Category Archives: Entertainment

Tech/Games

‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’

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By: Weston Halgunseth

Quick Verdict

For me ‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’ is a wonderfully written game that rewrites the modern id Software formula. By removing the fast and flying like feeling of the game ‘DOOM Eternal’, ‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’ gives us a tankier combat style. It gives a prequel that feels both new and familiar to the older games. For people like me that love action packed games, this game is a must play. If I had to rate it I’d give it a 9/10.

Introduction

When id Software gave us the ‘Doom’ story back in 2016 they taught us how to fight. In ‘DOOM Eternal’, they taught us how to fly. But in ‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’ they take us back to the very start of the story. Throwing us into a dark sci-fi fantasy prequel that tells us the story of the DOOM Slayer and his unfortunate line of fallen pets.

Stepping away from futuristic UAC facilities and neon-lit cities, ‘The Dark Ages’ drops players into a gritty metal infused medieval world that I was taken aback by a lot of the time. The Slayer is no longer just a fast-moving space marine, he is the embodiment of the ultimate weapon of the Sentinels. He battles through ruined castles, ancient forests, and eerie cosmic realms. The result is a crazy style change that fits the story into the franchise’s atmosphere but the visual differences from the previous games was very noticeable.

Combat & Gameplay

I think the biggest risk the developers at id Software had was the purposely slowing down of the game play and the Slayer. The double jumps and constant air dashes of previous games have been replaced with an intense sense of weight and power. You don’t just run around demons instead you ram right through them and tank their shots. In my opinion, this is a great shift they made that was the perfect amount of change they could have done.

The Shield Saw Revolution

One of the fan favorites, and my favorite weapon, was the new Shield Saw. It is worn on the Slayer’s left arm. It completely changes the rhythm of DOOMs combat. Instead of being close range you can be far and just throw your shield. For me, I loved this new weapon. It really helped with crowds of demons.

  • Perfect Parry: Timing a block against incoming attacks staggers enemies and leaves them open to devastating counterattacks which adds a feature that I loved to use a lot especially when fighting hordes.
  • Projectile Shredder: Revving up the shield and launching it into a crowd allows it to tear through lesser demons before snapping back to your arm made me feel like I was a more twisted version of Captain America.

A Medieval Arsenal

The new list of weapons I get to pick from perfectly matches the dark fantasy settings. While the iconic Loadout of the Slayer is good, this new one fits the theme perfectly. But they kept the super shotgun because what’s a Slayer game without a super shotgun. Some of my favorite new guns are the nail gun, and the steel ball launcher capable of breaking enemies armor easily which helped show that the DOOM Slayer’s presence is still there.

When the size of the war in ‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’ reaches the most chaotic part, the game almost becomes cinematic. We pilot an Atlan mech which can take out skyscraper sized demons, and as a fire breathing drake with cybernetic wings that can take down ships 20x its size. Playing as these things made it super fun to play and become the most memorable spots to game for me.

World Building and Visuals

‘The Dark Ages’ does a fantastic job filling in the gaps of DOOM’s mythology. Seeing the early days of the Slayer’s rage and diving deeper into Sentinel lore gives the campaign a weight that previous games only hinted at through codex entries and text logs giving me more of a complete understanding of the lore behind the Slayer and why he is so rage filled.

Visually, the game is stunning. Powered by the id Tech 8 engine ‘The Dark Ages’ is a beast in scale. Massive battlefields often feature hundreds of active combatants fighting in the distance while you tear through enemies in the foreground. On PS5 the performance remained smooth and consistent, maintaining a strong frame rate even during the most chaotic encounters.

Honoring a Legendary Trilogy

To truly appreciate ‘The Dark Ages’ you have to look at the giants whose shoulders it stands upon.

‘DOOM’ (2016) was a insane return to form that reminded players why first-person shooters are so exciting. It perfectly balanced straight push forward combat with relentless action and atmosphere which is what made me love this trilogy and was the first time I saw what Doom was.

Then came ‘DOOM Eternal’, a lightning fast game of combat chess that pushed my skill and reflexes to their limits through demanding movement, resource management, and precision which was a struggle at times for me.

