Cobra wins as GI Joe: Operation Blackout begins. They attack an aircraft carrier, knocking out all power to the US, and in the next scene, the White House is draped in red banners. Maybe it’s a Trump thing, but not really. It’s more a vague militaristic slant, that even when top levels of government dissolve,… Continue reading GI Joe: Operation Blackout (PS4)
Recent real world reports revealed Donald Trump’s administration performed forced hysterectomies on immigrants, a story that compares to the blathering fear mongering over illegals and terrorists in Watch Dog: Legions. A privatized police force roams the city, guns almost always drawn, leering checkpoints scanning every Londoner as they pass. Given the number of cameras, there’s… Continue reading Watch Dogs: Legion (Xbox One)
It’s a misfire to see the post-Return of the Jedi Empire so flush with diverse faces. While the industry pushes for inclusiveness, that message trickles down and places all genders and races onto the side of a directly Nazi-esque regime. In brief, one-sided dialog exchanges, hearing phrases akin to real world authoritarian power grabs is… Continue reading Star Wars: Squadrons (Xbox One)
Sonic, Mario both collided with 3D; Crash Bandicoot came into existence only because of 3D, running ahead in a reconfigured Frogger. Crash never needed to adapt (although failed attempts were made later). Turns out, Crash’s base formula is timeless, set on manic pace, raw level design skill, and ‘90s personality in gobs. From afar, or… Continue reading Crash Bandicoot 4 (PS4)
Putting this Mario trio side-by-side shows evolution in design – certainly more so than with the 2D iterations beforehand – and a notable cultural change. Mario 64 existed in the earliest reality show bubble, where a camera follows and traces Mario’s steps around the Mushroom Kingdom, broadcasting them to viewers. MTV’s The Real World debuted… Continue reading Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch)
There’s nothing revolutionary in Mafia’s organized crime story. The cliches and drama all play to form, but Mafia does allow an exploration of America’s depression era, including the desperation and sheer naivety of alcohol prohibition. It’s not that Mafia allows players to gun down cops en masse with a machine gun (many games do), so… Continue reading Mafia: Definitive Edition (PS4)
Odd that WWE Battlegrounds is more authentic to the WWE than other prior licensed wrestling games. McMahon exists in the story’s background, taking credit for success, while keeping profits high by stuffing talent onto cramped buses as they move across the country. Unlocking new wrestlers means cycling through a menu where talent is encased in… Continue reading WWE 2K Battlegrounds (PS4)
Five years after the Avengers were forcibly disbanded, a government-supported, rogue military group (AIM) begins rounding up “inhumans,” putting them in cages, and biased network news cheers them on. To get these obvious parables now leaves one to wonder what future Trumpian parables hold. Captain America draws a direct line to AIM and the Nazis.… Continue reading Marvel’s Avengers (PS4)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater made skate vernacular common knowledge – ollie and kickflips broke from the culture and into mainstream use. But more so, Pro Skater emboldened an entire era of punk. Its eccentric art, anti-authority bent, and music encapsulated not only skating, but the shared community around it. A remake saps that energy. Pro… Continue reading Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 (Xbox One)
Life is Strange 2’s first antagonist is a cop, recklessly drawing a gun, leading to tragedy. Then come the racists, the bigoted conservatives, cultish Evangelical Christians, and finally, the border wall. Life is Strange 2 follows two Mexican boys – orphaned by police violence – as they road trip through Donald Trump’s America. It’s obvious… Continue reading Life is Strange 2 (PS4)
