Your Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman (sn1)

Leading up to the latest Spiderman movie, I needed to join the hype train again. Friendly Neighborhood takes place in a universe adjacent to the MCU, referencing many key events like the Battle of New York, The Sokovia Accords, and the battle of the airport. The key difference is Peter Parker isn’t mentored by Tony Stark but Norman Osborn as he learns what it means to be a hero.

In the year since it debuted, I’ve heard so many mixed reactions and reviews to this series so I tried extra hard to go in neutral. Overall I had a damn good time. The voice cast does a damn good job, especially Coleman Domingo as Norman Osborn, balancing the warmth of a fatherly mentor, cold hearted business tycoon, while foreshadowing the villain he’ll become. I also love the series’s take on Lonnie Lincoln’s turn to Tombstone. Scorpion was a complete psychotic badass and one of my favorite interpretations. Peter’s overall story is really well done.

One of the best flaws I saw was it’s pseudo ties to the MCU. Most of the characters look and sound like their MCU counterparts while dropping easter eggs left and right but it doesn’t sync. Peter doesn’t participate in Civil War but the outcome is still the same. There is time travel and dimension play in the beginning and end circa Dr. Strange. I’m mixed on the origin reveal for the season finale, but it leads into my biggest problem with the first season overall. There’s a lot of giant plot threads left hanging, major ones that lead to major story arcs that could take multiple seasons to fill if done right. That got me peeved admittedly.

I hate to have to include this section, but its sadly the world we live in. I’ve heard so many reviews bash this show because of the diversity on display. It’s super apparent but feels natural. I come across different people each and every day and seeing all kinds of folks made the show feel more real, because Spiderman is there for everyone. Thats how it should be. So if it bothers you, maybe you need to learn what Spiderman was about in the first place.

In the end, I had a blast with this show and I can’t wait for more in season 2. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Betty’s Revenge

So much has crossed into public domain in the few years. Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Popeye the sailor…and Betty Boop. Yep, we got a Betty Boop horror movie on our hands. How? Why? Well, let’s find out (you might need a beer or hard drink of choice for this one.)

Three history majors have come to a mansion in the middle of nowhere for a project. The house was formerly a cabaret in the 1920’s called Dizzy Dishes that burned down under mysterious circumstances. Living in this house is a bizzarre young woman dressed in all black with a high pitched voice that rarely talks. This unnamed lady (though we damn well know who she is) is giving off some really menacing vibes. Trapped because of a storm, the three are left with this crazy lady in a giant house in the middle of nowhere. What could go wrong?

I shouldn’t need to state the obvious but Betty’s Revenge was not a good movie. But was it a fun bad movie? Honestly, no. The movie is barely 80 minutes and you can tell it’s stretching to hit that mark. The first victim takes about 4 minutes just to die, which was one of the only funny parts of the movie. The actress playing Betty (never referred to as Betty by name but damnit we know) tries unlike everyone else is flat month old soda. Their isn’t any outlandish death scenes and you really don’t see any of the killing but the laughable aftermath. The movie keeps showing clips of old Betty Boop cartoons but refuses to mention her by name. I was sorta confused what Betty actually was in this movie- ghost, some kind of immortal being, maybe a possessed victim. The movie never explains. It gives a vague but weirdly well written diary of a girl who sounds like a 20’s Joaquin Phoenix Joker in the making. In the end, I can’t recommend this movie, even with booze. There’s better slop than this. May th gaming gods bring you glory.

Rally Car Mechanic Simulator PlayStation 5 Review

Rally Car Mechanic Simulator was sent my way by Ultimate Games, which is always appreciated. The game’s concept is very simple. You fix rally cars either for your team and your driver races them. After each stage, you fix things he breaks, feners, breaks, windows, whatever.

The game thankfully has multiple difficulty settings for how in-depth this goes; you can basically find the part, hold a button, and watch the magic happen as you take off each piece or go full-blown mechanic with no help and try to find each broken piece and screw yourself. I played on easy because I am not a car guy by any means.

