Spot Reviews 05/15/26
May 15 2026
Sisu: Road to Revenge (2025) [/] Sequel to Sisu. After World War II is over former Finnish commando Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila), who doesn't speak a word in this movie, returns to his empty home. Now that his family is all dead and his home is now in Russian territory he dismantles his home and is determined to bring it back to Finland. Except that the KGB still wants Aatami so Soviet officer Yeagor Draganov (Stephen Lang) follows with his men to bring him back... It's a series of small and violent action scenes and the style feels like when Quentin Tarantino does an homage to 1960's/1970's films. If you liked the first Sisu this is more of the same maybe done with a bit more polish.
Stardew Valley (2023) [/] With 8-bit graphics JRPG-style game play, this is an "open-ended farming RPG". You inherit an old farm and have to clear it and start planting and tending crops. Then meet the 20+ villagers and get to know them. You can farm and build up your farm, befriend the villagers of which 12 are potential marriage candidates, there are even caves with monsters and treasure (mind you there is only like one fighting stat so killing things is doable but not deep game play). I played it for a few game days (time is constantly moving even if you do nothing). It's a popular award-winning game but maybe not my cup of tea.
Turmoil+ (2023) [/] There was an old C64 game I typed in from a magazine where you drill for oil in a 2D sideview world. As you drill down you use up money. If you hit oil and syphon it you get money. If you hit a rock you break your drill... Turmoil reminds me of that old game. You start with money and a plot of land. Use a diviner to find possible oil deposits (drilling blindly you'll likely miss). Drill down and hit oil. Syphon the oil and with a horse and wagon you can store the oil or sell it to the left or right markets. There are three or four NPCs also drilling and their oil selling affect the price so timing is important but you also only have a month or three so selling at a low price is better than not selling at all. In between levels you can upgrade equipment (bigger pipes, faster horses, etc.). It's a nice not particularly deep game. Would be nice to have a multiplayer option instead of playing versus NPCs.
Shiki Laurelwood, San Mateo [/] Delivery. Pork Ramen and Aki roll ("Barbeque eel, avocado & cucumber; topped with cooked shrimp and house sauce"). $40 from Door Dash (includes service charges). Both dishes were only ok so I probably wouldn't order from here again.
Stardew Valley (2023) [/] With 8-bit graphics JRPG-style game play, this is an "open-ended farming RPG". You inherit an old farm and have to clear it and start planting and tending crops. Then meet the 20+ villagers and get to know them. You can farm and build up your farm, befriend the villagers of which 12 are potential marriage candidates, there are even caves with monsters and treasure (mind you there is only like one fighting stat so killing things is doable but not deep game play). I played it for a few game days (time is constantly moving even if you do nothing). It's a popular award-winning game but maybe not my cup of tea.
Turmoil+ (2023) [/] There was an old C64 game I typed in from a magazine where you drill for oil in a 2D sideview world. As you drill down you use up money. If you hit oil and syphon it you get money. If you hit a rock you break your drill... Turmoil reminds me of that old game. You start with money and a plot of land. Use a diviner to find possible oil deposits (drilling blindly you'll likely miss). Drill down and hit oil. Syphon the oil and with a horse and wagon you can store the oil or sell it to the left or right markets. There are three or four NPCs also drilling and their oil selling affect the price so timing is important but you also only have a month or three so selling at a low price is better than not selling at all. In between levels you can upgrade equipment (bigger pipes, faster horses, etc.). It's a nice not particularly deep game. Would be nice to have a multiplayer option instead of playing versus NPCs.
Shiki Laurelwood, San Mateo [/] Delivery. Pork Ramen and Aki roll ("Barbeque eel, avocado & cucumber; topped with cooked shrimp and house sauce"). $40 from Door Dash (includes service charges). Both dishes were only ok so I probably wouldn't order from here again.