Hazbin Hotel (2024)

Hazbin Hotel is an animated musical comedy for adults. The season is eight episodes long. There was a pilot episode a few years ago and it is probably best if that was also watched in preparation before this season. This is because this is a straight continuation, even though it is easy enough to follow what the plot is doing without it, it’s just easier. The show has an interesting premise, being set in Hell. Every year, there is an extermination event in which the angels of Heaven come to massacre the inhabitants of Hell, due to its overpopulation and so it can never rise up against Heaven.

It paints Heaven is not such a great light, even though Hell isn’t much better since we see from the inhabitants that they are all monsters and usually have evil personalities. Amongst it all is Charlie, the princess of Hell (whose father is Lucifer). She’s the good egg of the bunch and she has it in her mind a plan to reduce the overpopulation problem. She created a hotel, the Hazbin Hotel, to try and rehabilitate demons so that they can eventually get out of Hell and into Heaven.

Charlie has an uphill battle. Not only do the angels reject that plan (and the angels are gleeful in their murdering spree) but not even the demons are keen. Charlie doesn’t give up though and she’ll take in one guest at a time. The show has great animation, and of course, being a musical, it makes or breaks with the songs. Thankfully, the songs can be catchy.

The show is aimed at adults with the amount of swearing and explicit sexual references. Although, thankfully it isn’t overdone, and the jokes are often funny and work well. There is a secondary plot happening at the same time, and that is other powerful demons working in their own ways on how to stop the angel extermination. The show doesn’t exaggerate or excessively dramatize big revelations.

As the season goes on, it explores issues with several of the guests. Thankfully it doesn’t take an episodic approach to it and focus on one character per episode. An episode may have a look at several characters at once and continues in the next episode. Before you know it, you start to have an attachment to those characters. This was evident by the middle of the season where there was a good song exploring Charlie’s father issues. It was impressive that Lucifer was initially introduced as someone that you may not take seriously but manages to turn that around to something you understand and empathize with.

The season continues to build up with the threat of the extermination deadline that’s looming closer and closer, along with Charlie’s more and more desperate attempts to get the hotel going. This comes to a head in a great episode that reveals that Heaven and its participants isn’t as high and mighty as they might have seem. As their singing says, it’s various shades of grey and the differences between the residents of Heaven and Hell can be strikingly similar at times.

The final episode was one full of action. You’ll spend the whole episode waiting for that big “wham!” moment, where maybe Adam or Alastor may not have been what they seem. Alas, Adam was just what he had always been, the villain of the show without more depth than just being a hate sink. The end of the season provides a lot of opportunities for the direction that a second season could go, and while predictable, it leaves you eager for more.

Overall, Hazbin Hotel is a fun show to watch. The animation style looks fantastic and suits the tone that the show was going for. The musical part is also another unique point, although some episodes are weak with its songs and lyrics. The second half of the season ramps it up by focusing on the extermination aspect and how Charlie will deal with it, providing a lot more insight into how even Heaven can be a broken mess.

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Toy Review: Transformers Generations Legacy United Vector Prime (Voyager)

Review:  #816

Name:  Vector Prime

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Autobot

Line:  Generations - Legacy: United

Year of Release:  2024

Size Class:  Voyager (Wave 3)

Mold Status:  retool of Legacy Jhiaxus

ALTERNATE MODE:

Based upon his appearance in the Cybertron cartoon, Vector Prime transforms into a spaceship.

This is fairly faithful to the original design, although the proportions are tweaked (not helped by that this mold is a retool rather than being brand new).  At least he looks very decent.

He is decent in size compared to other Voyagers.

Like the original though, there is a fair bit of undercarriage kibble, mainly being his robot arms.

He comes with a mini Cybertron Key, although it doesn't activate any gimmicks.  The key can be stored on top of the ship.  While his robot sword on the side.

There is a lot of intricate sculpting, and the metallic paint used makes him fairly nice and a good call-back to the original toy.

While not perfect, this is still a great alternate mode.

TRANSFORMATION:

The original had a simple transformation and this new version doesn't complicate things too much either.  The back unfolds to become the legs, the arms from underneath.  The front this time away into his torso.  It's a boring but functional transformation scheme.

ROBOT MODE:

Despite sharing the legs, arms and part of the torso with Jhiaxus, this remold did a fantastic job of still making the figure looking like Vector Prime.  Although some more iconic elements such as his forearm guards are gone.

He carries kibble on his back, being the solar panel wings from alternate mode.  They're supposed to be a cape of sorts but it is very inelegant.  His back does feel like a mess.

The head sculpt is great, and the metallic teal used is really nice.

In robot mode, he is once again decent in size.

For articulation, he has joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, waist, hips, knees and ankles.  He has very good articulation.

He comes with the Cybertron Key as mentioned, but also a sword.  Both are made from transparent plastic.

