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  • Heading Out Juggles Lots of Concepts With Middling Results

    One of the old adages of game development is if you do too many things, you end up doing none of them particularly well – that is, too many concepts and genres tend to spoil a game. Sometimes, however, a developer breaks this rule, throws all their ideas together and they stick – but Heading Out is not one of those games. That might sound harsh –  and don’t get me wrong: Heading Out has its merits, but it just tries to be too many things. Heading Out, at its core, is a racing game with rogue lite elements, and some visual novel/narrative game elements. It really tries to do a whole lot all at once. It’s ambitious, and lots of its execution actually comes together into a coherent game which is impressive enough considering all of the disparate elements. There is also a strong sense that Heading Out is meant to be cool. It's very stylized, with the racing segments in black and white, and random encounters illustrated in a digital hand drawn style. But it feels like it's trying really hard to be cool, and the whole thing comes off a bit corny, in an endearing way. Dialogue delivery is an issue, and mostly full of misses. It doesn’t help that the dialogue is written sloppily, with clumsy,  heavy-handed social commentaries. Even as someone who agrees with most of the political ideology espoused in Heading Out,  I still felt uncomfortable with just how hard it leaned into it. This will certainly reduce its review score. Which is too bad, because it should have a low review score because it’s just an ‘okay” game. The basic gameplay premise is that you’re a racer and you are outrunning your fear. You even have to answer somewhat personal questions about what you’re potentially outrunning. It adds some personal touch to the story, but again, ends up feeling simultaneously invasive and eye roll inducing–most of the time.The story is told by a narrator with a southern drawl. He invokes memories of Bastion. Every bit of description and dialogue is read by him, except for the radio’s talking heads. As you travel across the States toward your ultimate goal, you will have the opportunity to choose your route. Each route has different opportunities for random events, and careful planning should be considered so you have enough money for each stop. This is represented using an overworld map where you actually do most of your traveling. You can actually control the speed of your little dot as it travels across the map –  but go too fast and you’ll burn up extra fuel and get the attention of the cops. Any problems that arise that you can’t solve through money can be solved through racing. If you don’t have money for fuel, you can run from the cops. If the cops try to stop you, you can decide to run instead of waiting to be detained (as fear is ever creeping towards you). Heading Out’s racing is its marquee feature, and it’s a surprisingly good racing game. It’s not great–just good. The different cars you can unlock handle well, with a difference between pavement and road. There are many different camera angles, even a cockpit view–something that was completely unnecessary, but absolutely awesome. As you race across different states the scenery changes. But it’s a cosmetic illusion, as most tracks are very same-y, with none of them really standing out. Damaging your car in a race can have lasting effects. If your car totally breaks down, fear will catch up to you and your game will end. You also have to worry about fatigue–you need to sleep or use items to stay awake to outrun fear. While you drive across the states your reputation is important. The more good deeds you do, the better off you are generally. You can also do things that will make you seem like a dick, often for short term gain. In fact, it’s pretty obvious that doing the “right” thing helps in the long run moreso than any short term gains. But it also sometimes means more racing. Heading Out isn’t a bad game. It tried to do something different, and it’s “okay” as a result. It does get a little heavy handed in its political messaging, which I feel like takes away from any potential message it could have. While driving in Heading Out feels fun, its very basic and gets repetitive very quickly. If you want a unique narratively driven, rogue lite driving game you might want to wait until something better comes along–if that combination even manifests again. Heading Out is available now on PC via Steam. A Steam key was provided to us for this review

  • Small Cheval Opens New Location In Rosemont

    Small Cheval has always been smaller and more available to its predecessor Au Cheval yet sticks to its upscale burger roots. Now as of March 8th 2024, the 8th Small Cheval location has opened up in Rosemont, IL on the corner of River Road and Higgins. We were lucky enough to attend the friends and family soft opening and it’s been an exciting time for establishments in the Rosemont area. With the opening of a Stan's Donuts and a Shaq owned Big Chicken all in a row in 2023, there was a Small Cheval promised to open in the year following. Finally we can say, we’ve been and really enjoyed a lot about what the potential of this new high end burger joint can bring. Inside the restaurant, the decor was that of an outdoor picnic area, with bench style setting and massive tables that encourage eating with strangers as well as big groups. For those that want to sit alone, booths are also available. The counter where you order is made up to look like a hometown lemonade stand, giving it that home grown feel. What isn’t a homey feel is the price, with single smash style burgers coming in at $9.49. This sadly is par for the course since the days of the original Au Cheval, but coming here with the family, expect to pay upwards of $50 for the meal. The menu is relatively limited to burgers, fries and shakes, which gives a focus so they can ensure that the quality is there. With this new opening, the Rosemont area will continue to grow into a hotbed of fine dining and entertainment. I really enjoyed the food during my visit. The shakes provided a thick rich flavor, and the burgers and fries were simple but still delicious. In a world of Kumas Corner and The Drop Ins’ NADC burgers, Small Cheval does a decent job of competing. It may not be the best, but it’s got a fighting chance of sticking with you, especially in a family atmosphere. Check out the salted caramel shake!

