"Metro Exodus" Review

4A Games' "Metro" series has established itself as a bleak, brooding survival horror franchise with a distinctly Eastern European flavor. The saga is set in a depressed, post-apocalyptic society that has driven humanity underground, left to scurry around amid the ruins of the technological marvels in which it once thrived.

"Metro: Exodus" strives to be the most somber and claustrophobic of the franchise. As with the previous games, the capstone to the trilogy broods in its somber, contemplative mood. Many first-person shooters play on a power fantasy, but in this game, the aspiration is just to endure and scrape by, surviving encounters with mutated beasts or ruthless scavengers with just a sliver of health and a few spare bullets.

The setting for the third game moves largely from the decayed Russian metro to the sprawling, yet equally corroded and constrictive Russian wilderness. The story spans a year, evolving the saga as political factions rise and fall, semblances of hope flicker, die and spark up, and dread-inducing threats continue to rise from oblivion.

With a palpably raw ambition pulsing through every pixel, "Metro Exodus" feels like an expertly designed marvel. Displaying a polish and production level that the earlier games lacked, this seems to be the entry that will vault the franchise from cult status to mainstream prominence.

While the narrative continues to be patchy and confounding, the gameplay remains varied and vigorous. You rarely face challenges that seem repetitive or contrived. Although some action sequences lead to set pieces that feel a little forced and overproduced, the general effect is a cinematic flow that always packs a punch.

Single-player-focused experiences seem to be a dying breed, but the likes of "Metro Exodus" show that a dogged commitment to traditional survival horror values can pay off in a major way. The twists that 4A adds to the formula continue to pay off, and "Metro" continues to chug along, siphoning its dystopian angst as fuel.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "A Madea Family Funeral."

For my written review, click here.

"Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight" Review

When "WW2 Warplanes: Dogfight" released on mobile platforms with its vivid visuals and slick gameplay, it seemed as though it begged for a console release.

Now that it's made its way to the Switch, the game seems like it was more at home on phones and tablets.

Still a stunning visual delight, the pick-up-and-play shooter's flaws shine through when stacked up against other indie dynamos on the platform.

Although the battles in the clouds continue to fascinate as a compelling game of back-and-forth, cat-and-mouse one-upsmanship, the lack of a compelling progression loop or robust narrative give you too little season to continue taking to the unfriendly skies.

The dev team at Home Net games sweetens the deal by offering a bonus aircraft -- the P-40 Warhawk -- to the mix. Completionists will appreciate the authenticity and detail granted to that plane, as well as the rest of the fleet at your disposal.

With European, Asian and African maps at play, as well as British, Soviet and Nazi campaigns available, you feel as though you get to experience a sizable breadth of the World War II experience. You truly get a sense of the wind at your back, the bullets whizzing by and the ominous buzz of approaching bogeys.

The bottom line, though, is that there isn't much here to justify the $10 cost to play the game on Switch, where you can get the mobile version for half the price.
Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: Five shows to binge in March

For the full list, click here.

Book Report: "Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders"

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In between long interludes of self-congratulation, attorney Vincent Bugliosi gets around to telling the sordid tale of Charles Manson and his followers that obsessed him for the better part of a decade.

The lead prosecutor responsible for convicting and securing a short-lived death penalty for the killers, Bugliosi breaks down the bungled investigation and scattershot trial that became a media circus that drew worldwide attention to the mass murders that became nightmare fuel.

Bugliosi writes almost reverently of Manson as he describes his philosophies, musical fascinations and methods of exerting control over his harem and hangers-on, dispatching them to rob and murder innocents at his whim. The psychological study skims the surface, but includes enough detail to let you pass yourself off as a Manson expert in casual conversation.

Bugliosi lauds his dogged prosecution methods, but also shows a soft side for the female suspects who fell under Manson's control when they were lost, unloved drifters looking for a cause to cling to. His grim tale of twisted Americana and the hippie movement gone sideways is captivating and well-researched.

Scott Brick's narration of the Audible version is a stirringly staccato that aptly suits the potboiler, true crime nature of the material. You feel as though you're listening to Bugliosi relay his war stories over drinks at a dive bar.

"Helter Skelter" is essential reading on one of history's most notorious killers, and fascinating from beginning to end. It may suffer and gains from Bugliosi's personal touch in equal measures, but the bravado has a charm and self-reference that tends to pay off more than it makes you wince.

Publisher provided review code.

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"Trials Rising" Review

As you play "Trials Rising," you feel like you're chasing the edge of excellence, ever on the verge of nailing the trick it will take to vault you to a chart-topping score.

You speed through courses loaded with ramps, obstacles, inclines and declines, hurling your rider into the fray with what would appear to an onlooker like reckless exuberance. In reality, it's precise, studied intricacy that leads to a dream run. Every slice of perfection is preceded by copious failure and incremental advancement.

Developer RedLynx adds new modes while maintaining the level of visual excellence and smooth gameplay from the previous games. The concept that started as a browser game in 2000 and was refined for console release with "Trials 2" in 2007 now continues to thrive on current-gen consoles.

Playing the game that looks this good and plays so swiftly on the Switch's handheld mode seems like a marvel, much the same as some of the most particularly dazzing PS Vita games seemed at launch. The Switch, however, ratchets the visuals and sound to a more impressive plateau. This is a true showpiece with which to wow friends.

From the robust soundtrack to the deep customization options and varied modes and tracks, "Trials Rising" is a punishing crucible disguised as a adrenaline-juiced thrill ride. The climb toward excellence is a speedy, trick-filled glory road.
Publisher provided review code.

"RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands for Lore" Review

A sassy, fast-paced dungeon crawler, "RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore" follows the adventures of a spry, book-obsessed girl.

She romps through isometric catacombs, hacking and slashing at enemies and crates with aplomb as a sarcastic, hovering book of magic follows her to bark words of wisdom or derision.

Dubbed a "rogue-lite," the breezy, whimsical adventure takes you through procedural, anime-styled challenges. Text-heavy interludes provide entertaining breaks from the action as you swap out among nearly 200 weapons, seek upgrades and scamper down hallways with reckless aplomb.

The dev team at Pixellore wear their "Diablo" influences on their rolled-up sleeves, but are savvy at avoiding unnecessarily dark moments by sprinkling in levity at every turn. Remi is a sprightly, magnetic persona who is easy to rally behind. Imagine Belle of "Beauty and the Beast" fame with an attitude and penchant for kicking ass.

With its strong female lead and accessible combat and exploration, "RemiLore: Lost girl in the Lands of Lore" is the rare adventure that's just as suitable for tweens as it is grizzled middle-aged men. Whether you're on the PS4 or Switch, you'll find yourself entranced by this digital, interactive page-turner.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World"

For my written review, click here.

"DreamWorks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders" Review

Well, at least you can't call this game a quick and dirty movie tie-in. With backgrounds characters who have more in common with the first two films and Netflix series than the new film -- and fresh frontline protagonists --  "DreamWorks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders" is determined to be its own thing.

Exactly how worthwhile that thing ended up being is debatable.

A clumsy, awkward top-down RPG lite, the game cuts corners at every opportunity. Where you'd hope for detailed character models and varied backgrounds, you get bland avatars and a cookie-cutter, blandly linear world.

Most distracting, where you'd hope for voice acting with a cast of at least star sound-alikes, you get "Zelda"-style grunts and text windows of dialogue.

Bearing more in common with a mobile game than a robust console release, "Dawn of New Riders" does manage to craft a passable adventure once you get over the cut-rate quality of the presentation. Inventive puzzles, satisfying battles and a compelling item collection system keep you coming back for more, in spite of the rough edges.

"Dawn of New Riders" doesn't dazzle in the ways the movies do, but nor does it disappoint in the way old video game tie-ins used to. You could do worse, but you could also do a lot better.

Publisher provided review code.

"Unexplored: Unlocked Edition" Review

Two years after its original PC release, "Unexplored" comes to consoles in a revamped edition, accompanied by three DLC packs.

