Drowning in too many things

Hmm, that's actually a good title for a de-cluttering type of post but it's actually just the continuation of my work overload. On the plus side, I've found a good set of youtube tracks to listen to that gets me in the working mood. AI generated cyberpunk synth music? It's pretty cool.

Here are a few of my regulars:
1999 - Drift into Memory 
2088 - Protocol: Airstrike
1999 - Momentum Over Fear 
1996 - Neural Link Broken
1989 - Walk Through Fire

The Friday night game sessions are currently Ready or Not, which is a FPS law enforcement game that reminds me a lot of SWAT3. DL has a video of one of our play throughs of that for those who prefer a more visual stimulus. :) 

More than Nothing: Skydagger

[Part of the Party Time journal]

The squad remains at Hazelbrook for months until a message via raven suddenly arrives instructing them to destroy the Hazelbrook bridge that fords a deep and wide ravine. The get to it immediately, witnessing a small squad of crusaders fleeing from a massive dust cloud caused by a horde of cavalry of the Wang Dynasty. They get the squad across the bridge before collapsing it, dropping some of the pursuers to their deaths below. 

From across the chasm, general Wang Bang mocks them - showing off his coin-sword and the head of Ino Imzoro, promising to make their whole nation bow to the mighty Wang - the descendants of the Bhir'Beli Tigidig worshipers, before leading his horsemen away. The survivors tell them they are the last of Ino's crusaders, having been wiped out by the Wangs who were also purging the worm worshipers of El Kanadar from their end. 

At least there were survivors - which is more than nothing, but knowing they can't hope to survive against that number of enemies without a strategic advantage, the squad and their 35 allies quickly make their way back towards Skydagger - losing five to the giant cats in a rainy, red leaf forest as they opt to go fast instead of safe.

They then travel through a large underground cave of giant spiders but don't linger, also bypassing a supposedly abandoned prison but flickering lights in the windows and screams from within indicate otherwise. They deftly dodge pit traps around the facility, even pulling an escapee to freedom who joins them: the clockwork knight Kenrick! 

Finally they make it to the ruined Skydagger fortress and spend their time currency to train, rest up, and build walls and a siege engine just before the horde of horsemen arrive in waves. Moomba's archer team and Ughhh's siege weaponry hold most of the enemy at bay though the few that make it do kill some of the defenders. At the end, General Wang Bang himself appears and eliminates an ambush squad who waited the whole time for him (coin sword is a coin toss) but an arrow finally puts down the general ending the threat. Ever Worthlessman is among the 17 allies that died in battle.

Eventually they are reinforced by Aeternian's reserves and return to their homes as heroes. For a time.

[Inspiration from Band of Blades]

More than Nothing: Crusaders

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Ughhh's direct approach to the rescue attempt leads to a brief melee which involves Jerghon G pole vaulting over Walram's guards to hold the Lord at sword point, but the skirmish is interupted by the arrival of of a massive army of crusaders led by Yuno Imzoro and his nephew, the famously best swordsman in Aeternia who wields the magical coin-sword - Ino Imzoro.

By decree of the new Papa Smorfonof (aka Papa Smurf) all Aeternians from the lowest slaves to highest lords must join the holy crusade against the worm worshipers of El Kanadar to the East. Lord Teck tries to talk his way out of it and by doing so is found guilty of heresy and put to the stake (he is impaled upon it and set alight). No one else questions the order after that and our teenage heroes and their friends join as camp followers, doing menial tasks of cooking and cleaning while also receiving basic training as the massive host easily makes ground into heretic lands.

Only upon reaching the natural bottleneck between Aeternia and El Kanadar, the foolishly abandoned stone ruins of Skydagger fortress in a narrow mountain pass, do they receive their crusader mantle and are sent to into missions, the first being an easy one where Ughhh critically succeeds in convincing a village converted into a field hospital to basically convert religion and aid them.

Their next task is liberating the mining town of Karel where Jerghon G and Raah-Min sneak upon the fortress past inattentive guards and jam their gate, letting the others easily free the enslaved miners in the work site outside and with bolstered numbers the fortress soldiers surrender on the spot.

Finally they reach El Kanadar's Capital of Rakash where they are hand picked by Yuno Imzoro to join him in a heroic charge - just the five of them against the full enemy line - to prove the might of Numero Uno. It doesn't go well as their horses are brought low by enemy archers mere meters away from the enemy infantry and leaving them very far from support. Yuno is hurt severely but Ughhh goes out of his way to defend the man while Moomba takes out the enemy worm caster leader. 

They manage to hold until Ino brings up the infantry who then win the day with heavy losses, a result he squarely blames the party on. As such he stations them and a small squad at the seemingly insignificant hamlet with of Hazelbrook while he continues  the crusade to the East, but that location will soon prove to be more than nothing. 

[Inspiration from Darklands and  Lost Eidolons]

More than Nothing: The Artorias Interlude

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Praetor Artorias' campaign at Caphtor ended in disaster. Of the five ships he sent, only nine people returned - four of whom were prisoners and soldiers of his rival Empress Palisa, and one a foreign violet knight named Dorza. While they were sent to be reconditioned to serve in his army, he questioned the remaining survivors about the events that led to this loss, including the great beam of light shooting up from the island and making it vanish as well as what transpired to turn the sun into a cold, dull blue color...

After being separated by a thick fog, Rowina, Yuriet, Waywocket and Dorza managed to regroup - collecting four bound and sleeping prisoners on a hilltop, but with no initial sign of the others they decided to make their way back to the beach head camp being established by Eagley and Lord Moroney. 

Meanwhile Il'bakstabyo alone, witnessed the growing sun gain a horrific looking face, a huge humanoid body and began to start eating everything in its path. As his sanity slipped away Il'bakstabyo then heard a strange song, and witnessed what looked to be Jerghonson with a golden clarinet battle the sun using his music, causing the sun to scream in a beam of light into the heavens until it shriveled up, turning blue and retreated back into the sky. 

The others found Il'bakstabyo sometime later crying and curled into a ball and took him with them back to the landing site where they discovered the camp being annihilated by a hydra. Rowina the acrobat had come across a magical coin-sword in the fog, and managed to use it to slay the beast but not before it killed everyone else in camp. Fleeing on a small craft they set out into the misty waters but upon looking back the island had simply vanished...

After sending the insane Il'bakstabyo out into the wilderness as he had no more use for him, Artorias took the coin-sword from Rowina and made her as well as the other two survivors, Yuriet and Waywocket, generals in his small army to take Aeterna's throne in Crown City. To make up their weak numbers, Waywocket suggested legitimizing and joining the oppressed Numerologist religion whose hordes of practitioners made up the vast majority in the city (the slaves and servant population, who numbered vastly more than nothing).

The ploy worked and the city defenders couldn't win a battle from forces outside and within, and Artorias took the throne... but soon the Numerologists elected their own leader: "The Dos" who alone could hear the voice of Numero Uno. Papa Petrus was the first Dos and it quickly became clear that Artorias could not hold onto power without the Papa's say so. Over the next few years the Papa's power and influence grew while that of Artorias waned into comical relief as his own troops and generals had no control over the fervorous Numeroligist believers.

Years later we find our new heroes, a band of Aeternian teens: Raah-min the Great Grand Daughter of Aah (Rose), Moomba the grand daughter of Mamita (Mom), Ughhh the Great Grand son of Ughh (Juris), and Jerghon G the grandson of Jerghonson the Great (DL) following their friend, Ever Worthlessman, through the forest to the small wooden fortress of Walram Teck to free their other teenage friends Lord Teck has taken a fancy to.

[Inspired by Constantine the Great] 

Luftrausers and Rival Stars Horse Racing

Games that start strong.

Luftrausers

In this beautiful artistic sepia arcade bullet hell shooter, you fly your plane on a 2D plane to blast enemy air and sea craft to smithereens while also trying to evade their fire ALL to some super epic music which really gets the blood pumping. This is very much an achievement based game, as getting those goals unlocks more plane parts that give more goals - and despite the seemingly simplistic three part modular plane chassis,  you can get a ton of variety from the bits available. Very cool, but even with the epic handling and music the gameplay loop gets repetitive a few hours in. Still one of the better bullet hell things I've played for a while.

Rival Stars Horse Racing

After inheriting a run down homestead it's up to you to restore it and regain its status by winning horse races! This super chillaxing game has two main sections - the racing and the upgrading bit. Racing is simpler so we'll start there: with minimalistic controls of left, right and sprint you really are at the mercy of your horses stats as an untrained one will simply have no chance on the harder tracks. Sprint is interesting in how it recharges: your horse has a preferred position and to regain sprint power faster you need to stay in that position - which can be a tricky proposition!