Both games are widely regarded as masterpieces of the modern FPS genre.

Rather than trying to copy either game ‘The Dark Ages’ serves as the perfect third pillar. It blends the raw atmosphere of ‘DOOM’ (2016) with the mechanical depth of ‘DOOM Eternal’ while removing much of the divisive platforming. The result is a game that stands proudly beside its predecessors and completes a modern trilogy where each game offers its own way to play.

The Pros and Cons

Pros

  • The Shield Saw is a brilliant addition that makes parrying feel like a blessing especially in big bosses where I’d struggle in. 
  • The dark fantasy art direction is stunning and gives the series a fresh new look.
  • The soundtrack is an absolute powerhouse and perfectly complements the action. Being unlike the last games highly aggressive score this game is powerful instead.
  • The Atlan mech and mecha dragon parts give me  unforgettable moments.
  • The game has excellent world building that expands the DOOM universe in many ways giving me a lot to explore and endless hours of gameplay for me to play.
  • Cons
  • Fans of ‘DOOM Eternal’s’ fast airborne movement may find the heavier combat style jarring at first. I felt it at first but got used to it and started to love the game.
  • For me a few of the environmental traversal puzzles slightly slow down the pacing.
  • Some fan-favorite weapons are absent which disappointed me a bit even if the decision makes sense for the game’s direction.

Final Thoughts

‘DOOM: The Dark Ages’ proves that id Software isn’t afraid to take risks with its most iconic franchise. By taking away the Slayer’s speed and replacing it with armor, a shield and the unstoppable momentum of a juggernaut, the developers have created a prequel that stands firmly on its own.

It’s heavy, brutal and cinematic and most importantly, it’s a great addition to the DOOM series and a worthy chapter in one of gaming’s greatest modern trilogies; with me at least.

Travel/Food

Will beaches see more people?

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By: Simon Pluger

Main Beach on Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
August 2005 by: Ryanjcole via Wikimedia Commons

When summer finally arrives in Minnesota, everyone will know what to do: pack a bag and head to the beach in Minneapolis. We have several urban beaches such as Lake Bde Maka Ska, Lake Nokomis, and also Cedar Lake. All of these lakes offer a place to cool down when it is unbearably hot out with temperatures always fluctuating and sometimes breaking records across the state. One thing is for sure, beaches will be crowded, but will we actually see record swimmers this year or will it be another average summer?

If you think about it, hot weather means more crowded beaches of people wanting to escape the heat when the forecast is constantly in the high 80s and 90s. Staying inside with the air-conditioning feels nice but is sometimes very boring for people on summer break or for families looking for free activities to do, or anyone trying to cool off that wouldn’t have AC. The cities urban beaches are go to destinations.

However, predicting or even thinking about a record-breaking swimming season isn’t as easy as just looking at the forecast for the next week or two. For records to break, a lot of environmental science is also at play and the extreme heat just adds to it .

Even though hot weather draws people to the sandy beach, it also creates one of the most known problems in all of these urban lakes: toxic algae and bacteria. Minneapolis lakes are pretty, but they are also delicate ecosystems. When temperatures rise in the cities, there are often heavy summer rain storms which wash city pollution and other chemicals into the lakes. Nutrients like phosphorus overflow into the water and this mix of extreme heat and runoff can cause quick blooms of toxic algae.

We’ve already seen this happen with a lot of lakes in Minneapolis. The parks and recreation board has had to give out a ton of safety warnings and temporary closures to popular swimming areas, including around Lake Nokomis, due to water safety issues. If you swallow the water or even touch the water with the algae it can cause serious skin irritation, rashes, eye irritation, and severe stomach issues. So even if it’s hot out, and there’s one of these warnings, the beach’s swimmers will drop to zero.

Another key factor is that how many people work at these beaches? The city works really hard to keep everyone safe but hiring staff to be lifeguards has been a really big problem in the last couple of years because there’s been a big shortage of people wanting to work as lifeguards. This is because the beaches usually have to limit how many lifeguards they have, and sometimes they won’t have any making the beach closed, or swim at your own risk. This leads to large crowds gathering at just a few specific beaches because there are no lifeguards. 