The overhead view roguelike, with procedurally generated levels, loads of items to discover and craft, as well as varied enemy types with distinct styles you need to adjust to on the fly, the game provides plenty to chew on.

A simplistic, 16-bit art style belies complex challenges. "Unexplored" is accessible from the get-go, but its cicuitrous dungeons hide multitudes of secrets and discoveries to unearth.

Although the tank-like traversal takes some getting used to, once you've adjusted to the quirks, it becomes second nature. A deep and involving RPG, "Unexplored" packs in loads of replayability, with no two runs playing out the same way. Developer Ludomotion outdid itself when synthesizing retro charm with modern aesthetics.

An especially apt mesh with the Switch in handheld mode, "Unexplored: Unlocked Edition" is the definitive version of one of the more distinctive indie gems of recent years. Don't overlook the diamond in the rough.

Publisher provided review code.

"Aragami: Shadow Edition" Switch Review

Lurking in the shadows, you hunt you slip undetected through courtyards, corridors and alleyways. You play a slain hero who has been summoned back from the dead, and is now on the hunto to collect fragments of his past.

After a slow start, the momentum picks up steam as it goes. The slow-moving opening is key to indoctrinating you in the rhythm and flow of the game, helping you adapt the skills you'll need to thrive later. Once things get going, you'll find yourself hooked as you sink deeper into the tale.

The dev team at Lince Works crafts a gorgeous backdrop for your exploits. Intricate challenges force you to time out your movements and attacks with precision. This is not one of the stealth-oriented games that you can go through with wanton disregard for methodical care. Make a wrong move and you'll only mount frustration.

The Switch release comes half a year after it debuted on Xbox One and PS4, arriving in a faithful port that manages to starkly recreate a console experience in handheld mode. Previously released DLC comes along, giving you the full experience at an entry-level price.

"Aragami: Shadow Edition" may not be a traditional take on the stealth game, but the breaks from the norm it delivers manage to freshen up the template enough to make the experience seem fresh and captivating. There are treasures to be had in these shadows.

Publisher provided review code.

"Far Cry: New Dawn" Review

What happens when a doomsday cult's dire predictions turn out to be right? That's the post-apocalyptic, "Fallout"-like question that "Far Cry: New Dawn" tackles.

The discount follow-up to last year's "Far Cry 5" is set 17 years after nuclear war has ravaged society, leaving pockets of survivors to coble together the pieces. The chaos blossoms amid a "superbloom," in which a burst of flora and fauna begins to thrive amid the rubble, painting the world with bright, wild brush strokes.

Hope County, Montana is at the epicenter of the power vacuum. "Far Cry: New Dawn" tasks you to lead a loosely-knit confederacy of survivors as they scrounge for resources and territory.

True to the "Far Cry" tradition, crafting, hunting and armed capturing and control of strategic epicenters shapes your experience along the way, setting up an evolving, back-and-forth metagame as you advance through the campaign.

Expertly constructed on the solid bones of "Far Cry 5," the experience of "New Dawn" echoes the events of the last game, while also striking off in brave new directions. The reshaped American West opens up as a dark, hyperviolent reimagining of 1800s frontier lawlessness, with more than a few echoes of "Red Dead Redemption 2" coming into play in a society robbed of technology.

Bolstered with involving RPG elements, "Far Cry: New Dawn" emerges as a single-player sandbox with layers of exploration, emergent discoveries and tense, thrilling encounters. While the story elements may not quite live up to the brooding, mind-control obsessions of "Far Cry 5," what we get is a resonant sequel that does the last game proud.

It may not be quite a new dawn for the "Far Cry" brand, but there are enough twists and advancements on the established formula to keep the franchise feeling fresh and vital.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Alita: Battle Angel"

For my full review, click here.

PHIL ON FILM: "Frozen 2" Teaser Breakdown

"The King's Bird" Review

Momentum is life's great X-factor, capable of amplifying success by multiplying exertion. Like Mario with an invincibility star, there is no limit to what can be accomplished when everything is going in the right direction.

The physics-based flight adventure the "The King's Bird" is all about manipulating, exploiting and preserving momentum as you soar throughout its levels. Using a mixture of on-the-fly acrobatics, lift, drag and drifting.

After the game released in August on PC, it now takes flight on the Switch, bringing with it developer Serenity Forge's ethereal level design and visual conceptualization. The freeing, spiritually uplifting tone goes a long way, helping you to overlook some of the game's flaws. "The King's Bird," even at its slowest and most frustrating, is always a joy to play.

Obstacle placement seems geared to make you pull your hair out or slam your controller in frustration. Sometimes your success hinges less on skill or mastery and more on blind chance. The myriad variables at play often make it feel as though you're trying to will the wind in a different direction. If you're playing in portable mode on a bumpy commute, forget about precision.

Despite its setbacks, "The King's Bird" excels on its chosen artistic level. Like an arthouse indie flick that has everyone talking, it feels as though it accepts you into an exclusive club -- one with the shared pleasure of feeling the virtual wind in your hair as you dive, loop and glide while striving for elusive thrills.
Publisher provided review code.

"Defense Grid 2" Review

A robust, sci-fi take on the tower defense formula, "Defense Grid 2" packs challenging, multi-layered gameplay into a tight package. Hidden Path Entertainment's rapid-flowing gameplay keeps things fluid and invigorating, and a solid menu interface keeps things accessible.

The Switch port of the 2014 console game, "Defense Grid 2" takes advantage of the console's handheld mode to provide an impressive on-the-go experience. Whether you take the game with you or play on your couch, "Defense Grid 2" is an engrossing experience that encourages you to keep tinkering and refining your setup.

With robust online multiplayer supplementing a rock-solid campaign, the game offers an intense and distinct experience every time you fire it up. There are 21 maps on which to slug it out.

The music adapts to the scenario with a procedural adjustment, providing a backdrop of fascinating tunes to amplify your trials, triumphs and defeats. Not only does each battle play out differently, it also carries a distinct sound.

An addictive and refined experience, "Defense Grid 2" is an RTS extravaganza that boasts loads of reasons to keep coming back. You'll find yourself defenseless to its onslaught.
Publisher provided review code.

"The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince" Review

"The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince" has such a weird premise that it seems like it was taken from one of those bizarre, morbid ancient fairy tales that had to be whitewashed for modern consumption.

A wolf with a crush on a prince she blinds on accident. Then she gives up her singing voice in exchange for the ability to transform and spirits him off on a quest to restore his vision.

Whimsical and often brutal storytelling melds with a gorgeously eclectic visual style to create an otherworldly adventure that seems at once timeless and innovative.

While the gameplay is outpaced by the story, developer Nippon Ichi Software is no slouch in that department. Some obtuse puzzles tend to make the going rough in patches. But the key is that the reward loop stays compelling/

The writing is strong enough to pull you through the choppier parts, convincing you to keep plugging through when things slow down and the frustrations mount.

One of the more masterful touches are collectible petals that fill in the backstory, gradually piecing together a grand-scale tale of love, loss, regret and hope. "The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince" sticks with you, lingering like a memory carved into your spirit.

Publisher provided review code.

"Etrian Odyssey Nexus" Review

The 3DS ain't dead yet. Thanks to the determined efforts of Atlus, Nintendo's warhorse handheld gets yet another top-shelf RPG. Teeming with fan service, rich dialogue and robust collection, customization and combat content,

"Etrian Odyssey Nexus" feels like a grand sendoff for the system that proves the 3DS will continue to merit a spot in gamers' pockets for months -- if not years -- to come.

A royal decree sets a heroic party in motion to a mysterious floating city. As the intrigue deepens and stakes rise, you're tasked to build up a party of protagonists that span the entire series.

What might have come off as a perfunctory, quick-and-dirty best-of album instead emerges as a grand finale that manages to tie together the grand saga, rendering previous entries as preambles for the main event.

"Etrian Odyssey" games have always made expert use of the system's two screens, maximizing menu interfaces while providing as much real estate as possible to the visuals, and the latest entry continues to excel in that category. A complex game becomes manageable in bite-sized chunks thanks to a pragmatic design that always makes the tasks needed for efficient, optimized progression.

