Definitely not for kids!

Goblin Slayer

Individually weak, goblins use strength in numbers... to gang rape women.

This anime adventure series certainly starts with a shock, graphically depicting just what goblins do to foolish adventurers, but once you get past episode one the remainder of their misdeeds is generally a given and no longer blatantly shown on screen.

Don't mess with him!

Things go bad quickly.

Hope you like farming!

Stranded Deep

Island survival is annoying.

Surviving a plane crash is the least of your concerns as now stranded on a small cluster of islands in the middle of nowhere. While that place is certainly pretty, you'll need to keep busy by farming materials to construct things to survive, a water still being perhaps the most important right off the bat.

... and not a drop to drink.

Just wait until you get a gun to see how bad a shot you are!

Falling stars are pretty.

In a world where England is separated from the magical world by a simple five foot tall stone wall, Tristan (a young Charlie Cox) goes on a quest to retrieve a fallen star for love - encountering murderous princes, evil witches, and even lightning pirates on the way.

Daredevil looks strange with long hair...

Four games in one blog post!

Abzu

A whole new world under the sea.

While I make it sound like a Disney movie, Abzu is mostly a short, wordless under water exploration game with fantastic visuals and a sweeping orchestral music. The creators also love their fish and sealife with a multitude of digitized versions swimming around, some of the bigger ones even let you hang on to them for a ride.

It's like swimming in a painting.

Worst protagonist ever.

Might look tricky, but it's not.

A trio of movie mysteries involving hunters and canines.

Let's shoot some stuff!

Hold the Dark

A hunter (Jeffrey Wright) is called into a remote Alaskan village to track and kill a canine that took a child but soon learns he's actually stepped in the shit once he finds what he is looking for. Now this action mystery is pretty decent at holding my attention, especially since there is a surprisingly high body count.

My biggest complaint is the cinematographer took the title too literally though, as most shots have poor (or in some occasions ZERO) lighting. Other than that the acting is ok, the plot actually puts enough hints so that you can see the ending by the time you get there, and the action pieces - though few and far between - are quite good. Can't recommend it as it's not your standard type of movie, but I enjoyed it and would probably watch it again. Two duct taped rifles out of five.

The Grey

When a plane goes down in some remote and snowy mountains it is up to the resident hunter (Liam Neeson) to try keep the survivors alive against both the elements and a pack of vicious wolves.

While this survival film does a decent job at giving each survivor a personality and nice sets, the CGI wolves are very large, mean and script driven which is only found in the mutant Hollywood breed. :P Still an entertaining watch, but one I wish didn't end so abruptly. Two and a half boom sticks out of five.

Wind River

When hunter (Jeremy Renner) working on the titular Indian Reservation finds a human corpse, he quickly gets recruited to aid the authorities (who are severely low on man power) to assist.

Apart from one segment early on with way too many cuts and some whispered poems this murder mystery is a pretty decent one that keeps a good pace and has decent action pieces. Also, it really does feel like it could be a Longmire episode at times so if you like that show you will probably enjoy this (and vice versa). I give it three lions out of five.

Something for every constructor!

Cities: Skylines

Of this trio, this is absolutely the weakest of the set - and while it promises to be a fun, sandbox city builder it is very much not that. With an almost non-existent tutorial it will be down to trial and error on how to get the essentials to your zones and the sewage out. Interestingly enough, you don't have to care too much about specifics: just mandate something is a residential or industrial zone and buildings of said type will begin to spawn there. All up it didn't really gel with me and actually felt very cold to new players. One chirper out of five - not worth playing.

Insight: The Chirper "app" at the top of the screen will provide tips, but is generally just an annoying nuisance.

Defense Grid: The Awakening

Mindless enemies makes only funding your true adversary.

These random events are great!

Not necessarily historically accurate...

Who would win a sword fight? My money's on Landry...

Vikings

Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) is an ambitious viking who simply wants to improve his life by almost any means.  This six season show follows his and his families exploits as they travel the world to meet, kill and enslave all sorts of people.

While it might start off a bit slow, this certainly becomes a very fascinating (and bloody) show to watch with some cool battle sequences and interesting insights into Viking life. As long as you don't look for plot holes or historical inaccuracies, you will probably enjoy this series. I give it three blood eagles out of five.

Knightfall

This two season drama focuses on the Knights Templar and their quest to retrieve the Holy Grail amidst traitors, cover ups and later on from the monarchy itself. While there are actually a few decent twists in the plot, it's mostly too slow especially in the first season which involves a lot of investigation and intrigue.

