Dan Thornton

Dan’s Disposable 2025 – Highlights

31st December 2025 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

Like many people, I’ve been thinking a lot about the content I create and consume over the last 12 months. The constant rise of AI slop, the ethics and costs of various streaming services, and the mental impacts of short-form content and social media have all played a part.

Along with pondering the future of writing, it’s one reason I’ve picked a seemingly odd time to start learning photography. I’ve also watched more than enough Youtube guides to building cheap home servers to run my own personal streaming solution, revived an old cheap record player from my childhood, and continued to stockpile physical media.

But while I continue the entertainment version of doom prepping, there have still been a lot of great new films, TV shows, music, games and more to lift my spiritis.

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Watching

For the first time, I’ve started logging the films I watch on Letterboxd, to accompany my Last.fm and Goodreads tracking. Which definitely makes it easier to pick the highlights from the 60 movies I’ve watched over the last 12 months.

From the 2025 releases, Death of a Unicorn was enjoyable nonsense, Deep Cover was fun, and Wake Up Dead Man was up to the usual standard of the Knives Out films. But probably the most interesting was F1: The Movie with Brad Pitt. As a lifelong motorsport obsessive, I thought it was OK but spent too much time on cliched movie tropes rather than racing action and details. But my partner rated it as one of the best car films she’d seen, probably for the same reason.

And yet we both love Rush and Le Mans ’66 (aka Ford vs Ferrari), which both seem to manage the balance better.

Some of the more interesting older releases included The Last Duel, which took a different perspective on medieval chivalry, the aesthetics of both Asteroid City and The Sisters Brothers, the plots of Civil War and The Order, and the achievement of low budget time travel film Lola.

On the smaller screen, Slow Horses and the new related Emma Thomson series Down Cemetry Road didn’t disappoint. Neither did The Bear, or the latest series of Andor. The last of which persuaded my partner to try a Star Wars TV series for the first time, and was well received by both of us.

Riot Women was righfully a standout of the year, even if it was hard watching the behaviour of pretty much every male character. It helped that the music created by Brighton band ARXX for the series captures some of the best aspects of riot grrrl classics to balance the more horrific and tragic moments, and that the entire cast is amazing.

One new series which might have been slightly overlooked is A Thousand Blows. Stephen Graham rightfully deserved all of the praise and recognition for Adolesence which arrived on Netflix this year, but this Disney+ series is also very much worth watching as it follows the all-female crime syndicate the Forty Elephants, and the world of bare-knuckle boxing in the 1880s East End of London.

Erin Doherty stands out as gang leader Mary Carr, despite the presence of Graham and the central role of Malacki Kirby as Jamaican immigrant Hezekiah Moscow. And the real stories on which the series is based are equally fascinating if you fancy spending some time reading up on the background. With a second series arriving in January, it’s a good time to catch up on the first.

One painful thing this year is the loss of Rob Reiner, whose The Princess Bride is an annual New Year’s tradition in my house. Not to mention Spinal Tap, Stand By Me and so much more.

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Listening

As always, I’ve spent the year trying to discover new music along with playing my old favourites while I work from home. Apparently I’ve scrobbled around 9,500 tracks without taking into account physical media, or the standby of Radio 6Music to find new bands (or classic soul tracks I’ve missed thanks to Craig Charles).

I’m still working my way through various ‘best of 2025’ lists, but some of the standouts for me this year include the absolutely hypnotic ‘Oaxaca’ by Maggie Koerner;

I also really liked new albums ‘The Parlour’ by Picture Parlour, ‘Glory’ by Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, and the ‘Cruising To Self Soothe’ single by Ecca Vandal.

I was late to the Ghost train, but spent a lot of time catching up this year, along with listening to Skelata on repeat. And while I’ve tried to indoctrinate my teenage son with my favourite artists, he’s now returned the favour with Sabaton popping up a lot, including their new album Legends.

Speaking of being late to an artist, I also discovered the amazing Stephen Wilson Jr this year, who is around my age and blends country, rock and great lyrics wonderfull in songs like Year to Be Young 1994 and Father’s Son. And also does one of the only covers of ‘Stand By Me’ that is worth knowing.

Alongside all of that great new music, I have to acknowledge that we lost several musicians who played a huge part in my life. In the space of just a few weeks we lost Jimmy Cliff, Steve Cropper and Mani from the Stone Roses. All three feature enormously in my love of music, whether it’s the entire Stax back catalogue, the iconic soundtrack of The Harder They Come, or spending teenage years shuffling on a dancefloor to She Bangs the Drums, I Wanna Be Adored, or I Am the Resurrection.

