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via. Marvel.com The latest show out of the MCU has been a critical success. But something about it has been knocking around in my head. I know most of the praise is definitely deserved. Wonder Man  is a very character-driven story, buoyed by the genuinely fantastic interactions of Sir Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams. Watching these two bounce off of each other is electric. Their chemistry is so potent that it retroactively makes Trevor Slattery a welcome part of the MCU. There was even a "redemption" of sorts for the whole Mandarin thing. Trevor isn’t just a punchline here; he’s integral to the heart of the series. But again, despite some of the best character work Marvel has produced in Phase 6, something nagging kept knocking inside my skull. No, it’s not that awful Doorman episode with Josh Gad. Which is proof that Disney just can’t stop meddling in potentially nice things. It was so tonally off that it felt like it came from a completely different show. As bad as that was, it worked as a way to juxtapose the "Bad MCU" (forced whimsy) and the "Good MCU" (actual character work). But I digress. via Marvel.com As good as the performances are, the series exposes a frustrating insecurity in modern comic adaptations that I feel Wonder Man  only amplifies: the belief that a character can’t be "grounded" unless you strip away everything that made them a superhero in the first place. I never understood this. If you take Superman, for instance, one of the most compelling parts of that character is his anchor to his humanity despite  being an alien. I know comic accuracy is a sticking point for some people. I understand, because it can be for me, too. If you have a character you love adapted to a new medium, it’s exciting to see that  character—not an amalgamation or a retelling. For a more obscure character like Wonder Man, it’s almost a guarantee that details will be rearranged. I’m not saying the show would be better if it was strictly comic-accurate, but I am saying that you can tell a grounded, human story even with fantastical elements. via Marvel.com I was a kid when Simon Williams had his solo comic run between 1991 and 1994. In those books, Simon wasn't just a guy figuring things out; he was an ionic powerhouse. He was immortal, invulnerable, and capable of juggling tanks—and he was still  a struggling actor. The source material proved decades ago that you don't need to de-power a character to tell a human story. Instead of embracing that dichotomy, Wonder Man  retreats to a trope I hated even as a kid: the hero who spends the entire story unable to use their powers, or just learning how to use them. It feels like we’ve gone full circle to the pre-MCU era of television. The writers seem terrified of the "Wonder" part of Wonder Man . They ground Simon so aggressively that for long stretches, he feels less like a superhero and more like a generic protagonist in a Hollywood satire. His powers do nothing more than raise the stakes, which is good, but the "Doorman Clause" (which, as far as I know, doesn’t exist in the comics) feels like an artificial barrier more so than a real, organic one. I mean, they had to have an entire episode—starring a very loud Josh Gad—just to sell it to us! I want fully powered heroes having full stories. I want to see a god-tier character like Simon Williams navigate a world that is too fragile for him. Surely there could have been drama involved with having to compete with other super-powered actors for the same role? But seeing a world full of superheroes and a person who is unwilling to even learn to control their powers feels unrealistic to me. I think what people liked about Wonder Man  is its authenticity. That is where the MCU lost its way post- Endgame . Despite the fantastical elements, something about the early MCU felt authentic in a character sense. Wonder Man  exudes this. I just wish it wasn't so afraid to be super while doing it.

Screenshot: Scarlet Hollow I just arrived in Scarlet Hollow. I know some of you have been trapped in this town for years, waiting patiently for every drop of content since 2020. I, however, am spoiled. I binged the first four episodes in a couple of days. But that luxury has a cost: hitting the wall of Episode 5’s split release has been excruciating. After absolutely loving the majority of the first four acts, I found myself strangely underwhelmed by the start of Episode 5—until the cards were finally put on the table. Screenshot: Scarlet Hollow Coming into Episode 5, everything felt almost too safe. I knew there was going to be a rug pull at some point—especially since the narrative stakes are finally being clarified—but I didn’t expect the emotional gut punch that followed. I know veteran players might have seen it coming (or listened to Wayne’s ominous warnings), but I was genuinely shocked by the time the first part of Episode 5 concluded. Developer Black Tabby Games promised that the first half of Episode 5 would be roughly as long as the entirety of Episode 4. I’m not sure if that holds up in practice, because my two playthroughs went by lightning fast. Maybe it’s my fault for devouring the story so voraciously, or maybe certain Trait choices speed things up, but the thought of having to wait another week to see what happens next is agonizing. (Again, apologies to those of you who have been in it for the long haul!) Screenshot: Scarlet Hollow If you’re not familiar with Scarlet Hollow, it is the work of the husband-and-wife dev team at Black Tabby Games (Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias). While many gamers know them from their massive breakout hit Slay the Princess, Scarlet Hollow is actually their debut project, which they have been releasing episodically since 2020. Unlike in Slay the Princess, where your choices can change the literal reality of the story, the central mystery in Scarlet Hollow is constant. Your choices change what is revealed, when, and by whom. There is an ominous warning at the start that you can’t save everyone—you can’t even save yourself—and that promise is finally paying off with higher stakes in Episode 5. I’m absolutely into Scarlet Hollow, even if the writing does skew a little YA at times—mostly in the banter and relationship dynamics. However, it anchors that lightness with a complicated and deep narrative full of interesting characters that are a treat to interact with. It also uses excellent sound design to really drive home the horror and panic of key scenes. For a visual novel, it feels remarkably dynamic and real. Screenshot: Scarlet Hollow There are light RPG elements, too; the Trait system changes what your character is able to do, sometimes to a significant degree. Traits like Talks to Animals (one of my favorites) and Mystic open up lore and information you can’t get otherwise. Part of the charm is playing through multiple times to see the story from those different angles. Episodes 6 and 7 are being worked on as a single unit. That means once this cliffhanger resolves, I won’t have to wait mid-story again until the finale drops. I just hope I don’t have to wait five years for that to happen.