Bolstered by a story that packs as much range, emotion and humor as the best moments of past "Etrian Odyssey" titles, "Nexus" provides a convincing reason for lapsed 3DS gamers to dust off their old devices, charge them up again and head off on one last, grand ride into the sunset.
Publisher provided review code.

"Tangledeep" Review

A throwback dungeon crawler that harkens to the Super Nintendo days, "Tangledeep" is a light, accessible RPG that also manages to conjure significant depth.

Boasting more than 100 hours of gameplay, the game is a collector's delight, with dozens of monsters to defeat, tame and recruit to your party. You can also plant magical trees and tinker with equipment and enhancements to amplify your play style preferences. There are also skills to mix and match.

A whimsical, high-fantasy visual and sound design makes you feel as though you're playing a lost classic from years gone by. Gorgeous 16-bit pixel art and chiptunes suck you back in to the early 90s.

Several months after "Tangledeep" was released on PC, it comes to Switch with Pro Controller support, a boosted user interface, new monsters and a new Riverstone Walkway area, adding considerably to the already rich slate of content at the ready.

With adjustable difficulty levels that make the game as accessible or harsh as you like, the game can be a brutal roguelike or free and easy, story-focused run through.

If you have a taste for the classics of yesteryear, you'll want to get yourself tangled up in this.

Publisher provided review code.

For my full review, click here.

Stage Review: "Something Rotten"

As I laughed and tapped my feet through the ludicrously brilliant "Something Rotten," my mind couldn't help but drift toward wondering how William Shakespeare would have felt if he had the opportunity to watch his life's work be relentlessly mocked.

I want to believe he would have hated it. The musical had me buying into its take that Shakespeare was an egotistical blowhard who scavenged, pilfered as much material as he could, made it a point to be his own biggest fan, reveling in his own celebrity. I want to believe that he would have scuttled "Something Rotten" the way he did "Omelette: The Musical."

Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell's masterwork is a blistering satire of Shakespeare, with just the right amount of love and appreciation to authenticate the scholarship behind the bawdy jokes.

The only drawback to the ridiculously inventive, stunningly choreographed and deliciously poison-penned musical is the difficulty of competing against itself.

The first act is almost too wonderful for the show's own good. With a relentless procession of blisteringly brilliant numbers such as "Welcome to the Renaissance," "God, I Hate Shakespeare," "The Black Death" and a tap-rap battle, it's impossible for the second act to hold serve.

A capable touring cast, led by Matthew Baker as Shakespeare, Matthew Michael Janisse as disgruntled stage producer Nick Bottom, Greg Kalafatas as Nostradamus's hapless nephew and especially Jennifer Elizabeth Smith, who is a Kristen Chenoweth-level revelation as Portia, the spunky, Puritan star-crossed lvoer of Nick's nebbish writer brother, Nigel (Richard Sitaletta).

With an oeuvre of Shakespeare's work, as well as popular Broadway hits to draw from, satirize, plagiarize and glorify, "Something Rotten" feels like a cherry-picked bouquet of incredibly entertaining references. A treasure from start to finish, "Something Rotten" is an essential watch for anyone with an interest in musical theater, Shakespeare or laughter. Watch it, then bring a friend and see it again.

The Broadway in Tucson production of "Something Rotten" is playing at Centennial Hall through Sunday. Purchase tickets here.

Book Report: "The Handmaid's Tale"

"The Handmaid's Tale" subtly mulls over the slippery slope of compromised freedoms and integrity that gives way to zealotry forcing society into totalitarianism. The absurd, barely fathomable hyper patriarchal dystopia of Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel stands as a warning of how important it is to protect civil liberties with ferocity at every turn.

If you're familiar with the flashback and grim slice-of-life rotation of the series, you'll find welcome familiarity in the pattern of Atwood's storytelling. You're inside the head of state-supported prostitute Offred, who rebels against her plight with subtle words and actions that blossom into brazen disruption of the social fabric that constricts her.

The show adds much more psychological and background detail. The advantage of the book is that it keeps you guessing and requires you to fill in the gaps with your own speculation.

Claire Danes' narration of the Audible version is a revelation. She recites the story with a simmering rage that makes me imagine that her performance as Offred in the series might have surpassed the Emmy-winning turn by Elisabeth Moss.

"The Handmaid's Tale" leaves you with a nauseous feeling, lacking much of the sense of empowerment of the Hulu series. The book sets you on a rough, bruising journey that rewards you by igniting discomfort and outrage in reaction to the gauntlet to which it subjects Offred. It's a chilling slice of horror that may be too much for some to handle.

Publisher provided review copy.

PHIL ON FILM: "Miss Bala"

For my written review, click here.

Five shows to binge in February

For the full list, click here.

"Swords & Soldiers" Switch Review

Ten years after the indie sensation "Swords & Soldiers" debuted on the Wii, the game has blossomed into a franchise and now come full circle by reappearing on Nintendo's latest console.

The action side-scroller from Two Tribes Games tasks you to orchestrate the powers of four factions as they use their distinct skills and weapon sets to battle against the dark forces that stand in their way. Whether you're using ninjas, berzekers, ninja monkeys or giant boulders, you'll need your wits and reflexes to survive.

A buoyant sense of humor and freewheeling sense of pacing keeps the game flowing. Whether you're playing on TV or portable mode, "Swords & Soldiers" is tough to put down.

Unlike the original 2009 release, this version of the game is the feature-complete ,definitive edition. In addition to the base campaign and multiplayer, you also get the "Super Saucy Sausage Fest" DLC.

With "Swords & Soldiers 2" set to debut on the Switch March 1, now is an excellent time to check out the original, which has since become a bona fide classic.
Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: "Slaughterhouse-Five"

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A rueful meditation on the trials and trauma of war, as well as an inventive rumination on the prospect of time travel, the difficulties of mental illness and the exploitation of the poor, "Slaughterhouse-Five" is a difficult but often rewarding read.

His descriptions of haunting memories, nagging lamentations and biting anhedonia that come along with age are devastating and sweetly amusing.

Kurt Vonnegut alternates between beautiful, elegant meditations and hackneyed crutches and cliches, some of his own creation. The most obnoxious of these, by far, is his tendency to end a sad statement with "so it goes." It got to the point where I winced each time Vonnegut trotted out another "so it goes," and even when he avoided the phrase, I would cringe in anticipation of him using it again. That's abusive writing, and is not OK.

His penchant for lending wacky names to characters is overly cute in the way Quentin Tarantino Diablo Cody would one day emulate. The twee effect is nowhere near as acutely annoying as "so it goes" because Vonnegut mercifully refrains from overusing them.

In the Audible edition, James Franco adds wistful, laconic depth to Vonnegut's prose. Taking on the tone of an exhausted, story-spinning drifter over drinks at a dive bar, Franco's adoration and understanding of the material shines through.

A worthy but problematic read, Vonnegut's work manages to overcome its problematic points to thrive, living in your subconscious in between reading sessions, as well as after you finish it. So it goes.

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PHIL ON FILM: "Glass"

For my written review, click here.

Book Report: "Rasputin: The Untold Story"

Rasputin: The Untold Story by Joseph T. Fuhrmann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Few historical figures are as polarizing and mythologized as Rasputin, so it was a formidable task for Joseph T. Fuhrmann to sort through the misinformation and patch together a definitive narrative about the mysterious figure.

Movies portray Rasputin as a dark wizard who cast spells and hypnotized witless power brokers into carrying out his bidding. Naysayers dismiss him as a charlatan who was more of a mentalist, exploiting vulnerabilities of those he encountered to make himself seem powerful in ways he was not.

Could it be that the truth was somewhere in the middle?

What emerges is a portrait of a megalomaniacal mystic who was the chief culprit at spreading false narratives about his powers and influence. There's little doubt that he was prone to exaggeration, if not outright lies, to shamelessly manipulate the likes of Czar Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra.

