In our ‘Best of 2022′, I vote for something most of us ‘Critters’ (fans of Critical Role) have been waiting for since first hearing Matt Mercer’s Critical Role – a livestream of a D&D game) on Geek and Sundry seven years ago, where we were introduced to a ragtag group of mercenaries called the Vox Machina.
In March 2019, Critical Role launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a 22-minute animation called ‘Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina Animated Special’. When the Kickstarter closed the following month, a final total of $11.3M was raised. It was one of the most quickly funded campaigns in Kickstarter history and transformed the idea into a ten-episode series called The Legend of Vox Machina.
Later that year, Amazon Prime announced that they had acquired the streaming rights to The Legend of Vox Machina, and had commissioned fourteen additional episodes. The project was originally planned to be released in late 2020, however that was to be delayed until January 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The series is set in Exandria, a fictional world created by Mercer. The first two episodes depict an all-new story about the seven-member Vox Machina team on their first mission, which occurs prior to Critical Role’s first episode.
The series also adapts the Briarwood arc from the original web series, where Vox Machina avenge the murder of the rulers of the town of Whitestone by the evil Lord and Lady Briarwood. The series includes some incredible scenes from the live campaign, especially the one that many fans were hoping to see – the Sun-Tree.
The series is predominantly intended for an adult audience, as it contains strong language and mature themes. It is also incredibly funny, with some genuinely heartfelt moments and cliff-hanger endings. By the end of the 1st series viewers were left screaming at their television in anticipation of the next season.
I am a ‘critter’, so my opinion comes with a little bias, but I loved this series and cannot wait until the 20th of January for the second series. We are promised “The Chroma Conclave”, which promises to be a hell of a ride.
Don’t just take my word for it, watch it for yourself. I can promise you, by the end of the season, you’ll be a critter too.
One of the highlights of 2022 has to be the return of Stranger Things, with their penultimate fourth season. This season took the horror references (which were only previously alluded to) and brought them to the forefront, for a fantastic story. Gaten Matarazzo is amazing as Dustin and the writing by The Duffer Brothers was pitch perfect.
Night Sky was another series that we enjoyed, mostly because it was so different to other sci-fi shows. The sense of mystery is there, but the principal characters are an elderly couple, who found a portal to another world in their garden. Rather than seeking to unlock the secrets or go adventuring, they instead use it to enjoy the view together.
The very best show of 2022 has to be The Sandman. Despite a couple of episodes feeling out of place, this was a phenomenal piece of television that adapted Neil Gaiman’s iconic comic series, which had been previously described as unfilmable. The characters were faithfully written and excellently portrayed, blending comedy and drama, and the effects gloriously evoked the realm of dreams.
Best films of 2022
I was surprised at how enjoyable the Predator film Prey. The impeccably detailed setting, rich cultural representation and tight run-time made for a truly fantastic film. My only criticism is that it would have been better filmed in Comanche, rather than in English.
Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness’ epic scale meant that this was a film that could only be fully appreciated at the cinema. However, it felt more like a Wanda film and the film makers never fully committed to madness that the title promised. It almost felt like that the director Sam Raimi was never allowed to fully cut loose as he did in his earlier films.
One film that did commit to the madness of a multiverse was Everything Everywhere All at Once. My brain almost exploded watching it, but in a good way. It took the multiverse idea, dialled it up to 11 and added Michelle Yeoh into the mix. The underlying themes feel especially pertinent, given the state of the world. To quote Waymond; “Be kind, especially when you do not know what is going on.”
Bryan Talbot’s The Legend of Luther Arkwright is a graphic novel I have been wanting to read ever since it was teased many years ago, as the original Adventures of Luther Arkwright demonstrated to the power of the comic medium. The story was gloriously multi-layered and I was especially pleased to see Talbot’s gorgeous black and white inkwork return.
V Castro’s Aliens: Vasquez is a fantastic story. Rather than focusing on Jenette Vasquez (in Aliens), this book focuses on the Vasquez family, bringing their rich cultural heritage to the fore and using it to tell a fresh story within the Aliens setting.
The chilly first weekend of December was the Telford-takeover for 2022’s Wales Comic Con (WCC), which it divides its time between Wrexham and Telford. Whilst two events a year may seem excessive, especially with the number of comic cons in the UK, operating from Wales means they are able to tap into a market for an accessible event in the region.