Screenshot: ANTHEM#9 ANTHEM#9  is a game of "buts." It is the debut title from self-taught solo developer koeda, but it feels surprisingly polished in its presentation. It has some serious style and seriously catchy music, but a gameplay loop that makes me feel like it’s missing that certain something . It features a clever gem-matching combat system that feels great when it works, but the world around it feels empty. It is also, unfortunately, a victim of terrible timing. Releasing a roguelike deckbuilder just days before the juggernaut that is Mewgenics  feels like a death sentence for a small indie, and it’s not entirely fair that koeda’s game has to compete in that shadow. But even without the comparison, ANTHEM#9  struggles to keep its head above water on its own merits. Screenshot: ANTHEM#9 Let’s get the good stuff out of the way first: ANTHEM#9  is stylish as hell. From the moment you boot it up, the game oozes a jagged, spy-thriller anime aesthetic that feels incredibly confident for a first-time developer. The UI pops, the character designs are distinct, and the soundtrack is a banger (I have “dance like you don’t give a damn what the people think” on loop in my head. If you played it, you know). But the soundtrack does a lot of heavy lifting to keep the energy up, especially when the mechanics start to drag. If you were judging this game by the first few minutes you play it, it would be a masterpiece. Even the tutorial took what seemed like a complicated concept and made it seem easy. The core gameplay hook is a "gem-match roguelite" system. Instead of standard mana to cast spells or perform abilities, you deal with a random assortment of Red, Green, and Blue gems each turn. Your skills activate based on specific "recipes"—like Red-Red-Blue or Green-Blue-Green. At first, the gem matching didn’t land for me. But the UI actually helped me figure out that you can chain some abilities along with others, and the whole thing started to click. Once those weird mechanics made sense, I was able to create some crazy combos. The goal is to chain the right sequence of gems to trigger a massive attack that cancels the enemy’s turn entirely. Screenshot: ANTHEM#9 But outside of these moments of tactical brilliance, the experience falls flat. This hollowness extends to the roguelite elements. In a genre defined by risk-reward choices and interesting events, ANTHEM#9  feels static. Events are incredibly rare—maybe one per floor—which turns the game into a linear slog of fight after fight. You can exchange or level up skills, but without interesting decisions to make between battles, the "run" feels less like an adventure and more like a spreadsheet. This is compounded by the fact that your character is never in  a location, or never face-to-face with an enemy. Everything is implied through character portraits. Screenshot: ANTHEM#9 The game features three playable characters: Rubit (the starter), and the unlockable Phannie and Beni. Rubit’s starting arsenal feels basic—poison and daggers—which doesn't help the early game monotony. Unlocking Phannie and Beni brings some much-needed variety to the playstyles, with Phannie offering a high-risk, high-reward gambling mechanic that finally makes the deckbuilding interesting. There are four base "missions" per character, each with a different boss, followed by "Extra" missions that get progressively harder. I’m sure there is an end to it, but I didn’t find it. And honestly, the game didn’t give me enough of a reason to keep looking. Screenshot: ANTHEM#9 ANTHEM#9  is a case of style over substance. As a debut from a solo developer, it is an impressive technical and artistic achievement. But as a game you have to actually play for hours, it falls short. Even with a potentially impressive endgame, some sort of overarching progression would have helped. If you are a die-hard genre enthusiast looking for something to look at while you listen to a podcast, it might be worth a spin. For everyone else, the wait for a deeper experience continues.

The Pitt. HBO Max Another episode, another hour in to a brand new shift at The Pitt. It’s 9 am for Episode 3, and as it would be IRL, we’re already knee deep in gore, drama and story. So, let’s glove up and get examining …everything. This week we lead off with two of the new docs, and the two I least enjoy so far – Joy and Ogilvie. As Whitaker notes, Joy’s pretty peculiar (though I’d say aloof and disinterested) and Ogilvie’s really smart (and way, way too competitive). We’ve got a new patient who hit his head and is unconscious. He’s also diabetic, and we get a little infighting between Smarty Pants Ogilivie and Smarty Pants and Trudy in front of Langdon over what they should do.  McKay still has her altered mental status guy with the scaphoid issue, and, now we’re just back to the recaps. A little bit more recapping of last episode happens, but we’re going to skip that, because we recapped last episode in our last episode recap.  The Pitt. HBO Max Back with our belligerent college guy - this dude’s been tased and he still isn’t settled. He’s shouting things that are setting off some alarm bells for me but I’m not exactly sure what to make of it all yet. 2701, Title 18. Reasonableness, 2709. I have to assume none of that is purely random. When I threw it into Gemini, it ends up making a little bit more sense. In the context of PA law, apparently, that all makes very good sense. Title 18 S 2701 references Simple Assault, 2709 Harassment and Stalking. Maybe that’s not a thing, maybe it is. I’m sure we’ll find out. We’re done with priapism guy for now, and he’s told to calm down the activities and lay off the Viagra, basically. Will he be back? I have a feeling he might, but let’s hope not. Remember that racing family? Our original patient’s better, but they’re all back in the waiting room, and they seem like trouble. The oldest of them, or one of the oldest, got dizzy and fell.  