I’m writing this at midday on the 30th December, so there’s still 36 hours for something to come along and ruin the whole article, but I already have a shortlist labelled “Qazi’s Disposable 2019” in my head and I don’t see it changing all that much in those 36 hours. Much like 2018, a number of my favourite gaming franchises took a back seat – there was nothing as monumental as the back-to-back hype explosion of 2017’s Nier Automata and Persona 5… however, there were still some games worth talking about. Also, a lot of awesome artists and groups released some interesting tunes, so I’ll try and get around to mentioning those. And of course I’ll try to offer some thoughts on what 2020 might bring. (PS: don’t forget to check out Dan’s 2019 round-up as well!)
Qazi’s Disposable 2019 – music
It was quite a laid back year as far as my favourite groups and artists were concerned, giving me an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things. Of the more familiar names, I was generally pleased with No Geography by The Chemical Brothers; it was far from perfect but had enough solid tracks to redeem itself. Often I’ve wondered if Tom and Ed have lost their touch or if I’m just getting older and liking different kinds of music, but “MAH”, “Gravity Drops” and “No Geography” are all pleasant in their own unique ways. Rythme Plat by Mr. Oizo fared better, perhaps because it was an EP and didn’t overstay its welcome. “Viandes Légumes Véhicules” was perhaps the only track lacking in substance, but overall there was some pleasing variety. Outside of my comfort zone, I enjoyed Stars by Ivy Lab, Who Else by Modeselektor, and Parallel by Kyrist… indeed, the last of these three may well have been my favourite music release of the year. Parallel took listeners on a journey packed with dreamy hypnotic effects and slow but moody beats, and I’m a little disappointed that I was so late discovering it and couldn’t cover it on this site!
Qazi’s Disposable 2019 – games
It was a bit of an action-packed year for me and the games I enjoyed, but not in the way you might think. Most of the games I picked up in the year were full of stylish combat and satisfying gameplay – Sekiro, Devil May Cry 5, Katana Zero, Indivisible… however, those four games make up most of my entire library of 2019 videogame releases. In truth, I may be anticipating a busier 2020 and saving funds until then… and with no “Spotify for games” I ended up with my 2019 music shortlist being far, far longer than my gaming shortlist. None of those four games are flawless, but Katana Zero had the fewest missteps, and is probably my game of the year. It’s perhaps the closest thing we got to a new Viewtiful Joe game (at least in terms of stylish slow motion action), but it was one dressed in neon pixel art, synth music and blood. Of course, there were a lot of games I never played that I need to get around to – Sayonara Wild Hearts, Noita, Bloodstained, Baba Is You, My Friend Pedro – but I was happy with the games I played.
Outside of the new releases, I also continued my journey through the older Persona games – after finishing the original in 2018, I played both Persona 2 games this year, bringing my experience with the series full circle. I don’t know if I’d recommend any of them over the newer games, but Innocent Sin held up better than the others – it had a story almost as good as the first game’s, presentation better than EP’s PS1 clunkiness, but with battle gameplay that felt slicker than the original’s. In short, it got more things right than the other two.
Qazi’s Disposable 2019 – what’s next?
There are probably a few things that I’d like to do next year having not had the opportunity to do so this year. The eighth generation of gaming will be wrapping up in 2020 but there are still a bunch of games I haven’t played, and I’m also considering one or two personal webby endeavours (outside of Disposable Media.) Of course, I’ll continue to provide thoughts and ramblings here, but I have my own pet projects in mind too. In terms of future reveals, I’m probably excited for Persona 5 Royal above everything else; if it trims the flabbier gameplay moments in some of the palaces… well, that alone could elevate it above the other games in the series. I’ll also be looking forward to Final Fantasy VII, but I can see a similar situation to the 2017 back-to-back of Nier and Persona. With FFVII and P5 Royal both releasing in March, it’ll end up being one hell of a juggling act. Those aforementioned saved funds may also help me catch up with missed experiences, but I haven’t totally finalised any plans just yet!
One more thing
Finally, I’ll offer thanks to our readers and social media friends – if you’ve clicked on one of our links or read one of our articles this year, it’s very much appreciated. For me, Disposable Media is still a bit of an outlet where I can collect my scattered thoughts and hopefully turn them into something more coherent, but a lot of great stuff goes on behind the scenes – in terms of drafting and subbing and production – so that what you read isn’t a complete mess. We hope that you’ll stick around as we discover what awaits us in 2020 together.