  • Lunar Lander Beyond Continues the Atari Trend of Updating Vintage Games

    The early Atari consoles–especially the 2600–were home to a lot of games that are undeniable classics. They’re just not really played anymore because they’re so “simple.” A lot of these games were boiled down to the most basic gameplay elements, with few bells and whistles–which was mostly due to technological limitations at the time. Lunar Lander was such a classic, and it gets an update with the new Lunar Lander Beyond update. The original Lunar Lander was simple: you had to land your craft within a certain time limit and without running out of fuel. Hitting the ground too fast would result in failure, and with gravity constantly fighting against you, it was a test of patience and skill. Lunar Lander Beyond is surprisingly faithful to its roots, but it makes a few baffling decisions which take away from the fun. In Lunar Lander Beyond your goal is much the same as in Lunar Lander–you have to navigate your ship while working under simulated Newtonian gravity. That means when you let off of the thruster you’ll still be traveling in the direction you were thrusting unless you change the direction of the thrust or hit something. Hitting a wall in Lunar Lander Beyond doesn’t cause instant death–instead it gives your ship a bit of damage (based on how hard you hit the object) and your pilot suffers a bit of a mental toll that is measured in sanity–and I think this is where Beyond loses itself. The sanity meter in Lunar Lander Beyond ruins the entire game for me. If you take too much damage your pilot will eventually go insane with “space madness” and eyeballs and mouths start to appear as pink elephants replace other objects. It’s all very cute, and would have been fun for a level or two. But to have it as a main mechanic breaks the game for me. Not only that, but the sanity level carries over for your pilot. So if you make a lot of mistakes in one level, you’ll have to send that pilot off to get mentally reevaluated, which puts them out of capacity for four missions. It's too bad, because there was a lot of potential here. Crew management can be fun if handled well, and the idea between gathering a fleet of different ships, each with their own handling characteristics attracted me.  You can also gather new pilots with their own experience bar and sanity meter. They also get new traits as they complete more missions and gain experience. It doesn’t help that Lunar Lander Beyond can be a bit frustrating to play. There are some power-ups you can equip your ship with that can help out a bunch–like the one that allows you to come to a complete stop, or another that shields your ship and gives you invulnerability as long as you hold down the button. The only problem is each of these abilities use up precious fuel. You can grab new fuel during missions, but it’s still a vital commodity. Once you’re out of fuel you’ll drift until you eventually explode. No fun. Actually “no fun” is the biggest problem I had with Lunar Lander Beyond. Which is too bad, because it's more than just a neonified reskin of an older game. The art and story were done with care. And while some of the art tends to look a little flat, I enjoyed the overall aesthetic. That said, I did not enjoy the imagery that comes up with a maxed out sanity meter–not because it was disturbing, but because it’s just so damn corny. Lunar Lander Beyond had some real potential, especially with its varied objectives. It changed up gameplay enough from level to level to make it interesting: sometimes you’re tasked with just landing, other times your goal is to intercept asteroids to protect a colony, or to pick up survivors and successfully drop them off later. It’s just not enough to combat the real issues I have with Lunar Lander Beyond. I wish I could be recommending Lunar Lander Beyond, but it just has had too many baffling decisions made during its development to ever come out as a good game. I wouldn’t think it would be hard to mess up such a tried and true concept, but here we are. You’re better off just finding a Lunar Lander clone online and playing it out of your web browser. Lunar Lander Beyond comes out tomorrow for PC via Steam, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. A Steam key was provided to us for this review

  • Bleak and Provocative, Indika Stands Out with an Absurd, Profound Narrative

    I first played Indika during the Steam Next Fest, and it was one of the standouts for me (along with Children of the Sun). I knew Indika would be strange–but I didn’t realize how strange it was going to get. And its demo only showcased a fraction of Indika’s brilliance. It’s one of those rare pieces of art that makes you step back and reassess your belief system. In Indika you play as the titular heroine as she grapples with her faith and contests the devil in her ear. Shunned at her convent, she is sent off alone on a task to deliver a letter. Along the way she meets an escaped prisoner with an arm that is rotting off. He takes Indika hostage, as they set off in search of a literal miracle. While narrative heavy, Indika uses gameplay elements not only as a way to throw an obstacle in front of the player, but also to disorient the player or give them a different perspective. Therefore, each gameplay segment could almost be classified as a minigame that is self contained and never really repeated. Flashbacks to Indika’s earlier life are creatively told in a warm pixel art style that is in sharp contrast to Indika’s almost photorealistic graphics. Not much is bright and colorful in Indika, however, as most of it takes place in a bleak, frozen Russia full of rusting industry. Even so, Indika is surprisingly graphically impressive. It’s not just its near photorealism but a superb art style that ties it together. Beyond its graphics, camera angles are utilized in ways that they otherwise often aren’t in video games. Indika herself is smart, but timid. She knows her way around machines, and while she’s often the voice of reason in the story, she inwardly doubts everything she says–and believes. Indika wants so badly to rid herself of the voice in her head–and to just fit in. But the other nuns can see her oddness, and even her outbursts, and she is overtly ostracized. Even so, she takes the absurdities of the world outside of the convent in stride as grisly, horrible things seem to be commonplace in this world. There is also a strange play on perspective in Indika that makes the world seem like a strange place that is simultaneously familiar and terrifyingly different. Animals are larger than you would expect. Machines are impossibly large, with designs that make no concession for worker safety, and would be absurd in the real world. One of the most brilliant things about Indika is its clever use of gameplay to reinforce the philosophical message of the game moreso than actually bolstering your playing experience. There’s an experience meter that is employed in Indika, and you can even choose different abilities once she hits higher levels. But it’s all futile–even the game tells you so. Indika is obviously trying to be a good, devout nun. But none of the points that Indika is accumulating can ever offer her the salvation that she seeks. And worst of all, it won’t remove the devil on her shoulder–the one that’s literally speaking in her ear, taunting and debating her in a way that makes her doubt everything she believes. Indika is an amazing accomplishment. I never would have guessed  that a game where you play as a nun would be a game of the year contender for me. Surreal, bleak, absurd and haunting, Indika is easily the best narrative game I’ve played all year. Indika will be available for PC via Steam tomorrow. A Steam key was provided to us for this review

