Some of these late game training sims in Pragmata are a nightmare. 😱😱
Zack Burrows
@zackburrows.bsky.social
Writes about games at SightInGames.wordpress.com Also loves film, books, heavy metal, and tacos.
Our annual Steam event, the Wholesome Games Celebration, starts August 6 at 10am PT! We've curated 150+ discounts, demos, new releases, and world premieres. This year's event includes titles like Paralives, Fields of Mistria, Planet Zoo, and more!
Here is my (very late) review of The Mermaid Mask! Where I go on to express my love for great whodunits, and why this is among them.
The Mermaid Mask Review – Murder Mystery At Its Finest
The Mermaid Mask is the latest entry in the Detective Grimoire series, and its theatrical cast and clever murder mystery make it the best one yet.
pixelbytegaming.com
I love The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but this Galaxy sequel? Woof, it’s a miserable experience. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ½ review of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)
According to my Letterboxd, I have seen 2,367 films in my life. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is officially among the worst. Roughly 90 minutes of soulless cameos, references, and memes that take the p...
embed.letterboxd.com
Turns out Avatar: Fire and Ash is just more Avatar? Kinda disappointed with this one 😕 embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★ review of Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
This was… more Avatar. Kind of crazy that the storyline, settings, and action set pieces are just rehashing everything from the previous movie, including the big final battle which just gave me Déjà v...
embed.letterboxd.com
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the most grounded, emotional, and visually stunning film of the Holland-era Spidey flicks and I absolutely loved it! embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★★★★ review of Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
I know everyone will come up with one excuse or another to tell you this movie is bad because it’s “cool” to hate the MCU, but I found this to be the most emotional, well written, and strongly acted S...
embed.letterboxd.com
About to go see some movie about a man? Who is also a spider???
I watched The Devil Wears Prada 2 last night. There’s a bit of a pacing problem, but it’s ultimately a great time with a lot to say about the current state of journalism. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★★★ review of The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)
While the first film was a razor sharp look at the world of fashion and the competitive and toxic environment it cultivates, this sequel serves as more of an examination on the current state of journa...
embed.letterboxd.com
Finished reading Alley by Junji Ito. This collection of ten short stories is a significant step down from Ito’s longform work. There is very little buildup to the horrors in each story and the grotesque imagery has been radically downplayed for a more sanitized experience.
Back with another Borzage directed Gaynor/Farrell joint for tonight’s film. As much as I loved 7th Heaven, Street Angel tries to recapture lightning in the same bottle and ends up suffering in the process. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★ review of Street Angel (1928)
Borzage’s follow-up to 7th Heaven sees Gaynor and Farrell reunite for a new romance feature, but something’s been lost since their previous on-screen love story. Street Angel follows a similar premise...
embed.letterboxd.com
Pragmata continues to build on itself and get better and better the further I get. The flow between exploration, combat, and incremental growth at your base is damn near perfect. Capcom is absolutely crushing it this year!
Finally getting back to Frieren after a small break and this 1st Class Mage Exam arc is throwing me for a loop. I’m still enjoying it (although I’m sad my boy Stark is being sidelined), but this is a tonal whiplash from the more introspective journey the series started on.
Because I try to see as many film/television adaptations of games as I can, I finally watched Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. This, uh… this wasn’t good. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★ review of Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025)
Although I have no experience with the video game franchise these films are based on, I was able to find some fun in the campy horror of 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s. Unfortunately, the same can’t ...
embed.letterboxd.com
you know what? let’s also talk about the flack that positivity posters get here, too. sure, life isn’t rainbows and butterflies, but holy FUCK i’d rather see a cliche positive post saying, “you got this!” over MORE doom-posting. positivity is so rare, it’s perceived as fake now. and that’s lame.
To help indie developers get more visibility, we're opening the floodgates for the first week of August and anybody can upload a promotional image to MinnMax's supporter slideshow for free. Help share this opportunity with indie devs who could use a boost! forms.gle/XFH2PKJKevTP...
MinnMax@minnmax.com · last wk.Indie devs, here's a FREE way to get eyeballs on your game! For the 1st week of August, put your game in a slideshow on all MinnMax videos. Upload 1 promotional image here - forms.gle/XFH2PKJKevTP... - 1280x920 - BIG, CLEAR TEXT - No AI art in promo image or game Any help sharing is appreciated!
