Category: News

If 80s games are to be deemed retro and the 2000s were innovative, I’d say that makes the decade smack in-between them the era of the classics, and based on the list below that seems a pretty apt title for ’em. In the 90s, video games seemed to find their footing and genres were more clearly defined. We got the definitive racing game, figured out what made a shooter work, adapted arcade-fighters for console in a way that ruled, figured out how to make stealth games a bit less cruel and a bit more clever, and established what it takes to make a fantastic and immersive 3D action-adventure game. In short, the 90s are video games “roots,” and as we all know, our roots are well-worth remembering and celebrating — hence this little list we’ve thrown together.

Just like our previous top games posts we did covering the 2010s and the 2000s, this top ten list was compiled using the aggregate review site Metacritic which I do for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it just feels way more fair and inclusive than me picking my personal favorites and missing some of the great games I never got around to playing. It also keeps me from taking too much heat for leaving things out, because trust me, I’m just as upset as you that Final Fantasy VII, Poke’mon Red/Blue, and Banjo-Kazooie aren’t on here, among countless others. As always however, feel free to comment on what games you think are missing or shouldn’t have made the cut.

10. Grim Fandango (1998, 94)
Grim Fandago is somewhat of an anomaly. After all, how often do you hear about a game that commercially failed so hard it caused a major studio to pull back from developing games, helped contribute to the death of an entire game genre, and is widely considered among one of the best games ever made? Not very often, I’d recon. A film-noir adventure game set in a comedic take on the land of the dead and regarded as a triumph in visual design, Grim Fandango is an experience unlike any other — and perhaps that is what led to its alienation and cult-classic status that didn’t lead to great sales. Either way, you can’t say the adventure genre didn’t go out with quite the bang.

9. Metal Gear Solid (1998, 94)

Just for starters, it feels more than fair to say stealth games would not be what they are today without the creation of Metal Gear Solid, and that statement in itself goes to show how important this game is. While still frustrating in its own right, Metal Gear Solid took a lot of what felt unfair about stealth games (namely the genre’s reliance on trial and error to progress) and established you could nail things the first time… if you’re clever enough to figure out how. And boy are there countless clever ways and strokes of brilliance peppered throughout the entirely of Metal Gear Solid. From using cigarette smoke to detect lasers and wearing a box and having a wolf cub pee on you to cover your scent, there are countless moments that will frustrate you with how smart (and ridiculous) they are, which is kind of the theme of the game. While it is undeniably a campy little title filled with over-the-top characters enacting over-the-top-plans, it also is exceedingly grounded and brilliant in both its politically-charged story and its mechanics and puzzles.

8. Quake (1996, 94)

When it comes to what game studio was putting out the most adrenaline-pumping hyper violent games folks couldn’t get enough of in the 90s, id Software — the studio behind DOOM, Wolfenstein, and Quake — was basically unrivaled. As such, Quake had a lot of hype and expectations to live up to when it was announced, leaving some folks worried the title might fumble or fail to deliver everything fans expected it to. However, Quake not only lived up to id Software’s reputation, but established the company could also design a disgustingly good multiplayer experience as well. Quake‘s truly 3D world, immersion, and unparalleled multiplayer Deathmatch mode cemented the game as a 90s classic, with the Trent Reznor created soundtrack being merely the cherry on top.

7. Sid Meier’s Civilization II (1996, 94)

Since Sid Meier’s Civilization hit PC back in 1991, the overall concept of the game hasn’t changed much — which honestly just goes to show you just how perfect this series has always been at what it does. However, the jump from the first entry to the second was one noted and appreciate by fans and critics when Civilization II launched in 1996 and for good reason. While the series has always felt a bit similar to an intense game of Risk, Civilization II upped the thinking required by players with the introduction of new nations, city growth variations, troop types, and more. Civilization II wasn’t just a bigger and better looking game, but one that upheld the series’ original intent of creating a brilliant (and oh-so addicting) strategy game that will either leave you feeling utterly triumphant or ripping out your hair.

6. Gran Turismo (1998, 96)

Ready for a kind of unbelievable fun fact? While we might think of God of War, Uncharted, The Last of Us, and Horizon as PlayStation’s biggest exclusive series, when it comes to which exclusive franchise has sold the most on the system, it’s none other than Gran Turismo. Released in 1998, the first Gran Turismo took a whopping five-years to make because of just how hyper-realistic the racing game was intent on being. Ultimately, all the work the studio put in was well-worth it when it quickly became regarded as the greatest racing game ever made. The game featured a staggering 140 cars for players to drive with the most realistic feeling driving to ever grace a racing game, and quickly became the new benchmark for the genre.