There were well over a hundred other special guests, including actors, artists and voice actors. There was also a rare UK opportunity to meet James O’Barr (writer and artist of The Crow), who was signing and chatting with fans. O’Barr and his team explained to me why he decided to not be involved with The Crow reboot. Apparently, he read the first three pages of the script, before putting it down and saying he wanted nothing to do with it. A damning condemnation, if ever there was one.
Throughout the weekend there were a variety of talks held by the guests, with Malcolm McDowell’s talk being especially fascinating, given his varied career. The prestige nature of the headlining guests naturally meant their panels were popular, with people queuing to get into the limited space. There was also the policy that the room had to empty after each talk, so if people wanted to listen to consecutive talks they had to leave and join the end of the queue to get back in.
Other guests included cosplayer Tabitha Lyons (AKA Artyfakes), who was debuting her Mad Moxi cosplay and running the cosplay competition. Two of most surprising guests were a pair of therapy dogs that were on hand for anyone needing a furry hug.
There was a lot of merch of offer, with an entire conference hall dedicated to merchandising stalls (with some overspill into adjoining halls). There were lots of Funkopops and loot crates on offer, as well as a variety of geeky cakes and confectionary. This made WCC an ideal destination for Christmas shopping trips. Dotted randomly amongst these stalls were some incredible artists and authors, but with effort they could be found.
Bizarrely, there was a massive display by the British Army, who brought with them a battle bus (literally a bus in camouflage colours), an armoured amphibious vehicle and a VR suite for people to try out a virtual combat arena. Sadly, there was no player-vs-player games on offer. When asked how VR effective VR simulations were, the soldiers admitted real-world exercises are more effective.
Although WCC is returning to Wrexham University in May next year, The Telford International Centre is the better venue, as it is bigger and has dedicated parking. Nonetheless, issues remain regarding the extent of queueing for photo opportunities and talks. Despite this, WCC remains a thriving convention with a fantastic series of special guests for fans to meet.
All photos are by Peter Gatehouse and are used with permission.
The Sci-Fi Author (And illustrator) Greg Bear (Gregory Dale Bear) has passed away, after a period on life support. After heart surgery last week he never awoke, after a stroke caused by blood clots that had been retained from an earlier surgery. He passed away peacefully as per his own wishes when the ventilator was removed.
Astrid Bear
And now he is gone. After the ventilator was removed, he had stable breathing for about two hours, and then there began to be pauses between the breaths, pauses that grew longer and longer. He died peacefully this afternoon. He was not alone. Rest in peace, my beloved. Greg Bear 8/20/1951–11/19/2022
His work
Greg Bear was a five-time Nebula award-winning author (2 novels and 3 short stories) and had won 2 Hugos. He had written over 50 books and many short stories since his first short story, “Destroyers” was sold to Famous Science Fiction at 15. Translated into 19 languages, he was the winner of the Seiun Award twice in Japan, the Ignotus Award in Spain and the Prix Apollo in France.
Greg published the Mongoliad books 1, 2 and 3 (based on an experimental serial he had contributed to alongside authors such as Neal Stephenson and referred to as The Foreworld Saga). He also wrote novels set in the Halo (The Forerunner Saga) and Star Wars universes. In the 1990s, he wrote one of a trilogy of prequels to Asimov’s Foundation books alongside Gregory Benford and David Brin.
Affiliations
One of the founding members of the Association of Science Fiction artists, Greg had published artwork including covers for Galaxy and F&SF magazines. He was a founding member of San Diego Comic-Con, and served as the President of the SFWA from 1988 to 1990. Greg was a member of the Board of Advisors for the Museum of Science Fiction. When asked, Greg cited Ray Bradbury as the most influential writer in his life – he had regularly corresponded with the writer from meeting him in 1967 until his death in 2012.
His family
Greg Bear leaves his second wife, Astrid (daughter of the SciFi and Fantasy authors Poul and Karen Anderson), and 2 daughters, Chloe and Alexandra.
We at Geek Pride wish to offer our condolences and thank Greg for the endless hours of thought-provoking entertainment he has provided SF and Fantasy fans across the world.
