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madsmatic.bsky.social
@madsmatic.bsky.social
An odd machine that dispenses unsolicited pop culture opinions, illustrations, comics, and various miscellany. Fueled by his wife, movies, single malt scotch, and steak.
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If you haven't joined us on Patreon.com/SkyboxCritics yet, I STILL have good news for you!

You can listen to the first few episodes of our Patreon-exclusive video game book club & deep dive podcast, Skydive, right now

From now on, you can catch EVERY 3-month-old Skydive this way ❤️
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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If even around 10% of the people who followed us kicked in just $1 a month, Skybox wouldn't really have to worry about money anymore. If you'd like us to survive, we need your help.
If you're feeling generous today, consider supporting independent writing about games and movies. $5 gets you access to our Discord and our weekly Into the Skybox podcast, while $10 gets you all of that plus Skydive, our monthly deep dive podcast. But even $1 helps.

www.patreon.com/c/SkyboxCrit...
Get more from Skybox on Patreon
A worker-owned games (& other) media site.
www.patreon.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:50 PM
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Slop Evader is a tool from artist and researcher Tega Brain that lets you search the web for results exclusively before November 30, 2022—the day that ChatGPT was released to the public.
'Slop Evader' Lets You Surf the Web Like It’s 2022
Artist Tega Brain is fighting the internet’s enshittification by turning back the clock to before ChatGPT existed.
www.404media.co
November 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
November 25, 2025 at 8:21 PM
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I'd rather die, thanks
Saw a post today that advised writers to stop writing as if a human will read it and start writing for an LLM that will be summarising.

As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
November 20, 2025 at 2:46 PM
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I did an interview with @davidhallerwrites.bsky.social that you may enjoy; I talk about a few things I don't think I have talked about before. Plus, enjoy a huge picture of my fast-collapsing middle-aged face which I do not even hide with a beard. www.davidhallerwrites.com/post/freeze-...
Freeze Frame: John Allison on the Realities of Living the Dream
Credits: John AllisonJohn Allison has forged his own unique path from novice freelancer to Eisner Award winner through a career defined by perseverance and experimentation. Within this article, he dis...
www.davidhallerwrites.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:27 PM
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The Skybox Podcast 16 is out on demand! We talk about Ball x Pit, Sonic the Hedgehog X DC Comics, Lumines Arise, Descent of Lunaris, and the weird, changing landscape of console exclusives. And other stuff, too.

Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ep-16-...

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1tLV...
Ep. 16 - Ball X Pit, Lumines Arise, Descent Of Lunaris OR "Kratos' Sekiro-Like Boss Fight Against The Hindu Stack Of Turtles" | Skybox
Get more from Skybox on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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Into the Skybox returns with @ashlikeadragon.bsky.social in a chat with @brianbarnett.bsky.social about her recent article on Yakuza Kiwami 3. Subscribe to our Patreon if you haven't already and check it out!

www.patreon.com/posts/into-s...
Into the Skybox - Hamazaki Has To Goh (with Ashley Schofield) | Skybox
Get more from Skybox on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:38 PM
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girl we have some bad news on your girlsecondarycancerlabreport. i'm afraid i have some bad news for some very specific cancer girlies

qwantz.com/index.php?co...
November 12, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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November 12, 2025 at 3:17 PM
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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
November 12, 2025 at 3:15 PM
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I reviewed Bounty Star for @ign.com. It is the most personal review I've written in a long time (maybe ever) and I'm very proud of it. It would mean a lot to me if you read it.

Full disclosure: I talk about being suicidal for two years in the opening because I had to. This one hit me pretty hard.
Bounty Star Review - IGN
This combination of mech combat and farming is equal parts compelling and tranquil.
www.ign.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
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In the meantime, I'm contributing to IGN's guide wiki on SILENT HILL F, so if you're checking that out for spooky season, feel free to stop by if you need a hand.
Silent Hill f Guide - IGN
Silent Hill f at IGN: walkthroughs, items, maps, video tips, and strategies
www.ign.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:48 PM
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final fantasy tactics is very good

but a lot of stuff about this remaster rubbed me the wrong way
September 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
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Silent Hill f review: My teen angst bullshit has a body count by @stolisomancer.bsky.social

"In its most action-packed moments, SHf looks like Ryuhei Kitamura tried to remake Yojimbo with a budget of whatever he could steal from a construction site."

