Month: October 2021

“Squid Game” is the mega hit Korean thriller about playground antics and violent deaths that’s blowing up on Netflix. Heard of it? I’m sure you have. And even if you haven’t, odds are you’ve seen memes of it floating around the internet.

This disturbing, gruesome, funny and nostalgic streaming sensation has ignited a ton of online buzz, not least of which being the lawsuit brought to Netflix by a South Korean internet provider over an astronomical surge in traffic. The show has even generated some halloween costume ideas with which to traumatize the neighborhood. And, perhaps most terrifying of all, there’s viral “Squid doll” sightings.

This giant ‘Squid Game’ doll in Manila is 10-feet tall https://t.co/iJShBdAx6m

— Reuters (@Reuters)
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So what exactly is “Squid Game”? The show centers around people facing financial ruin, who are given the “opportunity” to make the equivalent of $39 million American dollars. All they need to do is win a series of simple, childlike challenges. The only catch is, if they lose, they die.

Without giving too much away, this is what makes the show truly scary: that people already in dire situations are targeted for their desperation, and pit against one another in meaningless, downright silly “games,” and yet beating out the opponent really is a matter of life or death. “Squid Game” in essence is about the “contests” we agree to as part of competition culture and how it forces us to quite literally risk our lives for the sake of money.

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This is what we love about the horror genre. It takes actual societal nightmares, like the hopelessness and utter unfairness of wealth disparity, and turns them into glaring metaphors that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t look away from. Korean cinema simply has America beat in this territory. We see this not only in “Squid Game,” but in the multi award-winning “Parasite,” another Korean film that explores similar themes. Their relatable-rather-than-attractive-but-otherwise-dim characters, gripping and relevant story concepts and blending of comedic dialogue with horrific imagery brings audiences into a visceral and emotionally impactful experience in a way the American formula just can’t. Or won’t.

“Squid Game” takes things one step further than “Parasite.” Rather than one singular film, the show offers multiple episodes full of intense cliffhangers, daring viewers to make just one more click. That, and the added intoxicating appeal of recruiting friends to join in on the shared disturbance, is partially why it has become more of a word-of-mouth phenomenon than its film predecessor. After all, what could be more fun than saying to a loved one, “This gave me nightmares. Watch it and tell me what you think.”

The show debuted on Sept. 17, and is already about to beat “Bridgerton” as Netflix’s biggest original series of all time. That’s right, not even the almighty Shonda Rhimes can outswim “Squid Game.” Which completely backs my theory that people will choose stories about dystopian murder games over frilly romance any day. Now if only we could find a way to combine the genres. Jane Austen Meets Battle Royale, anyone?

The show is so popular, in fact, that there has been a real-life victim of the Squid Game. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Settle down. No one has died (yet). There is, however, a man getting barraged with up to 4,000 unwanted phone calls a day.

For context: In the first episode of “Squid Game,” a mysterious man gives mysterious business cards with a mysterious phone number on it. (Did I mention this show is mysterious?)

People began calling the number out of curiosity, only to find out that it belonged to a real person. The man on the receiving end of the phone calls had not yet seen “Squid Game,” and thought he was being pranked. The good news is, he might make a large sum of money off of it, as a Korean politician is offering $85,000 to purchase the number for himself. This man with the seemingly unlucky phone number might get a fortune overnight. Pretty aligned with the show’s central themes, if you ask me.

The phone number in Netflix’s Squid Game is real, and belongs to a Korean man who is now reportedly receiving thous… https://t.co/ZFJsrnW0XA

— IGN (@IGN)
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With so much amazing press surrounding it, you’d think we’d be seeing headlines about a season 2. Well, so far there are no plans for that. Regardless, “Squid Game” is a perfect example of what surprises can happen by adding story diversity into our streaming platforms. Clearly, people want shows that are hard-hitting, exciting and make the world seem a little larger, even if the world also feels a bit horrifying.

Watch it, if you dare. But be warned, you might never look at “red light, green light” quite the same way again.

