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 Watching, Geekly? March 2026

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

Kyra’s Shows

I’ve always liked SitComs, and no other television show type has suffered more from modern television programming (like streaming, binging, and shorter seasons) than SitComs. Animal Control has grown on me, but it took time to find its footing. Here comes a rant. Sorry. Shorter seasons don’t help a show find its footing. Back in the Nineties, Friends took 30 episodes to couple Ross and Rachel. This occurred a third of the way through Friends‘ second season. The coupling of the will-they, won’t-they relationship set up during Animal Control’s pilot also took 30 episodes. But it occurred during Animal Control’s season three closing episode. I binged Animal Control on Netflix, so it didn’t feel that long, but three full seasons for a SitCom is an eternity.

While I mentioned I binged Animal Control, and it did help with my enjoyment of Animal Control in this instance, dropping episodes all at once doesn’t usually help SitComs. We’ll go back to another Joel McHale SitCom, Community. Community’s pilot featured a budding relationship between Troy and Pierce. It took the showrunners half of the first season to realize Troy and Abed had more chemistry. If Community had been first released during the modern climate, it most likely wouldn’t have lasted beyond its first season (which would’ve been shorter, by the way), and we’d have never seen Troy and Abed in the Morning. Community needed audience feedback. If you drop all your episodes at once, there’s no time for audience feedback. I have a love-hate relationship with streaming. It’s done a lot of good, but streaming has done SitComs dirty.

Rant over. Let’s talk more about Animal Control. The CGI looks goofy at times, but Animal Control is a SitCom, so I don’t care. Sometimes, the dopey CGI heightens the comedy. The only times I felt the animal CGI detracted from the show were during the first season’s heartfelt moments with a mountain lion. Goofy CGI works for comedy. Not so much when Animal Control wants to tug at one’s heartstrings.

Animal Control’s human cast knew the direction they wanted to take their characters. The cast pictured above must have done some work ahead of the show’s pilot. That, or they’re incredibly lucky to have the chemistry to carry the show. Casting can be difficult. I’m glad casting directors are getting award categories in prestigious award shows like the Oscars (which also happened this past month, yay).

Even with nailing Animal Control’s main cast, the shift from season one and two saw plenty of changes in Animal Control’s secondary and tertiary cast members. “Hot Vet” needed to go because of her nickname “Hot Vet” among the rest of the cast. Those jokes grew old fast. Animal Control couldn’t find enough for her character to do before the end of the first season, which was only a dozen episodes long. Nope. I won’t rant again. If Animal Control had a full sixteen or eighteen episodes, it could’ve found a place for the Vet and the receptionist. Although I do like the replacement receptionist. She’s dope. Like most SitComs, Animal Control needed time to find its footing, but it’s picking up steam. The cast can be lovable, and I love the animal hijinx.

Unlike Animal Control, the Scrubs 2026 Reboot (or is it a Revival?) had the benefit of being a legacy SitCom. The returning cast members of the Scrubs Revival already knew their characters. They just needed to speed run the past two decades. I like the new characters as well. They do a great job showing what’s changed over several years. Scrubs‘ original release predates social media. Gasp! The Scrubs Revival had an episode where viewing a patient’s social media feed aided in their diagnosis. Clever.

The Scrubs Revival doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t need to. If you enjoyed the original Scrubs, you’ll definitely like the Scrubs Revival. There are plenty of nods to the original. The new class of doctors manages to strike a great balance, reminiscent of the original Scrubs cast in their early days. Yep. I’ll be watching the Scrubs Revival for the foreseeable future.

The final television show that I’ll share for this month is Tales from the Void (Prime Video). I watched the first episode, “Into the Unknown,” and fought off sleep every second. And that stinks. Tales from the Void’s premise sounded interesting. It’s an episodic horror anthology series based on the most viral and haunting stories from the r/NoSleep community. Ironic. I almost fell asleep while watching a story that originated on the r/NoSleep community. The first episode played out like a group of people adding to a story, creeping out one another. If I participated in this activity, “Into the Unknown” could’ve spooked me. The television episode fell flat. I may give Tales from the Void another chance, but I may take several weeks to revisit the show. This could be a good show to try again during Spooky Season.

Kyra’s Movie

I almost forgot I watched Inside Out 2 this past month. Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel to the original. The sequel did recast some of the original cast members; I believe Amy Poehler (Joy) made too much, and most of the other original castmates had to take less money. Several didn’t. The recast roles didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Inside Out 2 navigated puberty well. Oh. Mild Spoiler: Riley (the girl Joy and company monitor) enters puberty. But I do believe the trailers mentioned Riley entering puberty, so maybe this doesn’t constitute a spoiler. True to the original, Inside Out 2 has some tearjerker moments. Not as many as the original, but you may want tissues as you watch.