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Gaming

I had a fair bit to look forward to this year. Big name releases including Football Manager 26, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 and Assetto Corsa EVO were all on my wishlist. And all three were more than a little disappointing at launch (although AC EVO has come on a lot since arriving in January).

But the biggest surprising and highlight was actually releated to one of them, with Assetto Corsa Rally announced shortly before launching in early access in November 2025. It’s the first rally game to include laser-scanned stages, and developers Supernova Games Studios have combined the AC physics engine with what appears to be a massive love and obsession with rallying. I loved it, but even more surprising was that it encouraged by non-sim racing family to have a go behind the wheel.

It also looks and sounds great.

Outside of racing games, which I’ll cover in far more depth over at OnlineRaceDriver, I did dabble a bit with Rematch, although lag issues meant that it didn’t last long. Instead I did benefit from GamePass as it encouraged me to give Vampire Survivors (2022) and Deep Rock Galactic Survivor (2024) a try, and they both took me back to one of my early gaming memories playing Gauntlet for hours on a Spectrum with a family friend.

I also revisited another classic gaming memory with Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4 which is a great updated version of the series.

Of the big name titles, probably Call of Duty has been the most disappointing. As much as I can still get caught up in the quick action and camo grind, it feels like a cut-and-paste of previous games with all the same problems involving latency, repetitive maps and pointless prestiging. At least my switch to milsims means I have Hell Let Loose: Vietnam to look forward to, while the original has had some good recent updates.

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Reading

The one area I’ve let lapse too much in 2025 has been reading for pleasure rather than work. I’ve got an ever-growing pile of books to catch up on, and I need to start setting some specific time to relax with the printed word rather than staring at a screen all day.

One thing I have been doing is revisiting classic science fiction, having picked up various SF Masterworks editions. Some are familiar, like The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds by H.G Wells, and others I’d missed like The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester, but all are fascinating. I suspect I’ll be trying to work my way through the whole list over the coming years.

And alongside that I have modern scifi to catch up on, along with all the Reacher, Bosch, Wallander and Beck novels I have yet to acquire to complete the various series.

Looking forward to 2026

It’s been a weird year. But amidst the turmoil, there’s always some great new music, art, literature and gaming, and whatever your highlights have been, it’s important to recognise and celebrate them when times are tricky. One thing that has been noticeable for me is that many of my highlights involve other people, whether it’s watching films with my family, gaming with my son and friends, or getting a great recommendation for a book or music online.

For me, 2026 is about building more connections. Whether that’s meeting up with other, better photographers to learn more, focusing on the more social side of gaming (especially sim racing with my team), or inviting friends round for some movie nights.

Hopefully by the end of the year I’ll have made more progress on sorting and making my physical media more easily available. And feed some of that back into this website, too.

For a very different but really interesting set of highlights, check out Qazi’s picks of the year for 2025. And I’m really keen to hear what stood out for you this year, so leave a comment witch your favourite discoveries, both new and old.

Silent Hill 2 2024 Special Vinyl Sets Available To Pre-Order

12th May 2025 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

If you’re a fan of the modern remake of the classic survival horror game, you can now take your fandom to another level with Silent Hill 2 2024 special vinyl sets available to pre-order.

The new version of the game brought back Akira Yamaoka, the composer and musician who created music for the Silent Hill games and films. But while the original was developed by Team Silent, who were part of Konami, this time the game was created by Polish developers Bloober Team, although it’s still published by the Japanese company.

And to celebrate the positive response from fans and reviewers, there are four vinyl sountrack sets to choose from. Both the Deluxe Double Vinyl and Exclusive Edition Deluxe Double Vinyl in a milky clear colour feature 27 tracks sequenced by the composer in a widespined out sleeve for £36, with the latter being a Laced Records exclusive.

*Silent Hill 2 2024 Special Vinyl Sets Available To Pre-Order*

But the big one is the £125 6LP box set, with a Deluxe version, and the Laced exclusive Limited Edition with opaque brown and red A-side/B-side effect heavyweight LPs and a 32-page art booklet with liner notes written by Yamaoka, also featuring art work by Bloober Team, printed inner sleeves and a handy ribbon pull for the rigid board slipcase.

They feature the complete 93-track soundtrack mastered for vinyl, featuring the reworking of the original by Yamaoka with new and re-recorded cues using trip-hop, industrial rock, dark ambience and musique concrète to create the eerie atmosphere of the town in Maine as you guide James Sutherland on the search for his deceased wife Mary.