Alex Jones just found out the hard way that you can’t just spit out dangerous nonsense and get away with it. According to files released last Thursday, a Texas judge ruled that the far-right conspiracy theorist has to pay damages to two families of children who were murdered in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre.

The plaintiffs include Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, the parents of 6-year-old Noah, the youngest to be killed in the massacre. The other is Scarlett Lewis, who lost her 6-year-old son, Jesse, in the shooting.

For years after the tragedy that left 20 children and six school employees dead, Jones told his radio and online audience of millions that the event was a “giant hoax” carried out by “crisis actors.” Jones sold the big, dangerous lie that the government staged the incident as a “false flag” event that would eventually lead to the Second Amendment being abolished.

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In the years after the shooting, Jones would tell his audience that “the whole thing was fake” and “pretty much didn’t happen.”

In 2012, Jones’ Infowars website ran a news headline that read: “FBI says no one killed at Sandy Hook.”

In 2013, Jones told his audience: “In the last month and a half, I have not come out and said this was clearly a staged event. Unfortunately, evidence is beginning to come out that points more and more in that direction.”

Jones finally backed down from his wild and dangerous claims in 2019 when during a deposition he said he now believes that “Children died, and it’s a tragedy.”

However, Jones’ recantation was too little, too late. In the years after the horrifying event, the grieving Sandy Hook parents were continuously harassed by Jones’ listeners. In 2017, Pozner received death threats from Florida woman Lucy Richards, who was sentenced to five months in prison.

“You gonna die,” Richards told Pozner in a voicemail message. “Death is coming to you real soon.”

It’s impossible to imagine losing a child in such a horrific way and then being harassed by random strangers who believe you are part of a broad conspiracy.

Alex Jones must pay damages to Sandy Hook families after calling shooting a “giant hoax,” judge rules https://t.co/Hh2Ii2h3P4

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost)
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Jones and his outlet Infowars were found guilty in a default judgment after failing to produce documents for the trial’s discovery process.

“The court finds that defendants’ failure to comply … is greatly aggravated by [their] consistent pattern of discovery abuse throughout similar cases pending before this court,” wrote the Texas judge, Maya Guerra Gamble, in a judgment reported by CNN.

“The court finds that defendants’ discovery conduct in this case is the result of flagrant bad faith and callous disregard for the responsibilities of discovery under the rule,” she wrote.

The court will convene a jury to consider the damages Jones will have to pay the plaintiffs.

Jones’ loss in court may not be enough to undo the damage caused by his heinous attacks on the Sandy Hook families, but it does send a strong message to those who wish to exploit future tragedies. In America, you’re free to hold any belief you like and speak your mind freely, but be prepared to face the consequences if and when you do.

What do you do when you’ve already made America great again? You do it again. On the same day Facebook, his second favorite social media platform, went down, former president Donald J. Trump tried to upstage them with news that was the equivalent of leftovers. Remember everyone’s favorite Trump Super PAC, Make America Great Again Action? Well, it’s being replaced with something that’s basically the same, only more awkward.

Say hello to MAGA, Again! Yes, that translates as a Make America Great Again, Again. No, this is not a devastating parody. It’s real and, as per one of the Trump team’s un-copy edited press releases, it’s the “ONLY Trump approved Super Pac.” It also has new leadership. Pam Bondi, one of his lawyer’s during his first (of two) impeachment trials, will serve as Chariman, while no less than Kimberly Guilfoyle — whose bonkers RNC speech last fall surely impressed her boyfriend’s dad — will hold down the fort as National Finance Chair.

What will MAGA,A do, considering the 2024 election is quite a ways away? Mostly “support Trump endorsed candidates across the country who have proven to be fighters of the MAGA movement and President Trump’s many accomplishments.” So congrats to the big guy for once again doing something so obvious that only hack satirists could dream it up.

Urban Meyer issued up a response on Monday morning to the viral pictures and videos of him at a bar in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend in the aftermath of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Meyer, who said he was “stupid” and apologized to his team “being a distraction,” was caught dancing with a young woman who was not his wife, among other things that popped up on the internet in recent days from his night out.