Upgrading the homestead simply requires resources you win or buy from gold (and also costs gold on top) which can let you keep more horses, foal more horses (breed champions bro), and improve training facilities to let you improve your animals even more. The part I don't like is that participating in races costs money, and if you are out of it you need to wait for your timed income to drop. Yep, its the "waiting to have fun" section of the game and that's what kills it for me. A simple fix is letting you race for free but alas, that was a lost opportunity. Otherwise, a pretty decent game for city bound horse lovers. You can even do free rides around your ranch just for fun.

Project First Contact and Targeted 10 Days

Games that are too simple?

Project First Contact

This feels like someone's early attempt at making a first person horror game, and with the vague explanation of an "alien invasion" you will be running down what is usually a single on the rails path to avoid some really bizarre enemies like cop clothes, floating heads, and burning corpses slithering on the ground? Then you get to the underground level and it becomes even more strange. Not recommended.

Targeted 10 Days

In this small game you must survive for 10 days until you can give evidence against a mafia don and the whole loop each day is going to the parking garage, looking to see if there's something out of place that could kill you, and then deciding if you are getting in your car or back in the elevator. If there's a trap, the elevator guarantees safety. If there's no trap, the elevator guarantees death. It's annoying at the start without knowing what to look for, but at least a map on the elevator shows where the last thing that killed you was hiding so you know to check there in the future. 

While the well hidden traps are annoying, it does make the super obvious traps very funny (like your car is COVERED in dynamite. LOL). And if you get too good at that you can switch it to anomaly mode which puts it very much into a Halloween style ghosts and goblins mode. It's polished enough to be a fun diversion for a few hours.

Foretales and Cardpocalypse

Games with card based mechanics!

Foretales

A simple job to steal a magic lyre very much goes sideways when the thief Volepain (that's you) starts getting visions of the future after touching it. From then on its a race to try beat the many "doom clocks" by undertaking story based missions and the way it works is really clever. Each party member has their own deck of cards and your hand is made up of a combination of them, and as they function both in combat and in exploration it becomes a balancing act of spending things to advance your mission or hanging on to others for upcoming fights (which you can often win without fighting - depending on your foe).

Nice bright art, nice tutorial, good characters, and interesting puzzles are a big draw for this one - but then they had to go ruin it. Instead of being a branching story based on your choices, you are eventually made to go back and repeat missions to... extend the game time? Sorry, that one design choice killed this for me - but I did enjoy it quite a lot before that point. Not sure if I would recommend...

Cardpocalypse

As a new student in school you quickly discover that all your peers play the uber popular Pokemon PowerPets card game that involves two players battling each other using an animal themed card deck with the objective of defeating the opponents "champion" card who always starts on the table. On each of your turns you can add minions with varying powers to the board (depending on the amount of pet food available). The tutorial is pretty good in this one too in introducing basic mechanics but the art style is weak compared to Foretales, and the main gameplay loop of constant battling gets tiring quickly.

More than Nothing: Total Party Wipe

[Part of the Party Time journal]

The boss battle ensues and its a long one because the current heroes have a dwindling supply of re-roll coins and gear while their opponents ALSO use plot armor to avoid damage. In the end, its almost plot armoring the whole way to see who runs out of it first! [GM Note: As fun as this was for me, it made the fight really drag out so I'm not doing that again :P]

Plot armor:

Master Miner Mama: remembered her neighbor Chitty Chatty noticed her try to hide the gem she found on her land (while helping her plant crops) and demanded to see it as it should be hers. Mama refused and kept the gem. She also had a knack for digging up things ever since she was little, always carrying an earth worm with her. Her past works in other mines didn't pay too well so she began digging into graves of the dead to fund her addiction of cocaine!

Jerghon the Great: was once a decorated and faithful warrior but was no longer fit for the field after developing blood lust!

Mamita: remembered her child hood friend "a bird" who she could finally be around and got into all sorts of fun and trouble with them, finding a feather of a raven together and apparently getting into trouble for painting "a bird", which "a bird" somehow escaped. This is because Mamita realized that "a bird" was just a figment of her imagination and she was alone the whole time. Later on though she befriended Bob the Blacksmith who had a shared interest in birds.

Ughh: remembered his time as a Partopian police with recruit Joseph the Unfair where the team crashed a fireman's protection racket, let go a perfumer whose crime was fleeing from an arranged marriage with an ill-reputable whore monger, and let Joseph kill a thief who suggested he might have information about Joseph the Unfair he wanted to trade for his freedom. Joseph later admits that he was a horse breeder whose prized stallions were seized by the torturous Aeternan cavalry without payment and he enlisted to get them back, planning to desert with his entire herd at an opportune moment. Despite knowing this treason is punishable by death Ughh helped him.

Ughh then recalled the last party he got absolutely drunk / wasted in, apparently it was in a high tree with plenty of his favorite addiction to partake in: nuts. He also hit it off well with "a bird".

Aah: remembered when she learned a market vendor owed her caretaker Governor Quintus some money, and one day saw said vendor leave a bag of money at the market when packing up. She gave the bag to the vendor but reminded them of the debt owed, it was more than nothing. Later she learned Quintus was regularly stealing from the people and she testified against him to be free of him.

Then during her time as Partopian police she arrested a merchant trying to be "helpful" by sending poisoned food parcels to a plagued village as well as his poison supplier, a doctor trying to cure the plague who was stealing bodies from a graveyard and created the poison as a byproduct of her research.

When she was sent to clear out some "demons" in the sewers that just turned out to be narcotic indulging squatters, she gave them a warning to move on before the next one sent in would come to kill them. One of the squatters was Suri, an eight year old girl who wanted vengeance on a silk merchant she claimed killed her family. Aah tried to dissuade her but later found the silk merchant dead and witnesses reporting that they saw a giant spider transform back into a little girl fleeing from the scene. Aah secretly helped Suri and kept her this whole time (in small spider form in her pack) and unleashed her into battle!

Jerghonson: remembered his sibling rival Jimgon died saving his life against a mighty demon and then during his time as Partopian police investigated a stone mason carving cursed runes into the foundations of a number of villas, causing giant rats to appear within. He let the man go in exchange for being introduced to someone with greater power - a toweringly tall man with rotting skin and a horrifying mask who granted him his magical desire: a golden clarinet of sleep, which he had kept hidden all this time because of his uncontrollable urge to keep playing it if he started.

The End Result...

With things going poorly Jerghonson pulled out the golden clarinet and put everyone to sleep, tying up the four champions of the Empress. Then, he wandered towards the city as did his companions (when they awoke) but thanks to the thick magical fog found themselves each arriving alone...

Mamita found herself on an open plain where she was utterly certain that was where the City would be built, and would grow with the right rulers. She stayed to become a founder.

Aah made it to a city of colored lights, strange machines, and discordant music of the future.

Jerghonson found himself underneath a roaring liquid light (space shuttle / missile about to take off) so he fled to continue playing his golden clarinet. Forever.

Ughh saw the city vanish like a mirage and clearly saw the truth that the City was a lie. Then he put on the cursed crown of headsplosions and killed himself.

[Inspired by Mythic Bastionland]  

More than Nothing: At the Edge of the City

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Traveling away from Highthrone the company come across a giant wall at the border of Ruskyn's territory under attack by the Boulder Knight (he's the basically the Juggernaut) who breaches it while backed by the horde knight Valamonde whose clones make up the bulk of the rest of the attacking force. Jerghonson trips the boulder knight and Aah smashes his face in with the dust knight's old hammer, killing the brute. Most of the Valamondes are slain as well, at the cost of Orwan and the soldier Crixus. 

They follow the fleeing Valamonde's back to the Ridgeline outpost expecting a fight but the leader there, Lady Dorza the Violet Knight lets them in to rest on the condition she can go with them to find the city and get rid of her seemingly useless (but also more than nothing) ultra-violet light powers that only she and a few animals like bees can detect. They agree to these terms. 

Once on the road again they meet another knight going the opposite way telling them to turn back as the city is just going to deny them as it did her with a great fog. She continues that its just around the corner before sulking off before a flying fortress arrives in the sky, broadcasting the message "do not interfere with the destiny of the realm" before bombing the entire region!

Lucky Wazzletard covers the company from and damage and while the landscape is destroyed, they see a long dark tunnel on the other side of which looks like the city as Dorza remembers it. As Wazzletard cannot fit within, they let the bird go before proceeding inside and half way through it fills with smoke and a small light appears in the distance as well as a loud "CHOO CHOO" sound. 

They quickly press themselves against a wall and let the train pass before running for the exit. In the thick smoke they lose track of all their companions and instead find themselves on a hill - beyond which is a city of colored lights and brick towers. Four other individuals who look like themselves, just older, block the way. They are Ugh, Sith, Mama, and Jerghon the Great (the previous player characters) who have been sent here to secure the source of magic for Empress Palisa of Goatgetterville, rival of Praetor Artorias! With similar orders neither group can leave the other alive!