Inside Out 2 did run a little long for my liking. Some scenes could’ve been omitted or shortened. But this was minor. Inside Out 2 may be one of the better Pixar sequels. We may need our movie geek, Skye, to weigh in on this topic. The original Inside Out claimed Skye’s Number Two spot in her Top 5 Pixar Movies. While I had reservations before watching Inside Out 2, they quickly evaporated. I’d recommend Inside Out 2. You don’t need to watch the original Inside Out, but it could help.

That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Season and Skye.

Season’s Show

Hi, Geekly Gang! I go in and out of watching new shows, but I decided to revisit The Rookie. I watched most of the first season with some friends years ago, so I remembered bits of it. Most of the characters are well-rounded and get adequate screen time. Even tertiary characters are layered and get side stories. Normally, having many characters in a show makes it difficult not to reduce some of them to one-dimensional characters. The Rookie does a good job of making sure viewers spend an equal amount of time with the six main characters in every episode, even if one of them has a more dramatic story that episode. Also, watching just about anything with Nathan Fillion in it is a treat.

I’m aware that police shows don’t accurately portray daily police work for the sake of drama and storytelling. The Rookie tries to show some of the more mundane tasks, but there are still shootouts in most of the episodes.

What have you been watching, Skye?

Skye’s Movies

I’ve been trolling through my “To Be Watched” list and happened upon Nosferatu. I’m referring to the original 1922 Max Schreck silent film version, though I have other Nosferatu adaptations on my “To Be Watched.” After finally seeing it, I’m impressed with how it handled the psychological aspects of the story. I expected a run-of-the-mill monster flick that inspired so many others for over a century, but the horror doesn’t properly appear until after Hutter, the protagonist, enters Count Orlok’s Castle. Nosferatu’s true horror is pestilence. After Hutter is introduced to the castle rats, it’s highly possible he contracted a disease that spread everywhere he went, causing everyone to hallucinate. And Nosferatu’s visuals are unforgettable.

I haven’t seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in a long time, so I decided to give it another look. I haven’t seen Snow White since my childhood, but my appreciation for it has grown as an adult. Not only was the animation revolutionary for its time, but Snow White’s story holds your interest, sets the tone for what was to become a giant of an entertainment company, and doesn’t skimp on the dark moments either. When I was a kid, my favorite scene was the Evil Queen’s transformation. I would rewind the VHS to watch it over and over again. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore, and if modern Disney is any indication, they never will.

I was perusing Disney+ when I found out Zootopia 2 had made it to streaming. It had also been a while since I’d seen the original Zootopia, so I decided to refresh my memory before passing judgment on its sequel. Let me put it bluntly: I forgot how much Zootopia frustrated me. I wanted to like Zootopia, but the movie makes it so hard for me. I saw the setup of the original as the potential for an incredible deconstruction of societal prejudice and how it’s shaped our communities over hundreds, even thousands of years. Ultimately, I got Disney’s watered-down script, which was more directed at children with little care for an adult audience. Zootopia is not a bad movie. I like the dynamic between Judy and Nick, and yes, “Try Everything” will be stuck in my head until I die.

Skye’s Show

It’s about time I started catching up on my shows. Family Guy’s a heck of a one to start with, though. So far, it’s been a giggle-worthy show. I’m only midway through Season Two, and there have been a fair number of jokes that I didn’t understand, but that’s common even with other comedy shows I’ve seen and liked, including The Simpsons, Friends, Futurama, etc. Good news is that there haven’t been too many uncomfortable jokes yet. Give it time. Other than that, I think it’ll be an interesting experience exploring this iconic animated comedy series.

Hey, hey! Kyra here again. Those are all the shows and movies our writers watched over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Transgender Representation: Euphoria

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Happy Monday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another installment of transgender representation in media. Today’s subject is Jules from Euphoria. Yes! I moved our previously scheduled autism representation to late June to take advantage of Euphoria season three’s upcoming April 12, 2026, release date. Woo hoo! We’re getting a third season soon. I binged Euphoria seasons one and two the past month. It got difficult. While Euphoria is an amazing show (great direction, acting, and writing), it tackles heavy subjects. Seriously, Euphoria holds back few punches.