  • Let's Get Physical: Upcoming Blu-Ray/4K Releases for May 2024

    It's a new month an you can't keep the physical releases down! There are tons of great movies getting first time releases on 4K, special steelbook releases, and so much more. So join me on this look at a pretty great release month for physical media. You can see a good chunk of the upcoming releases over at Blu-Ray.com's site! One from the Heart 4K - May 7 So this one had been on my must see list since it came to my attention a few years ago. Francis Ford Coppola has always been a fascinating figure to me, especially considering how successful and tumultuous his career has been. One From the Heart is maybe the height of Coppola's lofty goals for the future film making, save for his upcoming Megapolis which is his current Schrodinger's Cat (will it be a successful return to the screen or and under seen commercial failure like  One From the Heart). I digress, given the films stature as the thing that pushed Coppola's production studio in turmoil and a "what could have been" of cinema, it's a must buy for me. (Side note, this one is selling out in places, so maybe get it sooner rather than later.) Dune Part Two - May 14 C'mon. I've already gushed about the original adaptation of Dune, so clearly this second part of the most recent adaption is on my radar. And considering how effective the second have of Frank Hubert's novel is under Denis Villeneuve's flawless direction, I couldn't not recommend this. It epic and satisfying as a story all its own, while leaving just enough mystery and want for the following novels to be adapted. now will; we ever actually see the the God Emporer on the big screen? I doubt it. So let's enjoy what we have in front of us. The Lair of the White Worm Wal-Mart Exclusive SteelBook - May 14 This isn't a "new" release, but it is a steelbook edition of a really fun and goofy film. Filled with all the weird dry humour you'd expect form an 80s English production,. The Lair of the White Worm has all the charisma you could hope for plus some early roles form Peter Capaldi and Hugh Grant! With Walmart taking the baton from Best Buy's fallen physical media department (and likely Target's upcoming departure from anything not AAA Hollywood), this is also just a great way to support physical media. Honestly never thought I would be encouraging Walmart, but here we are. (Oh, and fair warning, image quality may not be the greatest on this release if it's still the original Vestron release, but it's undeniable watchable as is!) Crimson Peak 4K - May 21 I am of the camp that Guillermo del Toro is a top tier filmmaker and Crimson Peak is very close to my heart. It's del Toro at his most gothic, which given his latest films may feel a little odd, but it serves as the last bastion of his early work before he became the genre hopping king he currently is. This film getting a 4K release is one of the reasons Arrow Video is always on my mind as one of the best physical media labels around. Cry Baby 4k - May 28 I'm a John Water fan since I was way too young and saw Pecker and Cecil B Demented. Since then I've seen everything else he's made and Cry Baby seems to be one his more accessible films (which seemingly came right after one another in the late 80 and early 90s). When my fairly normal and well adjusted friends and family laud a John Water's film, you know its something special, subverting its subversion so much that every one can find something in it. Other Films you should check out this month: The Crow 4K - May 7 Narc 4k - May 21 Shinobi - May 28 Cemetery Man 4K - May 28 Girlfight - May 28 Bad Lieutenant 4K  - May 28

  • C2E2's Biggest Day of Cosplay Brings Even More Amazing to the Floor

    We spent this last weekend at the largest convention center in the northern hemisphere with tens of thousands of other nerds to bring you all that's good from nerd world as the convention season starts to heat up for 2024. Early indications are that cons are back in a big way, and cosplay, which had been a little less frequent as the pandemic was more front and center, is now bouncing back to be what we'd gotten used to seeing here in Chicago - it's absolutely amazing. If you've never gotten the chance to go to C2E2, it's one of the conventions run by ReedPop. If that doesn't sound familiar, we're sure NYCC and Emerald City Comic-Con do. But wait, there's more! Because ReedPop actually runs conventions all over the US and globally, including South Africa, Australia, and beyond. And once C2E2 rolls around, it's time for the international Crown Championships of Cosplay. That means cosplay on a whole 'nother level, with folks who have competed and won at their regional conventions and literally sometimes travelled from the other side of the world to compete for the crown. And that means, C2E2 is the place to see and be seen for cosplay, whether you're a competitor or just someone who enjoys the art. We've seen amazing things that never see the stage, and crazy costumes that walk the floor and go on to take the crown. In fact, last year's winner was from right here in Chicago and went on in one night to take Nationals and become the ultimate Crown Champion of Cosplay. Here's just some of what we enjoyed Saturday on the floor. Stay tuned for a special gallery from the contest! Special thanks to our amazing photographers, Alex Orona, Aaron Cynic, Julian Ramirez, Pearl Shin and Mariel Bokor for capturing these amazing cosplayers!