In response to all of this, ESPN’s Marcus Spears believes we have enough evidence to suggest that Meyer should be fired. Both Spears and fellow NFL Live panelist Dan Orlovsky advocated for the team to fire him, with the former saying that this is the latest in a line of decisions that show Meyer can’t be tasked with running an NFL team and the latter saying it’s impossible for him to lead when these sorts of things are going on.

“Shad Khan, you need to find you a new head coach, bruh,” Spears said. “It’s time for Urban Meyer to be dismissed and relieved of his duties. This is not the first distraction, right? This is not a visceral reaction to what Urban Meyer did, even though there needs to be one to that as well. He brought in a strength coach that had a racist history, he brought in Tim Tebow to play tight end, which he never did in the NFL before. This is a pattern that we’ve seen go on since Urban Meyer has been the head coach in Jacksonville.”

“I wanna put myself in [Trevor Lawrence’s] shoes and talk to coach Urban Meyer,” Orlovsky said. “As the coach, it’s hard for you to lead me when you can’t lead yourself. How can I sit here in the locker room and listen to you preach about culture when you do things like this?”

Spears kept going on Meyer, expressing his belief that when you look into his past, it becomes hard to justify him sticking around as a coach.

“We got enough evidence about who Urban Meyer is, America,” Spears said. “We have enough. If you wanna research it yourself, go ahead and do it. I’ve researched it, I’ve talked to people in circles, it’s enough out there for everybody to understand why Urban Meyer shouldn’t be the head coach of anybody.”

Meyer is four games into his time as an NFL head coach following a lengthy and successful college career. The Jaguars sit 0-4 on the season.

We don’t like to talk much about the weather. Especially this time of year. It will just bum us out to realize that summer (and its lighter, hoppier beers) is in our rearview mirror and we’re heading straight towards winter (with its dark, malty brews) at a faster speed than we’d like. This means the time is right to start stocking up on darker, richer, more robust beers for now and well into the blustery, snow-filled (depending on where you live) winter ahead.

While we’re not limiting this conversation to any particular styles, we want each beer to be extremely warming. This means barleywines, strong ales, brown ales, barrel-aged beers, and even a few bold IPAS. Heat us up. Get the blood flowing. You get the idea?

To find these beers, we enlisted the help of some beer-centric professionals. We asked a handful of brewers and craft beer experts to tell us the best warming beers to drink this fall and winter. Check out all of their answers below, grab a warm blanket, start a fire in the fireplace, and enjoy one of these exceptional brews.

Trust us, the weather won’t stay mild for long. You want to be prepared.

Achouffe N’ice Chouffe

Jan Chodkowski, head brewer at Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company in Denver

ABV: 10%
Average Price: $12.99 for a 12-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

I’d have to go with N’ice Chouffe from Achouffe Brewery. There is something romantic about Belgian winter/holiday beers to me. This beer has a dark caramel and spice character that makes it the perfect beer to sit down with when the days are getting shorter and colder.

Firestone Walker Sucaba

Stephen Hale, founding brewer at Schlafly Brewing in St. Louis, Missouri

ABV: 13%
Average Price: $17.99 for a 22-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Not attempting to dodge this one, but since we can no longer get Young’s Old Nick Barleywine, which was simply a truly luscious beer, I would lean towards the strong side of the list and get your favorite barleywine, imperial stout, quadrupel, or one of those that warms you up on those seemingly long, cold days. There’s a bevy of choices these days, it’s really hard to narrow down, but it’s the sublime effect of deep, rich flavors and considerable alcohol strength that guides one to having one by the fire. And of course, always an imperial stout.

If I had to pick one, I’d go with something like Firestone Walker Sucaba. This 13% barleywine is oaky, slightly fruity, filled with caramel, and sublimely warming.

North Coast Old Rasputin

Chris Takeuchi, research and development brewer at Ballast Point’s Little Italy brewpub in San Diego

ABV: 9%
Average Price: $10.99 for a four-pack

Why This Beer?

