PHIL ON FILM: 5 Shows to Binge in March 2021

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PHIL ON FILM: Movies and TV Shows Leaving Netflix in March 2021

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PHIL ON FILM: "Judas and the Black Messiah" review

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PHIL ON FILM: "More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story" Review

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PHIL ON FILM: 5 Shows to Binge in February 2021

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

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"Space Invaders Forever" Review

Ever since it started rocking arcades in 1978, "Space Invaders" has been a video game staple, steadfastly refusing to evolve as other trends came and went. Its simplistic charm -- oft-copied but rarely surpassed -- has been incalculably influential.

Staying relevant has been another, tougher story.

"Space Invaders Forever" is the latest attempt to inject some new life into the old bones, rounding up three games in an effort to revitalize the ancient concept. 

The results are largely satisfying, particularly on the form of the main event, "Space Invaders Extreme," which follows the lead of "Pac-Man Championship Edition" to add new layers of strategy and playfulness to the 16-level mix, complete with boss fights and hidden surprises. By far the most entertaining and replayable of the three included modes, the fevered blast-and-dodge routine rarely goes stale.

The dev team at Taito Corporation had middling success with its other components: "Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders: and "Space Invaders Gigamax 4SE." The quick-hit, party game-style feel works best in quick hits.

The overall lack of online multiplayer is an unfortunate, if understandable omission. "Space Invaders" is decidedly old school, and that sentiment continues in its latest release. "Forever" is a mixed bag that delivers the highs and lows of the concept, content to rest in orbit rather than shoot for the stars.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "One Night in Miami"

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PHIL ON FILM: 5 Shows to Binge in January 2021

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Review: OnePlus 8T+5G

 As the world continues the shift to 5G, T-Mobile is intent on leading the charge with its array of devices geared to take advantage of the network.

An upgrade over the OnePlus 8, the premium OnePlus 8T+5G vies to stand alongside the likes of Samsung's flagship phones. Armed with a 120 Hz display, four rear cameras and heavy-duty battery life, the phone manages to match specs with the best of the bunch.

The real star, of course, is the network. While 5G connectivity fades outside of heavily urbanized and trafficked areas -- I couldn't get service at all during a weekend trip to Silver City, NM -- the coverage performs so well at full service that it feels like a hefty downgrade to shift to WiFi. If this is the phone you get, unlimited data is a must.

The OnePlus 8T+5G's slim form factor and vivid display makes it a joy to watch HD video or play high-performance games while on the go. It's a solid option for those looking to take advantage of PlayStation and Xbox game streaming. That's where the advantages of the network truly come into play, reducing lag and latency that too often plagues services such as PlayStation Now, Google Stadia and remote play.

The 65-watt charger -- equipped with an unwieldy white box of an adapter, pumps the phone with juice in minutes. The charger is so efficient that I find myself lining my other devices for it every morning. Using the heavy hitter makes it tough to go back to whatever dinky USB-C adapter you were using before.

The lack of induction charging is a head-scratching absence, and some awkward button placement makes it difficult to affix to tripods. The minimal downsides are far eclipsed by everything going for the device. While the move from 5G to 4G may not be as dramatic as the jump from 3G to 4G, the subtleties of the advances combine to make you so comfortable that it's tough to look back.

Review unit provided by T-Mobile.

PHIL ON FILM: 3 Movies Opening Christmas Day

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"Immortals: Fenyx Rising" Review

A spiritual successor to "Kid Icarus," "Immortals: Fenyx Rising" is steeped in ancient lore, taking a lighthearted yet thrilling approach to the material. It's the opposite side of the coin of usual super-serious takes on the mythos, including "God of War" and "Assassin's Creed: Odyssey." 

Many of the team members who worked on "Odyssey" returned to the fray for this inverted version of the mythology-themed expansion to the epic, "Fate of Atlantis." You get the feeling that "Fenyx Rising" was something of a release valve for the devs, who used the opportunity to explore visions that the "Assassin's Creed" franchise couldn't contain.

After revamping production and scrapping the generic original title "Gods and Monsters," the dev squad at Ubisoft Quebec managed to find its stride. The result was a glorious, freewheeling Greek Mythology romp with action and humor to spare.

Playing as a warrior who intercedes in the ongoing conflict between gods and titans. As you take on quests and vie for upgrades, you take on the powers and abilities of the gods you are attempting to help.

While some of the banter is corny, the breezy approach is a welcome respite from the frenetic action. This is one of the games in which you truly do yourself a disservice if you skip the cutscenes.

While the mission structure tends to be heavy on fetch quests and repetition, the momentum never dissipates, and the fun keeps flowing as you fly ever closer to the sun.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: Movies and TV Shows Leaving Netflix in January 2021

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PHIL ON FILM: "The Stand-In"

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"The Casino" Review

Rolling in with routlette, slots, video poker, craps and baccarat, "The Casino" is just as meat-and-potatoes as its title.

Very much akin to old-fashioned shareware gambling sims that used to make their way across the nation via shareware floppy disks, "The Casino" lets each game stand on its own merits. With no money at stake, there are vastly diminishing returns to each, but all of the games offer short, arresting bursts of entertainment value, strategy and chance.