Sci-Fi Weekender (SFW), the UK’s only and Europe’s largest science fiction festival, finally returned after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. Held in Great Yarmouth, the three-day event held a series of panels and interviews throughout the day, but at night performers emerged for an onslaught of sci-fi-themed entertainments.
The legendary Brian Blessed was the headlining guest. His long and varied career, as well as his gregarious nature, makes Blessed a natural raconteur. Despite the countless times Blessed has been interviewed, he always has new tales to share, in his own inimical style.
Bryony Pearce hosting Writers on Writing, with Kathryn Evans, Paul Finch and Noelle Holten.
Other guests included a variety of authors, actors and artists, with such luminaries as Madeline Smith, Ian McNeice, Jeff Cummins, Bryony Pearce, Kathryn Evans and many others. All of the guests were happy to chat about their work, as well as to sign books and artwork. A highlight was the quick-fire ‘I haven’t a clue’ gameshow panel, which was riotously fun.
One of the things that makes SFW so different, compared to other geek-centric events, is the accessibility. Special guests mingle with attendees and it is not uncommon to find yourself next to an author at the bar or chatting with an actor. There are no barriers between the guests and attendees, and the guests genuinely enjoy the event and sharing their experiences with fans.
YA DIE! YA DIE! YA DIE! – John Robertson in full flow with The Dark Room.
Many conventions finish when evening comes, but SFW just gets busier, with a plethora of fantastical performers from across the geek spectrum. The live-action video game The Dark Room was both terrifying and hilarious (dependent upon whether you are the one playing), whilst Madam Misfit’s electroswing set was so infectiously fun that the audience were soon dancing along. It was also fantastic to see Levelup Leroy take command of the DJ deck on Saturday night for a suitably climactic crescendo to what was an awesome weekend.
It would not be a sci-fi event without cosplay, but what makes SFW so different to those other conventions is that imagination and ingenuity are appreciated, just as much as accuracy and authenticity.
Jimcredible compèring the cosplay competition.
Although SFW-XIII felt smaller, compared with previous events, it still captured SFW’s carnivalesque spirit. More than anything else, SFW-XIII was a reminder of everything that makes SFW such an awesome experience – a coming together in celebration of our shared love of geekery – and a promise of events to come. In many ways SFW-XIII felt like the beginning of something new; of a leviathan rising from its slumber.
We have established over my many years of writing reviews for tabletop games, and wargames especially, that I have a bit of a thing for long games with lots of components and the common theme I always come back to when comparing said games to other behemoths, is Axis & Allies Global. But yet, having played it for 12 years now, and its smaller predecessors for over 25, I’ve never reviewed Global. Which is odd because it is, in my mind, one of, if not the greatest, board-based wargames ever to have been created; and I’ve played a lot!
I, therefore, am going to break this game down for you and show you why it’s the greatest board-based wargame and why you should play it; even if it is just on Table Top Simulator.
What is Axis & Allies?
So first up a quick explanation on what Axis & Allies is.
In short it’s slightly more in-depth, WW2 Risk but instead of having every man for himself and just relying on map placement, odds, luck and backstabbing. You have 2 teams, Axis and Allies, of 2-5 players (2-6 in Global) and the aim of the game is to take a certain amount of victory cities, using infantry, Tanks, artillery, Fighters, Bombers, Destroyers, Submarines, Battleships, Aircraft Carriers and transports to win the day. With the Europe, Pacific, and Global 1940 versions having Tactical bombers, Mechanised infantry and Cruisers as well. Combat is simultaneous and with casualties being taken off by both sides at the same time.
Each unit has an attack and a defence, Eg Infantry attack on 1’s (meaning you have to get a 1 or lower to hit ) but defend on 2’s, Fighters attack on 3’s but defend on 4’s and in some instances, having combined arms, like infantry and artillery together increase that number (eg Infantry attack on 2’s if accompanied with artillery)
I am aware that some of you are already turning off right now and think it already seems really complicated but stay with me, it’s not as bad as you think.
Now this franchise has been going since 1981 but the size and scale has always stayed relatively similar, only lasting about 2 to 3 hours, depending on how many players you have and with a board akin to the size of a standard Risk board. That was until 2010 when someone had the great idea of releasing not one but two games that could be put together to create an ultimate third. Axis & Allies Europe 1940 and Axis & Allies Pacific 1940, married together to become Axis & Allies Global. A Nearly 6 ft by 3 foot, World spanning board, with units for the UK, USA, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, and even the ANZACs. 2-3 hours went up to 14 hours+ (again depending on players) and additional unit types, factory types, naval bases and air bases were added; it is truly glorious to behold.