Silent Hill 2 composer, Akira Yamaoka, says: “After nearly a quarter of a century, SILENT HILL 2 has been revived. I’ve poured a tremendous amount of thought and passion into this thing called SILENT HILL. Touching it again evoked a special emotion I had never felt before—as if I was touching the breath of God. Writing this music was a personal challenge, but I feel a deep sense of gratitude towards the people around the world who have loved this series for so long.”

The expected shipping date is October 2025, and you can view the Silent Hill collection via Laced Records, through the UK and Canada store, here, or the rest of the world, here.

New NACON Revolution X Unlimited Controller Is Now Available

25th April 2025 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

For PC and Xbox Series X|S gamers who have the money to spend and take their games seriously, particularly shooters, the new NACON Revolution X Unlimited controller is now available at a price of £179.90.

It’s a fair amount to spend on a joypad, but there are plenty of features to help justify your investment. Most noticeable is an LCD screen which NACON has added to a controller for the first time, giving you info including the game mode, active profile, battery level, connection type and more, with the connection options being radio frequency, wired and Bluetooth.

Also exclusive to the Revolution X Unlimited controller is a PC mode which reduces latency to just 1 millisecond in wired mode, allowing you to assign keyboard keys to buttons or activate the gyroscope function. Plus you can use a dedicated app to set up game profiles and activate different game modes.

*The new NACON Revolution X Unlimited controller is now available*

The joysticks and triggers used magnetic Hall Effect sensors, to avoid drift, and the triggers also feature Omron micro-switches with directional cross and button locks. There are six programmable shortcut buttons, and the rechargeable battery should be fine for a minimum of 10 hours per charge.

You can also enable the Shooter Pro Mode, which elimimates joystick deadzones for better responsiveness and precision. And if you want to customise the hardware itself, you get six additional weights, six joystick heads, two joystick rings and two directional crosses included, along with a protective hard carry case. The Revolution X Unlimited also works with any Android based device.

It’s not cheap at £179.90, but the NACON Revolution X Unlimited does offer a pretty long list of features and customisation.

You can order it direct from the NACON website, and it should be available from various retailers soon. In the meantime, you can always check out the other game controllers we’ve featured for various budgets.

Destiny 2: Original Soundtrack Volume 1 Vinyl Pre-Orders Begin

24th April 2025 By Dan Thornton 1 Comment

One thing that always separated the Halo and Destiny game series from similar titles was the music. And you’ll soon be able to enjoy it through your record player as Destiny 2: Original Soundtrack Volume 1 vinyl pre-orders begin.

There’s more than an hour of music over two LP records, and you also get a gatefold jacket with art inspired by the Light and Dark, a collectible insert card featuring Commander Zavala and Dominus Ghaul, and a code for an exclusive in-game ‘Drop the Needle’ emblem.

The compositions featured are from the inaugral Destiny 2 campaign “The Red War”, which followed the release of the game in 2017.

*Destiny 2: Original Soundtrack Volume 1 Vinyl Pre-Orders Begin*

Track Listing:

A1. Inner Light
A2. Last Rite
A3. Rise
A4. EDZ
A5. Towerfall

Side A Timing: 18m54s

B1. Lost Light
B2. Forge Ahead
B3. Battle Stations
B4. Utopia Fallen
B5. Lost Sector

Side B Timing: 19m30s

C1. Journey
C2. View from Orbit
C3. Red Legion
C4. New Dawn
C5. What We Fight For

Side C Timing: 18m13s

D1. Leviathan
D2. The Wilds
D3. Holliday
D4. The Farm
D5. Be Brave

Side D Timing: 22m04s

It’s a little odd to have around 20 minutes of music per side, which means you’ll going to be getting up regularly to flip the records over. The music for Destiny 2 was composed by Michael Salvatori, Skye Lewin, C Paul Johnson, Rotem Moav, Pieter Schlosser, Kris Dirksen, and Nikola Jeremic. Michael Sechrist joined from the Curse of Osiris onwards, with Josh Mosser being involved from Forsaken to the present day. Since release in 2017, the eighth expansion, The Final Shape, arrived in 2024, ending the initial Light and Darkness saga.

Obviously you can also stream the soundtrack to the game from various places online, but this is definitely more about owning a physical collectible as much as the improvement in audio quality for those with a high-end sound system.

You can order the Destiny 2: Original Soundtrack Volume 1 Vinyl directly from the Bungie store which shipping dates estimated at ‘4-6 months after placing order’. It’ll also be available from other retailers. And for more of our videogame coverage, click here, or for music, go here.

