Costco is a lifestyle. If you know you know. But between the absolutely unbeatable floor samples of everything from granola and protein drinks to pizza and dumplings, the amazing prices, the quality of the products and the $1.50 giant hot dog and soda, it simply can't miss. If you've got the space for things and you think outside the box (Like, literally - take things out of those giant boxes to save fridge and freezer space. Or, you know, buy a chest freezer while you're there.) Seasonal/Bespoke Produce Have I ever heard of a Sierra Honey Plum before I found 2 lbs of them at Costco for about 4 bucks? No. But are they the sweetest, juiciest and crispiest plums I've ever sunk my teeth into? Yeah, they absolutely are. And I don't even like firm stone fruit usually. Turns out, these are sorta bespoke, if you will, as they're specially bred by one orchard inparticular: Kingsburg Orchard in California, also responsible for delights like Donut Peaches and Velvet Apriums. I'm gonna need to explore further. Now, these won't always be there, as their season runs from late summer to about Thanksgiving, but in general, Costco is FULL of seasonal produce at great prices. Just last trip I got 6 lbs of organic carrots for $3.49. Langers Organic Mango Nectar I'm one of those people who had a love affair with mangoes. A really good mango will spoil you on almost any other fruit for months. I love all varieties, from champagne to red and Alphonso. For me, this particular mango nectar is the purest expression of mango perfection on Planet Earth. I've tried them in smoothie blends, at Whole Foods, in nice restaurants. But one glass of this bathes me in delicious liquid sunshine. It's perfect. I'm trying to find more ways to incorporate it into everything from smoothies to dinners and ...anything I can think of. Langers is a name I've always trusted when it comes to fruit juices, but this is on another level. It is insanely inexpensive, sold by the gallon, and one of the few things I can almost always find, and almost never pass up, on a Costco run. Stan's Sourdough Here in Chicago, game recognizes game. When we see the pink Stan's logo, we know we're in for a treat. A lot of times here that means donuts and coffee. But since those are impeccable, I took a chance on this Stan's sourdough on a trip not too long ago. Not only was I raised by a baker mother, I was later a baker myself, and married a baker. At one point during the pandemic, we were putting out two loaves of rye bread and one loaf of brioche a day, and had a sourdough pet on the side. To say I'm particular about my bread is an understatement. When I say this blew my mind, I mean it. I'm a huge fan of sourdough but I like it aggressive. I also like it to have a nice firm outside and that perfect airy crumb on the inside. I toasted this up for my morning avocado toast (Yes, I'm responsible for the fall of the economy. I'm sorry.) and it brought a tear to my eye. Now this may be harder to find outside the Midwest market but if you see it, grab it. This is texturally perfect, the sour notes are amazing, and when it's toast it's sublime. I will not be taking questions at this time. Cleveland Kitchen Pickles I know, I know, every basic lady in the world LOVES pickles. Listen to me very carefully. I was raised on the pickle. Bathed in its juice from a young age. I was refined by fire when I'd bring pickles to school in my lunch box and everyone made fun of me for liking them. I was raised in a Polish household, and in Chicago. I have earned my pickles. There's not one right answer to pickles. I love spicy pickles for things like Cubans and I love little cornichons and baby dills for snacking. I love a classic Claussen right next to my deli sandwiches. I adore Grillo's, too, but I hate to pay 9 dollars for something, quite frankly, I can consume in 2 days or even 2 hours. Friends, let me tell you about the bucket of Cleveland Kitchen pickles you can find at Costco. I covet them. I hoard them. I use the juice to marinate chicken in, and yes, I do drink it from the container on occasion. These are homemade, crispy, sandwich elevating little chips from heaven. I put a handful in pinch bowls and chow down as a snack, but they're good anywhere you put them. And your money goes far, because did I mention it's a BUCKET of them. I mean, ok, it's a little fridge sized bucket, but I dare you to find better quality at a better price. I have had varying luck finding them, not only because apparently they go fast and aren't always around, but because they're either in the refrigerated aisles or the ready made middle aisle cases near the meats. It doesn't matter where they hide you, bucket of pickles. I will find you. That concludes this round of "things you should look forward to at Costco" and in advance: I'm really sorry if your Costco does not carry these. Each entry also has a link to the main company website, where you can track them down if they don't turn up at your warehouse. I have a feeling we'll be doing this again, with many other gems, so stay tuned!