Are you crazy!? 14 hours+ a game that will take up most large gaming tables, new pieces and rules… If you were already about to turn off because of the above then this may have you grabbing your coat and readying to leave the building, but again, stay the course; let me explain.
What makes Axis & Allies Global so great?
Balance, simple as that, it has to be one of the most balanced games I have ever played and as many wargamers will know, is really hard to get. Especially in tabletop war games where there are no end of threads on different systems complaining about poor balance and power creep. This is not the case in A&A. All units have the same stats (albeit you can research upgrades, at a cost) and it’s a team game so you win or lose as a team.
Also at no point will you feel that a certain faction is overpowered because everything, even down to income and when countries can declare war, are set in a way to give each side a chance. And even if one country, generally Russia and UK East are getting absolutely hammered it’s not game-breaking, and what was at one point a desperate rear guard can turn into a game-winning strategy, just by surviving, holding up attacks and tar-pitting advances. In some cases you can go from back foot underdog to liberating thunderdog. The Game swings from certain victory feelings to imminent defeat disappear quite regularly and just because a couple of turns have gone bad, doesn’t mean you are out.
Indeed, due to the length and size of the game it is quite forgiving in certain ways and you can come back from certain disasters as long as your teammates are putting enough pressure on the opposite side. Its all about pressure and counterpressure, balance and counterbalance. Giving ground in one area so you can focus on another, delaying one enemy to give you allies time to defeat the other.
Its not as complicated as you think it is .
Ok, so it’s not “simple” BUT it’s not dense either.
Because it’s huge, and there are a lot of different units, it can seem complicated and somewhat daunting but once you grasp it, you soon realise its not as complicated as you thought. All units have a specific movement, attack, defence and cost values written on the board itself and in the rules at the back. There are some special rules that you need to get your head around to prevent some embarrassing moments.. I’ve been there. But these, when understood, become second nature and there isn’t actually that many of them; roughly about 12 with each nation having some conditions on when they can declare war and who they are at war with.
Like Risk, gaining territory gets you more IPCs (the in game currency ) to purchase units, each territory has a number on it and that is the number of IPCs you get per turn for taking it. On top of this, each country has a set of additional bonuses, depending on what areas it holds and or captures. UK West gets 5 IPCs extra a turn just for holding all its original territory, Germany gets an additional 5 if it holds Norway and Denmark and so on. If you play a Multiplayer game each person looks at their reference sheet and remembers what bonuses it gets. If you are just playing with 2 people then just make sure you have a note of each country’s bonuses that you can check each time it’s that’s country’s turn.
You can try it out for next to nothing.
Ok, So maybe I’ve piqued your interest BUT, its expensive, 14+ hours is way too long for one sitting and you don’t have a table big enough to accommodate it. Now, this is a problem for a lot of people and one of the reasons many tabletop gamers, even if they are interested, won’t give it a chance. Well ladies and gents there is a cheap, easy, and enjoyable way to deal with all of these problems.. Table Top Simulator.
You should, of course, try it in person, if you can get a full day or a couple of days with your mates and a big table, its glorious but if you cant and it’s hard to herd the cats that are your friends into playing anything let alone something this huge then give Tabletop simulator a go.
And here’s why:
TTS is like £14, sometimes cheaper when it comes up on offer on steam and you’ll get a lot of use out of it, even if you don’t like A&A. The workshop has endless games and a lot of them are scripted so no set up or messing around needed. (using TTS walkthrough coming at some point).
When playing A&A on it, the mod is already set up for you, the board is set up, unit placement set up and your IPCs automatically go up when you place a control marker on a territory. It also has trackers, unit bags, rules and everything you will need as a player in your own area.
Because it is on a virtual table top you can play for a few hours, save it and carry on another time.
