u/Due_Cake8524

New York City feels like the perfect setting for a Max Payne game. The dark streets, rundown buildings and gloomy atmosphere capture the essence of the series' noir identity. There's something about the city's harsh winters and miserable weather that complements Max's troubled state of mind. New York has always felt like a place where danger lurks around every corner, and its criminal underworld provides plenty of opportunities for the kind of story that Max Payne is known for.

São Paulo, Brazil, offers a very different atmosphere. The streets are filled with violence, and the city's nightlife can sometimes overshadow its darker side. Beneath the partying and bright lights lies a world of poverty, corruption and crime that makes the setting feel unpredictable. Max finds himself in São Paulo out of necessity, and the environment forces him into unfamiliar territory. The contrast between the lively streets and the harsh realities of life there gives Max Payne 3 its own identity while showing us a different side of Max's world.

Which location do you prefer?

First things first, I played a good chunk of Death Stranding when it released back in 2019, but I never actually beat it. Some parts are a bit foggy after all these years, but I remember the combat being clunky and the menu not being particularly intuitive. Everything else, however, was really good, especially the visuals, voice acting, and story. I don't usually play walking simulators, but Death Stranding had more to it than simply walking from one place to another. The weather hazards, difficult terrain, and cargo management made deliveries more interesting. As I've mentioned, I never finished the original beyond my initial playthrough, but I was curious to see what Death Stranding 2: On the Beach would be like. How does it compare to its predecessor? Was it the experience I was hoping for? Read on to find out!

The game once again puts you in the boots of Sam Porter Bridges as he and his crew aboard the DHV Magellan attempt to connect Australia and Mexico to the Chiral Network. The story takes you through plenty of twists, surprises, and genuinely emotional moments while exploring themes of life, loss, fatherhood, technology, and connection. It's a very story-driven experience with a lot of dialogue and cutscenes, but I personally didn't have a problem with that. It's a Hideo Kojima game, so there are plenty of weird and strange moments, but there are also some incredibly powerful scenes that even brought me to tears. The main campaign is around 34 hours, although you can easily spend 60–100 hours completing side content and exploring. I personally spent 50 hours with the game.

Combat has been greatly improved compared to the original and is actually fun and satisfying this time around. There are rifles, shotguns, MP weapons, Blood Grenades, the Bola Gun, and some wonderfully ridiculous weapons that become available later in the game. Both combat and stealth are viable, while BT encounters can still be challenging, especially against the larger bosses. There's also a lot to manage, from crafting weapons and equipment to dealing with weather hazards, rough terrain, rivers, mountains, vehicles, stamina, and battery life. The Monorail system and Beach Jumping also make transporting cargo and getting around much easier.

Visually speaking, Death Stranding 2 is absolutely stunning. The environments are beautiful, while the character models are incredibly detailed and lifelike. The Decima Engine continues to impress, and there were plenty of moments where I would simply stop and take in the scenery. The voice acting is another major highlight, with the entire cast doing a phenomenal job. The music from Ludvig Forssell and Woodkid is equally impressive and adds another emotional layer to the experience. Performance was also very smooth for me, with only a couple of minor bugs and no crashes or freezes.

Overall, I really enjoyed Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Hideo Kojima and everyone involved managed to take what was already present in the original and improve upon it in almost every way. The story is unique, emotional, and thought-provoking, the world feels even more alive, the combat is much better, and the visuals, voice acting, animations, and music are all top-tier. There are some weird and cheesy moments, but that's part of Hideo Kojima's charm. Death Stranding 2 isn't just one of the best games I've played in 2025; it's also one of the best games I've ever played, period. It's an experience I won't forget anytime soon, and I highly recommend it.

Here's a link to my full review for anyone who's interested in reading it:

https://karthbil.wordpress.com/2025/08/26/death-stranding-2-on-the-beach-review-a-masterclass-in-storytelling/

I've probably been watching wrestling since 1990 or 1995 back when WWE was still known as WWF. I've watched WCW, ECW, TNA, and most recently, AEW. I grew up being a wrestling fan. It's not just that. Being a wrestling fan is in my blood. It's something that I'm very passionate about. I could sit here and tell stories about all the amazing moments and matches that I've had the pleasure to experience, but I'd be here all day. Yes, it's choreographed, and the results are predetermined, but wrestling is also an art. I commend the men and women who put their bodies on the line every single week. Wrestling takes a huge toll on a person, but those men and women do it for the love of the sport and to entertain the fans. When you strip away the pyrotechnics, entrances, drama, storylines, and in-ring action, the people who go out there and compete, they're just human-beings like everyone else.

