TheHanna

I'm sure I had a couple of 24+ hour WoW sessions way back when. My non-MMO record is for Brütal Legend, though. 18 hours straight.

Either Donkey Kong on the NES or the awful port of Pac-Man for the 2600. I remember watching my dad play Missile Command on the 2600, but I was like 3 years old and there was now way I'd have been able to play it myself.

@jaypb08: Two things I'm so happy to see someone mention Ghost. Are they more commercial? Yes. But they're one of the single most entertaining live acts I've ever seen. They put on an excellent live show. Also, the most recent BTBAM album is fantastic; they performed the whole album live on their recent tour with Fallujah and Devin Townsend Project.

This list is solid, but missing a few of my personal favorites from the past year.

Black Crown Initiate's Selves We Cannot Forgive is their most solid release, stem to stern. The clean vocals seem to be a bit divisive, but the closing track, Vicious Lives, is one of my favorite album closers of all time.

Fallujah's Dreamless proves that no one does atmospheric death metal like these guys. Super tight riffs and rhythms on top of spacey, ethereal synths is tough to pull off, but Fallujah have been pulling it off for years now.

Rebel Wizard's Triumph of Gloomis the result of shoving black, thrash, and traditional heavy metal into a blender and turning it up to 11 without a lid on. "Heavy negative wizard metal" is my new favorite stupid sub-genre.

Alcest's Kodamais a return to form for the blackgaze pioneers. After their last album, a lot of metal heads wrote them off, but they've come... not exactly "storming" back onto the scene; it's more of a depressing shuffle, but still. Great tunes.

Two honorable mentions thanks to the beauty of end-of-year lists (thanks, MetalSucks): Toothgrinder's Nocturnal Masquerade and Cult of Luna/Julie Christmas' Mariner. The former is a really strong debut LP from a promising band. The latter is a veteran post-metal group getting together with a veteran hardcore vocalist to create a concept album about outer space. They're both incredible.

Anyone listening to the new Black Crown Initiate album? One of my favorite releases so far this year.

I don't remember my exact first game. I know it was probably on the Atari 2600. If I had to venture a guess, it was probably the awful Pac Man port. Either that or Missile Command, which was my dad's favorite.

Technically from last year, but Dragon Age: Inquisition came out late, and I didn't play it until this January. So much to do in that game, and all of it fun. Definitely had a blast with it.

Rocket League has been a revelation; I haven't had this much fun with an online game (let alone something resembling a sports game) in forever.

Life is Strange has a great atmosphere. The world and story reminds me of Alan Wake in quite a few ways.

Hand of Fate has a really nice addictive one more run, oh shit it's 3am quality to it.

OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood is a really finely tuned game; they figured out what worked in the first one and just built on top of it. It's like going from Tony Hawk 1 to Tony Hawk 2, or Guitar Hero to Guitar Hero 2. It's just a bit better.

Axiom Verge is the best Metroid game in decades.

I really want to get around to the new King's Quest, The Swindle, Dying Light, The Order: 1886, Massive Chalice, The Witcher 3, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, N++, and Galak-Z.

I'm looking forward to MGSV:TPP and Fallout 4. Is it really August already? Fuck.

If you don't have the Jackbox Party Pack, you're missing out. You Don't Know Jack 2015, Fibbage XL, and Drawful are worth the price of admission alone. Can't speak to Lie Swatter or Word Spud, but 3/5 ain't bad.

@gorillamopena said:

the internet is garbage

Wow. That's a quick turnaround. Almost makes it feel like they did it on purpose. I doubt they're that self-aware, but still.

I'll be there! I've been waiting to get to PAX for 11 years. Can't wait.

This is definitely going to be on the agenda for my Thursday before PAX. Glad I'm flying in a day early for it!