During lockdown myself and a few friends played 2 full games of it, both getting to about turn 6 before one side conceded and it was great, if somewhat all-encompassing. We’d play for a full round, about 2/3 hours, save it and then the next week carry on. In between we had a Whats App group that we would use to strategize and a main channel where we would smack talk each other. It was loads of fun. The only downside to playing it this way is that it did take up a lot of your daily thought process. Thinking about what units you’d buy, where you would attack, what your opponent would do, working out the odds of success if you did X, Y or Z .
A long game short
So yes, it is a long game, it is a large game, it is expensive (if you buy it, and you should if you can) and it isn’t basic, BUT! If you like wargames, especially board based ones you will find few of this size that are as so well balanced, engaging and just great to play with your mates. Don’t have the money, the table space, the time or the ability to get all your friends down to play in one place, then TTS is your friend and you can play this glorious game with your friends, as and when you want.
It would be fair to say that the Hellraiser franchise has had a turbulent history. Adapted from Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart in 1987, the original Hellraiser was a fantastic supernatural horror film. The sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser 2, was equally good and expanded the mythology of the cenobites. However, the subsequent films have been mixed at best.
There were high hopes within the horror community when it was announced that Clive Barker was returning and rebooting Hellraiser. Could we finally see a Hellraiser film that was a more faithful interpretation of Barker’s classic work?
As it turned out, 2022’s Hellraiser is more of a reimagining of the core premise. Barring Pinhead, also known as ‘Hell Priest’ or lead cenobite, none of the original characters from the film or book return. Instead, we are presented with Riley, a recovering drug addict, living with her brother and his lover, as well as their housemate and Riley’s boyfriend, who discover a mysterious puzzle box and chaos ensures as they seek to unravel the mystery of its presence before it is too late.
Unfortunately, this is where the problems start. Odessa A’zion is a fantastic actress and convincingly portrays Riley’s struggles with addiction, but Riley’s poor choices make her a difficult to sympathise with. The other characters are similarly unlikable due to their constant arguing. Whilst there is an element of verisimilitude in people making selfish decisions or reacting badly in stressful situations, this can also make them difficult to like. As such, when the chains come out and the blood starts flying, we do not care as much as we should.
One character that has not changed much is Pinhead, this time played by Jamie Clayton. Previously played by Doug Bradley, Clayton portrays the gravitas and lordlike qualities that Bradley brought to the role. The design of Pinhead has also been updated. There is a fantastic attention to detail in the creature designs and animatronics.
Similarly impressive are the choices in locations – they convincingly portray dense urban environments and contrast them with decaying country homes and mental asylums.
The change in the aesthetics of the cenobites mirrors the shift in themes. Previously, both the original Hellraiser film and The Hellbound Heart alluded to BDSM and homosexuality. Instead, the new Hellraiser film is more focussed on addiction and body modification.
The new Hellraiser does not grip as much as it should. Tension mounts, as the characters investigate what is happening, but we never feel invested in them. The kills are visceral, but lack an emotive charge. If the audience do not feel strongly about the characters, they simply do not care whether they live or die.
Ultimately, Hellraiser (2022) feels like a missed opportunity. There is fantastic cinematography, acting and creature designs, but the writing fails to engage the audience and bind everything together. Instead, we are presented with a series of gruesome kills, as insipid characters flee from one location to the next.
Ardent horror fans may enjoy the creature designs and incredible effects, but there is insufficient character development or genuine tension for the majority of cinemagoers to enjoy.
When asked to explain The Dark Room there is often a need to pause. How can the essence of pure chaos be encapsulated within a short summary? The Dark Room is just that; a celebration of chaos and geekery, with John Robertson as your guide and tormentor.
The core format of the show will be familiar to older gamers; an old-school text-based adventure game, but with audience participation. If you are one of the ‘lucky’ players selected from the crowd, and are able to navigate your way through the Machiavellian game, then a cash prize of £1,000 is yours.
That seems simple enough. So, why the hype? Why are crowds of repeated visitors, proudly displaying shirts and merchandise, returning every year? What is it about The Dark Room that brings people back to the same show for 10 years?
While the underlining structure of The Dark Room remains the same, no two shows are ever alike. The repeating format draws in the audience before bedlam ensues.
The show opens with Robertson’s maniacal laugh announcing his presence. His contrasting appearance is deliberate; long blond hair, black American football body armour with spikes and a booming voice, from the moment he enters the stage the crowd goes feral. Like an eighties rock star, it is easy to see why Robertson commands attention – It is impossible to look away.