The Pitt. HBO Max Back to Digby. He hates doctors. Fair. Luckily, he also has the best nurse in the whole damn world with Dana, and she’s able to reason with him enough to be able to get him to talk to our new social worker to seek ongoing care. She also gets him a sandwich. The people who help in these practical, essential ways, are angels on earth. Thank a nurse next time you see one. Now we’ve got the campus cop, large and angry, blustering about our screaming college kid. Apparently he got a chair thrown at him by this kid, and he’s out for revenge. He wants to stay in line of sight with him so he can watch him, as any white guy drunk with the power of some sort of badge would. If you couldn’t tell, I really, really don’t trust him, and I think maybe we’ll find he’s one of those who work forces, if you know what I mean. The Pitt. HBO Max Our new social worker is back, and other than the man bun, he’s turning out to be another of the good ones. He’s working with Santos on our potential abuse case. There’s some red flags for him, but not enough to call it abuse, or blame anyone. Santos, natch, is absolutely dogged on this, and convinced that the father, who they’ve called in to interview, won’t show. Back with our college kid, it’s time to pull the taser barbs out. This oughta be a piece of very very angry cake. King’s a pro here and we see her actually confidently teach. Still, it’s tricky,but luckily for us, Dr. Al-Hashimi’s got sage advice on pulling them straight out, and so, despite the rage, the job is done. Seems like Dr. Al’s got some experience here that we might dig into later. Just when you thought we were resolving too many things, a double trauma’s called. I hate to say something like “oo boy!” but “oo boy!” The Pitt. HBO Max This one’s an auto vs. a motorcycle and of course, Robbie’s on it. It’s pretty bad, and so far we know the driver’s not okay. When the motorcyclist comes in, it’s pretty clear that the massive trauma means he’s more or less DOA. Surprisingly, Joy has a pretty strong reaction, while Robby barely blinks before heading to another room. Also surprisingly, Joy’s the one asking about a moment of recognizance, and Robby’s out the door already to see the driver of the car that hit the motorcyclist. His wife is in the room, which never means anything good. And, here’s the first twist - the driver’s quadriplegic? Cut to McKay, who’s got on some sort of pheromones or new perfume, because man, is she getting hit on.  Most immediately by an older gentleman named Mr. Montrose who’s been found wandering around the ER. He was in for a fall, and awaits the therapeutic donut he doesn’t want to admit he needs - I imagine this happens, but does it happen as often as it seems to in The Pitt? A guy in the gurney across from the pair is also shooting his shot - which seems a lot more logical coming from him, but still…right now? Flash back to Louie, who’s nearing the end of his ordeal. They tell him he’ll be out before the fireworks tonight, and for some reason in this context that makes me feel like he’s not going to live to see them. Call me a hardened viewer, but, that, coupled with the Things They Learn From Him suddenly…it just feels like there’s some danger here. The Pitt. HBO Max Back with McKay again, but she’s with her scaphoid/weird affect guy. And he’s got a brain tumor…which, we assume at least, explains all the strangeness we’ve seen from him. He’s not too keen on a brain biopsy, and –who would be? But McKay explains the stereoscopic guided CT assisted biopsy process and he at least seems like he’s gonna do it. Now we’re in with The Hansens, our racing family, and they’re packed in the ER with our patient and arguing right over his gurney. Langdon finally cuts the crap and they discover he’s taken a medicine that wasn’t his and that they don’t know what it was. This seems way TOO feasible in today’s world, what with the ivermectin crowd.  In the next room over, Robby’s back with our driver from car vs. motorcycle, making reference to knowing more as soon as they consult the Donut of Truth, which I’m gonna assume is a CT scan, because, well…it turns out it is. He’s about to be wheeled up when they note his mental status is also very altered. The wife’s hovering nearby and has heard he’s paralyzed, and she’s panicking, fully.  She wants to tag along but there’s radiation in that there donut, so she can’t. Robby has her wait with him til he goes, and he and Hashimi - decide to split up? Here we have our first bit of ..flirting between Robby and Dr. Al. Do we like this? Is it weird? It feels weird. The Pitt. HBO Max Meanwhile, our Eastern European lady turns out to be Jewish. She’s also got Robby’s number, and her classic Jewish mothering to him is really very charming. She’s used a home remedy for a burn that’s really, really gross. Honey. She’s also from Tree of Life, a synagogue that was involved in a shooting. Our new nurse is uncharacteristically a little rude, laughing at the honey remedy. Turns out, it’s only half not a great idea, but could actually work on a lesser burn. Robby’s got her, and promises she too will be home by the fireworks, but she’s begging not to go home until after. Meanwhile, Santos gets surprised by her pet case’s father, who seems remarkably non suspicious. He’s chill, he’s answering questions calmly, and he’s remarkably sweet with his daughter. There’s no real red flags with this guy until he starts interacting with the girlfriend, and blaming her for everything that’s happened, aggressively and standing over his gurney. Enter our social worker, who sweeps in and pulls them out of the room with the girl and girlfriend. He’s asking questions tactfully and Santos is interjecting at just the right time to really provoke him. He goes straight after his girlfriend, and they end up in an altercation where he also chooses to threaten our security guy. Absolutely not!  