Author: Kyra

Kyle Kyra (they/them) writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They live in a sleepy Nebraska town. Yes, corn lives outside their back door. They hold a BFA in creative writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and their work has appeared in Menacing Hedge, Spank the Carp, Danse Macabre, The Door is a Jar, The Collidescope, and other journals and anthologies.

Whatcha Playing, Geekly? May 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and today, our writers share what they’ve been playing over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been playing over the past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been playing over the past month.

Kyra’s Video Games

I’m a basketball fan, but NBA2K hasn’t had a decent release in several years. The last version I played of NBA2K had so many game-breaking bugs, I don’t know if I finished playing a single exhibition game. Enter, Hoop Land. I downloaded it on Steam (there was a recent sale), but it’s also available on mobile devices. Yay!

Don’t let Hoop Land’s 8-bit graphics fool you. Hoop Land is everything I wished NBA2K would be. Hoop Land gives players so much control of the game. A lot is going on with this title, and I love it. Manage your team to victory with adorable sprite hoopers. I haven’t had too much time for a full review, but I enjoy simulating games and jumping in to play the occasional match. Player development works the way you’d imagine, at least, so far, and Hoop Land offers plenty of options to customize your league. Do you see the player scouting report above? That gets very specific. I see some team rebuilds in my near future. I may even download the mobile version of Hoop Land, so I can play while I watch the NBA playoffs. Woo hoo!

While Feed the Scorchpot only offers a free demo (on Steam), that demo cooks up a lot of gaming hours. What is it with me downloading addictive video games this past month? Feed the Scorchpot takes graphics akin to Potion Craft–if you know me, you know I love Potion Craft’s graphics (here’s our review of Potion Craft)–and combines them with a roguelike Catan. What? The classic board game Catan could use an update. I wasn’t expecting one like Feed the Scorchpot. The developers market it as Balatro meets Catan, and that’s a good description.

As you can see in the image above, a lot is going on with Feed the Scorchpot. Don’t worry, the demo has a comprehensive tutorial that slowly introduces new game elements. It will all make sense. Players build a village Catan-style and roll dice each turn (season), collecting resources on farms adjacent to tiles whose numbers are rolled. Using those resources, players cook recipes to feed a dragon (the Scorchpot). Meet the required points (hunger), and the dragon allows you to live another year.

Players can purchase recipes (more options), upgrade their dice to specialty dice (all dice begin as vanilla six-sided dice), build more powerful structures on spaces, and even add numbers to tiles, so those tiles are more likely to produce resources. Feed the Scorchpot is one of those games that gets players saying, Just. One. More. Turn. Ah! So good. I can’t wait for Feed the Scorchpot’s full release.

Kyra’s Board Games

DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum is a simple roll-and-move game. Yes. They still make roll-and-move games. And for a roll-and-move game, DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum is a lot of fun. Players take the role of two Arkham inmates racing to break out of the asylum before anyone else. The game is played in two rounds, so you’ll actually have two chances to beat your opponents to the finish line.

DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum doesn’t take itself too seriously. Each game plays out different than all the rest, because the board changes, villain power combinations can break the game in odd ways (you will be placing two villains into the same standee to form your team of two rogues), and gadget cards add another layer of mayhem. After a few plays, we did notice some game-breaking combos. I won’t share them here; you should discover them on your own. But I don’t care that two specific villains teamed together may constitute an unfair advantage. DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum isn’t a long game. There are so many villains included in this game (40) that you may not come across that tandem of characters in numerous plays. And the premise is goofy. Perfect for kids and families.

Cat a Comb caught my eye in two ways. First, the game is shaped like a soda can. Yes, please. The container may be difficult to put on a shelf with the rest of my games, but I like an odd-shaped board game container. Second, the game is about cats. Yay! What you see pictured above is all that comes inside Cat a Comb (minus the extremely short rulebook). Cat a Comb is a great two-player strategy game. Perfect whenever you arrive to a board game night early with one other participant, and you’re waiting for the rest of your group to arrive. That happens a lot to me if you can’t tell. (Wink.)