5. Half-Life (1998, 96)

Long before Valve was one of the most well known companies in gaming, it was just a little studio working on a very ambitious game: Half-Life. While the overarching story already felt tried and true at the time it was released (scientists experiment goes wrong and now the faculty is overrun by abominations you gotta somehow take care of), Half-Life‘s delivery was handled with such care and precision it turned a cliché into what’s widely regarded as a masterpiece without relying on merely turning the game into something cinematic. That same care and attentiveness ultimately went into every element of the game, ultimately creating a title that felt more realistic and clever than any first-person shooter to come before it, with plenty of puzzles and strokes of brilliance. Alongside the aforementioned Metal Gear Solid, Half-Life was one of the titles that urged action-packed games to think both bigger and smaller than ever before.

4. Tekken 3 (1998, 96)

The 90s were honestly an incredible time for fighting games. With the rise in home consoles came a concentrated effort to take classic cabinet fighters and turn them into games we could play at home, without pockets full of change and germ-covered joysticks — and by and large, developers did a great job doing it. We got Street Fighter 2, Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat, another little title coming up just a bit further on this list, and, of course, Tekken 3. When it released in 1998, Tekken 3 made a name for itself as a fantastic looking and modern feeling fighter that somehow completely retained the feeling of being an arcade game. Perhaps that’s because above all else, Tekken 3 was concerned with being a balanced game where every type of player could find their go-to fighter and dish-out relentless combos using the hundreds of moves each character came with, making it a must-have entry in the fighting game genre.

3. Goldeneye 007 (1997, 96)

While the notion that a licensed game could not only be critically-acclaimed but somehow be groundbreaking seems a bit scoff-able, Goldeneye proves the idea is not an impossible one. While Halo: Combat Evolved would ultimately come along and prove once and for all competitive first-person shooters did have a home in console gaming in just a few short years later, when Goldeneye hit shelves in 1997 it helped move the needle and open people up the idea. With smart AI, great level design, a killer soundtrack, and a multiplayer mode that went on to provide families and friend groups with hundreds of hours of entertainment, Goldeneye became an unlikely staple on the Nintendo 64 alongside the likes of Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 64.

2. SoulCalibur (1999, 98)

While the Sega Dreamcast might have not have sold the way the company dreamed of (ultimately leading to it being Sega’s last effort in the home console war), it wasn’t for a lack of trying. From Crazy Taxi to Shenmue, the system had some seriously innovative and fun exclusive titles, one of which was SoulCalibur. Considered by some to be the sole reason to buy the Dreamcast, the 1998 SoulCalibur revival took a fun arcade game and made it arguably the most powerful and compelling fighting game ever made, with an eight-way direction system, realistic physics, cutting-edge graphics, and fast-and-fluid gameplay. The weapons-fighting game also boasted a cast of character that felt incredibly unique to play in a world where fighting games were becoming a dime-a-dozen and there was some serious overlap between franchises and characters. Ultimately, SoulCalibur stands out as thee fighting game in a decade filled with entries in the genre.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, 99)

Nowadays, just about the greatest compliment a game can get is it feels “immersive,” meaning it creates a world so fleshed-out and so worthy of getting invested in, we temporarily forget our own. While it doesn’t take a 3D-world, engaging combat, beautiful art, an iconic soundtrack, perfect level design, and a compelling story to make a game immersive, all of these things led to Ocarina of Time being widely regarded as the most immersive action-adventure game to ever hit consoles when it was released in 98. While the Legend of Zelda series was already quite beloved by this point, Ocarina took it to a next level, capturing the the magic, adventure, loneliness, and eerie-quality of the games in a way no entry had before.

Finneas is perhaps best-known as the sole producer and collaborator of the music his super star sister, Bille Eilish, makes. But, he’s already branched out to producing and collaborating with other artists in the meantime, and this fall he’s releasing a solo album of his own, Optimist, and in anticipation of that NME did a cover story focusing on what’s been going on in his life lately. The piece is a great feature, running down some of the success that he and Billie have had together in their not one but two albums released in as many years, along with other surreal moments like winning a host of Grammys or performing “Fix You” with Coldplay.

Though he’s committed to his own solo work, and obviously his collaborations with Billie, Finneas said he considers himself in service of the artist and their sound when he’s enlisted by another musician to help out. “I’m still passionate and opinionated and I make sure they know what I think,” he told NME. “That, at the end of the day, is part of the reason I get hired – hopefully people trust me.”

But no matter what, there’s nothing like the connection he has with Billie. “I don’t know that anything could get [as] strong as our creative bond,” he explained. “I like working with anyone that you could list that I’ve worked with. I haven’t had a terrible experience working with anybody. But I think just the intimacy of a relationship with a sibling is impossible to replicate or duplicate.”

Read the whole cover story here and look out for Optimist dropping October 15.

