By this point, you should now that I love music. You should also have noticed that I enjoy videogames. So, I'd like to close 2022 with a list of my personal Top 10 videogame soundtracks, I'll not only highlight the excellence and quality, but also how the music, when done well and with care, helps elevate the experience so much more. I will count down as comments to this post, to avoid spamming you with notifications. Mild spoilers ahead. Here we go.

I'm not normally an anime person but I think this deserves to be highlighted. Chainsaw Man is the best anime of recent times, and one of the best anime adaptations in history, period. It's irreverent, it breaks the mold, it does not care. It loves to drop references here and there. And it goes all out, hard. For the few who complain about its bad animation, it only shows their ignorance about the original source. I'm glad there are still some breaths of fresh air in the industry, as Bocchi the Rock! has also shown. May they never end.

It seems that development in whatever Mason Lindroth's next game is, is going pretty well. From Lindroth discovering the unlimited potential of Blender's Geometry Nodes, to Salamone introducing lyrics to its soundtrack, I can already tell this is going to be another genre-defining indie title. I cannot wait for more info about it, probably next year.

Hi-Fi Rush is just fantastic. A feel-good experience from beginning to the very end, and beyond. Every element of the game complements each other perfectly. Its five-ish years of development are noticeable, quality is top notch, I personally highlight art direction and audio design. Gameplay feels especially good and rewards accordingly, regardless of the difficulty or accessibility options selected. This game was planned to work with licensed music, but the original soundtrack is equally, and in some cases, better, although it can be boring or repetitive for people not used to the style of rock that it shreds. This shadow drop is already an early candidate for Game of the Year.

I recently had my first dream in English. I don't remember what it was about, but I distinctly recall expressing myself in Shakespearean verse as if it were second nature. I still have a lot to learn, but I think this milestone is worth mentioning.

Atomic Heart is looking pretty good. But I'm still not fully convinced, there's something about overall quality and general clunkiness that has me a bit concerned. The reason I have my eye on it is that this will be the first project involving Mick Gordon, after the Doom Eternal fiasco, where he contributes with part of the original score, and you can tell it has his name all over it. I guess I'll keep waiting for reviews before passing judgment.

Pizza Tower delivers. A love letter to Wario, Sonic, et al., written haphazardly, and with sauce smears all over it. The impossible balance act between high quality and chaotic energy is somehow maintained during the entire run of the game. New mechanics are introduced for one-hit-wonder levels. Characters and enemies are memorable without uttering a single... "word". Its soundtrack is able to keep up with everything like it's usual business. Difficulty is inherently high, but it does not hinder progress if you're still learning (although I recommend using a retro, SNES-like, controller, or a keyboard, the inputs needed for a consistent gameplay can be hard to pull off with an analog stick latest updates have addressed this and now there's full deadzone control). There're references and nods scattered everywhere like toppings, waiting for you if you know what you're looking at. In summary, what Tour de Pizza has achieved here is undoubtedly the best indie release so far, in a period of time surprisingly jam-packed with great games. Let's have a fun 2023!

Raquel Welch sadly passed away on February 15, 2023, at the age of 82. Raquel was an iconic actress, entertainer, and sex symbol who made an indelible mark on popular culture during the 1960s and 1970s. Her contributions to the entertainment industry and the concept of female empowerment and liberation were significant and enduring.

Raquel will be remembered as a trailblazer for women in Hollywood, who broke down barriers and shattered stereotypes with her performances and her bold, confident attitude. Her distinctive look and unforgettable on-screen presence made her an icon of beauty, sensuality, and strength, and inspired generations of women to embrace their sexuality and defy traditional gender roles.

Her passing is a profound loss to everyone around her, but her legacy will endure through her body of work and the memories of those who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

Rest in peace, Raquel. Your light will shine on forever.

Elden Ring has consolidated as FromSoftware's best seller, and broke initial sales projections several times already. Whatever they are working now, it's beyond well funded. https://mobile.twitter.com/ELDENRING/status/1628273414354894848

Well, it just happened. https://mobile.twitter.com/ELDENRING/status/1630478058103734274

Atomic Heart wasn't the success it was hyped for, but its soundtrack still slaps.

OpenAI recently revealed their next model, GPT-4, in a live demo. GPT-4 is said to be more accurate, knowledgeable and capable of advanced reasoning in comparison with previous models. It seems that progress can not be stopped.