Popzara Podcast

Article: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

The mark of a great prequel is its ability to walk a narrative tightrope. It must not only deepen beloved characters and mend gaps in the established story but also stand tall as a compelling narrative in its own right.

The State of Gaming May 2024: Ghost of Tsushima PC, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Paper Mario, Hades 2, V Rising, Homeworld 3, Duck Detective, Endless Ocean, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Furiosa

It’s The State of Gaming Podcast, Popzara’s in-depth look at what’s shaking up the gaming landscape delivered on a monthly basis. Listen as hosts Cory Galliher and Nate Evans guide you through the best, worst, and everything else making headlines and headway in the world of interactive entertainment.

The Biggest Games of May 2024

The biggest games of the month include: Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Hades II (Early Access), XDefiant, V Rising, Homeworld 3, Read Only Memories: Neurodiver, Paper Trail, and Nine Sols

Other notables include: System Shock (Consoles), Little Kitty, Big City, Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, Animal Well, MultiVersus (Returns), and Endless Ocean Luminous.

Everything Else

But there’s more! Atari Buys Intellivision, officially ending the oldest console war. Emulators are on iOS, including RetroArch! RIP Judgement (and frequent Godzilla) actor Akira Nakao. Great news - the Fallout Show is great! Microsoft’s Copilot will watch (and nag) your game playing skills! Tomb Raider series is coming to Amazon Prime (and not the anime version on Netflix)! Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is out now; and gaming owes more to George Miller than you might think!

Article: Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

Everything is a computer these days. Really.

Article: Sasquatch Sunset (2024)

Those who believe that Sasquatches really exist claim the creature’s main mode of survival is the ability to ingeniously remain undetected by humans indefinitely. Apparently, true believers haven’t met the quartet at the center of Sasquatch Sunset, who may not get spotted by mankind but not for a lack of trying.

Article: The Garfield Movie (2024)

Jim Davis’ Garfield was once a very funny gag comic strip. It would go on to spawn a great Saturday morning cartoon series, and was an omnipresent marketing machine second only to Charles Schulz’s Peanuts at the height of its popularity.

Article: James (2024)

Percival Everett’s James has been heralded as a retelling or even a complementary version to Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a sequel to Tom Sawyer long considered the definitive Great American Novel since it was first published 140 years ago. It’s a shame that so much attention has been given to the book’s use of a particular word as it remains both one of the most important works of literature from perhaps the most beloved author in American history, but also a rallying cry against the inhumanity of slavery.

Article: Rainbow Cotton

Along with the endless array of remakes and remasters that characterize the modern gaming landscape, there's been a curious tendency toward grabbing up old, forgotten titles and making them a little more available to modern players. One such game is Rainbow Cotton, the last official game in the cute 'em up shooter series before it would go dormant for two decades.

Article: The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered

The world is a dark, cold and chaotic place, but thankfully there's a point of light in the shadow: remasters! HD remasters of old games! You name it, chances are it's got a remaster! Slap that baby on Steam and we're in the money! The latest game to receive the remaster treatment is The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered, a relatively obscure JRPG on the 3DS whose sequel, The Alliance Alive, also got the remaster treatment a few years back. The island of Avalon was once home to an ancient civilization, and if we know our RPGs, we know that's enough to get adventurers to come a-callin'.

Article: Sand Land

It's a little difficult to determine the value of reviews when it comes to media. I've reviewed games for Popzara for over a decade, and I'll be the first to tell people who ask they shouldn't trust the stuff I put out there - nor should they trust anyone else's.

Article: The Crow: 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook

I remember wanting to see 1994’s The Crow back in my late teens for two reasons, it starred Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee) as a cool, goth looking superhero, and for the awesome soundtrack that featured one of my favorite bands at the time, Stone Temple Pilots and their hit single Big Empty. While it’s been released on DVD and Blu-ray numerous times, it had yet to make its way to 4K, until now with The Crow: 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook release.

Article: Kobo Libra Colour

We’re now at the very beginning of the next evolution of digital e-Readers, where users love them so much but wish they could do just a little bit more. Blame smartphones, which have evolved so far past their original intended use that we sometimes forget that not every device has to be able to do everything all the time.

Article: Kobo Clara Colour

We’re now at the very beginning of the next evolution of digital e-Readers, where users love them so much but wish they could do just a little bit more. Blame smartphones, which have evolved so far past their original intended use that we sometimes forget that not every device has to be able to do everything all the time.

Article: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Being a fan of the original Planet of the Apes from 1968, and not a big one of 2001’s Tim Burton remake, I didn’t know what to think when 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes came along. Thankfully it turned out to be one of the best films I’d ever seen, sci-fi or otherwise, and had me going ape for what the franchise had in store.

Article: Stellar Blade

In an age of cross-platform play and a slow but gradual shift to the PC as a ubiquitous gaming device, it's a little weird to still see console exclusives, but they haven't gone anywhere. In 2024, there's still some games that you might or might not be able to play depending on which plastic box you bought, which is both a bit nostalgic and a bit archaic.

Article: Challengers (2024)

Have you ever wondered how the back-and-forth of a tennis match mirrors the intricate dynamics of human relationships? The strategic volleys, the calculated returns, the constant battle for control – it's a fascinating metaphor for the push and pull of love, rivalry, and the unspoken power struggles that define our interactions. Luca Guadagnino's Challengers takes this metaphor and introduces us to three complex characters locked in a passionate, years-long dance across a metaphorical court.