Still, there may have been something otherworldly and metaphysical about him. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to diagnose ailments and fathom "cures" that managed to deliver people a measure of health or peace. Eyewitness accounts drove home the common impression that Rasputin had a Kaa the Snake-like ability to seduce and hypotize people with his gaze.

Fuhrmann sometimes gets hung up on the dryer, less fascinating aspects of Rasputin's life, but spends an equal amount of time sorting out the more sultry aspects of his existence, as well as how his sexual exploits resonated in his reputation both at court and in his own home.

Curtis Sisco's narration of the Audible version is workmanlike, if unspectacular. Robotic narration inflects an entrancing rhythm to the proceedings. Some awkward pronunciations of dates aside, the performance lends gravitas to the scholarly yet relatable work.

While far from the final word on the confounding historical figure, Fuhrmann's book goes a long way toward separating the noise from the fact to craft a believable portrait of the man, rather than just the myth and legend.

Publisher provided review code.

View all my reviews

"Office Quest" Review

An imaginative monochromatic point-and-click adventure game, "Office Quest" pokes fun at cubicle drone culture while interspersing absurd and fantastical elements.

Developer 11Sheep retooled the game for a Switch release several months after debuting it on PC and mobile platforms. It's a superb fit for the system. The side-scrolling, screen-tapping exploits make for an excellent use of the system in portable mode.

The gameplay may be a bit incongruous on TV, because it was designed with the intimacy of a portable screen in mind, but works surprisingly well, thanks much to the finely-tuned controls.

As a corporate slave used to the same routine, your world is thrown into a tizzy once you encounter bizarre magic that transforms your everyday surroundings into monster-like threats. You'r enot much for combat, so you have to think your way out of harried situations, calling upon the right items and proper times.

Whenever you run into a road block, the game doesn't leave you hanging or force you to trudge off in shame in search of a walkthrough. Subtle, helpful hints help you advance.

The fact that the dev team keeps the flow moving is key, because "Office Quest" thrives on its fluid momentum. Bubbling with wit and ingenuity, "Office Quest" is an ideal way to kill off your lunchbreak or commute in your own office drone existence.

Publisher provided review code.

"Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes" Review

Back in the heyday of the Wii, developers bubbled with wild ideas in an effort to steal the console's massive, largely casual audience toward more eclectic fare. Visionary developer Suda51 and his Grasshopper Manufacture led the charge with the subversive action extravaganza "No More Heroes" (2007) and its follow-up, subtitled "Desperate Struggle," released three years later.

And for the next decade, crickets.

It took similar innovation and hot sales numbers to revive Suda51's bizarro dream for a Nintendo console. Here comes the third game in the series, "Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes," seemingly out of nowhere, with the devastating force of a hurricane and every bit as much vigor. Somehow, the nine years that have passed between the last game and the new one seem like nothing at all.

The "No More Heroes" games tie together the oddly parallel phenomena of the Wii and Switch. Like the previous games, and nearly all of Grasshopper Manufacture's oeuvre, a wicked sense of humor permeates every pixel. Self-aware, sardonic and sassy, the narrative abounds with pop culture, film, music and gaming references, never missing an opportunity to wink and nod, down to the title font that echoes "Stranger Things."

There are countless strange, stranger and strangest things to encounter in Travis Touchdown's latest adventure. Unspooling via a retro-tinged, top-down view rather than the slick yet somewhat forced and disorienting over-the-shoulder view of the original games, "Travis Strikes Again" steps back and lets its light saber-fueled combat speak for itself.

Zipping along with a sense of forward momentum that the previous games tended to lose in awkward bottlenecks, "Travis Strikes Again" hardly pauses for breath, ever surging ahead with an invigorating sense of wacky, iconoclastic glee.

With the villainous Badman out to get revenge on Travis for the murder of his psychotic daughter, he's sucked into a 1990s-style video game realm. Long since having gone into a depressive, gaming-fueled hermetic exile, Travis's obsession pays off well. As he romps through the gaming world -- which stands as a funhouse mirror reflection of the highs and lows of gaming culture over the past two decades -- his skills pay off well.

Beloved aspects from the previous games come back into play. The pump-action act of maintaining the charge on your weapon has a nagging yet distinguishing feel, helping you stay on edge for battle. Enemies barrage you with the relentless swarm of a bullet hell space dock, and it's on you to orchestrate your offensive and defensive skills to slash them into bits and unlock the next checkpoint.

More linear in nature than previous "No More Heroes" games, Suda51's latest maintains the series' rich history while also writing its new chapters in irreverent freehand. You never quite know where the story's twists will take you next, and the unpredictability makes for a fascinating, endlessly engaging ride.

Travis Touchdown re-emerges as the quintessential -- if not essential -- antihero Switch players deserve, even if they may not quite need him.
Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: "Frankenstein"

I wonder if any other literary classic has been as thoroughly bastardized, maimed and arbitrarily altered as “Frankenstein.” 

The lumbering, monosyllabic, parched-together zombie that movies and TV have pushed out into society have nothing in common with the monster in the book, an eloquent, monologue-reciting student of Milton and Plato who moves with the stealth of a ninja, makes his kills with swift, purposeful precision and badly needed a therapist or some Prozac.

The ultimate bitter teenager, the monster is a fascinating villain because of his hatred of existence itself and resentment of his creator. His obsession with bending Frankenstein (a neurotic, ever-lamenting ness rather than a wacky mad scientist) to his will, tormenting him in increasingly sadistic ways, makes for the crux of the cat-and-mouse game at the center of the plot.

Dan Stevens’ narration of the Audible edition was crucial to my appreciation of the book. Not only does he capture the frenzied paranoia of Frankenstein, but the obliviously evil whininess of the monster. His is now the voice I associate with the creature, rather than Boris Karloff’s grunts.

The book is a deep, philosophical dive into scientific ethics, the plight of creation and godship, as well has humanity’s innate tendency to shun the unfamiliar and unsightly. 

After a rough, slow-paced opening segment, Shelley hits her stride and tears at her themes and story with overwhelming passion. This is a work or near genius, and I was often floored at its majesty. Her work, ahead of its time and now out of control and debased, is much the same as the monster she writes about.

Publisher provided review copy.

PHIL ON FILM: "The Upside"

For my written review, click here.

"Double Cross" Review

The makers of Runbow are back at it in "Double Cross," a mashup of "Mega Man" shooting, platforming, level selection and combat with a traditional side-scrolling brawler concept.

You play as an interdimensional agent who hops among planes of reality to maintain the balance of power. Harvesting a power-building resource dubbed "upgradium," you gradually build your character into a formidable force of spastic, justice-dealing destruction.

Character customization options allow you to deck out your hero with an increasingly impressive selection of offensive accoutrements, and the ability to take down levels and accompanying bosses in whatever order you choose grants a sense of freedom along with an urge to discover the ideal order to take them down.

Each level brings something new to the forefront, drastically twisting the mechanics to keep you adjusting and recalibrating your skills and techniques.

Bright, colorful and slickly paced, the peppy art design matches the freewheeling feel of the fisticuffs. "Double Cross" may or may not hit as big as "Runbow" did, but if it falls short it won't be for lack of vigor.

Those in need of a fun, slick alternative to "Mega Man 11" and the "Mega Man X Legacy" series will find a megadose of thrills here.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Escape Room"

For my full review, click here.

Book Report: "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Of all Mark Twain's considerable gifts, perhaps the greatest was that which allowed him to remember just what it was like to be a kid.

Childhood is not the time of whimsical innocence that adults tend to revise it as, but a plight of constant stresses, unlimited analysis and grandiose plans constructed, obliterated and reformed. His portrait of Tom Sawyer is of a troubled young genius longing to find his place in the world, bristling against the unnatural restrictions society thrusts upon him.

Twain revels in the elaborate rituals and flighty superstitions of his small-town, mid-19th century youth. He treats Sawyer, Huck Finn and their orbit of pals with respect and dignity, while casting the adults who surround them as hapless stooges. In a sense, he sees the world just as he did as a child, and just as children continue to do. Kids have a fresh-eyed way of breaking down the nonsense that adults surround themselves with, and Twain never lost that sense of incisive deconstruction.