The show starts as it means to go on. By Robertson taking the piss out of everything. Current events humour is mixed with references to geek culture. No one and no thing is safe from Robertson’s biting humour.
From there, the mood is set and someone is chosen from the audience. The crowd begins its chant. “You awake to find yourself in a Dark room…” Audience participation is key. From there, each player faces a number of choices. If they choose correctly they proceed to the next screen. If it is the wrong choice, the player faces a room screaming “YA DIE. YA DIE YA DIE.”
Being a player in this show is the very definition of a monkey paw wish. Some may regret the concellation prizes that Robertson has chosen seemingly at random from the local shops earlier that day.
It is impossible not to become swept up in the chants, to cheer for people as they fail for the smallest reason. To take up a chant of “nonce” “yeet” and “bread”, but to struggle the following day when explaining why.
This was our third visit to the Dark Room at Insomnia Gaming Festival, and somehow we know we’ll be back again.
Prey is a Predator film that manages to shake off the curse of its forebears and actually be a good, nay great, film. And not in a so bad it’s good way but an actually compelling and enjoyable one.
Gone is the cliche cheese fest that haunts most of the movies in this franchise and what we are provided with is a well-thought-out, well-paced, well scored and tense film that shows just because its a predator movie that you don’t need to have loads of puns, bad acting, over the top action and constant reminders of the originals.
That is not to say that there are no nods to the first two. “If it bleeds we can kill it” is uttered, the flintlock pistol, well, if you know Predator 2 then it will look very familiar, and there are other minor references now and again but Prey doesn’t rely on what came before to prop itself up but instead is happy to give fans some lip service now and again.
The Predator is familiar but, pardon the pun, alien in a way. It has its signature active camo and heat vision but is less bulky, less armoured, more primitive looking, and its weapons, all though extremely advanced compared to that of his quarry, are more blade and shield, with the iconic laser designator launching large seeking darts in effect, rather than the known and trusted plasma weapon.
On the opposite side the people it is hunting are tribal Comanche’s from the great planes, with little more than basic spears, tomahawks and bows an arrows to fend off this demon; though European trappers do turn up later on with basic flintlock muskets and rifles.
The symmetry between the Comanches and the predator is great, all be it the Predator hunts for sport and honour the Comanches hunt for survival and honour but both believing that hunting something that can hunt you is a rite of passage. And ties in with our hero’s need to prove she can be a warrior and a hunter too.
Prey is bloody without being a gorefest, tense without being forced and action-packed without being mindless. The score of the film also provides a different and more immersive feel and really helps engage you in what is truly one of the best Predator films that have been released.
Potential for further historic hunts, akin to Predator: Dark Ages, who knows, but prey shows that there is still life in the franchise if you think outside the box and aren’t afraid to do something slightly different.
Thor: Love and Thunder isn’t the best Marvel film out, it’s definitely the best Thor film but its not as bad as I think some are making it out to be.
Within you will find a lot of belly laughs, especially in regards to Thor’s relationship with Storm breaker and the newfound and repaired Mjolnir.. some parts where the jealous axe just appears at the side of the shot are subtly genius and by far some of the funniest moments in the film.
Thing is, and it’s hard to say this, the sheer Comedy of it all is what lets the film down. It’s forced, it feels forced and because of that, we have a very unbalanced movie. Whereas Ragnarok was outlandish it was also well timed and well placed. TLAT is just relentless like it’s trying to one-up that success but overdoing it by trying too hard. Which really takes away from the darker edge that should have been balanced out.
Gorr’s understandable fall into shadow and his redemption and Jane Foster’s fight with cancer and demise are somewhat diminished by all the slapstick Comedy washing around them. Like someone making a real profound and meaningful speech but the music is the Benny Hill theme… you understand the speech is meaningful but the stupid music just taints it. That’s not to say the music in the film is bad, it, as always, is a great soundtrack; potentially over-egged as well.
All In all, it is an enjoyable film, you will LOL and when it allows you it is quite poignant but it’s a film that tried too hard and ended scuppering itself slightly, or at least failing to live up to its potential by embracing its darker side and balancing it well with its signature comedy.
A shame, all the components were there but it just couldn’t get the balance right. Enjoyable but a lost opportunity.
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