Category: Reviews

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games

“Stray” Review

 

As anyone who’s ever owned a cat will tell you, you can’t get them to do anything. You can’t get them to play “catch,” you can’t get them to come when you call them, you can’t get them to pick up a pizza on their way home from work even though it’s on their way… Heck, I’ve never owned a cat and even I know getting them to do stuff is like herding cats. Well, you need not be a former, current, or wannabe cat owner to appreciate the third-person action / adventure game Stray (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC), and not just because you get to tell a cat what to do and the cat has to do it. It’s just too bad that’s not all you do.

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

“Outriders: Worldslayer” Review

 

Unlike sequels, the expectations for add-ons are usually low. We expect there to be new missions, new locations, new enemies, and new weapons, but we don’t expect much in the way of new mechanics. And that’s okay. Take Worldslayers, a new add-on for the sci-fi third-person action / adventure shooter Outriders. While it does add something (which I’ll detail in a moment), that something doesn’t add much at all. Which is fine because while Outriders: Worldslayer — which is available both separately and as a part of a new, more complete version of the game (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) — may not be an improvement on the core game, it more importantly doesn’t ruin it.

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Comics DVDs/Blu-rays Movies Reviews TV

“Aquaman: King Of Atlantis” DVD Review

 

For years, some comic book fans regarded Aquaman as a joke. Heck, there was a whole Robot Chicken DC Comics Special about it. But then they cast Game Of Thrones‘ Jason Mamoa to play the man from Atlantis, and now no one is laughing at Aquaman. Well, almost no one. As a companion to Mamoa’s Aquaman, that movie’s director, James Wan, executive produced a three-part animated miniseries for HBO Max called Aquaman: King Of Atlantis that presented a rather silly take on the fish king. But while fans of the sea man will enjoy this animated romp (which has since been reconfigured into a movie) on DVD, they’ll find the disc is rather lacking in the extras department.

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Music Reviews

Matthew Shipp Trio’s “World Construct” Review

 

Like his frequent collaborator Ivo Perelman, jazz pianist Matthew Shipp is almost as known for being prolific as he is for being expressive and versatile. In fact, if the website Discogs is accurate, Shipp has appeared on nearly a dozen albums since just the beginning of this decade. And yet, it’s been three long years since he took center stage with his iconic trio, a situation he’s now rectifying with their interesting and rather varied new album World Construct (CD, digital).

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iOS PC Reviews Video Games

“Diablo Immortal” Review

 

Under normal circumstances, I don’t see the point in reviewing a game that’s free. Why read a review when you can just play the game yourself? And while that’s certainly true for the free-to-play third-person fantasy action / adventure game Diablo Immortal (iOS, Android, PC), it requires so much of your tablet’s or phone’s memory that you might wonder whether or not it’s worth it. But take it from someone who deleted multiple games, some photos, and a bunch of apps when I say that yes, yes it is.

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

“Sniper Elite 5” Review

 

At a time when tired anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are being updated and mainstreamed — I’m looking at you, “Jewish space laser” lady — it’s nice to be able to vent my frustrations by shooting virtual Nazis in video games. And few games make this as satisfying as Sniper Elite 5 (Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC), a third-person, open world, stealth action World War II shooter that’s as deep and compelling as the best WWII gun games.

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

“Evil Dead: The Game” Single-Player Review

 

Inspired by the titular movies and TV show, Evil Dead: The Game (Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC) is normally a co-op-focused third-person survival horror action game in which players must work together to defeat the infamous Kandarian Demon…or get to be the notorious K.D. as they take down their friends.

But as is so often the case these days with co-op games, the people who made Evil Dead: The Game — Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games — insist that it can also be played by those who prefer to go it alone.

What follows is my assessment of Evil Dead: The Game as a single-player experience.

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PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Reviews Video Games

“Trek To Yomi” Review

 

With similar settings, influences, and mechanics — but a very different perspective — it’s easy to think the samurai movie-inspired side-scrolling hack & slash action game Trek To Yomi (Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC) is just a 2D version of the samurai movie-inspired hack & slash action game Ghost Of Tsushima. But while the similarities are undeniable (and, I suspect, more coincidental than intentional), the biggest one they share is how both games are bloody good fun.

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Music Reviews

Primus’ “Conspiranoid” Review

 

Given that they’re currently on a tour in which they’re playing Rush’s A Farewell To Kings album in its entirety, you’d be forgiven for expecting that any new Primus song would be Rush-like. But in listening to their new Conspiranoid EP (digital, vinyl), it’s clear these guys have been listening to more than just Rush as they travel the land.

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