The Pitt. HBO Max Enter Dana with the lab results. ITP 9000. Do I know what that means? Of course not, but I think it means everyone shuts up and waits to find out. Robby’s now back with Ms. Kovenko, and he’s not only patching her up, he’s listening to her. She was there for the shooting, and fireworks are a huge trigger for her. Honestly, this is an issue more people should talk about at holidays and celebrations because it’s not just pets that can suffer when fireworks are happening - many soldiers and victims of shootings/bombings can feel the same way - unsafe, scared, and incredibly reactive. I hope this ends well for her, and she can get some sleep in the hospital away from the triggers. When Robby heads over to Mr. Yee, our car accident victim, we’ve got Mrs.Yee freaking out because she’d been arguing with her husband prior to the accident and doesn’t want him to pass away on those last words. Good news for this crew, the CT revealed normal results, and after another surprise phone call and labs with critical potassium we find out his paralysis is temporary, and he’ll get better- including use of his limbs. The Pitt. HBO Max Over in another bed, we’ve got a squiggly and adorable kiddo who shoved some beads up his nose. Now I know this one’s common - my brother did this when we were kids. I remember thinking I had no idea why he’d do it, but also no idea why it required an ER visit. It’s a bit of a dad’s club and it’s nice to see dads supporting dads or dads to be.  Back with the Yees, we’re trying to figure out how this weird sudden paralysis from a rare disorder only happened now, but before we can, all the alarm bells ring and we’re doing compressions. Santos and Whitaker discuss the ITP, and smarty pants Ogilvie helps explain what it means…sorta. The cops come in to talk with our campus security guy, and he’s pandering to them, but they seem smart enough to not just give him a pass cuz he’s wearing a badge.  Back with the Yees again, we’ve stabilized our driver, he’ doing ok, but she’s showing no signs of not freaking out. He’s awake, she’s touching him…and she’s down for the count. Turns out, she’s been internally bleeding the whole time because she didn’t get checked out after the accident on the ambulance or at the hospital when they asked. As a recent person who almost didn’t get checked out, let me tell you, on the record, during a recap of a medical show - get checked out. Back with our “abuse” case, dad and daughter are calmly reunited, Santos is managing a good bedside manner, and a good conversation with the kiddo’s mother. The girlfriend lurks around the corner, and I’m sure this isn’t over yet. McKay’s back now, and we’re still just left to wonder what it is about her today that’s attracting all that attention, as she’s being serenaded in French by our elderly guy and persistently chased by gurney guy across the way. No time for that though because scaphoid weird affect man has an ex-wife who’s there – but not happy to be there.  Back with our racers and King, we’ve managed to find out what it is our friendly flag pants man’s taken. Blood pressure pills. Ok, explained away. I thought these guys would be more trouble. Back with Mr. Yee, he finds out his wife’s faceplanted and been taken away, and he also has regrets, and doesn’t want her to die thinking he hates her. Don’t leave stuff unresolved. McKay’s now with Scaphoid guy and his ex, and it’s a weirdly pleasant exchange and catchup for them. She backs off her anger at him, and he’s exceedingly apologetic and sensitive to her. He seems genuinely glad she was able to remarry and wishes her the best, and she’s visibly shook by it. McKay makes a polite exit so they can talk more. Now we’re on to our diabetic and his daughter’s here taking charge until her mom arrives. Ogilvie and Trudy get into a debate on how to treat him in front of her and she brings them back to earth with one single “Huh?” and reminds them that all the knowledge in the world won’t help patients and their families understand what’s happening to them. Now we’re back with Bead Boy, and they’ve set him up with a VR headset to play with which ends up doing a fantastic job of distracting him completely so they can just go right in and get the snot covered beads. This is a simple scene but such a nice one . We’re back with campus cop and his real cop friends, and our nurse’s stand stands up for our screaming college student when he accuses him of being on drugs in a roundabout way by loudly reading his very negative tox screen in front of the cops, who are looking at ol’ Campus Cop in a whole new light, it seems. The Pitt. HBO Max Back with Kolenko, who’s being attended to by a muslim nurse, we think there might be trouble, but instead, the woman thanks her for what the Muslim community did to support the Jewish community after the shooting.  Meanwhile, as she’s about to thank him for the help, the nurse lets slip his motorcycle adventure plans, and boy does he get scolded for riding a motorcycle. It’s actually pretty delightful. Santos’ injured girl’s father and his girlfriend get into it again, this time outside her room, but in earshot of Santos. Even if it’s not abuse, this isn’t real great for any of them, obvi. As Dana’s making her rounds, Mr. Yee asks her to record a message for his wife. Uh oh. IT’s really, really sweet but it’s not giving me good vibes on this case. McKay’s back to check in on our exes, and she’s feeling some type of way because, as it turns out, this affect change is making him profoundly nicer than he was, and she’s wondering if it was the tumor all along. McKay has to acquiesce that it’s possible, as painful as that is, and she asks to stay on as his emergency contact. Aww. This place is killing me today. Meanwhile, one phone call that isn’t a drill later (I mean, if anyone but Dana said it it’d be insanely corny. And the corn factor is still high.) we’ve got one hospital nearby down for the count and a bunch of patients headed in to The Pitt, whether we like it or not. And…well, that’s a wrap on this week’s Pitt.  What are your thoughts on what happens next?  I guess we’ll find out at 10 am.

