Every year, I try to compile a list of games, books, and movies I experienced. For the complete list, check the Ratings. Here we go (sorted by rating then alphabetically)!

I’ve maintained the habit of reading, mostly through audiobooks during my daily dog walks, for several years. It adds a layer of engagement to my routine, turning a no-brainer task into an opportunity for thought. Without it, I’d feel like I’m merely walking without purpose.

Here’s a list of books from this year, a selection not exhaustive but those that linger in my memory. As I often forget to update my GoodReads records or write about them on this blog, these are the ones that come to mind. I’ll edit this post if I recall additional entries.

Fiction

1. Doce Cuentos Peregrinos (8★★★★★★★★): García Márquez at his most playful. Twelve tales of Latin Americans adrift in Europe, each soaked in magical realism and melancholy. Uneven.
2. Lock In (7★★★★★★★): Not the best from Scalzi. Near-future politics feel thrillingly urgent. A brisk, clever mystery wrapped in smart worldbuilding — great fun, if a little lightweight.

Non Fiction

1. Que bobagem! (9★★★★★★★★★): A delightful dismantling of everyday myths and pseudoscience. Accessible, sharp, and surprisingly funny — science communication done exactly right.
2. How to Keep House While Drowning (7★★★★★★★): Compassionate and practical. A gentle reframe of household tasks for those struggling mentally — short, kind, and worth every page.
3. Your Author Business Plan (6★★★★★★): Solid foundations for writers thinking about their career strategically, but feels generic at times. Better as a checklist than a read.
4. Poverty America (6★★★★★★): Well-intentioned and sobering, but uneven in depth. Raises the right questions without always digging far enough into the answers.

Every few years, a title comes along that feels like it was crafted with a singular, unwavering vision. This samurai epic is a stunning love letter to cinema that earns every single frame. It quickly became my favorite of the year, not just for its emotional weight, but for its sheer technical elegance.

The End of Loading

From a gamedev standpoint, the most mind-blowing achievement here is the data streaming. The loading speeds are blazing fast, even on PC. On a modern NVMe drive, fast travel feels almost instantaneous—it’s a masterclass in asset management and decompression. Traditionally, open-world games suffer from “pop-in” or long transition screens to clear the buffer, but Sucker Punch managed to optimize their proprietary engine to a degree that makes the hardware feel invisible. This isn’t just a convenience; it changes how you interact with the island, encouraging frequent exploration without the “loading tax” that usually hampers large-scale RPGs.

The use of particle effects and wind simulation is another area of technical brilliance. Instead of static environments, the island is in constant motion. Every pampas grass blade, every falling leaf, and every drop of blood follows the physics of the world. The decision to use the “Guiding Wind” as the primary navigation tool is a strokes of UX genius. It removes the need for a cluttered HUD or a distracting mini-map, keeping the player’s eyes firmly on the beautiful art direction.

Cinema Choices

Visually, the project is a triumph of color theory. Each region has a distinct palette—from the fiery reds of a maple forest to the serene purples of a flower-filled field. While I only played around with the photo mode and the “Kurosawa Mode” briefly, I can acknowledge they are superb. The Kurosawa Mode, specifically, isn’t just a black-and-white filter; it adjusts the contrast, film grain, and even the audio quality to mimic the 1950s cinematic aesthetic. It’s a bold artistic choice that demonstrates a deep respect for the source material.

The combat gameplay is a perfect blend of simplicity and depth. It’s addictive, built around stances that must be switched in real-time to counter specific enemy archetypes. The “clash” of steel feels weighty and responsive, providing a visceral satisfaction that many action games struggle to capture.

Honor and Sacrifice

At its heart, the narrative tells a compelling story of Jin Sakai, a man forced to choose between the rigid code of his ancestors and the “dishonorable” tactics needed to repel a Mongol invasion. Unlike many open-world experiences where the plot can feel disjointed, Jin’s journey remains gripping from start to finish. The supporting cast is equally strong, with side quests that feel like meaningful chapters rather than mere filler.

The project is a rare 10/10 for me. It takes the familiar open-world formula and polishes it to a mirror sheen, delivering a mechanical and emotional experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. It’s a testament to what happens when technical optimization and artistic vision are perfectly aligned.

In a genre dominated by dragons and chosen ones, this title stands out by offering something much rarer: historical authenticity. You aren’t a hero; you are Henry, the son of a blacksmith, and at the start, you can barely hold a sword, let alone read. From a gamedev perspective, the commitment to this “zero-to-hero” simulation is a bold design choice that dictates every other system in the experience.

Simulation of Ancient

The technical foundation, built on a heavily modified version of CryEngine, is both a blessing and a curse. Visually, the engine’s strength in rendering dense vegetation and realistic lighting is on full display. The forests feel like real Bohemian woodlands, with light filtering through the canopy in a way that feels procedurally natural rather than hand-placed. However, the trade-off is evident in the hardware demands and the occasional physics “jank” that occurs when complex AI schedules collide with a highly detailed environment.