As he does in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," Audible narrator Nick Offerman channels the late author's sly wittiness and thick, Southern-fried bravado. Offerman's existence is a compelling argument that reincarnation exists, and Twain's voice has come back in the form of his thick baritone.

As beautifully descriptive as it is wickedly funny, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" transcends its genre of young adult literature and takes its place among the ranks of glorious fiction. Its lessons and philosophical observations are as timeless and golden as the ephemeral, daring glow of youth.

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"Coffee Crisis" Switch Review

It's safe to say that you've never played a beat 'em up quite like "Coffee Crisis." A barista with a penchant for metal music is the lone hero who can stop invadian aliens from stealing coffee, WiFi and music from earthlings. His solution: romp 'em.

A simplistic side-scroller that owes a debt to the likes of "Streets of Rage" and "Double Dragon," "Coffee Crisis" thrives in its point A to point B pragmatism. Your objectives are laid out in front of you, and you know it will take a whole lot of oddly-shaped skulls.

While rough around the edges, "Coffee Crisis" overflows with attributes that stick to its core competencies of heedless momentum, raw energy and a blistering soundtrack. Wearing its references proudly, the creation from developer Mega Cat Studios toes the line between tribute and mimicry.

A game that was lost in a sea of similar genre releases when it debuted on Steam 10 months ago, the game is far more likely to find its groove on the Switch, where games of its ilk thrive and are eagerly welcomed into the ever-expanding fold of retro throwback larks.

"Coffee Crisis" is a decidedly niche effort, but it picks its spots and excels in the categories that matters most. It goes with Nintendo's console like coffee does with metal.
Publisher provided review code.

"The Last Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human" Trailer

The Metroidvania renaissance continues to thrive as the decade nears its end, with "The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human" becoming the latest to take the torch.

Sifting through the discarded embers of a trashed society submerged in the depths of the ocean, you explore dark caverns, unearth lost artifacts and open up paths that allow you to inch your way forward as you get your bearings and acquire the means to unlock more sectors of the undersea labyrinth.

Exquisitely designed and hauntingly brooding moments await you as you advance. The dark recesses of the ocean hide some nasty, often gargantuan beasts that seek to reel you in and filet you.

More than a seek, find and advance adventure, heady themes emerge that haunt you in between play sessions. A nagging sense of dread permeates much of the game, and the visual style emphasizes the feel with subdued, washed-out notes of faded color.

While limited resources seemed to restrict the scope and technical precision the developers seemed to have in mind, the raging ambition that pulses within "The Last Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human" sticks with you well after your play sessions. It's a dank and lonely world out there, and a sea of discovery awaits your discovery.
Publisher provided review code.

"Blacksea Odyssey" Review

The sense of the vast unknown shared by the ocean and space lends to a sci-fi combination of the two. "Blacksea Odyssey" follows the formula of "Treasure Planet" to mix the two settings for a high seas/interstellar RPG adventure with roguelike elements.

The vicious spacescape teems with entities that threaten your survival. Whale-like megaliths, lithe spacecraft and grotesque beasts are gunning for you. To stay alive, you need to react quickly and search out danger-plagued depths with fearless ferocity.

Nine months after its release on consoles and PC, "Blacksea Odyssey" sets sail on the Switch. Fast-paced thrills come along with the combat, which tasks you to dismember enemies systematically, cutting them down to size so you can neutralize and eliminate them.

Customization options for your ship abound, letting you tweak and tinker with various aspects of your ship to emphasize your own offensive and defensive philosophies.

The diversity lends itself to the crafting suite, which lets you collect and fuse together resources that serve as boosts to help you, well, find and collect even more cool stuff with which to craft.

"Blacksea Odyssey" may lean a little too hard on rote basics, but manages to freshen up its array of offerings enough to seem fresh and vibrant. Packed with replayability and polished and refined from its initial platform releases, the game is ready to cast into new waters.
Publisher provided review code.

"Uncanny Valley" Review

A dark and atmospheric puzzler, "Uncanny Valley" is a dense and circuitous survival horror title bounding with obtuse clues sheltering multitudes of Easter eggs.

It takes a studious effort and fine-tuned attention to detail -- as well as the willingness to undergo multiple playthroughs -- to uncover everything. Your choices affect the outcomes in ways many games promise but few deliver. This is a truly branching-path effort in the "Choose Your Own Adventure" tradition.

In addition to the mysteries themselves, additional difficulty comes in the form of oddball design choices and convoluted structure. "Uncanny Valley" takes pride in being out of the ordinary, so those looking for something conventional should look elsewhere.

After releasing on consoles in February, the effort from developer Cowardly Creations gets an encore debut on the Switch. The game could gain new life in the new release, with handheld mode making some of the more frustrating qualities more tolerable.

"Uncanny Valley" is far more intriguing when played in shorter, bite-sized go-rounds.

While too convoluted and burdensome for those with short attention spans, the game has the uncanny tendency to gnaw at you when you leave it, sinking into your subconsciousness in the way intriguing works of art tend to do. An overthinker's dream, "Uncanny Valley" has a way of sticking to your ribs.

Publisher provided review code.

"Omega Strike" Switch Review

"Omega Strike" blasted its way onto the console scene in the summer, shaking up the Metroidvania concept by adding in a team of alternating character, each blessed with a particular set of strengths and weaponry. It debuts on the Switch half a year later with loads of gung-ho momentum/

You've got options to tackle every obstacle and slate of enemies, such as the block-pushing heavy, the double-jumping acrobat and the jack-of-all-trades trooper.

As with "Trine," you'll need to juidiciously select the proper hero for each task. With multiple options available for most scenarios, your options are as wide as your imagination.

Sprawling levels teem with hidden rooms, unlockable pathways forward and paradigm-shifting items that clear the way for advancement. Deciphering enemy patterns, deciding whether to run-and-gun or methodically work your way through the rooms is much of the fun.

Backtracking is an occasional burden, but retracing your path through various levels takes on fresh notes when you play as different characters. No two playthroughs are the same.

The dev team at Woblyware proves to be adept at orchestrating the Metroidvania formula to its own unique ends. "Omega Strike" is a robust, well-rounded platformer/shooter with intricate realms to uncover and explore. Made with just the right dose of 80s action flick-style cheesiness, it's a holiday treat worth sampling for Switch owners.
Publisher provided review code.

"Everspace: Stellar Edition" Review

You wouldn't know it from the waves of roguelikes that have come out in the past few years, but high fantasy isn't a prerequisite for the genre. Space works just fine as a substitute for dungeons, treasures and magic, and "Everspace; Stellar Edition" proves as much with its stylish take on the motif.

An open-concept space shooter with a sprawling play area that suits its title, the effort from Rockfish games slips into a rhythmic orbit of discovery, exploration and upgrades. Divided into sectors, the structure is parced to facilitate segmented gaming that helps break up your path through the story.

Even though the fantasy aspect isn't required for a roguelike, quick, brutal and frequent permadeath is. "Everspace" supplies that with gusto, subjecting you to a gauntlet of dangers. The danger leads to a constant flow of  high tension, which makes your breakthroughs all the more exuberant.

Many of your encounters develop on the fly, and choice abounds. You can dive in to defend or attack sweet loot from adversaries, hang back and wait to swoop in and take what's given to you, or retreat entirely and try your luck in some other zone.

Gorgeous environments abound, somewhat hampered by stiff presentation and wonky textures. The pacing is usually so frenzied that it's tough to notice, and as a whole "Everspace" congeals into a wild, ever-shifting adventure that keeps you guessing, regrouping and adapting.

"Everspace" carves out its niche amid a stream of strong indie titles, giving you a taste of an adventure that's nothing like anything else you'll find on the system. In space, no one can hear you die over and over again and somehow find yourself happy with it.
Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: "Anne of Green Gables"

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

L.M. Montgomery overcame considerable institutional prejudice to craft this delightful, entrancing coming-of-age novel, about a mischievous, hyperimaginative girl who overthinks her way through adolescence.

