My first exposure to Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is the live-action movie on Netflix, and absolutely love it. I understand the stigma behind live-action adaptations, but if you ignore the source material, it works. Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead is a quirky and cute road trip comedy about a zombie apocalypse that should at least be on your watch list.
Akira believes he’s gotten his dream job after graduation but discovers he works for an exploitative company that has no problem working him to the bone. Akira spends the next year of his life as a zombie for his company, working tirelessly at a job he hates. Luckily for Akira, there is a zombie outbreak to free him from his misery. For the first time since he started his job, he is free to do whatever he wants, and he plans not to waste this new freedom. Akira makes a bucket list of the 100 things he wants to do before he turns into a zombie and sets off to complete it.
I love the contrast between the corporate life Akira had and the one he has in the apocalypse. Akira will often remember how miserable he was before the zombie outbreak and use that as motivation to live his life to the fullest. It is a very unique take on the genre because the story isn’t about a group of people simply surviving, but rather a quirky road trip comedy of people learning how to live.
The live-action movie is incredibly over the top and cheesy, but it gives the movie its charm. The tone is silly, the action is over the top, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the story is cute. I love the references to Super Sentai and how exaggerated the action scenes are. The music they choose for the action scenes made this movie for me. If you want to watch a fun cheesy movie and enjoy some cool JPop, watch this movie.
I love this movie and have already watched it a few times. I recommend you check it out in the original Japanese, but the English dubbing is a solid option for enjoying this movie. If you a cheesy road trip comedy with a solid story, this is a cute one with a lot of charm. I don’t know how it compares to the source material, but intend to soon. You can stream Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead on Netflix.
Game Review: Havendock
I was sent Havendock as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but this will be my honest review.
If you are looking for a fun village builder to add to your collection or need a good place to start with the genre, get Havendock. The game has great graphics, catchy music, and an addicting gameplay loop.
You wake up alone and stranded in the middle of the ocean without a single memory. To survive, you must build a base from the materials that float by. As you slowly establish your haven, you will attract other survivors who will help you grow your haven. The trick to this game is efficiency. You must juggle between building, resource management, exploration, and research.
Do not let the game’s cuteness deceive you. You will become overwhelmed by your sloppiness, but that’s part of the process. I recommend that you go in blind on your first playthrough to get the truest Havendock experience. Once you get to the point where you get stuck, look up tips and tricks. If you need more of a challenge, there are settings you can tweak.
What I like most about this game is how easily it eases players into the mechanics. All players start with a questline that does a fantastic job of teaching players the fundamentals, but it leaves enough room for error to make the game challenging. While I never thought the game was frustratingly difficult, there are enough obstacles to keep it engaging. The game is impossible if you don’t have at least a basic plan on what to research, build, or gather. Havendock will prove a tricky game to master, but it is such a satisfying and enjoyable ride. Even when my village was on the brink of collapse, I found myself humming along with the catchy music, enjoying myself.
If you are looking for a new game to get into, you should buy Havendock. It is cute, fun, and great for those who’ve never touched a resource management game. The hardest part about this game is choosing when to walk away because there is always something you need to build, research, or work towards. I loved this game, and I think you will too.
You can buy Havendock on Steam for $16.99. The game is in early access, but it doesn’t feel like it. But if you need further convincing, go try the demo.
Cart Life
At GDC I got to play the interesting slice-of-life game, Cart Life. This is the most unique game I have ever played. While it may not be for everyone, it does deserve some attention.
I like the contrast between the simple pixel art and the complete narratives it tells. The art style reminds me of the Gameboy Pocket era games. Cart Life lets you play as everyday people as they work their jobs, build relationships, and deal with the hardships of living in a city. As you try to juggle your personal and work life, you realize that it is impossible to balance everything. You will be forced to make some difficult choices.