Line for the Ocarina of Time midnight release, November 4, 2026. Photo: Antal Bokor Midnight video game releases are special. It’s like a mini-convention of fans gathering together for that one specific thing that they wanted so badly, and part of the point is to have a celebration of that fandom with other like-minded people. Midnight releases were already well established with movies–I had been going to see movies at midnight for as long as I can remember. And while you can still buy a ticket for a “midnight” release, it’s rare to see such a thing for video games anymore. That’s why when Best Buy was doing the midnight launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I braved the cold and stood in line. And with the decline of physical media, this might be the last midnight release I ever go to. Standing in line in the cold felt a bit silly– I had a preordered copy ready to be picked up – but I wanted to soak in the vibe. Get a feeling of the crowd. See some cosplay, and hear the excitement. There was no cosplay to speak of, except for one eager fan dressed up only a few feet in front of my place in line. In line at the midnight release event for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. November 4, 2026. Best Buy in Gurnee, IL. Photo: Antal Bokor And the line was long–much longer than I expected. Full of young and old people–some nostalgic, like me. Others doing this for the first (and maybe last) time. And all of us eager to get our hands on a game that was foundational for so many. Midnight video game releases were an uncommon thing in the ‘90s, though some stores did have special midnight releases for hardware, like the latest consoles. But large, organized midnight release events didn’t happen. The iconic 9/9/99 Sega Dreamcast release was the earliest, large-scale coordinated midnight release event I can remember. Then came the PlayStation 2 and its midnight release in 2000, and the OG Xbox in 2001. It wasn’t until Halo 2 that software started getting the same treatment. In fact, midnight software releases became a mainstream cultural phenomenon on November 9, 2004, with the launch of Halo 2. Microsoft and Bungie coordinated an unprecedented retail event where over 7,000 stores globally opened at 12:01 AM. This launch established the blueprint for midnight releases to follow: block-long lines, and the promise of promotional swag. The success of Halo 2 proved to retailers like GameStop and Best Buy that staying open late for a video game release inspired hype, and generated more profits. Midnight release for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. November 4, 2026. Best Buy, Gurnee, IL. Photo: Antal Bokor So of course I wanted to relive some of that with the new Ocarina of Time release. Back at Best Buy, an employee finally came out and let everyone know that they were sold out of the consoles. Surprisingly, about half of those waiting left the line. These were people who must have been there since the store closed at 9 pm, and had been waiting these two hours for a chance at the special edition console. Sadly, they’d have to try their luck elsewhere and/or hope for the promised restocks. With a thinner line, and colder legs, we remained out in the cold. I wore shorts and a warm hoodie, which wasn’t enough and I blame on my Midwest sensibilities. When the line did start moving, they let people in in small groups. Some people were excited. But there were no cheers as those first groups came out with their consoles and/or games. No one raising their prize over their head with the Legend of Zelda “you got this item” music playing. But it kind of makes sense. Most of us have been there. There were so many big, coordinated midnight releases, especially for millennials. The Halo 3 midnight release in 2007 was a huge deal–bigger than its predecessor. Even World of Warcraft had some notable midnight releases for their expansions. Skyrim and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 had almost competing midnight release events, with stores being crowded with fans eager for those titles.Eventually, people started to expect to be able to show up at the store and buy something at midnight. In the pre-COVID days, 24 hour stores were everywhere. I have many fond memories of waiting in lines at midnight at Walmart. No coordinated event, just fans all eager to get a copy of whatever the latest release is. Just a natural gathering of fans. I bought Dark Souls during such a gathering–which turned out to be a bunch of people waiting for the latest Twilight movie. I was the only one there for Dark Souls. Midnight releases pretty much died down after digital storefronts took over during the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One era. Grand Theft Auto V was probably the last, big midnight release. Players started to be able to preload games–why leave your house when it’s all there, already waiting for you? It didn’t help that massive day one patches had fans with physical copies needing to download large files before they could play. Midnight release for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. November 4, 2026. Photo: Antal Bokor At the Ocarina of Time launch event, there was an old salt Best Buy employee, telling the young’ns about his 10 years working at that location–and the “shit I’ve seen.” It was orderly, and by the numbers. I was in and out before I knew it. I just made sure to snag a copy of the promotional “poster” that was being handed out along with the game. With digital looking like the imminent future, this may have been my last midnight release. AI is quickly changing how people use computers, so who knows if video games will have traditional release schedules at all in the coming future. “At some point in your childhood, you and your friends went outside to play together for the last time and nobody knew it.” Will this have been the last midnight release I’ll ever be at? The future looks like it’ll have fewer coordinated releases like this. It feels like the end of an era.

Screenshot: Tenebris Somnia Tenebris Somnia was easily one of my most anticipated games this year. And while delivered on the exact experience I was hoping for, at the same time it didn’t manage to live up to my enormous expectations. I don’t know if that’s just a me problem, or if Tenebris Somnia, in its four years of development and filming, lost a bit of itself along the way. Tenebris Somnia is a retro style adventure game in the vein of old school, late 80s/early 90s point and click adventure games. Think early King’s Quest games or Maniac Mansion. In fact, there are plenty of deliberate homages baked into the item descriptions and puzzles themselves, from a "Just Leave" door gag pulled straight out of Silent Hill 2 to a secret boss fight against Amy from FAITH. Screenshot: Tenebris Somnia There have been a lot of point and click style adventure games over the years, but there is clearly some love for the genre here, as developer Saibot Studios gets the look and even some of the puzzle types right on the nose. And, of course, the high definition FMV sequences. While completely out of sync in the video game history timeline, the inclusion of FMV feels more inspired than anachronistic. I’ve reviewed a few movies in my time, but I’m not a film critic. That said, I know that the FMV sequences inside of Tenebris Somnia are a bit corny. Screenshot: Tenebris Somnia Sometimes, they’re very effective–especially the introduction to the dual faced woman. Most of the time, the FMV sequences feel like a student film that was filmed on a really good camera. Which makes sense, since it's directed by Argentine indie horror filmmaker Andrés Borghi and leans heavily on practical effects. That is to say: corny with less than stellar acting. Most of the gameplay in Tenebris Somnia takes after point and click games, but with a modern interface. There isn’t a decision panel or wheel. There’s the ability to interact, ready weapon and attack. You can open your inventory, and combine or use items, too. Puzzles mostly consist of paying attention to the environment, and using specific items where necessary. Nothing too difficult for anyone who has played a survival horror game before. Screenshot: Tenebris Somnia While there is combat in Tenebris Somnia, it’s pretty simple. Aim your weapon of choice–for me, it was usually the red pipe–and shoot/swing away. Most enemies have the same pattern of attack and then become vulnerable, so even when enemies show up in packs later they’re easily dispatched. That includes the later, more formidable and scarier enemies. Unfortunately, these don’t get the FMV treatment. The enemies themselves aren’t designed particularly consistently either. One looks at home in a Junji Ito panel, while another looks like a fat version of the clown from Terrifier. And while I was enjoying my playthrough of Tenebris Somnia, at a part about ¾ of the way through the game, I just wanted to bail. Screenshot: Tenebris Somnia It has a severe ending issue, where it feels like the game keeps dragging on. The story itself doesn’t help, as it's almost too much of a campy B-movie to take seriously. A grounded, slower build up would have been better. But you’re chucked into the deep end so there’s not much tension to ramp up. If you remove the game from the movie, or remove the movie from the game, you have an incomplete experience. I think Tenebris Somnia would have been brilliant if it was a really great one of those things–either movie or game. Both parts of the whole are lacking, so it stands to reason that the whole isn’t going to be as good as it can be. That’s the case with Tenebris Somnia. Highly ambitious, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing.