[Inspired by Mythic Bastionland]  

More than Nothing: Highthrone

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Resting up again at the Temple of Stillness, Mirror Knight Gowere lets the party meet a hologram of Halo Knight Ruskyn who offers them paid mercenary work (in the form of reroll coins) for keeping peace on the island - telling them of the secret signal his allies will use to indicate such (by touching their nose twice). This meeting is interrupted by the Bell Knight Dame Dellakar seeking aid against a mushroom uprising and they assist, losing two soldiers to the cordyceps mummies before dousing their source, a death-farting candleshroom. 

They proceed onto the now empty Echo cave save for the guardian wraith within, which has no chance against Jergonson's god spear, to retrieve an indigo tapestry for Dellakar. She claims she was getting visions that the tapestry would take her to the city and upon wearing it she vanishes! This doesn't help our heroes though who continue on the road and accept a job from the pillar wielding rune knight Myghal to defend Highthrone against a number of beasts sent by the dust knight - one of Ruskyn's enemies who seeks throne. 

The first is a gargoyle who manages to petrify Orwan so they spend some time getting him unstoned which involves burying his statue then putting a chicken egg on it, waiting 24 hours without looking at it for it to hatch a brand new Orwan, albeit more chickeny. The next beast is a Wyvern who is easily baited and slain, then a lion that can shoot lazers that kills four more soldiers, and shortly after a great flaming eagle but "I am bright!" from Aah blinds it and a critical arrow from Mamita finishes it before they reach the dust knight's garbage fortress. This lone enemy manages to magically force all the fluids out of one more soldier (yeah, that's fatal) before he is slain by overwhelming numbers. 

Myghal leaves the party at Highthrone where they rest up and Mamita collects the handsome reward from Ruskyn while Aah and Jerghonson  participate in a tourney against some clockwork knights. The last surviving robot, Kenrick, surrenders against its master tinkerer's wishes. It then kills its cruel creator to prove it's more than nothing and begs to join the team, which Jerghonson and Aah accept.

Meanwhile Ughh assists the pigeon knight Jacobin look for a cursed crown which turns out to be easy to find. He lets Jacobin put it on which instantly drives him insane, making him mutter "the city is a lie" over and over before his head explodes. Ughh takes the crown and passes a will check to resist the temptaion to put it on. He then also befriends a mistreated giant worker bird called Wazzletard (because that's the only sound it makes), and buys it from its cruel boss to join the party.

[Inspired by Mythic Bastionland]  

More than Nothing: The Dead Lands

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Exiled from the village the company marches on and witnesses a strange sight in that the sun begins to glow extra bright and stays in the sky for a really long time. Suddenly a trio of law sergeants appear and hand Mamita a warning that she is to be called for judgement for the crime of "existence" when the time is right, and briefly abduct Jerghonson (via teleportation cloud) to their master, the giant robed judge Ambrageft who tasks him as being witness and answer a single question: "Does Mamita exist?". Jergonson says yes, and is returned to his team instantly.

Unnerved at all the strangeness they push on to an area of giant mausoleums and graves where they get temporarily trapped in a section of huge flagstones with weeping, salty rain and intense depression that's more than nothing. The weeping knight Orwan, who has been stuck there for a long time, tells them that they have stumbled into the realm of the shadow seer who rejoices in misery. Jerghonson takes it upon himself to find said seer and despite bad odds slays him with the god spear, burning many of the teams "reroll coins" to do so. Freed from the endless rain zone, Orwan joins them as he too seeks to find the city to gain magical powers.

Further in the dead zone they find bone knight Ezter whom they assist in fighting a moving river of bones that form into skeletons. A pair of scout sisters arrive after the battle to warn them more undead are being released from Echo cave and request help but as the company is very beat at this point and unable to rest due to the island's oppressive fog and endless sun light, refuse - leaving Ezter as their only volunteer as they part ways.

The company finally make it to the Temple of Stillness where they meet Gowere the mirror knight, lord of the dead lands who claims to be able to speak with the dead and lets them rest under his protection. He also gives directions to Highthrone, the richest part of the island but they don't get far before finding the scout sisters arguing heatedly between themselves, believing that the other is a shapeshifter from the stars. While Jerghonson talks them out of it (and learns Ezter has perished), Mamita almost has her club stolen from her by a goofy fungus shroom man. 

After she hits it, it runs off with its friends but Ughh and the three Pale-dogs give chase - catching up after running a good distance. Destroying the creatures causes an earthquake that summons a fungus tower from which emerges a Fungal Knight who slays the three Pale-dogs and nearly kills Ughh as well before he manages to use his "colony of possums" ability to tear the knight into pieces. With him nearly dead, they retreat to back to the Temple of Stillness to recover once again.

Ughh needed to use plot armor in this battle: recalling he was previously assigned with a rooking guardsman "Joseph the Unfair" to arrest a fraudster artisan making poor quality gear he was trying to pass off as "magical".

[Inspired by Mythic Bastionland]  

More than Nothing: In Search of Magic

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Praetor Artorias arrives at Drystan with a few more troops including horny priest Carpef, three Pale-dogs gang members and Il'bakstabyo to join the PC's regiment who are then free to load up with any gear before they want (as well as eight "coins" from their collection travels which serve as free rerolls) before being sent as part of five boat load of troops to the island of Caphtor, rumored to be a source of magic, the type of rumors that have to be more than nothing. Their mission is to claim this magic power for Praetor Artorias' cause and more importantly stop others (mainly his rivals for the still empty throne of Aeternia) from gaining it.

The fleet navigates through the misty waters just fine and upon arrival Eagley and Lord Jhonen start setting up a base camp on the beach with majority of the troops while Mamita leads her twenty two man squad to start exploration, defeating a strange and hostile puddle jumping knight and receiving an ominous warning about a Hydra rising that only "the coin knight" might have a chance of slaying before she dies.

As dusk falls they enter some woods and assist a small forest village defeat a vampire attack but the cowardly villagers have no answers for them in regards to their quest, other than "the magic knights come from the city", so they push onto some farmland destroyed by a huge crater, within which a pair of giant tigers tied to a chariot munch on farm animals. The charioteer challenges them to combat but a low initiative draw for him sees his tigers easily dispatched by the soldiers while Jerghonson himself uses the god spear to shatter through the chariot and the charioteer in one powerful thrust, killing him.

Continuing towards a main farming village there is a minor altercation where the squad is accused of slaying a celebrated green bull, but upon explaining to their ultra muscular leader Hyga that it was the work of winged fiends (who no one else has seen) and showing the claw marks she believes them and invites them to stay, provided one of the males of their number spend the night with her. Horny priest Carpef eagerly volunteers.

In the early hours of the morning Mamita, standing watch, sees a pair of winged fiends - the same type that killed the green bull - fly to Hyga's house so she wakes her companions and investigates, finding that Hyga is feasting on Carpef's naked corpse with the two demon like creatures! She and Jerghonson take down the demons while Ughh stabs Hyga through the neck, breaking his sword in the process but it isn't enough to kill her so Aah sets her and her house on fire, which finishes the job. It also gets them banished from the place by the remaining villagers, as again they have no proof of their monstrous claims. They accept this decision and move on.

[Inspired by Mythic Bastionland] 

Person of Interest

You are being watched.

In the wake of 9/11 the US government paid for a machine that could watch everyone at "all times" (not really, but close enough) to alert them of potential future terrorist threats. The machine saw everything though and since the government was only interested in relevant threats, potential crimes deemed "irrelevant" fell through the cracks until a small group of vigilantes (our protagonists, primarily played by Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson) decided to change that.

This sci-fi crime drama spans spans five seasons and while it starts out as a crime of the week sort of deal is quickly weaves in major story threads to give it backbone as well as impressive character growth for all the cast. With a good premise, interesting stories and likeable characters, I don't mind that the action bits are a bit clunky at times: at least these protagonists aren't bullet immune. It's worth the watch - recommended!

Bullfighter Board Game

A boardgame where the board has most of the game time!

This four player competitive kids game has a simple premise: on your turn you roll some dice, move some spaces and hopefully you're the first to cross the "finish line". The track happens to just be the exterior of the arena (which is cleverly built into the storage box itself), and the die pair have symbols other than numbers as well: maybe you'll be drawing some cards, putting on some temporary armor, or most likely - activating the large battery powered toy bull in the center of the stage.

This mini red roomba then randomly moves across the arena for 15 seconds while playing some themed bull fighting music and making everyone pray that it doesn't trigger their spring loaded character clip. If it does, your character is sent flying and basically have to go back to the start unless you've got a resurrect card.