Read the latest Skybox review:
skyboxcritics.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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In case you were curious what my opinion is about this week's new entry in the SILENT HILL franchise, I wrote some of my thoughts down for Skybox.

I think you'll be able to split the reactions to this down the middle by who likes maddening stamina-combat games and who doesn't. I don't. At all.
Silent Hill f review: My teen angst bullshit has a body count by @stolisomancer.bsky.social

"In its most action-packed moments, SHf looks like Ryuhei Kitamura tried to remake Yojimbo with a budget of whatever he could steal from a construction site."

Read the latest Skybox review:
skyboxcritics.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM
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Game Night: Punch Every Bug You See in ‘Star Fire: Eternal Cycle’ (Minus World Article)

hard-drive.net/news-games/g...
Game Night: Punch Every Bug You See in ‘Star Fire: Eternal Cycle’
If you pay attention to this hobby for long enough, you’ll spot trends – some might say stereotypes – in various countries’ video game development…
hard-drive.net
September 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
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The latest episode of Skydive is about TMNT: Turtles In Time

That episode (like all of 'game club' show Skydive and 'behind-the-scenes' Into The Skybox) are currently for Patreon backers only

BUT you can check out our Skydive "Pre-Flight Check" for Turtles in Time on Skybox right now!

Enjoy. 💟
Skydive Pre-Flight Check: TMNT: Turtles In Time
Picture the scene: you’re wandering the arcades in the early 90s, and you wander past a few machines. As you watch the attract screen, a catchy title track blares over a colourful sequence of…
skyboxcritics.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:04 PM
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Get ready for @madsmatic.bsky.social latest "Pie In The Skybox" comic strip, and shoutout to those who understand the final panel

I see you 👀

skyboxcritics.com/2025/09/05/p...
Explore the Creative World of Pie in the Skybox Comic
Explore the whimsical world of 'Pie in the Skybox,' a comic strip by Amadeo Garcia III, and discover his other captivating creations.
skyboxcritics.com
September 6, 2025 at 1:45 AM
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It's Friday, so I'm back talking #indiegames at @hard-drive.net. This week, I'm covering the recent release RA RA BOOM, which feels like the '90s arcade brawler adaptation of one of the weird cartoon shows that only ran at 4 AM. Check it out:
September 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
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Before my recent hospital stay, I wrote a column every week on @hard-drive.net about #indiegames. After some time off, I'm back on the site to talk about last month's HEARTWORM. Check it out:
August 29, 2025 at 4:36 PM
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The Breens and Wiseaus of the world offer a look into a demented psyche that creates art orthogonal to how we understand it.

"so bad it's good" on-purpose movies are just exhausting cavalcades of someone you don't know poking you in the ribs and going "do you get it?! 🤣" for 81 minutes
August 22, 2025 at 2:15 PM
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My Hollow Knight inspired comic is in prelaunch right now. Wait til you see the first big boss.

Hit that notify button and you'll be the first to see pages of interior art.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/nya...
Coming soon: Spryte #1 - a YA action/adventure comic book
Spryte can harness light, but can they face their own darkness? Inspired by Finding Nemo, Hollow Knight, and Chainsaw Man.
www.kickstarter.com
August 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
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Jean-Marc Vallée was one of a kind: How structure and editing defined a career by @trudiegraham.bsky.social

"When I’m struck by nature’s beauty, and feel magnetically pulled toward it, my mind mysteriously wanders to Wild — one of the greatest ‘the only way out is through’ movies."

Read on:
Jean-Marc Vallée was one of a kind: How structure and editing defined a career
A look back at the career of filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée through his use of repeated imagery to convey interiority and unveil mysteries for the audience.
skyboxcritics.com
August 20, 2025 at 8:16 PM