Screenshot: Ranger’s Path National Park Simulator Did you ever wonder what went into maintaining our national and state parks? Did you ever want to be a park ranger, thinking you’d spend your days sipping coffee in a fire tower somewhere? Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator actually approximates the day to day activities of a National Park Ranger. That means you’ll be doing all of the mundane tasks like making sure trails are passable, campsites are usable, and the visitors have the proper permits and aren’t getting themselves into trouble. I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors these last couple of years, and not only have I grown to appreciate the people who make those excursions possible, but I’ve gotten to chatting with a few of them. From volunteer trail maintainers to lifelong park rangers, there are a whole bunch of people out there who are not only passionate about the outdoors, but excited to have people come out and enjoy it, too. Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator does a surprising amount to actually highlight the often thankless work these people engage in. Screenshot: Ranger’s Path National Park Simulator I got a chance to get into the Steam Nextfest demo for Ranger’s Path , and I’m surprised how coherent a game about being a park ranger can be. Most of my demo time was spent picking up trash, and fixing signs and tables that have fallen into disrepair. Which mirrors a lot of my outdoor volunteer work. Except in  Ranger’s Path  you don’t have to contend with the rigors and discomfort of actually being outside. Most of my tasks were assigned to me over the radio as I looked at the scenery or drove around in my pickup truck. It’s worth noting that Ranger’s Path leans heavily into the 'cozy' side of the simulator spectrum. There’s no high stakes management or punishing realism of a hardcore survival sim–everything in the demo was low pressure. The game seems less interested in penalizing you for a messy campsite and more interested in the zen of the cleanup. It turns the act of replacing a rotted trail marker into a surprisingly meditative loop—click, fix, admire—that scratches the same itch as something like PowerWash Simulator. Screenshot: Ranger’s Path National Park Simulator Beyond the janitorial duties, the demo hinted at the more investigative side of the job. There’s a wildlife research component involving a camera that forces you to slow down and actually observe the environment rather than just driving through it. Spotting a bear or tracking local fauna adds a layer of discovery that breaks up the maintenance loop. It grounds the experience, reminding you that you’re a steward of a living ecosystem, not just a glorified groundskeeper with a pickup truck. I’m not saying that any video game can be a substitute for the outdoors, but Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator is a unique glimpse into a lifestyle that not a lot of people probably consider. And not only that, it actually manages to capture the mundanity in a fun way. I’m definitely looking forward to checking out the full game when I get my chance. Screenshot: Ranger’s Path National Park Simulator Check out the demo during Steam Next Fest February 23rd - March 2nd

Screenshot: Whirlight: No Time to Trip Point and click adventure games are not really that popular anymore. You really have to understand hardware limitations, and the exciting merger of new multimedia possibilities and gameplay. Point and click adventures were—for their time—cinematic in a way that most other games weren’t. Nowadays the whole “point and click” gameplay seems a little quaint, but I’m glad there are those out there still paying homage to my childhood favorites. And Whirlight – No Time to Trip  does exactly that, by taking inspiration from Day of the Tentacle  and Sam & Max Hit the Road —which happen to be two of my very favorite early point and click games. Screenshot: Whirlight: No Time to Trip Developed by imaginarylab—the studio behind Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town  (itself inspired by the Escape From Monkey Island  series)— Whirlight – No Time to Trip  is being handled by true veterans of the genre. That’s why I was excited to check out its Steam Next Fest demo ahead of the event (which runs from February 23rd to March 2nd). Whirlight – No Time to Trip  is a time-traveling point and click comedy starring an eccentric inventor and a determined artist as they hop between time periods trying to stop a global catastrophe. Hector is a brilliant but unlucky inventor from the 1960s who is accidentally hurled into the 1990s where he meets Margaret. Together they embark on a journey through time and space, solving puzzles and interacting with strange environments and characters. There is some good news for those who like the concept of point and click adventures but hate looking for the right places to click, and then deciding what the right action to use in whatever context menu. There are no more context menus, and each area of the environment that can be interacted with is easily highlighted. I can’t wait to see more of Whirlight – No Time to Trip  when the full game is released. The developers obviously understand the heart and humor that made those old games timeless.

Photo: Julian Ramirez Listen. We're from Chicago. And, in Chicago, tradition is king. Sure, it might now be called the Willis Tower, but you won't catch us saying anything but Sears. It's Comiskey. It's Field's. We go to Jewel. We're a city that works, and a city that loves to be recognized for the things we've done that have left a lasting impact on the country and the world. That's why every single year, we're proud to hit the floor at the Chicago Auto Show. It's a tradition that's been around for a full 118 editions as of this year, with the first show all the way back in 1901. Photo: Marielle Bokor Most of the crew here at Culture Combine have been attending for years, first as kids pulling our parents hands towards the coolest sports cars, trucks and of course, the "rides." But we'll get to that later. While some would say it's not quite the same post-COVID, not sprawling over several halls the way it used to, this show maintains its title as the largest auto show in North America while also being one of the most important, oftentimes being THE place that the newest innovations in automotive technology are revealed. Photo: Julian Ramirez The show has always featured impressive indoor tracks, and as far back as its inception electric, steam and gas powered cars on the same floor. In the 60s, supercars and exotics were introduced, and every single show there's something brand new and amazing to fawn over. While the last years have heavily focused on the many advances in hybrid and electric tech and have seen all the major automobile manufacturers turning classics like the Corolla, Escalade, and Jeep Wrangler fully plug-in, this year saw a lot of retro style coming back in. That's not supposed to be there... Photo: Julian Ramirez This year's Chicago Auto Show put a heavy focus on Chi-Town Alley, which isn't dedicated to the new models, or any manufacturer, but instead focuses on car culture, especially that here in Chicago. This showcase is all about Chicagoland car enthusiasts, and owners auditioned via video to get their ride a spot on the floor. And it's here where we found, at least in our opinion, the stars of the show. Photo: Julian Ramirez Chicago Auto Club Orale! came with their best in show lowriders. And it's not just about the amazing paint jobs - it's every little detail, from golden rims to door inlays, crushed velvet interiors, etching and embroidery. No part of these familiar cars go untouched, and they get amazing hydraulics and killer tires to boot. These cars are truly amazing, and a vibrant reflection of the beautiful Latino culture right here in Chicago. But that's not all they were doing in the alley- they were also dropping huge engines into '95 Civics and proudly displaying those beautiful 90s conversion vans with the curtains and 3 rows of seating that usually had a VCR in back. If you know you know. Photo: Marielle Bokor It's not the only place we caught wood paneling and cushiony consoles though. It seems that's even creeping into today's most cutting edge electric vehicles, and we're here for it. There's nothing quite like the thought of driving a boat of a Buick, getting 500 miles per charge, and also having that limousine experience. Photo: Marielle Bokor Speaking of, one of the other crazy things on the floor was the beetle-like, matte golden CyberTaxi. Following Tesla's already loved/hated PS2 aesthetic with the Cybertruck, I guess they thought, why not do this with a driverless taxi? Photo: Marielle Bokor It's reminiscent but the matte gold, classic curves and suicide doors make it more of a looker than its big brother -- until you get inside, where it's as spartan and frightening as a future where fascist dictators reign supreme. And yet still somehow...compelling? Photo: Marielle Bokor If you're looking for more to do on the floor, you'll be happy to know that Camp Jeep's up and running, though, I will caution you that somehow every single year Jeep manages to catch us by surprise with just how tricky the terrain they build for their test course is. Just when we thought it was safe to strap ourselves into a Wrangler 319 our guide was gunning it for the 75 degree hill with an "Ope!" here and a slightly more concerning "Woah!" going down the stairs. (It doesn't seem that scary to go up and down stairs in a car, but...when the moment comes - it'll hit different. Photo: Julian Ramirez If one ride where you have to constantly think "Should a car be able to do this" wasn't enough, you can also hit up the Bronco track. This one's longer, and the tech involved is more prominent, but it's just as involved. Today's Bronco has cameras everywhere so you can be surefooted in any situation, an on-the-fly sway bar release to help you avoid highpointing, and enough driving modes to make you sweat a little. Photo: Marielle Bokor If you want something a little lower key, head to Subaru's forever foresty display, where you'll find...puppies! Just like last year, Subaru's teamed up with a local rescue to bring adorable pups to McCormick place, and if you sign a waiver, you can head straight into a pen full of adorable animals just waiting to chew your sweater strings, play tug-of-war or give you big slobbery kisses. Being in Chicago affords us a lot of opportunities, and we enjoyed sharing this one with you. If you're not that into specs, admire the design, and if you're local, get your tickets to visit the show before it wraps up on February 16th.