In recent years, things have been really difficult with all the talent that has passed away, Brodie Lee, Bray Wyatt, Hulk Hogan, and most recently Andy Williams (The Butcher), and this past weekend Pac (Benjamin Satterley). All of those wrestlers' deaths were a punch to the gut, but for some reason, Pac's death hit differently, and it was especially difficult to deal with. He was only 6 years younger than me when he passed away. He just wrestled the night before at the AEW All Out pay-per-view. The next morning, I opened up the YouTube app only to get a video notification showing that Pac had passed away. It felt surreal then, and it still feels surreal now. I'm still trying to process the fact that he's gone. It definitely makes you put life into perspective.

People can criticize AEW, and I understand that. However, there's no other wrestling promotion that can put on a tribute like AEW, and last night's episode of Dynamite was proof. Seeing guys like Darby Allin, Adam Hangman Page, and Jay White break down in tears was very tough. They lost a dear friend and someone that they considered a brother. I'm still devastated after hearing the news. When you take away the intense in-ring character, you realize that he was the sweetest and kindest person that someone could ever meet. He wasn't just a great wrestler but a devoted family man as well. Everyone loved him. I've followed his career in NXT, WWE, and, of course, AEW. Since day one, there was something special about him. William Regal said that Pac was the best British wrestler that he had ever seen. That's impressive coming from someone like him.

Pac's passing made me appreciate life even more. No human-being is guaranteed to live the next day, much less the next minute. That's why you have to live life as best as possible. Don't waste time dealing with hate and regret. Make the best out of every moment. It's not easy, but that's part of life. Pac was the wrestler that gravity forgot, but he's also the wrestler that fans won't forget anytime soon. I appreciate the matches and memories. Pac was a one-of-a-kind talent and human-being. He paved the way for so many guys out there. Wrestling itself wouldn't have been the same without him. As someone who lost his parents, I know exactly how it feels, and it's very challenging. I send my most sincere condolences to his family in such a difficult time. May God rest his soul!

Tali is the type of companion that I grew attached to very quickly. The more time that I spent with her, the better I was able to understand her because there is so much to her. Mass Effect 2 is the game that introduced me to Tali. She’s smart, friendly, loyal, gifted, she has a sense of humor, and she’s even shy as well. There isn’t a single attribute that defines her as a character. She’s well-versed when it comes to engineering and Geth technology. Despite her knowledge, she’s never arrogant or cocky. She doesn’t need to prove to anyone that she’s intelligent. She lets her actions do the talking. She’s kind, hard-headed, emotional, and she’s also willing to defend something or someone that she feels is being threatened. Everything that I mentioned makes her feel like an actual person. Underneath her soft and warm personality is the ability to stand up for what she believes in.

Mass Effect 2 has many alien races. Quarians are probably one of the most interesting types. Tali is a Quarian that grew up aboard the Migrant Fleet without knowing Rannoch as her home. The reason why she became familiar with it is because of the stories and memories that were tied to her people. The conflict that occurred between the Quarians and the Geth ended up becoming a part of Tali as a character. She wants her people to reclaim their home that was once theirs. As she gains more knowledge and experience, she finds out that the aforementioned conflict is far from being surface level and it’s way more complicated and involved. Even though she has every single reason to hate the Geth because of how they treated her people, she understands that they aren’t just mindless, brutal savages. She learns to reconcile the conflicting feelings that she has.

A significant part of Tali’s life is her father Rael’Zorah. However, he isn’t just a father; he’s also an admiral. She spent the majority of her life trying to live up to his expectations. It was really difficult when she was accused of treason and having to defend herself before the Admiralty Board. That ended up putting a tremendous amount of pressure and weight on her shoulders. She has to clear her name, while also protecting her father’s reputation as an admiral. She obviously cares a lot about her family and people. Even though she’s competent at what she does, it may not match up to her level of confidence. No matter how much good she does, she’s always questioning whether or not she did enough in order to live up to said expectations. It’s her vulnerability that makes her feel relatable and easy to sympathize with.