Wireless Retro-Bit Sega Controllers Work With Original Consoles

10th March 2025 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

It’s not hard to find modern game controllers which look just like classic gamepads, but the new wireless Retro-Bit Sega controllers work with original consoles if you want to keep using your vintage Saturn or Mega Drive without cables.

Each of the three options for each console come with a USB receiver for retro graming on a PC or any other platform with a USB connector. But they also have a dedicated receiver to fit the original console ports, as part of a collaboration with Sega themselves. Which means you can not only enjoy your vintage consoles from further away, but also store your original controllers away for posterity.

*The new wireless Retro-Bit Sega Controllers work with original consoles*

Retro-Bit have apparently taken care to make sure the D-Pad, Thumbsticks and buttons all feel like the originals, but now you also get a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which will last up to 30 hours, and twin Hall-Effect thumbsticks so you won’t end up battling stick drift playing Saturn classics.

*The Retro-Bit wireless Saturn controllers get Hall Effect thumbsticks*

As someone with multiple Mega Drives and Saturns in his retro collection, the idea of being able to sit further away and avoid any more wear and tear on my original controllers is definitely pretty appealing. Along with avoiding arguments over who gets the 6 button Mega Drive controllers for multiplayer games, or trying to remember which ones are still working and what needs some repairs.

The full range and prices are:

Retro-Bit SEGA Saturn 2.4GHz Wireless Pro Controller Black – £44.99/€49.99
Retro-Bit SEGA Mega Drive 2.4GHz 8-Button Wireless Controller Black – £34.99/€39.99
Retro-Bit SEGA Mega Drive 2.4GHz BIG6 Wireless Controller Black – £34.99/€39.99
Retro-Bit SEGA Mega Drive 2.4GHz Wireless Controller Crimson Red – £34.99/€39.99
Retro-Bit SEGA Saturn 2.4GHz Model 2 Wireless Controller Slate Grey – £34.99/€39.99
Retro-Bit SEGA Saturn 2.4GHz Wireless Pro Controller White – £44.99/€49.99

You can find the Retro-Bit 2.4GHz Sega controllers through various retails, including Amazon (aff link), which currently has the Mega Drive controllers for below list price.

Tired of Call of Duty? It might be time to try MilSim tactical shooters

4th December 2024 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

The recent release of Black Ops 6 has seen a lot of people return to the best selling FPS game series of all-time, especially with it being available for free to GamePass subscribers. But a franchise dating back 21 years, a lot of older fans are finding it somewhat frustrating. The good news is that if you’re tired of Call of Duty, it might be time to try MilSim tactical shooters and experience videogame combat in a different way.

Having started playing Call of Duty with the original back in 2003, my time with CoD probably peaked between 2009 and 2018. The release of Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops from Infinity Ward and Treyarch offered the camo grind, quick multiplayer action once the traditional launch week issues subsided, and at the time, I had a fairly big group of friends playing. So I could log in at any time of day and have 1 or 2 squad mates to chat with as we were 360 noscoped by players half my age.

At some point, many of those people drifted away. And I found myself spending a lot of time in other shooters, including Overwatch and Apex Legends. Having skipped a few of the most recent titles, I dipped back into Modern Warfare 3, and then hit Black Ops 6 hard at launch. But after multiple Prestige resets, I’ve found it increasingly frustrating, for a few different reasons.

The vagaries of different internet connections has always been a problem for online gaming. But in older titles, the maps allowed you to compensate for a high ping rate with tactical knowledge. Over time, it appears Activision saw people enjoying the occasional map on Nuketown, and instructed developers to copy it over, and over again. So now you get Nuketown, Babylon, Subsonic, Gala, Stakeout etc all endlessly pitting you against enemies in locations the size of a postage stamp, relying entirely on your reactions.

*Tired of Call of Duty? It might be time to try MilSim tactical shooters*

Add the ever more stingy season pass, the focus on an endless succession of paid DLC skins, the fact that a match often loads me in 30 seconds after the start for no apparent reason, only to find we’re already being spawn camped, dodgy repawn locations, and the fact tiny maps mean spawn flipping every 30 seconds, and I’ve found myself raging at the game, and other players, more than ever.

I still find a few friends playing, which alleviates some of the pain. And helps me to cope with a seemingly larger than ever amount of cheaters, or edgy usernames designed entirely to cause offence. But a lot of the old crowd have drifted away, and the chances of having a pleasant social experience as a random solo Call of Duty player is slightly lower than that of winning a lottery without buing a ticket.