The AI system is particularly ambitious. Every NPC has a 24-hour routine, which isn’t just cosmetic. If a merchant isn’t at their stall, they are likely eating or sleeping. This creates a living world but introduces massive edge cases for quest triggers—a classic dev headache where systemic freedom competes with narrative stability.

Systems

As a developer, I am naturally drawn to deep, interlocking systems. I spent a lot of time analyzing how the developers handled the alchemy and maintenance mechanics. The alchemy system is incredibly innovative, requiring the player to physically interact with the bellows, distillers, and ingredients in real-time. It’s a masterclass in diegetic UI design. Ironically, despite my love for appreciation for well-crafted systems, I found myself barely touching the actual crafting system. In any game, in fact. I acknowledged the brilliance of the implementation, but the sheer friction of the simulation—while thematic—meant I often preferred to find or buy my gear rather than engage with the labor-intensive crafting loop myself.

The save system, tied to the “Saviour Schnapps” item, is another polarizing design decision. It forces the player to live with their mistakes, which heightens the tension of every encounter. From a design standpoint, it’s a interesting way to prevent “save scumming”.

A Tale of Two Halves

The narrative starts with a personal quest for vengeance that masterfully anchors you in the larger political machinations of the Holy Roman Empire. The voice acting is grounded and human, which complements the gritty aesthetic. However, the experience stumbles as it nears the finish line. The final chapters feel somewhat convoluted and rushed, losing the intimate focus that made the early hours so compelling. The transition from a personal journey to a large-scale military conflict exposes some of the engine’s limitations in handling massive crowds.

Despite these rough edges and the late-game narrative hurdles, the project remains a masterpiece for those who value immersion. It is a demanding, beautiful, and ultimately rewarding journey through a history that feels alive, proving that sometimes, the most innovative thing you can do is stick to the truth.

The USA’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is about to host the annual Oscar Awards. These are the movies that I watched and can comment on.

1. Anora (9★★★★★★★★★): My pick for the best movie of the year. The actress shows drama, comedy and sexuality.
2. Conclave (8★★★★★★★★): Superb performances. Tense with a plot twist.
3. Dune: Part Two (8★★★★★★★★): A sci-fi epic of stunning scope and spectacle. Villeneuve balances grandiosity with intimate character moments.
4. I'm Still Here (8★★★★★★★★): The Brazilian movie about dictatorship from 70s. In other words: modern as ever.
5. The Brutalist (8★★★★★★★★): A visually stunning drama. An intersection of architecture, history, and personal resilience. Brody is Oscar-worthy.
6. The Substance (7★★★★★★★): Its visuals insist on sensations: desire, disgust, wants. It’s a mix of social criticism and B-movie horror.
7. Emilia Pérez (5★★★★★): 13 nominations? It’s a boring movie, the songs are bad and forgettable (not to mention the ASMR presence). Unfortunately, it was caught in pointless controversies.

Documentaries

1. Incident (7★★★★★★★): A tense, meticulously assembled account that lets footage speak louder than commentary. Unsettling in the best documentary tradition.
2. I am Ready Warden (7★★★★★★★): Sobering and humane, but struggles to find a fresh angle on familiar ground.
3. The Only Girl in the Orchestra (5★★★★★): You leave admiring the film, not the subject.

Animations

1. Wander to Wonder (9★★★★★★★★★): great short stop motion animation.
2. In the Shadow of the Cypress (8★★★★★★★★): post-traumatic stress disorder

Every year, I try to compile a list of games, books, and movies I experienced. For the complete list, check the Ratings. Here we go (sorted by rating, then alphabetically)!

NOTE: I believe this list is the one that is mostly incomplete. I will probably make additions to it, time to time.

1. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (10★★★★★★★★★★): A timeless exploration of rebellion, freedom, and madness, with Nicholson delivering an unforgettable performance. A film that captures both hope and despair in one breath.
2. Game Night (9★★★★★★★★★): A chaotic, clever, and hilarious rollercoaster where every twist lands perfectly. Surprisingly sharp and self-aware for a comedy.
3. Leaving Las Vegas (9★★★★★★★★★): Raw, heartbreaking, and utterly devastating. Cage and Shue lay their souls bare in this tragic descent into addiction.
4. Past Lives (9★★★★★★★★★): A delicate, melancholic meditation on love, fate, and missed chances. Quietly profound and achingly human.
5. The Invisible Guest (9★★★★★★★★★): Our first movie entirely in Spanish since we moved to Peru. Twists and tension done right, keeping you guessing until the very end. A sleek, tightly-woven thriller.
6. The Thing (1982) (9★★★★★★★★★): Paranoia, horror, and practical effects at their peak. Carpenter’s chilling masterpiece.
7. The Whale (9★★★★★★★★★): A gut-wrenching portrait of redemption and regret, anchored by Fraser’s vulnerable and transformative performance.
8. Tropic Thunder (9★★★★★★★★★): Hollywood satire dialed up to 11, skewering industry egos and excess with wild, unfiltered humor. Somehow both ridiculous and incisive.
9. All The President's Men (8★★★★★★★★): Journalism’s finest hour on film, unraveling a scandal with a relentless pursuit of truth.
10. Bernie (8★★★★★★★★): Dark humor meets small-town crime with charm. Jack Black shines in one of his most nuanced performances.
11. Dune: Part Two (8★★★★★★★★): A sci-fi epic of stunning scope and spectacle. Villeneuve balances grandiosity with intimate character moments.
12. High and Low (8★★★★★★★★): A Akira Kurosawa masterful moral thriller of ransom and class, showing the fine line between privilege and desperation.
13. Palm Springs (8★★★★★★★★): Groundhog Day meets millennial cynicism with a heart. A time-loop comedy that’s surprisingly existential. Better than I expected.
14. Poor Things (8★★★★★★★★): Surreal, inventive, and delightfully strange. Stone’s performance is fearless, and the world is bizarrely beautiful.
15. Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping (8★★★★★★★★): Satirical absurdity in perfect harmony, mercilessly mocking the music industry while delivering bangers.
16. Seven Samurai (8★★★★★★★★): Kurosawa’s blueprint for action epics, combining heart, strategy, and heroism.
17. Silence (8★★★★★★★★): A quiet descent into faith and suffering. Scorsese’s understated masterpiece asks hard questions with haunting beauty.
18. A Most Violent Year (7★★★★★★★): Crime and integrity clash in a snow-covered 1980s New York. A slow-burning, tension-filled character study.
19. Anatomy of a Fall (7★★★★★★★): A courtroom drama that dissects more than just a case. A slow-burn character study wrapped in ambiguity.
20. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (7★★★★★★★): Stay classy, comedy fans. A ridiculous, quotable romp that never takes itself seriously.
21. Colossus: The Forbin Project (7★★★★★★★): AI paranoia before it was cool. A chilling look at humanity’s hubris in the face of technology.
22. Donnie Darko (7★★★★★★★): Disturbing, puzzling, and oh so cult-worthy. A time-twisting tale of teenage angst and existential dread.
23. Metropolis (7★★★★★★★): The foundation of sci-fi cinema, a vision still ahead of its time. Note that today, only heavily edited versions of it exist.
24. Take Shelter (7★★★★★★★): A slow-burn descent into anxiety and uncertainty.
25. This Is the End (7★★★★★★★): Self-aware apocalypse, dripping with absurdity, with celebrities roast themselves while the world burns.
26. Upstream Color (7★★★★★★★): A hypnotic puzzle only the boldest try to solve.
27. The Zone of Interest (7★★★★★★★): The horror lies in its mundane perspective. Oscar worthy of either “international movie” or “best picture”, but not both.
28. Civil War (7★★★★★★★): A tense and unsettling exploration of a fractured, grim and plausible America.
29. Primal Fear (7★★★★★★★): A gripping legal thriller with a twist that lingers. Norton’s breakout performance steals the show.
30. Killers of the Flower Moon (6★★★★★★): A tragic epic that loses its sharp edge. Brilliant performances can’t quite save the bloated runtime.
31. The Thing (2011) (6★★★★★★): Decent. A shadow of its predecessor’s brilliance.
32. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (5★★★★★): Tom Cruise runs; the thrill fades. 85% what they talk is one-liners.
33. Mr. Nobody (5★★★★★): The concept is interesting, but the movie in boring.
34. Waking Life (4★★★★): Interesting visuals drags.

Documentaries

1. RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop (8★★★★★★★★): Super nostalgic documentary about the creation of the first movie.
2. Period. End of Sentence (8★★★★★★★★): A powerful, concise look at the fight for menstrual taboos.
3. Nai Nai (7★★★★★★★): A tender and simple portrayal of family bonds across generations.
4. The Last Repair Shop (7★★★★★★★): A heartfelt tribute to unsung heroes keeping music alive, one instrument at a time.

Animations

1. Nimona (9★★★★★★★★★): Bold, vibrant, and full of rebellious energy. A dazzling blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and self-acceptance.
2. Elemental (5★★★★★): I did not like even the visuals, over-saturated.

TV Shows

1. Arcane S1 (10★★★★★★★★★★): A stunning explosion of art, lore, and character depth.
2. Shogun (10★★★★★★★★★★): A masterclass in historical drama, rich and ruthless.
3. Arcane S2 (8★★★★★★★★): Continue to be stylish, but abuse of numerous character timelines with looong playoffs. In several episodes, you end up without knowing what you’ve just watched.
4. House of the Dragon S2 (7★★★★★★★): Dragons characters are cool, but the humans ones are most lame.
5. Severance S1 (7★★★★★★★): Clever, eerie, and just a bit too enigmatic.
6. 3 Body Problem S1 (6★★★★★★): Sci-fi that starts strong, then it becomes less than Lost or Heroes final seasons.