41. Merry Christmas!
I.
What a year it’s been for gaming. One blockbuster after another was released, and almost all of them were good. Next week I’ll be describing my highlights, but this week let me tell you about a few short indie games that I finally found time for this week. They’re also ideal to play whilst your Christmas dinner is cooking.
In A Short Hike (2019), you play as a bird named Claire. She steps out of her beachside cabin and sets off in search of mobile signal. She needs to make a phone call. And so begins the hike to the highest point on the island. You’ll soon come across all sorts of other animal characters, each with their own stories and tasks. The island is free to explore, and along the way you’ll learn to climb better and glide further. After an hour or so, you reach the summit and have enjoyed a lovely trip to a colourful island. A mini-holiday on your TV.
***Jusant*** (2023) is also about reaching the highest point. In the middle of an open sandy plain stands a large tower that you, as the player, climb. Along the way, you solve simple puzzles and read messages found in the world, which tell you what happened to the tower and why the small settlements have been abandoned. I’m happy to overlook the minor bugs and the amount of reading involved, given that I get such a beautifully meditative climbing game with a stunning soundtrack in return. ***Bramble: The Mountain King*** (2023) is a dark fairy tale. I mean really dark. At the start of the game, you climb out of a window as a young boy to look for your sister, after which an adventure based on Scandinavian fables begins. It starts cheerfully, with you searching for gnomes in a garden, but not long after, your sister is snatched away in a sack by a huge troll. The path to finding her leads along a trail of death and destruction. *Bramble* is not for the faint-hearted and the gameplay itself is nothing special, but the story and the environments make this an underrated fantasy adventure. ---II.
Apple TV+ is sure to have all sorts of great series, but the best reason to subscribe is, of course, the collection of Peanuts Classics. The adventures of Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and all their friends are just as charming as they were fifty years ago. The watercolour drawings, simple animations and jazz music remain absolutely brilliant.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) remains a Christmas staple. Charlie Brown isn’t just looking for the perfect Christmas tree (he finds a rather sad one), but also for the meaning of Christmas itself. In true Peanuts tradition, it is both a witty and heart-warming special.
Apple TV+ also has a documentary about Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz: Who Are You, Charlie Brown? It lasts an hour and ultimately feels somewhat unsatisfying. The cultural impact of Peanuts becomes clear, but the film gives too many random celebrities a platform. Schulz, who died in 2000, is seen only sparingly in archive footage. Yet that is precisely where the emotion and poignancy lie.
PS.
Good news for anyone who missed out on a coveted ticket this year for the amazing Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. The exhibition can now be viewed online in 360 degrees. Not quite the same as the real thing, but surprisingly comprehensive and well done. And you can take your time viewing all the works in detail without hordes of people around you.
This is a nice down-to-earth account of a visit to The Sphere in Las Vegas. You know, that bizarre sphere covered in screens where U2 are performing all the time. The experience turns out not to be perfect, but the writer left feeling convinced nonetheless.
I was gutted that I couldn’t make it to see Spinvis at TivoliVredenburg this month. But luckily the concert was recorded. More FOMO.
Foxygen gave a [surprise gig in Los Angeles](https://www.stereogum.com/2246035/watch-foxygen-reunite-for-surprise-set-in-la/news/). I saw them ten years ago at Bitterzoet and it was quite dramatic. The band had been enjoying themselves in Amsterdam before the gig. Still, I was excited that they were back on stage after years of silence. For the occasion, I put the album *[We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic](https://open.spotify.com/album/7FfiN9ztbjLNPWhuhFHaWf?si=X6h15-kWSSOpCXT5r-JPBA)*. Released in 2013, it’s still an excellent indie record. Hopefully that gig left them wanting more and they’ll head back into the studio.A trailer for Love Lies Bleeding: a revenge thriller starring Kristen Stewart. Looks like another must-see from A24.
---And for those who were wondering: how rich were the McCallisters from Home Alone really?
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