Jules’s storyline, despite being compelling, can be a rough watch. She gets statutory R-word–don’t know if I can say the word that rhymes with grape in this post–and commits an act of self-harm. And that’s only during Euphoria’s pilot episode. Yikes! Oh. Now may be a great time to remind everyone reading that I can’t do one of these representation posts without spoiling some plot points. I wouldn’t consider what I’ve said thus far as major spoilers, but you’ve been warned. I’ll also try to handle Jules’s story with care. I don’t want to sensationalize lurid details, but as you can see, Jules’s story packs a lot of drama.

Gender Expression May Not Match Gender Identity

We’ll begin with lighter topics concerning Euphoria’s transgender representation. As you can tell by the picture above, gender expression and gender identity don’t have to match. Sure. Jules is wearing an angel outfit, hyper feminine. Jules is a woman, and her gender expression matches her gender identity. But Jules’s partner, Rue, wears a tuxedo, and Rue is a cisgender woman. I love it when Jules teases Rue’s look as a dead ringer for Seth Rogen. Lol. Jules isn’t far off with that characterization. Rue’s tuxedo is the only time in Euphoria’s first two seasons when she doesn’t wear Seth Rogen-chic.

Off topic a little bit, but I love Jules’s makeup in Euphoria’s first two seasons. She looks stunning.

Euphoria is on point with breaking gender norms and suggesting that gender expression and gender identity don’t need to match. Heck, an episode even includes dialogue expressing this sentiment. Great job.

Gender Identity Doesn’t Inform Sexual Orientation

Okay. The following may contradict this segment’s title. Jules has been with a lot of men. A lot. We never know how many. That’s a secret she only shares with her friend Elliot (pictured above), but during a moment of self-reflection, Jules shares why she felt the need to sleep with so many men. She needed to conquer femininity. No. She needed to obliterate it. And I believe that’s a poignant line. By the time Jules shares her need to obliterate femininity, she’s in a loving relationship with Rue. Jules admits that she felt more like a woman when she slept with men, as many men as she can bed, and upholding a gender stereotype, but in this moment, Jules no longer feels like she has to sleep with as many men to feel like a woman. Euphoria’s inclusion of this scene puts a fine point on how gender identity does not have to inform one’s sexual orientation.

Quick Note: All bets are off for Euphoria season three in two weeks. This write-up is only for seasons one and two.

I do have to give a brief mention to Jules feeling less like a woman when she admits, again to Elliot, that she doesn’t know how to orally stimulate another woman. Yeah. The scene suggests that Jules may have held off coupling with another woman because she didn’t want to admit this shortcoming. It just takes practice.

We won’t discuss the following tutor scene. Eek!

Featured Episode Placement Mattered

I may be reading too much into Euphoria and its creator, Sam Levinson’s, intentions with this next segment, but I don’t think so. Euphoria’s first season played like a collection of interconnected short stories. Sure, there was an overarching narrative, but that first season had short story vibes. Each of Euphoria’s first season’s episodes featured a character. The pilot featured Rue. That makes sense; she’s the main character. The second episode centered on the show’s main antagonist, Nate. This also makes sense. And then, we get three episodes featuring woman characters (Kat, Jules, and Maddy, in that order) before shifting back to another man. This may not seem like much, but it links Jules with Euphoria’s other woman characters. If this was Euphoria’s intent, it’s huge.

And I choose to interpret Euphoria’s feature episode placement (in season one) as intentional. It could’ve made sense to place Jules’s featured episode immediately after Nate’s. Nate does harass her. But Euphoria doesn’t do that. Perhaps the show could’ve put Jules’s story at the end of those three episodes, but no. Euphoria sandwiches Jules’s episode between two other women’s. She belongs there. Jules is treated like any other woman in the cast, because again, she is a woman. I love it. She suffers through a lot of the same issues as Euphoria’s other women, only she has a handful of additional issues. We’ll get to those other issues soon enough, but kudos to Euphoria for what I’m interpreting as subtle inclusion.

Jules Began Transitioning at 13

Jules started transitioning at age 13. Fortunately, her father supported her, and by the time we see her in season one, she’s been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for at least a couple of years and has had breast augmentation. More on that last item in the next section. Thanks in large part to her father’s support, Jules is far along in her transition. Having a supportive parent is a fantastic thing and helps with a transgender child’s mental health and well-being. Jules’s father supported her as soon as she began socially transitioning (wearing girls’ clothes), and this is another detail Euphoria gets right. Doctors don’t immediately jump to HRT. Social transitioning is the usual first step. And we don’t see Jules on HRT until after she’s been seeing a therapist. This also tracks. Typically, transgender people gain access to medically transition after speaking with a mental health professional. Or two.