Screenshot: Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business When I was asked if I wanted to review the latest game by Rami Ismail, I jumped at the opportunity. Ismail is best known for his work at Vlambeer, the now-defunct studio that defined 2010s arcade action with titles like Nuclear Throne and Luftrausers. This time, Ismail’s talents are focused on a strategy, run-based game with a bit of Rogue in its DNA. Now, Australia Did It—Ismail’s latest game and his first major project since Vlambeer closed its doors—isn’t exactly the polished arcade perfection we used to get from him. While there are some great ideas buried in Australia Did It, it’s a game that’s just not very fun to play, full of what feels like unfinished, rough edges. Screenshot: Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business, or just Australia Did It, is a hybrid action roguelike, autobattler, and unit strategy game. It bills itself as a tower defense, but I wouldn’t quite classify it as that. The developers call the real-time transit sections a "reverse bullet hell," but really, it's just a simple turn-based tactics game where you’re always on the defensive, interspersed with messy action sequences. If you’re reading this and thinking, “wow, that doesn't sound like a glowing endorsement,” you're right. I had absolutely no fun playing this. Screenshot: Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business It’s a strange mishmash of ideas presented with ugly pixel art and 3D graphics, all tied together with a UI that is barely functional. There are basically three screens you interact with: the turn-based station battle, destination selection, and the realtime autobattler between stations. If even one of these gameplay modes was decent and the others just “meh,” I would try to find nice things to say. As it is, nothing about this game is compelling or fun for me—save for the unit combining. Synergy is a big deal in roguelikes, and Australia Did It understands that. But despite having that understanding, it doesn't really work that well in practice. You can merge created units together to create new ones, unlocking some very overpowered and interesting combinations. Ismail has bragged that there are over 1,500 combinations in the game, and it shows—if you have the right setup, you can fill the screen with death and kill anything trying to get to your train. It feels like the team spent months tweaking this one mechanic and completely forgot to build a good game around it. That’s all the praise this title gets. Screenshot: Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business During the standing, “station” portion of the game, you play a turn-based strategy mode. Ugly pixel art, with barely any animations, does a terrible job selling gameplay that is confusing and janky. The turn-based battles are the main gameplay element, and you’re stuck on a small grid, repelling enemies before they can get to your parked train. It's just no fun. And it looks awful doing it. It's muddy art, with basic bitch pixel animations. The so-called bullet hell segments between stations are just as ugly, with so little animation and care put into them that it looks like a cash-grabby phone game from ten years ago.Coming from the guy who helped define modern 'game feel' with Nuclear Throne, the audio here is shockingly anemic. Instead of screen-shaking, bass-heavy explosions that make every hit satisfying, the guns sound like pathetic peashooters and the impacts carry absolutely zero weight. Screenshot: Australia Did It: End-of-the-World Railway Defense Business While Ismail wanted to “break the mold” with Australia Did It rather than play it safe with a more traditional title in a brutal market, I don’t think this worked. It’s a massive swing and a miss on a pitch far outside the plate. I don't know if more development time would have helped this stinker, but when it rolls into the station, ignore it for something better. Most things are better. This has none of the hallmarks that made Ismail’s previous games fun, and feels like it was pushed out the gate just to get some cash flow. Or something. I even went back to the Steam store page and made sure it wasn’t releasing into Early Access. What a letdown.

Screenshot: Tanuki: Pon's Summer Remember those endless summers as a kid? Especially when you started to get a little bit older, and instead of being able to lay around all day playing video games you actually had to (or wanted to) get a job? That’s exactly the vibe I get with cozy game Tanuki: Pon’s Summer. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is about doing awesome BMX tricks, working part time at the post office, and playing lots of minigames as you meet, help, and hang out with townsfolk and get ready for the big tanuki festival at the end of summer. You also get to play as an absolutely adorable tanuki named Pon—lazy, well meaning, and surprisingly able to perform most tasks thrown at him. Screenshot: Tanuki: Pon's Summer Each gameplay section is divided into a day, and each new summer day has a whole bunch of new stuff to do. From carefully balancing awkwardly shaped packages on your bike so you don't damage them, to participating in a number of different activities—all of which represent a new minigame to play. These activities include everything from sumo wrestling, to playing baseball, to doing specific tricks or actions on your sweet BMX bike. This also gives you the opportunity to meet the cast of characters found throughout the island's four distinct towns, which draw heavy environmental inspiration from Kyoto, Aomori, Sapporo, and Beppu. While not all of them are great, everyone is wholesome. Despite Pon taking his commitment to getting the Tanuki Festival ready pretty seriously, nothing is ever too serious in Pon’s Summer. Mistakes are easily undone, and good vibes flow freely. Screenshot: Tanuki: Pon's Summer Each time you deliver a parcel, you get money. You can also get money for completing certain minigames—though not everything you do always ends up in monetary rewards. Sometimes you’ll get hats to show off, and these purely cosmetic items even feature official nods to massive indie hits. Earning the right to deliver the mail while wearing crossover gear from Shovel Knight or Hollow Knight: Silksong is a perfect, unexpected reward. Finally, use the money you earn to get the shrine ready for the Tanuki Festival. Upgrade it and decorate it anyway you see fit. In practice, this means rudimentary building by placing items on a grid. Screenshot: Tanuki: Pon's Summer The entire town also doubles as a BMX playground for tricks, featuring over 100 distinct challenges. It’s not exactly Tony Hawk—er, whatever the bike equivalent would be—but it’s fun grinding on rails and doing various other tricks I can perform but can’t recall the names for. I think superman is one of them? Either way, watching a fat little Tanuki flip around on a BMX is great fun. But it’s also very casual fun, and doesn’t require a dedication to hard mechanics to get a hold of and enjoy. Pon himself is one of the biggest draws to Pon’s Summer. He’s cute as hell, and good at most everything he tries. And despite the initial skepticism from the townspeople about this lazy little guy’s motivations, he’s loved by most everyone you meet. Screenshot: Tanuki: Pon's Summer If you love cozy, but want a bit of a change of pace—from farming to BMX tricks—Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is a great way to spend your time. It’s not a super in-depth game, but scratches that cute, pleasant game itch. Come for the cozy delivery mechanics, stay for the fact you’re a cute-ass Tanuki. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is releasing tomorrow on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2. If you want to test out your tricklines early, a free progress-carrying demo is available right now covering the first three days of summer.