But while the likes of Apex and Overwatch suffer similar issues to a greater or lesser extent, there’s a shooter genre which answers the needs of an older FPS fan who wants to enjoy a headshot without having lightning fast teenage reactions, and maybe enjoys some teamwork and socialising as part of a match.

Luckily, there’s an easy solution. Whether you call them tactical shooters, milsims, or FPS for old men, there’s been a big growth in the genre over recent years. And they all have an emphasis on more patience, thought and communication. So I’ve picked out a few examples from my own personal experience.

Just be prepared that matches can last a long time compared to your typical Call of Duty Team Deathmatch.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam (PC)

Originally released in 2017 by Antimatter Games and Tripwire Interactive, the game is showing signs of age, and a lower player base. But it has received two quality of life updates in the past couple of months to improve server connectivity and some other minor niggles. And at a normal price of £10.99, it’s regularly for much less, or even for free, during various promotions.

It’s the simplest experience closest to CoD or Battlefield, but the 64 player battles ease you into more tactical fighting with suqad leaders activing as spawn locations, or able to place spawn tunnels, and abilities for the commander of each force to call in various abilities to aid their side. Along with the Southern forces getting flyable helicopters.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam might be not be the latest or best tactical shooter. But as the bridge between Call of Duty and military simulators, it offers a simplistic taster of what’s out there beyond CoD and Battlefield.

Hell Let Loose (PC, Consoles), Squad 44 (PC)

The next level of tactical military sim takes things further, with two attempts to authentically recreate the experience of World War 2. Both have changed hands since launch, with Hell Let Loose being acquired by Team 17 after being created by Black Matter, and Squad 44 more recently being acquired by Offworld Industries after previously being developed as Post Scriptum, a mod for the contemporary themed Offworld title Squad.

Both series have their dedicated fanbases, along with some players who dare to move between them. In either case, you get massive battles of 80 or 100 players, involving tanks, artillery, authentic weapons and roles, requiring people to take on specific roles within each army. Along with commanders and squad leaders, you might choose to contribute as a medic or engineer, drive a supply truck, or stay behind the front lines firing heavy weapons at targets you can’t see.

There are difference between both games, and the individual servers organised by clans and players. But essentially they both put a premium on communication throughout the officers and individual squads to co-ordinate successful attacks and defenses. Voice chat is deemed essential in most servers, whether you’re roleplaying a serious re-enactment, or sharing typical banter between important messages about an incoming tank, or a badly thrown grenade.

Being available through GamePass, I’ve spent more time in Hell Let Loose, and I’ve never randomly encountered so many older games beyond 30, who typically want to just enjoy themselves in a semi-serious fashion. Or been quite so upset to see a new friend explode mid-conversation, even if I know they’ll be respawning shortly.

Imagine being thanked for spending most of a match building defences as an engineer to enable your side to successfully hold a vital position, as opposed to being shouted down as a ‘noob’ when your CoD team looses despite being the only one apparently even trying to play the objective. Or changing the tide of an entire game by sneaking a spawn point far behind enemy lines as other offices cheer you on.

Arma 3 (PC), Squad (PC)

If you want the most realistic and immersive experience of modern warfare on your PC without actually enlisting as a drone pilot, then there’s Squad, involving building, logistics and more. Or the milsim daddy from Boehmia Interactive, Arma, which gives you a 290 kilometre squad Mediterranean island to use as a military sandbox.

Jets, helicopters, tanks, a playable humanitarian faction demining the battlefields, mod content, and more all combine to make this the game most likely to drop you into a squad of serving members of the military spending some downtime in virtual combat. Just be prepared to learn the game and also to serve some time as a recruit in a group or server before you’re accepted.

There’s a First Person Shooter for everyone

If you love the Call of Duty experience, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s still fun and compulsive, especially if you can’t help grinding out Diamond or Black Matter camos for every weapon. But given that the relentless annual formula for the game is never going to change, if you’re finding yourself tired or frustrated, it might be time to try something different.

That could be Battlefield, Apex, Overwatch, The Finals, or an entirely different genre of game. But it could definitely be worth trying out a mil sim tactical shooter to see if it suits you more.

Stylish New GravaStar Mercury M1 Pro And M2 Gaming Mice

4th January 2024 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

There’s nothing wrong with wanting your PC gaming set-up to look cool and interesting. And the hollowed-out style of the new GravaStar Mercury M1 Pro and M2 gaming mice offers weight saving along with the cyberpunk aesthetic.

