OPENERS
WEAVING WONDERS
TAKE FIVE // NUMBER 2 1
GAMES “It takes too long to weave a carpet. Something from one to three years. Weaving a carpet needs lots of patience, so I was going to make a slower-feeling game” – Mahdi Bahrami. Farsh is a clever puzzle game by Mahdi Bahrami, which insists on space management. The player controls a rolled up carpet, and must guide it to the goal across a series of tiles. Unroll your carpet along a red tile and you can turn and twist the direction of the tiles underneath. “In these kinds of games there isn’t any countdown timer or enemies
you worry about. You just need to think in a relaxing condition,” says Bahrami. Though you can replay each puzzle as many times as you like, there is great satisfaction to be had in attuning to its thoughtful rhythm, without too many false starts. Farsh’s visual design
is clean, with the only direction the player requires appearing unobtrusively as part of the background. The soundtrack by Moslem Rasouli is similarly suited to the game’s meditative charm. On the opening screen, a dedication: “To my mother who spent her youth weaving carpets.” Farsh requires similar repetition, and at times frustration. You keep returning to it though, until the job is done. Citing Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid, as an influence, Mahdi Bahrami is also responsible for the equally puzzle orientated platformer Bo (http://bit.ly/W3M2Kt§),
2
THE MIXTAPE // LET’S KISS - SUNDAY MORNING MIX This latest collection from producer Johnny Jewel (Chromatics/Desire/Glass Candy) samples an eclectic mix from Nico to an unreleased Sonic Youth cover. His trademark retro-electronic stamp is present throughout. http://soundcloud.com/johnnyjewel
THE APP // A CLOCKWORK ORANGE // Random House have released this interactive eBook for the 50th anniversary of Anthony Burgess’s socio-political dystopia. It includes a new foreword by Martin Amis, audio descriptions and readings by the writer and musical scores for the intended opera. Available from iTunes.
3
THE TICKET // HARD WORKING CLASS HEROES Spread across three days and six venues, this year’s festival celebrating Ireland’s best musical talent features over 100 bands including Delorentos, Forrests and Electric Penguins. 3-day Weekend Pass - €45, Day Pass - €20
4
THE TV SHOW // THE HUNTED // A BBC/HBO collaboration brings a new spy drama, filling the void that the over-ambitious Spooks left. The hunter becomes the hunted in the transatlantic, action filled plot. Starts Thursday October 4th on BBC1.
which received an honourable mention at the Independent Games Festival in 2011 for excellence in design. Farsh can be downloaded free for Windows through Mahdi Bahrami’s blog (http://bit.ly/W3M2Kt) and for Mac at http://bit.ly/UAXN FG. Paul Casey
JOIN THE CONVERSATION @tn2magazine facebook.com/ tn2magazine
5
THE BOOK // ECONOMICS AFTER THE CRISIS BY ADAIR TURNER // Does a rising tide lift all boats or does class disparity affect our wellbeing? This books stands out by refusing to fall into the standard “life promotion” box, while persuading us to seriously doubt the benefits of blinkered faith in economic growth. COMPILED BY HENRY LONGDEN
6 // TN2MAGAZINE.IE