Screenshot: S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready I’m a sucker for co-op games, especially the 4-player variety—that’s the sweet spot. I also love games that require coordinating as a team, especially in asymmetrical roles. That might seem hyper-specific, but there are a lot more games coming out that fit that description than you'd think. S.O.N.A.R. – Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready, or SONAR, is a 1-6 player sub-operating game. It's not the first of its kind, but it's leaning into the proximity chat crowd that loves chaotic, "meme-able" moments. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that. But I think that undersells what SONAR actually is. Screenshot: S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready Maybe the complication is where the chaos comes in, but there's a decent amount of coordination required for any amount of success. You have to man an entire submarine, for starters. Everything requires manual manipulation—loading torpedoes, bilging flooded rooms, repairing hull damage, piloting, spotting, sonar, etc. all require someone to man them, often two people working in conjunction. Though it’s possible to work the entire submarine solo, it’s definitely not ideal. Heck, we were having a hard time covering all the stations with our four-man crew. With enough practice, it probably isn’t as overwhelming. But to start, just being successful took us a few failed starts until we figured it all out together. Screenshot: S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready Despite the number of ship systems, any one system isn’t complicated to operate. Instructions are practically written on everything you can operate. The sonar, for instance, has a key that helps you determine the sound pattern for any contact you might get. Similarly, the periscope has a picture of a ship silhouette so you can mark them accurately—which is done per the player’s input, not automatically. So you can absolutely mark an enemy submarine as a whale by accident. But this isn’t a hardcore simulation, and it’s not overly difficult to man any one station. Having everyone work in concert is another issue entirely. Screenshot: S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready There are multiple different mission types to play—so you’re not always just sinking ships or hunting subs. But sinking ships and hunting other subs is definitely some of the most fun gameplay. There are individual missions you can take on as a crew or solo, with leaderboards to match your crew size. There's also a PvP mode that pits two crews against each other, as well as an open-world mode that allows you to sail around a large map completing tasks, buying fuel, and snagging upgrades. While it’s a blast with friends, and despite its multiplayer modes, SONAR wasn’t a long-term game for our group. It was fun for the couple of sessions we put into it, but it’s not quite fun enough to come back to beyond that. However, if you’re looking for an asymmetrical crew-based co-op game, SONAR is a surprisingly good time.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Nintendo Switch 2 I’ve been a fan of Lara Croft since I first played Tomb Raider on my childhood PC. If you told me then that she would become one of the most recognizable video game characters in the world, I think I would have believed it. Tomb Raider was a huge deal when it came out, and it was surprising to me that what felt like a console port turned out to be such a good PC game. The fact that we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original game’s release blows my mind a bit. And what better way to do that than checking out Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which recently dropped on the Nintendo Switch 2? Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Nintendo Switch 2 When Shadow of the Tomb Raider originally launched to close out the Survivor era of Lara’s adventures, it earned mostly positive reviews. Shadow leaned far more heavily on exploration and puzzle-solving than the frequent firefights of the previous two games in the Survivor Trilogy. There were also some great new stealth mechanics that helped it stand out—like Lara’s ability to cover herself in mud à la Arnold in Predator, and utilizing the jungle canopy to hide. It also had incredible graphical fidelity, which I honestly thought the Switch 2 would handle a bit better than it does. While the same great game remains underneath, playing on Nintendo's new hardware means playing with a bit of a compromise. Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Nintendo Switch 2 Let's start with the bad: the graphics took a noticeable hit in the jump to the Switch 2. It outputs at 1080p and targets 30 FPS, which isn’t great for a game that’s nearly a decade old. There is no HDR support either, meaning those ancient jungle ruins and underwater sections won’t visually pop quite as much as they do on other platforms. Since you are playing on what is essentially a handheld system, the compromise here isn’t exactly surprising—but it is notable. On the plus side, you are getting the true Definitive Edition of Shadow of the Tomb Raider here. That means you get all seven DLC Challenge Tombs, plus all previously released DLC weapons, outfits, and skills. You can even play two-player co-op in the Challenge Tombs, though I haven’t had the chance to test that out myself. Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Nintendo Switch 2 I can’t believe Tomb Raider is 30 years old, but I can easily believe Lara will be around for another 30. I guess we’ll have to see how her upcoming games are received, but Shadow of the Tomb Raider remains a solid entry in the series. If you only have a Switch 2 and have never played it before, this is a great time to pick it up. Otherwise, you might have better options elsewhere—but if you absolutely want to take it on the go, it’s a decent port.