The best parts are the sword fights though, and they capitalized on the action for the second season which is much better pacing wise. Adding Mark Hamill to the roster helps too. Still not to a level I'd recommend, but if you've run out of things to watch you might enjoy this. I give it two pyres out of five.

Going where TV shows have gone before...

Crying Suns

The Next Generation.

The Galactic Empire has mysteriously fallen, and it as a commander of an Imperial battleship that's just awoken from cryo, it's your duty to find out why. This roguelite has a really good tutorial, a very simple interface, and very addictive game play.

Hope you like the bridge. You'll be spending all your time on it.

Insight: You want to take the paths with more encounters, not less.

Halcyon 6

Deep Space Nine?

As commander of a precursor star base it is your duty to defend your space by building fleets to combat enemy threats and evacuate those who are too far to be saved. Strategy is key in getting the resources you need in a timely manner as the alien invaders won't wait around until you are ready for them.

Final Fantasy style with space ships!

Who's your mommy?

When a young girl asks her dad (Ryan Reynolds) how her parents met, he indulges her in a tale of romance and broken hearts but replaces the names of the women to see if his daughter can correctly guess which one her mom is.

Answers: should you watch it?

This proves to be an entertaining mechanic for this rom-com as it does leave both her and the audience wanting to find out the answer to the question. It's a decent plot with interesting characters played by competent actors, the kid included.

It's a bit strange that they don't age through out the telling though, as the story spans years, but that's ok. Not a bad movie at all, but probably not one I'd watch again. I give it two and a half rehearsals out of five.

One of the oddest platformers I've ever played.

The world is in peril so Dandara is released to save it! Alas, it turns out she is a bit retarded. Actually no, that would be offensive to retarded people because she is far inferior to all them. Able to hop from white surfaces, she can travel at great speeds BUT for some unfathomable reason can't just walk like a regular person... a skill that even the most basic enemies seem to have mastered.

See that lever to the left? You can't just walk there. You need to jump to the ceiling first.

Into the forest we go!

After the events from the last expansion, our heroes must venture out of the old castle and into the titular Downwood to overcome new environmental hazards and meet a few new friends as well as many dangerous new foes in 10/11 new missions. The story quality still matches the previous iterations but there are a few clear logic gaps this time around where the designers obviously didn't think "they'd be able to achieve x by doing y" which throws in some jankiness plot wise but over all that's fine.

That Gecko is very Australian.

Getting free games from the Epic games store is great, but free doesn't always mean that it will fit my tastes. This is one such "bad" batch that I'm not getting into.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam

This was already on the back foot as a pure PvP shooter game, but I thought I'd give it a try since I enjoyed Battlefield 2142. Alas, I can't play it at all as there are never any servers available to me, regardless of match type. Searching via direct gives a short list, all with always 0 people playing. That's now the same level as my interest in this worthless garbage.

Layers of Fear 2

I hated the first game. This one has a better engine and possibly plot but it still is a one way walking / running simulator with monsters and jump scares. It also still heavily relies on "you walk into the dead end closet, turn around and find you are somewhere else entirely" way too much. Ultimately, its a polished turd but still a turd.

 

Good thing you are indestructible.

Best part of the game.

Robin Hood with some light thievery and some heavy murder.

Jan de Licht opts to live with the poor criminal outcasts in the forests and due to the pompous wig wearing big shots in the city continually treating them like dirt decides to rally them into a band for some organized robbery and murder.

Stupid decisions abound...

"A plan is just a list of things that can go wrong."

The residents of the Isle of Solis are oppressed by an evil tyrant who is rich enough to develop a weather control device as well as field an endless supply of soldiers and war machines. Lucky for them, Rico, a superhero  in everything but name (you) comes to the rescue!

Yes, Rico is outfitted with some seriously advanced tech that doesn't get damaged outside of cut scenes, as well as superhuman resilience to damage. Basically a Latin Spider-man mixed with Punisher as he definitely loves to grapple everywhere AND kill everyone, at least at the start to raise his army of chaos. This is pretty cool actually, as you can use your allies to slowly take over regions until you literally have all of  Solis under your flag.

Lots of crazy stuff to do in this game.