I could include any number of other board games on this list, but I think I’ll close out this month’s list with the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. I always liked the TSR Marvel RPG from the 1980s, and the Multiverse Role-Playing Game looks as if it has legs (as in it’s still being published years after its initial release). Outside of the TSR Marvel RPG, Marvel role-playing games have a spotty track record. Most of them don’t last beyond one or two years. The Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game has already surpassed that threshold, so I’m giving it a shot. Just in time for Comic-Con season (I will be attending one or two of those) and Free RPG Day. You may catch me at a local game shop, running a Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game module.

First, I’ll run the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure. This one-shot is a great place to begin a Marvel Multiverse RPG campaign. The framework offers enough flexibility to branch out from the module. The adventure is written in a way to promote player agency and choice. I like that. Of course, I’ll add my own twists to the base adventure, because I’m going to do that, but Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure offers a good introduction to the Marvel Multiverse RPG system and some of its characters. This module even includes Rank X characters, which are otherworldly beings who can’t be damaged. It’ll be fun showing characters of this power level in the Marvel Universe.

I have two complaints about the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure. One, the module assumes you have the Core Rulebook and access to the X-Men expansion. It includes power sets found in the X-Men expansion and doesn’t explain them. Two, the Game Modes included at the end of the module don’t offer any story hooks. Both of these gripes are small. You can look up some of the X-Men expansion rules online. It’s a pain, but doable. And you don’t really need story hooks, but it would’ve been nice. The Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure takes about four hours to complete, so I may craft my own one-shot for Free RPG Day or one of the conventions, since most events of those types last about two hours. I’ll keep you posted if I create an adventure and may share the adventure on Geekly.

As for the Marvel Multiverse RPG’s core rules, they’re easy to learn and require few peripherals. You don’t even need official Marvel dice (like the one pictured above). I have a set of “Marvel Multiverse RPG” dice where I painted an “M” over the “1” on a standard red d6. Every player just needs three 3d6s, with one a different color, and you’re set to play. That’s it. The rules are simple but flexible to accommodate multiple powers, a good thing for an RPG that includes countless super-powered people. And several websites offer free Marvel Multiverse RPG resources. I like what I’ve read so far and should run the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure next week. I can’t wait.

That’s all I have for this month. Let’s check in with Season.

Season’s Video Games

Hi, Geekly Gang! Are you fans of remasters? I know I am. I’ve never finished the original Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles since it was difficult to do in single player. Players get to choose a character from one of four races. The biggest differences between these races (other than appearance) are the gear they can equip and their fighting style. You set out on a caravan in a miasma-filled world to collect drops of myyrh from myyrh trees in different monster-infested stages. Each level has a mini-boss with varying levels of difficulty in each stage. You have to collect three drops of myyrh each year in order to progress and unlock new stages.

I’m closing in on the final few stages of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition, and I’m excited to see the ending after all these years. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition offers online multiplayer. You can play with friends or join random lobbies. I’ve been playing with one of my friends, and we’ve been having a blast. The downside to multiplayer is that the game only progresses for the player who hosts the lobby. If you collect myyrh in one of the stages, the host is the only player who gets the myyrh. You have to dissolve the party and switch hosts so a different player can collect myyrh. You end up replaying the same stages multiple times, but you get to learn each stage map really well.

What have you been playing, Skye?

Skye’s Video Games

I received God of War as a Christmas gift last year and made a pledge to finish it before the end of the year. By now, y’all are probably familiar with my tendency to play each of my games at the hardest difficulty just ‘cause I can. So far, God of War has proven to be the most difficult gaming experience I’ve put myself through. Having a heavy emphasis on skill and timing-based combat, God of War demands quick learning and careful decision-making from its players. As a result, God of War is very unforgiving to noobs like me for poorly executing combos or being slow to dodge incoming attacks. The only reason I’ve been able to make any progress so far is that I tend to do every side quest before the main quest. Wish me luck, ‘cause I know I’m gonna need it.

Battle for Bikini Bottom’s Remaster was a game my sister acquired for free through her PlayStation Plus subscription, and I only recently noticed it in her library. Since I played the original on the GameCube, I felt the need to relive my childhood. It’s safe to say, Rehydrated didn’t disappoint. After all, SpongeBob SquarePants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated strictly updated the graphics, so I was able to relive my favorite levels without worrying about content alterations. In case you’re curious, my favorite level is The Flying Dutchman’s Shipyard primarily because of the level’s design and music that constantly gets stuck in my head. Battle for Bikini Bottom is a fun romp of a game for any SpongeBob fan since it allows you to roam through some of SpongeBob’s most iconic locations and is loaded with references.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are all the games our writers played over the past month. What did you play this past month? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Star Wars Villains

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Happy May the Fourth, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’re celebrating with a Star Wars Top 5. A great hero needs an intriguing villain. Yes! We’re continuing our Top 5 Villains Series with a Top 5 Star Wars Villains.