Another thing that’s worth mentioning is Tali’s relationship with Commander Shepard. What sets her apart from a lot of the other crew members is that she already has history with him. Tali and Shepard fought battles together, they survived together, and they also developed a friendship as well. Because of their well-documented history, their conversations feel organic and natural. She never has to explain herself to Shepard even when she jokes around, when she’s nervous, or if she’s a bit scared and intimidated because he understands her very well. Whether they develop a friendship or a romantic one, their interactions feel genuine. She’s able to open her heart out because she trusts him. In Shepard’s eyes, she wants to be viewed as more than just a Quarian, but also an engineer and the daughter of an admiral.

That’s why Tali is such a great character. She isn’t perfect and she has her flaws, and that’s what makes her so memorable. She can be hard-headed, emotional, competent but not necessarily confident, loyal, and friendly, etc. It’s the fact that there are so many layers to her that make her relatable and believable. She’s smart without the need to point it out, kind without being weak, vulnerable without being completely helpless, and strong while also keeping her soft and warm side. Mass Effect 2 is filled with so many amazing companions. Yet, Tali can stand out because of how endearing she is. I’ve spent so much time playing the game that I honestly feel like she’s become a great friend. I understand why she’s such a beloved fan favorite character. Tali never had to be perfect; she just had to be herself, and that’s why I adore her as much as I do.

 

I’ve seen some pretty insane episodes of Monday Night Raw. However, tonight’s episode was on another level. The Bloodline and 946’s garage brawl gave me some serious Attitude Era vibes because of how chaotic it was. This was the kind of brawl that I remember from back in the day. The craziest part of the whole brawl was when Jacob Fatu and Royce Keys started going at it. Just when it looked like Fatu had caught up with Keys, in comes Jaida Parker out of nowhere, running him over with the car. That was absolutely unexpected. I have a strong feeling that Naomi is going to come back and get revenge against Jaida. I never expected to see her on 946’s side. Seeing Fatu get laid out was pretty wild to say the least. At the very end he got loaded onto the ambulance as the Usos joined him. If this is any indication of what’s come, I can only imagine what these two factions are going to do to each other moving forward. What do you think?

I honestly don't know what to say about this one.

PAC's passing at only 40 years old is incredibly difficult to process, especially knowing that fans had just watched him wrestle at AEW All Out. It feels unreal to think that someone who was in the ring only the day before is suddenly gone.

For more than 20 years, Benjamin Satterley gave wrestling something unique and different. Whether you knew him as PAC, Neville, or Adrian Neville, he had a presence that was completely his own. The speed, athleticism, strikes, aerial ability and sheer intensity were obvious, but what always stood out to me was how seriously he took his craft. He could make a match feel important just by stepping through the ropes. He had an old school look to him, which I really liked.

His career also represented how much wrestling had changed. He came up through the British wrestling scene, became a major part of NXT as Neville, wrestled around the world, and eventually became one of the defining performers of AEW's early years. PAC wasn't simply a high flyer. He evolved. The version of PAC we saw in AEW was more aggressive, more vicious and incredibly confident in who he was as a performer.

And then there are the fans.

That's something I think gets overlooked when talking about a wrestler's legacy. Wrestlers give us matches, moments and memories, but fans carry those memories with them for years. Someone might remember watching Neville in NXT. Someone else might remember PAC's matches in AEW. Someone might remember seeing him live for the first time. Those experiences become part of why wrestling means something to so many people in the first place.

PAC left his mark on wrestling in a way that can't simply be measured by championships. He inspired other wrestlers, gave fans countless incredible matches, and helped prove that you didn't need to fit a certain mold to become a major star in professional wrestling.

It's heartbreaking that his story ended so suddenly.

Thank you for everything, PAC. Thank you for the matches, the moments, the intensity, and for giving wrestling fans something to remember.

Rest in peace, Benjamin Satterley. You will not be forgotten. God rest your soul!

I’m honestly still trying to process the news. Seeing that Microsoft is shutting down Ninja Theory because two rescue deals fell through at the last second is just heartbreaking.The whiplash is what really frustrates me. Three months ago, they were on stage at the Xbox reveal for Senua. What's the point of showcasing a brand new game if you're going to shut down the studio who made it?

To think they were quietly being shopped around right after that, and then everything fell apart. It's ridiculous. Other studios like Double Fine and Compulsion Games managed to get their independence back, and Undead Labs found a new publisher. Ninja Theory was so close to being saved, but the deals didn't work out.

