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“Williams Pinball Volume 8” for “Pinball FX” Review

 

When the good people at Zen Studios make their original pinball tables for Pinball FX (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC), they always pair realistic physics with unrealistic mechanics by, say, having the ball move like it would in real life, but on a table that has Mechagodzilla firing laser beam warning shots or K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider doing donuts.

But when it comes to their versions of classic pinball tables originally made by the iconic pinball company Williams, they have typically been faithful to the originals, both mechanically and aesthetically.

The operative word there being “typically.” That’s because for the three tables Zen have remade for Williams Pinball Volume 8— Banzai Run, Black Knight 2000, and Earthshaker! — they’ve added some unrealistic (but optional) mechanics to these classics…and not everyone will be happy with the results.

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PC Reviews Video Games Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Indiana Jones And The Great Circle” Review

Indiana Jones And The Great Circle

 

Much like with Star Trek, The Lord Of The Rings, and The Matrix, there have been way more video games influenced by the Indiana Jones movies than there have been games where you get to be Indiana Jones.

But while Indiana Jones And The Great Circle (Xbox Series X|S, PC) somewhat balances the scales, fans of the adventurous archeologist are forewarned: While this is faithful to Indy’s early films, it’s actually more like Indiana Jones And Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny in that it may not be what fans are expecting, or hoping for, but it is still a fun adventure.

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PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games

“Silent Hill 2” (2024 Remake) Review

 

When we talk about survival horror games, the first name that always comes up (rightfully so) is Resident Evil. Which is somewhat ironic given that while those games certainly have you trying to survive horrific situations, they’re usually not that scary.

No, for survival horror that’s scary — like, shit your pants scary — you have to go to the second name that always comes up: Silent Hill.

And no Silent Hill ever scared me as much as the second installment, 2001’s Silent Hill 2.

Granted, it was because I was playing it late at night, with my windows open, when two cats got into a fight just outside, but that still counts.

It’s why I didn’t play the new updated remake of Silent Hill 2 (PlayStation 5, PC) at night, with my windows open, or within 50 miles of any cats, angry or otherwise. Good thing, too, because this remake is just as shit your pants scary as the original.

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PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Sprawl” Review

 

As an old fool, I sometimes kick it old school.

And not just by making dated references. I listen to music on CDs, watch TV shows on a TV, and eat food that wasn’t grown in a lab and sold under a name that would make Charlton Heston fans nervous.

It’s also why I was curious about Sprawl (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC), a cyberpunk sci-fi first-person shooter very much in the vein of Doom, Quake, and other old school shooters.

Though as old and foolish as I may be, I was happy to find that Sprawl wasn’t completely vintage.

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Music Reviews

Ivo Perelman’s Sao Paulo Creative 4’s “Supernova” Review

 

While it’s good to spend time with people who will push you to think in different ways or consider different possibilities, sometimes you just want to be with like-minded folk.

Which is kind of what avant-leaning tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman is doing on his new album, Supernova (digital), in which he’s teamed with three fellow saxophonists under the name Ivo Perelman’s Sao Paulo Creative 4.

But while you’d expect an album that’s all horns all the time to be cacophonous, especially from someone like the avant-leaning Ivo Perelman, Supernova isn’t nearly so noisy. Er, not all the time, anyway.

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6” Review

 

For the last few years, Call Of Duty‘s multiplayer mode has been the center of attention for players of this first-person shooter series.

But for Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC), it’s actually the story-driven campaign that deserves your attention.

And no, I’m not just saying that because I don’t play well with others…

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Switch Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“Camp Bloodbrook” for “Pinball M” Review

 

To fans of video game pinball, the good people at Zen Studios are best known for creating original tables based on movies (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Princess Bride), TV shows (Battlestar Galactica, Twilight Zone), and other video games (Goat Simulator, System Shock), as well as accurate recreations of classic real pinball machines by Williams (Funhouse, Dr. Dude And His Excellent Ray).

But they’ve also, on occasion, put their considerable pinball design skills to use on original ideas, such as 2022’s Wrath Of The Elder Gods.

Which is where we find them again with Camp Bloodbrook, a new table for their horror-themed pinball simulation system, Pinball M (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC).

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Movies Music Reviews

“Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision” Boxed Set Review

 

In the 56 years since it was built, New York’s Electric Lady Studios has hosted such iconic musicians as Led Zeppelin (who recorded parts of Houses Of The Holy there), David Bowie (Young Americans), Taylor Swift (the Taylor’s Version editions of Fearless, Folklore, and Red); Patti Smith (Horses), Stevie Wonder (Talking Book), Kiss (Destroyer and Asylum), Frank Ocean (Blond), Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (Love For Sale), and on and on and on.

Even Prince, who had his own studio at the time, Paisley Park Studios, used it when recording his album Graffiti Bridge.

But now and forever it shall be known as the place that Jimi built.

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Movies PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Switch Video Games Xbox One Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

“The Princess Bride Pinball” for “Pinball FX” Review

 

There are a lot of things that don’t seem like they would work well, but end up defying expectations. Like Cate Blanchette playing a comic book villain in Thor Ragnarok. Or the rock band Phish getting their own ice cream flavor. Or a video game in which you’re a complete jerk…and a goat.

And now you can add to that inexplicable list The Princess Bride Pinball, the latest movie-inspired virtual pinball table for the video game Pinball FX (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, Switch, PC).

By paying homage to that classic fantasy comedy in a way that makes it feel like it’s as old as the movie itself, this video game pinball machine works so well that it ranks as one of the best movie-inspired tables for Zen Studio’s pinball system.

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