All you really need to know about this game is: does this sound interesting to you? If not, nothing I am about to say will matter; skip it and save yourself $20. If you are still with me, you are probably wondering how it functions. Truth is, not bad. I have played a few of these games, and I have certainly played worse. I did have some issues with buying new items, but admittedly, that could be more of a user issue. If it is, however, it is because the game’s UI really could use some tweaks; certain things really aren’t very clear. The game is still a 7/10 experience, and while I didn’t much care for it, fans of the genre will. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Transport Fever 3 Showcased in Latest “First Look” Video

Transport Fever 3 challenges players to design, build, and manage transport empires spanning railways, roads, shipping lanes, and air routes across 4 distinctive environments, each with a unique set of challenges and gameplay possibilities. The game’s dynamic, fully simulated world evolves in response to player actions, with settlements and industries that grow and thrive as players improve the flow of people and goods using over 300 authentic trains, buses, trams, trucks, ships, planes, and, for the first time, helicopters. Players can delve into the details of the game’s extensive features through the first four “First Look” episodes, available here. A detailed breakdown of the features highlighted in Episode Five is available in the press kit here.

In addition to the new episode, press materials including high-quality screenshots, B-roll footage, and more can be found in the official press kit.

For more information, visit www.transportfever3.com and the game’s official YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

 Verho – Curse of Faces, coming to consoles on July 30th

In Verho – Curse of Faces, players take on the role of nameless protagonists exploring the hostile world of Yariv, where masks serve as essential protection and bearers of identity. Each mask represents a specific class, ranging from powerful melee fighters to agile duelists and mighty mages. The system offers maximum freedom: Instead of being bound by rigid constraints, flexible character development allows players to specialize in any direction they choose. Players can freely develop their individual class concepts at any time, regardless of their initial choice. The gameplay is characterized by a synergy of exploratory elements and combat challenges.

The visual presentation is inspired by the 32-bit era. Through the deliberate use of low-poly models and rough textures, the game captures the nostalgic PlayStation 1 aesthetic. These intentional technical limitations reinforce the game’s oppressive atmosphere and give it a unique identity.

Key Features

  • Mysterious masks and an ominous curse – In a world where showing one’s face leads to certain death, the residents are forced to hide behind unique masks. The protagonist sets off for the land of Yariv to uncover the origins of the deadly curse.
  • A sinister world and its inhabitants – In addition to the story of the curse, Yariv is full of NPCs who carry their unique circumstances and traumas. Behind a large number of characters lie further quests, mysterious challenges, and unique personalities.
  • Build variety, melee fighters, and magical abilities – Verho – Curse of Faces offers a wide range of weapons, abilities, and spells that completely alter the gameplay. Players will experience combat in a brand new and unique way with every new playthrough.
  • Dark Fantasy RPG in the spirit of King’s Field – Verho – Curse of Faces celebrates the dark fantasy RPG genre established by icons such as King’s Field. With authentic PS1-era retro graphics, Verho – Curse of Faces offers players neo-retro charm that appeals not only to children of the 90s.

Regular updates for Verho – Curse of Faces can be found on the CTG Social Media channels Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and Facebook.

You can find Verho – Curse of Faces here on Steam for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Greedy Greedy Gnomes: incremental RPG by CloverPit pub gets release date

Greedy Greedy Gnomes is a deceptively simple incremental idle RPG. Seeking a fortune, you’ve come to the quaint town of Eldor’Idle, where citizens sit around in their houses all day. The houses have pots. The pots have coins. Click on a pot and get one coin. You see where this is going. 

Coins can be used to unlock upgrades, new buildings, equipment and more. Hire gnomes to break the pots on your behalf, and train them up to increase speed, strength and efficiency.  Do whatever you have to do, because at the end of the day, only one thing matters – growing your fortune to the absolute limit!

To do:

  • Settle in an RPG town
  • Unlock new buildings in the village
  • Train up your gnome employees
  • Play the economy
  • Become a billionaire, one click at a time

Disk Golf Masters Steam Review

Disk Golf Masters is developed by Spinoff Games and published by Bonus Stage Publishing. However, the game was actually tossed my way by Bram of Gametaste, so thank everyone involved in getting me a copy of this one.

Full disclosure, one many of you will have noticed, I don’t cover a lot of sports games. It isn’t that I don’t like sports; I have played most major sports on a team at some level, except hockey. I was even a professional wrestler for a while. So when Bram offered me Disk Golf Masters I said sure, I will take the easiest sport ever of throwing a frisbee.

So I played the tutorial and discovered that it isn’t easy to throw a frisbee in a video game, grabbed my daughters and ran outside to prove this game was lying to me and discovered that despite that at the age of 41 still having the ability to throw an 70mph knuckball pretty accuratly, I in fact can not throw a frisbee to a small chil across the street.

I still managed to throw 2 under par in my first round. I unlocked a few things and went back for round two with newfound confidence. This was very misplaced, as my second round went much worse. While you can’t really bounce your disk off other people, you can hit it off trees, or toss it off a cliff. Don’t worry the game won’t make you throw it from the bottom of the cliff.

