🎶🎮 May 2025 Roundup
Apparently this was the month I decided to actually sit down and play some fucking video games. I've reorganized my Steam Library and my backlog was getting so big I decided to get working on it. About damn time too. I've known for a while that I had some gems lying around that I simply hadn't gotten to playing yet. I'm gonna highlight three of them here for you.
Other than the music and the games, this was also the month I decided to start working out again. I was trying to find the most minimal workout routine possible that I could still do at home without much - or any - equipment, and I came across the Busy Dad program. 4x20 minute sessions a week, alternating between two different Burpee variations called the 6-Count and the Navy Seal. So simple!
Needless to say I was smitten. I'm currently in my fourth week, and I've seen incredible gains in both my physique and my endurance. I'm currently at Level 1C, and I will continue to do the program until I feel like my physical health is back to where it should be, which I think will be around Level 2. 💪
To round out my upper body a bit, I am also alternating between doing some preacher curls to target the biceps, and some lateral raises to pump up my delts, but I think the best thing would be to get a pull-up bar and get back into that. I miss it, and it will help grow my biceps and back which the program doesn't really stimulate much. But if you also wanna get into working out at home, both to build muscle and improve your cardio, I can absolutely recommend the program. Try it just for a month and I can pretty much guarantee you'll feel the results.
But I digress. Let's talk about some video games!
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The Games
Necrophosis
Horror / Adventure / Puzzle, 2025 (Steam)
I've played some dark games in my time, but this one might just take the cake. One of my favorites in this particular genre of first-person-horror-adventure-walking-sims was the grotesquely gorgeous Scorn which left a deep impression on me with its awe-inspiring scale and morbid art direction. If Scorn was comparable to death metal with its focus on gore, bodily fluids, and biological machines, Necrophosis would assuredly be black metal; It's a game in a similar vein, but it takes more of a melodramatic and grandiose route with its storytelling. We're talking the cosmic and Lovecraftian kind of horror. The heat death of the universe, a barren cosmos, dead gods, monstrous abominations, souls suffering for eternities (plural), and of course The Great Old One makes an appearance.
It's far from perfect though. The graphics were fairly mediocre by modern standards, the animation quality was not great, the voiceovers were really inconsistent and ranged from almost perfect to terrible, and I'm not going to pretend that I think the story and narrative make any sort of sense. In fact, I think the game would be better if you took every single piece of dialogue out. What I do know is that I was consistently blown away and had a shit-eating grin on my face every time I turned a corner in this game simply due to the imagery in front of me. Those moments when everything came together made it all worth it. Oh, and did I mention there is some fucking badass throat singing in the soundtrack near the end? Certainly one of the game's most unique and interesting aspects.
While Scorn remains - in my humble opinion - a better game, simply due to its higher production quality, I can still recommend Necrophosis to anyone hungry for the macabre and the fantastical.
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1000xRESIST
Sci-Fi / Adventure, 2024 (Steam)
I don't even know how I would start describing this game. Pretty much anything I say about the plot will be a spoiler of some sort, so it's almost impossible to give it the praise it deserves without giving too much away.
It's an interactive narrative/exploration game set in the far future after an apocalyptic event on earth. It's extremely dialogue heavy, but thankfully the voice acting is very good, and the story and the character(s) are very compelling and complex. The only game mechanic other than movement and dialogue is a "memory traversal" mechanic which you can use during certain segments that allows you to travel instantly between different times in space.
It's really cool, very unique, and it was a touching and pensive experience to play. A clear labor of love by its developers, and I'm sad that I didn't even hear about this when it came out last May. Worth every penny.
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Ravenswatch
Roguelite Coop Action RPG (2024, Steam)
This game actually left Early Access back in September last year, but for some reason I'd never heard of it until a random Steam recommendation happened. It was on sale at half price so I thought "what the hell", and this is one spontaneous purchase I certainly don't regret.
With 11 heroes in total to choose from, all of whom can be levelled up to unlock new talents and builds, this is a game that just keeps on giving. You end up having a hard time picking your favorites cause they're all fun in their own way, and the game becomes more about seeing just how far you can get with each run.
Think of it as a weird combination of something like Torchlight and Hades, and you should have a pretty good idea of what this game is all about.
The game is a lot more polished and content rich than one might think, especially at its discounted price point. I found myself even being impressed by the main menu, which rarely happens, in any game. I've yet to even touch the coop aspect and I already found my money's worth in the very responsive and satisfying gameplay loop that the game offers.
Absolutely recommended for fans of action RPGs, at least when it's on sale!
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The Music
The Voynich Code - Insomnia
Symphonic/Melodic Deathcore, 2023
Sometimes I can't put my finger on why I enjoy an album in particular beyond simply liking it. On paper, this band is following the genre formula to a tee, and yet it feels like the only melodic deathcore album I've heard in recent memory that has character to it. This genre has felt fairly dead to me for quite a while, so it was nice to find something that stood out, even though I couldn't tell you why.
Honestly, I'm not going to try to rationalize this one in any way. I just find myself listening to it often, and thus it warrants a spot on this month's roundup. Simple as that. 👏
If you know the genre you'll already know what this will sound like, and you'll know ahead of time whether it will be something you enjoy. I recommend giving it a spin. The entire album can be streamed and bought on Bandcamp.
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Dormant Ordeal - Tooth And Nail
Blackened Technical Death Metal, 2025
This right here will probably be one of the biggest records of the year. This polish band has delivered a work comprising of masterful musicianship, and dynamic and powerful songwriting. The first track alone should be enough to convince almost anyone that we're dealing with proper metal artistry here, and I'd hate for any fan of extreme music to miss out on this album.
I missed this one last month, but I'm glad I caught it and had the opportunity to listen to it properly. This is a big recommendation, even if you're not a big fan of the genre. A must-listen!
The only proper video they've released is a lyric video for the track Horse Eater, which is a good a place as any to start with this one.
You can find the entire album on Bandcamp.
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Rivers of Nihil - Rivers of Nihil
Progressive Death Metal, 2025
I'd be remiss if I had omitted this one. This is probably the biggest release of the month.
I've had an on-again-off-again relationship with this band. Their 2018 album Where Owls Know My Name was the release that made me familiar with their music and I consider that album to be a modern classic, but their followup The Work just didn't click with me. But, just from my first few listens of this record, I think they've surpassed what they managed to pull off on Owls in 2018.
The way they incorporate melody into otherwise blistering extreme music is really something to behold. This album is dynamic, packs a punch, and has some groove to spare, all wrapped in outstanding production. And that is one great album cover!
My favorite track is probably Evidence. It blazes through with spectacular synchronized drumwork and riffage, wild glitchy effects, and great clean vocals for the chorus and bridge.
The entire album can be got on Bandcamp.
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And that's it for this month. I was once again quite overwhelmed with the music selection, but I'll refrain from doing an honorary mentions list this time around to see if I can make myself take more time to listen to all the stuff I've been gathering up. 😁
I'll see you in the next one. Here's to the start of a great summer! ✌️😎☀️