I'm not really big on celebrating my birthday. But it's a good opportunity to reflect. And also, I'm a sucker for easy blog content. So, for the third straight year, here are the things I learned from video games this year. Featuring: the power of friendship?? bignerdgaming.com/2026/07/29/t...
The Biggest Things I Learned Through Video Games at Age 37
Welcome to one of my favorite posts that I write here at BigNerdGaming. I’m actually not very big on my birthday. I’m someone who prefers to stay mostly under the radar on this day, but…
bignerdgaming.com
Tonight’s film was a huge success! I am absolutely smitten with 7th Heaven and it’s an incredibly charming film that excels at both its comedy and romance. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★★★★ review of 7th Heaven (1927)
It can sometimes be hard to immerse yourself in older films when you’re carrying expectations from modern works, but 7th Heaven is a remarkable and beautiful story that had me fully engaged from the j...
embed.letterboxd.com
Just finished Black Paradox by Junji Ito. A group of suicidal young adults form a pact to end their lives together, but the discovery of “another world” leads to mysteries, motives, and more that keeps things creepy. Ito’s art always makes my skin crawl, but this one is especially unsettling.
Took me two sittings to finish since my internet went out last night, but I (mostly) had a good time with Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender! It felt so good to be reunited with the these characters I’ve loved for so long. 🥹 embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★★ review of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026)
What a gorgeous film! All of the style and vibes of the original series are intact, and while I would have loved to see the original cast return, I think the new actors did a great job of capturing th...
embed.letterboxd.com
I know Diana is supposed to be the one you bond with, but I would sell my kidneys for Cabin.
Just finished Dissolving Classroom by Junji Ito. One of the most deeply unsettling manga I’ve ever read with that signature horrifying art from Ito’s deranged mind. It follows a brother and sister who journey across Japan causing havoc and it GOES PLACES. 😳😳😳
New library haul! Pragmata - (PS5) Alley - Junji Ito (Manga) Black Paradox - Junji Ito (Manga) Dissolving Classroom -Junji Ito (Manga) Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt’s Creek - Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy (Large illustrated book)
I watched Mortal Kombat II and it’s… fine. Nothing that will blow your socks off, but it’s a decent enough “one-time watch” if you’re looking for something breezy and cheesy. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★★★ review of Mortal Kombat II (2026)
Mortal Kombat II may have an unfocused story, unbalanced cast of characters, and some laughably bad CGI, but it’s also a fun movie that revels in its campiness and never takes itself too seriously. Mu...
embed.letterboxd.com
Roughly 5 hours into MIO and it’s steadily climbing up my GOTY list! There are definitely some quirks to adjust to (and the game doesn’t make certain mechanics clear), but I’m at the point where things are starting to click and I’m having the time of my life.
Welcome to part 1 of 10 for my newest ridiculous ranking project! I am ranking the best games of the 2020s so far in 10 different categories. Today, we start with a big one. These are my 10 favorite narratives of the 2020s so far. bignerdgaming.com/2026/07/24/b...
BigNerdGaming’s Top 10 Video Game Narratives of the 2020s (So Far)
Welcome to my newest insane project! One of my favorite projects is the “BigNerdGaming Awards.” It’s a yearly project where I take ten different categories and rank my top 10 from…
bignerdgaming.com
Such a fun read on an industry and era that I’m admittedly unfamiliar with. It’s a long feature, but well worth the read!
Design Room@designroom.site · 2w agoFor our latest big story, @duncanfyfe.net dives deep the bestselling pinball game of all-time, The Addams Family.
It is always intriguing to hear about other people's experience when playing a game. Some might drop it because they did not connect with the characters or plot, for others it will be their most memorable adventure to date. This is why I fundamentally believe in trying things for yourself.
I watched The Patent Leather Kid (1927) tonight and am beginning to regret my decision to watch every Oscar nominated film. embed.letterboxd.com/zackburrows/...
A ★ review of The Patent Leather Kid (1927)
This was such a frustrating watch. The Patent Leather Kid tells the story of a boxer who reluctantly gets drafted into World War I. While all of the men around him view serving their country as an hon...
embed.letterboxd.com