While there is little exciting about the presentation or execution of the casino standards, there is something to be said for the way it cuts through the fluff and gets right to the point. The game provides a no-risk way to scratch the gambling urge or test out some strategies.

Asymmetrical multiplayer lets you see how your earnings and skill stack up against those around the globe. Aside from that, there's not much of a compelling reason to continue to rack up pretend money.

"The Casino" may not be the most thrilling to drop this holiday season, but you may find it worthy of a tile on your Switch library. A welcome, appealing go-to that won't waste your time or cash, it's there when you feel the need to try your luck.

Publisher provided review code.

"Family Feud" Review

The new "Family Feud" game on consoles exists in a parallel universe in which the pandemic doesn't exist. That's something of a relief in terms of the escapism factor, but also oddly tone-deaf. 

Guiding happy-go-lucky clans, not socially distant in any way as they gleefully rub elbows and shake hands, is as jarring as something you'd see in a pre-2020 TV series. While it's gratifying to revisit a world in which social gatherings came without taboos, quizzes with answers that included concerts and festivals were commonplace and shortages of household items were unthinkable, it would also be welcome to have at least a touch of reality infiltrate the video game show. 

Maybe an update that included pandemic-tinted questions -- or any update with new questions, which will eventually be needed to refresh the stale original slate -- would be welcome.

At least the dev team at Ubisoft took care to make the initial release full-featured. Online play is a welcome and all-too-rare addition in the genre, and there are multiple difficulty levels, customizable characters, a helpful answer-filling system and game formats to help keep sessions from wearing out their welcomes.

The game seems to have been concocted for foreign markets, then translated haphazardly to North American English. Odd spellings and syntax errors abound, oddly adding a charm to the otherworldiness of the semi-educated guessing game.

While the game is as one-dimensional on the show on which it's based, it's also every bit as fun. If you've ever wondered how your own family would perform on the show, this is your opportunity to find out.

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: "Black Bear"

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"Planet Coaster: Console Edition" Review

 In a time when open amusement parks are hard to come by, "Planet Coaster" slides in as a welcome escapist fantasy. Managing, pleasing and exploiting happy-go-lucky crowds can be as much of a rush as partaking in a thrill ride, once you overcome a sluggish start to get your momentum going.

As with most management sims, most of the fun in "Planet Coaster" comes after you've put in significant time sewing your seeds. What starts off as a slog can quickly turn into a frenetic juggling affair, requiring you to zip from one area to the next, putting out fires, optimizing the finely-tuned facets of your empire while building for the future.

Developer Frontier Developments put in similarly heavy work on the console adaptation of the 2016 sim, taking care to make the menu interface flow as naturally as it would with a mouse and keyboard setup. There's also a narrated tutorial to help get you going.

A nostalgic feel pulses throughout the game. As you prop up coasters, kiddie rides, concession stands and other attractions, a certain pre-pandemic innocence and optimism pulses throughout. 

The "Minecraf"-style sense of freedom stokes players' creativity by offering ample ways to explore, innovate and spectacularly fail. There are already four years of walkthroughs online, thanks to the enthusiastic PC community, to stoke your visions.

"Planet Coaster" loses little in its transfer to consoles, moving as briskly and smoothly as a cart shifting its tracks. A tinkerer's dream, the game is limited only by the heights of your imagination.

Publisher provided review code.

"Marvel's Avengers" Review

 After a disastrous E3 2019 showing, developers Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal took the criticism to heart, using the year to smooth out the rough edges, reshape core concepts and refine the bizarre visuals.

The result is one of the more underappreciated gems of 2020.

With a sweeping story, creative multiplayer co-op integration and promise of much more to come, "Marvel's Avengers" became a game that lived up to its lofty promise. More a "Destiny"-style persistent platform than one-offs in the vein of "Spider-Man," the game nails the core of what it means to unite Earth's Mightiest Heroes and deploy their complementary powers to take on overwhelming threats.

The heart of the story is Kamala Khan, who is coming into her own as the limb-stretching dynamo Ms. Marvel. After a cataclysm disbands the Avengers, she takes it upon herself to piece them back together, helping to heal old wounds and forge new alliances. 

The balance in skill and entertainment value among the likes of Hulk, Black Widow, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America is relatable and convincing, unlike the nerfing/overpowering tactics used in the likes of "Marvel vs. Capcom" slugfests. Instead of making, say, Black Widow as powerful as Hulk, each hero is given various skills and challenges that make them roughly equally satisfying to take on. 

A lengthy tutorial introduces you to the skillsets to each, allowing you to upgrade their skills, shaping their abilities to your comfort level and tendencies.

Online options are where the game will thrive over the long run. With an ongoing slate of missions deploying, there will likely long be loot and upgrades to scoop up. Taking on the ongoing saga of the comic book world, rather than telling a distinct tale, you feel like a part of the ongoing operatic journey.

Rich and robust, "Marvel's Avengers" is a veritable Thanksgiving feast of a game, worthy of carrying the banner established by the comic books and lifted to new heights by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILNM: 5 Shows to Binge in December 2020

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