North Coast Old Rasputin serves this purpose as well, given that it’s 9% ABV. I also like a good Double/Imperial Red ale like Port Brewing’s Shark Attack, just big and brash and bitter. Alternatively, a high-octane Belgian dark strong ale, e.g. Rochefort 8, St. Bernardus Abt 12, etc. It’s well-balanced, flavorful, and sneakily strong.

The Bruery Black Tuesday

Skip Schwartz, innovation and wood cellar lead at WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley, Colorado

ABV: 19.5%
Average Price: $69 for a 750ml bottle

Why This Beer?

I would have to say one of the best warming beers of all time is Black Tuesday from The Bruery. This beer is out of control with tons of oak, tons of chocolate, and roasty flavors bursting through tons of alcohol. The huge ABV of this beer — usually about 16% — is what makes this beer a real star when it comes to warming you up on a cool fall night.

Westvleteren 12

Colby Cox, co-founder of Roadhouse Brewing Co. in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

ABV: 10.2%
Average Price: $40 for a 750ml bottle

Why This Beer?

Westvleteren 12. I was first introduced to this beer many years ago riding my bike across Belgium with my wife, and it has held a place in my heart and my beer cellar ever since. With Westvleteren 12 there’s enough alcohol to know it’s there at 10% ABV, but beyond that, the flavors are so complex and lingering that each sip presents something different, and delightful.

Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza

David “Zambo” Szamborski, brewmaster at Paperback Brewing in Glendale, California

ABV: 9%
Average Price: $14 for a 750ml bottle

Why This Beer?

On the cold fall and winter days, we have once a decade here, I like to warm up with a Belgian holiday beer. One American brewer did a take on a Belgian sour that is great around the holidays if you can find a fresh bottle. Jolly Pumpkin’s Noel de Calabaza is a wild ale with notes of oak and tartness enveloped by rich dark fruit flavors. Have it with a nice cheese board.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Ariel Schwartz, head brewer at TALEA Beer Co. in Brooklyn, New York

ABV: 6.8%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. It represents the end of Summer and hops harvest with the addition of the first hops of the season to the beer’s build which is released in Autumn and carries us through the Winter. It is still easy drinking like so many of their beers. Citrusy and bright hoppiness in a beautiful display of Chinook hops helps balance the maltiness coming through to remind us of the changing of the seasons.

It’s just really tasty and also widely available for everyone to enjoy.

Westbound & Down Double Barrel Aged Louie

Brandon Capps, owner and head brewer of New Image Brewing in Arvada, Colorado

ABV: 11.5%
Average Price: $8.99 for a 16-ounce can

Why This Beer?

When the weather turns cold, nothing beats sipping on a glass of Westbound & Down’s Louie. It’s a blend of English barleywines aged in port-finished rye barrels. Delicious and almost infinitely complex, everything I like about classic English barleywines, but with the modern spirit-barrel component.

Brasserie Fantôme De Noel

Patrick Ware, co-founder and head of brewing at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, Arizona

ABV: 10%
Average Price: $16 for a 750ml bottle

Why This Beer?

Fantome De Noel is a perfect, warming beer. After brewing with Dany Prignon (founder of Brasserie Fantôme) years ago, I truly understood what it meant to be a farmhouse brewer. He wrapped desert lavender we foraged with a bar towel and threw it directly in the kettle without thinking twice. This beer embodies that freewheeling ethos with expressive spicy notes and that tart dryness I have come to love in their beers.

Heavy Seas Winter Storm

Julie Walker, vice president of experiences for City Brew Tours

ABV: 7.5%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

When I want a beer that warms me right up, I head to Heavy Seas Beer. Known for their high ABV brews, their limited release Winter Storm Imperial ESB is the perfect blend of rich, robust flavor and cozy heat. An extra special bitter can sometimes get overlooked in the brewing world. However, its smooth malt sweetness is balanced out with a surprisingly bitter finish, making this classic style the perfect sweater weather beer. We’re lucky that we get to bring our tours to this amazing Baltimore brewery.

