Wondering what to do with your upcoming free time? Good thing we have some suggestions for what you should be watching, playing, reading, listening to, etc.
Ben’s Anime Pick: My Hero Academia (Season 6) – My Hero Academia appears to have recovered from its (minor) fifth-season slump with what may be one of its strongest batches of episodes so far. The effort and time spent building up and fleshing out its enormous cast of likable characters continues to pay off, with palpable tension and huge stakes in the all-out war between the Hero Association’s most powerful and the combined forces of multiple villainous factions. The fallout from the war is also genuinely harrowing stuff. I was even brought to tears by the downfall of one of the villains, and that’s why I think MHA has become the manga/anime juggernaut that it is; there were more than a few animated brawls in the past year that were noticeably better in terms of pure action spectacle, but only a select few had a story and heart as strong as My Hero Academia’s. That emotional weight makes each fight – be it between main metahumans or B-list side characters whose powers were once considered lackluster – meaningful. It’s also worth noting that I rarely stay invested in anime that are longer than 25-30 episodes, as many series feel drawn out or overly repetitive with the same kind of stories after they hit that episode count, but MHA manages to hold my attention by continuously changing things up, all the while never losing sight of what makes it so special.
Ben’s Video Game Pick: Dead Island 2 – It’s been nearly a decade of waiting since the initial announcement, but Dead Island 2 is finally here. And guess what: it’s a bloody good time! The action has moved from Banoi to LA – which isn’t an island, but whatever – and puts you in the shoes of another survivor who is immune to the zombie virus. The new card system allows you to build your character to your liking by selecting specific perks or traits, and the way weapons work has been upgraded too. Instead of just sharp or blunt weapons, there’s an archetype that prioritizes removing limbs, one that builds up in power the longer you keep attacking, and another for knocking zombies over so you can easily cave their heads in with a stomp. And, of course, you can modify all of your instruments of death to burn, melt, electrocute your targets, and more. Best of all, you can play everything after the first mission with a pair of friends. The original Dead Island holds a special place in my heart as one of my favorite co-op games, and Dead Island 2 is already beginning to settle in right next to its predecessor.
Lauren’s Video Game Pick: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – As seemingly the only person not shouting Game of the Year at Breath of the Wild in 2017 – besides Ben, who gave it an hour or two before noping right out of Hyrule – I was more than concerned that the returning irritants – the weapon durability, repeatedly getting one-shot by basic enemies before upgrading gear and doing a billion shrines to amass a hoard of heart containers, and seemingly vindictive weather patterns that always washed away cliffside handholds with rain – would once again do irreparable damage to my enjoyment of yet another Zelda game. And yet, even with all those frustrating elements returning, I found myself more forgiving this time around. That’s not to say I wasn’t annoyed, but my willingness to just roll with it would make the Gorons proud. The added building feature that has Link carrying around an invisible, endless source of super glue didn’t really get me excited either, but seeing all the inappropriate things others have built… well that certainly made the necessity to build countless bridges, rafts, planes, etc., all worth it as I explored everything this kingdom has to offer, both above (and high above) and below surface level. And the story. My god the story. Honestly I will forever be grateful to these games for making Zelda one of the most badass and capable princesses in need of rescue out there as she finds the strength to defend her home in her own ways, waiting for Link to catch up, culminating in one of my favorite final boss battles I’ve experienced in a long time.
So what do you think about these picks? What content did we miss over the past two weeks while we were spending time with these? Be sure to leave a comment below letting us know about everything (both current and simply new to you) you’ve been consuming lately!
And while you’re here, be sure to check some of the site’s other recent content:
- Zac’s film reviews for Master Gardener and Asteroid City
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