5: Jabba the Hutt

Jabba the Hutt is a massive space slug who oozes out a living, making shady deals throughout the galaxy. He reminds me of Beelzebub, the devil associated with gluttony. Jabba is the pinnacle of excess. He moves as little as he can, forcing his servants to do most things for him. He stuffs his face all day long, smokes his hookah, and admires the woman he has on a leash. Heck. Whenever he gets bored, he’ll feed his enslaved women to the space monster in his basement. Yikes!

Jabba has an iconic design. His giant puppet–Lucasfilm pulled off this giant space slug with a puppet–impresses audiences decades after Return of the Jedi’s original release. Growing up, I had an original Jabba the Hutt figure from Jenner. Looking back, there were so many red flags with that figure. And we can’t forget Spaceballs’s Pizza the Hutt, who ate himself while trapped in his car. I can’t wait for Spaceballs 2.

4: Grand Admiral Thrawn

Grand Admiral Thrawn differs from every other villain on this list in almost every way. Thrawn originates from a Star Wars novel–The Heir to the Empire trilogy, to be exact–before making his debut in the Star Wars Rebels animated series. His story went from being canon to not being canon and then back again. And Thrawn’s approach separates him from most Star Wars villains. He’s as cold and calculating as his skin tone. He seldom uses overwhelming force. No. He’ll understand a community or culture first, before dismantling it from the inside. Thrawn’s tactics may be the most diabolical in Star Wars lore.

3: Darth Maul

Even in his debut, Darth Maul looked cool. Double lightsabers will do that. Heck. Fighting Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jin at the same time adds to his mystique. But Maul’s story doesn’t truly begin until after the events of The Phantom Menace. Of course, Darth Maul survives being bisected by Obi-Wan Kenobi. He gains a set of robotic spider legs and eventually a set of humanoid robotic legs. Maul would become a threat to the Republic, then the Empire, and finally the Sith themselves. Some villains want to watch the world burn, and we’re here for it.

2: Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious)

Emperor Palpatine has appeared in every Star Wars trilogy of films, so far. He’s the Lord of the Imperial Galaxy and internet memes. Palpatine began his political career in the service of the Galactic Republic but soon obtained power and destroyed Galactic democracy. And the people cheered. I refuse to make parallels between Palpatine and real life. Anyway, the Emperor’s crimes are countless. Nope. This doesn’t resemble real life. Back to fantasy, Palpatine nearly wiped out the Jedi with Order 66. He killed Mace Windu, and nobody gets away with murdering a Samuel L. Jackson character. And the Emperor plunged the Galaxy into an era of darkness and tyranny.

Not bad for a meme lord.

1: Darth Vader

Could it be anyone else? Darth Vader is the height of a cool villain. Admit it. “The Imperial March” plays when you catch a glimpse of him. Darth Vader is one of cinema’s most iconic villains. Period. What’s not to like? His imposing stature, black space samurai armor, creepy breathing, or James Earl Jones’s rich voice. Darth Vader is the epitome of evil. Like many classic villains, he started as a force of good and became corrupted. And let’s face it, the Star Wars prequels primarily exist to show Darth Vader’s descent. And boy, did we enjoy the ride.

Did we get the list right? Who would you put on this list? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: May 3, 2026; Sony Confirms One-Time DRM Check

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have some board game and video game new releases to geek out about, but first, let’s discuss the headlines from the prior week. It looks as if Sony has made news yet again. We waited to discuss Sony and its PlayStation DRM scandal until we received clarification. Well, we got that clarification, maybe. Let’s discuss Sony’s One-Time DRM Check.