All of this is great transgender representation. The Euphoria team has done their homework, and they lean on Jules’s actress, Hunter Schafer’s lived experience. During therapy, Jules shares poetry Hunter Schafer had written when she was at a similar age and stage in her transition. I love some of the imagery. Puberty is an irreversible metamorphosis. It’s a deepening, a thickening. Beautiful. These moments grant authenticity to Euphoria’s depiction of a transgender person.

But not every parent can or will support their child. During Jules’s featured episode, her mother drives her across state lines. I thought she was dumping her daughter at conversion therapy. Turns out, Jules’s mother dumped her at a psych ward. Unfortunately, this happens. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) removed gender identity disorder (being transgender) as a mental health condition in 2013. This episode aired in 2019. That may be too real. In one powerful episode, Euphoria showed multiple angles of a transgender experience.

Jules Wears a Binder

When Jules and Elliot first meet, Jules interrogates Elliot (Rue’s mysterious new friend). Jules doesn’t trust Elliot at first because she knows her girlfriend is hiding something. Spoiler: Rue’s an addict, and she and Elliot are using. So, Jules’s suspicions are well-founded. During Jules’s interrogation of Elliot, Elliot questions why she’s a trans woman, wearing a binder. Note: A binder is a device used to compress one’s chest, typically used by transgender men to hide their breasts. But Jules is a transgender woman. Why does she wear a binder?

Euphoria never gives us a straight (pun intended) answer, but I do have some theories. Jules could want to thumb her nose at gender norms. That would track within Euphoria’s narrative. At times, Jules distances herself from conventional women’s norms. But she could wear a binder to fit in better at school. While Jules has no issue with who she is and the shape of her body, she may wear a binder to avoid freaking out the normies. Euphoria takes place in a small town. Jules ditches the binder when she returns to the city. I love that transformation. She suppresses a lot of who she is for the sake of Euphoria’s small town.

Gender Euphoria

Gender dysphoria (feeling distressed because one’s gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth) hits differently for each trans person, but gender euphoria (positive feeling of comfort, confidence, and joy in response to gender affirming experiences) is universal. I’m quoting an unknown source. I remember the quote, but can’t remember who said it. Euphoria’s title may derive from the euphoria one feels while high (Rue and her addiction), but Euphoria does a great job of showing gender euphoria through Jules. She is comfortable in her skin, even when others dare her to pee in the middle of the road. Yes. That happens, and it’s hilarious.

During the scene, Jules mentions Elliot (here he is again), attempting to question her gender. She doesn’t give him the satisfaction.

Closing Thoughts

Euphoria features strong transgender representation. Jules is a fantastic, layered character. Her journey is unique and yet emblematic of a lived transgender experience. Hunter Schafer’s lived experience gives her performance authenticity. And I love Euphoria’s sense of inclusion. Few people care she’s transgender. I even like how Euphoria doesn’t spell out that Jules is transgender at first. She’s one of the girls.

At the same time, Jules experiences many ups and downs that a transgender person may experience. She has doubted her gender. At times, she has modeled her life to appease cisgender men because she internalized that women–all women–must appease cisgender men. Ah! That makes her more real.

Euphoria is not an easy watch. It delivers an unflinching look at drugs, sex, and self-harm. Jules has an amazing but harrowing journey. And we’re getting a third season soon. I don’t know what to expect. The trailer has me a little nervous. And I’m going to miss Angus Cloud as Fezco. Fezco was one of Jules’s staunchest supporters, and he had a cute romance with Lexi. Rest in peace, Angus Cloud.

I would’ve been okay with Euphoria ending after two seasons, but I’m not complaining about a third. I trust the creative team to do a great job.

Geekly’s next two representation posts should center on autism representation. But would anyone like to see a show or movie that has poor representation? Let us know in the comments. And let us know what you think of Euphoria’s Jules. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: March 15, 2026; New Releases

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have quite a few new releases for video games and board games. We’ll mix things up a bit this week. We’ll skip a headline (we had two or three the past couple of weeks) and only go with new releases. Let’s get to this week’s new games.

