September 29, 2020
I first learned about Final Fantasy in Nintendo Power magazine around 1990. In a multi-page spread, Nintendo announced the Summer of Final Fantasy with great excitement. The fan mag promised us dozens of hours of story and exploration with a customizable party in a massive new world. When the game released, I spent countless hours with my friends playing through…
July 23, 2020
Before I played The Last of Us Part II I was prepared for disappointment. I enjoyed the first game when it released in 2013 but found the level of praise it received far in excess of what it deserved. Many game critics were pulling out the tired “Citizen Kane” comparison, far too heavy a label for a game that I…
February 20, 2019
Welcome back to Sound Off!, a semi-regular column where members of Speculative Chic gather together to chat about the latest BIG THING in entertainment. This time, dive into the uncanny valley and discuss Alita: Battle Angel, which premiered in the United States on Thursday, February 14, 2019. Sound Off! is meant to be a reaction, but not necessarily a review. After all,…
July 12, 2017
Once upon a time in the late 20th century, Keyes and Howard met on a Final Fantasy message forum. Today, they’ve been married for almost eight years. They have a massive collection of Final Fantasy games and games that should be Final Fantasy games (Bravely Default, Bravely Second) and still get nostalgic for things like Fat Chocobos and Black Mages. But neither…
May 24, 2017
After nearly a decade of anticipation, Atlus finally unleashed the long-awaited Persona 5 to a large and appreciative audience in April of this year. Over a month and 100 hours played later, how does the Japanese RPG stand up to the withering winds of criticism? Keyes and her maxed-out Social Link/Confidant/Husband Howard discuss the game, how it compares to its acclaimed predecessor…
December 22, 2016
I’m a straight cis man and, when given a choice, I will usually play as a female character. Not always. I played a man in Fallout 4 because I could make Codsworth, my robo-butler, actually say my name, and I played as a man who looked like Ozzy Osborne in Bloodborne because, of course you create a character who looks…