Brian Barnett | Ribnax
@brianbarnett.bsky.social
He/Him
Co-Founder & Editor-at-Large @skyboxcritics.bsky.social
SkyboxCritics.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/skyboxcritics
Writer @ IGN, GameSpot, Kotaku, etc.
Podcaster | Singer | Drummer
http://linktr.ee/ribnax | Inquiries: brian@skyboxcritics.com
Co-Founder & Editor-at-Large @skyboxcritics.bsky.social
SkyboxCritics.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/skyboxcritics
Writer @ IGN, GameSpot, Kotaku, etc.
Podcaster | Singer | Drummer
http://linktr.ee/ribnax | Inquiries: brian@skyboxcritics.com
Pinned
Hey, everyone! I'm Brian Barnett. I am a singer, drummer, songwriter, & video game critic, podcaster, & guide writer
I write for @ign.com, GameSpot, @kotaku.bsky.social, etc, & was full-time on the IGN Wiki team for a bit
Community is incredibly important to me, so I try to build it wherever I can
I write for @ign.com, GameSpot, @kotaku.bsky.social, etc, & was full-time on the IGN Wiki team for a bit
Community is incredibly important to me, so I try to build it wherever I can
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
"This could take down Democrats, too."
I know. And I frankly wouldn't give even an itty bitty damn if it implicated every Democratic man in Congress, every Democratic hopeful for 2028 and every Democrat who has even thought about running for office.
Down with the sex predators, wherever they are.
I know. And I frankly wouldn't give even an itty bitty damn if it implicated every Democratic man in Congress, every Democratic hopeful for 2028 and every Democrat who has even thought about running for office.
Down with the sex predators, wherever they are.
November 13, 2025 at 1:15 AM
"This could take down Democrats, too."
I know. And I frankly wouldn't give even an itty bitty damn if it implicated every Democratic man in Congress, every Democratic hopeful for 2028 and every Democrat who has even thought about running for office.
Down with the sex predators, wherever they are.
I know. And I frankly wouldn't give even an itty bitty damn if it implicated every Democratic man in Congress, every Democratic hopeful for 2028 and every Democrat who has even thought about running for office.
Down with the sex predators, wherever they are.
Also true in games journalism and criticism
Demand better
Support independent media like @skyboxcritics.com at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
Demand better
Support independent media like @skyboxcritics.com at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
November 12, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Also true in games journalism and criticism
Demand better
Support independent media like @skyboxcritics.com at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
Demand better
Support independent media like @skyboxcritics.com at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
You can probably trace this back to the Nixon pardon, the post-2008 "Too big to jail" decline in white collar prosecutions, and of course more recently the half hearted Trump prosecution. These are fundamentally political, not legal problems
One of the defining feelings in American life, for decades now, is elites doing plainly criminal shit and nothing at all happening as a result. It is deranging in a way that virtually nothing else is. Media fixates on perceived street lawlessness but shit like this matters much more in my opinion.
Dereliction of responsibility by the court. It is so flagrantly illegal. www.huffpost.com/entry/us-wis...
March 31, 2025 at 5:19 PM
You can probably trace this back to the Nixon pardon, the post-2008 "Too big to jail" decline in white collar prosecutions, and of course more recently the half hearted Trump prosecution. These are fundamentally political, not legal problems
In addition to backing us at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
you can ALSO follow everyone who has been published on @skyboxcritics.com with our new starter pack
thanks for your support so far, let's aim even higher! 💟
go.bsky.app/P98cx7E
you can ALSO follow everyone who has been published on @skyboxcritics.com with our new starter pack
thanks for your support so far, let's aim even higher! 💟
go.bsky.app/P98cx7E
November 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
In addition to backing us at patreon.com/skyboxcritics
you can ALSO follow everyone who has been published on @skyboxcritics.com with our new starter pack
thanks for your support so far, let's aim even higher! 💟
go.bsky.app/P98cx7E
you can ALSO follow everyone who has been published on @skyboxcritics.com with our new starter pack
thanks for your support so far, let's aim even higher! 💟
go.bsky.app/P98cx7E
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Please back us at patreon.com/skyboxcritics so we can bring you more great pieces like this 💟
Independent sites depend on support, and you get a lot of great stuff for very little money
Independent sites depend on support, and you get a lot of great stuff for very little money
November 12, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Please back us at patreon.com/skyboxcritics so we can bring you more great pieces like this 💟
Independent sites depend on support, and you get a lot of great stuff for very little money
Independent sites depend on support, and you get a lot of great stuff for very little money
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
A friend told me that his roommate was just walking down the street when ICE pointed a gun in his face.