Screenshot: Chivalware I’ve been playing video games for a long time, so it’s hard to find gameplay that is truly novel. Chivalware makes a good shot at it by combining tile matching with real time combat. It’s about as much of a handful as it sounds like. Chivalware takes place in a Tron-like retro electronic land with medieval theming. You start off as Disk Knight with the goal to reach the castle and defeat the evil King. Each run you have a chance to pick up different weapons, passive and active abilities, and other power-ups to boost stats and help you kill the myriad of enemies you’ll face in grid-based combat. You will have three weapons equipped, and you have to match the icons for the weapon on the grid in a series of three or more–the more that are matched up, the more ammo/energy you have to use your weapon. Screenshot: Chivalware Initially, I hated the gameplay. It wasn’t fun, until eventually I practiced enough to get a better grasp on it. While I don’t think that solo developer Max of Regal Pigeon Games found the next best gameplay combination, it was compelling enough for me to sink countless hours into it, as I stayed up later than I should trying out different weapon and power-up combos. While a lot of the best run based, rogue-lite (or whatever) games have lots of fun synergy between weapon and pick-ups, that isn’t really the case here. Sure, you can focus on upgrading certain stats to help out your preferred weapon, or taking pick-ups that give bonus to the weapon type you want to use. But having ridiculously overpowered synergy doesn’t seem to be the focus of Chivalware. Screenshot: Chivalware There are five total characters, each with their own special quirk and starting weapons. The Tank Knight, for instance, can accumulate armor shards by dealing damage. These armor shards stack and help negate incoming damage. The Jester Knight adds an extra twitch based element by launching a baton in the air that, if caught, grants you the weapon fully charged, along with a damage bonus. Unlocking different items and characters is pretty straightforward. When you start up Chivalware it asks you to put in your three character initials, just like old arcades. That’s because your meta progress is saved and added to an accumulating high score. The higher your score, the more characters you’ll unlock. I haven’t made it to number 1 yet–because it’s a bit of a grind. While certain other power-ups and weapons are unlocked by defeating certain bosses or killing enemy types while on a run–among other ways to earn them. Screenshot: Chivalware Combat in Chivalware is hectic, and honestly, a mixed bag. I appreciate the idea, but I never truly had as much fun as I was trying to have while playing. Equipping weapons and dodging enemy attacks sometimes becomes a game of moving your character around the relatively small grid area until you have another clear shot at it. There are enough different enemy types to make encounters interesting, but combat is always the same pattern: 1 or 2 enemies spawn, you kill them, and then another group of 1 or 2 spawns, and then you move to the next encounter. Screenshot: Chivalware As you progress through the map you’ll encounter different NPCs that can help you out, shops where you can buy weapons, health and power-ups and other events. You sometimes have a branching binary (appropriately enough) choice on which direction to take. Even though I appreciated Chivalware’s medieval cyberscape and the addictive grind of its progression system, the whole package ends up being a bit too disjointed. I got the hang of matching tiles to equip weapons while attacking, but it never felt mechanically satisfying. It’s a completely functional game that successfully kept me chasing the leaderboard, but the actual fun just isn't there.

Eli Solitas So, I’m a crier. And the implications of Dedication Night were perhaps not considered, because up til now, I simply never watched the series long enough to get to it. But, I don’t like being manipulated into tears by television shows, reality or otherwise, so I have no idea if this will increase or decrease my hatred (?) for this series. So far it’s leaning a little more 10 Things I Hate About You than I expected, and that’ll be especially true tonight, as my future self knows Julia Stiles will be doing a tribute to Heath Ledger and Tatyana Ali will be in tribute to James Avery. We’re doomed. Let’s see if they earn the tears with genuine thought and emotional maturity or just try to wrench ‘em out of you any way they can. First off, let me interject in my own train of thought to say that Julianne either fired her stylist or made up with them, because she finally looks elegant and appropriate for the situation. I don’t usually hate on someone’s wardrobe much at all, but I swear someone just had it in for her, “elevated style” or no. Kinda thought they’d mention why Val wasn’t there. Oh well. We all know. Returning champion judge Kymmy, interesting. Voting opens for people before anyone dances? Is that weird cuz it seems weird. Nevertheless, we persist. Ezra-Contemporary - Bloodline (Mon Rovia) Dedication to: Mom First things first? His mom is famous? I didn’t know. I love that she didn’t hide him and she made sure he knew he belonged anywhere he went. That’s top tier momming. They’re certainly going for the tears here. But he’s really dancing. I’m loving the symbolism in the movement. She picks up his chin, and when she stands on the prosthetic. This one made me cry before I knew it. There’s so much skill and strength here, and no one can stop crying. Kicking it off with Kym, who says he was “so good” and Bruno, who says that the dancing was great and calls Ezra a ‘real talent” and I agree. Carrie thanks Ezra’s mom. Sometimes I feel like I want her to critique more. Then again, sometimes it’s too much more. They get 3 9’s and a 10, so they’re doing just fine. Tatyana Ali - Viennese Waltz - “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am’ (Nancy Wilson) Dedication to: James Avery I am going to admit something right now. Where I thought he was relegated to the cheese dimension and probably hated it, I realize now that Alfonso is fine. Not just fine: Alfonso steals the show for me. He’s so genuine and nice and talented. I think it’s cool that Tatyana Ali went the extra mile and sang the song. She’s a great singer, even if she did look like she started crying the moment she went out. But it was graceful and pretty and magical. Bruno said she was “guided by angel wings” and glided. No one’s doing hardhitting critique this week, I see. Carrie said she was honored to have the pleasure of the reunion here on the show. Derek made a joke about Alfonso, but then mentioned that Tatyana was the “most improved” and Kym actually did go for some light criticism calling her beautiful and lovely but noting she needed more rise and fall. She gets straight 8s, and that’s …ok. Maura Higgins -Pasa Doble - “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” (Dropkick Murphys) Dedication to: Ireland Go big or go home. Which I guess means dedicate the dance to an entire country full of people. I totally get it though. And while “illegal” for her fans to watch her back home, we’re sure they do. Meanwhile, they got Michael Flatley to weigh in on this? Haven’t thought about that guy in a while, but makes sense here, and they’re incorporating Irish step dance into this by sending a champion dancelord. Neat! I’m not entirely sure what’ll happen when we Irish pasa doble, but I guess I’m into it. Shipping Up to Boston was a really odd choice but I love that song. They’re both aggressive enough to pull off a pasa even if it’s odd. I wish they’d incorporated the step dancer a little more, other than to just trot him out and let him do cool stuff. I’m glad she got into the step dancing too, even if that could’ve really been harmful to her chances