  • Cosplay at Chicago's C2E2 2024 is Fire!

    We're a few years past cancelled cons, rescheduled cons, and half cons here in Chicago, and nature is finally returning. And while some are sour on this year's lineup at C2E2, there's still plenty to do, and even more to see. Just ask our fantastic photographers, who were out on the floor all day long to bring you amazing cosplay. Because one thing that's always been true about C2E2 here in Chicago? The cosplay does not disappoint. Maybe it's because ReedPop ends its circuit here and the championships on Saturday make people try to level up to match the pros work - or maybe it's just a great place to see and be seen in cosplay. Either way, Friday cosplayers slayed, and we can't wait to see what Saturday brings! Enjoy the work of our top notch photojournalists, including Aaron Cynic, Julian Ramirez, Marielle Bokor and Pearl Shin!

  • It’s Time for the Choose Your Own Adventure C2E2 Preview 2024!

    Can you believe it? We were still under a freeze warning this week but it’s almost May. Oh yeah, and this weekend is C2E2! This is not a drill, folks. This is the kickoff to Chicago con season. And while the guest list may not be as stellar as some were hoping for, there’s plenty of interesting guest appearances, panels and of course merch to get out there for. With crowds expected to be as big as ever, ya better bring your umbrella, walking shoes, cosplay touchup kits and cameras. We’re going to hit it hard and once you poke around the full schedule, you’ll find there’s much more to this con than meets the eye. By the way? Our Choose Your Own Adventure C2E2 is handy to keep around, but you should also make sure to keep checking the FULL schedule, as we might have missed things you're super excited about and things frequently get moved around due to cancellations and general con chaos. On that note, Josh Brolin has also cancelled for this convention, and joins Christina Ricci, Chris Claremont, Nolan North, Saladin Ahmed and Taylor Gray and Paige O'Hara as of the time of writing. FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH: Get started early if you’re interested in writing children’s books- How to Write a Book for Kids: A Panel of Creative Minds will kick off bright and early at 11 am in S402-B with critically acclaimed and published authors and graphic novelists Mary Winn Heider, Colleen AF Venable and Art Baltazar. Meanwhile, K-Pop fans, it’s time for you to get all dolled up early and hope that skincare’s got your skin glowing so you are wide awake and snatched for K-Pop Time! In S502B, which will feature mini games, fan meetups and free-for-all games for those who take K-Pop seriously. OR If you’re into esports and want to see how they do it here in Chicago, don’t miss the Chicago high school Esports exhibition at Side Quest beginning at 11 am and watch people compete for tournament gold! OR If you’re a gamer whose forte is Fortnite hit the Pride Lounge in S504-ABC and throw your hat in the ring for some fabulous prizes if you decided to stay, play and slay. Games begin at 11 am but go all day. It doesn’t matter who you bring to Q&A with The McElroys, you’re sure to have a good time. Hosts of successful and incredibly fun podcasts My Brother, My Brother and Me and The Adventure Zone, these brothers bring the advice, adventure, and silliness to the stage and there’s no doubt you should be there in S404 at 12:30 when it all begins. OR If fitness and nerdery both hold equal places in your life, you’re gonna want to limber up with Star Wars Yoga at the Family HQ from 1:45 on. Did you know that even before the eclipse, Twilight is SO HOT right now again? Well, even if you didn’t or it isn’t, and you love it, don’t miss Twihard- A Twilight Musical Parody Staged Reading out in S403-AB, which promises ridiculosity on a whole ‘nother level for fans of the vampire saga. OR If classic sci-fi horror and badass women in fiction get you going, make sure you don’t miss 45 Years of Alien with Tom Skerritt and Veronica Cartwight in S404 at 3:30. These acclaimed actors will talk about their time on set and discuss the staying power of the Alien franchise. Once the clock strikes 4, make sure you’re already comfy in line outside the Main Stage, because that’s when The Cast of One Piece takes over - and we’re expecting this panel to bust out the doors. This is your first taste of big panels for the weekend and if you’re not familiar with the process, C2E2 clears panel rooms after most panels, and you’re gonna need to queue at least a half an hour ahead of your preferred panel’s start time if you want to ensure a seat for blockbuster panels like this. Now, you don’t have to wake up early (thank God!) for the 30 Years of Clerks with Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes panel at 5:30 on the Main Stage, but like we’re saying, be parked in the line on the cozy convention center carpet nice and early. We’ve seen these two in panels before and it’s going to be a great time, so bring some weird questions and get some weird answers - just GET THERE ON TIME! OR If you’re a gamer who wants to talk retro, why not consider Memory/Card: A Nostalgic Video Game Conversation in S405B at 6:45 pm. You might just find some new people to co-op with! Finally if you’re the late owl sort, why not attend the inaugural C2E2 prom on the Main Stage at 8pm which celebrates 15 years of Fantasy here in Chicago and will give you a chance to make nerdier memories than perhaps you did at your senior prom. OR Hop on over to Cyanide & Happiness After Hours in S402B when they live play Master Dater! Then go to bed, you crazy kids, cuz it’s about to start all over again on SATURDAY! SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH: Star Wars Fans of all ages - Saturday’s your time to get up early! 