A female and Canadian answer to Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, "Anne of Green Gables" launched a sizable entertainment empire of its own that continues to thrive in various media today. None of the TV shows or movies can match the effervescent panache of Montgomery's writing.

Likely drawing upon her own upbringing as a brainy and rambunctious young mind scuttled by prim, proper society, Montgomery sets the stage for relatable and awkward misadventures. She talks her way in and out of trouble, forges rivalries and frenemyships and bristles against the constraints of social expectations heaped upon females.

In the Audible version, Rachel McAdams' narration perfectly synthesizes the brainy energy of a young, too-smart-for-her-own-good mind bubbling with iconoclastic ambition.

Astoundingly fun while also appreciably deep and philosophically challenging, "Anne of Green Gables" is a fun and fascinating story that's a treat from end to end.

Publisher provided review copy.

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PHIL ON FILM: "Aquaman"

For my written review, click here.

"Football Manager 2019 Touch" Review

A micromanager's dream, "Football Manager 2019 Touch" lets you wear a GM hat and delve deep into the bowels of a soccer club of your choosing, manipulating every aspect of the enterprise from concession sales and ticket prices to training regimens, transfers and lineups.

Some may be put off by the "Touch" moniker, concerned that the game is a slimmed-down, mobile version of the expansive PC edition, but instead they should see it as a value-added proposition. The additon of a touch screen makes menu manipulation quicker and more fluid than a keyboard-and-mouse setup.

The Switch edition is robust and content-rich, overflowing with team-building aspects to crunch, massage and rearrange. The fluid, aggressive AI makes it difficult to lock into any particular mode of operation to find success.

It takes an adaptive mind and a proactive mentality to find consistent success. A decent measure of luck also helps. Smart, incisive risks tend to be more rewarded than conservative minimalism. This is, after all "Football Manager" rather than "Football Passive."

New additions include tactical options that include the famed Spanish Tiki-Taka and the hyperaggressive Gegenpress method. Training has also been overhauled, adapted to real-world regimens, and the top two German Bundesliga divisions have been added as well.

Stylish presentation and an intuitive interface are key in a management-focused title such as this, and the dev team at Sega thoroughly nails that aspect. A voluminous and wide-ranging effort, "Football Manager 2019 Touch" is as exhaustive and endlessly intriguing on-the-go soccer biz sim as you could hope for.
Publisher provided review code.

"Battle Princess Madelyn" Review

A true descendant of the 80s, "Battle Princess Madelyn" is drenched in retro charm.

Developer Casual Bit Games go to great lengths to make their effort look just like an arcade game you'd find 30 years ago. The cut scene visuals subtly flicker in the way a CRT monitor would, and characters are big, detailed and expressive.

The framing motif echoes "The Princess Bride," with a book-toting grandfather reading a book to a sick child who would rather be playing video games. The grandfather and girl appear in the story, of a princess-turned-knight who leads the effort to fend off evil that has infiltrated the world of the living.

With the ghost of her slain puppy in tow, Madelyn wears armor and jumps in the manner of Arthur in "Ghosts 'n Goblins" and "Ghouls 'n Ghosts." Just as in those classics, there's more going on than the standard beat-em-up it appears to be.

As creepy monstrosities pop up from behind trees and walls, you slay them, speak to NPCs, track down hidden items and unlock new paths. The light Metroidvania flavor keeps things from growing stale.

The game is beautiful and inventive, with visuals that simulate the look and feel of 8 and 16-bit fare of the era. The throughline of subtle humor mocks conventions of the time, while sticking enough to established customs that it could pass for a genuine creation of the 80s, vacuum sealed until it could be released today.

"Battle Princess Madelyn" is a heartfelt and comedic lark with charm to spare. While not as sadistically frustrating as its forebears, it retains a similar sense of joyful discovery. Its spunky hero is truly one for the ages.
Publisher provided review code.

"Mini Metro" Review

A piece-shifting puzzler in the vein of "Pipe Dream," "Mini Metro" takes a simple premise and quickly heaps on complexity. The difficulty ramps up significantly, forcing you to adjust your thinking and tailor your tactics to the level at hand.

You shift and rotate paths from one station to another, with a limited amount of track to use. To advance, you need to make the most efficient use of limited resources, adjusting on the fly to keep your mini metro track paths tight and reliable.

Different colored pathways enter the fray, forcing you to make a chain reaction of changes when you adjust something that is out of place. A tinkerer's dream, "Mini Metro" gives you plenty to adjust and rejigger in order to sort out the ideal solution. The array of track permutations available to you is staggering, but also liberating.

It often takes a bit of trial and error to stumble onto the right solutions, but the longer you play, the greater sense you have of how to manage the tasks set before you.

"Mini Metro" isn't spectacular, but its meat-and-potatoes execution is admirable. An ideal for on-the-go Switch gamers looking to engage their minds in a productive, deductive pastime while killing time, the game puts you on the express route to puzzle game bliss.
Publisher provided review code.

"Below" Review

With the roguelike genre having made a strong comeback to prominence, developers have outdone one another in an effort to distinguish themselves from the pack. Leave it to Capy Games to push the genre's unforgiving aspects to their limit.

With "Below," Capy has unleashed a punishing, adamantly old-school take on roguelikes. With no ability to pause, one-hit permadeath coupled with forced restarts and zero handholding in the form of tutorials.

Even with the archetypes from older games firmly in place, there are still technological improvements, even if some are a bit anochranistic. Kinect owners on the Xbox One version can monitor your room surroundings to adjust procedural iterations of the levels.

Much of the allure comes in feeling your way through the formidable systems. To get the full effect, avoid online walkthroughs and go into the game blind. The less you take into it, the more you'll get out of it.

The story involves a grim power known as the Darkness that has put the realm in a chokehold. You arrive at a beachhead and can light a campfire, scrounge for items, spelunk in caves and find and utilize incongruous items.

Feeling your way through the inventory and action system is rewarding, providing an immense sense of discovery that empowers you as you go through. Although death is frequent and harsh, you're meant to learn harsh lessons from your failures, coming back with redoubled efforts hardened by the wisdom granted by gameplay experience rather than artificial statistical buffs of standard RPGs.

"Below" doesn't hold back when it comes to giving gamers an authentically brutal experience, and that motif allows some of the game's rougher edges to seem forgivable. Capy Games didn't strive for perfection, but thrives in the way it sets gamers up against obtuse, borderline unfair challenges. If you're up to the ordeal, you'll be intrigue in what lies "Below."
Publisher provided review code.

"Katamary Damacy REROLL" Review

The concept was so simple it was a surprise that it was never copied. The concept was so insane that it's a wonder it was ever even conceived, much less executed. "

Katamari Damacy" was a wacky action/puzzle/collect-a-thon that had players manipulate a ball around various levels, gathering objects in its wake that made it bigger and bigger.

As the Prince, you do all this to please the sardonic, eccentrically domineering King of All Cosmos, who demands that you craft giant Katamari balls to replace stars that have fallen out of the sky. The goofy setup was a starting point for a cavalcade of nonsensical jokes and non sequiturs.

Fourteen years after its original release, the relentless charmer has tujmbled back into public consciousness, popping up in a remake on PC and Switch as "Katamari Damacy REROLL."

The game doesn't reinvent the wheel, or Katamari for that matter, and that's just as well, because the mechanics that entranced gamers in 2004 remain every bit as alluring.

The latter's dual analogue sticks make for an ideal control setup, allowing you to use one for directional force and the other to change the angle at which you address the Katamari. If you're playing on your TV, you don't need to manipulate the sticks at all, using wrist twists to direct your Katamari.

An all-ages romp, "Katamari Damacy REROLL" is a relentlessly paced lark that, like a Katamari, only gathers stature and momentum as it rolls along. Playing it on the Switch feels just right, as though the PlayStation 2 version was just a beta for its eventual ideal landing spot. The King of All Cosmos would be pleased to see the new star hoisted into the skies.
Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I went through phases of appreciation, satisfaction boredom, annoyance, and outright resentment. Bradbury's stab at a sci-fi YA adventure is worthwhile due to its thought-provoking monologues and interesting depiction of evil's influence and utility in mankind.