because (and this is key) Irish step dancing is SO HARD. Let’s see what the judges thought. Derek mentions that she had nice attacks, mentions her shoulders, but says he was totally locked in from moment one, and on this part I agree. Bruno calls her a “storm in the Irish sea” and then warns her to be careful of her shoulder lines. She ends up with 3 9’s and an 8 and if I’m being honest I’d rather have seen Tatyana with those marks because that dance felt like it was better executed. Jackson - Quickstep - “L-O-V-E” (Nat King Cole) Dedication to: his Mom So Jackson Olson’s mom is a special ed teacher. And she seems super sweet. I love how vulnerable he was about being shy, though as he takes the stage I’m glad they’re still letting him cheese out, because he comes by it naturally. I do feel like he’s doing an exceptional job though, and I’m forgetting the cheese. He has great energy in this. His mom wasn’t in it much but that’s ok. Alfonso says he rocked it, and I think he actually might have! Throwing to the judges, Derek says it was a great quickstep and he was doing great travelling, but cautions him to maintain the frame. Kym says he’s the ultimate showman, and yeah, like I said, that part comes naturally. Bruno, similarly, says he’s at his charming best, notes his theatrical touches and how they’re actually appropriate for quickstep, and says he’s expressing himself better than ever. See? He can be nice and still give good criticism. I love Bruno. Carrie notes that his confidence is expanding and calls it “top notch performing.” He gets 8s across the board. Ok. Amber Glenn - Contemporary - “Breathe Me” (Sia) Dedication To: Her sister Now you might think Amber was close to her sister growing up, but according to the intro package, she wasn’t. She spent all her time skating and in home school while her sister did “normal” things. By 11 though, Amber was burned out, and unhealthy in her habits with her sport. She developed an eating disorder, and needed help. Enter her sister, who was there for her in the hospital and beyond, and who she credits with still being here. That’s heavy, and this is going to be emotional. Pasha, who choreographed this, is putting himself in the role of her mental health issues. I love contemporary because it’s so expressive, but I don’t think I’ll live through this and it hasn’t even started yet. And she is SO GOOD AT CONTEMPORARY. I should’ve guessed. It seems close to how skating can be. This was a great routine, the choreo was incredible, and this transcended the show to being an all time favorite tv dance performance. And yes, cried like a little child. To the judges: Kym said it was so “athletic and emotional” and while I normally think athletic is something that’s part of her all I saw was emotion and grace here, and that’s good. Bruno says the structure and dramatic tension was incredible and thanks Pasha, because you really did this thing. Carrie thanks her for tackling an important topic and using her platform and that’s worth doing. She praises her precision and raw, powerful vulnerability. This is a thorough and great criticism. Derek is touched, and says it was really powerful. He reminds people to seek help if they need it, before simply calling it an “incredible” dance. I think his lack of specificity means it was amazing. An aside: Amber looks JUST LIKE her mom. Scores? Split 9s and 10s, and I mean…yeah. We ruin that to announce that Pasha is the sexiest Dancing With the Stars pro. Ok, whatever. He gets a sash, because of course he does. Alfonso heartily notes that Pasha is “one sexy man” and I appreciate when game knows game. Meanwhile, Amber keeps breaking the show, and I hate to admit it. Jenna - Viennese Waltz - “Unchained Melody” (The Righteous Brothers) Dedicated to: Her mother Who killed a wookiee for that couch?Rude. In this intro, we find out that Nancy sacrificed a lot for her daughter, and see her interacting with her mom straightaway. They’re so good to each other. As the dance opens, they mouth “I love you” to each other and it’s not canned or scripted. It’s just a mom and her daughter. And it’s really nice. I’m a softie. Her lines here are so good. She’s so light and graceful. I hope they mark her properly. I love that Alan gets a kiss here. There’s also an INCREDIBLE spin at the end of the dance. I thought her carriage was wonderful and her lines looked great, and I loved that last little run back to her mom. Alfonso loved it and I agree. Also, the cast of The Rookie is here, including a personal fave, Nathan Fillion. Now, to the judging! Bruno loves when she gets lyrical and says she never lost the frame. He also says she’s exquisite. Carrie says that this dance was the ultimate breakthrough, but I thought she already done broke through. She says that she was free, light, and her mom must be proud. Derek says she was gentle, graceful and gorgeous, and is a class act who is “pure light, love and joy” and that she was “effortless and fantastic” and it is RIGGED if they don’t score her right here. Kym says something that should’ve ought’ve been said and that’s that she does everything Fred Astaire did in heels and backwards. I love that quote and it’s giving her her flowers. RIGHT? “You had the biggest expectations and you exceeded it.” RIGHT? She gets one ten and 3 9’s. I think another ten was due, but I’m not flipping a table Harry - Foxtrot - “Stop this Train” (John Mayer) Dedication to: his Wife. Take notes. This is the way. Harry talked a lot about how he has been together with his wife for 20 years and at the same time about growing up as the child of immigrants struggling to give him what he had. He talked a lot about the pressures, and credited his wife with teaching him how to live and find the fun, and thought that this dance would be the perfect way to give her her flowers. No one’s fighting you on that one, man. And she’s adorable and fun, and he REALLY loves her. You can see it. I’m crying from the intro. I have problems. His parents are here too,a nd start off the dance. I have concerns because it’s a hard dance but he’s up to it. HIS DAUGHTER IS IN IT? Oh stop it. This is killing me. Anyway, judges? Carrie thanks him for the Asian American representation, and Derek tags on to that that this is what DWTS is all about - do what you love with people you love. He mentions his control and how he was skating like he was on glass. Kym says all 3 generations being present was beautiful, and yes. Bruno says he had it, he proved it. He praises him for being smooth and fluid, and mentions a Balanchine moment in the choreo. 9s across the board, and I think that makes sense here. Connor and Rylee- Viennese Waltz - “Piano Man” (Billy Joel) Dedicated to: his dad The story here really hit me. He basically said his dad went through cancer like nothing hurt or was scary, and still kept being his dad, and you can see the love and admiration for his strength. His dad takes the whole thing like a dad. Awkward, but appreciative. I wasn’t sure how they’d have him participate but I love that he just swung out on the floor. Connor, meanwhile, has a weight and seriousness to him and I think it’s to emulate his dad. I like this moment for him. He’s got more innate confidence. I like this. He is doing better. It’s gonna be hard to see almost anyone go at this point. This is how it’s supposed to be. 8 8 8 8. It’ll do. Tyler Cameron - Contemporary - “Supermarket Flowers” (Ed Sheeran) Dedication to: mothers everywhere - but actually, to his mom, who died of an aneurysm, and to his wife, Tate. Tyler's mom died suddenly and it was horrible for him, and his wife was the light there. He talks about how he wanted to tell his mom all about her and how she saved him. I really, really get that, as someone who never got to tell my dad about my husband, and I’m feeling like if he goes on this one, which there’s a real risk of, I would feel like this was