10 Years of Star Wars: Rebels features Hera Syndulla, Taylor Gray and Steve Blum all talking about their roles and how the show’s endured over the past 10 years. OR Make sure you remember it’s a local con and stretch out on the weird green grass of The Yard with a cold one from Rev Brew to play Jackbox Games - it’ll run from 11-2 and give you an excuse to drink and people watch while also supporting your local breweries, game devs and cons. We’re a fan of this plan! Animation fans (especially those who love Pickle Rick and Szhechuan sauce) should make sure they’re at the Main Stage at noon on Saturday for The Cast of Rick & Morty panel, so they can look back on 10 years of general insanity with Spencer Grammer, Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Chris Parnell and Julie Snyder. We expect this to be a big one too, so don’t sleep on it. BUT If you’re into cannibals (?) then Feed Your Fear as The Cast of Hannibal takes the Main Stage at 1:30 with both Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen making appearances to tell tales from behind the scenes and answer fan questions! OR If you’re seeking out more Asian American Stories - make sure to stop by S405A for the Asian American Stories Are About More Than Representation panel, which brings together notable Asian American writers, artists and performers for an important discussion. Retro movie fans get some kicks starting at 3 on the Main Stage with a Spotlight on Christopher Lloyd BUT Choose your own adventure carefully cuz the Darren Criss spotlight is at 3:15 in S404. Take a look, it’s a in a book and you can hang out with Drag Queens for Drag Story Hour Chicago at 4:15- it’s an uplifting all ages community chillout we hate to miss every year - as many times as we can make room in our schedule for it. OR Dig into a quality tabletop adventure with puppets and be incredibly entertained by Pro-GM Sarah Moore from Sarah’s Table on GenConTV. You won’t want to miss this as Sarah embodies joy in gaming and will draw you in with silliness, sweetness and expert DMing to create a unique adventure you can’t have anywhere else. Locals report - and this time you don’t have to go to Berwyn! The Celebration of 45 Years of Svengoolie! Begins at 4:45 at S404. Relive all the bad movies and great puns that have made Rich Koz an icon. Finally, when we say you should make sure you get to the Cosplay Central Crown Championships, we mean it. If you haven’t ever stayed until 7:30 for this show, you’re missing out. This isn’t just a one-convention cosplay contest - this is the culmination of a circuit of such contests from all over the world, and people come to play. You’ll see the best in the region, finals, and then finally, the global championship, and trust us when we say you aren’t ready for the level of amazing cosplay that’s about to hit that Main Stage. DO NOT MISS THIS. SUNDAY APRIL 28TH If you don’t want to be anyone other than who you’ve been tryin’ to be lately - try not to be late to see The Boys of One Tree Hill up in S404. Some of us never got over our time at One Tree Hill and will be sure to grill James Lafferty and Chad Michael Murray on their time on the show (and maybe even Gilmore Girls for Chad…who knows?) BUT If you’re a little shy of cosplay but still keep thinking about debuting a costume one of these days, we encourage you to hit up Starting Cosplay with SheProp in S503B at 12:30. It’ll help you find your footing, give you great tips for starters, and help you build your confidence in who you are and what you want to do so you can slay on the floor at your next con. OR Get a little strange with Maya Hawke, who’ll sit down on the Main Stage at 12:30 to talk about her career from Do Revenge and Asteroid City to, of course, Stranger Things. OR EVEN Go go to S404 to join Amy Jo Johnson and David Yost for The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and get a taste of your 90s childhood all over again. Finally, If wholesome TV is your thing, BELIEVE that you gotta be at the Main Stage at 2:00 pm for The Cast of Ted Lasso featuring Phil Dunster and  Cristo Fernandez. BUT If you’re a voice actor and Disney stan, A Tale as Old As Time: The Voices Behind Beauty and the Beast in S404 at 2:15 might be your cup of tea. Quick update: Paige O'Hara is ill and will not attend this, and is being replaced by the voice of Jasmine. Still, a great time with some fantastic actors from your childhood. Now you know the haps, kids. Take some water, wear comfy shoes, get in line early for panels you can't miss, and bring some snacks because it's gonna be a full weekend of nerdery and you're gonna need to keep fueled for it! See you on the floor, Chicago!