This "Turn on the Reactor" mission is very painful mainly due to having to find terminals while under time pressure. On the flip side, it's one of the faster missions. Our successful load out was DL on his usual DMR, Sniper, Mines while Jim and I brought hel revolvers, pump shotguns and sniper sentries. After the drop, clear as usual but only open the large door to the West - it is important to leave this open while keeping the other two shut to control the enemy flow.

Behind that door is a rather large room to clear, and this one will be the "Hold Room". To be specific, on the upper walk way the hold position is the Eastern most part of the walkway with the team facing west, while sentries are placed on the opposite end to shoot things in the back. Put mines sparingly at giant height. There may be times you aren't back in position yet and enemies are in your way - if that happens fight through them to get back to that spot.

Carry on through the West no-scan security door, cross the empty bridge and through the apex scan into the reactor room.  There's always scum here so clear carefully then loot and more importantly, tell everyone where the extra packs are. You will need to be able to grab those on the move quickly later.

When doing a hold (like you will be doing soon) always prioritize to carry ammo. Hold lock melters as well for this first part. Once done, head to the terminal and REACTOR_STARTUP. However, before doing the scan ensure you leave REACTOR_VERIFY typed in (don't hit enter yet). Make sure you do this each time throughout this mission to save time for the password typist. Now is a good time to nominate a "sneaker". That was me in our team, and the sneaker's job is to find terminal passwords.

Now, get the startup scan going and fall back to the hold spot. This first wave is the easiest, and we only put down one sniper sentry (Jim's) and a few mines to handle it. Hybrid barrages are your biggest threat, but they are easy to stagger if you see them coming. Once done, your time limit starts! Sprint back to the reactor room - picking up the gun. DL normally lags behind here to prep mines for the next wave.

The North door is open now and it's basically a dim supply hallway that always has little goons. Deal with them as you see fit, but do it quickly. Ideally do the team scan of the next door and pop the lock first before opening the lockers - using lock melters primarily on digital locks. Look where things are (specifically c-foam grenades - those are important) and resupply quickly. Try not to carry anything yet though since you need to go deeper in first.

You will be faced with twin stairs going up into a room that usually has giants so DL often snipes one or two then falls back to the supply corridor where we shoot the remainder. As a team, we then all advance going hard and fast for the terminal hunt using this path: from the supply corridor, go upstairs and use the large, right most door (hel revolver can shoot off a padlock). Shoot through the short corridor, open the little door at the end, fight enemies in the dim room and enter.

There is a staircase heading down on the right and at the base turn left to find a terminal (DL and Jim turn right here to hunt for more gear). If that isn't the one you need, continue going left to find more stairs down which holds the second terminal. When you find the right one, type LOGS to list out the log files then READ [filename]. Usually something like READ REACTOR_VERX02.LOG. Wait a bit for a four character password. This is what you need to type in back at the reactor terminal with REACTOR_VERIFY [password] before time runs out!

Anyone can type it, but for this first one you should have enough time to wander back - fill up health, carry ammo and c-foam if you find it. We usually type it in at the 10 seconds remaining mark then head back to the hold spot for the next wave... which we'll cover tomorrow along with the next bit of the mission! :)

PS. If you run out of time, you've basically failed (not enough gear to survive extra waves). Use it to find the terminals for next time or if you already know where they are quit to the lobby and restart.

Previously, you've found the first code and typed it into the reactor console. Now you are running back to the hold spot for wave two - put both sniper sentries down to assist. It's much like wave one, only you'll finish the cool down counter before the enemies stop spawning - and the last batches are always spikey chargers. No time to waste though, with shotguns taking point push forward when there's a gap back to the reactor room - this time the West door is open.

It's a bridge with two scouts! Our tactic is that I hammer one (cfoam grenade speeds up things) then DL snipes the other. Loot the bridge quickly and do the team scan on the blood door on the other end. DL puts around four mines before opening the door while Jim and I put sentries down from the reactor room end to cover the double scout bridge. Hybrid shooters are again the biggest threat.

Once done the sneaker has to go quick (that's me), leaving my sentry gun for Jim to fill. Jim's also going to hang around to type in the pass code at the reactor as this is also the tightest section time wise while DL comes along to try clear the first bit to help my escape. Note for sneaker:You can still hammer, but don't wake things up!

The path to the terminals: Past the blood door take the right most small door and head West. You can either go up the stairs then down the other side or do a little hop over the edge of the pit to the left (hop is faster). Continue West through the huge arch then turn right into the well lit section, then left. You'll see a small door at the end. Go there and keep that little door open (important).