While B-movies have always been a staple of the physical media realm, this month is taking it to a whole new level. Some of the most exciting, weird, gross, and downright crazy movies are getting releases this month and it's awesome! There are some classically good movies coming out, so let;s highlight the good, the bad, and the steelbooks (so many steelbooks). Keeper 4K - February 3 While I may have ragged a little bit on the film in our best of 2025 movies post, I have somewhat come around on it on a second watch. A lot of my critiques of the brooding in the sunlight not working well with the pacing that's tailor made for dark scenes were lifted. Now those scenes feel much more rewarding, especially when juxtaposed with the film's more outwardly horrifying scenes. It's definitely worthy of a watch, especially in 4K to skip out on the artifacting streaming can cause in the dark spots. Nightcrawler Steelbook 4K - February 17 Nightcrawler is such a great, disturbing look in to a reckless and demented guy taking his ambitions way too far. It's a slow and disturbing movie that is getting this action oriented steelbook cover that doesn't really make much sense, but I assure you the film is sick, uncomfortable, and a damn fine film. Tank Girl 4K - February 24 Cult films don't get as iconic as Tank Girl. This gem of the 90s isn't a perfect film; if anything it's watchable and entertaining because of it's raw, completely uneven feel. It completely envelops you in its world and keeps you there for every thrilling second of its runtime. Vinegar Syndrome Ultra line is always chock full of extras and premium packaging, something that may seem unnecessary especially for a "low brow" film, but thats what makes them and physical media in general special. Shoestring Slashers Part II & '90s Nightmares - Q1 2026 Terror Vision is one of my favorite labels simply because of how obscure and weird their releases can be. These box-sets exemplify that perfectly. Low budget, barely there horror and pure 90s shockers are the kind of films that would be lost to time if it weren't for boutiques like Terror Vision. While there have been some delays in their releases due to unforeseen circumstances (these admittedly are scheduled for Q1 2026), that shouldn't stop you from picking these collections up once they're out in the wild! Quick Picks! Last Screening aka Derniere Seancev - another one from Terror Vision, this one being from their new line of releases focusing on Giallo films. Excalibur 4K & Westworld 4K from Arrow Video - Both of these films are a great time and these releases have been getting some early previews and they seem fantastic! The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Collection 3 - Always fun to see Christopher Lee's weird horror films in a collection like this!

Screenshot: Fellowship I knew it was coming. Preseason 2 is coming up, and that means all progression in Fellowship  will be wiped. This is a bit troubling to me because Fellowship  is the game my group has been playing for the last few weeks. It’s a group consisting entirely of middle-aged men with jobs, kids, and other worldly responsibilities that prevent us from spending hours glued to our computers. Well, I can, because that’s mostly what I do. But they can’t. And a progression wipe sounds like a terrible, unfun thing. I know Fellowship  wasn’t exactly coy about seasonal wipes. Anybody paying attention to the store page would notice it quickly. But if you’re a casual player, you might not even take the time to check. Screenshot: Fellowship I see people saying that even casual players can finish the seasonal progression with only a few hours a week. But we’re lucky if we can get in two solid hours of game time. It’s possible we’re outliers, but Fellowship —at least on the surface—looked like a game that would fit that play schedule perfectly. We can knock out around 4-5 dungeons a night, and that’s on our best nights. Not only that, it discourages players from jumping in mid-season. That’s a bummer for the player base. I know the idea is that everyone starts on equal footing at the start of each season, but the fact is that most players will get through the content and then put down Fellowship  until the next season hits. Screenshot: Fellowship The preseason wipes do have us talking about changing up the group configuration. I’ve been playing tank, but I was traditionally a healer in World of Warcraft . Alternatively, I can play the new tank (or new healer) coming out with Preseason 2. Fellowship  is a great game for those that want a standalone World of Warcraft  Mythic+ experience without all the extra time commitment. If it wasn’t for Fellowship , we couldn’t do this type of content as a group without the massive playtime that the others just don’t have. In fact, I introduced two of the players in our four-person group to WoW -style dungeons through Fellowship . Screenshot: Fellowship As far as I know, Fellowship  is the only game that captures that MMO feel without actually being an MMO. They strip the "Massive" out of the genre and focus on the small group fun. There’s nothing quite like the classic holy trinity mechanic: one player is built to tank aggro, others focus purely on DPS, and one person tries to keep everyone alive. There is no character creation in Fellowship , which might be a downside for some, but it removes another barrier to entry. I know I would take at least 30 minutes to figure out who I’d want to play, and another 10 just to figure out their name. There’s none of that stress and hassle here. Developer Chief Rebel does a great job of capturing that World of Warcraft  feel, all the way down to the art style. Fellowship  is like seeing a really great tribute band at a bar, or seeing a comedian perform a spot-on impression. Some of my amusement comes from the fact that it’s so unabashedly a WoW  clone. Well, a clone of a very specific aspect of WoW . Screenshot: Fellowship Mechanically, Fellowship  is sublime to play. Its starter dungeon