  • Another Crab’s Treasure is a Unique and Charming Soulslike

    If you like soulslike games, Another Crab’s Treasure is one of the more unconventional ones. It has a cute, stylized art style that doesn’t fit in with the traditionally dark and gritty tone many soulslike games tend to adopt. Don’t get me wrong - it has all of the hallmarks of a souls game, just with a bit of a softer edge. Another Crab’s Treasure is a third person action role playing game. In it, you take the role of Krill as he hunts for the shell that was taken from him. It’s a pretty big deal since it’s his home, and that’s where he lives. Or at least he thinks so as he takes up arms against anything that stands in his way. But there’s a deeper corruption spreading through the ocean that’s affecting most of the life under the sea, turning it aggressive and mean. Not only does this give you more reason to take up arms (or claws), it also makes it so you don’t have to feel bad about all of the people you murder. While Another Crab’s Treasure is a soulslike, it's almost like a soulslike with training wheels. Combat is a little simplified since there is no stamina to worry about depleting. But all of the other features you’d expect a soulslike game to have are there: bonfires, respawning enemies, shortcuts, experience that is dropped at the spot of your death, etc. Developer Aggro Crab didn’t really do much to change up the formula. What makes Another Crab’s Treasure special is in its execution: its characters, humor, and setting. Most soulslike games take themselves so damn seriously, but Another Crab’s Treasure is funny and often cute, making it stand out amongst its peers. Why offer more difficulty and darker settings when you can just have a lot of fun? Not that Another Crab’s Treasure isn’t difficult. As with other soulslikes, even the lowliest enemy can be dangerous. It takes memorizing enemy locations and behaviors to survive–especially when fighting bosses. If you die in Another Crab’s Treasure you drop your microplastics and shell where you died. Microplastics serve as the “souls” in Another Crab’s Treasure and can be used  as currency at shops, or to upgrade stats such as strength or vitality. If you die before you can retrieve your body, those plastics are lost forever. Another Crab’s Treasure has a pretty overt message on pollution that remains center stage while never seeming preachy. In fact, the underwater creatures have made a bit of a cargo cult out of the garbage that is thrown into the ocean. There are entire cities built from trash, enemies use trash as weapons and armor, and you even use discarded items as your primary means of defense: your shell. Shells are pretty important in Another Crab’s Treasure.  Each different shell type has its own attributes like weight and special umami power. Heavier shells make it harder to dodge, while light shells allow Krill to be more nimble.Each shell’s umami power can also be important while fighting off enemies. This umami power stands in for spellcasting and can work either offensively or defensively, giving Krill access to special attacks or buffs  Shells also work like shields would in other souls games. Krill can duck into his shell to block attacks. If you time blocks correctly, you can perform a parry. The ability to riposte, however, is locked in a skill tree. The skill tree in Another Crab’s Treasure is divided into four main disciplines, each with two branches. You don’t really have to worry about specializing, as there seems to be plenty of crystal shards around,which is the currency you use to upgrade your skills. The different skills change how you play Another Crab’s Treasure–whether you want to focus on offensive versus defensive skills, etc. There aren’t different weapons in Another Crab’s Treasure–all you have is your trusty fork. This fork can be upgraded to do more damage, and it can even be turned into a “hammer” through skill points. However, don’t expect to find an array of weaponry for Krill to use, because he’s stuck with his fork. As you upgrade the fork it transforms from a rusted piece of junk to something shiny and deadly. Skills, upgrades, and new shells aren’t the only way to make Krill capable of taking on stronger foes. You can slot in passive upgrades called stowaway. They’re only active as long as you’re wearing a shell, but they can bestow some pretty powerful buffs. And with the right skills, you can create some synergies that make the difficulty of Another Crab’s Treasure pretty trivial. If you don’t want a challenge, however, there are ways to play Another Crab’s Treasure without going through all of the frustration. There are a wide range of assist options that let you change many aspects of the game to make the gameplay more palatable. You can even give Krill a gun! There isn’t just combat in Another Crab’s Treasure. Another very un-soulsike feature is the inclusion of jumping and a wide array of jumping challenges. Krill even has a fish line that allows him to traverse up designated areas, making Another Crab’s Treasure feel a bit like Sekiro at times. Aggro Crab might not be widely known, but they should be - they put out great games with an even better sense of humor. They just keep having bad luck with release timing. Back in 2020 they released a fantastic roguelike game called Going Under, which happened to be the same year that Hades hit version 1.0. Now with this soulslike game dropping on the heels of No Rest For the Wicked, it might be another case of bad timing. Another Crab’s Treasure is my favorite non-Fromsoftware soulslike game. It’s unashamed to be a soulslike while also adding its own spin on presentation. I absolutely loved my time with the game, and would recommend it to those who have played soulslike games for years or those looking to get their feet wet for the first time. Another Crab's Treasure is available tomorrow for PC via Steam and on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 4 as well as PlayStation 5. A Steam key was provided to us for this review

