Gen V - Season 2 (2025)

The second season of the spin-off from The Boys, is eight episodes long. This season takes place after the fourth season of The Boys (in fact, characters from this show made a cameo appearance there). So you’ve definitely need to have kept up with both shows to fully appreciate this season. The two shows ties together even more given that characters from The Boys makes frequent appearances, and the events from that season do influence the current situation here.

Unfortunately, the death of a key character in real life means that a character had to be retired. The way the story dealt with it at first is a bit confusing, but you will soon manage to piece it together. Basically, they had to explain the absence of Andre, and at least in the earlier parts of the season, his absence takes a heavy toll on all the characters.

The spin-off is still anchored at Godolkin University, a place of learning for super-abled people. However, due to the current situation, it’s basically come a stand in for racists, where the super-abled are rebelling against the “humans”. It’s a sad state of affairs, but also somewhat ironic at times given that the super-abled are physically superior given their powers. The plot is still central on the main characters Marie, Emma and Jordan, while supported by Cate and Sam. Andre’s father basically replaces Andre.

Given the events of the previous season, you would have thought all the characters are basically screwed. However, they were all readmitted back into Godolkin University without much consequences, which somewhat ruined the whole point of their actions. Despite what the characters had done in the past, they’re given somewhat free reins to keep investigating.

Unfortunately, the general beats of the season follows a similar routine. We’ve seen this type of structure already in the first season, so it can be repetitive. The season starts off with the characters being wary of each other and having their loyalties tested, which is expected given what they had to go through. Yet this happens again and again. Characters who were enemies now become allies again. They develop romantic feelings only for it to be ripped apart. It’s not that it’s a bad thing but because it is done multiple times over the season, it feels superficial.

We know Marie is an important character, but we never learnt why. It comes more to the forefront now, as the characters discover the secrets behind Godolkin University, and what it is hiding. It’s nothing momentous, but does have more far reaching consequences to the wider The Boys universe than you would expect. This isn’t just some throwaway far off spin-off, it looks like it should have real impact to the mainline series as well.

The season continues with the dark and depressing view of the world. It magnifies and makes fun of the current situation of the real world, but at the same time, it also shows how broken it all is. It feels unfair and there isn’t any glimpse of hope or light to help break the cycle. Characters can be just cruel and harsh towards each other for their own selfish reasons. Each character has something broken in them, and while real life isn’t perfect, this is still an overly bleak representation.

There was a clear build up towards the big reveal at the end of the season. To be honest, the season did a pretty good job at creating some mysteries and foreshadowing, so when the reveal happened, it worked and made sense. You’ll come to the realization of the meaning and small touches of previous events. Although you might think that the show might bleed into another season, it does satisfyingly wrap things up (even if it is a bit too quick and easy, considering the amount of time it took to get here), while also effectively merging the two casts of Gen V and The Boys, for the final season of The Boys.

Overall, the second season of Gen V was a good watch. It keeps up the quality of the first season. While at times, the constantly changing loyalties was annoying, as well as the overly bleak and dark nature of the show, the pacing kept the ball rolling. The subsequent resolution, and the way it wraps the spin-off into the mainline show were nice touches that was done well.

---------------------------------------------

For other reviews, have a look at this page and this page.

Support this blog by purchasing from Amazon using this affiliate link.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Toy Review: Transformers Authentics Megatron (Prime Changer)

Review:  #943

Name:  Megatron

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Decepticon

Line:  Authentics

Year of Release:  2026

Size Class: Prime Changer (Wave 2)

Mold Status:  new

TANK MODE:

Surprisingly, as part of the Authentics line, which are usually very simplistic new molds or are redecos of previous molds, Megatron is a brand new more complicated mode.

Megatron, as is usual for all versions based upon his G1 design, transforms into a grey tank.

Being in the Prime Changer size class, Megatron is approximately Deluxe sized.

Megatron's accessories can peg to the side and back of the tank as a way to store in this mode.

Despite the simpler and cheaper price point, Megatron actually has some decent detailing, such as the small painted missile pods on the sides.

The treads don't work, rather there are small plastic wheels underneath to allow him to roll on smooth surfaces.  The turret doesn't rotate either, and the cannon is fixed.

This figure is full of surprises, from the new mold to the detail, apart from a gappy back (of which a lot of contemporary toys are guilty of already), this is actually a really good tank mode.

TRANSFORMATION:

Transformation is also another surprise, since Megatron has a transformation scheme that's not too easy but also not too hard.  It has some interesting aspects such as how the legs are folded together from the sides of the tank.  The turret splits to form the arms, so that's more of a conventional design.

ROBOT MODE:

Robot mode looks great, the only piece of visible kibble are the panels on the sides of the legs, but they sit fairly flush against the legs so it's not too bad.

From the back, it's even more impressive at how clean this robot mode is, Megatron barely has any kibble.

