Geek Culture Reviews

Another Soulslike enters the area… For fans of Dark Souls and Elden Ring, the moment you boot up Blades of Fire, you’ll already know what kind of journey you’re in for. Fires crackle in the distance, steel grinds on steel, and your character, Aran de Lira, stands at the edge of a crumbling cliff with a sword on his back and a forge hammer in his hand. This isn’t just another run of the mill Soulslike, it’s MercurySteam’s attempt to merge the genres classic combat with a deep weapon crafting. For better or worse, Blades of Fire swings hard at its lofty ambitions, yet it occasionally misses the mark on what makes a Soulslike good. At its core, the game is a story of redemption and resistance. You play as Aran, a blacksmith come warrior who’s trying to reverse a magical curse that has turned people into stone. Queen Nerea, the game’s antagonist, has effectively petrified the world, and it’s up to Aran and his companion Adso to stop the spread by fighting through legions of cursed creature...

Sentinel heads into its 17th issue and the mini-digest shows no signs of slowing down… One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Sentinel is its simplistic standalone format. From what started as a homage to the classic Starblazer digests, Sentinel has grown into its own entity. Within each issue is a complete self-contained story, that’s driven by big ideas with surprisingly detailed character work. More importantly, with each new addition you never quite know what Alan Holloway is going to throw at you. Issue #17 is no exception. Teaming up with Mal Earl , Holloway delivers ‘ They Call Her Trinity ’ in a way that panders to both his sense of what makes a comic book a worthy read and Earl’s unique art style. It’s a story that offers just the right blend of atmosphere, character, and reflection to leave an impression long after the final panel. And whether you’re a long-time fan of Sentinel , or this is your first issue, ‘ The Call Her Trinity ’ is a worthy addition to anyone...

What happens when the dream is over? That’s the haunting question at the heart of Avengers:  Twiligh t, Marvel’s latest dystopian saga, penned by the always-provocative Chip Zdarsky and gorgeously illustrated by Daniel Acuña . Set in a chilling future where the Avengers have been disbanded, disgraced, or simply disappeared, the six-issue series offers something rarely seen in Marvel canon: a funeral for superhero idealism, played with a mix of sorrow, fury, and uncomfortable introspection. It’s not the first time Marvel has asked what happens after the end. Old Man Loga n, Marvels , and Ruins have all dabbled in similar territory. But where those stories looked outward at the destruction of the world around the heroes, Avengers: Twiligh t turns inward. It’s about what happens when the world keeps going but leaves its champions behind. And more than anything, it’s about Steve Rogers an icon who wakes up not just in the wrong time, but in the wrong truth. This review contains light...