In the little door, go down the stairs on your left then up the next stairs to the platform. First terminal is on your right. If its not that one, go back to the stairwell and notice stairs going up. Follow them and turn left to find the second terminal. Get the code and hope that there's enough time for your team mate to type it.

Note: I've never made it out of this room before Jim had to type the code so make sure you elect a second terminal tech for the job.

On the plus side, you can now sprint back out even if that means things are following you as you need it clear for later anyway. Remember to pick up your sentry and ammo (ideally) on the way to the hold spot to fight the next wave, which is pretty similar to the last wave. Only more of them and more chargers earlier. Again, you must advance to the reactor room as soon as time / enemy flow dictates even if things are still coming in. As long as the combat music is going it's not safe, so be on your guard and have someone watch your six.

When all enemies are gone, you can proceed to the next area in the South which we'll cover tomorrow!

Last time, you've already found two codes and fought through three waves of sleepers. From the reactor room the door to the South is open so get in there as a team - we go down the left ramp, up the middle ramp to reach the security door - hammering any sleeping chargers on the way. Do the security door first to open it so the sneaker (me) can do his thing while everyone else loots the ramp room. I also leave my sentry gun out there so someone else can refill it.

Next part is all solo stealth. Rush but don't rush, done properly you have enough time as the sneaker to even type the code at the reactor yourself: beyond the door look for stairs down into the fog on the left, hug the left wall until you reach the large door. The room beyond is pitch black and always full of sleepers. Using the flashlight sparingly go directly forward to find some stairs up. Follow the right edge of the platform till you reach the terminal. If it's not that one, continue following the right wall to the second one much further back.

Get the code and sneak back out for the last wave at the hold spot, which now features giant chargers as well. Push forward once time is up, taking care of any stragglers. The whole team must reach the terminal rooms in the West (the ones past the double scout bridge) and ideally be carrying c-foam grenades so use the same path as before. Clear the room and anything chasing you then close the important little door and c-foam it. Also make sure the big door downstairs is closed. As long as it is, you don't need to worry about it.

Now you need to do an Class IV alarm (it lies, it's more like a class VII) door now and time is ticking away! Note the alarm sequence includes a few full team scans - big circles that don't advance unless you are ALL on it. Take turns c-foaming the door then win the fight when the door is unlocked. At this point Jim heads back to the reactor while DL and I enter the dreaded scout room: it's big, has poor visibility, and holds lots of sleepers and numerous scouts.

There are also three terminals in here and the easiest one is upwards so to get there look for stairs up to the catwalk on the left then the next stairs up to the right, turn right and up some more stairs then turn right to follow the walkway. Note I had to hammer a scout doing this. First terminal is there, if its not the one use it to PING the terminal you need to find it.

As soon as I got the log file password, Jim typed it in at the reactor chamber stopping the timer. He then retreated to the extraction spot (first room) and waited. Basically we had won at this point since the extract circle is fast, however we didn't need to cheat is as DL and I snuck back out of the scout room successfully for a full team extract! VICTORY!

That mission was so hard to win. You want us to do the Extreme option next? GTFO.

He doesn't miss... often.

Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe) is one of the best retired snipers in the world. It is amazing that bad guys keep trying to mess with him throughout this three season series produced by Mark Wahlberg (who originally played Swagger in a movie of the same name). There are decent action scenes and obviously a bit of gun play, but there are parts in the story which will make you go "Huh?"

The plot unravels a bit later in the series.

Let's try this again. And again. And again!

This reboot (after Absolution) sees Agent 47 tackle eight new missions in spectacular settings all over the world. While the story takes a bit of a back seat, the actual stealth game play in each of those maps is superb and clearly designed for multiple playthroughs, given the number of unique methods to kill each target.

My favorite way of killing people.

There's nothing wrong with your TV...

This time amalgamating sitcom featuring Avengers members Wanda Maximoff (Elisabeth Olsen) and the Vision (Paul Bettany) is fantastic and mind trippy but definitely something to hold off on watching it until you've seen at least Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame as this takes place after those.

Thumbs up for these two!

The oddity of the episode changing format (not to mention the cool music) is what really makes this stand out among other superhero series. It is also the reason I don't think they can do a season two of the same format That doesn't matter though, as this makes for excellent viewing - doubly so for people who enjoy the superhero genre! I give it three and a half Fietros out of five and would probably watch all nine episodes again!