Media I'm Thinking About!

Video Games

  • In Stars and Time
    • An RPG I can't stop thinking about. Play as Siffrin, a hilarious and tragic character with a mysterious backstory and a heavy burden: a time loop. Fight to save the country of Vauguard from The King as each loop leaves you a little more hollow than before. With an incredible cast of characters and a unique twist to time loops, fall in love with everyone as the world falls apart. The simplistic art style is supplemented by beautiful and evocative comic panels. [maybe insert a page thats just gushing about ISAT and not worrying about spoilers.]
  • Deltarune
    • A game that needs no introduction. From the creator of Undertale, Toby Fox has undertaken the task of topping his masterpiece that rocked the video game world and he is succeeding. Released in chapters, (1-4 currently out, 5 coming 2026) Deltarune follows Kris, or rather you as you puppet Kris around their Hometown filled with familiar faces from Undertale. Kris and school delinquent Susie fall into a Dark World where enemies abound and The Knight has opened a Dark Fountain. With breathtaking music by Toby Fox and stunning spritework by Temmie this game will move you, make you laugh, and make you ache for the losses these kids experience. The mysteries of Hometown only grow stranger and further from reach. I can't wait to see more.

Current Books

  • House of Leaves
    • House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is notoriously impossible to describe. Johnny Truant discovers the unpublished and scattered manuscript of a man named Zampano, which is comprised by a series of academic articles about a documentary film entitles "The Navidson Record", but no such film exists. Through layers of footnotes, supplementals, and appendicies, House of Leaves unravels of psyche of Truant and just what exists in that house. A cult classic, this book may be hard to approach but is worth every minute of your effort. Give the house a chance.
  • Babel: An Arcane History
    • I'm still in the process of reaching Babel on my friends extremely passionate recommendation, but gosh is it good. Babel is incredible narrative that meaningfully engages with the legacy of colonialism. In order to tell that story R. F. Kuang utilizes an alternate history of the British Empire with a completely novel and fascinating magic system based on what is lost in translation. I was either going to read this book in one mad rush or in fits and starts, and finals stopped me from fully submerging myself in it, but even when studying and reading other works, part of me is still always thinking of Babel. This is a must read.
  • The Murderbot Diaries
    • Most of my reading for fun and school consists of works like House of Leaves and Babel which take a lot of my brain power. The Murderbot Diaries are a series of sci-fi novellas that can be easily read, but their ease does not preclude a truly engaging narrative and completely lovable narrator. The main character is a rogue SecUnit, a construct designed for "security" who named itself Murderbot but choses to spend its time watching trash TV and continuing to do its job. SecUnit's (it doesn't like anyone else to call it Murderbot) narration is hilarious and totally unique. A completely accidentally unreliable narrator, SecUnit is self-depricating, petrified by the idea of being treated like a human, and mostly just wants to be left alone to its serials. So could these humans please stop trying to die?!
  • The Goblin Emperor
    • Oops it's another novel that is hard to read. When I first began The Goblin Emperor I thought I had been slacking so much (not reading a book outside of school in nearly a year) that I had lost my whole vocabulary. No, I wasn't more stupid than I was before, TGE just has an incredibly robust vocabulary, an almost Shakespearean speech pattern, and a very strong narrative choice. The main character of the first novel, Maia, is suddenly thrust into being the emperor despite having been raised in exile due to his half-goblin heritage. Newly 18 and newly crowned Maia has to navigate a court who hates him, advisors loyal to his dead father, and a social system he has barely encountered before. Despite all of this he is determined to not only be a good emperor but a good person, and throws himself into work to solve the mystery of who killed the previous emperor and everyone else in line for the throne before Maia, and to protect the people abandoned by his father. TGE earns its slightly dense language by justifying not only in the stuffy society in which it takes place, but also the way Maia has to fight to understand what is happening around him. The vocabulary brings the reacher closer to Maia, and makes for a great way to learn new words too.
  • Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel
    • I found this at a used bookstore and was so excited. I listened to all of WTNV back in the day and I am so excited to immerse myself in this world again. I have only read the first 4 chapters, but this book totally captures the feeling of the podcast. Non-sensical yet totally grounded in reality WTNV:AN is perfect for enjoyers of the podcast or people who like to be confused.

