BrunoTheThird

Tekken 3 would be a sick one, also.

That soundtrack coming out of a cabinet is bliss. There were some differences on the PS1 soundtrack though. Think the latter might have been better.

If I could invent an arcade machine of any game to own, it would be REZ. Holy shit...

@jeevespleez: That is totally it, haha. A bunch of childhood memories were just unraveled, finally! Thank you! Ridiculous game.

The prequels have some astoundingly questionable acting in parts (Phantom Menace less so), but Darth Maul is dope, and they tried something really interesting with Boba Fett's backstory in Episode II. Lots of things shine, albeit dimly, and so end up being disappointing more than bad. But I think we can agree disappointment is much more soul-crushing than a movie which is just bad through and through, particularly something once so beloved.

Lucas really tried to bring back older fans with Episode III I feel, with a stronger return to the dark grit of the original trilogy, but this is sadly where Hayden Christensen's acting style completely clashed with that vibe once and for all. There are a lot of apologists/genuine fans regarding his performances, and if you think that is good acting that's up to you and I'll respect that -- Hamill wasn't exactly a board-treading thespian -- but for me, it ended up feeling like a fan-film. Visually and story-wise, it's the best of the three. In terms of pure enjoyment, it's Phantom Menace for me. I don't mind it.

@mattimus_prime: Rap/hip-hop suggestions:

Can't go wrong with Run the Jewels.

I'm a big fan of the track Wesley's Theory on Kendrick Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly. Weird and groovy. Great album.

"Enemies All Around Me" by Ghostface Killah. The albums it's from is very different and super progressive in some ways.

Deltron 3030 is great. Mastermind is a cool track, big fan.

"At the Helm" by Hieroglyphics

"Witness" by Roots Manuva.

"Purple Kush" and "Moving at the Speed of Life" by Living Legends (more positive and upbeat vibes).

Aesop is cool.

Outkast's Stankonia has some banging tunes, as do ATliens and Aquemini.

The Avalanches aren't strictly hip-hop, but deffo a sub-genre of it at least. Their last album is bonkers.

AIM is a cool French hip-hop/electronic artist. I love his track "Demonique."

I'm hoping the Aphex Twin Cheetah EP was a taster for a new album this year. I liked it more than most -- it was much more stripped down and funky than most of his work.

I'm desperate for a new Janelle Monae album, too; also, something from Arca. They're the only things I know I want this year.

The new Mastodon track is decent. Curious if the album will indeed be more Crack the Skye-esque. That's exciting.

Definitely a Half-Life 2: Survivor machine, because how weird and cool is that?!

@jeevespleez: Hmm, that seems less sophisticated than this game I have in mind, and the perspective is different. The graphics were more advanced, and the camera was directly behind your skater. The gameplay seems very similar though. Thanks for looking!

I've been on a ridiculous Hatsune Miku binge recently. Those games have taken me hostage!

Love this track:

It reminds me of Alice in Chains, the melody 'round the 1:18 mark -- not in timbre, just the choice of melody and the timing. Super Lane Staley-esque.

This one I love also:

@jam13: Haha, of course, it's Ikaruga! Pleasure and pain are two sides of the same coin, but it's not so good on your brain. I was getting Stockholm Syndrome.

Ikaruga, chapter 3. It goes from heart-racing to anus-trembling within a minute. My eyes were doing so much work it felt like waking REM cycles, and my hands said, "fuck this noise," even sooner. One day...