Sony Confirms One-Time DRM Check After Fan Backlash

A little over a week ago, Sony said they would require an internet connection every 30 days for any digitally downloaded game to remain valid on a PlayStation 5. What was the reach of this policy? Would the server one purchased a game from matter? If the DRM (Digital Rights Management) check was built with a specific server in mind, a server may not exist the next time a gamer would want to access a game. You could lose access to the game. Sony dragged their feet answering gamers’ questions. And when they did answer questions, they let AI do the talking. If you’ve been reading these Geekly News posts for any time now, you know where I stand with AI. That was not the right move, Sony. Finally, after over a week of needling, Sony has clarified their One-Time DRM Check.

This check doesn’t affect games purchased before March 2026. If you purchased a game digitally from the PlayStation store before March 2026 and haven’t yet purchased one since, you’re safe…for now. The update applied to purchases made after March 2026 requires a one-time online license check, not recurring monthly validations. According to Sony, these measures are to combat a digital refund exploit. Evidently, some hackers can simulate a product key, never open the game with the key, and demand a digital refund, bilking Sony out of money. The percentage of people who do this must be small, but the number doesn’t need to be large. You just need a handful of crooks exploiting this policy.

While this makes sense from an anti-theft standpoint, Sony’s one-time DRM check still raises alarms. This check is a reminder that any game purchased digitally is not an owned game. A company can revoke your license at any time. And Sony hasn’t been subtle with its pushing of “digital-only” game purchases. The company’s announcement of a PlayStation 6 Lite, a less powerful version of the company’s next console, will most likely be a digital-only console. With the full version PlayStation 6 costing over $1000 and the Lite costing significantly less than that, Sony may intend to make game ownership a thing of the past or charge gamers extra for the privilege of owning a game. Sony will also make sure they get a bigger chunk of the pie up front, too.

Ironically, Sony won this generation of the console war because it refused to use any invasive DRM checks. We’re not like Xbox. We won’t ever include DRM checks. Well, they lied. And this could be a slippery slope. Sure, this policy is a one-time DRM check, but the next one could require a monthly check-in. It doesn’t help that Sony took more than a week to have a human respond to fan backlash. AI. Really?

Again, I may switch back to retro gaming. When you had a game cartridge or disc, you owned the game. And there might be something to the video game pirates abusing this refund exploit. I’m not condoning what they’ve been doing. They’ve illegally acquired someone else’s intellectual property. They should be prosecuted. Heck, these video game pirates may have set gamers on a path of getting screwed with oppressive DRM checks. But is it stealing when no one who purchased the game in that manner (digital download) ever owned the game in the first place?

We think this issue has been addressed. We’ll let you know if Sony changes their mind or if the AI starts its uprising.

River Valley Jewelcraft Launches on KickStarter

Return to the cozy town of River Valley! But this time, dig a little deeper. Glass is so last year.

Now, it’s all about the rare, radiant gemstones under our idyllic little town of River Valley. Miners, craftspeople, and artisans of all kinds have converged to make and sell the most beautiful jewelry in the land.

On your turn, roll dice to gather gems. Use your unique movement rules and player powers to explore the mine. Carefully lay tiles to improve your potential spoils. Finally, use your gems to craft exquisite jewelry to build a powerful scoring engine!

While River Valley Jewelcraft is a return to the setting and soul of River Valley Glassworks, it’s a completely brand-new game with completely unique gameplay and components.

Thank you to the publisher, All Play, for River Valley Jewelcraft’s description. I love River Valley Glassworks; it’s been in the Geekly rotation of games for a handful of weeks now. Needless to say, I’m interested in the follow-up River Valley Jewelcraft. The new game gives me shades of King Domino and potentially Machi Koro in the best ways. Players acquire rock tiles, which function like dominoes, from the market and place them on unique player boards. Then, the dice determine which numbers activate and produce resources. Interesting. Like I said, River Valley Jewelcraft borrows ideas from popular games, but it looks to make them its own. And I’m always happy to return to the town of River Valley. If you’re interested in River Valley Jewelcraft, check out its KickStarter page.

The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure Launches on GameFound

The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure is a LIFE-SIZED fantasy game experience for kids.

Using 36 giant cardboard tiles players will create a dungeon in their own home and act as the game pieces as they search for treasure, silly bad guys and stars.

Giant Adventure features the same award-winning mechanics as The Quest Kids board game, but in a new, one-of-a-kind immersive experience.