mean. I also am really invested in this because it hits home for me. He does beautifully and manages to tell the whole story through the choreo from his pro, Sharna - who did an amazing job, and it turns into a baby announcement. A real, absolute on the show baby announcement. I shouldn’t be on board for this but it’s so cool to turn something so sad into something so happy. They’re doing a gender reveal for them on the show right now. And it’s a girl. Up in the booth after, Julianne asks how Tate is feeling about this and she’s sobbing and just says “I don’t know” and that’s the realest this moment could get, because how are you supposed to act on cry night at DWTS when you announced your baby to the whole world and found out it’s a girl but now we critique your husband’s dance? Tell me. Kym says he’s an incredible dancer. Honestly, Sharna did this, and she did it well. Bruno loved that it turned into a celebration of new life, and so did I. Carrie says that the dancer has come out, and I feel like she’s right. She mentions a potential third dancer. But she also says he opened his expression and his heart. Derek has mostly lost his damn mind because he’s so full of emotion about being a girl dad, since he’s one too. Alfonso congratulates him as a fellow “girl dad” And WHIPLASH, because we cut Immediately to a Cat in the Hat promo in dance form. Did i hate it? No. I actually really like it. More people should do Dr Seuss dances. But do I hate it? Also yes. Also CATastrophe? Come on. At least go with CATaclysm. They spent so much money and time on this. Julia Stiles - Contemporary - “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (Frankie Valli) Dedication to: Heath Ledger They keep calling her a “movie star” and I get it, she is, but like, everyone’s a celebrity and I feel like it’s singling her out in a weird way that’s not great for anyone. In her intro, Julia talks a lot about how much Heath taught her - she was young and new to acting, and she mentions how much lust for life Heath had, especially in the football field. She’s trying to channel the spark that he had, and mentions that she was genuinely that charmed by the football field scene and that’s why she seemed so genuine in it. She’s giving herself a lot to live up to and on top of the emotions, she’s a lot in her head. I hope you do this thing, girl! She’s immediately crying and I get it. The whole cast is there too, and that’s really awesome. But what’s truly awesome is that she breaks out of her shell and she seems like she’s really, truly full of joy and emotion in a good way here. Her dance is really, really good, and when she breaks out in to the “football scene” of it all, it’s really something. It’s sunshine in a way she just hasn’t been able to reach until now. Bruno says it’s a wonderful tribute to outstanding talent from an equally talented performer. I agree. Carrie says contemporary is about expression and that this was healing and such a good tribute. She mentions that she was proud of her because she came in so shy and scared, and Julia genuinely looked happy. Derek says that this performance will last forever, and says it was full of joy, fun and emotion, and I agree. Kym says it was well done, and a gorgeous dedication. Up in the booth Julia asks what heath meant to her, and she says he brought out the light. That’s something that he continued to do tonight, and that means this was perfect. He was the leader of the pack, and always about play. She gets straight 9s, and maybe I wanted a ten for her but I’m ok with where we are. Next Tuesday we’ve got Horror Night. Ok. That’ll be interesting. Shirley Ballas is the judge for horror night, and she’s Mark Ballas’ mom and part of a training duo that’s feared and revered, according to the nerdy DWTS research I’ve been doing sometimes to get more lore. We go all the way through scores only to find out no one gets eliminated. That’s the best outcome because this meant too much, so I’m on board if a little miffed. That means two couples go home next week though. Spooooooky. Well, we lived through this. Let’s hit Hates and Greats! Hates: I am not a fan of the random other junk. By this I mean, 30 second interstitial dances, going from real emotion to the Cat in the Hat promos, and all the “People Magazine’s sexiest pro” type stuff. I get that this is like, flagship entertainment for the network, but it turns me off. Dance style mayhem: I kinda wish everyone did the same style as each other each week so someone didn’t get foxtrot week one, for fairness. Apples to apples and all that. And often there’s several of the same, so why not make it uniform. Greats: Dedication night is special. I love that they get loved ones involved. Alfonso remains a reason I love this show. I think he’s genuine, funny, and just the right amount of cheesy. On to horror week!

Voting lines at the Round Lake Beach, IL Civic Center on Nov 3, 2026. It's election night, but for a few of the people I know, it's actually the end of a season. Tonight's the night that they're victorious and can finally stop pulling crazy hours and eating clementines out of their lunchboxes at 3 pm because it's the first chance they've gotten to eat. They're done volunteering at a new nursing home and helping people who can't get out to vote be able to vote where they are, however they can show up. They were there at the courthouse on day one, when it was the only place in the county you could cast a vote yet. This morning, they got up at 4:15 am, arrived before dawn and hauled big VOTE HERE sandwich boards to the curbs, and they're scheduled to be there until 7 pm. It's 4 pm. It's been raining almost all day, and I am on my way to the grocery store to get a few more things to finish making a big pot of comfort food for when my husband is finally done at the polls. I decide to swing by the site he's working at, to see how things are going, and to give him a cold drink. When I get there, I notice there's a line of cars snaking out onto the street, and a line of people outside the civic center. There's no parking at all, and I have to circle twice, but there's also a table full of voter's rights advocates sitting out in the rain, handing out butterscotch and information, and a food truck selling tortas, burritos and tacos. As I get up to the door I hear one of the workers telling someone that there's about a 30 minute wait "at least" to vote. I can't remember the last time this was true here, and it certainly wasn't last election. They don't seem to mind. Out in the lot people seem sort of hopeful. I can't believe we have a whole ass taco truck. I am rethinking the whole dinner making thing. I manage to get in and hand him the drink by sheer force of will and knowing he might need a pick me up by now. Meanwhile, I still have one ear on the conversation at the door. People are still being told that there's a 30 minute wait. Cars are still circling the lot looking for parking. People are coming out of the building with their stickers. The taco truck is probably making bank, and it almost seems like a festival day, save for the rain. Polling places with tacos and tortas? Genius. My husband showed up because he believes that we need to protect elections, ensure everyone is able to vote without intimidation. He did it with boots on in Iraq years ago, and this time he's got a lanyard and badge and he's doing it from inside the building as a civilian. He never gave up his mission, and I don't think he ever will. I'm proud of him in a way I can't even begin to convey in words. I walk outside again as the line gets longer than it was when I got here, and I have to smile. Because no matter what happens - people are here, lined up to vote. My town showed up. And we showed up with tacos. Whatever this midterm brings, remember that the way to make change is to make your voice heard. Take action. Vote. Don't stop. No matter what.