Most Rewatchable Youtube Videos

(No, I don't know why they are all horror, don't ask)

  • A Totally Normal Creepypasta Retrospective by Hazel
    • Hazel and May take a trip down memory lane, recounting the classic pastas from their youth, as well as telling some stories of their own! Nothing strange happens in this video! Trust me! I don't want to spoil anything so instead I will say that I have watched this video at leaft 4 times in the past 8 months.
  • Control, Anatomy, and the Legacy of the Haunted House by Jacob Geller
    • I extol the virtues of Jacob Geller more below, but I have watched this video so many times. It is haunting and beautifully edited, and completely inspired my love of places that are haunted by themselves rather than a creature. Plus this video was the first time I heard of House of Leaves and now I'm obsessed.
  • MyHouse.WAD - Inside Doom's Most Terrifying Mod by Power Pak
    • The way this video carries the watcher through the narrative of the game, following the many explorations of MyHouse.WAD is captivating. The tone Power Pak manages to evoke despite what should be a rather silly video is very impressive, especially considering has ability to avoid the voice and style of the many "blank explained" videos. ... This mod and video may be inspired by House of Leaves but I promise this is the last reference.
  • Pathologic is Genius, And Here's Why by hbomberguy
    • Everything by hbomberguy is amazing, but similar to MyHouse.WAD the way the video carries you though the grueling days and even more grueling playthroughs, leading you by the hand to each terrible discovery is fantastic. Not to mention the amazing humor like "Daniil Dankovsky's Fun Steppe Vacation" and "buy some more... delicious Eggs."

Youtubers Who Understand

  • Overly Sarcastic Productions
    • Short literature, mythology, history, and media analysis videos by Red and Blue! Beautifully written, witty, and educational, I always love to watch OSP. (Also check out their podcast!)
  • Drawfee
    • An art and comedy chanel, the cast draw strange prompts and chat with eachother, making jokes and silly art, it may seem like just another entry on the long list of youtubers-who-exist-I-guess, but that is so wrong. When nothing else can make me smile, Drawfee makes me cackle out loud disturbing my roommates. Give Drawfee a try because their way of speaking will infect your brain.
  • Jacob Geller
    • Possibly the best video essaying there is. I know I am wildly biased but I adore his work. Vascillating between videogames and serious political matters, but more often combining the two brilliantly, Geller weaves a narrative so flawless you won't even notice how good it is.
  • Haley Whipjack
    • Whipjack is whipquick with jokes and bursting passion. Long videos cover topics from Shrek to Game of Thrones to esoteric musicals, but no matter the topic Whipjack will enthrall you. Also found as the co-host of Unprepared Casters, an amazing ttrpg podcast formatted in easily accessible short arcs so you can jump in any time!
  • Brian David Gilbert
    • Previously the mind behind Polygon's Unraveled and now Dropout's comedian and fact-checker on Um, Actually, BDG is a comic force to be reconned with. His chanel mainly features surreal and comedic songs that range in topics from a haunted HOA to birds nesting by his window. No matter what it will get stuck in your head not just musically but thematically too. Totally engrossing and humor-changing.

Extras

  • Twin Runes
    • Deltarune and Undertale crossover fic. Comic opens with Frisk clinging on to Kris's leg and Susie asking if Kris underwent mitosis. The silliness never stops, but neither do the genuine heartfelt moments or classic deltarune drama. The art style is to die for with vibrant colors, crisp line-art, and strong shape language, Akememnon is a talented creator whos art I want to eat.
  • Aurora Comic
    • From the mind and hand of OSP Red, Aurora Comic is a masterclass in storytelling, as one would expect from someone who talks about tropes in media and tools of the trade for a living! The main character should be a boring tabula-rasa by all accounts, and instead is a riveting character who is haunted by a past that isn't his. Meet and quickly adore a cast filled with characters like hubristic wizard, tragic fighter, catboy, and life mage with violence in her heart.
  • Kpop Demon Hunters
    • When I first heard of this movie I thought it would be another Netflix original slop capitalizing on the stardom of Kpop artists. I was so wrong. As I saw more and more posts of people becoming obsessed I knew I had to check it out and I am so glad I did. The music is amazing! No wonder it's topping the charts around the world, placing above even real Kpop artists! (Though several tracks are sung by the real Kpop band Twice) Somehow it reminds me of classic barbie movies from my childhood, mixed with the shounen anime I don't watch much of but have osmosed a lot from. Even typing this out the songs are playing in my head! Amazing characters and visual direction, KPDH is a film you don't want to miss.

Media Recommended To Me Or On My List

  • Books
    • Encyclopedia of Fairies
    • Next Murderbot Diaries
    • Next Goblin Emperor
    • The Martian
    • Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
    • Brandon Sanderson Novels
    • Discworld
    • The Lost Tomb
    • Piranesi
    • Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
    • Station Enternity Midsolar Murders
    • House Taken Over (by prof Greenburg)
    • How Nonviolence Protects the State
    • The River Has Teeth
    • House of Hollow
    • The Black Vampyre; A Legend of St. Domingo (1819)
  • Movies and TV
    • Sinners
    • The Menu
    • Castlevania
    • Red Cliff
    • Frankenstein Ballet (internet archive)
  • Video Games
    • Detective Beebo
    • Moving Houses
    • The Alters
    • Presentable Liberty
  • Comics
    • Red Robin
    • Iron Fist
    • Impulse
  • Other
    • F. D Signifier (youtuber)
    • White Light (youtuber)
    • The Ficlist (podcast)
    • Wildsea (TTRPG)
    • Crooked Moon (TTRPG)
    • Delta Green (TTRPG)
    • For Lovers and Fighters (essay)

Images