My final verdict is that we will most likely see higher than average crowds relaxing on urban beaches this summer. People are eager to escape the heat, but this won’t mean that there will be more than average people swimming. If we get enough cool breaks throughout the summer, we will likely see more people swimming because there will be less algae in the water, but if the heat remains being up and staying up, this will cause more algae.  This will mean that people will be stuck on the sand and not in the water.

Tech/Games

‘Dying Light’: Review

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By: Amir Salaad

WARNING: This review talks about some major story parts and characters from the game and contains spoilers.

‘Dying Light’ is one of the best horror/zombie survival games I have ever played. The game was made by Techland and first released in January of 2015. Even though the game is over a decade old it still feels fun and exciting compared to other games that have been released recently.

The main way to get around the game movement wise is parkour although, you can unlock a grapple hook later on in the story. Dying Light mixes parkour, fighting, survival, and horror together in a really nice way. It keeps you interested, basically glued to the game the entire time you’re playing. Well, at least for me.

The setting of Dying Light takes place in a city called Harran after a zombie outbreak happens. You, the main character, play as a man named Kyle Crane. He works for the GRE as an agent and gets sent into the city to track down a colonel gone rogue named Suleiman who stole a file very important to the GRE. But the life he sees in front of him changes him and he starts to go against the GRE because they planned to weaponize the Harran virus and bomb the city once their intentions were revealed to the world.

The main campaign of this game is emotional, serious, and captivating at times. There are many characters Crane meets in the game, but my favorite character is Jade Aldemir. Jade is smart, brave, and very strong. She helps Crane with many things in the story and always tries to look out for him. That’s why it hurt when she sacrificed herself and gave the antizin to Crane instead of using it on herself near the end of the game.

One of the best things about the game is the movement system. You can run across the roofs of buildings, climb them, jump over walls, and swing around the city if you have the grappler hook. The parkour makes the game feel somewhat real as if you’re actually doing the parkour yourself. Even moving around when you’re not doing missions is fun and thrilling. I think this key part of the game makes it stick out from other games in the same genre.

The combat in this game is also top notch. At the start, your choice of weapons are not good: like pipes and planks. But later in the game, you can collect different things and craft new and better weapons like swords, electric bats, and strong hammers. Fighting zombies can go from almost impossible to really easy depending on your choice of weapons. Some are fast and strong while others are slow and weak. So, you might have to pick the right weapon for each type of zombie.

The scariest part of the game to me is during nighttime. During the day zombies are still dangerous but you’re able to make your way fairly easily enough. But at night, stronger zombies called Volatiles come out. They are faster, stronger, and can kill you in seconds compared to a normal zombie during the day. The game during the day compared to during the night is different. You run through the dark streets that are somewhat lit facing way stronger variants of zombies that chase you down. I like this aspect of the game because it gets your heart racing and induces fear.

The graphics are also really nice in this game even though it’s over a decade old. The detail in the city, how abandoned it feels, Techland really brought it to life. The sound effects are also amazing. Like the zombie growls, the music of the game, and background sounds of the city. All these combined together makes the feeling more intense.

Overall, ‘Dying Light’ is an amazing horror/zombie survival game with thrilling parkour, exciting combat, and a strong and emotionally heavy story that will keep you glued to your seat. Techland did a great job mixing all the action and horror together. Even after all the time the games been out, it is still worth playing to this day.

I would easily give ‘Dying Light’ a 9.1/10. It’s available on PC, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo.

Books/Art, Movies/TV/Theaters

Modern forms of Chakra for humans

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By: Ro’mel Bryant-Oliveraz

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is naruto_logo.svg_.png Naruto, is a completed Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and dreams to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all. The series is based on a one-shot comic by Kishimoto that was published in the August 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump.
By: Masashi Kishimoto via Wikimedia Commons

Ninshu

In ‘The Sage Of Six Paths’, Hagoromo, filtered his power in a way humans can use. He didn’t want them to use it for violence so he invented Ninshu. Ninshu is taking the Chakra of everyone that can use Chakra, and sharing it with each other. This allowed humans to connect spiritually and mentally fully without speaking. This was meant to be very peaceful. Since humans lie with words, Ninshu allowed people to connect using their spiritual and physical energy and share their whole lives by just feeling and with no words. Ninshu is more ancient but it’s how all the rest are based on.

