Aywren is upbeat on FFXIV Evercold, arguing the 4th reflection and broader shakeups have rekindled excitement after players long asked for real change.
Nimgimli absolutely adores Mixtape, a short, low-interactivity coming-of-age story whose mid-90s nostalgia, soundtrack, and trio of friends hit like a masterpiece.
Shintar hits legacy level 50 on every SWTOR server, then immediately sets sights on the next long-haul alt project: every class, every class story.
Ellie finds Outpacked less Unpacking and more logic puzzler, with sweet characters and tidy little suitcase challenges that sound cozy but brainy.
Tobold argues parasocial chat, from OnlyFans to AI companions, may solve what MMORPGs and virtual worlds never cracked: reliable, supportive social presence.
Michael highlights Marges Destimbats, a short FMV interactive documentary about olive terraces near Deltebre, and makes a strong case for more games this specific.
Andrew Plotkin finally gets an ID on a mysterious early-80s Toronto forest-fire simulator: a custom Ontario Science Centre machine with cellular-automata fire spread.
Brennan weighs the Hondius pneumonia case against COVID-era warning failures, stressing Andes virus isn’t airborne while questioning how much “low risk” should reassure anyone.
Roger sketches the UK local elections as a messy midterm test for Labour, with Reform UK, the Greens, and Bexley’s three-way fights looming large.
Warner’s weekly reading roundup ranges from The Baffler to AI populism and human writing, with a loose theme of how weird the frame has gotten.
Wilhelm says goodbye to Portland after one last 700-mile family haul on I-5, with Mount Shasta, Weed, and his daughter’s move to San Diego marking the end.
Dave Winer notes WordPress-to-Mastodon mirroring via ActivityPub preserves long text, styling, and links, which makes the open-web publishing flow look surprisingly solid.