  • Phantom Fury Brings Shelly Harrison to the Fifth Generation

    Ion Fury was a surprise when it was released: a NEW game made entirely in the Build engine? Sure, it was a modified version of that engine, but that’s still impressive. Now, it looks like Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison–the protagonist from Ion Fury–has made it to the fifth generation of video game consoles with Phantom Fury. Phantom Fury is a first person retro shooter–or “boomer shooter” as they’re more widely known. While it looks like it’s made with the Quake engine, developer Slipgate Ironworks opted to go for Unreal Engine 4 instead, and made it up to look like a modified Quake engine. Not as impressive as using an ancient engine to make a new game, but the results are probably better this way. You once again take control of Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison (I don’t think anyone calls her Bombshell) as she wreaks havoc across multiple levels, this time fighting the GDF as she chases down a macguffin that shares a name (and nothing else) with a real world object:The Demon Core. Harrison is a badass (obviously) and this time around she has a few new tools at her disposal. One of the main ones is her new robot arm. This arm enables Shelly to punch objects apart and pummel people into gibs. It also gives her a snazzy shield you can use to deflect projectiles–something that comes in handy when you’re surrounded by enemies, a situation you’ll find yourself in quite often. You can choose new abilities at special kiosks, where you can also upgrade your Ion Suit (once you acquire it) and your weapons. There is an entire arsenal at your disposal in Phantom Fury. The usual suspects for any boomer shooter are here: shotgun, assault rifle, sniper rifle analogue (Ion Crossbow in this case), etc. And while there are a few wackier weapons thrown in (as is old shooter tradition) none of the weapons really stand out. Sure, they’re fun enough to shoot, but nothing feels very powerful, making the gunplay feel a bit flat at times. Which is a bummer, because that’s one of the game’s main attractions. Even as enemies were flying past in gibs, Phantom Fury felt like it lacked impactful combat. The level design in Phantom Fury is a mixed bag. Most of my gameplay time was spent trying to find where to go next. The game is a pixel hunt in the worst definition, with important objects hidden away unless you're scouring every inch of every room. The signposting is done horribly, as I was lost most of the time I played. Which is too bad, because there are some truly creative levels. Instead of being a straight corridor shooter, Phantom Fury throws a few puzzles at you here and there. One of my favorite levels was also one of the most frustrating for me. It requires you to power sections of a facility while turning the power off in others to find a way forward. It’s very clever, but I often found myself in long stretches of frustrating searches instead of running around and gibbing bad guys. The enemy variety in Phantom Fury is decent. There are soldiers with guns that shoot at you, with a few different varieties: some have shotguns, others will try to freeze you with a cryo gun, etc. The AI is also pretty aggressive, as enemies will actively try to flank you and get behind you. There are also small flying enemies, zombie-like enemies, etc. I enjoyed playing through Phantom Fury–it’s a capable shooter that is a great throwback to the fifth generation (ish) of video games. It has a great variety of enemies, interesting and varied levels, lots of guns and fun upgrades to work towards. I just wish weapons felt a little bit more powerful, and that levels had better signposting so you can find where you have to go next, and get back in the action sooner rather than running around looking for a tiny key you might have missed. Still, if you liked Ion Fury and enjoy boomer shooters, Phantom Fury is highly recommended. Phantom Fury is out tomorrow for PC via Steam. A Steam key was provided for this review

  • Harold Halibut Is Charming, Brilliant, Boring

    If you’re a fan of Wes Anderson, especially Fantastic Mr. Fox, you might be looking at Harold Halibut and thinking, “wow, that looks really charming.” You’d be right. Harold Halibut is charming as hell - which, apparently, is a prerequisite for something that's stop motion animated.  I’m just not sure it’s a very fun game. To be fair, it advertises itself as more of an interactive narrative adventure. And that’s exactly what it is. If you go in expecting not much else you might still be turned away by its tedium, however. In Harold Halibut you play as the hapless, titular protagonist. He has a heart of gold and the demeanor of a child. You can’t really blame him: he’s been raised since birth in a spaceship that is trapped underwater, on a planet with an inhospitable atmosphere. The Fedora I set off from a dying earth to run into problems of its own–and only to find out later that Earth was just fine after all. But at least they have a home to return to now: and that’s the impetus for the story in Harold Halibut. I mean, once the story finally gets going–which takes a fair amount of playtime. The Fedora I has a limited launch window, and only 90 days to come up with a power source to be able to launch it back into space and towards home. That’s when a fishy alien comes into Harold’s life that might have the answers the crew is looking for. Harold Halibut is barely a game. It’s an adventure game through and through, and while there are a few minigames to partake in, it has minimal gameplay. You walk around, talk to people and usually fetch things for them. There’s a lot of fetching. So much fetching, in fact, it made Harold Halibut hard for me to play. Most of the gameplay feels like padding for a story that would take less than two hours to tell in any other medium. I would argue that Harold Halibut would almost be better off as a movie. But I can’t deny there are things that make Harold Halibut great, like its strange charm. There’s this prevailing British-ness to the whole game that makes everything seem quaint and whimsical. It’s like you’re seeing the world through Harold’s slightly dim, but innocent perspective. Harold is a character that is dumped on by others because he is a bit unkempt, a little slow, and has little prestige as a maintenance worker. Harold is very much the sort that just does what he is told and goes with the flow. Eventually he finds, and later befriends, an alien creature named Weeoo. Weeoo lives in a society where everything is shared, and this leaves them open to easy exploitation by the Allwater Corporation, which has an agenda of its own. If you go into Harold Halibut hoping for puzzles like you would find in traditional point and click adventures, there are none of those. You have a PDA that tells you what to do and where to go, but that’s about it. You wander around and have conversations with the strange denizens of the Fedora I as they grapple with their own personal and professional issues. There are a few people trying to look out for their own self interest, but most of the citizens in the Fedora I are just living out their strange existence the best they can. Harold Halibut has a painfully slow start, and it never really picks up speed. The entire game is a contemplative, sometimes poignant, often silly look at normal people living under strange circumstances. But it’s never really funny, scary, exciting, etc. It is definitely intriguing, and there was a desire for me to see what happened next–but getting there was an excruciating test of patience. And this is from someone who loves story driven, narrative heavy games. I’m not itching to gun things down in every game I play, but if a game is literally making me fall asleep it’s not the experience I’m looking for. But that doesn’t mean Harold Halibut is a bad game. It’s very impressively constructed. The stop motion animation is brilliant. It has fantastic music, wonderful sound design, and great voice acting through its diverse set of characters. I just wish it didn’t bore me so damn much. But your mileage may vary–if you want to play a beautifully made, delightful adventure game Harold Halibut is a delight. Harold Halibut is available now for PC via Steam and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. A Steam key was given to us for this review.