Ninjutsu

Is a way to convert Chakra into physical things using specific hand motions to manipulate the Chakra into specific shapes. It’s the most common and versatile use of human Chakra. This system was discovered by Indra, one of Hagoromo’s sons. He discovered that the Chakra people use to connect through Ninshu, can also be molded into certain shapes to create a reaction. He discovered certain hand signs trigger certain reactions. He also discovered the first Chakra Transformations, Lightning and Fire.

Chakra Transformations

It is Ninjutsu, but certain Ninjutsu require certain Chakra transformations, which everyone has an affinity to specific ones. The Chakra Transformations are Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, and Earth. Everyone has a natural affinity towards one at birth, and can learn another through skill. The highest level ninjas, like Jonin, can usually use 2, but it’s possible to master more through sheer skill and knowledge.

In order to use for example, a fireball jutsu, you would want to have a natural affinity to the fire nature transformation. If your natural affinity was water, you could still learn fireball jutsu, but it’s much harder than for someone with natural affinity to fire. That applies to every jutsu that is specific to a transformation of Chakra.

Shape Transformation

While Chakra Transformations change the properties and elemental quality of Chakra, Shape Transformation focuses on manipulating the form, size, and movement of the Chakra. It molds the Chakra into specific physical manifestations without changing the elemental nature.

The most famous example of Shape Transformation is The Rasengan, created by Minato Namikaze. It is a ball of Chakra that is spinning in multiple conflicting directions at once at extreme speeds, giving it maximum chaos and tearing power. He also fully compressed that into a perfectly stable, compact sphere so it wouldn’t explode. Because it is a pure shape transformation any of the nature transformations can be integrated into it.

Taijutsu

Doesn’t require any coding with hand signs. Instead of projecting Chakra outside the body, you’re using it to enhance your body. You take your Chakra and instead of weaving it into a shape you are just expressing it on your body. This was likely discovered by Asura, the second one of Hagoromo’s sons, instinctively by doing physical labor and integrating Chakra in his body.

There are 8 Inner Gates on every human that try to limit the human body from using too much of its Chakra on its own body since your body will tear itself apart through overexertion. They can be bypassed if you know of them and through obscene physical training.

Genjutsu

Is taking the natural connection that Chakra has through Ninshu, and hacking that connection. Instead of connecting someone to “feel” them, you send your Chakra into their nervous system to override their Five Senses. For example, a basic genjutsu is making someone see you when you’re not there. You used the connection of getting into their brain, and corrupted it, making them see or feel things that aren’t real. This was discovered by Indra after purposefully corrupting his father’s Ninshu, it is the opposite of Ninshu.

Fuinjutsu

Is using Chakra to write complex formulas. That creates a logic gate that the universe has to follow. For example, being able to store massive objects in a tiny space. A common use is storage scrolls. A ninja writes a formula on the scroll, touch weapons, and the weapons are stored in the scroll. This usually requires a lot of Chakra control or quantity to handle complex formulas, or very very high IQ to condense those formulas to the minimum.

Senjutsu

Is not an invention of humans in any way. It is from the planet itself. Humans aren’t even the most native beings on earth, there are ancient Toads, Snakes, and Slugs that have lived for thousands of years. They can connect to nature energy much easier, since they have lived on earth much longer. For humans specifically, it’s adding another component to your Chakra rather than forming it. Instead of only the physical and spiritual energy to make Chakra, you also need to add Natural Energy, which creates Senjutsu Chakra. Though that is not easy at all, and very dangerous.

Earth energy is infinite compared to the Spiritual and Physical Energy in one person’s body, but you have to perfectly balance and only pull in the same amount of natural energy you need. It’s like trying to get a drop of water in a cup that you dip in an ocean. When a human is successfully able to integrate nature energy in their body they become much stronger, have enhanced senses, and can manipulate and feel the earth itself. When you achieve that state you are called a Sage.