St. Bernardus Christmas

Todd DiMatteo, owner/brewer at Good Word Brewing in Duluth, Georgia

ABV: 10%
Average Price: $12 for a 330ml bottle

Why This Beer?

St. Bernardus Christmas. Belgian beers like this hold a special place in my heart and my memories. This 10% seasonal beer shows up for only the last few months of each year. The jolly monk on its label waves his same smile as the other bottles in their world-class lineup, however with this festive brew he’s adorned with a Santa cap and a small cloud of snowflakes.

This big beer has a delicious creamy carbonation that makes what would be a chewy and dense beer so much more drinkable. Big raisin, fig, fruitcake, and banana nut bread are some of my favorite things.

Schneider Weisse Aventinus Eisbock

Todd Bellmyer, head brewer at Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver

ABV: 12%
Average Price: $5 for a 12-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Whenever I want something to warm the belly and the soul, I seek out Aventinus Eisbock by Schneider Weisse. A style that was discovered by accident, traditional ice bocks — or “eisbock” in German — are made via freeze distillation, resulting in a bock with rich, deep flavors of raisins, figs, and chocolate that comes in at 12% ABV.

Writer’s Picks:

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break

ABV: 11.5%
Average Price: $14.99 for a four-pack

Why This Beer?

This beer’s title is just as much of a mouthful as the beer itself. This imperial stout was brewed with coffee, almond, and vanilla. It’s super warming and tastes like you’re drinking the smoothest, richest, most delicious biscotti ever created.

It’s bold, robust, and filled with caramel, vanilla, and features a gentle, nutty sweetness throughout.

Bell’s Best Brown

ABV: 5.8%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

This 5.8% brown ale is a great combination of caramel malts and light hops. It’s complex, well-balanced, and well-suited for those random extra chilly fall days as well as the brutally cold winter nights to come. All in all a great, warming, memorable beer.

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As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

A pop star like Selena Gomez might’ve been an unlikely collaborator for Coldplay on prior albums. Sure, they’ve worked with Beyonce, but still the band’s indie rock roots were running deep. Enter the Music Of The Spheres era, though, and a lot of things have changed. They’re working with Max Martin on production, collaborating with the biggest K-Pop group in the world, BTS, and yes, have enlisted Selena for a feature on a new track. Both the band and Gomez shared the news today, along with a brief clip of their collaborative new track.

While Selena just shared the music on Twitter, the Coldplay account also offered a bit more info about the song. It’s called “Let Somebody Go” and as mentioned before will be part of Music Of The Spheres, which drops on October 15. What they didn’t share in the teaser, though, is when this new single will be shared. So stay tuned on updates for that. Check out the teasers below:

For her part, Gomez has also had a pretty busy year. She released her first-ever Spanish-language EP, Revelación, and received a strong positive reaction from fans to the project as it topped the Latin charts. It sounds like she’ll be singing in English for this latest track, but you never know.

While it’s hard to believe we’re nearing the PlayStation 5’s one year anniversary, it’s somehow even harder to believe it’s still next to impossible to find one in stores. If you’re among the many still queuing up in digital lines, checking Amazon weekly, and calling GameStop way too often, we understand your suffering and are here to reassure you that you’re not alone. We’re also here to point out a lovely silver lining: with all the great games already on the PlayStation 4, chances are you don’t yet need that PS5 to experience one of the many compelling stories exclusive to PlayStation.

While just about all of the games on this list are your big name, AAA “blockbusters,” it doesn’t stop them from being quintessential PlayStation titles that kind of earned their fantastic reputations. So, even if ten folks have already told you, “you’ve just gotta play (insert game here),” here’s hoping this list puts on just a biiiit more pressure and finally convinces you to give one of these great games you haven’t played a shot.