In addition to the lightweight benefits of the curved design, you also get more airflow to cool your hands during longer or intense game sessions, or if you’re busy working for hours.

The GravaStar M2 gaming mouse costs $79.95 and weighs 79g, with specs including a 1K Hz pollin rate and 26,000 DPI sensor, connectivity options including 2.4G, Bluetooth and wired modes, five dunamic LIGHTSYNC RGB modes, and programmable buttons.

Meanwhile the Mercury M1 Pro comes in either Gunmetal Gray or Battle-Worn Silver Mist for $129.95, and is made from handcrafted magnesium alloy for durability. In addition to the 26,000 DPI sensor, you also get TUROSPEED wireless connectivity, customisable GLOWSYNC RGB lighting, and five fully programmable buttons.

*The GravaStar M1 Pro mouse in Battle-Worn Silver Mist*

GravaStar was founded by Yong Huang in 2018, offering a range of science fiction inspired peripherals, including speakers, earbuds and chargers. All of them look like they’ve possibly been lifted from the set of a sci-fi film, which is an aesthetic I can certainly get behind, and I suspect I’m not alone in that.

“These mice are more than just tools; they are an embodiment of the gamer’s spirit. My approach was not solely focused on functionality but on crafting an extension of the gamer’s own persona. The unique bio-inspired design of these mice, which emphasizes both aesthetics and ergonomics, is a direct reflection of this vision,” said Huang about the M1 and M2.

You can pre-order the Mercury mice via the Gravastar website. Their range is also available in the UK via Amazon.

Dan’s Disposable 2023 – Highlights

31st December 2023 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

2023 felt more like a sequel to the previous year than a fresh start. A continuation rather than an evolution. And that’s been reflected a bit in my personal entertainment highlights of the year.

As we all increasingly rely on the personalised recommendations tailored by algorithms, it requires more effort to actually find things outside our comfort zone. And if you’re worn down by challenging times, it’s a lot easier to just accept what you’re being spoonfed, or to rely on the comfort of binging on familiar music and TV.

There’s nothing wrong with returning to the familiar, but the era of individualism means you can’t rely on a late night radio show or TV appearance causing everyone to suddenly discover a band and insist you listen to them immediately the next day.

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Watching

When it came to TV, the year started with Season 3 of Jack Ryan on Amazon, followed by Season 4 in the summer, as Jim from The Office continued his watchable new spy career. Along with the entire run of Justified and this year’s Justified: City Primeval. And from the Elmore Leonard adaptation, I moved onto Season 2 of Reacher, based on the Lee Child books, and featuring the sizeable presence of Alan Ritchson as the title character.

But the standout spy thriller and adaptation of the year has to be Season 3 of Slow Horses. As Gary Oldman once again manages to make Jackson Lamb somehow endearingly uncomfortable to watch, it also provides a remarkably calm yet tension-filled showdown away from the gunfire.

If the third season of Ted Lasso was the end, then it went out with some brilliant moments despite the typical internet naysayers. And Colin From Accounts is a great new Australian comedy to fill some of the void, along with the second series of Good Omens.

Both Gen V and I’m a Virgo are queued up on my watchlist now that I’ve finally caught up with Picard, various Star Wars series, and the Marvel franchises.

But the TV pick of the year has to be Season 2 of The Bear. After being one of my highlights of 2022 when it debuted, having established characters and settings allowed it to go deeper, harder and in a few different directions. Most notably during the incredible Christmas episode, but also in fleshing out more of the cast, particularly focusing on the previously pretty unlikeable Richie Jerimovich, and the slightly anonymous Marcus.

When it comes to films, Qaz and I both agree on the brilliance of Everything Everywhere All At Once. If you haven’t seen it yet for any reason, you really should.

I also enjoyed The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with Nicolas Cage more than his work in Willy’s Wonderland. Finally catching up with the endless stream of Marvel products confirmed Thor: Ragnarok is probably the best at balancing drama and comedy (although Guardian of the Galaxy 3 is there with it). And a lot of time was spent clearing out recordings, or introducing my son to classic Jackie Chan films with classics including The Young Master, Armour of God and more currently available on Amazon Prime.

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Reading

I faltered a bit with reading enough away from a screen this year, and have a big pile of books to get through in 2024.

Having picked up an enormous stack of classic sci-fi in a charity shop haul, I finally read The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, and can agree with the recognition and awards it’s received since being originally published in 1974. It’s one of the best books I’ve read where little actually happens to the protagonists, but sparks plenty of thoughts in the reader.