Thank you, Treasure Falls Games, for the description. My kids are far beyond playing a game like The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure, but I wished a game like this existed when they were younger. We would’ve played the heck out of this game. And knowing my kids, they probably would’ve played this game a lot on their own. The large tiles put kids in the game. Literally. Kids use themselves as their pawns. The ruleset is easy enough for children five years old and older to learn. The tiles are sturdy enough to play The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure outdoors. That’s where I imagine my kids playing. LOL If you’re interested in The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure, check out its GameFound page.

Flockers Launches on GameFound

The sharp chill of winter means it is time to fly south. But be vigilant—predators and decoys dot the landscape.

In the tactical card game Flockers, you will build a flock of snow geese that is best suited to swiftly navigate the terrain below.

Playing cards might add to the flight path, advance your flock token, or allow geese to graze so they have the vitality to continue south.

Fly south the furthest and the fastest to win. Let’s fly!

Thank you, Odd Bird Games, for the description. Many recent board games have used a bird theme, but few tackle the idea of migration. Players fly their flock of snow geese southward for the winter. Love the theme. And I love the geese playing pieces. The Flockers‘ name stops just shy of something naughty. Love it. The artwork looks amazing. Look beneath the snow goose playing piece. Are those cards depicting a topographical map? Wow! If you’re interested in Flockers, check out its GameFound.

Invincible VS Releases

Ever want to recreate the brutal fights in Invincible? Invincible VS has you covered in a new 3v3 tag fighting game set in the Invincible universe. Battle to the death as a team of fan-favorite characters in iconic locations. Invincible VS is a solid showing for first-time developer Quarter Up. It has received mixed to positive reviews and does a good job of capturing the vibe of the show.

Invincible VS has just enough blood to warrant its intellectual property. The gameplay follows the Street Fighter/Injustice formula. Sure. The intellectual property does a lot of heavy lifting here, but if you’re interested in fighting games (I stink at fighting games, by the way), and you want to play in the world of Invincible, you may want to give Invincible VS a try. Personally, I’d wait for it to go on sale. Invincible VS is available on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.

Saros Releases

Saros features a haunting story of a lost off-world colony on Carcosa under an ominous eclipse. You play as Arjun Devraj, a powerful Sotari Enforcer, who will stop at nothing to find who he is looking for. Thank you, Housemarque, for the description. Saros has received great reviews. It combines bullet hell, a third-person shooter, and roguelite elements into an engaging game. With Saros, Housemarque has built on their success with Returnal.

We may still be in the first half of 2026, but Saros makes an early push for the Game of the Year. Sony’s acquisition of Housemarque made Saros possible. And Saros fits well within Sony’s catalogue of character-driven, single-player adventure games like The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted, and the Spider-Man video game series. But gamers who own systems other than a PlayStation 5 will have to wait for Saros, or it may not arrive on another system at all. Recently, Sony canceled Ghost of Yotei’s PC release. Ghost of Yotei, too? Sony has been on a roll.

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Releases

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is the official prequel, hailing back to the origins of the genre-defining, critically acclaimed series of turn-based strategy games. Raise grand armies and wield devastating spells to overcome your foes in both solo and multiplayer. I have a spotty history with Heroes of Might and Magic. I’ve enjoyed every game I’ve played of this long-running series, and it looks as if Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is another game in this series that I’ll have to check out. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has countless downloads and has gained near-universal acclaim.

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era features plenty of game modes to pique many gamers’ interest. Critics and gamers alike claim this is a good continuation of the series with “deep and complex gameplay” and it contains an “overwhelming sense of nostalgia.” This is a game that pays tribute to the games that came before it in the series, but presents a path forward. Yep. It’s only a matter of time before I play Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era. I have a lot of games on my to-play list. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is available on PC.

Constance Releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch

Constance is a 2D hand-drawn action adventure featuring a paintbrush-wielding artist, striving to escape from a colorful but decaying inner-world, created by her declining mental health. Yes! We have a quirky, Metroidvania game releasing this week. Thank you, Constance and btf Games. I’m always down for a quirky video game.

And look at those gorgeous graphics. Constance taps into the soul of those classic side-scrolling games. I love the theme. It works for the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month. The titular character, Constance, battles mental health issues. The use of a paintbrush to reframe one’s inner-world rings true and presents a healthy way to combat mental health struggles. I know Constance was released on Steam in November of last year, but I love that a wider audience has a chance to play. Constance is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

That’s all the Geek News we have for you this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again “The Hateful Darkness” Review

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hateful Darkness.” First off, amazing episode title. I love that title, “The Hateful Darkness.” Metal! I had some issues with this week’s episodes, but I’m not gonna lie. That ending kills.