  • Fallout is a Surprisingly Great TV Adaptation

    Superhero media might be on the way out, but don't fret about having nothing to watch: video game movie and TV shows are starting to take their place. A few years ago it would have been hard to find a good video game adaptation, and a decade ago it was impossible. Now series like The Last of Us are bringing in numbers that will inevitably bring in those trying to follow that success. Fallout began production too early to be accused of following the newest trend, but another great adaptation that adds to the argument. Unlike The Last of Us, however, Fallout isn’t a retelling of a story that was already told in-game. Rather, much like a tie-in, Fallout is its own story. In fact, it’s a continuation of the game’s narrative, technically tacking place after Fallout 4–which is the game’s last mainline title. And the actions in the TV show have an impact on the world of Fallout. You don’t necessarily need knowledge of Fallout’s lore, but it really helps. It feels like Fallout isn’t really made for a general audience. Instead it was made for those who already have a familiarity with the games. Factions, concepts, technologies and more are all thrown out at the viewer with little to no explanation. Some of the things that are shown are self explanatory, even if they’re a bit strange. But if you are a fan of the Fallout games, there will be plenty that you’ll find here. In fact, everything looks the way it should. Even the impossibly bulky power armor retains its video game look. And while it would have been easy to get some mid mod furniture and call it a day, there are all sorts of little nuances and easter eggs that make repeat viewings almost an inevitably. Fallout follows doe-eyed Lucy (Ella Purnell) who sports a strong can-do attitude and the requisite skills (and luck) to see her through some horrific circumstances. Raised from birth to live in underground Vault 33, she has a squeaky clean demeanor and a positive outlook on life foisted on her by her father, Vault Overseer Hank McClean (Kyle McClaughlin). They have an unusual three vault system, where they trade members between vaults to keep the population viable. During one such exchange, raiders get into Vault 33, killing indiscriminately, and taking Lucy’s father hostage. Lucy has to go against the wishes of the Vault and brave the wastelanders to get him back, and in so doing she’ll discover the dark truth. Lucy meets a whole range of characters in her journey. Notably: The Ghoul (played by actor Walter Goggins)–a prewar, post celebrity who has an understandably nihilistic outlook on life, and Maximus (Aaron Moten), a Brotherhood of Steel Squire who watches his Knight die so he can steal his Power Armor. None of the people in the show are innocent, and most of them make incredibly dumb decisions. But making dumb decisions is a staple of Fallout. Not just by individual characters, but by the world at large. One of the main themes throughout the show is that everyone has their own ideas on how to save the world. In fact, this is in brutal display during a fateful meeting with Vault Tech and CEOs of other prominent corporations who have their own ideas of what a post war civilization should look like. And it answers a deep question that has been around since the beginning of the series: what is the purpose of the vaults? There’s even an origin story for the famous Vault Boy–not that one was needed, but I didn’t hate how it ended up. Each of the games in the Fallout universe had similar stakes to the TV show. But none of them had so many revelations–and these were revelations that didn’t have to be earned by lockpicking or hacking terminals. I don’t know if this is necessarily a criticism, but I hope that the TV show will be the catalyst for major change in the greater Fallout universe. With the glimpse of New Vegas–and a cool deathclaw tease–we will see what the next chapter of Fallout has in store. Even if it isn’t renewed as a TV show, I have a feeling that the story will continue in some capacity. But I would love to see season two of Fallout. I have seen some comparisons online to the other popular Amazon Prime show The Boys–and they’re not too far off. Fallout features a mix of serious and absurd, punctuated by some seriously gnarly gore. But none of it feels out of place in Fallout’s absurd and gritty world, never straying too far into farce. Fallout even manages to touch on aspects of the video game’s gameplay that I really enjoy like exploring derelict vaults to find their dark secrets. There’s even a terminal hacking scene that looks straight out of the games but fits right into the context of the show. While the Fallout games have given you some glimpse of prewar life–with Fallout 4 even giving you a chance to play a prewar character as the bombs fall–we never got too much of a look at pre war life until the TV show. In fact, the TV show alternates between the past and the future, showing how events unfolded. There is also a side plot with the goings on in Vault 33 post attacks–and the secret its companion vaults are hiding. I don’t know if there will be a season two of Fallout, but I really hope there will be. This show was like candy to this long time Fallout fan. Maybe we’ll get a tie-in with a new Fallout game–but with nothing announced or on the near horizon, that would be too long for me to wait. In the meantime, you can check out Fallout 4’s next gen update which is finally coming out later this month. Fallout is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

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