Dusk Runners Launches on GameFound

Welcome to Dusk Runners, a cooperative roguelike deckbuilder, set in a torn-apart world of years-long days and nights ruled by death. Take up the role of Dusk Runners, survivors and explorers who stay a few steps ahead of the night. Gather forgotten technologies so powerful they look like magic, battle monsters in the night to get stronger, make allies or enemies of survivor factions and learn ancient secrets in order to defeat the ultimate threat of the darkness: the Nightstalker.

Thank you to Dragonmount Press for Dusk Runners’ description. Dusk Runners ticks a lot of boxes: cooperative, solo, deckbuilder, and roguelike. We have nothing but GameFound board games this week, so most–if not all–the games in this week’s roundup will be previews. We do previews for GameFound because the site does a great job with previews. Its “New” games aren’t always the newest games released. Since these are previews, we don’t have as much definitive information. I like deckbuilders. Check. I also enjoy cooperative games, and having a good solo option is a plus, especially if I can’t get everyone at the table. And roguelike means Dusk Runners should have plenty of variability. Score!

Dusk Runners’ one to three-hour runtime makes me a little concerned. Are most games one hour or three? It seems odd to have that much of a variance for a campaign-based board game. Usually, most scenarios clock in at about the same time, but I can see having more players could slow down the game. The theme has me intrigued, too. Explorers need to stay a few steps ahead of the night. How is the night portrayed in Dusk Runners? I love it when tiles disappear, and I hope that could be a mechanism in Dusk Runners. I’d like to know more. And if you want to know more, check out Dusk Runners’ GameFound page.

Apex: Carnivore Launches on GameFound

APEX: Carnivore is a fast, head-to-head evolution deckbuilder where both players start from the same Miacidae ancestor and branch toward one or more of three carnivore families: Felidae (cats), Ursidae (bears), and Mustelidae (weasels). Each trait you add reshapes how your species hunts, defends, and outmaneuvers its rival. The goal is to drive your opponent’s population to zero and become the apex carnivore.

Your deck is your species. Each round you draw a hand of traits and activate them. To activate a trait, or to evolve a new one from the shared pool, roll a d20 against its Difficulty Class. Succeed, and the effect triggers or the new trait mutates your species deck. There is no currency: your die and engine determine what you can activate and acquire. Active modifiers apply to every check that turn, rewarding timing and sequencing.

After both players have activated their traits, their species fight for survival. Compare total Power and Defense; any excess reduces the opponent’s population. Initiative may let you act first, while natural selection keeps decks lean and the game fast. Solo rules and 3–4 player free-for-all (with two copies) are included.

Thank you, OneStone Studios, for the Apex: Carnivore description. Apex: Carnivore has an interesting premise. I like the idea of creating my own animal species. This gives me Spore (the video game) vibes. The gameplay does remind me a little of Marvel: Legendary in a good way. In Legendary, one didn’t begin the game with a character, but would add cards to their deck, slowly revealing the two or three characters the player specialized in their deck. While having more than one character in one’s deck in Marvel: Legendary made little sense. Am I even playing a specific character? This concept makes way more sense in the context of building an animal. I’m making a half-bear, half-cat animal. Woo hoo!

Apex: Carnivore’s campaign features the game’s second printing and its first major expansion, Pack Instinct. Apex: Carnivore (2025) has received strong reviews. The Pack Instinct expansion features red panda pictures. We should expect animals of this ilk in the expansion. Fortunately, Apex: Carnivore has shared their pledge levels. This is rare for a GameFound preview. Gamers can pick up the base game (or just the expansion) for around $30 and the base game-expansion combo for just over $50. And of course, OneStone Studios offers a couple more pledge levels that include premium extras. Apex: Carnivore’s campaign launches in the next day or two. If you’re interested, check out its GameFound page.

The Realm of Silvanus Launches on GameFound

Enter a mystical land, powered by elemental crystals and the might of sacred beasts. In The Realm of Silvanus, players take on the role of explorers chosen by Silvanus to restore harmony, gathering animal allies and channeling crystal energy to rebuild the Three Temples of Power: Jade, Emerald, and Diamond. The Realm of Silvanus combines strategic board movement, card collection, and resource management. On each turn, players roll the dice to travel across the forest board, drawing Animal, Crystal, or Surprise cards depending on where they land. Animals inhabit your temples, while crystals enhance their strength and value. Surprise cards introduce unpredictable twists: blessings, curses, or clever opportunities to outsmart your rivals.

Balancing luck, planning, and timing leads to victory. The goal of The Realm of Silvanus is to complete all three temples or reach the end of the board, while earning the highest total points from your animal allies, crystal upgrades, and bonus rewards. Each decision (whether to advance swiftly or carefully fortify your temples) shapes your destiny in the realm.

