Entertainment

Now Playing: Digimon Survive, Rise TMNT, Tekken

Right in the childhood

Published

August 23, 2022

Rodneil Quiteles

Nostalgia is in full swing in some of the recent media I’ve consumed. Some of these franchises are near and dear to my heart so I figured I’d dedicate a space where I talk about them for a little bit.

I’ll primarily talk about the game Digimon Survive, the movie Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, and the Netflix animated series Tekken: Bloodline. But I did see and play a few other things in between and around my travels during the last two weeks so I’ll touch on those too, briefly.

The main trio

Digimon Survive

I’m in the minority on this but I’ve always been a Digimon over Pokémon type of person. I was a big fan of the 1999 animé and its banger of an opening song. And I also dedicated an entire summer to playing the Digimon World game. I missed the train on the Digimon World: Next Order game so I was elated that Digimon Survive came out recently.

I haven’t played it as much, but I feel like I’ve played it enough to let you know if this is something you should buy now or just wait for its price to drop. We got a review code from the publisher which is why I was able to play.

To properly set expectations, Digimon Survive is a visual novel first and turn-based strategy game second. From what I’d experience so far, it’s about a 70-30 split. There’s a lot of dialogue to get through, and the prologue part is a bit of a slog.

That said, the story is engaging. While it’s nothing entirely new, there’s enough care put into the characters and the narrative to keep you invested in the story. And how you interact with characters will ultimately decide their faith in the game. It’s not a light story by any means. If you neglect certain characters, they will ultimately meet their demise.

The turn-based combat, though, is child’s play. It doesn’t really require that much thought and anyone should be able to pick it up without any trouble. If you’re looking for a challenge, this isn’t it.

Digimon Survive is a tide-you-over kind of game. It’s mostly an okay way to gauge interest in the franchise but I don’t see this as something a lot of people will play. Even if you’re a die-hard Digimon fan, it might be prudent to wait for its price to drop or for it to show up on subscription services.

Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

It’s not something I’m loud about, but I really like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As a kid, my first exposure to these heroes in a half shell was through the 1987 cartoons. They were so big in the early 90s I remember we even had towels and bedsheets featuring the turtles (Team Mickey over here).

There have been many iterations of these crime-fighting turtles since, and I never really got to follow any of those series. I did, however, enjoy all the live action movies. Yes. All of them.

So, when the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie dropped on Netflix, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t even on my radar at all. And I didn’t know I needed a Turtles flick until I watched it.

The movie serves as a sort of sequel to the two season cartoon series on Nickelodeon. But I hadn’t seen a single episode of that series before jumping into this movie. And that’s fine. If you have any sort of prior knowledge about the franchise, you won’t feel lost at all.

This version of the Turtles mixes things up a little bit with Raphael taking the role of the leader first. And the movie primarily deals with the transition of leadership with Leonardo learning exactly what it is to be a leader.

It’s a fun flick with some “Sakuga” level animation. Some characters might be jarring for long-time fans. But I think it’s a nice, fresh take on the franchise. The action is unrelenting and Leonardo’s character arc is one worth learning from especially if this will be seen by many kids around the world.

Watch Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The movie on Netflix.

Tekken: Bloodline

I wasn’t too hot on the art style when I first saw the trailer for Tekken:Bloodline, But between this and the Ultraman anime on Netflix, I guess I’m starting to warm up to it.

I’m not too familiar with the story behind Tekken. And the only game I really spent a significant amount of time on is Tekken 3 – which is great because it seems like it’s the game that the show is most loosely based on.

Netflix’s take focuses squarely on Jin Kazama and his family, hence the “bloodline” tag. I watched all six episodes in one sitting and, more than anything, I feel like it could have used a few more episodes.

The only character you can really invest in is Jin. And perhaps that’s by design. But Tekken is filled with plenty of colorful characters that can certainly be fleshed out with more episodes.

I sincerely hope more people watch it because I’d love to see more of it animated.

Watch Tekken: Bloodline on Netflix.