They were able to make visually stunning, mid-budget, single-player narrative games that actually cared about things like mental health. If a studio with that much technical talent isn't safe under a trillion-dollar corporation just because they don't bring in live-service Fortnite numbers, then who is? That's the big question.

I'm going to miss their creative work so much. From Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Hellblade, they always had a passion for the games that they made. The gaming industry can be harsh at times. Ninja Theory is just a casualty in a long line of studios that deserved better.

Whenever people think of Sucker Punch's Ghost franchise, they absolutely love Jin Sakai and I can definitely see why that's the case. However, Atsu is also compelling in her own right. I had my reservations about her as the main character at first, but after joining her on the journey in Ghost of Yotei, I found her to be just as good as Jin Sakai.

It wasn't simply a case of her picking up a sword and becoming a warrior. There are motivations that led her to become the Onryo. She didn't go out there to fight just for the sake of fighting. She's the kind of protagonist who's confident, but also vulnerable as well. She's more than capable of taking care of herself in combat situations, but she isn't unstoppable. There are numerous moments in the game where Atsu has a lot of responsibilities, whether it's her brother Jubei, Jubei's daughter Kiku, or former Yotei Six member Oyuki.

Then there's Atsu's connection with the wolf, which I find to be very interesting. She's the complete opposite when compared to Jin Sakai. Jin had to juggle two different identities, being a samurai and the Ghost. Atsu didn't have to switch between two different identities. She becomes the Onryo or a wandering mercenary who didn't have to abide by a strict code of honor. Her motivation was seeking vengeance because she was essentially left for dead, along with the death of her family, and her brother Jubei at the hands of the Yotei Six.

Even though Atsu is part of the Ghost franchise, she manages to stand out on her own by being visually distinct as a main character. Whether it's her outfits, weapons, or her expressions, she's accustomed to Ezo's harsh and unforgiving landscape. There are small, nuanced details that set her apart. Over the course of my 60+ hour journey in Ghost of Yotei, I was invested in her just as much as I was in Jin Sakai. It'll be very interesting to see where things go if Atsu ends up getting a sequel moving forward.

For the longest time, I've considered Remedy Entertainment to be one of the best studios in the gaming industry. It's something that I'm sure a lot of people will agree with. Whether it's Max Payne 1 and 2, Alan Wake 1 and 2, Quantum Break, or Control and the upcoming Control Resonant, the developer is always willing to take risks by doing something different and unique. Even with their own franchises, they're always willing to take their games in an unexpected direction. They aren't concerned with the most popular thing or chasing the latest trend. They have a passion and love for gaming. They've never sacrificed their vision just to appease the lowest common denominator. Creativity and passion starts with their director Sam Lake, who I'm a huge fan of.

Taking risks prevents stagnation. It also breathes new life into an existing franchise. Whether people like it or not, even Ubisoft took a massive risk with Assassin's Creed by ditching the more traditional formula and taking the franchise in the RPG direction. For the Assassin's Creed franchise, look at how people have fallen in love with Origins and Odyssey, as examples. Guerrilla Games took a huge risk by transitioning from the dark, militaristic, and gritty Killzone to the vibrant and colorful Horizon series and it has absolutely flourished. Tomb Raider changed as well, going from the usual formula to something that's dark, mature and violent. Tomb Raider needed the change because the formula was getting dated, at the time. As I've already alluded to, Remedy is no stranger to taking risks.

I haven't watched too many videos regarding Control Resonant because I want to go in with a fresh pair of eyes, so to speak. Based on what I've seen so far, I'm very excited and highly optimistic. One of the most interesting things about Resonant, is the fact that you, as the player, don't get XP like you would in a traditional action-oriented game. Instead, areas themselves get XP. Defeating monsters has consequences. The game gets much tougher and you'll have different enemies that you didn't encounter before. Killing enemies isn't just for grinding. Previously explored areas change completely. If the game can turn your own progress into a reason for the world to become more hostile, it could create a pretty unique gameplay loop that's never been utilized in a video game. You still get skills and skill upgrades, but there's also a risk vs reward system as well.

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about video games and he asked me if I was hyped for GTA VI. I told him, absolutely not. In a year that's already been stacked with amazing titles, my most anticipated game of the year is easily Control Resonant. I'm really excited to see what Remedy does with the body horror. Control already had some creepy enemies and Resonant looks to dial things up and other notch. Going from the ranged Service Weapon in Control to the melee-based Aberrant in Resonant, completely alters the gameplay. Honestly, it's a nice way to mix things up. I already pre-ordered my physical copy for the PS5 and I can't wait to play the game when it releases on October 15th.