1. The Last of Us Remastered

While technically a PlayStation 3 title, The Last of Us came so late in the console’s life cycle it basically feels like a PlayStation 4 title, and all the touch-ups in the remastered edition, as well as the addition of the Left Behind DLC, make this version the definitive way to experience Joel and Ellie’s first story. So, why should you play it? Well, when it comes to what game is considered the quintessential, prestige narrative game exclusive to Sony — of which there are now oh-so many — The Last of Us is perhaps the most celebrated entry, and for good reason. With incredible performances, a heartbreaking story, and a criminally underrated multiplayer mode, this game deserves the heaps of praise it gets. Oh, and bonus: with the HBO television show based on the game just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to play.

2. God Of War

While the original God of War series was, uh, a bit bruitish, 2018’s God of War succeeded in the difficult task of redefining the franchise for a modern audience while retaining its roots. While the game is still combat-driven, packed with mythos, and doesn’t shy away from Kratos’ frequent dismemberment of anyone who stands in his way, this God of War tells a more emotional story and grounds the brooding, bulky deity. With the addition of a new pantheon, new world, colorful cast of characters, and the frankly incredible feeling Leviathan axe, this first entry in Kratos’ new saga creates a world that feels vibrant and mythical to an extent never before seen in the series.

3. Horizon Zero Dawn

While fans weren’t sure what to make of Killzone developer Guerrilla Games’ pivot away from the first-person shooter genre when they first saw footage of Horizon Zero Dawn, we know now that the team’s drastic departure definitely paid off. When Horizon Zero Dawn hit shelves in 2017, players were immediately taken aback by how incredibly fun and fluid the action role-playing game was, as well as by the lush and beautiful post-apocalyptic world of machines Guerrilla created. On top of earning heaps of praise from both fans and critics, the game’s success ultimately led to some other pretty wild things happening for the team as well. I mean, for one thing, Sony was so impressed by what the studio accomplished, co-founder and managing director Hermen Hulst was offered the position of PlayStation’s head of Worldwide Studios after the legendary Shuhei Yoshida stepped down back in 2019. Furthermore, when developer Hideo Kojima was debating what engine he would use to create Death Stranding, he ultimately settled on Horizon Zero Dawn‘s Decima Engine after being so impressed by how phenomenal the game looked. Suffice to say, people really like this game. And with its sequel coming in just a few months, now is a great time to play it.

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man

It’s been an amazing decade to be a Spider-Man fan and Marvel’s Spider-Man for PlayStation 4 is one of the many reasons why. While there have been quite a few Spidey games over the years, Insomniac Games used their studio’s great power with great responsibility and managed to create what is largely considered the definitive one. Never before has swinging past the skyscrapers of New York City felt so hair-raising, and the Arkham series-esque combat system feels perfectly at home in the comic book-inspired title. Combine that with an emotional story that’s sure to appeal to old web-heads, new fans, and folks of all ages, and you’ve got a universally beloved game centered around one of the world’s most adored arachnids. If not the only adored arachnid.

5. Bloodborne

Alright, it’s officially October which means it’s time to bust out a spooky game, and this year I’m asking you to try out Bloodborne. Made by the same team behind the infamous Souls games and Sekiro, Bloodborne is arguably the greatest entry-point for folks who’ve always wanted to try one of the former out but are worried about their notorious difficulty. While still grim and grueling, it’s markedly easier to get the hang of than the developer’s other titles and is so aesthetically rewarding it will motivate you to power through even the most grating of fights. Furthermore, I simply cannot praise enough the atmosphere created in Bloodborne and the design behind the desolate city of Yarnham, which is every bit as tense and terrifying and it is intricate and beautiful. It is an unforgettable game, and one worthy of the blood, sweat, and tears you’ll put into it.

6. Persona 5 Royal

Back when the original PlayStation launched in North America in 1995, it quickly became the best way for American audiences to discover and play all the countless Japanese role-playing games never before available to them. Since then, the PlayStation family has remained the definitive console for JRPGs, making it only suiting that one of the highest-rated JRPGs from the last generation is a PlayStation 4 exclusive. Persona 5 Royal has just about everything fans of the genre could possible want and then some — charming characters, breathtaking art and music direction, an enjoyable turn-based battle system, time management elements, social links, and of course, a story equal parts tense and fun as hell. It’s the type of game that has something for everyone, and I can guarantee you’ll never play anything quite like it.