Other things I’ve dabbled in

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

I missed this in the cinemas but thankfully, I was able to catch it as an in-flight entertainment. It’s a little more unhinged than the first one. The whole sequence with Sonic and Tails together was pretty darn weird. I’m not sure Idris Elba was the best choice to voice Knuckles. And Jim Carrey was fantastic as always. It’s a wild ride but there are probably better things to do than spend over two hours watching this. Unless, you’re in a long-haul flight like I was.

Tower of Fantasy

The Tencent game that boldly claimed to be the next Genshin Impact. As of writing, Tower of Fantasy seems to be enjoying a plethora of players. But with any MMORPG, the challenge is being able to sustain this momentum. I’ve played a little bit and as I was thinking about what to write, I realized one thing – I’m not an MMO enjoyer. I totally skipped the whole Ragnarok wave and everything else that came after. That’s not to say that I think the game is bad. I was just not looking at it properly.

What I’m looking forward to

She-hulk

I have surprisingly been able to keep up with Marvel’s offerings. I guess I’m an MCU nut after all. Ms. Marvel was fun but teenager me would’ve enjoyed it more. It was great for representation and the finalé had a couple of big reveals that’ll affect the greater MCU picture.

Now comes She-Hulk. I’ve seen the trailers and reactions to the first episode but I have yet to watch it myself. I’ll probably wait until the series has wrapped up and binge it on a weekend. I’m excited to do so because it looks like it might not be a usual MCU thing. Hope it turns out great.

Watch She-Hulk on Disney+

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Gohan is my favorite Dragon Ball character. After his being relegated to the side since the Buu Saga in Dragon Ball Z, Gohan has been on a downward spiral with his lowest moment probably coming in the Resurrection F movie.

But Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero looks to rectify that. I’ve already been spoiled with the transformation he’s going to make but I still am looking forward to watching the movie and seeing how it unfolds. Bad-ass Gohan is back and I’m here for it.

NBA 2K23

NBA 2K is my comfort game. I have been playing NBA simulations since NBA Live 98. And I use basketball to relax my mind. 2K seems to be adding plenty of new things to keep it interesting. I’ll detail everything that’s new in a separate article. But as always, I can’t wait to play it.

Entertainment

Street Fighter special look: Blanka vs. Ryu

Jason Momoa, Andrew Koji’s characters face off

Published

August 2, 2026

GadgetMatch

Paramount Pictures has released a new special look for Street Fighter featuring Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji.

The short, minute-long clip shows the actors’ respective characters, Blanka and Ryu, in battle.

It opens with a chained prisoner struck by extreme electrical charges, transforming into the green-skinned, electricity-infused Blanka.

He unleashes a fierce roar. Meanwhile, Ryu drops into a fighting stance, but tells Blanka he does not want to fight him.

Forced to defend himself, Ryu then fires a signature Hadouken fireball towards Blanka, as the teaser cuts to the Street Fighter title card.

Street Fighter debuts in cinemas starting October 14. It is directed by Kitao Sakurai and stars an ensemble cast that includes Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai as Akuma, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog, among others.

The film is set in 1993 when estranged Street Fighters Ryu and Ken Masters are thrown into combat when Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament.

Entertainment

Now Playing: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

It’s a must watch for Spidey fans who want to see Peter Parker enter his sad boy era.

Published

July 29, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Holland-led Spider-Man trilogy is one of my favorite franchises in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Compared to other series with admittedly disjointed plots, all of Spidey’s storylines have a clear thread leading from one to the next. Since the fourth entries after trilogies are historically lackluster, I had a lot of trepidation heading into Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Thankfully, all those worries were unfounded. Brand New Day follows the same throughline as its predecessors, once again reinforcing Spider-Man as the strongest franchise that Marvel offers fans today.

A brand new day indeed

Coming from No Way Home, Brand New Day still has Peter Parker live a new life as a literal nobody where no one remembers who he is. So begins his existence as just Spider-Man with no friends or family.

