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Lights, Pencil, The Fable Manga Build Roguelike… in Action! A Playful Mash-Up in Mixed Genres.

The Fable Manga Build Roguelike is a fresh sense of style, turning every encounter into a right-to-left comic page that springs to life. It’s ambitious, clever, and an intriguing experiment for fans of the long-running series.

Mono Entertainment & Kodansha
PC and Nintendo Switch

Instead of traditional turn-based combat or flashy real-time brawls, The Fable Manga Build Roguelike hands you a very different way to stage a fight. You’re not pressing attack buttons; you’re making a comic. Each action is defined by a randomized manga panel you must arrange, and the layout flows right to left like an authentic Japanese graphic novel. When the page goes live, the game animates those panels and decides the outcome.

It’s clever, and best appreciated on a big screen. My only regret during playtesting was requesting the Nintendo Switch code first. This isn’t a small-screen experience; after activation issues, shifting to the Steam version became necessary. Unless the handheld is attached to an adapter for a big screen, enjoying the art is like squinting to appreciate the details.

Continue reading “Lights, Pencil, The Fable Manga Build Roguelike… in Action! A Playful Mash-Up in Mixed Genres.”

Ultimate Winter Crossover Transforms Memories of Another Sky in Another Eden

Memories of Another Sky brings Final Fantasy IX into Another Eden for a nostalgic winter crossover filled with new mechanics, classic callbacks, and a generous Chronos Stone celebration.

Another Eden Memories of Another Sky Wright Flyer Studios is crossing the streams and no, that is not a Ghostbuster reference. Instead, this game developer is bringing Final Fantasy IX into its sprawling, time-twisting universe for the new Another Eden Memories of Another Sky event. This crossover will launch on Wednesday, Dec. 3 PST / Thursday, Dec. 4 JST / Thursday, Dec. 4 UTC.

If you love sprawling JRPG epics filled with time-travel and an exciting soundtrack, this latest popular game might just be your next obsession. The similiarities with the other IP isn’t because the themes are similiar, but it instead honours. Here, players become Aldo, whose life shatters when his sister disappears and a mysterious rift drags him across centuries. From ancient kingdoms to distant futures, he has to reclaim fate. This world is created by Masato Kato (of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears fame).

With this world to be soon bridged, players can recruit Zidane, Vivi, Garnet, and Steiner as fully playable characters, and the event is available across Steam on PC, iOS, and Android.

From the Press Release:

Embrace nostalgia with new mechanics paying homage to Final Fantasy IX. Equip new Support Abilities to Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, and Steiner. Equip them with Magic Stones to unleash their various effects. Experiment with Synthesis; combine special equipment with specific items to create more powerful equipment. Search for Synthesists in towns and dungeons.

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From Past to Future: Revisiting Pac-Man Cartoons and The Uncertain Fate of the Movie

Pac-Man Movie De-Rezzing Back in August 2022, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Wayfarer Studios and Bandai Namco Entertainment were developing a live-action Pac-Man movie. Sonic the Hedgehog producer Chuck Williams originated the idea, with Justin Baldoni (Clouds, Jane the Virgin) joining as producer.

Since then, updates have been scarce. By early 2023, news went silent, and by 2025, the project appears stalled. Industry chatter suggests Wayfarer has put it on “internal hold.” Baldoni’s recent legal controversies have added uncertainty. While no official cancellation exists, this movie risks becoming another Hollywood vapourware unless Wayfarer or Bandai Namco retool it.

With the film’s future in doubt, revisiting Pac-Man’s past media ventures feels timely. Do we really need a live-action feature about a spherical alien in our world? Pixels (2015) tried and fell short, with Adam Sandler’s nostalgia trip earning more groans than cheers.

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[Fantasia Film Festival] Although Flawed but Fierce, Good Game Struggles to Hit Full Potential

This entertaining e-sports drama where underdogs fight for purpose, pride, and a struggling internet café’s future requires a good game where sportsmanship is key if this team is to win the respect of everyone playing, their rivals included.

Good Game Movie Poster — This movie played at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival on July 27th.

Just when I thought first-person shooter games couldn’t be brought convincingly to life, Dickson Leung’s Good Game proves otherwise. Rather than rely on flashy CGI, this film keeps things grounded, visualizing the action in a way that feels closer to what real gamers crave. But at its heart, Good Game isn’t just about the spectacle—it’s a heartfelt sports drama about misfits, redemption, and second chances.

The core of the story follows Solo (Will Or), a disgraced esports competitor who was ousted from his team after an in-game betrayal. He’s a gamer to the core, living and breathing the digital battlefield, but struggling to find purpose in the real world. When he wanders into an ailing internet café for a quick fix, he crosses paths with Fay (Yanny Chan) and her father Tai (Andrew Lam), who run the place. Fay sees potential in Solo, while her skeptical father remembers his infamous reputation. Continue reading “[Fantasia Film Festival] Although Flawed but Fierce, Good Game Struggles to Hit Full Potential”

Gaming Gauntlet: GRETA Bar’s YVR Identity Crisis

GRETA Bar in Vancouver offers arcade games but feels more like a sports bar than a dedicated nerd hangout, raising questions about its target audience.

Greta Bar YVR Logo To find places to enjoy the latest arcade games has become increasingly tough with what home consoles and computers can do, but for that hangout experience, GRETA Bar delivers in that front. I would not have known about them unless they have an impressive marketing team to draw in the tourists. And when Fan Expo Vancouver helped bring awareness to this island nerd, I had to check it out! I returned recently to see how different it is when they are not hosting an event with this convention, and it has the feel of a sports bar more so than a true nerd’s hangout.

And when this franchise type operation includes Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, I’m sure catering to a specific type of geek is easier than figuring out who to cater to in Vancouver’s Gastown. When this city’s version of Fan Expo thought this place is appropriate for an after-party of sorts, the success may well be mixed. I have yet to see this convention settle upon a dedicated operation to run an event. When a few previous businesses they have worked with closed their doors years later, I hope that’s not a sign.

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Riding the Crazy Train With Railgods of Hysterra’s Latest Update

Although not every issue in Railgods of Hysterra has been fixed, whether or not it’s playable depends on whether enthusiasts have having a 75″ sized screen or bigger.

Railgods of Hysterra Video Game Poster Because RailGods of Hysterra is missing one major fix, I haven’t enjoyed this cooperative survival game. That’s mostly because of the tiny text used throughout the game to identify objects, tell gamers what’s happening, etc. While I appreciate all the world-building that exists, not even after more than a month’s worth of casual play got me far. My original review can be read here. When this game is about making sure you catch the Katy, er, that sentient train and leave a mule to ride.