7. Ghost of Tsushima

If the idea of playing an extremely good Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan sounds like a fun time to you, I’d definitely recommend picking up Ghost of Tsushima. While I should point out it’s not actually an Assassin’s Creed game — or even a Ubisoft title, for that matter — it does have the same feel to it, complete with a vast map filled with things to do and jaw-dropping sights. Furthermore, the game gives you quite a bit of liberty in regards to how you explore this land, allowing you choose where you go, whom you help, and if you will ultimately slink in the shadows like a ruthless assassin or meet your foes head-on like a true samurai warrior. With a seemingly endless skill tree, a photo mode you’ll spend literal hours in, and incredible story focused on family, community, honor, and identity, this one (or its shiny new director’s cut) is a must-play.

8. The Last of Us Part II

I’ll be honest, I can’t even imagine how stressful it must have been for Naughty Dog to work on the sequel to the game that ultimately became Sony’s crown jewel. When “award-winning” and “perfect” are what you’re forced to live up to, how do you come up with an entirely new and challenging story that doesn’t fall flat and does justice to what came before it? Turns out, you make The Last of Us Part II. While the game is undoubtedly controversial and received more mixed reactions than the first entry in the series, it’s still one of the system’s highest-rated games and is largely considered a masterclass in storytelling that not only lives up to the first game but expands upon its story in unexpected and a truly meaningful way. Grim, grisly, and honestly gut-wrenching, this one isn’t for the faint of heart, but does have a whole lot of it.

9. Final Fantasy VII Remake

And speaking of the unimaginable stress of following up a perfect game, throw on a twenty-something year legacy and now we’re looking at what Square was tackling with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. When Final Fantasy VII was released back in 1997, it quickly became known as one of the greatest games of all time (as well as my personal favorite of all time but, you know, neither here nor there). When fans heard they were remaking the game, it was met with as much excitement as it was skepticism. When news later came out that the remake would only be covering the original game’s first seven hours — while also adding about 20 hours of new content — excitement and skepticism turned into awe and bewilderment. However, Final Fantasy 7 Remake kind of absolutely nailed it, adding better characterization to fan favorites and injecting so much love and care into the game, old fans got more than a bit misty-eyed. In addition, the game managed to somehow be incredibly accessible to newcomers to the series, while also appeasing fans, while also treading entirely new ground in a way that honored the game that came before it. When it comes to remakes, this is kinda how you do it.

10. Uncharted: Lost Legacy

Following the finale of Nate Drake’s four-part adventure, Naughty Dog made the bold call to continue the story in a fairly unexpected way: a spin-0ff game featuring two of the series’ side characters. Even more unexpected, it completely worked and might even be the title with the most heart in the entire Uncharted series. In Lost Legacy, both Chloe and fresher-face Nadine are given far more characterization and charm than they are ever allowed in the main series and ultimately become two people we are completely invested in. What’s even better is this game is actually a fantastic entry point to the series, as you don’t have to know much to enjoy it and it packs all the same action-packed punches the rest of the Uncharted series does in a short n’ sweet package.

Brand new Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson came firing out of the gate for his premiere episode with an impression of Joe Biden that’s definitely an improvement over Jim Carrey‘s attempts to satirize the current president. Best known for his viral Donald Trump impressions, Johnson did a pretty decent job stepping up to the plate as he he parodied Biden’s less than stellar summer, which involved pulling out of Afghanistan and the Delta variant spiking cases across America.

“How’s everybody doing? What’s cookin’? What’s good? How was everybody’s summer? Mine was bad!” Johnson’s Biden joked right out of the gate. “Not Cuomo bad, but definitely not Afghanistan good. Everybody keeps razzing me about that drone strike, but on the bright side I went the entire summer without falling down once.”