When a new and unseen threat ravages through New York City, Spidey starts to wish that he still had friends to help him out, which leads him on an inevitable collision course with Ned and MJ. Ironically, it also leads him to other characters in the city, including the Hulk and the Punisher.

A cacophony of villains

When I first saw the trailer, I was worried about the astounding number of villains from the get-go. After all, one of the biggest problems in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, the most maligned entry in Spider-Man movie history, was the villains. Though far from the movie’s biggest problem, having too many bad guys without a solid plot led to its terrible reception. You can see why Brand New Day’s trailer raises some flags.

If you were thinking the same thing, Brand New Day does indeed have a cohesive plot. Everything flows neatly into one another. Each emotional beat of Peter feeling for his solitude mixes well with the action. In here, fight scenes feel like they have a purpose.

And there is a big bad here. It’s not just a collection of guys that Spidey has to go through. That big bad, who shall not be named at this time, doesn’t feel like just a placeholder for Peter’s internal struggles. They have a character of their own and their own struggles to solve. I wouldn’t say they’re at the level of Loki just yet, but they definitely have a better go at it than most of the MCU’s other villains.

Marvel’s New York City finally debuts

Despite being a prime location since 2012’s Avengers, New York City never really felt like the quintessential city for superheroes in the comics. In the movies, the city was just another city to be ravaged when a new villain comes along.

For the first time, Brand New Day makes the city feel like a lived-in world with a bunch of superheroes living in the neighborhood. And they do pop up.

Does Peter have a scientific problem that only a very specific hero can solve? It’s a good thing Bruce Banner is just around the corner. Does he need some muscle? Well, the Punisher is skulking around somewhere. Plus, there’s even a succinct reason why other superheroes can’t help out.

In this way, Brand New Day presents itself more like a comic book series than a one-off movie. It’s like following the story alone from issue to issue. It’s not the most perfect adaptation of the landmark city, but it goes a long way from just another ravaging of New York.

Peter’s sadness

Everything here hinges on Peter’s loneliness. Despite meeting a trove of characters across the cinematic universe, Peter yearns for time with his loved ones. But they’re gone.

Unlike the past three films where he always had someone to go home to, he has no one here. Tony Stark is dead. Aunt May is gone. Happy has gone to parts unknown. Ned and MJ have no memory of him. Brand New Day has a way of making you feel for his aches, whether the way he still keeps track of MJ or some physiological changes as a result of his predicament.

It also helps that the movie’s big bad has similar motivations. Both serve as perfect mirrors against each other, elevating both their stories effectively. And that’s all I’ll say about that.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a few steps behind from being a perfect Marvel movie, but it’s still an extremely strong part of the Spider-Man mythos. The trilogy, now quadrilogy, remains Marvel’s most consistent franchises to date. It’s an absolute must-watch.

Entertainment

UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony hits Makati in October

Determination arrives in October.

Published

July 28, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

For so small of a game, UNDERTALE quickly made it into the gaming world’s hall of fame. Despite being only a decade old, the small title has had a major influence for modern-day gamers because of its unique gameplay, its lo-fi art, and, of course, its catchy soundtrack. If you’re a fan of UNDERTALE’s soundtrack, a unique concert experience is headed your way.

On October 17, Film Concerts PH, in partnership with SOHO Live, is hosting UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.

The concert will be performed by the Filharmonika Orchestra and conducted by Thanapol Setabrahmana. Personally curated by creator Toby Fox and developed by Lambert Jackson with Materia Music, the concert experience showcases the game’s most recognizable tunes laid over gameplay footage playing simultaneously. Plus, for the world tour, the experience will have expanded scoring.

In the game, you play as a small child stuck in the mysterious Underground filled with interesting characters and monsters. Unlike traditional RPGs, UNDERTALE asks players to choose between building relationships and chasing after wins. It’s a unique experience that’s defined by whether you chose to make friends or fought your way to the top. It teaches players to value different ways to solve problems, all while showering them with its one-of-a-kind humor.

Pre-sales for the concert, exclusively for members of the Film Concerts PH community, start on August 4. Public sales, however, will start on August 11 via Ticketmelon.