Quick to learn but a little long to set up the first time as you need to put all the stickers on, including the die faces. The best component is no doubt the bull, but it's not so much Bull fighting as it is trying to sneak around the arena hoping it doesn't spot you! Also, given the number of times its going to activate - it sure feels like the bull gets more game time than the players do. 

Theoretically it can be a quick game if the beast misses you each time but really its the bull who is going to decide if and when someone is going to win. All up an amusing distraction but not something that you'll want to play over and over.

Voidwrought and Citizen Sleeper

Games of the void. In this case, void of interest for me.

Voidwrought

This platformer is functionally ok though it does feel from the little I played like the protagonist has the strength of a wet noodle - and that's already following the quest marker! While I'm not usually into this type of game due to backtracking, I have managed to stick with and finish the few whose stories managed to grab my attention. Alas, this isn't the case here giving a very alien sort of protagonist who I didn't care much about. Story is important! If you like platformers this might interest you, otherwise stay away.

Citizen Sleeper

This heavy reading game has you playing in an artificial body in space, and surprisingly has many mechanics similar to Blades in the Dark including die rolls and clocks but excluding an important one: death. It seems you can just hobble along badly impaired as much as you like, but not really a spoiler: its not fun. 

The lower quality art and game play that sees you taking less and less actions doesn't do it any favors. It's like those stupidly designed board and card games that tell a player to "miss a turn" or "lose half a turn", which basically tells people to play it less. You can do yourself a favor and just not play it at all.

Otxo and Many Nights a Whisper

Two small games.

Otxo

This black and white (and red) top down rogue like shooter has you playing as a man wearing a cursed mask who needs to clear a mysterious beach side mansion to free his girl. Except the mansion is full of gun wielding goons who all need to die to clear each level. Being able to use the cursed mask to get a temporary focus (rechargeable slow-mo) mode is your only counter to being outnumbered. You can also import and buy drinks which give you bonuses for each run, and can select what weapons will be found in the mansion (ie. what your enemies will be wielding so you can pick them up after they die). Getting killed yourself just restarts the loop and that's pretty much all there is to it and yes, it gets old fast. Even the cool soundtrack doesn't help. 

Many Nights a Whisper

In this simple game you play as the dreamer, chosen to light a distant cauldron during a ceremony as a child. In it, you get one shot to sling a fireball and if you're on target: everyone's wishes come true, if not... then does it really matter?

There is no heroic adventure here though, its simply getting good using your sling to throw a fireball. In the days leading up to the ceremony you can practice to your hearts content at the many other cauldrons around, and each evening you get the interesting decision of listening to petitioners wishes. If you accept them, you collect their braids (its a society of long haired folk who grow braids purely for this ceremony). These are then tied to your sling to make it stronger, making that target not seem so far with each wish accepted.

The catch is all the wishes accepted will come true if you make that shot and there are some pretty dark and crazy wishes thrown in the mix. On the flip side not having enough braids might mean you can't even reach the cauldron to grant the few select wishes you do like. Short, sweet and rather well done. This one is worth a try.

The Odyssey (2026)

A modern retelling of Homer's epic.

It's taking a long time for Odysseus, King of Ithaca (played by Matt Damon) return home from war and in the years of his absence many suitors are patiently harassing his wife, the Queen, to marry them instead yet she and a few of her household still hold out hope for his return. 

Other than some odd casting choices and that the story jumps back and forth between the Queen and Odysseus himself which is quite jarring at the start, the films settles at a good pace and is truly a spectacle to watch with decent acting, good props, and excellent cinematography and visual effects. Is it worth the price of admission? That's an easy yes. I just wish it didn't keep suddenly cutting to a different shot which is an odd editing choice. 

Dead Island 2

More zombies, more morons.

The continuation of the Dead Island series takes place in Hel-LA with a new (set) of protagonist(s, up to 3 players co-op) who find themselves bit in the opening act before somehow surviving but "being changed" - which becomes a pretty cool game mechanic later on. The maps are beautiful (even the gross places) and the game play is pretty fun, at least when playing co-op. If you were playing this solo, I'm pretty sure it would get old very fast. This is because many of the quests are of the find and fetch variety, with a mandatory "now you must withstand the horde" segments each time. Worse, most of the time these quests are done for the stupidest people. As Jim frequently liked to point out: it seems only morons survived. There's a reason I'm not doing a play through journal on this one!

There is a defense game mode as well, but again better geared for co-op, as up to three of you now play three students in a rogue like type event where you pick one of three quests per day with various rewards and on day five you need to mount a defense, building traps and such, at your shelter as waves of zombies come to break the doors down. Again pretty fun in a team, unlikely to appeal to a solo operative. Overall recommended only if you liked the first Dead Island and have people to play the game with you.

Free tip: while there are many zombie types almost all of them have the same weakspot: their legs.

Spartacus: House of Ashur and Arena of Trophies

Two things that involve gladiators!

Spartacus: House of Ashur

This one season show is a continuation of the Spartacus TV show has an unlikely protagonist in Ashur (Nick Tarabay), who through machinations of the gods finds himself dominus of the same ludus he once was a gladiator in. It is a strange premise but does keep the gore, full frontal nudity and different speech pattern of the original but you know what? It works and is actually pretty good! Recommended for Spartacus fans. I do hope someone makes a second season of this because it deserves it. 

Arena of Trophies

Free on steam until it closes down next month, this three on three arena combat game is only single player and takes place in a single map, a crumbling colloseum which actively falls apart as you fight. It's the best thing in here and is worth a look! Alas the fighting is less polished and while there are a variety of weapons hidden around you'll probably just resort to the ultra powerful kick attack that inflicts knock back and knock down. When paired with the wall spikes that insta-kill, there's no faster way to get your score up. 

The Slow Down in Posting

Hey all, it's that time of year again where work is busy and on top of that my "writing fuel" is being used in the preparing of the current campaign my party is playing through. I'm also behind on recaps of that, but for now I thought I'd just share some links that I liked which you might also enjoy. 

Starting off with some feats of engineering we have the process of "rescuing" a pretty big tree house, and China brings future tech closer by having robot fighting matches and first flying cars?! That's cool but surely going to cause air control some headaches. If you prefer your fighting to have a more human element you might enjoy these clips from FreeMMAGyms, and the archer Blumineck.

Music wise I've really been enjoying Mac Glocky's restyled songs, as well as Warframe's Lullaby of the Manifold and Yoko Kanno & the Seatbelts's recently extended version of TANK! Lastly if you want to both have a laugh and be impressed by yodeling, here's Chicken Attack, which I would never have encountered if not for Juris! Thanks dude!

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

An excellent example of how the Warhammer 40K universe should be.

This amazing RPG is set in the Warhammer 40K universe where you play as a scion to a titular Rogue Trader house - "noble" individuals granted a relic from the Emperor that charters them as freelance explorer, merchant and conquistador all in one. It's also set just far enough from the Imperium to give you problems which ever route you go: be it the traditional dogmatic "all heretics and xenos must burn", the nutjob heretical "I will gladly obey your cruel whims demons of the warp", and the foolishly hopeful iconoclast who "strives to treat all people and races with equality and respect".

While you can create your own custom party, you are provided a bunch of companions all eager to betray you or be betrayed by you at every turn story wise but are also very handy when it comes to the XCOM type turn based combat that you will frequently find yourself in, despite of or because of your best and worst intentions. Some of these combats are super tricky too, and that goes doubly so for the space combats where you pick what stations your companions are manning and are often outnumbered with your one ship to however many the enemy fleet has ready for you. 

I especially loved that comparing my play through to that with Jim's was a totally different experience which means your decisions actually have impact on the story, as any good game should. Player agency, tick! The game is also pretty lengthy with a lot of side stuff that is interesting, rewarding and fun (especially for masochists in some combats).  Awesome game, highly recommended!

Gary (The Bear TV)

A weak standalone episode when compared to its parent show.

This special flashback episode of the Bear takes place between Season 4 and Season 5, focusing on Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Michael (Jon Bernthal) as they do an easy delivery run to Gary, Indiana. A lot of this is just these two guys talking shit while en route and killing time only hitting the heavier acting stuff towards the end. And it does end pretty abruptly too. I kinda wish there was more going on here, but as it stands this falls in the not recommended bucket - just skip it and watch the main series as it doesn't add anything. 

A good measure for a flashback series or film is to ask, "if I watched this first, would I then watch the main series"? The answer in this case is a resounding no.

Kumusta

A Korean production with a Filipino focus? 