Everyone is their own worst critic, but not all are quite as ruthless (or as smoothly voiced) as the one wreaking havoc in Olivia Munn’s head in the trailer for Violet. In the feature film directorial debut of writer and actress Justine Bateman (Family Ties, Desperate Housewives, Californication), Munn plays Violet, a woman crippled by anxiety in the form of cutting, and pessimistic internal monologues delivered by Justin Theroux. After debuting earlier this year at SXSW, the acclaimed film is scheduled to be released in a limited release on October 29, followed by streaming services on November 9 — and based on the film’s official synopsis, it seems like one you don’t want to miss:

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Justine Bateman’s intriguing and immersive debut film follows Violet Calder (Olivia Munn) as she realizes that she can no longer ignore the daily barrage of self-criticisms (voiced by Justin Theroux) that clouds her life. These self-criticisms cause her to make fear-based decisions and hold her back from the kind of professional, personal, and romantic life she knows she wants. Unsure how to live a life free from that self-doubt, like her childhood friend Red (Luke Bracey), Violet realizes she has no choice but to travel the road that is more frightening to her than the fear that holds her back: Doing everything differently.”

The heavy-weight role for Munn comes following her starring in the Netflix rom-com Love, Wedding, Repeat just last year, and shortly after she and comedian John Mulaney broke the internet with their shocking baby announcement.

In addition to Munn and Theroux, Luke Bracey, Laura San Giacomo, Jason Dohring, Zachary Gordon, Todd Stashwick, and Colleen Camp all star in the upcoming drama that is coming to select theaters on October 29. While Violet’s theatrical run is looking to be quite small, rest assured it’ll be on video on demand on November 9.

Courtney Barnett will be releasing her new album, Things Take Time, Take Time very shortly. Her third album is coming on November 12, but in the meantime, the Australian songwriter has given fans an online tool to interact with her music on their own. The new stem mixer tool, which is similar to the one Kanye West released during his nonstop Donda press blitz earlier this year, lets listeners create their own custom versions of the singles off her new album. That means tracks like “Rae Street,” “Before You Gotta Go” and “Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To” are all in the mix for fans to alter.

The player was built and designed by Raphael Ong and Sean Lim, who Barnett thanked on Twittter when she posted about the new app. “We have put together an interactive stem mixer on my website,” she wrote. “You can listen & play around w Rae Street, Before You Gotta Go & Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To. more songs added soon. Built and designed Raphael Ong & Sean Lim @rrphl @bgourd05.”

Ever the class act when it comes to crediting those she works with, Barnett followed up with a second tweet identfiying everyone who worked on the songs in question: “t̫h̫i̫n̫g̫s̫ t̫a̫k̫e̫ t̫i̫m̫e̫, t̫a̫k̫e̫ t̫i̫m̫e̫ out Nov 12. Engineered by Simon Berckelman at Golden Retriever Studios. Assistant Engineer Chloe Dadd. co-produced, additional engineering & many instruments by Stella Mozgawa. Mixed by David Wrench. Mastered by Heba Kadry.”

Check out the full mixer on Courtney’s website right here.

One aspect of soccer that the FIFA games have been embracing more recently has been playing the game in places other than the state of the art pitches built for clubs. The world’s most popular sport didn’t reach that status through only playing in stadiums, it grew through people playing it on grass and concrete. It made sense for EA Sports to embrace that.

With FIFA 22 releasing to the world on October 1, it gave EA Sports an opportunity to continue reaching out to those communities. The Ground is an indoor soccer facility in Lower Manhattan. At The Ground, anyone can gather to play a game of pickup soccer. It’s also where EA Sports, in collaboration with artist Nina Chanel Abney, have painted a pitch that sits on the roof of the building. It’s colorful, references the recently-released FIFA 22, and is a sight to behold.

The collaboration didn’t end there. Abney also designed some special kits that can be used in Ultimate Team, which have a similar style to the pitch. There is also a special FIFA 22 cover designed by Abney for anyone that wants to bring a different kind of style to their physical game case.

Collaborations like this are always fun and it’s great to see EA Sports embracing them as frequently as they do.

Rad Dad is a hilarious meme page on Instagram that focuses on jokes about fathers everywhere. As the stereotype goes, the typical American dad loves to grill, wear comfy New Balance sneakers, drink beer, and marvel at how wonderful his lawn looks.

Dad’s love for beer is so intense that sometimes it gets in the way of handling the housework that he was supposed to tackle on Saturday. Oh well, there’s always Sunday.

Here are 18 of the funniest dad memes from Rad Dad’s Instagram page.

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1. Dad’s a little rusty.

2. This dad clearly has his priorities in order.

3. Dads can wear white after Labor Day, but they wouldn’t be caught dead going out without getting their zip-up pants in fall form.

4. No lies here.

5. It’s 10 am somewhere.

6. If you stand, you can hear it better.

7. One less thing to think about.

8. The ultimate in dad comfort and support.

9. It’s time to go to work.

10. They’re still in better shape than most pro bowlers.

11. Love and marriage was all you needed back then.

12. Quickest way to lose a fingernail.

13. I’ll get up early tomorrow and get things done.

14. The older I get, the more they stay the same.

15. What’s he listening to?

16. We’re simple creatures.

17. Fact: More dads die of colds than heart attacks.

18. Every dad’s perfect Twilight schedule.

“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.