Kekkei Genkai

Also known as Bloodline Limits, it is the ability to combine two Chakra Transformations to create something new. You cannot learn how to do this through skill or training alone, even if you mastered all nature transformations. You need to have a genetic mutation for the ability to do it.

Examples are Lava Release, being a fusion of fire and earth. There is also Magnet Release, being a fusion of wind and earth. As well as Boil Release, being the fusion of Fire and Water.

Dojutsu

Are also Kekkei Genkai. It is when a Kekkei Genkai manifests in the user’s eyes. The three Great Dojutsu belong to The Uchiha clan with the Sharingan, The Hyuga clan with the Byakugan, and a myth that nobody has really seen, wielded by The Sage of Six paths, called the Rinnegan.

The Sharingan

Allows the user to see Chakra flow, track high speed movement, and copy ninjutsu or taijutsu. The Sharingan has levels that unlock based on intense emotions like trauma. It starts as the first 3 tomoe stages, they all allow you to copy techniques, track movement, and cast genjutsu, getting better at the amount of tomoe.

The Uchiha also have The Mangekyo Sharingan, that unlocks when the Uchiha experiences the trauma of losing someone very close to them after having the tomoe Sharingan.

Upon activation the Mangekyo grants a unique ability. Examples are the Amaterasu that casts a black fire that can’t be put out, or Kamui that can teleport yourself or objects to a different dimension.

The Mangekyo also grants the Susano, which is a spectral avatar made of dense, pressurized Chakra. It surrounds the user like an indestructible suit of armor and moves perfectly in sync with their thoughts and actions. It’s the ultimate defense with its massive, near destructible, instinctive shield for the user. And also the ultimate offense because it is linked to the user’s thoughts and actions, and each Susano can manifest a unique weapon like swords, bows, shurikens or spears that can cut through anything almost.

The Susano only unlocks when the Mangekyo is present in both eyes. The drawback of the Mangekyo is that when you use it you go more and more blind, until you are fully blind.

The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan unlocks when two users of a Mangekyo Sharingan that are very closely related, put their eyes into the other’s eyes. The EMS grants the ability to use the Mangekyo Sharingan without going blind. It also grants the Perfect Susano, which makes the Susano mountain sized, and grants the most amount of armor and body.

The Byakugan

Grants near 360 degree vision, telescopic and x-ray vision, and the ability to see Chakra flow and target the Chakra pathway system in fine detail. With near 360 degree vision the user can see everything around them besides one tiny blind spot at the back of their neck. With telescopic and X-ray vision they can see through solid walls, smoke, and several kilometers away with mastery. With Chakra pathway perception they can see the entire Chakra network and the 361 Chakra points in people’s bodies. This allows them to target those points to cut off and specifically damage Chakra to shut down or overload a body.

The Rinnegan

It was only wielded by The Sage Of Six Paths, Hagoromo. A human can only awaken it by combining the Chakra of his two sons, Indra and Asura, who have reincarnations. The primary ability is the Six Paths Technique which grants 6 distinct, reality warping abilities. 1: is the Devam Path that grants control over gravity forces. 2: isThe Asura Path that mechanizes the user’s body into cybernetic armor and weapons. 3: is the Human Path that can rip out human souls to read their mind. 4: is The Animal Path that summons massive, immortal, mythological or distinct creatures. 5: is The Preta Path that can absorb any form of pure Chakra or ninjutsu. 6: is the Naraka Path that can summon the King of Hell to interrogate enemies or instantly heal damage.

Tech/Games

‘Dandy’s World’: Twisted Delilah theory

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By: Maple Graham

With the acceleration of content since the Twisted AI update, many are speculating what could be added next into ‘Dandy’s World’. The Toon of the Week events will admittedly take up a lot of the developer’s time, but those will be staggered to make up for other updates. The summer event is also speculated to happen this year, but it hasn’t been confirmed. What’s left is a decent chunk of time developers can use for other things, and fans have been wondering what could possibly be in store.