In the demo, I got to play the Ukrainian immigrant Andrus as he begins his life in the US. During the day, you run his newsstand, and by night you have to care for his cat. At work, I had to set prices, stock shelves, and service my customers. It seems simple, but there were a lot of factors to consider to make sure my day was successful. I didn’t get much time with this game, but I can see how easily everything can stack up and make the game difficult. It was a nice change of pace from what I am used to, but in a great way. I’ll be trying to get a copy for review as soon as I can.
If you like the slice-of-life genre and looking for a game with a strong narrative, you should consider looking into Cart Life. The gameplay is unique, the art is pleasant, and the narrative is award-winning. Cart Life is releasing on PC sometime this year, but there are plans for a console release if it does well. For now, I recommend you wishlist it on Steam and follow it on Twitter.
Series Review: The Midnight Club
The Midnight Club is a huge waste of time. Even if you enjoy horror anthologies and mysteries, this is a very weak entry into either genre. I wouldn’t bother with this series even for the morbid curiosity.
The Midnight Club is a collection of poorly written and acted ghost stories that exist within a mystery. In a hospice designed for teens with terminal diseases, a club was formed to help cope with the ever-looming death around them. The teens gather every night to tell ghost stories and blow off steam. But there is something sinister is afoot. The teens see ghosts and hear voices that aren’t there. There is something about a cult, but I honestly stopped caring pretty early on.
The acting is bad, and somehow the writing is worse. Scenes that exist outside of the ghost stories fair a little better, but barely. The biggest issue I have with this series is with the ghost stories. The stories are generic, and often parodies of better horror stories or movies. This would be fine if the intention was to parody, but it isn’t. This is a serious attempt at horror with very little value. Each story comes with an overbearing and poorly read narration that kills any tension the story could have. Some of the stories recap events that have occurred in the series, making this a redundant and uninteresting mess.
I wouldn’t mind if this show was a horror anthology if there wasn’t so much narration. I wouldn’t mind the stories if they didn’t take away from the overarching mystery. This series feels like several different shows, and none of it is cohesive. I often forgot there was a mystery tying the series together. I can’t tell you how many times I almost gave up on this series because nothing of note ever happens. This series has ghosts, tragic backstories, cults, death, and none of it matters.
The pacing is terrible. There is a lot of filler in this series. Most of it comes from the ghost stories, but there is a fair amount of self-service. The ghost stories are often interrupted by snide remarks or criticism from the other characters, and it kills any suspense the stories have. There are minutes dedicated after the stories to remark on how great the story and storyteller are. The main character won’t go an episode without talking about how smart and talented she is. It is infuriating how pretentious these characters can be.
The series does have a few interesting moments. I liked how the kids dealt with their mortality and talked about their illnesses. There are some interesting conversations about the social struggles they face due to their illness, but there isn’t enough to make it worth your time. Other than their illnesses, the characters have no depth to them.
Don’t watch this show because it is bad. The characters are flat, the plot doesn’t matter, and the acting isn’t even good. But if you don’t believe me, check it out on Netflix.
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Movie Review: Thirteen Lives (2022)
I don’t watch movies that are based on real-world events. I have never been a fan. That said, I enjoyed Thirteen Lives, it is a very well-made movie. If you are on the fence and enjoy these kinds of movies, you will not regret the time you spend with this movie.
Thirteen Lives is a proper dramatization of a terrible moment in human history. The film recreates the rescue of the Thai youth soccer team and their coach as they were trapped in a flooding cave system. The movie will focus on the different groups involved in the rescue, and it does a fantastic job showing how complicated and exhausting the whole ordeal was.
I am familiar with what happened, but I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. This is no easy feat. The acting and all the moving parts came together to create an incredibly suspenseful and claustrophobic experience. Watching the divers move through the dark flooded tunnels still gives me anxiety. Watching the other groups work tirelessly to get the boys was heartwarming. This film is a proper homage to the heroes who made the rescue happen. A homage you are sure to enjoy if you choose to watch it.
Thirteen Lives is available for streaming on Amazon Video with a Prime membership. Check it out if you are thinking about watching it.