difficulty is too easy, but it provided a perfect learning curve for a group that not only never played Mythic+ together, but never even played an MMO-style game together. Learning proper character spell/ability rotations is easy with tooltips that let you know specifically what each skill does. There are even some quality-of-life features that you can’t get in WoW  without messing with add-ons, like the ability to track teammates' interrupt cooldown timers. As you play, your character increases in power by getting items with higher stats. As you level up, you can unlock new abilities and talents through what looks  like a convoluted Path of Exile  skill web, but is actually just a linear progression. Screenshot: Fellowship However, the real progression isn’t in the talent points and gear you acquire, but how far you can travel through the Mythic+ inspired gauntlet of increasing difficulty. These add timers and modifiers that ramp up the challenge and pressure. The seasonal wipes won’t stop us from playing Fellowship  completely. In fact, we’ll probably use it as an excuse to switch up roles. But even then, I don’t know how long that will keep our interest. There is a solution to this, and ironically, Blizzard has had it in place in the Diablo  series for years. Just make a main, non-seasonal "Eternal Realm" progression mode alongside the seasonal characters. I have a feeling Chief Rebel might make this concession in the future, but it might not be before my friends and I are long gone.

The story of how a 98-cent toy and a Yale architect accidentally named the world's biggest sporting event. I mean, it's not exactly a bowl of footballs, but this photo is also 100 percent real. Photo: Mick Haput. Unsplash. The MLB has “The World Series.” Professional Golf has “The Masters.” And the NFL has “The Super Bowl.” But why "Bowl"? And why "Super"? The origin of the name is a lot more complicated—and accidental—than the corporate sheen of the event suggests. It is the tale of two disparate concepts colliding to create the biggest annual sporting event in the United States, an economic juggernaut generating over $600 million in ad revenue alone. It is such a massive cultural force that the commercials and halftime performers are now just as much a part of the discourse as the game itself. Here is how a soup-eating dish and a children's toy gave us the name. The Yale Bowl, 1924. Via Wikipedia. Part 1: The Architecture (Why "Bowl"?) Before 1914, the term “bowl” wasn’t associated with sporting events at all. Back then, football was played in “stadiums” and “fields.” That changed when Yale University built a massive new home for their football team. This structure was unusual; instead of building up  like a traditional grandstand, they dug into  the ground. The result was a sunken, elliptical amphitheater that looked exactly like a massive soup crockery. They literally named it The Yale Bowl. It was an architectural marvel and the first of its kind. The Rose Bowl (2018). Via Wikipedia Not to be outdone, organizers of the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena wanted a stadium as grand as Yale’s to host their annual East-West football game. The architect they hired, Myron Hunt, modeled his design directly after the Yale structure. When it opened in 1923, they naturally named it The Rose Bowl. Soon, fans started to refer to the game itself as “The Rose Bowl,” transferring the name from the building to the event. Pasadena began bringing in massive tourist dollars, so other cities copied the moniker to brand their own winter festivals. Miami created the Orange Bowl (1935), New Orleans the Sugar Bowl (1935), and Dallas the Cotton Bowl (1937). The kicker? None of these later "bowls" were actually held in bowl-shaped stadiums. The term had mutated from an architectural classification into a synonym for "Major Postseason Football Game." A Super Ball. Photo via Wikipedia. Part 2: The Toy (Why "Super"?) So we have the "Bowl." But why is it "Super"? That comes down to a distracted dad named Lamar Hunt. Hunt was the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the founder of the AFL. In 1966, when the NFL and AFL merged, they needed a name for the final game between the two league champions. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle—normally a marketing genius—stumbled here. He insisted on calling it "The AFL-NFL World Championship Game." From the media to the fans, everyone hated it. It was a mouthful. It lacked the punch of "The World Series." Add glitter and it's the perfect ball. A more modern Super Ball. Photo: Wikipedia During planning meetings, Hunt had been watching his children play with a specific Wham-O toy that was a craze at the time: the Super Ball. In a frantic letter to Rozelle, Hunt wrote: “I have jokingly called it the ‘Super Bowl,’ which obviously can be improved upon.”  He had phonetically combined the toy his kids loved (Super Ball) with the prestige of college football (Bowl Games). At first, the NFL brass thought “Super” was too colloquial and undignified. They brainstormed alternatives like “The Big One” and “The Merger Bowl,” but nothing stuck. The press, however, loved Hunt's placeholder. It was short, punchy, and headline-ready. By the time the game was played, the "World Championship" name was officially on the tickets, but everyone was saying "Super Bowl." The league finally gave in, and by the third game in 1969, the name "Super Bowl" was printed on the program. Photo: Dave Adamson. Unsplash The Legacy To add a final touch of gravity to a name born from a rubber ball, Lamar Hunt also advocated for the use of Roman numerals starting with Super Bowl V. He felt it gave the game a sense of dignity and historic weight—and clarified the confusion of a championship played in the year after  the season concludes. So when you watch the confetti fall this Sunday, remember: you aren't watching a "World Championship." You're watching a tribute to a 1914 architectural experiment and a 98-cent rubber ball.