Johnson was also flanked by Cecily Strong as embattled Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema, who had just been the focus of an odd Axios article about her wine-drinking renegade ways. It was quite the political two-hander, and a welcome surprise for SNL fans considering Strong’s return for Season 47 was up in the air until literally days before the season premiere.

But as good as Johnson’s Biden impression was, nothing can compare to his fireworks illegal in Pasadena masterpiece of a tweet from this summer. Good luck getting this sucker back out of your head.

(Via Saturday Night Live)

On December 3rd, Arca will release the new album, Kick ii, on XL Recordings. The release follows 2020’s Kick i, which just last week received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album. Kick ii is the next installment in the Kick anthology series of albums and sees the multi-talented Venezuelan experimental producer and performance artist exploring the amorphous self states within her.

Along with the album announcement, Arca has also dropped a spectacular video for new single “Born Yesterday” featuring Sia on vocals. The track opens with Arca’s typically polished avant-pop production, before breaking into a glorious hyper pop assault. In the clip, Arca seemingly acts as an envoy for Sia’s singing, with an interpretative dance that she increasingly loses herself in as the track builds. “Born Yesterday” comes on the heels of previous collaborations on Kick i with Rosalía, Björk, SOPHIE, and Shygirl. And while it’s the only track on Kick ii with a guest vocalist, the album also features production and songwriting appearances from Cardopusher, Boys Noize, Mica Levi, Jenius Level, Wondagurl, and Cubeatz. Check out the album’s full tracklist below.

Sia is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ordinary Joe (NBC, 10:00pm) — It’s like Sliding Doors but with TV Prince James Wolk (Watchmen, Mad Men, Political Animals, Zoo) and no Gwyneth Paltrow. If that’s not enough to make you climb aboard, consider that Wolk not only plays a rock star (!) but also a nurse and a police officer, all during parallel timelines following a pivotal choice after college graduation. This week, Musical Joe decides to crash a birthday party while Nurse Joe is planning a birthday party in an alternate timeline.

On My Block: Season 4 (Netflix series) — This coming-of-age comedy, filled with street-savvy teens and Emilio Rivera as Uncle Chivo, takes one final trip around the inner-city block. An unburied secret causes more conflict, but the friends will have to band together and learn not to avoid the past.

9-1-1 (FOX, 8:00pm) — The citywide Los Angeles blackout ain’t over yet, so amid the mayhem, Athena must confront a tragedy while Eddie’s thinking about his future. Get it together and help the team, Eddie.

Roswell, New Mexico (CW, 8:00pm) — Liz relents to an agreement while everyone’s trying to save Max, and a discovery happens for Rosa and Isobel.

Y: The Last Man (FX on Hulu) — The acclaimed graphic novel gets its due as a dystopian TV drama starring Diane Lane as the globe’s de facto president. Her son becomes, as the title suggests, the very last man on Earth following an apocalyptic event that pretty much obliterates the Y chromosome. FX recently made it known that although the Y appears to refer to the chromosome, the show takes a nuanced approach and does not operate on a merely gender-binary level.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Seth Meyers, Cobie Smulders, Farruko

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Blake Griffin, David Chase, Barrett Martin

In case you missed these weekend picks:

The Many Saints of Newark (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max) — David Chase’s The Sopranos prequel movie arrives in theaters and in your living room this weekend. The mob-movie cast (including Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga) is almost too good. Notably James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, stars as Young Tony. He’s coming of age (and learning to be a mob boss) while rival gang warfare swirls around the family. Our own Mike Ryan enjoyed the film with some qualifiers while calling it both exhilarating and confounding, and Vince Mancini has rounded up the 10 episodes of The Sopranos that will refresh you before the film.

The Guilty (Netflix film) — Jake Gyllenhaal plays an 911 emergency dispatch operator who walks into a situation that he thinks he’s prepared for, but he has no idea… or does he? This movie’s a remake of a Danish film of the same name, and if you’re not familiar with that work (or perhaps even if you are), you aren’t ready for this.