Thank you to The Realm of Silvanus production team for the description. I have more than a few reservations about this board game, but I’ll discuss those in a minute. First, let’s talk about what I like about The Realm of Silvanus. Everything on the left two-thirds (in the above picture) I like. The artwork looks cool. I don’t yet know how filling in all 3 Temples works, but I’m down with Temples holding various powers. I also like the two ways The Realm of Silvanus can end: finish the three temples or reach the end of the Game Board. This is a GameFound preview, so I don’t have all the details for The Realm of Silvanus, but if I’m reading the description properly, it looks like one player could trigger the end game, and another player can win if they have the most points. If so, that’s dope.

But I have reservations. The Realm of Silvanus is the company’s first game. Not always a deal breaker. I like giving new designers and publishers a chance. The company is also named The Realm of Silvanus. Not the best move. If gamers don’t resonate with the first game a publisher produces, you don’t want your company’s name sharing that game’s name. It’d be difficult to distance oneself from that game.

And The Realm of Silvanus uses a roll, spin, and move mechanism for advancement on its Game Board. I don’t know how The Realm of Silvanus plans to use the roll, spin, and move mechanism. It sounds like the board can affect which cards or events occur and can trigger the endgame. If so, great. Roll, spin, and move isn’t inherently bad. Last year’s Magical Athlete and this year’s DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum are great examples of modern roll, spin, and move variants. Just don’t be another version of Monopoly. We’ve moved past that version of roll, spin, and move. I’m interested to see what updates The Realm of Silvanus shares in the coming days. If you’re interested in The Realm of Silvanus, check out its GameFound page.

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb Launches on GameFound

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb is a single-page, Print & Play, Roll & Write dungeon crawl inspired by classic D&D maps. Draw polyomino shapes to map a new dungeon every game. Uncover treasure in the form of coins, keys, and magic items. Face deadly guardians, like oozes, skeletons, zombies, golems, mimics, and the Mummy itself. Plan carefully, because defeating it is not for the faint of heart. Are you up for the challenge?

The game is played over the course of 20 rounds. At the end of the 20th round, all players tally up their fame points, and whoever has the most wins. If you’re playing solo, you’re trying to set the most points possible or Beat Your Own Score. There are also achievements that can be completed in both solo and multiplayer modes.

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb offers a low-cost entry point for a Roll & Write dungeon crawl. I’m assuming Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb will not cost much because it’s a Print & Play. For those who don’t know what a Print & Play is, its name says it all. Players download a file and print off a copy of the game. The copy of Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb pictured above is also laminated, so one can use a dry-erase marker. That’s clever. I may have to try this.

I love Roll & Writes (a game type popularized by Yahtzee), and there are plenty of Roll & Write Dungeon Crawlers out there, like Paper Dungeons. Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb can offer someone a chance to test out whether they like Roll & Write Dungeon Crawlers before purchasing a more expensive game that will take up space on one’s shelf. I can’t be the only one who’s running out of room in my gaming shelf system. I may prefer Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb because it’s easier to store.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando Releases

Pick a character and team up with three friends, ‘cause it’s time to save the world. Experience intense FPS action as you obliterate hordes of terrifying monsters! You may not be on the best team of mercenaries, but you are a Toxic Commando!

John Carpenter throws his hat into the video game ring. That’s reason enough to check out John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. But is it any good? Toxic Commando–we’ll refer to the game as Toxic Commando going forward–can be an enjoyable experience with a couple of friends. The game doesn’t kid when it says you’ll fight a horde of terrifying monsters. Zombies. The terrifying monsters are zombies or zombie-like. Emphasis on horde.

Look at all those monsters above. Yikes! From what I’ve heard, Toxic Commando is a competent first-person shooter you can play with three friends. This isn’t bad for an initial video game release for John Carpenter. But I have also heard that Toxic Commando doesn’t feel as great on console. In particular, the PS5 loses some of the scale a PC gives players. I interpret those statements (by other gamers and critics) to mean that consoles narrow the player’s field of vision, so most of what you can see are the handful of zombies–I mean, monsters–in front of your face. Toxic Commando also offers fun set pieces like tanks and other vehicles. I can be fun, mowing over these monsters, and Toxic Commando offers RPG-like looting.