This reality cooking show follows three Filipina actresses and one chef on their journey to prepare and setup a popup Filipino restaurant in Korea, where they are helped out by some Korean celebrities as they run a week long service which just shows how demanding the restaurant business can be. As it is a Korean production you can expect things like flash backs, funny subtitles, and replayed bits over and over from different angles. While some bits can be cringey for the most part we found it entertaining, especially with the kitchen / food prep side of things. I guess it helps that we like shows like Masterchef because it really is mostly cooking food and people eating food. Definitely not for everyone, but it might be worth giving an episode or two a try to see if you like it.

Project Hail Mary

Amazing characters in a great story.

 

Everything about this film is cool.

 

This sci-fi flick has Ryan Gosling star as a middle school teacher sent into space to find what is basically a "cure" to our dying sun. Despite the grim subject matter the script is surprisingly light, humourous and mostly upbeat, moves along at a good pace, and has flash backs that don't get in the way of the story telling because the character himself has amnesia and is trying to remember how he ended up here. Nice effects, good acting and cinematography, character development and characters who should be role models to boot? I give this one five out of five (which is interesting from me as it has no violence, sex or cussing whatsoever). Highly recommended!

The Last Cowboy (TV Series)

A Taylor Sheridan reality series about reining!

This documentary-competition which currently spans six seasons showcases the lives of various horse reiners as they prepare and compete in the Taylor Sheridan created "Run For a Million" tournament. What is horse reining? It's being able to ride your horse out into an empty arena and then doing a set pattern with it involving spins both ways, circles of various speeds, and the sliding stop signature move where the faster you go the harder it is to be accurate where to stop but the more points you might get. Much like figure skating, judges then give a score and whoever has the highest wins! If you watched Yellowstone you would have seen some of this as some of the reiners make an appearance there!

It's nice to see the tournament evolve in later seasons as it gets more popular to also include cow-horse (now you do that pattern on your horse while forcing an often non-compliant cow to also do it with you), cutting (there's a herd of cattle in the arena, separate one out and keep it from returning to the herd for as long as you can), and bareback (get on a wild horse and hang on for 8 seconds).

We do like the people the show focuses on too, as its great to see them evolve as people not just competitors. It's not a plot related thing, that's just life. The producers also use a good technique of rotating focus of riders per season, because all these people keep showing up again which means in later seasons even if a rider isn't heavily featured, you know exactly who it is when they get called into the arena. Awesome show and one I hope to see more of! Recommended!

Marshals and Dutton Ranch

First seasons of TV that continue Yellowstone...

Marshals

This police procedural follows Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) as he gets roped into a team of law men and women who each get to fire their guns each episode! Ok, maybe not but there's a lot of tactical action and the inclusion of other Yellowstone regulars on top of new likeable characters does add a lot to the show which helps make up for the "less deep" plot when comparing it to the original series. It's fine with me though, if they keep slinging bullets I'll keep watching. :)

Dutton Ranch

This series follows Beth Dutton's (Kelly Reilly) family who move away from Yellowstone to Rio Paloma to try start a new life but hardship seems to find them around every corner. This drama has better acting and better plot than the above and continues the glimpse into ranch life, but it comes with less gun fighting and some really unlikable characters. If you liked Yellowstone this show is more in the same spirit of it and yes, I'll also be watching season two for this! 

Age of Mythology: Retold

As many would know, strategy games aren't really my forte but this one has somehow made it into our Friday night game sessions and has probably become my most played strategy one for awhile. Obviously the co-op component helps a lot, though you can only co-op two players if going through the campaign story. That's ok though as there are many other modes that you can play through which is good, given my graphics card bombs out on some of the maps too.

A standard game round has you selecting your civilization (Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Atlantean, etc) followed by a major deity in that civilization - so for a Norse player you'd be choosing between Loki, Odin or Thor for example, each giving you slightly different "god" powers and "tech" trees in the form of minor gods who you get to pick as you advance from age to age.

Usually you get a town center, some peasants and some form of scout of your civilization type and from there have to collect food, wood, gold and favor to expand up through the ages. Favor is your battery for magical powers or making magical creatures and you how you gain it depends on your civilization. Atlanteans gain it by having their oracles stand as far apart from each other as possible. Greeks gain it by having as many people worshiping at the temple. Norse get it by killing enemies, and so forth.

AI wise, the fun bit is getting the mix n match of their personality types. A few examples are the defender who only defends, an attacker will constantly harass you, a humanoid will ignore all magic-related things and just fight you with men and machines, and an overwhelmer will just mass a big ball of troops and then throw it at you if you wait too long. You can also up the "difficulty" by letting the AI cheat basically if you really want a challenge (your peasant hits a tree once and gains 1 wood, their peasant hits a tree once and gains 1-3x wood).

It's simple enough to learn and fun enough to keep playing. Coming from me, a non strategy game player whose PC can't even run 1/4th of it properly, that's saying something so it must be doing something right! :)

Batman: The Telltale Series

Having played a few other Telltale games I can confidently say this one is the best. Excellent art, voice acting and branching plots that really give player agency make this a beautiful game, especially since the writers weren't afraid to have a different take on this Batman universe. 

Over two "seasons" with five chapters each (get the "Shadows" edition to get them both) you'll encounter many familiar faces from the rogues gallery and while there's a bit of QTE combat to be had (which is on the easy side of things) it's the timed dialogue choices that will really get your brain working. Excellent game and highly recommended! I only wish there was more of it! 

Your Friends and Neighbors

In this comedy drama series, Jon Hamm stars as Coop - a hedge fund manager with a lot of money but many relationships that put a strain on him. Upon losing his job he decides that he needs to keep up appearances with the titular friends and neighbors, who are also pretty well off themselves, and he does so by continuing to donate exorbitant amounts of money to charity, attending parties which mostly consist of people he doesn't like, keeping up his membership at the exclusive golf club etc.

He does this by robbing them, one expensive item at a time. This is great as plot wise he's hoping its something they won't miss as to not get caught, but also for us viewers they put in a "product ad" for said items which is really  cool and also just highlights how crazy some people are to own them. It's a fun show with a surprisingly high amount of sex scenes, but also a number of filler bits that are just used to pad out the story. Still worth trying out though, especially if you're a Jon Hamm fan. 

Robobeat

This rogue like rhythm FPS is somewhat the epitome of annoyance. Never mind the story or graphics, the game play loop itself if so tedious. Shoot on the beat (or your shots do less damage) must be one of the most ridiculous systems ever. It's not like guitar hero where the music is the point. Here you need to shoot things to clear zones and advance and requiring to slow everything down to tempo to do so just really takes the enjoyment out of it. Not recommended.

Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods

This is a documentary about a small piece of the war filmed mainly from body cams - following a company of 99 Ukranian soldiers holding a railway forest against the Russian advance. It shows the daily lives of the troop: the down time, the scavenging, the danger, and yes - some of the fighting too. You will see a few dead people (most are blurred/censored/out of shot if too close) so that might be your time to "nope" out, but otherwise it is a sobering 1 hour flick that just makes me really glad I'm not there as I wouldn't last five minutes in those conditions - and that's without an opposing force! Definitely worth watching if you can find it and is possibly one of the best anti-war films around.

As of this post it is day 1585 of Russia's two day special operation.  The front seems to be a stalemate currently, but drone warfare has improved to the point where Ukraine is now hitting targets in Moscow.

Hazbin Hotel Live on Broadway and Songs of Conquest

Entertainment with a focus on music!

Hazbin Hotel Live on Broadway

Celebrating the release of Season 2 of Hazbin Hotel, this live performance on Broadway by the voice actor/singers is absolutely brilliant - my only complaint is that it is too short! Even my wife, who doesn't watch the series, enjoyed it. Highly, highly recommended (but just like the show its not for kids), and I hope they do more of these live shows as there are many more songs they could do in the series (and that's not even going into Helluva Boss songs). I suppose they could do Hellaverse Live on Broadway? :D Here's a little sample for you all to enjoy. Five out of five!

Songs of Conquest

This pixely turn based strategy game plays a lot like the old King's Bounty game, where you have a leader or leader(s) marching around the map to capture resources and towns (where you can spend resources in building structures to recruit more folk for your army) while fighting enemies (usually static ones) via armies in hex grid maps. After you've exhausted your move, then your opponents leader(s) take their turn to wander around. I'm very thankful for the auto combat button in this one to make lopsided fights just finish in a single button press.

While that's all well and good the main draw for me was the nice story and the songs which play at the end of each mission. Very cool. I was sad when the extra "story" missions didn't have this. :P

Warhammer 40k: Speed Freekz

In this really crazy racing game, you play as the Orkz who I suppose are just super bored and want to race and fight? While I'm unaccustomed to Ork (which is basically bad English) which makes the customization difficult to understand, I'm pretty sure its one of those, unlock more vehicles and decorations the more experience you have and there are two game modes on offer, both being team vs team with the option for multiplayer.