The key can peg onto his chest, as a call-back to the lights and sounds gimmick of the original toy.

Otherwise you can store the key on his back, out of the way.

Finally, he can hold the sword in either hand.  You open and close the hand to put the sword in.

The sword can also store on his back.

There are a few other 5mm ports around him, so he can use the sword in various ways.

Some longer heelspurs would be amiss, but he's still okay and stable most of the time.

This is a nice update to a character that was important to the Cybertron cartoon.

OVERALL:

Vector Prime as a standalone figure is solid, and as an update to the Cybertron character, is also solid.  He loses some gimmicks compared to the original but he gains a lot of articulation.  Despite being a retool, he has enough new parts to do the character some justice.

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a continuation of the Future series from the PS3, rather than a remake like the previous game on the PS4. Ratchet and Clank returns in familiar frantic gameplay, with a humorous story filled with innuendoes. It is also one of the first games to make full use of the PS5’s often touted SSD, with speedy load times that’s utilized to great effect during gameplay where Ratchet can be instantly warped between completely different environments.

The plot has Ratchet and Clank being celebrated as heroes. Clank presents Ratchet the dimensionator, so that they can use it to explore the different dimensions and hopefully find more Lombaxes. Naturally, Dr Nefarious appears and after some struggle, the dimensionator malfunctions sand Ratchet and Clank are plucked and deposited in another dimension where Nefarious wins. They then need to try to find a way to return to their dimension.

Insomniac was always great as graphics, but this game is on yet another level. Given the multitude of colors used, the graphics really pop, and you’re given several different options such as high framerate, or high fidelity. The gameplay is also very familiar. This is primarily a third person shooter, with Ratchet being able to obtain and wield a host of different weapons. These weapons are imaginative and fun, and every one is a joy to use. Helping to make it more addictive are the light RPG elements, where each weapon can be leveled up with use, and be upgraded.

Platforming is another focus area. Ratchet is nimble, being able to run, jump, climb and wall dashing. Adding to those abilities is Clank, allowing the pair to glide and travel extremely fast using hoverboots. The new gimmick for this game is the rift tether, which is just a fancier version of a rope gun. You can tether to predetermined spots and instantly get there, but the effect is a little bit disorientating at first.

Exploration is a big factor as Ratchet, and later, the other character Rivet, who plays exactly the same as Ratchet, explores the many different plants on offer. There will be story events on each planet, but that usually only uses up a small portion of the environment. You’re then given the freedom to roam around finding secrets, things to collect, and enemies to blast away. Hitting boxes and killing enemies gives you bolts, which is used as the currency of the game. The ching of the bolts as Ratchet collects them still makes it as addictive as ever.

The alternating character viewpoints doesn’t feel forced and doesn’t significant affect gameplay. Weapons, upgrades, levels and everything else is synced between the two. Even though Rivet and Clank is paired up, Ratchet will still be able to hover while jumping, or burst forward when the hover boots are available. This is a great decision because otherwise it would have been frustrating. As a rule of thumb, each planet is dedicated to one of the characters.

The game feels super polished thanks to the fantastic graphics, and the insanely short load times, it’s genuinely impressive. There aren’t any major bugs, although Ratchet can stumble like he’s falling when you’re trying to climb things from time to time. There are also some little things such as having to constantly open the maps to locate collectibles, and the last of fast travel within a planet.

As expected, things can get chaotic when there are a lot of enemies about, and you’re stuck in an enclosed area. That said, it is more satisfying when there are a lot more enemies, and the enemy density feels like it could be increased. The difficulty is nicely balanced, maybe on the easier side if you are a gaming veteran but the main point is that the game does not get frustrating on its default difficulty. Dying only respawns you to the last checkpoint, which isn’t usually that far back.

While the planets do feel that they are large, you end up returning to those planets often. The story takes you back to each planet multiple times, and while it is different each time, you can’t help but feel the game recycles a lot of content, including the enemies. There are not that many different enemies, but thankfully the gameplay is fun enough for you to overlook that. Similarly, the world doesn’t hide too many secrets, so it does not take long to find everything that there is. Although if you have played previous games, the weapons feel a tad bit too familiar and several weapons have way too similar effects to each other.

The story is simple in the end, which isn’t too surprising for the series, however, you play the game for the gameplay and experience the story for the puns and humor. The boss battles are fun, and the game takes around 12 to 15 hours to complete. After you beat the game, you can continue to explore and find everything, or you can play Challenge Mode, which is a new game plus of sorts. In it, the enemies are tougher, but you also carry over everything, and it unlocks new weapons and levels for those weapons.

Overall, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a sequel that’s full of fun. It’s fine for newcomers and returning players, with polished gameplay that has fast and frantic gunplay mixed with some light platforming. The impressive graphics coupled with the colorful aesthetics really make the game pop on your screen. The humor in the story is on point, and all in all, this is a fantastic game.