The looting can add to the game’s survival elements. But I’ve also heard that while thematic, the looting can become tedious. Still, Toxic Commando sounds like it’s worth it on PC, and if it goes on sale, it could be worth a flyer on console. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Solasta II Enters Early Access

In a Mana-infused land, a dark force led by the enigmatic Shadwyn threatens Neokos. Bring your party of adventurers together across perilous realms in this Turn-Based Tactical RPG based on the SRD 5.2 (the most recent Dungeons & Dragons release, which is actually 5.5 Edition) ruleset. You make the choices, dice decide your destiny.

The above description comes from Solasta II’s publisher, Tactical Adventures. I looked up SRD 5.2, so you wouldn’t have to do so. While Solasta II is a direct sequel to the first Solasta, it functions as a spiritual sequel to Baldur’s Gate 3. Gasp! I gasped for the folks who may have seen that last statement as blasphemy. Solasta II is another game I have yet to play. There actually is one that was released this week that I have played, but I’m saving it for last. The game has received good to great reviews, and that’s no small feat for a game in early access.

Solasta II looks pretty good. I can’t speak to the game’s story, but I have seen the character creation system. I can’t believe you can custom-make all of your starting party members. What? And designing your characters can get in detail.

It’s a small thing, but someone in my family loves creating characters, and the ability to create more than one in a single game will have them stoked. Solasta II has done well this past week. We’ll have to see if it has staying power to survive early access. So many video games leave early access or can spend near a decade mired in “early access.” Fingers crossed that Solasta II makes it to the other side and gets a full launch. Since Solasta II is in early access, it’s only available on PC.

Collector’s Cove Releases

All aboard! Collector’s Cove is a cozy farming adventure on the high seas. Sail with your animal friend to uncharted waters, cultivate your floating farm, and discover new islands, crops and fish on your quest to become a Named Collector!

Collector’s Cove sets Harvest Moon on the seven seas. This cozy game carries the usual trappings of a farm and chill game. From what I’ve gleaned from reviews, the gameplay loop resembles many others of this game type and is easy to pick up. I like cute farming sims. I’ve played Fae Farm, plenty from the Harvest Moon series, Kitaria Fables, and of course, Stardew Valley. So, Collector’s Cove is on my radar.

Like a lot of games in this genre, you’ll have plenty of missions (or quests) to progress the story, unlocking new abilities. Collector’s Cove offers a hodgepodge of game types (fishing, farming, sailing, decorating one’s quarters, and crafting). None of the individual activities is difficult to comprehend, because they can’t be. That’s not the point of these games. I wouldn’t mind floating on the ocean, exploring new islands (kind of like Animal Crossing: New Horizons), and sapping those islands dry for resources. Environmental conscience be darned.

The only odd thing I’ve seen (in other people’s reviews) is that Collector’s Cove has a limited cast of characters. You’ll mostly interact with your family. This doesn’t tarnish Collector’s Cove; it’s just odd. Most games like this have a robust cast of characters. But there must be a Harvest Moon release here or there that only includes a handful of NPCs. I can’t think of any. Still, I put Collector’s Cove on my wishlists, waiting for a sale. Collector’s Cove is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Releases

The third entry in the Monster Hunter Stories RPG series is here! Twin Rathalos, born in a twist of fate. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an RPG series set in the Monster Hunter world, where you can become a Rider, raising and bonding with your favorite monsters.

Yes! We finally reached the game I picked up this past week. I’ve only played Monster Hunter Stories 3 for around three hours–it was released a day and a half ago as I’m writing this–and I’m hooked. Monster Hunter Stories 3 is the first of this series I’ve played, so I can’t speak to how it rates against the previous two entries. The story is ridiculous. But that’s to be expected in the mainline Monster Hunter series. One doesn’t play Monster Hunter for its story. You play it for the titular monsters. And I love making monster besties, or monsties, in Monster Hunter Stories 3.

Most of the popular monsters in the Monster Hunter series make an appearance in Monster Hunter Stories 3. Heck, you begin the game with a Rathalos. The story overview (first paragraph in this write-up) mentions Twin Rathalos, and I’m certain the other Rathalos factors into Monster Hunter Stories 3’s storyline. Again, I couldn’t care less about the story. The voice acting is over-the-top. Characters sport the JRPG-styled mannerisms. And the ultimate attacks (for each of the monsters) play out like a summon spell in Final Fantasy VII, but at least you can skip the animation if it’s the one millionth time you’ve seen it. I like the shake-up the Monster Hunter Stories series gives the typical Monster Hunter gameplay formula.