Honestly, nothing ruins the momentum in the Research Sector more than hearing the irritating static that I just can't get out of my damn head and realizing that an Astral Spike is in the room. It's not necessarily a tough enemy counter, but rather one that's a big pain the butt.

The first time that I encountered it, I literally ran around a few times trying to figure out what the hell to do. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off before I just started laughing at myself. I'm working my way through another playthrough now, and it struck me with how creepy it is. The design is great, but it gets so stressful when there are other enemies around.

You can't shoot the Astral Spike, you can't launch items it, and you can't just wait out it's attack. It's literally just a moving, invincible trash-compactor that forces you to completely change how you play the game. There's a certain level of panic that it causes, especially during a massive firefight. I'm sitting there trying to line up a Pierce shot on a Hiss Sniper, and suddenly the floating trash compactor corners me against a wall. The only thing that I can do is run away from it.

It originated from the Astral Plane, but it's not technically a piece of it. It makes the whole place feel way more chaotic. The side mission where you have to trap one in the lab container had me running around in circles. How do you guys usually deal with an Astral Spike during a huge firefight? Do you just spam Levitate and stay in the air?

When you first see the Oldest House, it just looks like a boring, sterile government facility. It’s all concrete, straight lines, and Brutalist offices. However, the second you start going past the lobby and descend into the basement levels and the deep maintenance sectors, the corporate office vibe goes away. You realize that the drywall and concrete walls are just one of many layers that make up the craziness and weirdness. The deeper that I explore, the weirder and more unsettling that it gets.

The building doesn't even feel like a setting anymore. Instead, it feels like a living, breathing entity with a mind of its own. It rejects modern technology. The lore logs explain that if you bring a smartphone or a laptop deep into the sectors, the building’s paranatural nature will make them violently degrade or explode. Because of that, the Bureau is forced to use 1960s typewriters, old CRT monitors, and pneumatic tubes in order for their to survive. The physical structure itself breaks every law of physics. The walls move, expand, and swallow people up if they wander off without a guide. You can stand on the edge of a Firebreak looking down into a giant, endless pit that shouldn't even physically fit inside a building. It hits you that you're walking through a web of pocket dimensions.

The stuff that's locked inside the deep bowels of the house is nightmare personified. You run into things like the Astral Spike, which is a chaotic, shifting vortex of black-and-gold marble geometry that you can't even kill. You have to trick it into a containment cell and lock the blast doors to save your life. Then you have everyday items like a rubber duck, a retro TV, or a plastic mannequin that have absorbed so much weird human energy, that they warp reality around them. You have sections where the concrete completely gives way to endless shifting sand deserts, and massive trees that are growing indoors in pitch blackness under the artificial lighting.

I’ve typed up a lot of info on Control because the environmental storytelling is just wild. It takes old mythological ideas like the Labyrinth of Crete or the World Tree and turns them into a creepy bureaucratic nightmare. The further down the rabbit hole you go, the more you realize that the characters in the game are barely scratching the surface of what the building actually is. I'm curious to hear from everyone else who got sucked into Control's lore. What was the single strangest anomaly or area in The Oldest House that made you stop and realize that this game was weird and bizarre?

Bronson Reed’s return at Sunday Night’s Main Event was exactly the kind of surprise WWE fans love to see. After being out of action for more than six months, Reed came back looking like an absolute monster and immediately made his presence felt by blindsiding Oba Femi with a steel chair. What made the return even better was seeing Reed and Bron Breakker completely dismantle Femi afterward, hitting him with multiple Tsunamis and Spears. It was a great way to remind everyone just how dangerous Reed can be when he’s healthy, while also making The Vision look like an even bigger threat. What really caught my attention was how much more dangerous Reed looks now. He’s gotten seriously jacked during his time away, to the point where he almost looks like a completely different person. There’s an added level of physicality and intimidation that comes with his transformation. Now that Reed is back alongside Breakker, I think it’s time for them to get rid of Austin Theory and Logan Paul. Breakker and Reed have the look and the aggression to take The Vision to another level, and honestly, I’d be perfectly fine with seeing them run wild for a while.