Happytown Applesauce

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a game that, by all accounts, shouldn't exist: "Captain Blood." This title, originally slated for release years ago, finally saw the light of day in May 2025 after a near 25-year development journey. I first heard about it on YouTube, where most people quickly dismissed it as a relic, a simple hack-and-slash game from the PS3 era. But the story behind its belated release captivated me. Intrigued, I decided to dive in, shelling out $20 to download it. I spent about a week (which for me translates to roughly 5-15 hours) exploring its world. And honestly? The game is great. While you could technically label it a "hack and slash," I think that description misses the mark. "Captain Blood" has a surprising amount of heart and feels more like an early entry adventure game, reminiscent of the genre that dominated console exclusives for a decade. It offers quick, fast-paced, and genuinely fun action within an unexpectedly beauti...

[REVIEW] RoboCop: Rogue City

There are millions of words written about video games every day, but one of the best things you can say about a game is simply, "I wanted to start it up again after finishing it." RoboCop: Rogue City is that kind of game for me. Here's my review, based on my personal 10-category, 10-point scoring system. I'll add up the points at the end for a final score. Let's dive in! STORY: 7/10 Crafting a compelling narrative from an established IP like RoboCop is no easy feat. As someone turning 50 this year, I'm probably predisposed to enjoy anything RoboCop-related, but even so, the story here feels solidly above average. You've got a good mix of street-level gangs, multiple villains, a looming Big Bad, and, of course, the ever-present evil corporation. It truly captures that quintessential 80s vibe, which is a fantastic foundation, but the game eventually develops its own identity, standing on its own narrative merits. OBJECTIVES: 9/10 The objectives are neat and ...

Conan - The 2007 Video Game [REVIEW]

The 2007 Xbox 360 video game Conan is, to put it bluntly, not very good. In fact, a much better use of your time would be to watch ICECOLDSNAKE 's excellent retrospective review of it instead of playing it. So why, then, am I compelled to write about it? Because despite its many flaws, Conan embodies a specific, John Milius-esque approach to its world that deserves to be both celebrated and used . It's going to serve as a fascinating case study: a game that should, by all accounts, appeal to my personal sensibilities - the unapologetic "Milius" vibe - yet ultimately falls flat as a brown, boring mess of repetitive mechanics. In a world where review scores are becoming increasingly untethered from a game's actual quality, Conan offers a vital load test of my review structure . We've all seen it: a review that gives a game a perfect 10/10, only to spend the next thousand words detailing its shortcoming s. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a recent example where a g...

Brave Release: 2012 Reviewed Version: Original Xbox 360 disc used in Xbox Series X Environment: Large room. 5.1 Audio. 55" HDR/4k TV, sitting 5-6 feet away from the screen. Developer: Behaviour Interactive Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios --------------- My review method is simple. Ten categories guide my thoughts. Each category is on a 1 to 10 scale. Add them up for the final score. --------------- STORY: 1 A straightforward plot: reverse the curse, save your mother. While simplistic, it serves its purpose effectively. OBJECTIVE: 10 Clear and compelling. The game expertly maintains player engagement with its well-paced progression and rewarding loop of coin collection and character improvement. IN-GAME ART / DESIGN: 5 Visually, the game shows its age with an Xbox 360-era aesthetic. The character models, particularly the protagonist, could use refinement. However, the environments hold up reasonably well. MUSIC AND SOUND: 10 The game's audio is a standout. Despite i...

[REVIEW] Last of Us Remastered

Here is a review of the remastered game on the PS4 with notes on the original PS3 version. I played it late winter 2025 on a 55" HDR TV sitting 6-7 feet away using a 5.1 stereo in a large-ish room. Game Director: Bruce Straley Creative Director: Neil Druckmann Art Director: Erick Pangilinan Before this game was beaten to death, HERE are my "fresh" thoughts from shortly after its release in 2013. --------------- My review method is simple. Ten categories guide my thoughts. Each category is on a 1 to 10 scale. Add them up for the final score. --------------- STORY - 10 Still grabs me, even after all this time. A decade on, and I'm still coming back. That's rare. They aimed for the moon, and landed on it, all while keeping it grounded. OBJECTIVES - 10 No filler here. Every task feels purposeful. Even the mundane stuff, like finding a ladder or boosting Ellie, stays fresh. No wasted time, period. IN-GAME ART / DESIGN - 10 Checks all the damn boxes. Even the original...

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