sashatchoubanov

This episode drops us right into the middle of a high-stakes situation, with visuals that stand out for being less photorealistic and more Pixar/Disney-like-a refreshing change. However, it's frustratingly short, feeling more like a teaser for a potential Mega Man animated movie than a complete story. I know that it's the concept of the anthology series, but we could at least get a complete story, not a trailer. While the scenario is compelling, the action is minimal, and the overall experience feels lightweight and underwhelming. That said, seeing Mega Man brought to life with this design is a true pleasure, even if the episode leaves you wanting much more.

I haven't played the game but heard plenty of backlash about it. For my part, I think this episode was fine-entertaining, but a bit too simple. It follows a predictable Guardians of the Galaxy-style setup, with a group of mercenaries hunting for fortune across the galaxy. The visuals are great and bring a conventional sci-fi world to life, simple and classic, but but wasnt that impressive as some other episodes. The story doesn't do much to stand out. A predictable story, characters undeveloped, forgettable and useless villains, it felt like there wasn't much to do with content. It tries some humor...but I'd say that the intro was the only fun and original part of the whole short story.

While enjoyable, it lacks depth and originality, making it a fine but forgettable entry in the anthology.

Based on Crossfire, one of the most-played games globally (though lesser-known in the West but more in Asia), this episode captures the urban warfare between PMCs in a Counter-Strike-style VIP scenario. While it leans into the game's arcade roots with its empty city setup, it feels too much like a match replay, it has action scenes tension but it misses the stakes of a compelling narrative. We have the stereotypical types of characters of a classic action/mercenary TV show or b-movie, for instance - the annoying egoistic and scared civilian client. The action sequences are engaging, and the pacing keeps you hooked, but the narrative leans on familiar tropes, making it a bit predictable. The photorealistic visuals are solid as always but i was maybe less impressed by the cinematography than in other episodes.

That said, I appreciated the moral ambiguity-both teams think they're the "good guys," reflecting the harsh reality of war. Giving faces, names, and emotions to each squad was a refreshing take, making the conflict feel more personal...but just constantly repeating the same phrase over again, feels a bit like a missed opportunity. The dialogues are shallow and the fact we know nothing of the characters but we see them as humans killing other humans...don't make us root for anyone and maybe...then we come to the point where there isn't good or bad guys...just a team vs another team as in Counter-Strike. A non-manichean representation of the video game, through a more realistic display.