It is so much worse than you’re being told. Or shown.
It is so much worse than you’re being told. Or shown.
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 12, 2025 at 6:00 AM
A friend told me that his roommate was just walking down the street when ICE pointed a gun in his face.
It is so much worse than you’re being told. Or shown.
It is so much worse than you’re being told. Or shown.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
US senators will say anything. "Standing up to donald trump gave him more power." No it didn't. That isn't true.
This is what bullies want you to think, and it's why they get stronger
November 11, 2025 at 8:09 PM
US senators will say anything. "Standing up to donald trump gave him more power." No it didn't. That isn't true.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
I don’t have a whole lot of advice for people younger than me but the earlier in life you stop worrying about what other people will think and just wholeheartedly enjoy the stuff you like the happier you’ll be
One thing people kind of tell you, but not really, about middle age:
One day you'll be like "oh [thing] looks fun but people will think I'm a loser" about a thing
And then you'll say. Wait a second.
Fuck 'em
One day you'll be like "oh [thing] looks fun but people will think I'm a loser" about a thing
And then you'll say. Wait a second.
Fuck 'em
Darn Tough turned me on to Cute Socks and I've never looked back
November 11, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I don’t have a whole lot of advice for people younger than me but the earlier in life you stop worrying about what other people will think and just wholeheartedly enjoy the stuff you like the happier you’ll be
lots of accessibility options
November 10, 2025 at 11:43 PM
lots of accessibility options
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
This also goes for freelance writers, journalists, editors, etc. So many people I know use marketplace plans (including myself) and those prices are going through the roof - unbelievably so
Many freelancers in the United States rely on ACA marketplace plans for their health insurance. In an industry that has already been working overtime to turn gamedevs into gig workers, freelance and contract devs are about to get even more squeezed. This is unacceptable.
November 10, 2025 at 11:37 PM
This also goes for freelance writers, journalists, editors, etc. So many people I know use marketplace plans (including myself) and those prices are going through the roof - unbelievably so
if you remove skeletons and blood, is there anything left?
reminds me of this joke from arrested development, where george michael is asked to give the censored version of what his grandfather said on the phone:
reminds me of this joke from arrested development, where george michael is asked to give the censored version of what his grandfather said on the phone:
November 10, 2025 at 11:35 PM
if you remove skeletons and blood, is there anything left?
reminds me of this joke from arrested development, where george michael is asked to give the censored version of what his grandfather said on the phone:
reminds me of this joke from arrested development, where george michael is asked to give the censored version of what his grandfather said on the phone:
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
low polyamory
November 10, 2025 at 9:33 PM
low polyamory
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
It's time for the F.E.A.R. episode of Skydive, our deep-dive podcast available for Patreon backers.
Check out the Pre-Flight Check article companion here: skyboxcritics.com/2025/11/10/s...
And listen to the episode if you support the site on the Skydive tier: www.patreon.com/posts/143264...
Check out the Pre-Flight Check article companion here: skyboxcritics.com/2025/11/10/s...
And listen to the episode if you support the site on the Skydive tier: www.patreon.com/posts/143264...
Skydive Pre-Flight Check: F.E.A.R.