In the first one, you're trying to get points by racing but don't let that stop you from shooting the enemy team! First you race to a main marker, then you start a mini-race to hit checkpoint around the main marker and then repeat four more times and the team with the highest score wins.

In the second mode, each team has a slow moving giant robot (that also shoots at you) "racing" slowly to a finish line. The idea is that racers pick up randomly spawning bombs (or stealing said bombs from destroyed enemy) and then driving it into the opposing robot to "slow it down". The team of the first giant robot to cross the finish line wins. 

Both modes are chaotic and... ok. And death is a mere slap on the wrist as you respawn in under five seconds but there's not much else happening with this one. Maybe its fine as a once off party game but otherwise, not recommended.

The Mandalorian and Grogu and Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

Movies for fans of the series. 

Mandalorian and Grogu

This movie continues the story from The Mandalorian, and has everyone's favorite bounty hunter "dad" continue to teach, protect and nurture his charge Grogu, while doing some kick ass bounty hunting stuff. While the story is just ok, on par with the series, the action is definitely amped up with more fighting sequences. The two title characters also take turns taking the lead which is pretty cool but makes for a long run time. Not that I'm complaining! If you liked the series, you'll definitely enjoy this.

Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

This movie continuation of the animated series follows our protagonist Denji thinking with his wrong head again, spending at least the first half of the movie trying to get lucky with a girl (which tracks). While the art is always top notch, the animation really kicks in at the second half which holds all the destructive fighting. Slow start but it turned out to be ok. Worth a watch if you've enjoyed the series. If you haven't seen the series, try that first and see if its for you (you'll know in a the first episode). 

Wuthering Waves

This is another gacha game which features better action combat than most and climbing / gliding system like Tower of Fantasy, which is fantastic. It also has a decent story and a ton of upgradable systems which is both good and OMG grindy. 

It also features thirsty gardeners...

You see, you have the usual gacha luck-of-the-draw party who can all level up and you can also level their weapons (both need special material grinded to break level caps). And then each can equip "captured" enemies. FIVE of them. That can also be leveled. But no its not just, "I want a lizard thing instead of this slug thing" because they also have randomized stats and abilities. This lizard might breath fire. This other lizard just naps and heals you. Want to tell the difference? 

Too bad you can't. You need to go kill the lizards until you capture one that does what you want. AND has the substat bonuses that interest you FOR THAT CHARACTER. Good thing you can only have three characters per squad... :P Also, I REALLY DESPISE they systems where everything levels up with you. Great you reached level 10? Well those level 1 monsters are now also level 10. It's like, what was the point of leveling up? But guess what, you can't AVOID leveling up, because its your exploration level that determines the monster level.

Yup! So even if you remained at level one but explored the hell out of the map, guess what? You're just leveling up the enemies. Pity, because there's some really nice story in there. If you feel like you don't mind that level of grind then I recommend this for you. Definitely not one for me though.

Spider-Noir, Harley Quinn and Kite Man

A trio of alternate superhero shows!

Spider-Noir

This currently single season story has Nicolas Cage star as a 1930's private detective who also moonlights as "The Spider", their version of Spiderman - and guess what? When you have a good story, good characters and good acting you get a good result! Without a doubt this is now our favorite version of Spiderman. On Prime you even have the option to watch in in black and white if you want. Highly recommended and hope they make a season two!

Harley Quinn (and Kite Man, Hell Yeah!)

This currently five season animated comedy features the titular Harley Quinn who starts off breaking up with Joker and then forming her own gang. A lot of the laughs come from the irreverent way it treats the whole cast, with many extras dying gruesome deaths, but it can quickly get abrasive if that's not your sort of thing. Definitely shines brighter in the earlier seasons than the later ones. 

Kite Man, Hell Yeah is a currently one season spin off from Harley Quinn and follows the adventures of the guy whose power is he has a kite? It has the same tone too so if you like the main show you'd probably like it.

Ouroborus King and Rogue Waters

Two different roguelikes.

Ouroborus King

The weak story about a King reclaiming his lands doesn't cover up the fact that this is simply chess with a variety of unique pieces. You start with only four, and on your journey can "recruit" more, "upgrade" the ones you have, or find relics that do some neat stuff like take back your previous move. Not recommended unless you really like chess.

Rogue Waters

This roguelike has a lot more effort put into it with the art and animation and tells the story of an undead pirate seeking revenge. Combat starts with three rounds of exchanging cannon fire where you either target enemy cannons so they don't wreck you, enemy soldiers so you don't have to fight them later, or "modules" that provide many buffs to their owners.

Afterwards it becomes tactical grid combat with a focus on pushing (and some cool abilities). While you will lose a lot at the start, especially to annoying cut scenes, it really gets addictive once you start upgrading your ship and crew. Thumbs up for this one!

Brightburn and Boy Kills World

Movies about a boy killing the world?

Brightburn

A husband and wife praying for a child have their wishes granted when one falls from the sky in an alien spacecraft. They raise the kid as best as they can but going with nature always wins over nurture, once the kid hits puberty he starts getting violent and powerful. So yeah, this horror movie basically answers "what happens if superman was bad and somewhat sadistic"? It's goes just about as you'd expect which is not great. Predictable movies are predictable.

Boy Kills World

This action comedy movie takes predictable and throws it out the window. With a mute protagonist who is always voiced over and wants to revenge on the woman who controls everything through violence, the action scenes are great but totally unbelievable given the amount of bullets that miss our hero. It's funny with some really wacky parts (drugs!) but also gory which makes it a hard one to know who their target audience is. Me? So yes, the main plot is good but getting from point A to B is very convoluted, ridiculous and sometimes hilarious while the violence, especially the martial arts violence is well done. Worth putting on while you're doing something else if only to pay attention when the fight scenes start up.

Hogwarts: Legacy and Calico

Games of Magic (and animal abduction :P)!

Hogwarts: Legacy

Set in the world of the popular Harry Potter series but taking place much earlier, you get to play as a student in the magical academy and quickly get involved in a plot that only you "the chosen one" can resolve. But also, you need to attend class, explore the (vast) lands around, while helping (or not helping) other students and residents. This also involves doing some Pokemon by capturing saving a variety of magical beasts and putting them in your own pens for your personal use. Also, expect to be beating the absolute shite out of your opponents in this one to the point of "I don't need the killing curse because its so much more satisfying to break all your bones, cut you into pieces and then explode you from inside out, MUAHAHAHAAHAH!".

So yes, while I enjoyed it there are a couple of negatives: while there is broom riding there's no Quidditch (which is fine I guess), and despite the huge map the activities are kind of repetitive. Go here and clear a cave, go there and clear a cave. Oh a puzzle. Oh its the same sort of puzzle but elsewhere. Lastly, unskippable lines in cut scenes. Sure, you can skip the entire cut scene but you can't read faster than the voice actors (who do a wonderful job btw) and press a button to go to the next sentence like in other games. Is that one a minor point? Well, there's loads of lengthy cut scenes so you tell me. Still recommended, especially if you like Harry Potter.

Calico

In this pastel color game you are in a magical land where all the animals are friendly so you can pick them up, let them sit on your head, and take them to the cat cafe you are trying to open which you can also interior decorate to your hearts content. Also, just to add to the WTF factor you can prepare food... by shrinking down to a tiny size and then running around the kitchen like an action game to grab ingredients and basketball them into the boiling cauldron? Yeah, it lost me there at that point. I guess I'm not magical enough for this game. :P

Evil Black Phone

Shows about the supernatural!

Evil (TV series)

In this four season show a psychologist, a priest in training, and a tech expert make up the Catholic Church's assessor program, which takes on cases to determine if people have demonic possession or are just crazy, because the two actually look very much alike. It is very well written and well acted (especially the little kids) and 90% of the show is just cool character growth, world building and plot advancing. The other 10% is made up of horror which shows up every now and again, and holding back on it actually makes it super effective. Big thumbs up for this one, I highly recommend it.

Black Phone (1 and 2)

When a young quiet boy is taken by a kidnapper, he ends up having to rely on voices from a disconnected black phone to help him out - voices of the kidnapper's previous victims. While yes, that's a pretty scary situation to be in, there's not so much horror to it if the ghosts are on the protagonists side. I do like that everything the kid does that seems for naught actually plays a part in the end, but its almost like the bad guy doesn't stand a chance here. 

In the second film years have passed and now it focuses on the sister of the quiet boy, a sister who gets strange visions and ropes in people to go with her to a frozen camp to follow the clues (there's still a disconnected black phone there, don't worry), only to discover its where the kidnapper from the first movie started his killing spree. Yay for there being a bad ghost this time around which makes for some scarier moments but when said bad ghost starts to ice skate... um...