Screenshot: The Spirit Lift At this point, I’ve played more roguelike deckbuilders than I can remember. That’s not a bad thing, because when they’re good they can offer some of the most satisfying gameplay. And if they’re great, they can even dominate video game discourse. That margin between good and great is probably slimmer than I, as an outsider, can really understand. The Spirit Lift  doesn’t manage to bridge the gap, but it brings some unique vibes and solid but formulaic execution. If you’ve been playing roguelike deckbuilders since Slay the Spire  redefined the genre, I can guarantee you’ve played one that’s a lot like The Spirit Lift . Everything here is pretty standard. You can select up to three characters, each with their own flavored cards and a choice of unique starting items. You explore each floor, sometimes getting into enemy encounters and at other times running into events which can make your run harder in a myriad of ways, or occasionally offer a helping hand. There are thirteen floors to fight through, culminating in a boss fight. The Spirit Lift  is a mechanically solid game, even if it’s a little on the easy side. Though, it was engaging enough that I lost hours playing it without realizing. But it wasn’t too long before I saw everything the game had to offer. Most enemies are repeated with a few variations. And since positive status effects persist through turns, it seems like they just throw more and more enemies at you to even out the balance. Screenshot: The Spirit Lift There was also a lack of fun synergies. If there were more than a couple of fun deck combinations to play, I didn't find them. I tried a bunch of different combos, but kept going back to the same four characters—keeping two while swapping out the third. Despite seeing all there was to offer in a few hours, there technically is a lot of progression. However, that progression is very grindy. I was able to unlock all eight characters and face all of the bosses before I even unlocked the third (out of six) tiers of progression. And that was after buying just a few of the items. The meta-progression is mostly about beefing up starting stats, which, in a game that’s already fairly easy, doesn’t feel so much like a bonus as busywork. This means The Spirit Lift  doesn’t have as much staying power as its contemporaries. There’s no ascension mode or other endgame content to justify the grind or to challenge yourself to harder and harder runs. Which makes The Spirit Lift  easily picked up and just as easily put down. That’s usually a great formula for a mobile game, or even a great fit for the Steam Deck. Unfortunately, it has thumbstick mouse controls instead of native controller support, making it a pain to play on the Steam Deck. Screenshot: The Spirit Lift The most standout aspect of The Spirit Lift  is its theme. It’s set in the ‘90s. In fact, you control three high school students as they wander off from their graduation party. But it’s not the 1990s I recognize as a kid who grew up in the period. It’s a weird, alternate 1990s: something that looks like it was made by aliens who were only told about what the ‘90s were like through popular media. I don’t mean this as an insult. If anything, I was insulted by my own age, because this surreal interpretation of my childhood decade actually added an unsettling element, which fits well with the horror theme. What’s also unsettling is the incongruous art styles. The sprites representing the enemies look like they could belong to another game. I think this is to ape the low-poly style of earlier games, but it’s just something that falls into an uncanny valley instead of a set era. Even the characters, which could have been '80s/'90s high school kid archetypes, don’t really fall into those categories. The Spirit Lift  is a fun roguelike deckbuilder, but it’s not one that will stick around for long. If you’re an aficionado who needs to put your hands on every game in this genre, you’ll find that The Spirit Lift  is fun, but shallow. For everyone else, there are better alternatives out there. Unless you’re absolutely aching for that strange ‘90s vibe, don’t board this elevator.

Ah, yes. It's early February so that means it's time to stop living in the moment and look ahead to that third Saturday in April that half the vinyl record community holds deep in their heart or outward disdains: Record Store Day. The 2026 Record Store day list is out and of course I took a quick look at it to sort out exactly which releases I'm excited for and which I'm confused by. TV Girl - The Night in Question: French Exit Outtakes There are plenty of mid Teens bands that really hyped up their releases and made them collectors items. TV girl is at the forefront of that with their albums going out of print as quickly as they came back with variations to behold. Some of their debut album French Exit's pressing have broken into triple digits to acquire one, in no short part thanks to their tiktok success.. So it should be no surprise that this collection of outtakes from that heralded debut is gonna be highly sought after and one I hope to spin on my table. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Global A Go-Go Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros' Global A Go-Go was one of my early RSD pickups back in 2010. Having just gotten into the hobby a few years previous and The Clash being one of my early high school obsessions, that simple black copy was a must buy. So seeing this brand spanking new multi-color variant brings a little tear to my eye. I kind of really want to get it, despite already having the album and listen to it constantly. I swear I am not a variant hunter, but this one may be too good to pass up. Little Feat - Little Feat This one is a mix of "readily available" and "look at those extras". Little Feat is a fantastic band and their RSD releases have been pretty darn good with not just being a whatever repress. This one adds tones of extra songs, either as unreleased alternate versions or outtakes from their early recording sessions. It's definitely a release for diehard fans or those who haven't heard of Lowell George and crew. But is that what most vinyl ends up being? Quick Hits! John Fuschiante - To Record Only Water for 10 days Very expensive OOP album that is a prime RSD repress. This is what RSD is for: albums that are hard if not impossible to find on vinyl! Iris DeMent - The Way I Should (30th Anniversary) First time on vinyl for this fantastic album form this incredible songwriter? Yes Please! Swamp Dogg - Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted More Swamp Dogg is a good thing. April March - Villerville New album that's RSD exclusive? Strange release plan but I dig it. Weezer - 1192 Early demo versions of the Blue Album ? Why the hell not?!