In a better timeline, we’d be praising F.E.A.R. for being the pivotal first-person shooter that changed the genre, becoming the template that others would try to build on or supplant for mult…
skyboxcritics.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:04 PM
It's time for the F.E.A.R. episode of Skydive, our deep-dive podcast available for Patreon backers.
Check out the Pre-Flight Check article companion here: skyboxcritics.com/2025/11/10/s...
And listen to the episode if you support the site on the Skydive tier: www.patreon.com/posts/143264...
Check out the Pre-Flight Check article companion here: skyboxcritics.com/2025/11/10/s...
And listen to the episode if you support the site on the Skydive tier: www.patreon.com/posts/143264...
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Designer: all right Mr. Del Toro here’s those Frankenstein’s monster designs, real sexy just like you asked for.
Del Toro: (nodding) this is exactly as sexy as I asked for.
Del Toro: (nodding) this is exactly as sexy as I asked for.
October 26, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Designer: all right Mr. Del Toro here’s those Frankenstein’s monster designs, real sexy just like you asked for.
Del Toro: (nodding) this is exactly as sexy as I asked for.
Del Toro: (nodding) this is exactly as sexy as I asked for.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
i would love to hire someone next year who is just starting out in the youtube/digital media/production world and would be down to work 15-20 hours a week as a production assistant/coordinator on my channel.
you would learn a lot and i wouldn't yell at you.
you would learn a lot and i wouldn't yell at you.
November 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
i would love to hire someone next year who is just starting out in the youtube/digital media/production world and would be down to work 15-20 hours a week as a production assistant/coordinator on my channel.
you would learn a lot and i wouldn't yell at you.
you would learn a lot and i wouldn't yell at you.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Democrats would do well to remember that trusting a party defined by deceit and bad faith isn’t just naïve, it’s dangerous to democracy itself.
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Democrats would do well to remember that trusting a party defined by deceit and bad faith isn’t just naïve, it’s dangerous to democracy itself.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
If the Dems blink after all of this, for a deal that all but ensures no ACA subsidies in 2026 anyway, then what was the purpose of letting the shutdown go for 40 days in the first place?
November 10, 2025 at 12:53 AM
If the Dems blink after all of this, for a deal that all but ensures no ACA subsidies in 2026 anyway, then what was the purpose of letting the shutdown go for 40 days in the first place?
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
no amount of state propaganda will ever convince me this man is my enemy
November 9, 2025 at 3:05 PM
no amount of state propaganda will ever convince me this man is my enemy
I have never used any of the plagiarism aggregators ✋🏼
Hands up if you've never used Chat GPT ✋
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
Probably a good way to tell right now if the job you’re applying for is run by absolute dumbfucks is to ask if they’re using AI.
November 9, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I have never used any of the plagiarism aggregators ✋🏼
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Commissions are open!
See replies for more detailed examples of the tiers.
See replies for more detailed examples of the tiers.
November 8, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Commissions are open!
See replies for more detailed examples of the tiers.
See replies for more detailed examples of the tiers.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Not to be the fun police but I do hope people know that Arc Raiders does use generative AI for voice acting, and by supporting the game you're letting higher-ups know that this is an okay practice.
They try to downplay this on the Steam store page by describing the AI usage as vaguely as possible.
They try to downplay this on the Steam store page by describing the AI usage as vaguely as possible.
November 8, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Not to be the fun police but I do hope people know that Arc Raiders does use generative AI for voice acting, and by supporting the game you're letting higher-ups know that this is an okay practice.
They try to downplay this on the Steam store page by describing the AI usage as vaguely as possible.
They try to downplay this on the Steam store page by describing the AI usage as vaguely as possible.
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
Reposted by Brian Barnett | Ribnax
Monolith's horror-shooter stars a ghostly little girl, but players have always missed the point of its tragic story.
'F.E.A.R.' at 20: Is the Game's Villain the Ghost -- Or the System That Killed Her?
bit.ly
November 8, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Monolith's horror-shooter stars a ghostly little girl, but players have always missed the point of its tragic story.