Michael's Monthly Recommendations (September 2018)

30 Sep 2018

Feburary 2018 - March 2018 - April 2018 - May 2018 - June 2018 - July 2018 - August 2018 - September 2018 - November 2018 - December 2018 - Yearly Recommendations 2018 - January 2019 - February 2019 - March 2019 - April 2019 - December 2019

I read, watch, listen to, play, and use a ton of different things every month, and I pick out a few of my favorites to recommend.

Crypt of the NecroDancer (Windows/Mac/Linux/Switch/PS4/Xbone/iOS) Brace Yourself Games
This is a rhythm roguelike, where you (and all of the enemies) move once per beat, forcing you to think on your toes. It’s quite challenging, but mastering it is a ton of fun.

Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 Rob Daviau and Matt Leacock
A board game where you rip up the cards, write on them with permanent marker, and cover up different parts with stickers. (What sort of monsters would play such a thing?!)

This is a game you play over and over with the same group of people, and each time you play, events in the game cause permanent changes to the board (hence the ripping, writing, and sticking), affecting all of the games you play in the future. The story campaign also changes the rules and objectives in each game, keeping you from honing a single perfect strategy and forcing you to come up with a new plan each time you play.

The game is entirely cooperative, with everyone working together as a team towards the same objectives. Grab a group of friends and find a night of the week you can all commit to for a couple months, and you’ll have a ton of fun!

Serial Season 3
Serial is back with a new season, and it’s off to a strong start. This season is looking at a bunch of aspects of the justice system in Cleveland, and dives into some places where it doesn’t actually deliver justice.

Simple & Sinister and a decent kettlebell Pavel Tsatsouline
I’ve been doing the workout program in this book as my main form of exercise for the past couple of months, and I’m impressed with the results I’m getting for how little time I’m putting into it (less than 30 minutes per day, in the convenience of my own living room).
(Update in January 2019: This kettlebell is way nicer but still in the same price range. It’s been my go-to for the past few months.)

Icons by Icon Solid, Maxim Kulikov, and Goodfather.