"G-Darius HD" Review

A flashback to the 32-bit shooter era, "G-Darius HD" powers up the stalwart bullet hell franchise for Switch deployment.

Since the original game's arcade launch in 1987, the series has thrived on flashy visuals pulsing with fantasy-themed elements. Many fans believe the series peaked a decade later with the release of G-Darius, which introduced paradigm-shifting graphical boosts and level design.

"G-Darius HD" ups the ante further. Taito Corporation took deep care to pay respect to the beloved original, while adding considerable polish and ease-of-life enhancements.

Due to the side-scrolling nature of the game, it seems tailor-made for the Switch, particularly the gorgeous screen of the new OLED model.

The difficulty level remains monumental, which means you're in for a ton of frustration, as well as the thrilling sense of triumph once you take down particularly tough levels and bosses.

The game's replayability is immense due to its difficulty level, but it would have been nice to see a fuller-featured revamp that added extras, other "Darius" titles and more online interaction.

Still, for fans of one of the great shmups, it's tough to top "G-Darius HD," which reinvents the classic for a new era.

Publisher provided review code.

"Space Invaders Invincible Collection" Review

A satisfyingly robust collection of "Space Invaders" titles, "Space Invaders Invincible Collection" stacks 11 permutations of the interstellar shooter into one tight Switch package.

The anthology is a time machine that takes you back to quarter-popping arcade games, with increasingly tumultuous levels.

The games span decades, and include reinventions such as "Space Invaders Extreme" and the "Super Space Invaders '91." The fan-favorite "Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders" also makes an appearance.

Original black-and-white and color versions of the arcade OGs also pop up as well. 

They are by far the weakest components of this slate, but their hardcore retro appeal can't be overlooked. It's a thrill for old-school gamers to start with the originals and work your way forward.

Online leaderboards and instruction slates round out the package nicely. It's tough to imagine a future "Space Invaders" compilation topping this one in any meaningful way.

If you want more "Space Invaders" than this, you're just being greedy.

 Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Found"

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Book Report: "The Tipping Point"

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would dub this book "the ultimate term paper." Incisive research and clever applications make this a think piece with teeth.

With tremendous ambition, Malcolm Gladwell sets out to change the way people think and react to word-of-mouth advertising. Using an inconsistent but generally convincing array of case studies, he probes inside the inner workings of social phenomena, tracing them to their humble beginnings.

A few of Gladwell's examples ring hollow -- particularly a worshipful deconstruction of "Blue's Clues" and a questionable study of how 1980s TV news talking heads influenced voters -- but in general the book is sharp and illuminating.

Gladwell's pompous tone is a little distracting at times, but you have to set any prejudice aside and let the egghead on a mission keep his flow. At least he never bores, which is more than you can say for most term papers.

"The Tipping Point" should be a textbook in an essential marketing class at every business school.

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PHIL ON FILM: Movies and Shows Leaving Netflix in November 2021

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PHIL ON FILM: "Halloween Kills"

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Book Report: "American Dirt"

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Accusations of cultural appropriation distract from the torrent of research and authenticity that Jeanine Cummins channels into her writing.

Even though she can't fulfill the promise of her setup with a fully satisfying conclusion, her narrative about the struggles of a mother and her son to evade cartel assassins to make it north of the border is powerful and illuminating.

Careful to paint a respectful and inquisitive -- while still foreboding -- tale of the migrants' journey, Cummins uses eloquence and skilful emotional insight to deliver an often transcendent tale. Packed with stunning twists -- although maybe one or two too many -- and penetrating insight, the book feels like a product of experience rather than study.

Since so much of the book takes place in Southern Arizona and Sonora, the book has particularly high resonance for those from the Tucson and Nogales areas. "American Dirt" is a story that screams to be told, and Cummins was just the right author to answer the call.

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PHIL ON FILM: "Muppets Haunted Mansion"

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PHIL ON FILM: "Venom: Let There Be Carnage"

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