just about finding time while also doing other things. And, y'know, I have played over 205 hours of it — I'm getting a little bit of an itch to play other stuff as well (not instead). Still tonnes to do though, and I completed a lengthy-ish quest today which felt rewarding and reminds me that there's still a lot of fun to be had... though maybe I should now focus more on those kinds of storylines instead of the tonnes of random exploring and crafting I've been doing for so long.
Monument Valley II
Stuffed
Can't remember where I got this from (in a bundle of some kind, I guess). Played the tutorial and had a brief go at the main game. Didn't care for it. Well, that's another one off the "to try" list, at least!
After another few days off, back to Skyrim! It's not that I've got bored of it or something, it's just about finding time while also doing other things. And, y'know, I have played over 205 hours of it — I'm getting a little bit of an itch to play other stuff as well (not instead). Still tonnes to do though, and I completed a lengthy-ish quest today which felt rewarding and reminds me that there's still a lot of fun to be had... though maybe I should now focus more on those kinds of storylines instead of the tonnes of random exploring and crafting I've been doing for so long.
Monument Valley II
Stuffed
Can't remember where I got this from (in a bundle of some kind, I guess). Played the tutorial and had a brief go at the main game. Didn't care for it. Well, that's another one off the "to try" list, at least!
Saturday, 18 April 2026
Video Games
You Suck at Parking
After over a week, this had settled enough in my memory that I felt like it was worth another go. I lasted about 5 minutes. It feels like it could be fun, but the controls are unintuitive and that makes it suck. Uninstalled.
After over a week, this had settled enough in my memory that I felt like it was worth another go. I lasted about 5 minutes. It feels like it could be fun, but the controls are unintuitive and that makes it suck. Uninstalled.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Five new releases this week, all of them genre fare but from boutique labels. The highlight is John Woo's The Killer in 4K from Arrow, although Tsui Hark's remake of The One Armed Swordsman, The Blade, is very exciting too.
Number of titles in collection: 3,685 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 965 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,720 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 523 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,842 [up 7]
Number of films: 4,737 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 489 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 10,134 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,293 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Five new releases this week, all of them genre fare but from boutique labels. The highlight is John Woo's The Killer in 4K from Arrow, although Tsui Hark's remake of The One Armed Swordsman, The Blade, is very exciting too.
Number of titles in collection: 3,685 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 965 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,720 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 523 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,842 [up 7]
Number of films: 4,737 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 489 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 10,134 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,293 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 17 April 2026
Video Games
Balatro
It's been over 6 months since I last played this game that's supposedly soooo addictive and soooo unputdownable and soooo amazing. I always feel I should play it more because of that reputation, but I never quite got it. It came up somewhere today and I thought, "maybe it's time to try again".
First chunk of time was spent trying to remember how the hell it all works. And then... yeah, it's still fine, I guess. Feels like there's too much going on, too much to work out, and it takes too long* for it to just be fun. Still don't get it.
* people talk about the addictiveness of "just one more run", but even one go through takes over half-an-hour for me?! That's not "play multiple runs", that's "hope I have time for one" territory.
Monument Valley II
It's been over 6 months since I last played this game that's supposedly soooo addictive and soooo unputdownable and soooo amazing. I always feel I should play it more because of that reputation, but I never quite got it. It came up somewhere today and I thought, "maybe it's time to try again".
First chunk of time was spent trying to remember how the hell it all works. And then... yeah, it's still fine, I guess. Feels like there's too much going on, too much to work out, and it takes too long* for it to just be fun. Still don't get it.
* people talk about the addictiveness of "just one more run", but even one go through takes over half-an-hour for me?! That's not "play multiple runs", that's "hope I have time for one" territory.
Monument Valley II
Videos
007 First Light Title Sequence
Watched some of the BAFTA Game Awards this evening, mainly to see the premiere of this — the title sequence for the forthcoming James Bond game. I wasn't sure about the song at first, but it plays really nicely with the titles, which I think they've done an excellent job on. Excited for the game... though not sure when I'll actually get to play it as I doubt it'll run on my Steam Deck.
Beyond the Light
Episode 4 Music
And to go with the above, they released the fourth instalment of their behind-the-scenes dev diary, looking at music and sound.
Watched some of the BAFTA Game Awards this evening, mainly to see the premiere of this — the title sequence for the forthcoming James Bond game. I wasn't sure about the song at first, but it plays really nicely with the titles, which I think they've done an excellent job on. Excited for the game... though not sure when I'll actually get to play it as I doubt it'll run on my Steam Deck.
Beyond the Light
Episode 4 Music
And to go with the above, they released the fourth instalment of their behind-the-scenes dev diary, looking at music and sound.
Thursday, 16 April 2026
Films
3-D Rarities (2015)
Part 2: Hollywood Enters the Third Dimension
[#17 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Concluding yesterday's programme. This half contains a mix of shorts and trailers for 3D features, as well as the only 3D newsreel.
Part 2: Hollywood Enters the Third Dimension
[#17 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Concluding yesterday's programme. This half contains a mix of shorts and trailers for 3D features, as well as the only 3D newsreel.
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