Round 3 got a bit better, as with anything practice does make perfect, and the game gives you plenty of reason to keep playing. There is plenty to unlock, and with multiplayer, it is a great game to relax with friends and just have fun. Much like golf, you can play it anyway you want. Sitting in discord having some beers on a rainy day cracking jokes would be my prefered way to enjoy this one, but I can definetly see this being the kind of game the competitive scene would love. One last thing to note: the game does tell you to play with a controller, and my xbox series controller worked flawlessly. If you like sports games, this one is hard to beat for $25. It is a 9/10 experience, and when it leaves early access is sure to be even better. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Soulblaze Steam Review

Soulblaze is a new creature-catching roguelike with some interesting mechanics attached to it. This one was sent my way by Cosmic Mocca, which I always appreciate.

The gameplay, of course, follows the same general loop as most of these games. Pick a starting creature, pick a path, and on your way you go. While you go along this path, you can battle and capture new Animons, level up, learn new skills, collect new items, ,defeat bosses and when you die, use currency to buy permenent upgrades.

You start being able to access just the one Animon as a starter, but as you capture more, it will unlock different types. Not the ones you capture, really, just different animons you can choose if you capture enough of certain types. Some of the other things you can unlock include (but are not limited to) extra starting items, more health, and an assortment of things to make the early runs much easier. The loop isn’t bad and is fun in its own way.

The game, however, like many early access titles, has its share of issues. For example, despite being well above even the recommended specs, I suffered from frequent crashes, slow downs andd issues. The game is, however, made by one person and as an early access title that is fun too play I do give it some leeway. It is still kind of hard to recommend at $14. The game is a 5/10 title, one that needs a few more updates before it is ready for most people to buy. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Moon Knight: The Midnight Mission

Marc Specter is a man of many faces trying to atone for many sins as a former CIA contractor and the Fist of Khonshu. The Midnight Mission was established by Mr. Knight as a refuge for the weak and downtrodden, no matter their past. However, no good deed goes unpunished as someone or something is trying to break the Moon Knight as he tries building his life up again. New and old friends and enemies arise but where is Marc Specter?

This is my first Moon Knight comic and damn it was a fun ride. I loved the dark, supernatural side of Marvel. Moon Knight is a fascinating character to read as well as his multiple, equally cool personalities. The artwork is badass, beautiful, and damn creepy at times. As someone dealing with my own mental health journey, it was cool seeing Mr. Knight attend therapy and deal with the stress of being honest and open, and trying to heal. The side characters were a interesting bunch, ending with the Zodiac reveal as the main bad guy. Hunter’s Moon was a awesome parallel to Knight as the second Fist of Khonshu. In the end, this is a damn good place to start reading Moon Knight and I can’t wait to read more. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Submariner: The Depths

I’ve always loved the sea and the legends surrounding it. That was partly why I feel in love with Aquaman after reading Aquaman: The Trench and that was my favorite aspect of The Fisherman by John Langan. Finding books dedicated to Namor are rough and getting my hands on this particular book wasn’t cheap but it was cool to finally get a full story of Marvel’s King of Atlantis.

Dr. Rupert Stein is a world renowned debunker of myths and legends tasked with a case sure to set him up for life: disproving Atlantis. He starts on expedition amongst the sea weary crew of the Plato to uncover what happened to a Captain named Marlowe who claims to have found the famed city but has disappeared. Tensions rise between Stein and his crew as reason and superstition clash as they warn him of the sea’s power and it’s vengeful protector, Namor. Strange things begin to happen miles under the sea and Stein is plagued by hallucinations of a figure lurking about them. Can the tales be true or are they victims to the darkness of the sea?

First, I got to give Milligan and Ribic credit for making a eerie, atmospheric kind of horror story. This is purely a slow, Lovecraftian, psychological, horror story; there’s no pretense of the greater Marvel universe or superheroes and I really liked that. I hate Stein as a character by design but he is a well done, egotistical, snobbish scholar who looks down on his crew; the ending hit me not because it’s end I wanted but how I think the story would’ve played out. I will say you will disappointed if you pick this book up looking for monsters, action, gore, or a super romp. Namor doesn’t speak in the story, presented as a otherworldly visage like a phantom or ghost. While I enjoyed it as a one and done standalone story, I really can’t recommend it like I would other Marvel Knights titles closer to Inhumans than Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones. In the end, The Depths is a cool little horror story but definitely isn’t for everyone. May the gaming gods bring you glory.