https://david.reviews
36 posts
Writing 42% · Gaming 25% · Film & TV 19% · Tech 8% · Culture 6%
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★★☆☆: As an unapologetic lover of the Pirates movies, this one is always a bit of a letdown. It's got its moments and a top tier cast (as usual) but it's a little too cheeky. It treads on winks to the series rather than serious character work. It does some passable work expanding the world of the Golden Age of Piracy, but it's mostly limited to a couple of lines. It's also pretty crowded - a LOT of factions show up to the climax. There are good bones in there and it's not a total loss, but…
★★★☆: A compact, classic-Zelda inspired adventure game. I like that it followed the classic formula well: 4 little dungeons, each with an upgrade and a boss.True to its word, there's no fluff. A single collectable, a linear series of areas, and few NPCs to talk with. I appreciate when games make a point to streamline their gameplay in useful ways. Much like Shapez distilled Factorio, removing elements helps what remains shine. The graphics and sound effects represent their inspiration well and…
★★★★: Perfectly paced. Great performances all around. Lots of cute moments. Some truly dangerous pranks. Where are the adults at the camp?? FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: Still a little goofy in that way 60s movies were, but has a pretty straightforward plot and some fun action. Good humor too, he's cheeky. The series is really starting to come together! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: Returned to the frenetic pace of the first one, which I like. It dipped a bit, especially with so many flashback clips. But the story was good and it was a light, exciting watch. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★☆: Cute little puzzle platformer where dying with an ability alters leaves something behind to help you solve puzzles. Neat concept, but (despite the cute dog) not really something I'd spend a ton of time with. It's just not the kind of gameplay that engages me. There's good polish though, including a a nice hint system and camera controls. Good ability variety, too! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: RIP Sam Neill. Great movie though, per usual. So many fun details. And wild how it just established what a T-Rex sounds like. Everyone just agrees now. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
A non-linear story that you have to piece together makes for a superb time. Read the whole thing.
★★★★: A gripping story and killer voice acting make this a compelling package. Read more in my full review! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★☆: Sort of a slow, fascinating movie. Wish I had seen it years ago so I could watch it again now, with current context. I admired its tiny cast, but never felt myself connecting with the protagonist. It's just sort of a story that happened, but not one that got much of an emotional rise from me. It's near-future sci-fi setting was neat though, as was its beautiful cinematography. And it ended in an interesting place. I can't say that it really succeeds as as an enjoyable movie though (other…
★★★★: Excellent strategy game that mixes Tetris and deckbuilding. Shouldn't work as well as it does, but it's a hoot. There's a pretty good variety of deck archetypes and you can combine them in interesting and exciting ways. There's a great tech tree to unlock cards and being able to upgrade as you go lends a lot of strategy. Making numbers go up (in sometimes hilarious ways) was a blast. You don't even have to be that good at Tetris!I could have used 10% more clarity for some of the card…
★★★★: Another excellent fantasy mystery full of political intrigue and layers of deception. Had me guessing at every step. There's a lot to keep track of, but it builds its case well. The worldbuilding is excellent, per all of the author's works. Its protagonists play off each other swimmingly. Excited for more! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★☆: Heavily inspired by "Type Help", it does a good job carving out its own niche with a larger cast, multiple sections, and a visual interface to help your solve. I loved how much actual history it wove into the storyThe gameplay itself follows a tried-and-true formula, but I found the game itself a little rough around the edges. The UX had lots of little papercuts and there were a _lot_ of typos. It's free, so one can only expect so much, but it still soured the experience a bit. In a game…
★★★☆: Certainly has its charms. Feels like we're starting to inch closer to the modern Bond experience. There's a great spy vs spy scene and then a bunch of goody nonsense stuff too. Interesting to see that's it's regarded by as many as a favorite- it was fun, but not especially memorable for me. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: An excellent blend of sports and family drama. All time classic FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★☆☆: It's a technically impressive game, but wasn't for me. I end up with the same problem I have with most immersive sims- there are so many ways to approach something that playing it at all becomes overwhelming. Plus when things start to go wrong, you die very quickly, not giving you much opportunity to understand how to react or take stock of the situation. It's cool that the world is so thoroughly simulated though, it's an interesting concept.I'm also not sure I would have loved a fully…
★★★★: An original and charming mapmaking adventure. Read more in my full review! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: This felt like they made Fame, but well. Everyone is earnest and over the top. You know where it's going, but the dry humor and unstoppable theater kid energy make it a delight. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: Got to be one of the best book adaptations ever. Immaculately cast, covers its heavy bits well, and everything comes together nicely. Great watch in the TX summer. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
Explore little islands and fulfil your cartographical dreams! Read the whole thing.
★★★★: I don't usually enjoy drug trip movies, but this was excellent. It felt like a cross between 21 Jump Street and Community, dialed up to 11. The segments of ludicity provided some nice character moments while the drug portions could be as goofy as they wanted. I loved the densely interwoven storylines- everything is set up and paid off with aplomb. Is totally absurd while still having real stakes. It all comes together swimmingly. It could have used a better title, but if that's my biggest…
★★☆☆: As a longtime enjoyer of the Tales series, I came into Berseria with high hopes (and shame on me for letting the community set those expectations so high) and it failed to meet them. The biggest weakness is the combat. Eschewing the series' Smash Bros-style control scheme, it instead lets you slot 4 moves onto each face button. This means to target enemy type and elemental resources there are up to 16 slots you need to memorize (and more if you play other characters). Either you're…
★★★★: Silly, touching, and beautiful. Paints a charming picture of 50s America and the characters really pull their weight. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: Played all the base scenarios and some of the DLC (The Last Autumn). I had forgotten how well this game flows. City builders can get bogged down in minutia, but Frostpunk manages to strike the perfect balance between micro (managing work assignments) and macro (developing your economy, building buildings). Mix that with some tough narrative choices and general resource management and you've got a heck of a time. There's great variation between the scenarios, too. They each require…
★★☆☆: Chorus initially wowed me with its freedom of motion and huge sense of scale. Its dogfighting battles were chaotic and cool, but felt like something I could really get good at. And that was true, but those battles came with a pretty serious legibility problem. With all the lasers and enemies flying around, it's easy to get disoriented. Couple that with a sort of nonsense story (albeit a nicely voice acted one) and an undercooked upgrade system and the game left me wanting. It's worth…
★★★☆: Sort of charming little humorous character drama. Tracy Ullman steals the show. I might have liked a little more plot but it wraps up nicely. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
Keep a neighborhood record store afloat!. Read the whole thing.
★★★★: Truly the best. A classic for a reason! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★★★: A cozy visual novel that's full of energy and heart. Read more in my full review! FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
★★☆☆: A comedy of errors with a little more error than comedy. All of the scenes are funny, but some land better than others. At some point it's hard to root for anyone as they all reveal themselves to be pretty heartless. It works out in the end though and there are a couple of truly funny scenes in there. Great ensemble, too. FYI: My reviews are scored out of 4. Also, thanks for subscribing to my RSS feed and supporting the indie web!