Will and Jim are 13-year-old boys who are sucked into the bowels of a traveling, Mephistophilean carnival that is run by a tattooed devil incarnate who intends to harvest their souls, as well as any other small-town bumpkins they can manage. They ignore their parents' wishes and take it upon themselves to expose the demons on their own, Hardy Boys style.

The teen empowerment fantasy fuels the narrative through its most ridiculous moments. I could tolerate the many needed logical stretches to stay present in the story, but Will's twerpiness drove me over the edge. It got to the point where I cringed whenever the next idiotic phrase came out of his mouth, and I rooted for his failure and death.

His dad, who becomes a major part of the story later on, is more tolerable, but at times equally annoying. How he comes to know everything about the carnival, where its denizens came from how to neutralize the operation and what its future held, is head-smackingly dumb.

Christian Rummel's narration in the Audible version does Will no favors, deploying a whiny voice that makes him even harder to stomach. A more straightforward reading would have salved the irritation a bit.

The ending is almost laughably insipid, as though Bradbury has no idea what to do with his endgame and just went with the first, dumbest idea that occurred to him.

Even on a somewhat off day, Bradbury is a brainy, thought-provoking writer with much to say that's worth pondering. This is not the author at his best, but the good moments manage to redeem the awful.

Publisher provided review code.

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PHIL ON FILM: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"

For my written review, click here.

"Escape Doodland" Review

Playing like a sprint through the hyperactive imagination of a 14-year-old, "Escape Doodland" stands out with its distinctive artistic flair.

Every corner of the screen looks like freehand pen or colored pencil sketches. The backgrounds and characters bubble with miniscule grotesque, intricate details that emerge from idle sketching.

It's impossible to play the effort from flukyMachine without a big smile on your face. Giant monsters chase you down through the outrageous 2.5-D, endless runner platformer stages.

Balance and precision were not on the table during the conception stage. This is a mean, nasty and often hilarious game that is purely out to get you.

Sticking to the juvenile motif, you use farts as diversionary weapons and boosts for speed and jumps. What the character ate to generate all this fuel is worthy of NASA research.

Expect to die early and often, through increasingly sadistic means. You find yourself chomped, chewed, swallowed whole, splattered and ground to bits. The trick is that the game manages to keep you eagerly coming back for more instead of scaring you off. That's the mark of precision conceptualization and design disguised as a haphazard mess.

Publisher provided review code.

"Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP" Switch Review

Inventiveness is the currency in which Capybara Games and Superbrothers traffic in "Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP." The wildly creative narrative reinterprets action/fantasy and puzzle game tropes, all set to a distinctive score by Jim Guthrie.

The 2012 blast of fresh indie game air, which made an impression on the scene when it debuted on PC and Smartphones, re-emerges on the Switch.

The less time spent explaining/rationalizing the loopy plot the better. There are plenty of oddball story beats to digest, but "Sword & Sorcery" is more about emergent gameplay that occurs when you tinker with the odds and ends of the design.

Zany humor pulses from every facet of the gameplay. Still more surprising is the heart that emerges. A brainy, artful creation, "Sword & Sorcery" is challenging in more than one respect. Like an engaging portrait or novel, there is plenty to sift through and discuss.

On the downside, the commitment to an eclectic sense of style may scare off gamers used to more traditional experiences. Strictly for those who lean toward the unconventional, "Sword & Sorcery" hints at what mobile gaming could have become had it not plateaued during the middle of the decade.

Finding a welcome landing spot on the Switch is a welcome and fitting next act for a game that might have otherwise faded into oblivion.
Publisher provided review code.

"R-Type Dimensions EX" Switch Review

Resurrecting two of the greatest shmup titles ever created, "R-Type Dimensions EX" rounds up the first two space shooters into one remastered package on the Switch.

With 14 levels filled with megaships, screen-filling beasts and side-scrolling obstacles to blast your way through, the game ratchets up the difficulty to levels that were acceptable in the 1980s but are rarely seen in this era.

The replay value comes in embracing the intense challenge and gradually working your way toward mastery. Ultimately, you'll find yourself losing yourself in the heat and flow of the game, dodging and destroying enemies as second nature, without even focusing.

Two-player co-op makes the challenge heaped upon you easier to deal with, and a slow-motion mode lets you break down your mistakes and adjust accordingly.

Graphics have been considerably upgraded, but those who are fans of the original, pixelated visuals can swap back and forth between the current and old visuals at any time. Customizable controls allow you to rejigger and tweak the options to your liking.

Whether you're a series veteran or a newcomer, "R-Type Dimensions EX" has plenty to offer you. It's an apt fit for the Switch, thriving on your TV, as well as in handheld mode. The ticket to deep space shenanigans works as a time machine as well, transporting you back to its 80s heyday.
Publisher provided review code.

"Ticket to Ride" Review

The beloved railway-themed board game evolves in "Ticket to Ride," which delivers all the frenzied, competitive gameplay and removes the tedious setup, piece management and cleanup.

Another in a series of local multiplayer-focused PS4 exclusives, including the quiz game "Knowledge is Power" and murder mystery "Hidden Agenda," "Ticket to Ride."

After the initial hassle of having all players download the game-specific app and connecting to the same local WiFi network as your console, you dig in to the fast-paced rail building. The necessity of using phones or tablets rather than controllers makes it easy for larger groups to get in on the action without making the host splurge on hardware.

While the visuals are less than spectacular, they are adequate and don't get in the way. Developers Days of Wonder and Asmodee Digital , which are cognizant that the airtight gameplay is the main drawn, prioritize functionality above all else.

Like other PlayLink games, the more players who get involved, the better time you're in for, with the game acting as a conduit to elicit the ribbing and inside jokes that emerge when friends gather and set their wits on the line against one another.

"Ticket to Ride" is at its best when it goes off the rails, setting the room afire with angst, stress and laughs. It takes the party game concept to a new level, and makes you think twice before cracking open the old board game.
Publisher provided review code.

"Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics" Review

These are relative boom times for Lovecraftian horror games, with the combat-focused strategy title "Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics" following the measured narrative stylings of "Call of Cthulhu."

The newer game, an action-packed turn-based effort in the tradition of "XCOM" and "Valkyria Chronicles," explores the universe's bizarre creatures and their spellbinding powers and abilities, crossed with the trappings of World War II.

This will all seem familiar to tabletop RPG enthusiasts, because developer Auroch Digital adapted the card and miniature setup to conjure the game.

Maintaining the dice-roll sensibilities of combat odds, as well as the sense of progression that allows you to bend those odds to your favor, the result is a balanced effort that taxes your willingness to gauge opportunistic aggression with measured defense.

Those who go in with heedless guns blazing are likely to find themselves repeating levels, as will those who fail to press their advantage when it arises. Multiple variables come into play as things develop, with light and dark powers to orchestrate, shifting senses of momentum that tweak the circumstances and a psychological health dynamic that wears your forces down as they're exposed to further trauma.

The game doesn't do much in the way of holding your hand, but does deliver fair, constructive lessons along with your failures. When you suffer setbacks, you come back stronger and more capable. Heeding the call of battle in "Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics" is a brutal, unforgiving affair that never fails to get your adrenaline flowing.
Publisher provided review code.

Theater Review: "The Music Man"

"The Music Man" tends to be one of the classic musicals that is too much taken for granted to be regarded as lively and poignant. Leave it to Arizona Theatre Company to breathe fresh life into its creaky bones of Meredith Wilson's opus.

Bill English plays title character Harold Hill with the necessarily heedless devil-may-care panache to keep him likable even as he deceives the town's innocents. He heads up a superb cast of rambunctious performers, elegant singers and athletic dancers.

