ACJayC

Ever since I first watched it back in 2024 (maybe 2023?), this has remained my favorite superhero movie of all time. I'm not really into the genre to begin with, but The Crow (1994) has the gothic style, mostly grounded approach, and soulful storytelling that I love.

It's not perfect - it's a tad bit cheesy at times and the fight scenes are a little rough around the edges - but everything else just hits. The gothic and alt-rock soundtrack, the art direction and atmosphere, Brandon Lee and Michael Wincott!

It's a movie I keep thinking about and coming back to, and it's definitely the best movie to watch on a cloudy/rainy day.

For a troubled series that has remained dormant for about a decade, this cinematic trailer makes a dramatic reintroduction to the world of ARMORED CORE.

It starts off suspenseful, setting the scene of an epic narrative with cryptic messages and a scorched land. Only for the From Software name drop to immediately raise expectations, especially after releasing the literal Game of the Year (Elden Ring). The trailer then explodes into exhilarating mecha action with an atmosphere that is dystopian and cinematic, but not too bombastic that it borders on anime silliness.

It's a beautifully rendered cinematic trailer with some stellar camerawork, first and foremost. But what really gets me is the scene setting and the ARMORED CORE reveal. It really adds a compelling sense of importance in terms of its narrative and worldbuilding that is hard not to admire.

As of 2025, DiRT3 still remains the last great simcade/arcade rally game. Filled with style and impressive content variety, while also offering some neat options to customize your experience.

While some might argue that DiRT 2 is the better game (and in terms of art direction, I would highly agree), DiRT3 has my favorite tracks in the series. I also like the slightly minimized atmosphere and presentation a bit more, due to how much it still oozes with character despite having less to it than DiRT 2's festival setting. I also much prefer the soundtrack here, with its focus on alt-rock and electronic music.

However, I will admit that the removal of Rally Raid was a big mistake, and its replacement is not exactly spectacular either. DiRT3 introduces Gymkhana to the series. While it's a fine mode, I do think it overstays its welcome within the campaign. It ends up becoming a bit of a drag when it shows up. Plus, the locations here would make for some great Rally Raid tracks.

Lastly, there's the expanded and extremely fun multiplayer offerings. The regular modes make an obvious return and are just as fun to race through with friends, but there's also the addition of party modes. These modes are an absolute blast to play through and take the ease off the more competitive modes.

While I enjoyed DiRT 5 quite a bit, I can't deny that I yearn for something like DiRT3. Racing games nowadays lack the personality and variety, offering the same thing every year. A high value and well presented rally racer with variety and style akin to DiRT3 would save this current climate of mid to high budget racing games.