Away from science fiction, Burma ’44 gave me an insight into the experiences of my late grandfather during World War 2, and made me wish I’d made more effort to speak to him about it. And for a gentle encouragment to get out and walk more, there’s Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman.

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Listening

Age and the availability of music through streaming platforms has made it much harder to identify recent releases from the fresh discoveries of songs and artists that everyone else knew about decades ago. Or diving into back catalogues that I hadn’t investigated.

But along with finally going through everything released by the likes of Mary Timony and Martha Wainwright, some recent releases I’ve been returning to on a regular basis include:

boygenius “the record”
Deerhoof “Miracle Level”
The Mountain Goats “Jenny from Thebes”
Lankum “False Lankum”
Greta Van Fleet “Starcatcher”
Anohni “My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross”
Metallica “72 Seasons”
Cherry Glazer “I Don’t Want You Anymore”
Dengue Fever “Ting Mong”
Dream Wife “Social Lubrication”
Anti-Flag “Lies They Tell Our Children”
Death Pill “Death Pill”
Rancid “Tomorrow Never Comes”
Dropkick Murphys “Okemah Rising”
Muireann Bradley “I Kept These Old Blues”

And I’m slowly coming to terms with the recent announcement that The Screaming Females are calling it a day after 18 years.

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Playing

Given that I wrote about my strange obsession with Football Manager, it’s no surprise that the final iteration of the current game engine has been a part of my life for a while.

The new Forza Motorsport prompted me to finally spend some reward points on the Games Pass for PC, and once I’d recovered from realising that it’s easier to let the game play itself to level up cars, I did enjoy discovering Sea of Thieves 2023 Edition at the insistance of my son. And having him coach me through the trials and tribulations of piracy on the high seas.

*Sea of Thieves 2023 Edition was a surprise highlight for me this year*

Sim racing continues to be a big part of my gaming, with iRacing, Automobilista 2 and Assetto Corsa all letting me enjoy my biggest purchase of the year (some Thrustmaster T-LCM pedals ahead of a wheel upgrade in 2024). And the constant flood of free mods for Assetto Corsa mean I can drive anything from a 1920s Delage at Autodrome de Miramas, to driving through traffic on the Gunsai Touge route in a Nissan Skyline GTR34.

But I have enjoyed some less serious racing games, including Super Woden GP 2 and Karting Superstars. And while I’ve invested too much time in Apex Legends to quit entirely, The Finals has provided an alternative for quick FPS games.

Super Woden GP 2 combines overhead racing, vintage Gran Turismo and modern indie game fun... — *Super Woden GP 2 combines overhead racing, vintage Gran Turismo and modern indie game fun…*

Honourable mentions also go to the Papa’s Quiz for some lightweight triva games over Christmas using our mobile phones as controllers, Stardew Valley for time with my partner as I endlessly water plants while she goes off exploring, and the annual winter special event prompting me to relax with some Euro Truck Simulator 2, delivering Christmas gifts and using the in-game streaming radio to enjoy a Swedish rock station as I trundle down the motorways of Europe.

Plans for 2024:

After spending 2023 in what felt like a holding pattern, I’m already keen to get started on my reading list for next year. Including distributing various books around the house so I can dip into them more regularly.

I’m slowly deleting things I’ll never get around to watching from various lists and recording devices, although I’m still eagerly awaiting Masters of the Air finally appearing on Apple TV.

And I’m planning to add at least one new album each week into my regular work playlist to ensure a longer list of discoveries in 2024, along with potentially writing about some of my deep dives into the back catalogue of notable artists.

My Strange Obsession With Football Manager

7th September 2023 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

I haven’t described myself as a football fan for more than 10 years. It’s rare that I even watch a match on television, and would struggle to name the current England team. So how do I explain my strange obsession with Football Manager?

Back in the 1980s, it was assumed any English boy would be obsessed with football. And I was no exception. Evenings and weekends were often spent kicking a ball around with my friends, and I quickly inherited my dad’s love of Chelsea, despite the fact they were struggling through the worst period in the team’s history.

My dad has never embraced videogames, so playing the 1982 Football Manager on the ZX Spectrum was one of the few times we’d sit together at my computer. And I’d occasionally dabble in management games throughout the following years, until friends at university introduced me to Championship Manager on the PC. But work, life, other games and hobbies all meant my interest faded away once again.

*As a former football fan, how do I explain my strange obsession with Football Manager*

My interest in football faded a little as it became more expensive to go to matches, and a constant turnover of players and managers meant it didn’t seem worth investing in any individual. And it ended with the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo in 2012. Since then I’ve occasionally watched an England game or a FA Cup match on TV, or popped along when local teams have offered family days.