The head sculpt is classic Megatron, looking good, albeit little bit slimmer than usual.

Articulation is decent as well, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles.

He comes with two accessories, a fire blast effect, and a mace.  Both of which are cast in rubbery transparent purple plastic.

The fire blast effect can attach to the end of his arm cannon.

While his can hold the mace weapon in his hand, although since it's a soft rubbery plastic, it doesn't feel that good.

His hands are covered by panels, making them a little bit bulkier than it should, that's about the only flaw of this figure.

The feet is also somewhat flat, but it's nitpicking at this point.

The fire blast effect can also attach to the back of the cannon... if you want to.  The other way to use the mace is to attach it to the outside of his forearm.  Both looks kind of weird this way.

The figure continues to surprise, and the robot mode is very good for what it is worth.

OVERALL:

You see Authentics and you expect cheap and poor quality hollowed figures that's not even worth the plastic.  Yet this Megatron defies those expectations.  It has a very good tank mode and a very respectable robot mode.  It's a fun figure that's perfectly balanced in terms of difficulty and fun.  Megatron can actually hold a candle against some of the Generations and Studio Series figures.

-----------------------------------------------------------

For other Transformers reviews, have a look at this page and this page.

Support this blog by purchasing from Amazon using this affiliate link.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Tetris Effect (PS4)

Tetris Effect is another release of the classic game Tetris, but of course, it will put its own spin into things. At its core, it is Tetris, and controls exactly like you would expect. The gameplay involves falling tetrominoes, which you can rotate, soft drop and hard drop onto the bottom. The aim is to clear lines, which are only cleared if there are no gaps within that row. It’s a simple premise, but one that persists as being incredible addictive and surprisingly complex in its strategies to this day.

The game has heaps of single player content, with the main single player mode being Journey. This is like the “story mode” of the game, although there isn’t a story to go along with it. In this mode, you will play through various stages, and each stage has the objective of clearing 30 lines. The mode is comprised of 30 stages, and each stage has a different background, so aesthetically, each stage in this mode is different. It’s a short mode, depending on your skill level, it can be finished from an hour to two hours.

There are three different difficulties to pick from in Journey mode, and after each stage, you are ranked from E to SS, which is based upon your high score. Scores are awarded based on how you play, and this is where the complexities and depth of the game come in. There were ways to rotate the tetrominoes to slot it into places that may at first glance be impossible. If you clear lines back-to-back with each falling tetrominoes then there are bonus points. If you can clear the maximum number of lines at once (four), then that’s more points.

The game introduces a brand-new mechanic to Tetris, called Zone. A gauge will fill up as you play, and you can activate it at any time, which will stop the tetrominoes from falling. It affords you some time to get you out of a pinch, or if you’re good, you’ll just start hard dropping the tetrominoes like crazy to clear the lines and gain a ton of bonus points. It is a useful mechanic though and doesn’t feel shoehorned into the game. It helps during this mode since the stages like to rapidly increase the falling speed of the tetrominoes, rather than gradually like in normal Tetris games. It’s synced to the music, and so it creates this fantastic sensory experience.

The biggest draw of this new version of Tetris is the graphics. They are stunning, being bright and extremely sharp. It uses HDR to great effect, and this is a game to play to show off the capabilities of your OLED TV (or any other TV that has good HDR capabilities). Combined with the music where are synced with the falling speed of the tetrominoes, and it is unparallel in terms of immersion. The different themes of the stages are hit and miss though, since some can be too busy and distracting, detracting from the gameplay.

Apart from Journey, there are still heaps of other modes that you can play in single player, or if you’re keen, you can play multiplayer, whether that’s local or online. There’s still plenty enough in single player modes to get a lot of play value out of it. Marathon mode is your classic Tetris where you aim to clear 150 lines with the speed gradually increasing. There is also a version of the mode with the new Zone mechanic enables.

Purify mode has you try and clear lines with the infected blocks. They will appear at certain time intervals, gradually filling up the screen. The default has you trying to clear as many lines as possible in three minutes, but you can customize this with different difficulties and playing an “endless” version. Mystery mode is the spicy one, as random effects will come into play every so often. Most of these are annoying and have a negative effect such as playing with the UI upside down, appearance of unorthodox tetrominoes, big tetrominoes appearing and garbage tetrominoes. It can be quite interesting but often it is more bother than its worth as there will always be an effect that you’d hate.

Ultra mode is also like classic Tetris, where you aim to get the best score within three minutes of play. Sprint mode has you clearing 40 lines as fast as possible. Master mode is Tetris at the higher speed. It’s a frantic mode, as effectively the tetrominoes drop immediately and you need to think fast and preplan multiple steps ahead, otherwise you’ll get overwhelmed. Class Score Attack mode is classic Tetris, as in, the original game’s rules, so there are no holds and no hard drops. It’s also shown in classic retro graphics and does feel very different to the Tetris we know today.