It's interesting that the second film succeeds both in being scarier but also in being a less interesting movie. All up, give number one a try and if you really liked it, continue with number two. Or just watch Evil which is much better, but a bigger time investment. :P

Oddsparks Lonestar and the Stone of Madness

Three games that are just not for me.

Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure

As you explore this fantasy world you will need to create a bunch of cute helpers to help you do things, like forage, chop trees and... fight? That last one isn't so much of a problem, but the whole idea of this one revolves on automating processes using your helpers like batteries to power magical machinery and conveyor belts to make components turn into other things and so on. The grind is not hidden from the start either, with early quests requiring hundreds of processed materials to complete. I'd probably have given this one more of a chance had I not gotten sick of the whole conveyor belt processor puzzle thing from Arknights: Endfield. 

Lonestar

In this rogue like, you get to pick a pilot from a random trio of options and a ship (based on your level) to then go do some bounty hunting! Majority of this game is turn based battles which are simply about putting power components in your guns and other ship components and then blasting the enemy as it does the same to you. Whoever has the higher numbers hits the other guy, and if you have fuel you can do tiny manuevers to dodge some enemy firing lanes. Minor events in between fights let you refuel, shop, upgrade or treasure hunt, often with a cost and then its onto the next target. Again this gets super grindy very quick.

Side note: Grindy much like Green Hell's: Spirits of Amazonia expansion. OMG. We enjoyed the base game but in this one they decided that you need to do thousands of things over and over just to advance the story. No thanks!

Stone of Madness

A stealth game with awesome hand drawn animation set inside an insane asylum!? This should be right up my alley! Except, its a stealth MANAGEMENT game. You see in it, you (playing as a priest) must assemble a squad of people with special abilities - like a strong guy and a violent woman. While you can only control one person at a time, your other two squadies can either wait or follow you. Except all of you are actually crazy. The strong guy hates darkness and can't be left there. The woman hates fire and can't do anything near it. The priest hates violence so has to be away when the woman is murdering guards. Only the priest can deal with the ghosts that come up at night. What!? Ugh, so yes. As much as I wanted to like this the management part of it was too annoying for me. Recommended though if you don't mind that sort of thing!

Jack Ryan: Ghost War and Punisher: One Last Kill

When you need gun action!

Jack Ryan: Ghost War

This flick continues on from the series and finds a retired Jack Ryan (still played by John Krasinki) being roped back into what's supposed to be an easy mission "to meet a guy", but its never that simple. Chase scenes and combat sequences shortly follow but plot wise I can't help but think that Jack was only required for the second half or last third of the movie, as it looked like all the other characters had it handled - even the comedy relief guy? My overall feeling is that unfortunately, the movie is weak. :(

Punisher: One Last Kill

This episode length special continues its series, starring Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle now better known as the titular vigilante. In it, it explores what happens when Frank's killed everyone he's wanted to kill and goes too deep in his own head. But don't worry! Bad guys are stupid and by the second half he is back to ruthlessly executing the hordes of scum that decide to take him on. For its length and given it works as a standalone, it's super entertaining! Recommended! :) 

As a bonus for other gun nuts, here's a review of the Zev FDP gun... which turns out to not be so practical. 

More than Nothing: Finding Warmth

[Part of the Party Time journal]

On the other side of the forest the team makes their way up the Stone Dragon mountain where Eagley says the profitable pink salt trade has stopped for some reason. Asking at a tribal camp they learn it was due to the sudden appearance of Mikra (abominable snow men things) after an earthquake. Rather than ask any more questions they start heading up the snow covered mountain (Eagley buys them warm coats) and ignore a wind-blocking campsite (with dead bodies under the snow) to forge on into the night and howling winds - taking cold damage as they do so. A lot more than nothing.

Half a dozen Mikra appear and are slain just before the PCs start dying themselves, and Jerghonson has the great idea of pulling the corpses together and sleeping inside them for warmth (like Star Wars). The next morning Bal Bahadur and four assistants find them and declares he's going to solve the Mikra issue, asking for their help, offering 1% of the future pink salt profit and shared credit for their troubles. Aah convinces him (with a good dice roll) to make that 90% of the profit but he can keep all the credit. At the summit they find a dark cave in the rock face where no doubt the Mikra are coming from and so work to collapse it - doing so before the sun sets again.

They manage to make it back to the village where Bal declares the threat ended and pays the team their earnings. They and Eagley quickly get out of there in case Bal's over confidence is unfounded. Their last stop is the town of Drystan, near a swamp. Luckily its leader, Lord Moroney - the best physician in the region (I introduced him accidentally killing someone who had a cold), is already an ally to Praetor Artorias and outfits them with better arms and armor. While waiting for the Praetor to arrive he asks they look into the "toad demon" tribe in the swamps who have recently become organized and have started kidnapping his townsfolk in raid. They also all seem to only have one hand?

The squad finds them easily enough in their swamp. Hundreds of them. Jerghonson prays to Luna for assistance and this time becomes a big wolf himself, then howls to get majority of the tribesmen chasing him (in vain, he's too fast as a wolf) while the rest circle around to an important looking ruin where they fight more tribals and hand-spiders (Mamita again leading a good spear throw), rescue the now handless victims, and slay their leader (Mamita and Ughh snipe him) - who turns out to be caravaner Jhonen!? The remaining tribesmen lose all cohesion and don't give chase.

Returning to Drystan with the captives they learn Jhonen always had it out for Moroney, as Moroney was unable to cure Jhonen's wife of a sickness (probably also a cold).

[Inspired by Stone Dragon Mountain and Beneath the Black Water from RuneQuest 6 - Book of Quests] 

More than Nothing: A Tale of Creatures

[Part of the Party Time journal]

At the next stop of Wallen they learn bandits had recently robbed them and kidnapped purple haired Pellestina, so they go track and take them down which was easy because they were all drunk and celebrating a big pay day for selling the woman to the Brown Buzzard who lairs further in the woods. Despite already having the money, the continue on to try rescue the girl finding strange violent hooded men who speak in buzzes and explode into bee swarms when "slain". 

The swarms eventually leave and the team finds Pellestina tied by vines in the hollow of a tree. The woman pleads to be taking back to her village but also starts speaking in buzzes. Ughh tells everyone to leave first and blind folds the woman before using "his knowledge of being a colony of possums" to "possum-no-jutsu-massage" the bees out of her, saving her life!

Upon returning to Eagley, Aah assists in fighting off a few more attackers then learns that some of their soldiers have deserted - especially after finding out what Eagley did to "take care" of the previous troublemaker. With a number of arrested bandits now in tow, Eagley also sends a squad of soldiers to take the prisoners back to Partopia while they press on into the lands of Goatgetterville ruled by Empress Palisa. It's well known that she was in love with the late Aeternan Emperor Julian and that she would be also working on her own claim to the throne so Eagley suggests of an opportunity to support a drug trafficker in the capital city which would benefit them and hurt her in a more than nothing manner. The team flatly disagrees and bypasses her city altogether and continue onto Twain.

En route, Aah saves a little girl who had snuck into the tomb of Ug "father of the pack", from its resident Jba'fofi (giant spider). The over a hundred years old leader of Twain, Jerg, thanks them and lets them rest in town but says they have no funds to give as the Empresses' tax men have already come. There's supposedly treasure in a canyon tomb nearby, which is where he sent the other tax men, but the team have no interest in confronting them. Jerg then tells them that a now "over" protective magical statue (constructed by a wastard / "a son of a witch" hired by Mama Yapa) blocks the way between Twain and Goatgetter village, making trade difficult. Magical waves of force push people back but Aah is the one who finally reaches the thing and deactivates it.

In thanks, Ma, the new leader of Goatgetter Village provides them with spears and funding. She also warns them of the dangerous forest they plan to travel to next but it doesn't stop them from going right down the middle of it to a large clearing where the corpse of a giant rainbow snake is pinned to the ground with a spear. Angry apes soon surround them, confirming that they slew their own god for demanding too much tribute, and they don't let any who enter their territory survive. Mamita leads the troops in an excellent spear throw, keeping nullifying the first wave of apes while Jerghonson rushes up the giant snake corpse and pulls the god spear.

Suddenly the great snake QQ quickly regenerates and in a rage begins to wipe out the apes. Eagley gets everyone moving before it turns on them!

[Inspired by On the Slaughterfront and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands] 

More than Nothing: Bad Allies

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Outside town the team group up with seasoned tax collector Eagley, who acts as their guide. While he and the rest of the squad guard the treasure box it is up to the four PCs to actually do the collecting - starting with the dirty pig village of Thorsen, where leader Rorke's plan to make them go through some humiliating trial for taking his daughter with them previously is foiled by Ughh who manages to simply threaten payment out of them.