Speed, Power, and Technique Attacks play out like a Rock-Paper-Scissors style of combat. Add this to an additional layer of elemental type (which also plays out like Rock-Paper-Scissors), and Monster Hunter Stories 3 prompts players to collect ’em all. You’ll need monsters with a Fire, Water, or Lightning (and others) element and each of the three attack types. This dual-layered game of Rock-Paper-Scissors adds plenty of complexity. And it’s fun collecting eggs and watching them hatch.

Did I mention you can ride your monsters? Flying on my Rathalos rules. But so does riding my Tobi-Kadachi up wall faces. Yes! I haven’t yet found (or built) a monster I can reliably ride on while they swim, but I’m working on it, and when that happens, I’m certain that’ll be a blast.

I’m enjoying my time with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection so far. Customization is fabulous. One can easily change their appearance at a Catavan. I’ve been trying as many looks as I can, and I’ve considered purchasing some of the DLC. It’s a Monster Hunter title, so there are plenty of paid cosmetics available. But there are also plenty of armors and weapons to craft. I still lack plenty of the ingredients (only five hours played), so I have countless hours of crafting ahead of me. Monster Hunter Stories trades the realistic and intimidating graphics of the mainline Monster Hunter games for a softer color palette and a younger demographic. And yet, Monster Hunter Stories is very much a Monster Hunter game. I may have to pick up the other titles in this series.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Those are all the new releases we have for this week. Which game sounds the most interesting to you? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? March 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading this past month, because we’re all a part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start things off with what I’ve been reading this past month.

Kyra’s Fiction

The Comedy of Errors was a welcome change after Titus Andronicus. Slapstick comedy, mistaken identity, The Comedy of Errors has it all. This is another one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays, and while the puns don’t always land (you’ve gotta love how language can change over almost half a millennium), the situational comedy of two sets of twin brothers habitually getting confused for one another bridges most eras.

It also helps that The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays. It didn’t take long to finish; I half wondered if my anthology (which is over a decade old at this point) might have missed or omitted a portion of the play. Nope. The Comedy of Errors was that short of a read. If you’d rather begin with a light-hearted tale of Shakespeare’s, you can’t go wrong with The Comedy of Errors.

I also restarted Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings in audiobook format. I’ll mention it here and again in my next segment, but audiobooks totally count as reading a book. The only issue I’ve found is stopping an audiobook and then returning to it can be difficult. More difficult than physically reading the book. That’s why this past month wasn’t the first time I began reading The Way of Kings. But that may be my problem and not everyone’s issue.

The narration of The Way of Kings switches between Kate Reading and Michael Kramer. Both narrators are a joy to listen to and bring extra pizazz to the text. Kramer is a long-time narrator for Brandon Sanderson’s books. He also narrated the Mistborn series. And I like how Reading and Kramer narrated different characters in the novel. Excellent. This eased my getting into the characters’ heads. I don’t know which one of the two stories I enjoy more. Sanderson does a good job of making both protagonists’ storylines unique and a page-turner.

I like listening to audiobooks as I walk, and I’ve gotten in a lot of walking. Thank you, Brandon Sanderson.

Kyra’s Poetry

I’m sticking with Shakespeare this month and going with an unconventional way of consuming The Bard. During the pandemic (2020), Patrick Stewart self-taped himself reading each one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Here’s a link to Shakespeare Network’s playlist. I’ve heard Stewart has teamed up with a company to rerecord these with higher-quality audio, but I like Stewart’s original recordings. These recordings show Stewart in various rooms of his home and in his favorite reading spots. Simply magical.

Stewart’s performance elevates the sonnets. I love reading along with him, and typically, he gives some mild commentary with each poem. He even shares which sonnets are his favorites. Want to know? You’ll have to watch or listen. P.S. I count audiobooks as books I’ve read. People have shared stories long before they began writing them down. And listening to someone knowledgeable–and I would consider the Shakespearean-trained Sir Patrick Stewart knowledgeable of Shakespeare’s work–informs the listener of how the writer may have intended the written word to be perceived.

I could listen to Patrick Stewart for hours, and with this YouTube playlist, I can listen to Patrick Stewart for hours. Yay!

Kyra’s Nonfiction

I’ve been reading The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures and figured I’d read its companion piece, The Element Encyclopedia of Fairies. I always thought of fairies as predominantly a European invention, and they are for the most part. But this encyclopedia shares fantastic creatures from around the world. Creatures from East Asia tend to be my favorites. Which ones are yours? Let us know in the comments.

That’s all I have for this month. Our other writers don’t have entries for this month. Hopefully, we’ll hear from them soon. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.