A fan theory—one that I have come to believe—has been circulating around: an upcoming Lethal variant of Delilah, a fictional co-founder of Gardenview and Dandy’s World. While not confirmed nor denied, there is still a myriad of possible evidence linking this theory to the game which I will be going over from the most to least trivial. If true, this would make her the first enemy in the game to not be a Toon, and the third Lethal.

Firstly, within her portrait, Delilah has ichor stains all over her clothes, and her skin is also mostly covered. She could be possibly hiding parts of herself corrupted by ichor, and therefore masking her symptoms. It is entirely possible that she gained powers from the ichor, making her the most powerful staff member within Gardenview. However, this could just be a byproduct of working extensively with the substance.

Secondly, there are many things around Gardenview that hint at another character lurking within the shadows of the game. There is various graffiti stating “find me” within various areas, and paired with footsteps that resemble a human’s: signifying some sort of hidden character is present; one that isn’t seen through the Toons. One of which is even located within a hidden office of Delilah’s, which can be inferred from past camera footage taken within that room.

The most glaring evidence (and the most obscured) is a hidden room within Shelly’s floor. During a blackout, when the lights go out, a single red light stays on in an adjoining room. It is elevated, almost like a lookout room. There’s no figure visible, but that light in that inaccessible room hints at another presence within the facility that is not yet known, Delilah or otherwise.

A piece of evidence I was going to leave out, but ultimately decided to keep: ‘Dandy’s World’s’ naming convention. Both Lethals in the game, those being Dyle and Dandy himself, both start with the letter “D.” Though this may seem like an excessive stretch at first, they are the only Toons that have this trait. This could be mirrored onto Delilah, however Devan, Dandy’s toon handler, seems to nullify this argument. Additionally, Delilah’s last name, Keen, is oddly parallel to the attention span mechanic within the game, but this could just be another coincidence.

Books/Art

Marjane Satrapi and the impact of ‘Persepolis’

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Image Credit Unsplash)

Who is Marjane Satrapi and what is the influence of the book ‘Persepolis’.

Marjane Satrapi was born on November 22nd, 1969, in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in the city of Tehran in an upper middle class family. In addition, her parents were both active leftists against the Shah monarchy. In 1983, at age 14, she fled Iran, moving in with a family friend in Vienna, Austria. She stayed in Vienna for the rest of her schooling, attending the Lycée Français de Vienne. After being evicted from the convent she was forced to move into, she became homeless and lived on the streets of Austria for 3 years. Satrapi decided to return home to Iran due to loneliness, deep depression, and a feeling like she did not belong in Europe.

When Satrapi was 30 years old, in the year 2000, she published an autobiographical memoir about her life, entitled ‘Persepolis’. The novel begins and follows a ten-year-old Marjane Satrapi navigating life following the Iranian revolution. ‘Persepolis’ is critically acclaimed, having been translated into over 24 languages, and selling over two million copies. The book was originally published in French, in France, but was later translated to English in 2003. 

‘Persepolis’ challenges Western views of Iranian people and the revolution, telling a coming of age story from the perspective of someone experiencing the revolution firsthand. The book was hated by the Iranian government, who viewed it as propaganda, supporting modern leftist movements. Still to this day, Marjane Satrapi is unable to return to Iran almost 30 years after ‘Persepolis’s’ publication. 

Just a few years after the book’s widespread success, in 2007, Marjane Satrapi directed and oversaw ‘Perepolis’s’ film adaptation. The film would later go on to share the Jury Prize with a Mexican film titled ‘Silent Light’ at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. However, the Iranian government would see this award as “an unconventional and unsuitable act,” and the government would later have the film dropped from the Bangkok International Film Festival, a major cinematic event that showcased over 200 films from over 40 different countries. 

I personally really enjoyed the book ‘Persepolis’, and I would highly recommend it. It is one of the most engaging graphic novels I have ever read with some of the most interesting artwork and structure. I could not put the book down, and it is one of my favorite books I have read so far in 2026. I would give this book a 9/10, and I believe everyone should read it at least once.