Chill Marathon mode is basically Marathon mode but there is no game over. If the tetrominoes fill up to the top of the screen, then the field is cleared and you can keep going. However, it’ll retain the speed, and you’ll still have to clear 150 lines. Quick Play mode is the most customizable mode, as you can choose the level design, how many lines to clear etc. There are also three Playlists modes, these are centered around the same theme across four stages each. The speed remains constant and the aim is just to finish with as high a score as you can.

All Clear mode is like a fast puzzle mode, where it presents a predetermined scenario and the aim is to clear all the pieces using the limited tetrominoes provided to you. It’s short at three minutes but fast paced. Combo mode also uses predetermined sets, but instead you aim for the highest combo of consecutive line clears. Target mode has you trying to clear a specific block, by clearing that certain line. And finally, Countdown mode is another one of those odder modes, where I-shaped tetrominoes will periodically fall. There’s a shadow to show here they are going to fall down, and you’ll have to accommodate that.

Every game that you clear (or fail), will earn you experience points, since there’s a separate player level. Therefore, you will always feel that you’ve achieved something and managed to progress. Although the player level isn’t really anything substantial, as there are no awesome unlocks of perks, but watching the number go up is nice, nonetheless. The game also got a pretty substantial free update, being the “Connected” update, which added a decent amount of content (already covered above).

Overall, Tetris Effect is one of the best Tetris releases, as it provides so much more than just the basic Tetris experience. The graphics are beautiful and adds a lot to the feel of the game. It’s like a zen experience yet fast paced at the same time. The game has plenty of content to go through, and you’re bound to find a mode that you’ll enjoy. The game has the addictive nature of playing “one more game”, and before you know it, a few hours would have passed.

-----------------------------------------------

For other game reviews, have a look at this page and this page.

Support this blog by purchasing from Amazon using this affiliate link.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Toy Review: Transformers Age of the Primes Brawl (Voyager)

Review:  #942

Name:  Brawl

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Decepticon

Line:  Age of the Primes

Year of Release:  2026

Size Class: Voyager (Wave 4)

Mold Status:  new

TANK MODE:

Brawl, a new rendition of the G1 Combaticon, transforms into a tank.

This is a solid tank mode, not only looking solid, but feeling quite solid as well.

While sold as a Voyager, he doesn't quite reach that mass, or even complexity, which is slightly disappointing.  He's very compact as you'd expect of a contemporary Transformer.

The turret cannot rotate, but it can lift up.

He has small plastic wheels at the bottom to allow him to roll on a flat surface.

Brawl is heavily armed, in addition to the cannon, he has three additional guns from robot mode that can attach for some extra firepower.

It's a tank, and it works well as tank, but it's also a bit bland and uninspiring.

TRANSFORMATION:

Transformation is a slight step above Deluxes, so at least he justifies the higher price point a bit more.  The sides detach and fold together to form the legs.  While we have seen this type of transformation before, it's still fun and impressive here.  The rest is not as interesting, with the front forming the torso, and parts of the sides the arms and shoulders.

ROBOT MODE:

Brawl's robot mode is like tank mode, in that it's functional and there aren't any flaws, but just uninspired and nothing really catches your eye or impresses you.

He has the turret on his back and it's basically the only kibble that he has.

The head sculpt is nice, and unmistakably brawl.  The orange highlights are interesting though.

In robot mode, it's more obvious how much closer in size he is to a Deluxe.  You can't help but feel that Hasbro overcharged, as while he is more complicated and well built compared to a Deluxe, he doesn't quite reach the Voyager level of expectations.

Articulation is as good as you'd expect of recent figures, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles.

As mentioned, he comes with three additional guns, which is a lot of extra weaponry.

The smaller gun can be held in his arm, or attached to the 5mm port on his forearm.

While the two bigger cannons peg onto the turret on his back to act as shoulder cannons, which is a pretty sweet placement.

For storage, all the guns can attach onto his turret backpack.

Despite being a relatively simple toy, for some reason, the Combaticons are flawed.  Due to his arms being folded halves of part of sides of the tank mode, they appear to be too thin and out of proportion.

It's not the end of the world, but doesn't quite complete the bulkier / buff look that you'd expect of the character.

Brawl has a decent, if uninspired, robot mode.

OVERALL:

As a standalone, it is tough to recommend Brawl unless you really like the design or character.  As a part of the Combaticons, he is essential.  It could have been a lot worse, and to be honest, the figure doesn't appear to be much compromised due to being part of a combiner, but at the same time, with all the advancements design over the years (almost ten years since the Combiner Wars version!), you would have expected something that's leaps and bounds better too.

-----------------------------------------------------------

For other Transformers reviews, have a look at this page and this page.

Support this blog by purchasing from Amazon using this affiliate link.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)