iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Lindbergh @benlindbergh.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Reposted by Matt James

Gaming weeks don't get much busier or better than this: I Button Mashed with @matt-james.bsky.social and @steveahlman.bsky.social about Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, and Gears of War: E-Day. Spoiler: We liked them all. But which was our favorite? open.spotify.com/s/WDCBiCe

open.spotify.com

‘Star Wars: Galactic Racer,’ ‘Ace Combat 8,’ and ‘Gears of War: E-Day’ Reactions | Button Mash

The Ringer-Verse · Episode

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Whole soundtrack absolutely bangs

Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

IGOR SHESTERKIN GOAL! FINALLY!

Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Two of my favorite games of the past couple years. If you like figuring stuff out in a spooky setting you really can't do better than these two right here.

Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It’s nice to watch a man find peace 😂

Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Mike Tomlin would literally ghost NBC if someone showed him Pokemon Pokopia

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

They really should have a best of five series at least in the first round of the wnba playoffs but LIBERTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Liberty playing like they’re (rightfully) mad that none of them got to host SNL when they won

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I should get an extra win for winning my fantasy matchup while starting Drake Maye

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

TIL that Jaxson Dart’s brother is legally named Diesel Dart and is basically the NWO Dart brother

A photo of Diesel Dart posing in Utah gear

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Watching these early slate NFL games and the Liberty blowing out the Lynx on the road... I genuinely don't know why anyone bets on sports.

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Woke up today thinking about Method Man saying “Knicks in five” during halftime of game 4 of the NBA finals with the Knicks down 27.

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The fuck are they still writing?!? This game was announced in 2008 and then again in 2017!

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Matt James @matt-james.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

New Button Mash with @benlindbergh.bsky.social and @steveahlman.bsky.social! We've finished Control Resonant and Silent Hill Townfall! We have impressions to share for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave! Find out which of these games I almost quit halfway through!

open.spotify.com

'Control Resonant,' 'Silent Hill: Townfall,' and 'Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave' Reactions | Button Mash

The Ringer-Verse · Episode

073

Reposted by Matt James

55. CONTROL Resonant You can't escape the feeling that Remedy had a tremendous amount of fun making this. This is a wildly ambitious, risky sequel. Its small failures (combat damage balance, mostly) are overshadowed by incredible environmental design, fascinating lore, and nuanced performances.

Dylan Faden attacks a mutated enemy in the streets of NYC

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It doesn't have the magic of CONTROL since there's less mystery to the world, but there's no shortage of brilliant oddities to discover, and the combat/traversal feel great. This is a game you'll think about a lot after finishing, and one packed with moments you'll want to talk about with friends.

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Anything you make of any value at XBOX will eventually be taken out of your hands.

We knew the layoffs were coming, as abhorrent as it is. I didn’t quite anticipate also stripping proud studios of their identities like this.

Jeff Grubb @grubb.wtf · 22/09/2026

Microsoft seems determined to kill the morale and momentum of every single studio they own.

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Reposted by Matt James

Draco and the Seven Scales rules

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One of my favorite games of the year! Just an absolutely perfect game boy game. And it runs on mid to high end android emulation handhelds through GameNative!

Draco running on a Retroid Pocket Classic

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Yeah in a single playthrough of Resonant, as far as weapons/abilities go, you get enough upgrades to max out one of each option you’re presented with. You can respec for a fee but it feels as though they intend for you to make choices and stick with them rather than bounce between weapons.

Every Matt Stafford pass is a "piss missile" in these neon yellow uniforms.

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I think anyone still harboring some embarrassment might feel a bit of a sea change when GTA 6 releases and becomes the biggest media release of all time. So I suppose the answer is just taking stock of the present demographics of video game players. It's all ages and all genders. It's mainstream.

Maybe he should opt to just get a year of Nintendo switch online with the expansion pass. Metroid Zero Mission and Metroid Fusion are both on that, along with a bunch of old Kirby games.

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Yeah, I mean there a lot more game in Pikmin 4 if he’s gotta make it all the way to the holidays. I don’t think I’d recommend MP 4. He might not get lost but he could get stuck or bored. I’m actually really looking forward to Minecraft Legends 2, he might want to hold off until those reviews drop.

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Alien Iso is way scarier, there are some very tense sections of Townfall but some entire sections are borderline boring.

I was really high on f. I think f is a much more even game with worse puzzles. They’re pretty close for me. I loved the story and metaphors in both. The first person perspective and the rendering and detail of the town make Townfall feel very immersive. Townfall has higher highs and lower lows.

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I actually haven’t played Yoshi but I think Pikmin 4 eventually gets fairly complex for a 9yo. Even on Relaxed difficulty there are still ideas and concepts that might be a bit much?There is a bit of a co-op mode tho that will let you help out a bit. Pikmin if you’re gonna co-op, Yoshi if he’s solo.

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Also, fucking hell, what an incredible score this game has. Some of the best, most additive (without being distracting) music in recent memory.

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I truly hate touching gameplay sliders in any game but do completely recommend upping the damage to 150 from 100. It’s also possible that the builds are wildly different in damage output? Im guessing that since this playstyle is outside of Remedy’s wheelhouse they just never got the balance right.

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It’s wild that this game starts giving you guns and answers around the same time halfway through. The first half of this game was such a chore for me. The second half flew by and the story was absolutely worth it all.

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Reposted by Matt James

54. Silent Hill: Townfall I can’t remember a game I’ve had more of a shift of opinion on from the midway point to the end. After the stunning opening until the midway point, Townfall gave me very little. Tons of questions, no answers, and antiquated gameplay.

Simon sits in the town square of St. Amelia, checking his CRT device while surrounded by protest signs

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Silent Hill: Townfall is absolutely worth your time if you have an interest in video games as a storytelling medium. Townfall is a game I’ll remember fondly long after I forget about its gameplay.

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