Their next stop is a small "hippie" berry-eating community of Gossett whose sing songy spokesperson Dylmah says all their money went with some of the young folk to pay a hermit deeper in the woods to learn how to hunt. None of them have returned. Ughh forces Dylmah to take them there in a thunderstorm and sure enough in a rickety old shack is Rash the hermit who admits all of the rookies became prey to the many wolves around. Aah convinces him for a more than nothing refund which he obliges to, but on their way out they are surrounded by wolves and Rash himself transforms into a werewolf!

Jerghonson manages to summon Luna again who charges Rash back into and through his hut (no trace of either of them after) while the others fend off the wolves, with the few remaining ones running away. Ughh breaks Dylmah's legs there for leading them into a trap and wishes her luck making it back on her own. 

Returning back to Eagley they find their convoy had repelled an attack, but one of their members (a convicted judge who took bribes) is missing. It doesn't take long to find him being eaten by one of their cannibal allies who they then arrest, but the cannibal claims innocence - he didn't kill the man, he was just hungry. Mamita does note there is a single puncture mark in the victim's neck, which leads to another of their ex-con soldiers who happens to be knitting at the time - a woman who was jailed for poisoning her husband (and many others). She says the ex-judge had it coming since he was the one who found her guilty. They tell Eagley about it and he says he'll deal with it.

After resting up at a road side inn and declining to stay for the evening wrestling match that might earn more gold, they find the poisoner missing and Eagley confirming not to worry about her and that he "dealt with it".

Plot armor was used!

Jerghonson remembers how his brother and biggest rival Jimgon managed to solve a maze puzzle faster than he did by "following the right wall" and how Jimgon could always go past his limits to beat him physically as well.

Ughh remembers that while he looks like a person he isn't one - he replaced the real Ughh in the forest years ago. In reality he's actually a hivemind colony of possums.

[Inspired by Danegeld] 

More than Nothing: Back to Partopia

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Soon a messenger bird arrives with orders that splits the team. Ughh and Aah stay with the dig team who uncover a giant hand behind a stone door that squishes 12 of the miners before it is defeated, while Mamita and Jerghonson along with half the soldiers go to the mining town of Jellyroll which is in threat of being overrun by Bhir'Beli forces. They are to hold the line until reinforcements arrive.

Upon arriving the mine leader tricks them and locks them in one of the mine shafts though, saying they've already made a deal with the Bhir'Belians and handing them over to the invaders (due to arrive soon) will do much to foster relations with them. Leaving them there Jerghonson prays to his moon goddess Luna (chosen upon character creation) who hears his call, appearing as a giant wolf that occupies most of the tunnels. She mauls a lone guard and opens the gate before wandering off. 

Rather than escape, the team digs pit traps in the mine and waits in hiding along side passages. The ambush is successful when the mine leader and Bhir'Beli advance party arrive, and only one Bhir'Beli soldier manages to escape to his horse and flee with incredible speed. Jerghonson then takes the mine leaders head and threatens the remaining Jellyroll citizens who then all scatter and flee, knowing the punishment for treason: it's a lot more than nothing.

Soon enough a new regiment from Partopia arrives and after ascertaining the situation decides its not worth dying over a dead town. They torch it and collapse the mine, sending the PC party back to Partopia where they regroup with the expedition team who have also returned with a good haul of artifacts. It is at this time that Captain Tamir informs all of them that Emperor Julian has been assassinated, and the previously allied lords of Aeternea are now making claims for the throne. They will back their patron, Praetor Artorias, and their new duty is to collect funding and support from as many people as they can. Aah easily convinces her stepfather Governor Quintus to help.

On their way out of the city they defend a young girl being pursued by stake wielding assailants and the last attacker, a man named I'lbakstabyo who works for Numero Uno ("god" of the very oppressed Numerologist religion) claims the "girl" is a vampire who has taken the form of the child which it killed. A house guard of the girl recognizes her and takes her back to her family though, and while the team try to warn the guard of potential vampy-ness he remains unmoved and they are unwilling to do more - apart from take I'lbakstabyo to jail.

They're also approached by a woman who claims to be the widow of thief King Autolycus who asks them to get the gem of the Crocagator located in his vault, be returned to her. She's afraid she'll be killed if she goes after it herself and gives the team instructions how to get there via a secret door in the sewers. Beyond they are surprised to find a Crocagator temple with worshipers that Jerghonson manages to befriend with tales he heard about their predecessor Testikles of the fisher people. They opt out of the mission deciding the widow is too shady for their liking.

More than Nothing: Black Vale Expedition

[Part of the Party Time journal]

After more weeks of police work the team save a pregnant woman being chased by some idiotic thugs that keep yelling "Pale-dogs!" (their gang name). The woman thanks them for the save and continues on her way to the temple of Koochikoo while the others track down the Paledog leader in a run down house in the city. He reveals they were paid to slay the woman with the still moist offertory box from the temple itself, so they quickly rush there to find the very lecherous priest Carpef organizing some "friends" to take care of her. All the bad guys are arrested and Carpef admits that he needs the woman killed because he had a vision her baby (his child) would bring about the end of the world. But he couldn't kill her himself because he's devout!?

They are then joined by new recruits (all the survivors from the prison) to join caravaner Jhonen's archeological expedition to find treasure for Praetor Artorias, and Jhonen guarantees they'll find more than nothing. They first stop at Thorsen, a filthy pig farm, where a young woman named Jalla asks to join the mission - because she hates it there. Her father Rorke is against this but Ughh makes him back off. 

While traveling alongside a river Aah goes to save a drowning person only to find its a trap by a quartet of great river cats with hands for tails and human voices! Unfortunately the cats didn't count on there being so many soldiers and Jerghonson leads the militia to bash them to death before they can do anything.

Upon entering the Black Vale, bitterworm has spoiled over 70% of the caravan rations and the dark mountain men that live here move their flocks away but send a scout to keep tabs on them. It is a temple of theirs to their god Popeta that Jhonen wants to uncover, and sure enough near a mountain summit the 30 extra miners uncover a belfry they can descend (which saves a lot of digging)!

Jhonen, 5 soldiers, Ughh and Aah rappel down with the miners where they find an odd looking altar - a humanoid form above what seems to be a hand, and sudden movement in the surrounding ash reveals many "hands" / handspiders that come to attack them - with one managing to climb up a miner and puppeteer him! The hands are of little threat with the organized defenders though.

The defense upstairs is good too, led by Mamita and Jerghonson the mountain men's pincer attack raid is easily foiled (despite losing four men) when they kill over half the attackers in one combat round, routing the enemy immediately!

[Inspired by Ptolus Adventures]  

More than Nothing: Partopian Police

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Having been arrested and stripped of all gear, the teens find themselves in an arena with seventeen other prisoners in a trial by combat against four sabretooth cats! Ughh spends most of his time convincing the other NPCs to fight while Jerghonson makes the cats hit each other while Aah and Mamita dextrously do acrobatics to avoid them. Ultimately, all the cats are slain and the eight survivors (the four PCs, their friends Waywocket and Rowina, and previous race contestants Yuriet and Crixus) are congratulated by Praetor Artorias who then recruits them into his army so that they can be more than nothing. 

It is night time, beneath a handful of stars, when the recruits officially graduate and are given clubs and blue tunics. Captain Tamir tells them that Aeteran Emperor Julian is in need of man power in a war against the hordes of Bhir'Beli to the South, so the new recruits will serve as the Partopian police force while veteran soldiers are sent off to battle. 

Their first few missions are simple affairs: clearing out a blockage in the sewer caused by some whack job trying to make bigger rats, find the stolen offering box from the temple of Koochikoo (stolen by the simple groundsman who wanted to impress a girl but the girl then tossed it in the river, Ughh makes her go swim for it), and being temporary prison guards to an underground jail where incarcerated criminals were recently vanishing (one of the locked up people was a shape shifting slime, eating the others in their sleep - set on fire by Aah after Ughh discovers it).

They also retrieve a wagon for caravaner Jhonen from some bandits who pose as farm hands who are no match for the team that have a surprisingly cinematic fight sequence with them (the players tell me what they do and the dice decide if it works or not, I only decide the effectiveness of the action or the repercussions for failure).

Plot armor was used this time (mainly in the arena)!

Jerghonson had a sibling Jimgonson who was always his biggest rival as he was much wiser, claiming "you're not smart enough to read my books!"

Mamita always had a hard time making friends because she's smarter than them.

Ughh has a story when his caretakers lost him in a forest as he was "hiding in the shadows". Ever since that time could merge with the shadows as long as no one is looking.

Aah was a street orphan but she was taken in by Governor Quintus. While delivering vegetables for Quintus to a market stall one day she gave some to a beggar figuring they wouldn't be missed.

[Inspired by Ptolus Adventures]