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Toy Review: Transformers One Brave Commander Optimus Prime

Review:  #815

Name:  Brave Commander Optimus Prime

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Autobot

Line:  Transformers One

Year of Release:  2024

Size Class:  N/A

Mold Status:  new

PACKAGING:

Brave Commander Optimus Prime is similar to the Awakening Optimus Primal figure from Rise of the Beasts in that he is a bigger figure designed primarily for the Japanese market, and with a bunch of non-obtrusive gimmicks.

For its release outside Japan, it came in a black slipcover, which when you slip off will reveal the normal Japanese packaging.

It has a few nice callouts to its various gimmicks, but it is actually a very large box for the figure, there is a lot of empty space around it.

VEHICLE MODE:

Based off the Transformers One movie, Optimus transforms into a Cybertronian truck, and it is a new design and unlike most of the ones in previous incarnations.

That said, design is subjective, and the proportions can seem to be off.  The cab is narrower to allow the bulges on either side.  The rear is obviously the robot legs, more effort to tuck it away would have been nice.

A quick comparison with a Voyager figure will show that Optimus isn't particularly large.  He's about the contemporary Leader sized figures, rather than Commander size (which was what Awakening Optimus Primal was inching towards).

The robot weapon, which is just an axe, can attach to the side of the back for storage.

However, the other gimmick here is that there are springloaded cannons on side side that can flip forward.  While not official, you can also flip the side smokestacks forward so that he has four weapons pointing forward.

He has plastic wheels underneath that allows him to roll on flat surfaces.

Being a bigger figure, you can appreciate the additional amount of detailing in the sculpting, and the paint apps.  Yes, the grill and smokestacks are still an unpainted grey, but he doesn't feel too cheap, in fact, he feels a little bit more premium (or maybe that's just my imagination / hope).

A good vehicle mode, and one that doesn't have too many flaws.

TRANSFORMATION:

Transformation for a bigger figure is surprisingly simple.  It doesn't require complexity given the design.  However, he does not feel as solid as Awakening Optimus Primal, in fact, he feels a lot more flimsy, hollow and light, which is odd considering this is a blockier design.  Anyway, the back splits, folds out and down to form the robot legs.  The sides are the shoulders, where you can pull the arms out from underneath the (hollow) cab.  Then you fold most of the cab away on his back to review the chest and head.

ROBOT MODE:

Optimus's robot mode, just like the vehicle mode, is based upon the Optimus design of the movie, rather than Orion Pax.

The design has Optimus have long legs, and a shorter compact torso, which still looks a bit off if you look at him for too long.

The head sculpt is nice, and clearly Optimus.

In terms of size, above is a comparison against a Voyager and Leader, you can see that he is definitely taller than both.

A comparison with Awakening Optimus Primal and now Optimus is a bit shorter, and not as much mass.  He doesn't feel as nice and chunky as Awakening Optimus Primal, and that's a shame.

Now finally, a comparison with the smaller Deluxe Studio Series version, and to the Studio Series' credit, it doesn't feel like much was lost when shrunken down in size.

Optimus does have a jutting backpack, which is most of the cab in vehicle mode.

Articulation is great as you would expect, he has mainly hinged joints.  He has joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, wrist, fingers, waist, hips, knees and ankles.

The first gimmick here is that you can change the face to give him the faceplate-less Orion Pax figure.

It's pretty good, and works as you'd expect, which is flipping open the helmet, swivel the faces around, and close the helmet again.

The hands being able to open and close is a nice touch.

The second gimmick are the springloaded shoulder cannons.  You flip them over by pressing on a switch behind his shoulders, and they are very cool looking.

That said, this gimmick is the reason why his shoulders are huge, and the shoulder joints having an unorthodox design, whereby they are on a separate panel.

Thirdly, his chest can open (split into two panels) to reveal the Matrix of Leadership.

The Matrix is removable and can be held in his hands.

Finally, there is his Energon axe weapon, which plugs over his hand.

The axe can also store on his back when not in use.

This is a nice figure to play with due to his larger size and simplicity, so that you won't have bits and pieces moving everywhere whenever you hold  or pose him.

While he does have big feet, he doesn't have heelspurs and his feet are situated forward enough so that sometimes, he can keel over backwards.

Nevertheless, this is a strong robot mode, for play and display.

OVERALL:

Brave Commander Optimus Prime is one of those figures that brings back the simple joy of Transformers.  He has a simple transformation, but the larger size, blockier pieces, make for a fun toy.  Both modes are decent, and to be honest, the only biggest thing against him is that based on the previous like-for-like figure, Awakening Optimus Primal, he isn't as chunky or big (but is around similar pricing), so you'll have to adjust your expectations a little bit.

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