So when Football Manager 2020 was available as a free download, I thought I’d take a quick look at what had changed, and then delete it.

I was wrong. As subsequent purchases of newer versions and hundreds of hours of management time have proven. I’ve found myself watching popular FM Youtubers, and searching out guides for particular problems. It’s even become quite emotional when a favourite player leaves or gets upset with my managerial style.

But why?

Football as it’s meant to be…

Football Manager allows me to play the game as an idealised version of the sport. Any new career involves me taking on a small team which I have an association with, such as Maidstone or Peterborough Sports. And I stay there indefinitely as they hopefully rise through the leagues, keeping as many of the staff and players on long-term contracts (often longer than I should).

If you’re starting off with a tiny team in the lowest leagues, low wages are a necessity. But I try and keep everyone within a reasonable range of each other also as a point of principle. Free and bargain transfers are partly due to a lack of transfer budget, but also because you don’t need to spend much money to be successful (at least until you reach the top of the Premiership). And I always lose a little interest when it comes to that final financial hurdle of becoming a top five team in England, as it’s more about money than skill. Especially while Erling Haaland exists.

What’s strange is that I’ve spent hundreds of hours managing teams in Football Manager, but it’s had no impact on my interest in real football. I can name my Premier League winning Maidstone team but not the current Chelsea side, or any of the local Peterborough players. I can’t remember the last time I even left Match of the Day on TV, and even supporting a small local team seems a bit pointless when everyone is eventually aiming to reach the Premiership and inevitably become the same money-led conglomerate constantly rotating managers and players.

Sadly, I’m not sure how long the virtual version will last. As the series constantly evolves to replicate real life, it’s become harder to negotiate contracts with players and avoid the influence of agents on transfer fees and wages. Which means the same financial and corporate interests that turned me away from real football might also soon overwhelm my efforts to experience football the way it should be. But at least with Football Manager games, I can choose to pause on an older version of the series.

Football Manager 2023 is currently available for the PC via Steam and the Epic Games store, for the PS5 via the PlayStation Store, and on the Xbox Series S|X via the Microsoft Store. The upcoming Football Manager 2024 is likely to be released in November.

Warhammer 40,000 Speed Freeks Arrives

30th May 2023 By Dan Thornton Leave a Comment

In an explosive, high-speed blend of tabletop gaming, racing and shooting, the new free-to-play Warhammer 40,000 Speed Freeks arrived with an Alpha version available to download now from Steam.

A new entry into the Warhammer 40K franchise, Speed Freeks is developed by Caged Elements, who have previously created GRIP: Combat Racing. And it will let you pick from a range of Ork vehicles to compete in various modes, with up to 16 players online.

The Warhammer 40,000 universe has been popular as the basis for FPS and some strategy games in the past, but Speed Freeks offers something more familiar to fans of classic games including Twisted Metal. For a close current example, Crossout is similar in principle, also being a free-to-play vehicle combat game, but using the standard post-Apocalyptic Mad Max style setting familiar to most people. Ironically, Games Workshop has produced car-based roleplaying games in that style, including Dark Futures.

While the Alpha may be limited, it shows some promise, and the setting within Warhammer 40,000 is fun, although we’ll have to wait and see how the developers and publishers decide to monetise their free-to-play title. And it’d be nice to see other Warhammer 40K factions introduced, so you could have the different vehicles of Space Marines, Tyranids, Aeldari etc facing each other in battle.

But the Orks are a decent starting point if you can put up with endless references to dakka and Speedwaaagh! without going slightly insane. It’ll be interesting to see how it progresses towards a full release, as there are definitely some tweaks which would improve the gameplay at the moment, but the foundations of a fun game are definitely already in place.

Either way, Warhammer 40,000 Speed Freeks arrives during the Warhammer Skulls festival, with discounts on a wide range of current and older games. So if you prefer shooting or strategy, you can get your fix that way, whilst also trying out Speed Freeks for free on the PC via Steam.

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Watching

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Listening

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Gaming

Dan’s Disposable 2025: Reading

Looking forward to 2026

Track Listing:

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam (PC)

Hell Let Loose (PC, Consoles), Squad 44 (PC)

Arma 3 (PC), Squad (PC)

There’s a First Person Shooter for everyone

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Watching

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Reading

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Listening

Dan’s Disposable 2023: Playing

Plans for 2024:

Football as it’s meant to be…

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