Standouts include Danny Scheie in an unrepentant hammy tour de force as dopey villain Mayor Shinn, drawing a slew of belly laughs with ludicrous monologues and one-liners. Manna Nichols delivers show-stopping vocals as Harold's bookish love interest, Marian. Amy Button, Carly Natania Grossman, Jay Garcia and George Slotin anchor an outstanding ensemble.

Before the performance, Arizona Theatre Company's brain trust took the stage and revealed that this is the most expensive production in the organization's 52 years. The bulk of the expense seems to have gone into the elaborate sets, which switch out and flow into the narrative in seamless transitions and impressive mobility. Director David Ivers orchestrates the impressive pieces with aplomb.

The synchronicity of the sets and performers is obvious from the outset, with the opening number, "Rock Island," in which traveling salesmen gossip on a train ride. The standout number is the second song in act two, "Shipoopi," an exhausting couples routine that pushes the ballroom and stunt talents of the dancers to the limit. Choreographer Jaclyn Miller and her charges deserve a mid-show standing ovation for that number alone.

Passionate and poignant messages keep the 1957 writing relevant. The show preaches the urgency of financial support of community arts, as well as the innate need for artistic expression that often lies dormant in the heart. The metaphorical song "The Music Man" belts out rings heartfelt and true through the decades.

Arizona Theatre Company's production of "The Music Man" plays through Dec. 30. Buy tickets here.

Book Report: "Fahrenheit 451"

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You would think a book like this would be dated, but it holds up astoundingly well. Now the story of a world without physical books is alarmingly prophetic, if a little misdirected in its alarmism.

The dystopian portrait Ray Bradbury paints is chilling, if a little perfunctory. The cliches it established have been copied to the point that they play like white noise. Bradbury leans away from his weaknesses in descriptive storytelling, delving more into philosophical debates that stem from dueling monologues of its conflicted characters.

Bradbury ultimately arrives at the point that it's not the medium that matters, but the thirst for knowledge and exploration of thought that keeps the human mind vital. Oral tradition, public discussion and the expansive reach that digital distribution delivers in the form of audio and e-books makes physical volumes all but obsolete.

Even more poignant is the book's "Handmaid's Tale"-like message that fascism doesn't always come by violent revolution, but by a methodical chipping away of civil liberties and public curiosity.

In the Audible version, Tim Robbins provides brainy, insightful narration that shades Bradbury's thoughts with depth and nuance, infusing the book's polemics with fevered angst.

The slippery slope grows steeper the longer it remains unchallenged. It's important for thought-provoking works like this to spark people into checking the temperature before things get out of control.

Publisher provided review code.

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"Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Legacy of the First Blade Episode 1 - Hunted" Review

Upon release in October, "Assassin's Creed Odyssey" was already a staggeringly large game, with a vast world bursting with sidequests to explore. "Legacy of the First Blade Episode 1 - Hunted," the first of three scheduled expansions, continues to ratchet up the depth and reach of one of the year's most impressive open-world titles.

Flowing naturally from the base campaign, the saga is a bite-sized addition to the mythos, taking pains to connect the sprawling Ancient Greek opus with the fiction of the series proper, as well as last year's "Assassin's Cred Origins."

Back from that game is the Order of the Ancient, which is fated to evolve into the Templars -- future antagonists of the assassins.

It's on you to investigate mysterious figures who pull strings from behind the scenes. The M.O. stays the same: Investigate, infiltrate and execute your targets, vaulting you toward the next branching path.

Set in the Macedonia sector of the map, "Hunted" is a tight, interlocking series of missions with satisfying ties to the rest of the series and hints of what's to come. This is single-player DLC done right, giving gamers distracted by the likes of "Red Dead Redemption 2" an excellent reason to dive back into the fray.

Publisher provided review code.

"Just Cause 4" Review

Wherever Rico Rodriguez goes, chaos erupts. The grapple-shooting, parachute-dropping one-man revolutionary army overturns governments, blasts away thugs in firefights and sneaks into strongholds for espionage ops. "Just Cause 4" finds the brash protagonist in deep once again, thriving in his element of mass destruction.

Set in the fictional South American nation of Solis, the game is the most vertical in the series, giving Rico ample opportunity to get the drop on enemies from hidden crags and towering nooks.

"Just Cause" games have always thrived on giving players a sense of exuberant freedom, and the fourth entry follows suit. You may find yourself grappling behind a vehicle in one moment, vaulting over a wall the next, deploying a chute to catch a draft up a 50-foot building, then BASE jumping alongside a waterfall shortly after.

Like an absurd action movie fever dream come to life, "Just Cause 4" lets you live out your wildest impulses with little regard for the consequence. Developer Avalanche Studios rewards you time and again for brashness and daring, discouraging you from playing it as safe as you might in, say, "Black Ops 4."

There is clear influence from the likes of "Fortnite" and other Battle Royale releases. The combat and traversal tactics, as well as on-the-fly environmental cover, that players pick up in the other games will apply well here. Enemies are largely hapless and dumb, but that doesn't detract from the glee in taking them out.

Some may gripe that this is just more of the same, but since it's been three years since "Just Cause 3," and there's really no other game out there that matches the "Just Cause" sensibilities, that's no drawback at all.

"Just Cause 4" seeks out its niche and exploits it for all its worth. Its sense of freedom, intensity and rapidfire adrenaline rushes never ceases throughout its well-designed campaign. A welcome release of breezy entertainment, it's an ideal release valve from the pressures of the holidays.
Publisher provided review code.

Theater Review: "Waitress"

"Waitress" is just about as upbeat a musical as you could possibly have about such dark things as spousal abuse, infidelity and minimum-wage work.

Much of the credit goes Sara Bareilles's music, which infuses a bouncy pop sound into the song-and-dance numbers. But every aspect of the production, from the minimalist, matte painting sets, to the efficient, complementary movements of the choreography and the 1950s-chic diner costumes is calibrated for maximum buoyancy.

The magnetic lead is Christine Dwyer, as the pregnant-and-trapped waitress Jenna. She belts out her songs with Bareilles-style fervor, effortlessly carrying the audience through her narrative, a succession of bad-to-worse choices.

She struggles with a loveless, abusive marriage to backwoods bumpkin Earl (Matt DeAngelis), and an ill-advised affair with her slick, yet subtly creepy gynecologist (Steven Good).

The beating heart of the production, Dwyer nails her solos, delivering show-stopping emotional moments.

Jeremy Morse steals the entire play as Ogie, the Irish step-dancing suitor who pursues Dawn (Jessie Shelton), and Maiesha McQueen rises to the occasion in her solo, belting out her songs with operatic resonance.

"Waitress," which was adapted from Adrienne Shelly's 1997 film starring Kerri Russell, not only pays homage to its source, as well as its Bareilles-influenced Broadway reinvention. A stark, gorgeous and invigorating production, it's something you need a fresh, hot slice of.

The Broadway in Tucson production of "Waitress" plays through Sunday at Centennial Hall. Purchase tickets here.

Book Report: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Robert Louis Stevensons' dark, disturbing tale of duality thrives because of its innovative narrative format and incisive psychological expiration.

Told from alternating perspectives in what is now known as "Rashomon" style, a police procedural-like murder mystery from witnesses gives way to a fevered tale of internal conflict, in which the mad scientist central character faces off with the alter ego that he wrestles with for control of his physical body.

What emerges by the end is that the struggle Jekyll and Hyde endure is something everyone goes through to a degree. Jekyll is not some foreign entity, but a heedless id who indulges his dark impulses. It's possible to argue that Hyde is his true self, and Jekyll is the mask that he's crafted to make himself presentable to society.

Parallels with alcoholism and addiction emerge, with Jekyll suffering physical withdrawals as well as moral conflicts when he considers whether or not to continue to enable his alternate personality.

Richard Armitage delivers a heartfelt, frenzied reading in the Audible version, infusing the story with the harried passion that Stevenson seems to have intended. His fevered delivery helps insert you into the conflict.

There is a lot to consider and sort through in the tight, efficient tale, and it's easy to see why the story has been echoed and repeated, most prominently in "The Incredible Hulk." This is a true essential.

Publisher provided review code.


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