Screenshot: Gravhounds Four-player co-op games are my jam. There’s nothing better than getting together online with a few friends and doing stupid things, dangerous things—all in the comfort and safety of your own house. It also happens to be a great way for middle-aged dudes to maintain long-distance friendships. So I’m always on the lookout for the next game to play. When I saw Gravhounds, I knew it would be something I’d want to check out. Gravhounds is a 1-4 player co-op game where you take on the role of dogs working for a soulless, greedy corporation. There are four playable dogs: Zane, Finn, Selene, and Dozer. While each canine possesses their own stats and special ability, all dogs share the same base mechanics, tools, and weapons. Screenshot: Gravhounds The gameplay itself reminds me a bit of Helldivers mixed with Deep Rock Galactic—or perhaps like Rogue Core because of the way upgrades work. You fight bugs, and you mine, returning that ore to your ship. The genetically engineered dogs are pretty fast and nimble, with omni-directional boosting—which can help you move faster or jump higher. Each mission in Gravhounds is like its own run. You don’t drop into a mission as a specific class, or even with a specific weapon. Instead, you have to choose all of your abilities and weapons in-mission as you level up. You’ll be doing a fair amount of mining, which you use your mining laser/gravity manipulator for, picking up items à la the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2. You also use this gun to place turrets, fabricators, and more across your network of energy pipelines, which serve as connectors and building nodes. Screenshot: Gravhounds The game is launching into Early Access, so I’m going to reserve my final judgment until it gets to 1.0. However, there are a few things I didn’t really like: I’m not a fan of how you drag nodes out to attach new ones. It feels imprecise. I’m also not a huge fan of dropping in and having to choose your weapon immediately by dropping down a reward pod—you should be able to choose it right as you land without having to throw a pod. Small gripes, really. While Gravhounds is best with friends, you don’t have to have a full group to enjoy the game. Difficulty dynamically scales. So even if you want to be a lone wolf, that’s possible. Though I found playing solo a bit tedious as the duties of building, defense, and ore collection fall solely on your dogged shoulders. Screenshot: Gravhounds Gravhounds also has a meta-progression component. Between missions, you can unlock new weapons, upgrades, and different turrets. You can also unlock new abilities that have the potential to show up during future runs. While developer Octopus Panic plans on keeping the game in Early Access for 6 months, that might change based on player feedback—according to their Early Access info box on the Steam store page. And they promise to listen to player feedback going forward. Screenshot: Gravhounds I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve had with Gravhounds so far, but I definitely see where there’s room for improvement. If you want to get in early and be a part of that discussion, there is a decent amount of content, with the core gameplay loop being in place. Gravhounds is available today on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Game Pass.

Screenshot: Knuckle Creek Sometimes an indie game comes out of nowhere and is so unexpectedly fun, you have to tell people about it. I guess it's not fair to judge a book by its cover–or a game by its key art–but something about Knuckle Creek made it look like it would be disappointing. I was so, so wrong. And when I look back on it, of course I was: this game is lovingly made with claymation animation, and obviously had a lot of heart put into it by developer Claymatic Games. ​Knuckle Creek is a party brawler that is part Smash Bros. and part Gang Beasts. It immediately reminded me of retro fighter ClayFighter with a more limited array of character types–mostly redneck themed fighters here. But if you smash Gang Beasts' goofy physics and Smash Bros' structure into the literal clay molds of ClayFighter, you get Knuckle Creek. Screenshot: Knuckle Creek ​While Knuckle Creek looks a lot like Smash Bros., it uses a more traditional health system based on how many times you're knocked down or out of the arena. Which can happen easily when there's an arena full of fighters and the chaos that introduces. Especially when weapons are being used, which will happen in generous amounts. It's not uncommon to have multiple rockets, trash can lids, and other projectiles flying across the screen. If you die early you can rain down explosives to knock out those who are still playing. ​While Knuckle Creek is more fun with friends, if you don't have friends you can play solo. There are bots that will give you a run for your money even on easy mode. There are also single player challenges to get through–three maps of them–if you want to unlock new costumes and accessories. Instead of unlocking a set number of base characters, you build your own custom roster. There are literally hundreds of cosmetic items and flags, plus over a dozen voice options, and emotes to taunt your friends mid battle. Screenshot: Knuckle Creek ​There's lots of variety to be had, since there are multiple game modes and lots of customization on how those modes are played, if you choose. There are 24 maps and multiple different game modes: free for all, team matches, last man standing. There are adjustable match settings for health, fatal falls, weapons available, time of day, map voting, etc. Empty slots can also be filled with bots if you can't get a full match and want the chaos a full 8 player session can bring. ​While chaotic, it's very fun. Knuckle Creek most likely won't get into any esports scene, but it's a great time to play with friends. I love the claymation look, and while I wish there were more variety of characters than redneck adjacent people wearing costumes, there's still enough cosmetic variety to make a character your own. I definitely recommend this party brawler.