Literarily. Oh. Spoilers are in effect. You’ve been warned. We’ll begin with what worked in “The Hateful Darkness.” I’ve said it a few times already, Daniel Blake’s story has been one of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s best stories. Michael Gandolfini did a great job. That was in the past tense for a reason. Blake’s story comes to an abrupt end in “The Hateful Darkness’s” closing moments. Blake’s passing at the hands of his buddy Buck’s hands was not in the original plan.

Daredevil: Born Again had intended to bring Blake back for Season Three. But Blake had a full circle moment in “The Hateful Darkness.” What made Blake’s story so great was how he was pulled in two directions. He cared for BB, and he wanted power through Mayor Fisk. Blake had every intention of handing over BB to Buck, but he had a hero moment and let her go. Not all hero moments require tights. Not all hero moments need to include world-wide or even city-wide stakes. Not all hero moments end with the hero prevailing. Blake made the choice to be BB’s hero. He did what was right in the moment. Blake living after making this choice would’ve cheapened his heroic choice. And I loved how Buck looked gutted.

Like I said, Blake’s death scene was not the original plan, but Daredevil: Born Again is a labor of love by producers Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin). Along with Gandolfini (Daniel Blake), they felt as if the character was better served if he died in this moment–for all the reasons I mentioned. The showrunners knew Gandolfini’s Blake was a fan favorite. This wasn’t an easy decision. It was the right decision. Kudos! Arty Froushan’s Buck looked as conflicted as he did because the crew returned to shoot Blake’s death. Froushan thought the extra shoots were to clean up a prior day of filming. He didn’t know his character would kill his friend. Those were real emotions. The scene was phenomenal.

“The Hateful Darkness” also sprinkled in some other great moments: Matt Murdock returning to the courtroom, Karen Page and Heather Glenn’s showdown, and the opening scene with Page and Wilson Fisk. All of these were executed well, but they did feel off, and here’s where I talk about Daredevil: Born Again’s shortcomings. Jessica Jones’s presence still feels forced. She shares another rooftop scene with Daredevil. Jones even jokes about it. Marvel is so bad with self-referential jokes. They’ll joke about the thing they often include, while still using the thing they often include. Have the two meet somewhere else. Maybe a bar? Maybe not, because I’m sure Jones is trying to stay sober for her daughter.

We do receive news of Luke Cage’s involvement with the United States government. Jones and Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard) share a scene in Charles’s hotel room. I mentioned it before but Daredevil: Born Again has too many characters it’s trying to juggle. Charles and New York’s governor disappear for long periods of time until the plot needs them to return. McDuffie (Murock’s partner) has had little to do before this episode, taking place in court. Better to show up for the penultimate episode than not at all, I guess. White Tiger has all but disappeared. I don’t know if I care enough about the character yet for that to bother me, but the fact that she’s vanished is a symptom of too many characters. Heck. I had forgotten about Cherry until this episode.

Daredevil: Born Again feels different than the original Netflix Daredevil series. Sure, I’ve driven home the point of there being too many characters, but Daredevil: Born Again may have overcorrected for the original Daredevil series. Thirteen episodes each season for Netflix’s Daredevil was too many, but eight or nine episodes a season for Daredevil: Born Again is too few. The show feels rushed. When I said that “The Hateful Darkness” had other great moments, I didn’t kid. But while the scene of Matt Murdock’s return to the courtroom was well executed, it took the ticker at the bottom of the screen for me to remember that New York City was looking for Murdock. The show went on so many tangents I had forgotten a major plot point.

Likewise, Karen Page and Heather Glenn’s confrontation felt inevitable, but it also came out of nowhere. There was little to no buildup. Page even cites what Glenn said about her relationship with Matt Murdock, but that exchange happened in season one. I thought Page talking about a stranger lying beside her in bed sounded familiar the first time I heard it. It took a second viewing to remember Page and Glenn’s conversation in Daredevil: Born Again, season one. The show could’ve brought up Glenn and Murdock’s prior relationship sooner. Armed with remembering NYC was looking for Murdock, and Glenn’s former girlfriend status with Murdock made those moments hit harder. They were well done. But they felt rushed.

I would love it if Daredevil: Born Again had a ten to eleven-episode run. It doesn’t need the Netflix Daredevil 13-episode run. Again, that’s too long. But Daredevil is at his best when his show has room to breathe. I loved the episodes of Daredevil: Born Again when the show had time to focus on a select few characters. Venessa’s death was handled with grace. I liked the episode where Matt could finally mourn Foggy’s death. And “The Hateful Darkness” concludes with another banger of an ending. There’s a lot to love, but there’s something missing.

But those are my thoughts about Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hateful Darkness.” What did you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Personal Update Wednesday: April 29, 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today marks April’s fifth Wednesday, so that means our writers will share personal updates over the past three months or so since our last update. Honestly, I don’t know if we’ll hear from Season and Skye this month, but you’ll get an update from me. Here’s what I’ve been doing these past three months.

Kyra’s Personal Update

If you’ve been following my Game Design Brain Dump series lately, you’ll know all about the Great Plains Game Festival (GPGF) and how I submitted three games for its inaugural Playtest to Win Event. My designs weren’t checked out as much as I would’ve liked, but I got some good feedback. Spill the Beans and Whirligig Pets received mostly praise, so those two games are pretty much ready to submit. And I have begun submitting Spill the Beans. That’s one part of my New Year’s Resolution down. I have a submittable board game, and I’m submitting it to various companies.

Whirligig Pets needs a promo video, but that may occur as soon as today. I have a script and a ring light. Let’s do this thing. I’ll share whenever I begin submitting Whirligig Pets and whatever happens with any responses. Fingers crossed that I’ll hear something back from my first wave of Spill the Beans submissions. While I’m sure these companies receive multiple queries daily (I went with some larger board game publishers first), I was hoping I would have heard something back from someone by now. I may wait a week or two and follow up.

I also submitted No Kings to GPGF’s Playtest to Win Event. That one needs more work. I’ll try various things to see if I can jazz up the gameplay. I’ve mentioned in a past Brain Dump that popular art’s sweet spot between familiar and strange could lie in the following Venn Diagram.

Evidently, No Kings leans toward the “Potentially Boring” side of this Venn Diagram. I have some ideas to shake up the design, and multiple people signed up for No Kings’ notifications. No Kings had more followers than the other two games. Most people who responded sounded as if they would give the game another chance. But before I send the game back into the wild, I’ll send it through the meat grinder a time or two.

Moving from the games I’m designing to games I’m playing, I’ve dove into the Marvel Multiverse RPG or MMRPG or the d616 System. That’s a lot of nicknames for one game. Anyway, I will be running a one-shot MMRPG scenario at the Nuke-Con Aftershock Event next month (May 16, 2026) at the Bellevue (Nebraska) Public Library. If that goes well, you could see me at a Free RPG Day Event at the end of June. Regardless, I’ve busied myself by converting some of the TSR Marvel RPG of the 1980s into the d616 System. Roll Charts! Woo hoo! My future holds countless hours of rolling up characters with ridiculous origins and powers.

And since I’m old enough to have played the 1980’s TSR Marvel RPG, I regret to inform you that I’ve had lower back pain for the past several days. I haven’t been able to leave the bed too often. While that helps me read four resource books for the MMRPG and catch up on some other reading, I haven’t been able to sit for prolonged periods. I’m on the mend. I’ll get back to writing and game design real soon.

I’ve been submitting here and there to literary journals, but for the most part, that’s all I have for these past couple of months. Let’s check in with Skye.

Skye’s Personal Update

Long story short: I got a new job.

This has taken up the majority of my time over the past few months. I wasn’t getting enough hours at my movie theater job, which was having a negative effect on my income and prompted me to seek out new employment. Ultimately, I landed a job at Carvana. In all honesty, I didn’t even expect to get an interview for this position (let alone get hired), but I’m very glad that I did. I like going on adventures with Carvana.

So far, things have been going well; the only difficult part has been sorting out my hours between my new job and my theater job. Yes, I ended up keeping the theater job. The good news is that I’m getting the hours I need; the bad news is that my free time is completely unpredictable now. I’ll still try to post and update whenever I can, and I still love being a part of the Geekly Community.

We geeks gotta stick together, right?

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.